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Speaker 1: Scenes from the G League Showcase in Orlando and the

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Speaker 1: unofficial start of NBA Trade Season. I was there. We'll

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Speaker 1: get into that. Also, all Star voting has been goun

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Speaker 1: the five games on Monday's Christmas Day schedule, and reluctantly

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Speaker 1: some more discussion about Chris Haynes and his rec league

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Speaker 1: exploits in Sacramento. All that's next here on this edition

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Speaker 1: of This League Uncut. Let's go Welcome to this League Uncut.

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Speaker 1: In the rule of twenty four hour NBA News, this

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Speaker 1: you'll lose Chris Haynes. Let's go tilling.

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Speaker 2: Work's time.

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Speaker 1: It's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.

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Speaker 1: This should be a good one. Everyone. Welcome in to

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Speaker 1: the weekend before Christmas edition of This League Uncut. Mark

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Speaker 1: Stein here with Chris Haynes. I am back now from

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Speaker 1: the G League Showcase in Orlando. I was there all week,

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Speaker 1: sadly there without Chris Haynes. The last time I was

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Speaker 1: in Orlando, of course, was the Wealth Disney World Bubble

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Speaker 1: in the summer of twenty twenty, when Chris Haynes and

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Speaker 1: I were neighbors. Although it's so funny, man, no matter

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Speaker 1: who you run into who's been at the Bubble, And

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Speaker 1: this happened multiple times. When I saw people from the

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Speaker 1: Bubble at this event, it's like they know the number

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Speaker 1: of days they were there. To the tea, it's like, yeah,

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Speaker 1: I was there fifty four days. Guy I was talking

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Speaker 1: to Yeah, I was there one hundred and one days.

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Speaker 1: I think I checked with you. You you hit me

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Speaker 1: back in about five seconds, like everybody remembers to the

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Speaker 1: second how long they were there.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's still too soon for me. Seven for me,

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Speaker 2: it's still yeah, it was one o seven for me. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: still too So.

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Speaker 1: What are you gonna do if TNT has not sent

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Speaker 1: you to Orlando?

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Speaker 2: Since No, And I actually got my schedule because you

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Speaker 2: know TNT usually sends me my sideline schedule. They go

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Speaker 2: in increment, so they'll go to you know, they'll send

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Speaker 2: me a schedule in late September October games through January games,

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Speaker 2: so a couple of days ago. I just got my

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Speaker 2: January through the rest of the season. No Orlando. I

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Speaker 2: get close, though, Stein, I get close. I'm in Miami

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Speaker 2: around April, around spring break time.

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Speaker 1: Your favorite number one.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, oh man, I got a Thursday game, which means,

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Speaker 2: you know, I'll fly.

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Speaker 1: When that When is that?

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Speaker 2: I think it's like April second. Oh wow, April April,

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Speaker 2: I believe. Hold, I'm looking at it right now. It

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Speaker 2: is actually six ers at Miami April fourth, Thursday night game.

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Speaker 2: And so you know, Stein, you know, usually i'll fly

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Speaker 2: in Wednesday and you leave first thing in the morning

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Speaker 2: Friday morning after after that Thursday game start. I think

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Speaker 2: I'll probably leave Sunday night, you know. I think I'll

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Speaker 2: hang around. I'll hang out over the weekend and start.

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Speaker 2: No rush, no rush again.

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Speaker 1: I thought I thought, I thought you met you were

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Speaker 1: gonna fly in the Sunday night before.

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Speaker 2: No, No, I still fly. Wife a counna, let me

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Speaker 2: stay that long? Why I leave, leave the day before

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Speaker 2: the game on a Wednesday, But I get the weekend.

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Speaker 2: I'll get to hang the week hang the weekend in Miami.

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Speaker 1: Ties and losses.

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Speaker 2: Yes, that's where it is, your.

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Speaker 1: Favorite slogan from twenty twenty three.

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Speaker 2: But Stein, she's she's actually going to We already already

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Speaker 2: talked about it. The family is going to join me

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Speaker 2: up there in Miami, so they'll probably get there Friday,

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Speaker 2: stay the weekend.

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Speaker 1: Hey, your two older daughters can just fly in from Atlanta.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, quick trip. I remember when I was trying to

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Speaker 2: work my way up in this profession. Uh, you know,

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Speaker 2: I told my wife. I explained, like, you, babe, you

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Speaker 2: gotta like, you have to be willing to take a

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Speaker 2: job whatever, if you feel like that job is going

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Speaker 2: to take you to the next level, you gotta be

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Speaker 2: you know, you gotta be just be flexible. Miami was

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Speaker 2: the only stop that she would not do under any circumstance.

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Speaker 2: Really yeah, yeah.

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Speaker 1: So she's not a big she's not She's not the

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Speaker 1: Miami fan that you are.

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Speaker 2: Then, not at all, not at all. And I don't

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Speaker 2: think it has anything to do with Miami. She just

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Speaker 2: believes the how should I say this, Uh, that is

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Speaker 2: not family centered Miami. She she believes that she believes

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Speaker 2: family has attributes and elements that could fracture a family.

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Speaker 2: So that was one of the places that it was

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Speaker 2: just a no go. So it's like.

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Speaker 1: Stead you delivered Cleveland.

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Speaker 2: It ended up working out. She wanted to get back

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Speaker 2: to California. So it's funny, stock can I tell I

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Speaker 2: told her Sty, I was like, you know, I'm a

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Speaker 2: beat writer. I'm like, Mabe, if I want to be national,

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Speaker 2: like they might send me to Miami for a national job,

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Speaker 2: to go to ESPN or Yahoo, whatever you say. I

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Speaker 2: gotta turn those national gigs down, she said. If you

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Speaker 2: want to stay married, yes, you gotta turn those national

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Speaker 2: gigs down. So I thankfully, I'm thankfully that it never

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Speaker 2: got to a scenario where I had to choose. I

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Speaker 2: think I would have I think I would have chosen right.

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Speaker 2: I think I would have chosen the family sty but

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Speaker 2: I didn't want to be in that predicamous star.

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Speaker 1: All right, before you get into any more Christmas weekend trouble,

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Speaker 1: this is the idea of this. We're recording this on

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Speaker 1: a Friday afternoon, so it will drop hopefully Friday evening,

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Speaker 1: and the hope is that this podcast will be in

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Speaker 1: your possession if you want to listen to it traveling

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Speaker 1: somewhere this weekend, if you're headed to some sort of

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Speaker 1: Christmas gathering and you want some NBA accompaniment on your travels.

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Speaker 1: Hopefully this will fill the void. Obviously, Monday, the NBA's

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Speaker 1: annual five game Christmas slate gonna have to compete with

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Speaker 1: a three game NFL schedule, which is probably not gonna

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Speaker 1: go great for the NBA TV ratings. Wise, but it

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Speaker 1: is a pretty strong assemblage of games. We will come

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Speaker 1: back to this at the end, but just to remind

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Speaker 1: you of what awaits on Monday, Milwaukee at New York

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Speaker 1: is the early game. Warriors at Nuggets, the defending champions

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Speaker 1: from Denver. They get a home game on Christmas. That's

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Speaker 1: the spoils of winning it all. Nikola Jokic gets a

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Speaker 1: home game on Christmas. Celtics at Lakers, the league's oldest

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Speaker 1: rivalry resuming on this holiday. Sixers at Heat, Miami at

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Speaker 1: home on Christmas without Chris Haynes, and then the late game,

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Speaker 1: the nightcap, two teams that do not like each other,

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Speaker 1: Mavericks at Suns. But the Mavericks have a really long

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Speaker 1: injury list. No Kyrie Irving, no Derek Lively, no Josh Green,

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Speaker 1: no Moxie Kliba. They've been without those guys, the latter

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Speaker 1: two for a while now. And you know, look, we

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Speaker 1: don't have a we don't have an official status report

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Speaker 1: yet for Christmas. That's still a couple days away as

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Speaker 1: we're taping this. But the mass have been playing shorthanded

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Speaker 1: for seemingly weeks, and of course, Bradley Beal made his

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Speaker 1: long awaited return from back issues. Played one game alongside

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Speaker 1: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and Beale suffered an unfortunate

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Speaker 1: ankle twist that's going to keep him out of the

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Speaker 1: Christmas showdown. But like I said, we will get back

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Speaker 1: to We will get back to the Christmas games. At

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Speaker 1: the end, we will circle back to that. Look, it's

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Speaker 1: trade season now. Once December fifteen hits and we're a

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Speaker 1: full week beyond that. Now, that's kind of the sound

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Speaker 1: the alarms that trade season is underway. Doesn't mean a

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Speaker 1: deluge of deals starts, but certainly it puts eighty plus

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Speaker 1: players who were signed in the summer they become trade eligible,

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Speaker 1: teams start talking trades more seriously. The trade deadline is

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Speaker 1: February eighth. And I was just in Orlando for the

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Speaker 1: G League Showcase, and you know, everybody, it's so funny.

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Speaker 2: Man.

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Speaker 1: One of the our tourists, Carnichiavus, was there for the Bulls,

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Speaker 1: and I just felt like every time he got up

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Speaker 1: out of his seat wherever he was going. To me,

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Speaker 1: maybe maybe it was just maybe it was just my impression,

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Speaker 1: but it just felt to me like eyes were riveted

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Speaker 1: to wherever our tourists was going and to to kind

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Speaker 1: of pay attention to whoever he was talking to, because

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Speaker 1: obviously the Bulls are on that list of teams that

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Speaker 1: everyone knows they want to be active. The Bulls do

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Speaker 1: want to find a workable trade for zach lavine. To

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Speaker 1: this point, they haven't found much of a marketplace for

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Speaker 1: zach lavine. But to me, I think Chicago, Toronto again

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Speaker 1: just like this time last year, Utah, Atlanta. Those are

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Speaker 1: four teams that I think everyone around the league is

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Speaker 1: expecting to be active, and we start with those teams

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Speaker 1: because you know, it's it's a challenge on some levels

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Speaker 1: to try to identify your sellers this far away from

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Speaker 1: the deadline, because, as we've seen in the play in

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Speaker 1: tournament era, teams can talk themselves into the idea that

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Speaker 1: they don't need to disassemble and don't need to go

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Speaker 1: the seller route, and that they're not that far away

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Speaker 1: from being in the playoff mix. It obviously, the play

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Speaker 1: in tournament, the play in slots keep the playoff dream

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Speaker 1: alive for more teams, and so that's why it tends

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Speaker 1: to take certainly why in recent years since the play

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Speaker 1: in tournament came to be it's it usually take closer

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Speaker 1: to the deadline to make things happen. But you know what,

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Speaker 1: last season, we saw a couple January trades. The Lakers

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Speaker 1: obviously made the Ruy Hachamura trade in January last season.

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Speaker 1: So I do think we will see some action. And

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Speaker 1: you know, as I said, I think I think the

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Speaker 1: focus really starts with those teams that you know, all

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Speaker 1: under five hundred, and you would you would, you would

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Speaker 1: put them in the disappointment category. All those teams, even

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Speaker 1: Utah had higher aspirations than what we're seeing from those

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Speaker 1: teams now record wise, And I think you've you've talked

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Speaker 1: about it as well. The Jazz is certainly a team

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Speaker 1: that you know, they their phones are going to be

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Speaker 1: ringing a lot here over the next six seven weeks

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Speaker 1: for sure.

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Speaker 2: I mean those are teams, those teams you identify, for sure,

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Speaker 2: those are teams that most people would put into the

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Speaker 2: sellers category. But you know, Chicago definitely Levine. You know,

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Speaker 2: I would be very surprised if Lavina is still a

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Speaker 2: member that roster by the time the trade deadline passes.

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Speaker 2: But style, what do you think, you know, Chicago's been

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Speaker 2: playing well, you know since Lavina has been out. They've

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Speaker 2: kind of findru found a stride. They just recently beat

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Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Lakers. They've strung together, I bleed three

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Speaker 2: wins in a row. They've they've had a stretch and

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Speaker 2: they're right there. As of right now, they're in with

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Speaker 2: the eleventh spot, but you know, they have more wins

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Speaker 2: than Atlanta, which is in the tenth spot, and they're

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Speaker 2: just what a game and a half behind, Well, there

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Speaker 2: are two games and a half behind Indiana, who has

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Speaker 2: the A spot. So it's they can they can be

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Speaker 2: right in it. You know, it's it's all. All is

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Speaker 2: not lost. As far as the Bulls season this year,

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Speaker 2: I know they got off to a terrible start of

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Speaker 2: this year kind of you know, got them in this hole.

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Speaker 2: But I think the season for the Bulls is still

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Speaker 2: very much salvageable. I want to I want to see,

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Speaker 2: you know, what they can do with this roster, and

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Speaker 2: it seems like it's a it's a it's a roster

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Speaker 2: that's sharing the ball a little bit more. Kobe White

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Speaker 2: has more of a role on the offensive end. He's

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Speaker 2: shooting the ball lights out. I want to say, like

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Speaker 2: in the last three weeks or so, he's number one

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Speaker 2: and three pointers made, and so they found they found

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Speaker 2: something right here. And I think maybe if they you know,

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Speaker 2: if they did well. If they did, I think I

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Speaker 2: will go and say when they trade Levine, it'll be

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Speaker 2: interesting to see it.

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Speaker 1: What. Wow, You're you're that sure because I'm I mean,

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Speaker 1: it's funny. I'm not like I am not because I

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Speaker 1: actually think that they're seven and three since Zach Levine

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Speaker 1: went to the sideline, and I think that makes their

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Speaker 1: job even harder to try to find a trade for him,

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Speaker 1: because you know, he has this massive contract and he's

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Speaker 1: regarded as an offensive first player, and so like Philly

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Speaker 1: keeps being mentioned as a team that interested in Zach Lavine.

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Speaker 1: That is still not the vibe that I get in

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Speaker 1: my conversations at the showcase. You know, the distinct vibe

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Speaker 1: I got is that the Sixers are still, if they're

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Speaker 1: going to do something this season, the Sixers are still

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Speaker 1: in the market for a two way player, and Zach

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Speaker 1: Lavine does for all of his offensive gifts, does not

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Speaker 1: fall into the classification of two way player. And Sacramento

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Speaker 1: another team that is often linked with Zach Levine, you know,

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Speaker 1: the Kings, they need to you know, I think Mike

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Speaker 1: Brown is always thinking about how do we improve our defense?

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Speaker 1: I mean that is we The Kings had the best

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Speaker 1: offense in the league last season. Now their offense has

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Speaker 1: not clicked to that standard this season, which has been

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Speaker 1: somewhat surprising to me. And I'm you know, I think

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Speaker 1: that is a concern. The Kings at their best have

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Speaker 1: been excellent. But you know on this Friday that we're

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Speaker 1: we according the Kings had the eleventh best offense in

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Speaker 1: the league. You would expect them to be way higher,

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Speaker 1: but the Kings are in the bottom ten defensively. They're

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Speaker 1: twenty second defensively, and I think to be a serious

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Speaker 1: factor in the playoffs, they've got to be a lot

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Speaker 1: closer to the middle of the pack. And so is

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Speaker 1: making a big swing for zach Lavine and taking on

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Speaker 1: the huge money that adding zach Lavine's contract would represent.

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Speaker 1: When you know this summer they want to resign dearon Fox,

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Speaker 1: that's going to be a hugely expensive deal because Fox

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Speaker 1: has a great chance to make all NBA again, and

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Speaker 1: if Fox does, that's that's a five year deal that

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Speaker 1: approaches two hundred and fifty million. Are the Kings really

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Speaker 1: going to trade for zach Lavine when they have defensive

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Speaker 1: issues as it is. So, you know, I think that's

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Speaker 1: why there is so much curiosity and why kind of

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Speaker 1: tracking our tourists in the gym was a sport unto itself.

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Speaker 1: During the showcases that you know, the bulls, it's known

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Speaker 1: they want to move Levine, but way or who who

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Speaker 1: out there is gonna step up and take that contract now?

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Speaker 1: And of course the Lakers are are frequently mentioned, and

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Speaker 1: you know, is that is that a real connection or

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Speaker 1: is that simply everyone connecting dots because they know zach

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Speaker 1: Lavine is represented by Rich Paul. And there's this assumption

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Speaker 1: that Rich Paul recently spoke to that you know, everybody

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Speaker 1: thinks that zach Lavine's gonna end up a Laker because

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Speaker 1: of Rich Paul, and I to me, it's by no

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Speaker 1: means that simple. So your supreme confidence on this has

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Speaker 1: me curious.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. I just don't think it's going to

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Speaker 2: work out. Like I don't. I think Chicago has found something.

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Speaker 2: And you have to remember when when when Levine was

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Speaker 2: still playing and active, you know, there were there were

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Speaker 2: problems with shot distribution. You know, they that locker room

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Speaker 2: was a It was a bit of a mess. Remember

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Speaker 2: you know the what it was, it the the players

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Speaker 2: only meeting right after the first game. So there there's

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Speaker 2: always been kind of issues behind the scenes. And so

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Speaker 2: I just I can't see a scenario. I'm sorry, st

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Speaker 2: I can't see a scenario which he would be he

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Speaker 2: would still be a bull past the deadline. And I

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Speaker 2: know there still hasn't been a team that identified. And

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Speaker 2: let me say this too. You mentioned Philly they're in

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Speaker 2: they're looking for a two way player. So is Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Speaker 2: So keep keep the Cavaliers in mind that that's a

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Speaker 2: team right now that's still looking for that three and

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Speaker 2: D type player. That's that's been that's that's been an

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Speaker 2: area of of dire concern or lack of lack of

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Speaker 2: I should say. And so you know, keep eye on Cleveland.

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Speaker 2: But yeah, I don't see it.

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Speaker 1: With well, you know, you you mentioned Cleveland. Let's talk

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Speaker 1: Let's talk about that real quick, because you know, that

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Speaker 1: was another discussion topic this week at showcase that you know,

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Speaker 1: the Calves have lost Garland and Mobley to fairly long

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Speaker 1: term injuries, and that immediately sparked a wave of assumptions

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Speaker 1: around the league that you know what, the Calves might

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Speaker 1: just go ahead and trade Donovan Mitchell. This thing is

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Speaker 1: not working out. The signs would appear to suggest that

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Speaker 1: Mitchell does not want to be there in the long term.

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Speaker 1: Maybe the Calves would trade Donovan Mitchell sooner rather than

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Speaker 1: later to avoid being in a position where, you know,

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Speaker 1: if he doesn't extend in the summer, and I don't

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Speaker 1: think there's a great expectation that he would. He'd be

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Speaker 1: entering the last season of his deal next season. But

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Speaker 1: then then our colleague at Yahoo, Jake Fisher, he came

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Speaker 1: out with a report this week during showcase and according

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Speaker 1: to Jake's reporting, the Calves are adamantly against trading Donovan

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Speaker 1: Mitchell at this point. And you now telling me that

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Speaker 1: what you're hearing the Calves want a three and D player.

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Speaker 1: That would seem to support that notion if the Calves

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Speaker 1: are looking for upgrades to try to strengthen the cast

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Speaker 1: they currently have.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, they believe they're getting Evan Mobley back this season.

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Speaker 2: They're still as of right now, people I've talked to

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Speaker 2: over there, they're still very much have a lot invested

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Speaker 2: into this season. So I've heard similar I haven't heard

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Speaker 2: anything pertaining to the Calves being interested or thinking about

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Speaker 2: moving Donovan Mitchell at this juncture.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, no question. And look, the reality is after last

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Speaker 1: season's playoffs, the Calves were a fifty one win team.

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Speaker 1: It's the best team they've had without Lebron James in

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Speaker 1: thirty years. And then to lose in five games in

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Speaker 1: the playoffs in the first round to the lower seeded

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Speaker 1: Knicks was a very meek playoff showing in coaching circles.

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Speaker 1: I reported this on Monday. You've heard it for a

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Speaker 1: while now that the way last season ended, coupled with

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Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell's contract situation, it really put JD. Bickerstaff under

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Speaker 1: as much pressure as any coach in the league. But

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Speaker 1: I think that these injuries have eased some of that

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Speaker 1: pressure because the Cavs assembled this four man core Evan Mobley,

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Speaker 1: Jared Allen, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell. Now there's plenty of

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Speaker 1: debate about the wisdom of that and how the pieces

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Speaker 1: of fit, and whether Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are

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Speaker 1: if the backcourt's big enough for both of them, and

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Speaker 1: you know, we can talk about all those things, but

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Speaker 1: the reality is they assembled that core group with high aspirations,

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Speaker 1: and if two of the four players aren't available, that

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Speaker 1: has to ease things on the coach and almost certainly

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Speaker 1: has to cause a rethink in terms of expectations. Although

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Speaker 1: initially the Calves have responded to the injuries pretty well

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Speaker 1: here and you know they've they've actually been playing a

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Speaker 1: little a little bit better without two of their main

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Speaker 1: guys in the short term. But is that really more

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Speaker 1: than a short term boost. You know, only they can

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Speaker 1: prove it.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think overall Stein what you're saying, you know,

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Speaker 2: with the g again, we mentioned we've we've touched on

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Speaker 2: this about December fifteenth, that's usually when the trade season

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Speaker 2: officially starts. So, based off of your conversation and your

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Speaker 2: the conversations you've had, do you have a sense on

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Speaker 2: if there would be a fury of trades? Do you

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Speaker 2: have that sense that it's going to be really chaotic

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Speaker 2: or rather a subdue type of trade season.

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Speaker 1: It's probably not the answer you want, but I think

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Speaker 1: it's too it's honestly too soon for that forecast. Like

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Speaker 1: I think we're you know, we're still trying to figure

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Speaker 1: out again because you know, and even identifying those four

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Speaker 1: teams I mentioned, that's actually probably a lot at this juncture,

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Speaker 1: you know, with the with the trade deadline this far

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Speaker 1: out the fact that we can say we know Chicago

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Speaker 1: is looking to move Zach Lavine Toronto. It's a little

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Speaker 1: bit harder to pinpoint the raptors exact intentions as always,

364
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Speaker 1: but around the league, og Anobi's headed for free agency,

365
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Speaker 1: Pascal Siakam's headed for free agency, Gary Trent Junior is

366
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Speaker 1: headed for free agency. So naturally teams around the league

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Speaker 1: are going to look at that three pending free agents

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Speaker 1: and say there's got to be a trader too. That's

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Speaker 1: a natural conclusion to leap to Utah. Both you and

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Speaker 1: I have been reporting about just the Jazz. You know,

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Speaker 1: last year, the Jazz were super competitive. After trading Gobert

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Speaker 1: and Donovan Mitchell away, the Jazz coming off that expected

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Speaker 1: to be in the five hundred range as a team,

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Speaker 1: and you know, do better this season than they did

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Speaker 1: last season, and they've fallen short of that standard. And

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Speaker 1: that's just led to you know, they've got a number

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Speaker 1: of players available. Jordan Clarkson is considered available. Kelly Olynyk,

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Speaker 1: I think is someone who would likely be on the

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Speaker 1: move the Salt Lake Tribunes. Andy Larson reported that the

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Speaker 1: Jazz are already open to trading John Collins and he

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Speaker 1: just got there. And you know, I reported about a

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Speaker 1: week ago that teams are going to test Utah's resolve

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Speaker 1: when it comes to Lowry Marketen. I don't know that

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Speaker 1: they'll be successful in prying him away. I think you

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Speaker 1: can infer after the insane price tags that the Jazz

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Speaker 1: established for both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, it would

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Speaker 1: take a lot, a lot to get Lowry Markinin away

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Speaker 1: from the Jazz. But it's been stressed to me that

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Speaker 1: there are a couple teams out there that are gonna

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Speaker 1: try and see how committed the Jazz are to keeping him.

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Speaker 1: Market In is on a team friendly contract and all

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Speaker 1: the signals have been that the Jazz are very happy

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Speaker 1: with him and very high on him. Market In himself

394
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Speaker 1: gave an interview to Sam Amtt from The Athletic and

395
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Speaker 1: made it clear he wants to stay in Utah. But

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Speaker 1: Lowry marketIn has a lot of fans around this league

397
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Speaker 1: after his All Star breakthrough last season, So I think again,

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Speaker 1: I think there will be a team or two or

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Speaker 1: three that between now in February eighth, try to see

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Speaker 1: if Utah would listen. Like I said, I think the

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Speaker 1: expected high price tag works against the notion of a trade.

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00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,240
Speaker 1: But Utah woke up on this Friday eleven and eighteen,

403
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Speaker 1: and they weren't expecting that. They were expecting a better

404
00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,400
Speaker 1: record than that. And yes, Utah has had a lot

405
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Speaker 1: of injuries as well, although a long long list of

406
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Speaker 1: injuries did not prevent them from handing Detroit it's twenty

407
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Speaker 1: fifth loss in a row. The Pistons from two to

408
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Speaker 1: one to two and twenty six. I mentioned Atlanta as

409
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Speaker 1: a team that I think they are also expected to

410
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Speaker 1: be in the trade mix here. You know, they talked

411
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Speaker 1: Clint Capella deals and DeAndre Hunter deals during the offseason.

412
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Speaker 1: I think the Hawks are likely to expand the potential

413
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Speaker 1: trade possibilities over the next six to eight weeks. And

414
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Speaker 1: I guess we should probably throw the Pistons in there too,

415
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Speaker 1: because I mean two and twenty six, Like, we really

416
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Speaker 1: haven't talked much about the Pistons, but how do you

417
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Speaker 1: lose twenty five games in a row in the NBA

418
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Speaker 1: and their schedule coming up now is so brutal when

419
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Speaker 1: you can't beat a severely week in Jazz team at home,

420
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Speaker 1: where is that win coming from. I mean, this is

421
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Speaker 1: a team that wanted to compete this season. They didn't

422
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Speaker 1: trade Boyon Bogdanovich and Alec Burks. They didn't trade these

423
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Speaker 1: guys because they wanted to have vets on the team

424
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Speaker 1: for Cad Cunningham's return, because they thought they were going

425
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Speaker 1: to be making a run at the play in spots,

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Speaker 1: at least in the East. They spend thirteen million a

427
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Speaker 1: year on their coach. I mean, Detroit is just that

428
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Speaker 1: is that is a crazy story.

429
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Speaker 2: So you look at that roster and the youth movement

430
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Speaker 2: that they're in, and you mean to tell me the

431
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Speaker 2: expectations that Detroit was going to continue for a playing spot.

432
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,600
Speaker 1: I think that's what they thought. Yeah, I mean why

433
00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,520
Speaker 1: didn't If they didn't, why, I mean, why did they

434
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,360
Speaker 1: keep Bogdanovitch. I mean teams have been trying to acquire

435
00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,879
Speaker 1: Boyon Bogdanovich from from the Pistons going back to the

436
00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,359
Speaker 1: early parts of last season, and the consistent word has

437
00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,639
Speaker 1: been the Pistons put a really high price tag on

438
00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,399
Speaker 1: Bogdanovitch because they want They didn't want to just lose them.

439
00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:13,600
Speaker 1: They wanted they wanted to have. They thought they were

440
00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:15,160
Speaker 1: going to be a team that was in the mix

441
00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,280
Speaker 1: for the ninth or tenth seed in the East. They

442
00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:21,320
Speaker 1: did not expect to be two and twenty six. Wow,

443
00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,120
Speaker 1: when you're next Detroit game? Is that on the schedule?

444
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:33,760
Speaker 2: I don't think TT is putting the troil schedule anytime soon, man, TT,

445
00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,280
Speaker 2: or ESPN for that matter.

446
00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, Man, the Wizards. You're five and twenty two, running

447
00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:39,800
Speaker 1: away from the Pistons.

448
00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:44,920
Speaker 2: The Wizards got got a big win, big win in Portland,

449
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,680
Speaker 2: Portland and Portland, and you're looking at some of the

450
00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:53,960
Speaker 2: bottom feeders of the of the league, Wizards, Detroit, Portland,

451
00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:58,520
Speaker 2: San Antonio. God, what is the do you know? It's

452
00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,879
Speaker 2: off top of your hand, Steve. What's the most the

453
00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:03,359
Speaker 2: team has lost consecutively?

454
00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, twenty six air on the doorstep now that So

455
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:15,000
Speaker 1: they got the calves the year after Lebron and in

456
00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:19,959
Speaker 1: twenty twenty ten eleven, and the processed sixers in twenty thirteen, fourteen,

457
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,960
Speaker 1: twenty six in a row. So we are recording this

458
00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:27,680
Speaker 1: on a Friday afternoon, I believe tonight. Let me double

459
00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,320
Speaker 1: check this while I'm looking at it.

460
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:30,200
Speaker 2: Check this time.

461
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:37,760
Speaker 1: Is it tonight or tomorrow? Detroit has a Basically, Detroit

462
00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:43,159
Speaker 1: has a road game at Brooklyn to avoid tying the streak,

463
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,040
Speaker 1: and then they got Brooklyn at home to avoid number

464
00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:49,320
Speaker 1: twenty seven. So a home and home with the Nets

465
00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,440
Speaker 1: is all that stands in the way of the Detroit

466
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:59,879
Speaker 1: Pistons setting the NBA's single season record for defeats. And

467
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,520
Speaker 1: it is tomorrow. I just looked the schedule. So Saturday

468
00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:08,840
Speaker 1: night Pistons at Nets, that is to avoid lost number

469
00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:11,840
Speaker 1: twenty six. Then the teams come right back and play

470
00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:16,560
Speaker 1: in Detroit on the day after Christmas, So the Pistons

471
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 1: desperately need to win one of those two games. After that,

472
00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,280
Speaker 1: the Pistons are at Boston home to the Raptors. Then

473
00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:27,720
Speaker 1: a four game Western Conference road trip Houston, Utah, Golden State, Denver.

474
00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,440
Speaker 1: Then they got the Kings at home. Finally, on January tenth,

475
00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,440
Speaker 1: the Pistons have the Spurs at home.

476
00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:34,760
Speaker 2: Okay, there you go.

477
00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,440
Speaker 1: January tenth, though, feels a long way away Detroit.

478
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,000
Speaker 2: Right there you go, there's a win.

479
00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,960
Speaker 1: Well, so you seriously, this whole week, this whole week,

480
00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,200
Speaker 1: you weren't at home going. Man, I'm jealous. Stein's at

481
00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:52,360
Speaker 1: the showcase. He's stocking GMS, he's trying to get gossip.

482
00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,880
Speaker 1: He's in beautiful Central Florida. You weren't. You didn't have

483
00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:56,600
Speaker 1: any fomo.

484
00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,800
Speaker 2: Again, if the showcase was where it should have been,

485
00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,160
Speaker 2: which is Las Vegas. If it was there, I would

486
00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:07,840
Speaker 2: have we would have reunited. But no, I had no aspirations. Again,

487
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,240
Speaker 2: if that's the first one, that's the first one I

488
00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,840
Speaker 2: missed in a while. I just Orlando just didn't do

489
00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:15,080
Speaker 2: it for.

490
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:17,120
Speaker 1: That, but you, because I think you only started going

491
00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,600
Speaker 1: when it was in Vegas. I've covered the showcase. I've

492
00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:24,960
Speaker 1: covered the showcase in Boise, Idaho. I've covered the showcase

493
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:29,760
Speaker 1: in orem Utah, covered the Showcase in South Padre Island, Texas.

494
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,240
Speaker 1: I've covered it in Santa Cruz, which is it would

495
00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,680
Speaker 1: have at least been drivable for you. I've covered it

496
00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,840
Speaker 1: and I've covered it in Mississauga, Ontario, which I loved

497
00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:42,320
Speaker 1: because that meant staying in Toronto.

498
00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:49,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, Toronto. Would I have done that. I had just

499
00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,880
Speaker 2: become I think a national reporter at that time when

500
00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,040
Speaker 2: it was in Toronto. I think I just missed it,

501
00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,800
Speaker 2: But I would have did Toronto. Well, Toronto and the

502
00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:02,720
Speaker 2: what is it like over there in December style.

503
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:08,160
Speaker 1: A frosty I love it. Were you at the Toronto?

504
00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:09,640
Speaker 1: Were you at the All Star Game in Toronto?

505
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,840
Speaker 2: It was the worst All Star game in the history

506
00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,200
Speaker 2: of All Star games. That you know, when I'm talking

507
00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,840
Speaker 2: about the weather, talking about weather only. I did not

508
00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,520
Speaker 2: go outside, not one time unless I was going to

509
00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,280
Speaker 2: cover cover one of the events at the at the Arena.

510
00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:26,640
Speaker 1: I was so happy to be in Toronto that I

511
00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,000
Speaker 1: didn't care how cold it was. I loved it. Oh,

512
00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,440
Speaker 1: it's funny. I think I told you this. I was

513
00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,160
Speaker 1: working I did that All Star Game for ESPN Radio.

514
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,360
Speaker 1: So I was working with PJ Carlissimo, who of course

515
00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:41,720
Speaker 1: previously coached in Toronto. And PJ had so much juice

516
00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:45,320
Speaker 1: that somehow there would be someone to escort us from

517
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:49,120
Speaker 1: the court to some walkway that I didn't even know existed.

518
00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:52,080
Speaker 1: So we could, we could, we could, we could escape,

519
00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,640
Speaker 1: but stay inside. So PJ had all the hookups. PJ,

520
00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,280
Speaker 1: PJ not and what he's famous for his restaurant. It's like,

521
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,840
Speaker 1: you know how much I love restaurants, but PJ Carlismo

522
00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:05,920
Speaker 1: makes me look like I don't even like to eat out.

523
00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:09,160
Speaker 1: He takes restaurants so seriously and it's always it was

524
00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:14,080
Speaker 1: always fascinating to work with him because no matter how

525
00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,240
Speaker 1: late the game ended, somehow he had a place that

526
00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,720
Speaker 1: would stay open to serve us. You know, it could

527
00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:26,800
Speaker 1: be midnight any city, but PJ had a PJ had

528
00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,640
Speaker 1: the hookup for us to get dinner at midnight, twelve thirty,

529
00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,160
Speaker 1: whatever it was. That is a man who cares deeply

530
00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:34,160
Speaker 1: about his dining.

531
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:39,040
Speaker 2: That's a man who's built solid relationships as well, because

532
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:46,400
Speaker 2: it takes rest most important relationships forget forget NBA relationships.

533
00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,320
Speaker 2: You know, culinary very much important. You know how big

534
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:50,880
Speaker 2: on food.

535
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,360
Speaker 1: People away people, People who ask me, they'll say, don't

536
00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:55,600
Speaker 1: do you have a favorite team, And I'm like, I

537
00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,200
Speaker 1: root for hotels and restaurants.

538
00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:01,120
Speaker 2: Yeah. He stein give a shout out you hooking me

539
00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,520
Speaker 2: and a wife up at the restaurant in Dallas. Man.

540
00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:10,240
Speaker 1: Yeah. So Chris Haynes, Chris Haynes and Missus Haynes were

541
00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:15,480
Speaker 1: in Dallas the night before the recent Lakers Mavericks game,

542
00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,920
Speaker 1: and I sent them to one of Dallas's most historic

543
00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:25,680
Speaker 1: dining institutions, Bob Steak and Chophouse, the original Bob Steak

544
00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:29,560
Speaker 1: and Chop House. And my sources say that the Haynes

545
00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,480
Speaker 1: family had a very nice meal that night.

546
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:36,160
Speaker 2: Very very nice, it was. It was tremendous, great service.

547
00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,000
Speaker 2: The man himself, the owner himself, your.

548
00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:46,720
Speaker 1: Guy, Bob sample legendary restaurateur in Dallas. He opened that

549
00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,920
Speaker 1: this is actually this this year was the thirty year

550
00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:53,240
Speaker 1: anniversary of the original Bob's opening in Dallas. And yes,

551
00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,840
Speaker 1: it is a if you are a steak fan, it

552
00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,160
Speaker 1: is a wonderful, wonderful experience. And you know what, if

553
00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:02,520
Speaker 1: I wasn't attending a high school soccer game that night,

554
00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:03,560
Speaker 1: I would have been there with you.

555
00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I was cool. He came and introduced himself

556
00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:09,120
Speaker 2: and everything. So we made sure we gave a proper

557
00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,720
Speaker 2: tip up on leaving Steyn. So now we had a

558
00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:13,440
Speaker 2: we had a good experience. Appreciate you.

559
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:18,760
Speaker 1: Next time you're back in Dallas, We're going together because

560
00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,720
Speaker 1: that's the thing is, like I was, so we barely

561
00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:22,480
Speaker 1: saw each other on that trip, and we really you

562
00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:27,080
Speaker 1: were running around TV duties and I don't know, we

563
00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,120
Speaker 1: just we didn't we I mean, we really should have

564
00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:30,520
Speaker 1: tried to do a pod together, but we just we

565
00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:31,800
Speaker 1: got no time to hang out.

566
00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,000
Speaker 2: We actually did do a pod the day of the game.

567
00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,120
Speaker 1: That's when we had That's right, Yeah, we we had,

568
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,400
Speaker 1: we were we should have physically done it. Yeah, we

569
00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,960
Speaker 1: interviewed Jamal Mosley in the morning, but we need we

570
00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,160
Speaker 1: needed to do the next time we're in the same city.

571
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,400
Speaker 1: We got to do a side by side pod of

572
00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:50,960
Speaker 1: some sort.

573
00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll have to. Unfortunately, I have the good The

574
00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,840
Speaker 2: good news is that I have two more Dallas games

575
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:04,600
Speaker 2: on the schedule in February. The unfortunate part about that

576
00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:09,560
Speaker 2: is both of those are at the other team's home

577
00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,719
Speaker 2: Dallas at Brooklyn, Dallas at New York in February, back

578
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:18,400
Speaker 2: to back. So we'll try to We'll try to heyl

579
00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:23,160
Speaker 2: All Star Weekend Star. You'll be there. Indian Indianapolis correct.

580
00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:28,960
Speaker 1: Still under deliberations. I love Indianapolis, but I'm working on

581
00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,839
Speaker 1: I'm working on something else that I'm I can't say

582
00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,400
Speaker 1: too much about yet, So we'll see. We'll there's a

583
00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,840
Speaker 1: there's Like I said, I love Indie so I definitely

584
00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:43,160
Speaker 1: want to be at that All Star Game, but I

585
00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:44,560
Speaker 1: still got some stuff to figure out.

586
00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:45,800
Speaker 2: In the new year. I'll just do it.

587
00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,480
Speaker 1: Chris Haynes is going to help us figure out who

588
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,000
Speaker 1: the all star starters should be at guard because there's

589
00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:07,919
Speaker 1: like seven guys for two spots. So Chris Haynes, he's

590
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,960
Speaker 1: got the magic formula to help us, Right, you know

591
00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:12,520
Speaker 1: exactly what.

592
00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:15,280
Speaker 2: I don't know if I have a magic formula.

593
00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,320
Speaker 1: But I'll say no, I'm kidding. I know, I know

594
00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:18,759
Speaker 1: you don't.

595
00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,600
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, but I'll say it is definitely a conundrum,

596
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:28,399
Speaker 2: particularly in that Western Conference. Think about this time. They're

597
00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:33,000
Speaker 2: each year, you can already pencil in, forget pencil in,

598
00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,840
Speaker 2: you can ink in, you know, permanent marker in a

599
00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:44,040
Speaker 2: few names each year West or East. East is usually Yannis,

600
00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,960
Speaker 2: Joel and b for the last few years, like just

601
00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:53,320
Speaker 2: use a permanent marker, put their name in as starters.

602
00:35:54,920 --> 00:36:00,760
Speaker 2: The West is usually a couple names each year Lebron

603
00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:07,800
Speaker 2: James permanent marker. The other name Stephen Curry permanent marker.

604
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:17,120
Speaker 2: Now I will I believe that those two will still

605
00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:25,080
Speaker 2: be permanent marker status. But should they that is the question.

606
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:30,919
Speaker 2: Let's talk about the guards in the West, right, Wow,

607
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:34,640
Speaker 2: this is a tough one. Go to State Warriors currently

608
00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:39,480
Speaker 2: number eleventh in the standings, right Andy, But let's go

609
00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,920
Speaker 2: up above in the standings. Let's start in Minnesota, number

610
00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:49,000
Speaker 2: one in the NBA, best record in the NBA, Anthony

611
00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:53,719
Speaker 2: Edwards having a great year. Some would argue that he

612
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:58,439
Speaker 2: deserves an All Stars started spot just being number one seed,

613
00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:02,960
Speaker 2: being the best player on that team and the leap

614
00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,680
Speaker 2: that he's taken. All right, let's go number two. Who's

615
00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:08,600
Speaker 2: the number two? And who's number two? In extend that

616
00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,040
Speaker 2: that would be the Oklahoma City Thunder And we know

617
00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:18,160
Speaker 2: that's Sga Shay having a great year again number two,

618
00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:24,320
Speaker 2: top what four and scoring maybe top three on the

619
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:26,720
Speaker 2: off top top of my head, but he's averaging thirty.

620
00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:33,160
Speaker 2: All right, Let's go down number four seed Sacramento Kings

621
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:38,359
Speaker 2: de Aaron Fox averaging thirty this season. The Kings are

622
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:44,480
Speaker 2: having a phenomenal year. The Aaron Fox MVP discussion, early

623
00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:50,759
Speaker 2: MVP discussion. Great year. Go down to the Dallas is

624
00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:53,120
Speaker 2: you know, fall into number six. They're on a two

625
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:58,120
Speaker 2: game losing street. But number six, Luka, Dakich, Luca, come

626
00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:02,839
Speaker 2: on now, I mean in go down to number nine

627
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:09,160
Speaker 2: the Devin Booker Phoenix Suns. So what I'm saying is

628
00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,560
Speaker 2: what I'm saying is this I I still do believe

629
00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:18,560
Speaker 2: Lebron James and Stephen Curry and probably and Luca. I

630
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:22,960
Speaker 2: should have put Luca. I think Luca's permanent, permanent market status.

631
00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:28,800
Speaker 2: But god, Lee, that's that's that's that's tough on guys

632
00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:34,600
Speaker 2: like Shay Dearn, Anthony Edwards, Dearon Fopp. You know I

633
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:38,120
Speaker 2: said Deern missing like I'm missing somebody else real quick.

634
00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:42,799
Speaker 2: You know, Lucas should be in I don't know, so star,

635
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:44,320
Speaker 2: I'm not. I don't mean to put you on the

636
00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:47,160
Speaker 2: spot because I am not in any I'm not in

637
00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:49,960
Speaker 2: the place to say who should or who shouldn't be

638
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,279
Speaker 2: in it, because this is a you know, the All

639
00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:58,239
Speaker 2: Star starters. You know it's a popularity vote, but you know,

640
00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:00,640
Speaker 2: definitely you want to see the guys who deserve to

641
00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,920
Speaker 2: get those spots. You want to see them rewarded. Do

642
00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:09,640
Speaker 2: you feel like this season is any different from all

643
00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,960
Speaker 2: the other years where it seemed like guys are going

644
00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:15,040
Speaker 2: to get I don't want to say screwed, because I

645
00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:17,960
Speaker 2: think all those guys will end up being reserves. But

646
00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:20,359
Speaker 2: is this is this out of ordinary where you got

647
00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:24,360
Speaker 2: this many guys that probably should be starters over somebody

648
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:28,200
Speaker 2: who's known to be permitting permittent market status.

649
00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:31,560
Speaker 1: I actually think this is the new reality because then

650
00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:33,520
Speaker 1: I just looked at the East and I feel like

651
00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:35,719
Speaker 1: it's the same, and it's just, you know, one of

652
00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:39,520
Speaker 1: the things stats, the stat lines that players are putting

653
00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:43,200
Speaker 1: up in the modern NBA are so gaudy. But yeah,

654
00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:46,160
Speaker 1: like you know, you asked. You started by asking that

655
00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:48,080
Speaker 1: where they should they? And it's just you know, and

656
00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:50,279
Speaker 1: then you you raised the same point that I was

657
00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,760
Speaker 1: gonna raise. I never want to say should they on starters,

658
00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:56,759
Speaker 1: because that's the fans choice. The fans get to see

659
00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:59,720
Speaker 1: who they want to see. I mean, you could argue

660
00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:03,320
Speaker 1: that if we're gonna make this about statistics and teams

661
00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,080
Speaker 1: success to this point, it's hard to see how Shay

662
00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,399
Speaker 1: and Luca wouldn't be the two starters. But I think

663
00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:13,320
Speaker 1: you're absolutely right. Stephan Curry is going to win the

664
00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:17,239
Speaker 1: starter vote and Luca generally does pretty damn well in

665
00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,960
Speaker 1: the starter vote as well, So it wouldn't surprise anyone

666
00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:24,560
Speaker 1: if Steph and Luca were voted in as the West

667
00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:29,240
Speaker 1: starters at GUARD. But yes, Shay Gildes, Alexander Luka, Doncic,

668
00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:33,400
Speaker 1: Stephan Curry dearon Fox Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker. I mean

669
00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:37,160
Speaker 1: is it is a crowd, a big crowd. But then

670
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,560
Speaker 1: you look at the you look at the East and

671
00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:42,920
Speaker 1: you see the same thing. I think Tyrese Halliburton and

672
00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:48,480
Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson have they have definitely earned All Star spots.

673
00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,600
Speaker 1: Now are they going to get voted in as starters?

674
00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,360
Speaker 1: That remains to be seen. But I think both of

675
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,439
Speaker 1: those guys are playing better than ever. They've both gone

676
00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,200
Speaker 1: to a new level. But in the East, you know,

677
00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,400
Speaker 1: is Jimmy but you're classified as a guard or a forward?

678
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:06,560
Speaker 1: Maxie has been great, Jalen Brown is he classified as

679
00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,839
Speaker 1: a guard or a farward? Donovan Mitchell is in there,

680
00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:13,919
Speaker 1: Trey Young is still there. And then there's this guard

681
00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:17,000
Speaker 1: in Milwaukee named Damian Lillard, who I think you know

682
00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,200
Speaker 1: fairly well. So even in the East there are a

683
00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:25,560
Speaker 1: zillion guard candidates. I just think whom I who'd I

684
00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:25,960
Speaker 1: leave out?

685
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,719
Speaker 2: Let's see if it'll come to you, Okay, I'll just

686
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:31,560
Speaker 2: I'll just say.

687
00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:35,240
Speaker 1: It didn't I say, I said, Trey who, Donovan Mitchell?

688
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:36,279
Speaker 1: Who who am I leaving out?

689
00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:40,720
Speaker 2: The leader in assists in the league?

690
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:43,440
Speaker 1: Halliburton, I already said hallib he's not the leader in

691
00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:47,839
Speaker 1: assistant Yeah, I hear O. Yeah, Halliburton and Brunson were

692
00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:48,600
Speaker 1: my first two guys.

693
00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,440
Speaker 2: Oh, you said Tyres So I thought you meant Maxy.

694
00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:56,600
Speaker 1: No, Tyrese. Halliburton and Brunson. I think would would be

695
00:41:56,760 --> 00:42:00,640
Speaker 1: the starters if we based it on the combination of

696
00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:04,200
Speaker 1: statistics and team success, but not necessarily Maxie.

697
00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:07,360
Speaker 2: Hold On, you said what you said, Halliburton and.

698
00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:12,080
Speaker 1: Maxie Haliburton and Brunson Haliburton, and.

699
00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,160
Speaker 2: You think those would be the two stars based off

700
00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,040
Speaker 2: a team success and statistics.

701
00:42:17,719 --> 00:42:19,280
Speaker 1: And and and stats.

702
00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:23,319
Speaker 2: Hold on here, hold on here. Milwaukee was number two

703
00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:29,359
Speaker 2: in the East. Don Yeah, Dan Dame? Are we looking

704
00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:32,720
Speaker 2: at James Dame? The only persons the only person scoring?

705
00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:40,680
Speaker 2: Dames outscoring Brunson. He's outscoring Maxie by a small margin

706
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:47,239
Speaker 2: right now. Who and he has to share the ball

707
00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,280
Speaker 2: with more players than a Bruntson.

708
00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:53,160
Speaker 1: Or MAXI so you did notice, though, when I did

709
00:42:53,239 --> 00:42:55,239
Speaker 1: the whole list, I worked up to that to your

710
00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:58,000
Speaker 1: guy at the end. That was dramatic.

711
00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:03,560
Speaker 2: Listen, those are definitely these guys are definitely worthy candidates.

712
00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:05,880
Speaker 2: If I had to vote right now for the starters

713
00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:13,640
Speaker 2: on I would put probably it's hard. It's you know, Halliburton,

714
00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:16,560
Speaker 2: the Pacers. They've been struggling post the n season tournament,

715
00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:19,520
Speaker 2: so it's hard as of right now, it's hard to

716
00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:22,960
Speaker 2: take Halliburton out of the equation. I would go Halliburton

717
00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:25,920
Speaker 2: and Dame. I think, like, come on, Milwaukee's.

718
00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:28,719
Speaker 1: Number, and I would imagine even though he switched conferences

719
00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,840
Speaker 1: that Dame is still going to have a very powerful

720
00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:35,280
Speaker 1: sway on voters when it comes to All Star starters.

721
00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:38,200
Speaker 1: He's an immensely popular player even though he's in a

722
00:43:38,239 --> 00:43:39,439
Speaker 1: new city for the first time.

723
00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:42,839
Speaker 2: Yeah, like, right right now is still early. I would

724
00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:48,080
Speaker 2: probably go Halliburton and Dame. But again, Indiana and Halliburton

725
00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:50,439
Speaker 2: have struggled post in season Turner.

726
00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:52,360
Speaker 1: Mean, if we're gonna say it's Dame, I would actually

727
00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,600
Speaker 1: go Dame in Brunson because if we're going to make

728
00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:59,840
Speaker 1: team success the issue. The Pacers did have the Cinderella

729
00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,800
Speaker 1: to the in season tournament final, but they've struggled coming

730
00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:08,600
Speaker 1: out of that, and as of Friday, entering Friday's play,

731
00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:10,960
Speaker 1: the Pacers are only a game over five hundred. So,

732
00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:14,120
Speaker 1: you know, again, Halliburton and Brunts, it to me maybe

733
00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:16,000
Speaker 1: the better way I should have put it is I

734
00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:19,440
Speaker 1: think they have both been kind of story of the

735
00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:24,719
Speaker 1: season contenders to this early juncture through Christmas, and they've

736
00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:27,200
Speaker 1: both taken a leap. I think both those guys have

737
00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:29,360
Speaker 1: taken a late But certainly, if Dame is a starter

738
00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:31,840
Speaker 1: and one of those guys is just elected as an

739
00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:34,600
Speaker 1: All Star reserve, it's no big thing. I think both

740
00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:37,960
Speaker 1: Haliburton and Brunson will be All Stars this season, and

741
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:40,680
Speaker 1: for Brunson it will be a first time All Star.

742
00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:41,799
Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean Dame has.

743
00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:45,560
Speaker 2: Been I gotta show the if Halliburton, like, if they

744
00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:49,799
Speaker 2: continue on this trend. Next up, in my opinion, it's

745
00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:50,680
Speaker 2: Tyres MAXI.

746
00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:53,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, Maxi's right there.

747
00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:56,200
Speaker 2: He's right there. Philadelphia's number three. You know, they're a

748
00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:58,640
Speaker 2: game and a half behind the Bucks for number two.

749
00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:02,440
Speaker 2: You know, again, if we're talking stats and team record,

750
00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:05,400
Speaker 2: if you know, those are the big you know, if

751
00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:08,359
Speaker 2: that's what we're really looking at right there, it's hard

752
00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:12,920
Speaker 2: to dismiss Maxie. So you know, I mean, look, I

753
00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:15,480
Speaker 2: do you know when I when I'm evaluating, you know,

754
00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:18,640
Speaker 2: I definitely look at stats and and all that and

755
00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:20,480
Speaker 2: try to look at the different you know, look at

756
00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:23,880
Speaker 2: advanced stacks and different metrics. But you know team standings

757
00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:27,640
Speaker 2: where they're at Philadelphia, I don't I don't necessarily look

758
00:45:27,680 --> 00:45:31,880
Speaker 2: at storylines like they got rid of James hard And

759
00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:34,840
Speaker 2: and Maxie. No, I'm looking at Maxie's been playing his

760
00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:38,160
Speaker 2: ass off man. Maxie. He's a start. So there's a

761
00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:40,200
Speaker 2: there's a there's a long jam with guards as well.

762
00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:43,160
Speaker 2: But I do think through it all, we're just talking

763
00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:45,840
Speaker 2: about starters. You know, no need to get all up

764
00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:49,560
Speaker 2: in arms for people listening, because I do think all

765
00:45:49,640 --> 00:45:53,640
Speaker 2: the guards that we're mentioning, I think they will make the.

766
00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:58,080
Speaker 1: Star I think there there won't be room for all

767
00:45:58,160 --> 00:46:03,400
Speaker 1: these guys. Like team success, the team success thing, the

768
00:46:03,480 --> 00:46:06,880
Speaker 1: team success thing, that's a conversation when we're picking reserves.

769
00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:09,920
Speaker 1: You know, that's something that the coaches look at for starters.

770
00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:12,919
Speaker 1: You know, fans should be picking the players they want

771
00:46:13,040 --> 00:46:15,120
Speaker 1: to see the most. And you know, I'm never gonna

772
00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:18,520
Speaker 1: quibble with how the starters turn out. But again, in

773
00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:25,120
Speaker 1: the West, Steph s g A, Luca Fox, Anthony Edwards,

774
00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:27,719
Speaker 1: and Devin Booker, are all of those guys gonna make

775
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:31,080
Speaker 1: the All Star Team? Maybe in the East, No, maybe

776
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:33,520
Speaker 1: in the East but in the East. In the East,

777
00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:39,800
Speaker 1: Dame Halliburton, Brunson, Maxie, Jimmy Butler, we got to decide

778
00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:42,000
Speaker 1: if he's a garter forward. Jalen Brown, we got to

779
00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:45,440
Speaker 1: decide if he's a garter forward. And Trey Young. I

780
00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:49,279
Speaker 1: mean there's there's a I mean it is. I don't

781
00:46:49,320 --> 00:46:51,320
Speaker 1: know if there's gonna be room in the West.

782
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,239
Speaker 2: I can't see any of those guys in the West

783
00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:56,680
Speaker 2: that you mentioned being excluded in the East. Yes, there

784
00:46:56,719 --> 00:47:03,440
Speaker 2: will be a few, all right, before we go to Garden?

785
00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:07,879
Speaker 2: Is he a garden in Chicago? That's what I'm saying.

786
00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:10,360
Speaker 1: I mean that to me is the modern game. The

787
00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:17,920
Speaker 1: modern game is there there are so many players, crazy

788
00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:22,720
Speaker 1: stat lines. It's gonna be hard to make room for everyone.

789
00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:27,360
Speaker 1: And that's why you know we're still twelve man rosters

790
00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:29,719
Speaker 1: for the All Star Game. It's a thirty team league.

791
00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:32,080
Speaker 1: Now we're probably gonna have expansion in a few years

792
00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:34,720
Speaker 1: and the league's gonna grow to at least thirty two teams.

793
00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:37,760
Speaker 1: Should should the rosters at twelve?

794
00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,839
Speaker 2: Yes it should, Yes, it should, Yeah, it should, Yes

795
00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:41,320
Speaker 2: it should.

796
00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:46,080
Speaker 1: What's gotten into you've become You have become the you've

797
00:47:46,120 --> 00:47:50,239
Speaker 1: become the No. I'm just you've become the old head traditionalist,

798
00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,719
Speaker 1: resistant to change guy on this podcast. When did that happen?

799
00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:57,160
Speaker 2: We don't need to keep making awards and making a

800
00:47:57,360 --> 00:48:00,800
Speaker 2: like stop it. Like everybody this, you know what I

801
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:06,080
Speaker 2: teach my kids this. Everybody. Everybody doesn't get the job.

802
00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:09,279
Speaker 2: I'm sorry when you step into the real world.

803
00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:12,560
Speaker 1: Okay, but and I get that. And look, I'm usually

804
00:48:12,719 --> 00:48:15,440
Speaker 1: the stubborn traditionalist who never wants to change anything. But

805
00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:18,680
Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties. I mean, I started loving the league

806
00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:21,279
Speaker 1: in the seventies, but the nineteen eighties was when the

807
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:23,560
Speaker 1: NBA became an obsession for me. It was a twenty

808
00:48:23,719 --> 00:48:26,600
Speaker 1: three team league throughout my high school days, and it

809
00:48:26,719 --> 00:48:29,120
Speaker 1: was still a twelve man all star team. They've added

810
00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:33,839
Speaker 1: seven teams since then, and rosters are now eighteen deep

811
00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:38,440
Speaker 1: with three two ways, so they've added almost one hundred players.

812
00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:41,920
Speaker 1: And again, we're gonna have expansion eventually that makes the

813
00:48:41,960 --> 00:48:44,440
Speaker 1: league even bigger. So we just keep the all star

814
00:48:44,560 --> 00:48:45,840
Speaker 1: roster at twelve forever.

815
00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:50,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, listen, that's not something I'm so high up on. Like, Okay,

816
00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:54,120
Speaker 2: give it each team three extra spots, that's fine. I'm

817
00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:57,200
Speaker 2: not so high on that. But I'm just come on now,

818
00:48:57,360 --> 00:49:01,040
Speaker 2: stop it. Stop it with the participation trophy, Era, Like,

819
00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:05,600
Speaker 2: I don't want to see too much of it. Let's compete, please.

820
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:08,040
Speaker 1: If they give if they give you some kind of

821
00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:10,440
Speaker 1: trophy for your rec league, I bet you'll take it.

822
00:49:10,719 --> 00:49:12,640
Speaker 2: Fir. I'm glad you. I'm glad you came up with

823
00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:16,120
Speaker 2: that excellent segue. So, as you know, we're in the

824
00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:20,720
Speaker 2: final four tomorrow morning, Stein, at nine to twenty tomorrow morning.

825
00:49:20,920 --> 00:49:22,960
Speaker 2: And as we're doing this pod right now, Stein, my

826
00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:26,160
Speaker 2: parents just came into the house. They're here for Christmas,

827
00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:28,480
Speaker 2: so I told them, in order to stay here for

828
00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:31,920
Speaker 2: the weekend, it's mandatory that they attend my game in

829
00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:34,360
Speaker 2: the morning. So we're in the final four. Game is

830
00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:36,640
Speaker 2: at nine to twenty. If we win that game, we

831
00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:40,239
Speaker 2: play the championship at noon. I am ready. I've been

832
00:49:40,280 --> 00:49:42,880
Speaker 2: battle a little a thumb spring, a little thumb, my

833
00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:45,759
Speaker 2: right thumbs a little swollen, so I've been nursing it

834
00:49:45,960 --> 00:49:51,480
Speaker 2: and get treatment all week. And I'm ready, Stein, I'm ready, ready.

835
00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:53,800
Speaker 1: Ready for the y You're ready, You're ready for the

836
00:49:53,880 --> 00:49:54,440
Speaker 1: double teams.

837
00:49:55,200 --> 00:49:57,600
Speaker 2: They're coming. But you know what, Stein, you gotta trust

838
00:49:57,640 --> 00:50:00,360
Speaker 2: your teammates. I prepared them, I put them int situation

839
00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:02,759
Speaker 2: so in the games, Stein, I can take over and

840
00:50:02,840 --> 00:50:05,240
Speaker 2: get my shot whenever I want to, but I always

841
00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:07,600
Speaker 2: start the game trying to get my teammates involved. I

842
00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:10,680
Speaker 2: want it's still confidence in them, to let them know

843
00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:12,880
Speaker 2: that not only do I believe in you, but I

844
00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:15,719
Speaker 2: trust that you're gonna take and make that shot and

845
00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:17,960
Speaker 2: if you don't miss it. I used to be I'm

846
00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:19,759
Speaker 2: a hot head on the court, Stein, but over the

847
00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:22,440
Speaker 2: last few years I've evolved. I'll go patch you on

848
00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:24,160
Speaker 2: the button now after a miss and say you're gonna

849
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,800
Speaker 2: hit the next one, And so I still confidence. So

850
00:50:26,840 --> 00:50:30,640
Speaker 2: I'm ready bring the doubles. So initially I'm gonna take

851
00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:32,520
Speaker 2: the doubles. I'm gonna get the ball out my hands

852
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:35,440
Speaker 2: and hope that they can beat the numbers games. But

853
00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:40,960
Speaker 2: closing minutes Stein, the double comes, I'm going through that double.

854
00:50:41,440 --> 00:50:43,560
Speaker 2: There's gonna be consequences and repercussions.

855
00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:46,800
Speaker 1: Will these games be streamed anywhere?

856
00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:49,520
Speaker 2: I think I'm going to stream I just think Stein.

857
00:50:49,600 --> 00:50:52,000
Speaker 2: I think I might do like an IG Live or

858
00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:54,279
Speaker 2: something like that, so people y'all can follow me on

859
00:50:54,440 --> 00:50:57,719
Speaker 2: Chris B. Haynes NBA. That's my IG account. I think

860
00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:01,440
Speaker 2: I might go live the whole game nine to twenty

861
00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:06,439
Speaker 2: am Pacific Standard time, Final four, Final four.

862
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:18,080
Speaker 1: I wanted to end this podcast with you choosing your

863
00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:21,719
Speaker 1: favorite Christmas Day matchup, the game you're looking forward to

864
00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:24,000
Speaker 1: the most. But I'm starting to get the vibe that

865
00:51:24,239 --> 00:51:26,799
Speaker 1: nothing on this Christmas menu and one more time I'm

866
00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:30,600
Speaker 1: gonna go through it. Bucks at Nick's, Warriors at Nuggets,

867
00:51:30,760 --> 00:51:35,360
Speaker 1: Celtics at Lakers, Sixers at Heat, Mavericks at Suns. But

868
00:51:35,520 --> 00:51:38,720
Speaker 1: you're more excited about your two rec League games on Saturday.

869
00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:39,520
Speaker 1: I haven't Saturday.

870
00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:41,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, I haven't even gotten there yet. I haven't gotten

871
00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:44,839
Speaker 2: to Monday. I gotta get past Saturday because I got

872
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:48,399
Speaker 2: big plans. But if we're just talking about Christmas Day game,

873
00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:52,160
Speaker 2: I'll talk about that. What's the game I'm looking forward

874
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:55,000
Speaker 2: to the most. Lakers Celtics is kind of to me,

875
00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:57,560
Speaker 2: kind of lost this luster because Lakers aren't playing well.

876
00:51:57,640 --> 00:51:59,360
Speaker 2: Lakers are going through something right now.

877
00:52:00,600 --> 00:52:03,040
Speaker 1: But I think their desperation kind of makes that game

878
00:52:03,120 --> 00:52:07,200
Speaker 1: interesting because they also, like the Pacers, have just stumbled

879
00:52:07,239 --> 00:52:09,920
Speaker 1: big time since the nd season tournament. That since the

880
00:52:10,040 --> 00:52:15,080
Speaker 1: big in season tournament Banner reveal that got everyone so

881
00:52:15,280 --> 00:52:20,120
Speaker 1: upset and sparked very very it Stine, Why.

882
00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:24,440
Speaker 2: Why I seen everybody. I think Derek Fisher even I

883
00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:27,400
Speaker 2: believe I think he had a comment about like Lakers

884
00:52:27,440 --> 00:52:31,560
Speaker 2: shouldn't have done that. Why the Lakers taking so much heat.

885
00:52:31,680 --> 00:52:34,360
Speaker 2: I'm telling y'all, Lakers, the Lakers did not want to

886
00:52:34,440 --> 00:52:38,760
Speaker 2: do it. They are cooperating with the league. The league

887
00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:40,840
Speaker 2: wants to think so the league wants this to be

888
00:52:40,920 --> 00:52:43,200
Speaker 2: a big deal. Yes, this is the Lakers.

889
00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:45,879
Speaker 1: You think you think they wouldn't have done it unless

890
00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:47,000
Speaker 1: the league convinced that.

891
00:52:47,120 --> 00:52:49,319
Speaker 2: I don't think they would have done it. I don't

892
00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:50,840
Speaker 2: think they would have done that. I'm not saying the

893
00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:53,600
Speaker 2: league told him they had to do it. I'm not

894
00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:57,200
Speaker 2: saying that, but the league definitely wanted a big deal

895
00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:01,919
Speaker 2: made of this n season tournament championship. So they're playing ball.

896
00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:05,880
Speaker 2: So you know, I don't get, like I do, believe

897
00:53:06,440 --> 00:53:11,600
Speaker 2: Lakers would not have done anything if there was no

898
00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:16,480
Speaker 2: is it influence, If they were just considering themselves, they

899
00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:19,520
Speaker 2: wouldn't have done anything. So I don't get why Lakers

900
00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:22,719
Speaker 2: have been receiving shots like that.

901
00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:26,200
Speaker 1: All right, Well, look, I mean all these games have

902
00:53:26,400 --> 00:53:29,200
Speaker 1: something to offer, you know, Golden State has picked it

903
00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:33,000
Speaker 1: up here lately, so they're an interesting foil for the

904
00:53:33,080 --> 00:53:36,600
Speaker 1: defending champions from Denver. Of course, such a smaller team

905
00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:39,200
Speaker 1: than the Nuggets are, So we'll see how the Warriors

906
00:53:39,360 --> 00:53:42,440
Speaker 1: fare on a Christmas Day when they're the visitors who

907
00:53:42,520 --> 00:53:45,719
Speaker 1: have to take on the defending champs. That Bucks Knicks

908
00:53:45,800 --> 00:53:48,560
Speaker 1: game as well, that's I mean, that'll that'll get our

909
00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:51,560
Speaker 1: all start debate going. That gets our all start debate going.

910
00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:55,359
Speaker 1: With Jame going up against Jalen Brunson, and I'm sure

911
00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,960
Speaker 1: Giannis will have no shortage of motivation playing on them

912
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:03,320
Speaker 1: Adison Square Garden stage on Christmas Day. You know, Celtics

913
00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:06,880
Speaker 1: Lakers again, because this the Lakers now are suddenly desperate

914
00:54:07,120 --> 00:54:10,040
Speaker 1: Sixers heat. You know, the Sixers have been so good

915
00:54:10,520 --> 00:54:13,560
Speaker 1: without Harden. Hopefully Jimmy Butler can play in that one.

916
00:54:13,680 --> 00:54:16,640
Speaker 1: Always interesting when he takes on his old friend Joe

917
00:54:16,680 --> 00:54:21,040
Speaker 1: el Embiid. And of course where I live, Maverick Sons,

918
00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:24,759
Speaker 1: no matter who's in the lineup is one that gets

919
00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:28,680
Speaker 1: everybody here in Dallas talking. So more so I'm gonna

920
00:54:28,719 --> 00:54:31,640
Speaker 1: I'm watching, I'm watching all five, I'm watching all five

921
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:36,799
Speaker 1: and and I will be assembling power rankings, my now

922
00:54:36,920 --> 00:54:39,359
Speaker 1: monthly power rankings that will come out the next day,

923
00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:41,319
Speaker 1: So it will be a busy Christmas over here.

924
00:54:41,480 --> 00:54:44,640
Speaker 2: I will be smoking on a barbecue pit for the

925
00:54:44,880 --> 00:54:49,399
Speaker 2: first two couple games, maybe even the third game while

926
00:54:49,480 --> 00:54:51,759
Speaker 2: watching that game. So I'm very much looking forward to.

927
00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:55,680
Speaker 2: But real quick, before you go, star Mavericks fans, they

928
00:54:55,800 --> 00:54:57,759
Speaker 2: get up more so for a Sun's game than the

929
00:54:57,800 --> 00:54:58,359
Speaker 2: Clipper game.

930
00:55:00,280 --> 00:55:06,520
Speaker 1: Yes, the Suns have become there. You know, it's a

931
00:55:06,840 --> 00:55:09,880
Speaker 1: it's it's there is quite a bit of animus between

932
00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:14,120
Speaker 1: the two teams after the playoff series they had and

933
00:55:14,239 --> 00:55:17,040
Speaker 1: the Mavericks winning that game seven by such a big

934
00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:22,200
Speaker 1: margin on Phoenix's floor. And obviously Devin Booker and Luca

935
00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:27,239
Speaker 1: Dantic have had their moments against each other. So yeah,

936
00:55:27,600 --> 00:55:32,400
Speaker 1: that one. That game. That game has always circled around here.

937
00:55:32,600 --> 00:55:36,480
Speaker 2: Okay, interesting, I thought the Clippers were like that was

938
00:55:36,560 --> 00:55:38,759
Speaker 2: considered the I mean.

939
00:55:38,719 --> 00:55:42,160
Speaker 1: Look, hey, the Clippers. The Clippers really have looked good lately.

940
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:45,319
Speaker 1: You have to you really have to say that. I mean,

941
00:55:45,400 --> 00:55:49,160
Speaker 1: we so many of us were just crushing them after

942
00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:53,280
Speaker 1: the trade and how poorly things started in the James

943
00:55:53,360 --> 00:55:57,560
Speaker 1: Harden Era. But Harden has been running the show Kawhi

944
00:55:57,719 --> 00:56:00,520
Speaker 1: Leonard after a slow start to the season, and he

945
00:56:00,640 --> 00:56:07,200
Speaker 1: has looked fantastic here really really, really really looking like

946
00:56:07,760 --> 00:56:11,360
Speaker 1: the Kawhi of old. Here in December and you know

947
00:56:11,400 --> 00:56:14,200
Speaker 1: they've they've found something. The Clippers are another team that's

948
00:56:14,239 --> 00:56:17,759
Speaker 1: super small when compared to the Nugget zuboch Is. They're

949
00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:21,800
Speaker 1: only really, they're only available big. But the Clippers have

950
00:56:21,960 --> 00:56:25,480
Speaker 1: it rolling and have people asking a new are they

951
00:56:25,600 --> 00:56:28,759
Speaker 1: for real? Should we believe? Do we dare believe in

952
00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:29,520
Speaker 1: this team.

953
00:56:31,920 --> 00:56:34,560
Speaker 2: Before Clippers got over there?

954
00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:39,359
Speaker 1: Now, yes, Daniel Tye, Yes, no, you're right, You're right,

955
00:56:39,520 --> 00:56:42,400
Speaker 1: But I meant and that was a great pickup and

956
00:56:42,520 --> 00:56:45,440
Speaker 1: a huge it was a great pickup able to get

957
00:56:45,520 --> 00:56:47,239
Speaker 1: you know, that's one that confused me because I thought

958
00:56:47,239 --> 00:56:49,200
Speaker 1: the Pacers should have been able to trade him. But

959
00:56:49,239 --> 00:56:53,360
Speaker 1: I'm but you know, Daniel Tice is not massive. I

960
00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:57,759
Speaker 1: mean they you know, losing plumbly was a big loss

961
00:56:57,920 --> 00:57:00,000
Speaker 1: for that team. And you know, we'll see how quick

962
00:57:00,239 --> 00:57:02,080
Speaker 1: they can get him back. But I mean, if you're

963
00:57:02,120 --> 00:57:05,359
Speaker 1: gonna be Denver, you you probably need three bigs, really sure,

964
00:57:05,719 --> 00:57:08,640
Speaker 1: you Needn't you need that many? Fouls and that's you know,

965
00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:11,759
Speaker 1: that is still the standard in the West. Can you

966
00:57:11,960 --> 00:57:15,120
Speaker 1: get past Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, You're gonna

967
00:57:15,160 --> 00:57:17,440
Speaker 1: need multiple bigs to get you through. And it's not

968
00:57:17,560 --> 00:57:20,520
Speaker 1: just the Clippers. Dallas is in that position, Golden State

969
00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:23,400
Speaker 1: is in that position, Phoenix is in that position. There

970
00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:25,040
Speaker 1: are a lot of teams in the West that don't

971
00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:28,320
Speaker 1: have an abundance of size, whereas Minnesota does have a

972
00:57:28,440 --> 00:57:30,600
Speaker 1: lot of size, and that's why they've one of the

973
00:57:30,680 --> 00:57:32,760
Speaker 1: reasons why the Wolves have been so good here through

974
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:35,320
Speaker 1: the first twenty five ish games of this season. But

975
00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:38,280
Speaker 1: we're gonna leave it there. We're gonna wish Chris Haynes

976
00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:43,040
Speaker 1: tremendous luck. Hopefully it's a doubleheader on Saturday. Hopefully. You guys, now,

977
00:57:43,080 --> 00:57:44,760
Speaker 1: if you lose the semi final, is there a third

978
00:57:44,760 --> 00:57:46,280
Speaker 1: place game or you get you This.

979
00:57:46,520 --> 00:57:48,560
Speaker 2: Is the style I'm telling you, the way I'm built.

980
00:57:49,080 --> 00:57:50,920
Speaker 2: If we lost the first one, I'm not playing a

981
00:57:50,960 --> 00:57:54,000
Speaker 2: no damn third place game. You win, you had to

982
00:57:54,040 --> 00:57:56,320
Speaker 2: win it, or you don't win anything. That's just how

983
00:57:56,320 --> 00:57:57,480
Speaker 2: I'm built made up.

984
00:57:57,720 --> 00:58:01,440
Speaker 1: Sorry, in all seriousness, I am really looking forward to

985
00:58:01,560 --> 00:58:06,320
Speaker 1: some text updates on Saturday, and some details revealed in

986
00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:08,160
Speaker 1: our next pod. We have to figure out when the

987
00:58:08,200 --> 00:58:10,400
Speaker 1: next pod will be man with you having family there,

988
00:58:10,840 --> 00:58:12,520
Speaker 1: my initial thought was, let's try to do it after

989
00:58:12,560 --> 00:58:14,520
Speaker 1: all these Christmas games. But if your whole family's in

990
00:58:14,560 --> 00:58:16,960
Speaker 1: the house, that might be a tough one. But whenever

991
00:58:17,040 --> 00:58:20,520
Speaker 1: we get together again, whenever we get together again, I

992
00:58:20,600 --> 00:58:22,720
Speaker 1: hope you have some highlights to share with us from

993
00:58:22,840 --> 00:58:25,000
Speaker 1: these Well, I'm gonna tell you this.

994
00:58:25,680 --> 00:58:28,439
Speaker 2: The highlights that I do share in our next pod

995
00:58:29,080 --> 00:58:33,400
Speaker 2: hopefully is basketball oriented, because remember after our first after

996
00:58:33,680 --> 00:58:38,280
Speaker 2: my last family get together, the highlights I share didn't

997
00:58:38,280 --> 00:58:40,400
Speaker 2: have anything to do with basketball. It was the highlights

998
00:58:40,440 --> 00:58:41,800
Speaker 2: that happened here in his household.

999
00:58:42,200 --> 00:58:46,600
Speaker 1: So hopefully, now i'm family, I'm predicting. I'm predicting a

1000
00:58:46,800 --> 00:58:50,680
Speaker 1: very calm and happy Christmas at the Hotel Haynes. It's

1001
00:58:50,720 --> 00:58:51,840
Speaker 1: gonna be nothing but love.

1002
00:58:51,720 --> 00:58:54,560
Speaker 2: All right, Well, I wish that upon everybody else. I

1003
00:58:55,280 --> 00:58:59,080
Speaker 2: wish everybody a happy merry Christmas. And again, this is

1004
00:58:59,240 --> 00:59:03,960
Speaker 2: sometimes great, great day. You know, it's a day kids

1005
00:59:04,040 --> 00:59:07,120
Speaker 2: and even adults dream up every day to wake up

1006
00:59:07,200 --> 00:59:10,800
Speaker 2: to Christmas Day and open presence. But also it comes

1007
00:59:10,880 --> 00:59:13,520
Speaker 2: with a lot of family getting together, and a lot

1008
00:59:13,560 --> 00:59:16,800
Speaker 2: of times again we don't like our family. We love them,

1009
00:59:17,160 --> 00:59:19,880
Speaker 2: but we don't like them, and we have to learn to,

1010
00:59:20,440 --> 00:59:23,640
Speaker 2: you know, just get along with you know, get along

1011
00:59:23,680 --> 00:59:26,840
Speaker 2: for those two days or whatever, because you know, stuff happens,

1012
00:59:27,240 --> 00:59:30,600
Speaker 2: Arguments happen, things break out. It happened here and my

1013
00:59:30,760 --> 00:59:35,200
Speaker 2: Thanksgiving they have house in my household here, So I'm

1014
00:59:35,240 --> 00:59:37,160
Speaker 2: hoping that that doesn't happen here, and I hope it

1015
00:59:37,200 --> 00:59:40,720
Speaker 2: doesn't happen for our listeners out there. So I wish

1016
00:59:40,800 --> 00:59:43,680
Speaker 2: you a very peaceful merry Christmas.

1017
00:59:45,200 --> 00:59:49,280
Speaker 1: Happy holidays everyone. Thanks to Brandon for pitching in here

1018
00:59:49,400 --> 00:59:53,480
Speaker 1: and pinch hitting on the production duties after I personally

1019
00:59:54,080 --> 00:59:56,400
Speaker 1: messed up the recording schedule. But we got it done.

1020
00:59:56,760 --> 01:00:00,800
Speaker 1: We got this episode done to accompany you on Festivus,

1021
01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:05,720
Speaker 1: December twenty third, on Christmas Eve, December twenty fourth. Hopefully

1022
01:00:05,800 --> 01:00:10,040
Speaker 1: this will give you some good NBA content to get

1023
01:00:10,160 --> 01:00:13,000
Speaker 1: you ready and take you up to that five game

1024
01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:16,280
Speaker 1: slate on Monday on Christmas Day. Chris and I will

1025
01:00:16,320 --> 01:00:19,960
Speaker 1: be back with you again soon. And remember, please, if

1026
01:00:20,000 --> 01:00:24,320
Speaker 1: you haven't already, rate, review and subscribe to this League

1027
01:00:24,400 --> 01:00:29,200
Speaker 1: Uncut via Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts or wherever you

1028
01:00:29,320 --> 01:00:31,760
Speaker 1: get your pods. We'll be back with you soon. Happy

1029
01:00:31,800 --> 01:00:32,920
Speaker 1: holidays everyone.

1030
01:00:32,920 --> 01:00:37,080
Speaker 2: Happy holidays, and that'll do it for us.

1031
01:00:37,400 --> 01:00:41,960
Speaker 1: See you next time. This League, Uncut is and iHeartRadio production,

1032
01:00:46,960 --> 01:01:03,120
Speaker 1: Chris Haynes and March Time I didn't