Speaker 1: Scenes from the G League Showcase in Orlando and the
Speaker 1: unofficial start of NBA Trade Season. I was there. We'll
Speaker 1: get into that. Also, all Star voting has been goun
Speaker 1: the five games on Monday's Christmas Day schedule, and reluctantly
Speaker 1: some more discussion about Chris Haynes and his rec league
Speaker 1: exploits in Sacramento. All that's next here on this edition
Speaker 1: of This League Uncut. Let's go Welcome to this League Uncut.
Speaker 1: In the rule of twenty four hour NBA News, this
Speaker 1: you'll lose Chris Haynes. Let's go tilling.
Speaker 2: Work's time.
Speaker 1: It's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.
Speaker 1: This should be a good one. Everyone. Welcome in to
Speaker 1: the weekend before Christmas edition of This League Uncut. Mark
Speaker 1: Stein here with Chris Haynes. I am back now from
Speaker 1: the G League Showcase in Orlando. I was there all week,
Speaker 1: sadly there without Chris Haynes. The last time I was
Speaker 1: in Orlando, of course, was the Wealth Disney World Bubble
Speaker 1: in the summer of twenty twenty, when Chris Haynes and
Speaker 1: I were neighbors. Although it's so funny, man, no matter
Speaker 1: who you run into who's been at the Bubble, And
Speaker 1: this happened multiple times. When I saw people from the
Speaker 1: Bubble at this event, it's like they know the number
Speaker 1: of days they were there. To the tea, it's like, yeah,
Speaker 1: I was there fifty four days. Guy I was talking
Speaker 1: to Yeah, I was there one hundred and one days.
Speaker 1: I think I checked with you. You you hit me
Speaker 1: back in about five seconds, like everybody remembers to the
Speaker 1: second how long they were there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's still too soon for me. Seven for me,
Speaker 2: it's still yeah, it was one o seven for me. Yeah,
Speaker 2: still too So.
Speaker 1: What are you gonna do if TNT has not sent
Speaker 1: you to Orlando?
Speaker 2: Since No, And I actually got my schedule because you
Speaker 2: know TNT usually sends me my sideline schedule. They go
Speaker 2: in increment, so they'll go to you know, they'll send
Speaker 2: me a schedule in late September October games through January games,
Speaker 2: so a couple of days ago. I just got my
Speaker 2: January through the rest of the season. No Orlando. I
Speaker 2: get close, though, Stein, I get close. I'm in Miami
Speaker 2: around April, around spring break time.
Speaker 1: Your favorite number one.
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh man, I got a Thursday game, which means,
Speaker 2: you know, I'll fly.
Speaker 1: When that When is that?
Speaker 2: I think it's like April second. Oh wow, April April,
Speaker 2: I believe. Hold, I'm looking at it right now. It
Speaker 2: is actually six ers at Miami April fourth, Thursday night game.
Speaker 2: And so you know, Stein, you know, usually i'll fly
Speaker 2: in Wednesday and you leave first thing in the morning
Speaker 2: Friday morning after after that Thursday game start. I think
Speaker 2: I'll probably leave Sunday night, you know. I think I'll
Speaker 2: hang around. I'll hang out over the weekend and start.
Speaker 2: No rush, no rush again.
Speaker 1: I thought I thought, I thought you met you were
Speaker 1: gonna fly in the Sunday night before.
Speaker 2: No, No, I still fly. Wife a counna, let me
Speaker 2: stay that long? Why I leave, leave the day before
Speaker 2: the game on a Wednesday, But I get the weekend.
Speaker 2: I'll get to hang the week hang the weekend in Miami.
Speaker 1: Ties and losses.
Speaker 2: Yes, that's where it is, your.
Speaker 1: Favorite slogan from twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2: But Stein, she's she's actually going to We already already
Speaker 2: talked about it. The family is going to join me
Speaker 2: up there in Miami, so they'll probably get there Friday,
Speaker 2: stay the weekend.
Speaker 1: Hey, your two older daughters can just fly in from Atlanta.
Speaker 2: Yeah, quick trip. I remember when I was trying to
Speaker 2: work my way up in this profession. Uh, you know,
Speaker 2: I told my wife. I explained, like, you, babe, you
Speaker 2: gotta like, you have to be willing to take a
Speaker 2: job whatever, if you feel like that job is going
Speaker 2: to take you to the next level, you gotta be
Speaker 2: you know, you gotta be just be flexible. Miami was
Speaker 2: the only stop that she would not do under any circumstance.
Speaker 2: Really yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1: So she's not a big she's not She's not the
Speaker 1: Miami fan that you are.
Speaker 2: Then, not at all, not at all. And I don't
Speaker 2: think it has anything to do with Miami. She just
Speaker 2: believes the how should I say this, Uh, that is
Speaker 2: not family centered Miami. She she believes that she believes
Speaker 2: family has attributes and elements that could fracture a family.
Speaker 2: So that was one of the places that it was
Speaker 2: just a no go. So it's like.
Speaker 1: Stead you delivered Cleveland.
Speaker 2: It ended up working out. She wanted to get back
Speaker 2: to California. So it's funny, stock can I tell I
Speaker 2: told her Sty, I was like, you know, I'm a
Speaker 2: beat writer. I'm like, Mabe, if I want to be national,
Speaker 2: like they might send me to Miami for a national job,
Speaker 2: to go to ESPN or Yahoo, whatever you say. I
Speaker 2: gotta turn those national gigs down, she said. If you
Speaker 2: want to stay married, yes, you gotta turn those national
Speaker 2: gigs down. So I thankfully, I'm thankfully that it never
Speaker 2: got to a scenario where I had to choose. I
Speaker 2: think I would have I think I would have chosen right.
Speaker 2: I think I would have chosen the family sty but
Speaker 2: I didn't want to be in that predicamous star.
Speaker 1: All right, before you get into any more Christmas weekend trouble,
Speaker 1: this is the idea of this. We're recording this on
Speaker 1: a Friday afternoon, so it will drop hopefully Friday evening,
Speaker 1: and the hope is that this podcast will be in
Speaker 1: your possession if you want to listen to it traveling
Speaker 1: somewhere this weekend, if you're headed to some sort of
Speaker 1: Christmas gathering and you want some NBA accompaniment on your travels.
Speaker 1: Hopefully this will fill the void. Obviously, Monday, the NBA's
Speaker 1: annual five game Christmas slate gonna have to compete with
Speaker 1: a three game NFL schedule, which is probably not gonna
Speaker 1: go great for the NBA TV ratings. Wise, but it
Speaker 1: is a pretty strong assemblage of games. We will come
Speaker 1: back to this at the end, but just to remind
Speaker 1: you of what awaits on Monday, Milwaukee at New York
Speaker 1: is the early game. Warriors at Nuggets, the defending champions
Speaker 1: from Denver. They get a home game on Christmas. That's
Speaker 1: the spoils of winning it all. Nikola Jokic gets a
Speaker 1: home game on Christmas. Celtics at Lakers, the league's oldest
Speaker 1: rivalry resuming on this holiday. Sixers at Heat, Miami at
Speaker 1: home on Christmas without Chris Haynes, and then the late game,
Speaker 1: the nightcap, two teams that do not like each other,
Speaker 1: Mavericks at Suns. But the Mavericks have a really long
Speaker 1: injury list. No Kyrie Irving, no Derek Lively, no Josh Green,
Speaker 1: no Moxie Kliba. They've been without those guys, the latter
Speaker 1: two for a while now. And you know, look, we
Speaker 1: don't have a we don't have an official status report
Speaker 1: yet for Christmas. That's still a couple days away as
Speaker 1: we're taping this. But the mass have been playing shorthanded
Speaker 1: for seemingly weeks, and of course, Bradley Beal made his
Speaker 1: long awaited return from back issues. Played one game alongside
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and Beale suffered an unfortunate
Speaker 1: ankle twist that's going to keep him out of the
Speaker 1: Christmas showdown. But like I said, we will get back
Speaker 1: to We will get back to the Christmas games. At
Speaker 1: the end, we will circle back to that. Look, it's
Speaker 1: trade season now. Once December fifteen hits and we're a
Speaker 1: full week beyond that. Now, that's kind of the sound
Speaker 1: the alarms that trade season is underway. Doesn't mean a
Speaker 1: deluge of deals starts, but certainly it puts eighty plus
Speaker 1: players who were signed in the summer they become trade eligible,
Speaker 1: teams start talking trades more seriously. The trade deadline is
Speaker 1: February eighth. And I was just in Orlando for the
Speaker 1: G League Showcase, and you know, everybody, it's so funny.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 1: One of the our tourists, Carnichiavus, was there for the Bulls,
Speaker 1: and I just felt like every time he got up
Speaker 1: out of his seat wherever he was going. To me,
Speaker 1: maybe maybe it was just maybe it was just my impression,
Speaker 1: but it just felt to me like eyes were riveted
Speaker 1: to wherever our tourists was going and to to kind
Speaker 1: of pay attention to whoever he was talking to, because
Speaker 1: obviously the Bulls are on that list of teams that
Speaker 1: everyone knows they want to be active. The Bulls do
Speaker 1: want to find a workable trade for zach lavine. To
Speaker 1: this point, they haven't found much of a marketplace for
Speaker 1: zach lavine. But to me, I think Chicago, Toronto again
Speaker 1: just like this time last year, Utah, Atlanta. Those are
Speaker 1: four teams that I think everyone around the league is
Speaker 1: expecting to be active, and we start with those teams
Speaker 1: because you know, it's it's a challenge on some levels
Speaker 1: to try to identify your sellers this far away from
Speaker 1: the deadline, because, as we've seen in the play in
Speaker 1: tournament era, teams can talk themselves into the idea that
Speaker 1: they don't need to disassemble and don't need to go
Speaker 1: the seller route, and that they're not that far away
Speaker 1: from being in the playoff mix. It obviously, the play
Speaker 1: in tournament, the play in slots keep the playoff dream
Speaker 1: alive for more teams, and so that's why it tends
Speaker 1: to take certainly why in recent years since the play
Speaker 1: in tournament came to be it's it usually take closer
Speaker 1: to the deadline to make things happen. But you know what,
Speaker 1: last season, we saw a couple January trades. The Lakers
Speaker 1: obviously made the Ruy Hachamura trade in January last season.
Speaker 1: So I do think we will see some action. And
Speaker 1: you know, as I said, I think I think the
Speaker 1: focus really starts with those teams that you know, all
Speaker 1: under five hundred, and you would you would, you would
Speaker 1: put them in the disappointment category. All those teams, even
Speaker 1: Utah had higher aspirations than what we're seeing from those
Speaker 1: teams now record wise, And I think you've you've talked
Speaker 1: about it as well. The Jazz is certainly a team
Speaker 1: that you know, they their phones are going to be
Speaker 1: ringing a lot here over the next six seven weeks
Speaker 1: for sure.
Speaker 2: I mean those are teams, those teams you identify, for sure,
Speaker 2: those are teams that most people would put into the
Speaker 2: sellers category. But you know, Chicago definitely Levine. You know,
Speaker 2: I would be very surprised if Lavina is still a
Speaker 2: member that roster by the time the trade deadline passes.
Speaker 2: But style, what do you think, you know, Chicago's been
Speaker 2: playing well, you know since Lavina has been out. They've
Speaker 2: kind of findru found a stride. They just recently beat
Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Lakers. They've strung together, I bleed three
Speaker 2: wins in a row. They've they've had a stretch and
Speaker 2: they're right there. As of right now, they're in with
Speaker 2: the eleventh spot, but you know, they have more wins
Speaker 2: than Atlanta, which is in the tenth spot, and they're
Speaker 2: just what a game and a half behind, Well, there
Speaker 2: are two games and a half behind Indiana, who has
Speaker 2: the A spot. So it's they can they can be
Speaker 2: right in it. You know, it's it's all. All is
Speaker 2: not lost. As far as the Bulls season this year,
Speaker 2: I know they got off to a terrible start of
Speaker 2: this year kind of you know, got them in this hole.
Speaker 2: But I think the season for the Bulls is still
Speaker 2: very much salvageable. I want to I want to see,
Speaker 2: you know, what they can do with this roster, and
Speaker 2: it seems like it's a it's a it's a roster
Speaker 2: that's sharing the ball a little bit more. Kobe White
Speaker 2: has more of a role on the offensive end. He's
Speaker 2: shooting the ball lights out. I want to say, like
Speaker 2: in the last three weeks or so, he's number one
Speaker 2: and three pointers made, and so they found they found
Speaker 2: something right here. And I think maybe if they you know,
Speaker 2: if they did well. If they did, I think I
Speaker 2: will go and say when they trade Levine, it'll be
Speaker 2: interesting to see it.
Speaker 1: What. Wow, You're you're that sure because I'm I mean,
Speaker 1: it's funny. I'm not like I am not because I
Speaker 1: actually think that they're seven and three since Zach Levine
Speaker 1: went to the sideline, and I think that makes their
Speaker 1: job even harder to try to find a trade for him,
Speaker 1: because you know, he has this massive contract and he's
Speaker 1: regarded as an offensive first player, and so like Philly
Speaker 1: keeps being mentioned as a team that interested in Zach Lavine.
Speaker 1: That is still not the vibe that I get in
Speaker 1: my conversations at the showcase. You know, the distinct vibe
Speaker 1: I got is that the Sixers are still, if they're
Speaker 1: going to do something this season, the Sixers are still
Speaker 1: in the market for a two way player, and Zach
Speaker 1: Lavine does for all of his offensive gifts, does not
Speaker 1: fall into the classification of two way player. And Sacramento
Speaker 1: another team that is often linked with Zach Levine, you know,
Speaker 1: the Kings, they need to you know, I think Mike
Speaker 1: Brown is always thinking about how do we improve our defense?
Speaker 1: I mean that is we The Kings had the best
Speaker 1: offense in the league last season. Now their offense has
Speaker 1: not clicked to that standard this season, which has been
Speaker 1: somewhat surprising to me. And I'm you know, I think
Speaker 1: that is a concern. The Kings at their best have
Speaker 1: been excellent. But you know on this Friday that we're
Speaker 1: we according the Kings had the eleventh best offense in
Speaker 1: the league. You would expect them to be way higher,
Speaker 1: but the Kings are in the bottom ten defensively. They're
Speaker 1: twenty second defensively, and I think to be a serious
Speaker 1: factor in the playoffs, they've got to be a lot
Speaker 1: closer to the middle of the pack. And so is
Speaker 1: making a big swing for zach Lavine and taking on
Speaker 1: the huge money that adding zach Lavine's contract would represent.
Speaker 1: When you know this summer they want to resign dearon Fox,
Speaker 1: that's going to be a hugely expensive deal because Fox
Speaker 1: has a great chance to make all NBA again, and
Speaker 1: if Fox does, that's that's a five year deal that
Speaker 1: approaches two hundred and fifty million. Are the Kings really
Speaker 1: going to trade for zach Lavine when they have defensive
Speaker 1: issues as it is. So, you know, I think that's
Speaker 1: why there is so much curiosity and why kind of
Speaker 1: tracking our tourists in the gym was a sport unto itself.
Speaker 1: During the showcases that you know, the bulls, it's known
Speaker 1: they want to move Levine, but way or who who
Speaker 1: out there is gonna step up and take that contract now?
Speaker 1: And of course the Lakers are are frequently mentioned, and
Speaker 1: you know, is that is that a real connection or
Speaker 1: is that simply everyone connecting dots because they know zach
Speaker 1: Lavine is represented by Rich Paul. And there's this assumption
Speaker 1: that Rich Paul recently spoke to that you know, everybody
Speaker 1: thinks that zach Lavine's gonna end up a Laker because
Speaker 1: of Rich Paul, and I to me, it's by no
Speaker 1: means that simple. So your supreme confidence on this has
Speaker 1: me curious.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. I just don't think it's going to
Speaker 2: work out. Like I don't. I think Chicago has found something.
Speaker 2: And you have to remember when when when Levine was
Speaker 2: still playing and active, you know, there were there were
Speaker 2: problems with shot distribution. You know, they that locker room
Speaker 2: was a It was a bit of a mess. Remember
Speaker 2: you know the what it was, it the the players
Speaker 2: only meeting right after the first game. So there there's
Speaker 2: always been kind of issues behind the scenes. And so
Speaker 2: I just I can't see a scenario. I'm sorry, st
Speaker 2: I can't see a scenario which he would be he
Speaker 2: would still be a bull past the deadline. And I
Speaker 2: know there still hasn't been a team that identified. And
Speaker 2: let me say this too. You mentioned Philly they're in
Speaker 2: they're looking for a two way player. So is Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaker 2: So keep keep the Cavaliers in mind that that's a
Speaker 2: team right now that's still looking for that three and
Speaker 2: D type player. That's that's been that's that's been an
Speaker 2: area of of dire concern or lack of lack of
Speaker 2: I should say. And so you know, keep eye on Cleveland.
Speaker 2: But yeah, I don't see it.
Speaker 1: With well, you know, you you mentioned Cleveland. Let's talk
Speaker 1: Let's talk about that real quick, because you know, that
Speaker 1: was another discussion topic this week at showcase that you know,
Speaker 1: the Calves have lost Garland and Mobley to fairly long
Speaker 1: term injuries, and that immediately sparked a wave of assumptions
Speaker 1: around the league that you know what, the Calves might
Speaker 1: just go ahead and trade Donovan Mitchell. This thing is
Speaker 1: not working out. The signs would appear to suggest that
Speaker 1: Mitchell does not want to be there in the long term.
Speaker 1: Maybe the Calves would trade Donovan Mitchell sooner rather than
Speaker 1: later to avoid being in a position where, you know,
Speaker 1: if he doesn't extend in the summer, and I don't
Speaker 1: think there's a great expectation that he would. He'd be
Speaker 1: entering the last season of his deal next season. But
Speaker 1: then then our colleague at Yahoo, Jake Fisher, he came
Speaker 1: out with a report this week during showcase and according
Speaker 1: to Jake's reporting, the Calves are adamantly against trading Donovan
Speaker 1: Mitchell at this point. And you now telling me that
Speaker 1: what you're hearing the Calves want a three and D player.
Speaker 1: That would seem to support that notion if the Calves
Speaker 1: are looking for upgrades to try to strengthen the cast
Speaker 1: they currently have.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they believe they're getting Evan Mobley back this season.
Speaker 2: They're still as of right now, people I've talked to
Speaker 2: over there, they're still very much have a lot invested
Speaker 2: into this season. So I've heard similar I haven't heard
Speaker 2: anything pertaining to the Calves being interested or thinking about
Speaker 2: moving Donovan Mitchell at this juncture.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no question. And look, the reality is after last
Speaker 1: season's playoffs, the Calves were a fifty one win team.
Speaker 1: It's the best team they've had without Lebron James in
Speaker 1: thirty years. And then to lose in five games in
Speaker 1: the playoffs in the first round to the lower seeded
Speaker 1: Knicks was a very meek playoff showing in coaching circles.
Speaker 1: I reported this on Monday. You've heard it for a
Speaker 1: while now that the way last season ended, coupled with
Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell's contract situation, it really put JD. Bickerstaff under
Speaker 1: as much pressure as any coach in the league. But
Speaker 1: I think that these injuries have eased some of that
Speaker 1: pressure because the Cavs assembled this four man core Evan Mobley,
Speaker 1: Jared Allen, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell. Now there's plenty of
Speaker 1: debate about the wisdom of that and how the pieces
Speaker 1: of fit, and whether Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are
Speaker 1: if the backcourt's big enough for both of them, and
Speaker 1: you know, we can talk about all those things, but
Speaker 1: the reality is they assembled that core group with high aspirations,
Speaker 1: and if two of the four players aren't available, that
Speaker 1: has to ease things on the coach and almost certainly
Speaker 1: has to cause a rethink in terms of expectations. Although
Speaker 1: initially the Calves have responded to the injuries pretty well
Speaker 1: here and you know they've they've actually been playing a
Speaker 1: little a little bit better without two of their main
Speaker 1: guys in the short term. But is that really more
Speaker 1: than a short term boost. You know, only they can
Speaker 1: prove it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think overall Stein what you're saying, you know,
Speaker 2: with the g again, we mentioned we've we've touched on
Speaker 2: this about December fifteenth, that's usually when the trade season
Speaker 2: officially starts. So, based off of your conversation and your
Speaker 2: the conversations you've had, do you have a sense on
Speaker 2: if there would be a fury of trades? Do you
Speaker 2: have that sense that it's going to be really chaotic
Speaker 2: or rather a subdue type of trade season.
Speaker 1: It's probably not the answer you want, but I think
Speaker 1: it's too it's honestly too soon for that forecast. Like
Speaker 1: I think we're you know, we're still trying to figure
Speaker 1: out again because you know, and even identifying those four
Speaker 1: teams I mentioned, that's actually probably a lot at this juncture,
Speaker 1: you know, with the with the trade deadline this far
Speaker 1: out the fact that we can say we know Chicago
Speaker 1: is looking to move Zach Lavine Toronto. It's a little
Speaker 1: bit harder to pinpoint the raptors exact intentions as always,
Speaker 1: but around the league, og Anobi's headed for free agency,
Speaker 1: Pascal Siakam's headed for free agency, Gary Trent Junior is
Speaker 1: headed for free agency. So naturally teams around the league
Speaker 1: are going to look at that three pending free agents
Speaker 1: and say there's got to be a trader too. That's
Speaker 1: a natural conclusion to leap to Utah. Both you and
Speaker 1: I have been reporting about just the Jazz. You know,
Speaker 1: last year, the Jazz were super competitive. After trading Gobert
Speaker 1: and Donovan Mitchell away, the Jazz coming off that expected
Speaker 1: to be in the five hundred range as a team,
Speaker 1: and you know, do better this season than they did
Speaker 1: last season, and they've fallen short of that standard. And
Speaker 1: that's just led to you know, they've got a number
Speaker 1: of players available. Jordan Clarkson is considered available. Kelly Olynyk,
Speaker 1: I think is someone who would likely be on the
Speaker 1: move the Salt Lake Tribunes. Andy Larson reported that the
Speaker 1: Jazz are already open to trading John Collins and he
Speaker 1: just got there. And you know, I reported about a
Speaker 1: week ago that teams are going to test Utah's resolve
Speaker 1: when it comes to Lowry Marketen. I don't know that
Speaker 1: they'll be successful in prying him away. I think you
Speaker 1: can infer after the insane price tags that the Jazz
Speaker 1: established for both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, it would
Speaker 1: take a lot, a lot to get Lowry Markinin away
Speaker 1: from the Jazz. But it's been stressed to me that
Speaker 1: there are a couple teams out there that are gonna
Speaker 1: try and see how committed the Jazz are to keeping him.
Speaker 1: Market In is on a team friendly contract and all
Speaker 1: the signals have been that the Jazz are very happy
Speaker 1: with him and very high on him. Market In himself
Speaker 1: gave an interview to Sam Amtt from The Athletic and
Speaker 1: made it clear he wants to stay in Utah. But
Speaker 1: Lowry marketIn has a lot of fans around this league
Speaker 1: after his All Star breakthrough last season, So I think again,
Speaker 1: I think there will be a team or two or
Speaker 1: three that between now in February eighth, try to see
Speaker 1: if Utah would listen. Like I said, I think the
Speaker 1: expected high price tag works against the notion of a trade.
Speaker 1: But Utah woke up on this Friday eleven and eighteen,
Speaker 1: and they weren't expecting that. They were expecting a better
Speaker 1: record than that. And yes, Utah has had a lot
Speaker 1: of injuries as well, although a long long list of
Speaker 1: injuries did not prevent them from handing Detroit it's twenty
Speaker 1: fifth loss in a row. The Pistons from two to
Speaker 1: one to two and twenty six. I mentioned Atlanta as
Speaker 1: a team that I think they are also expected to
Speaker 1: be in the trade mix here. You know, they talked
Speaker 1: Clint Capella deals and DeAndre Hunter deals during the offseason.
Speaker 1: I think the Hawks are likely to expand the potential
Speaker 1: trade possibilities over the next six to eight weeks. And
Speaker 1: I guess we should probably throw the Pistons in there too,
Speaker 1: because I mean two and twenty six, Like, we really
Speaker 1: haven't talked much about the Pistons, but how do you
Speaker 1: lose twenty five games in a row in the NBA
Speaker 1: and their schedule coming up now is so brutal when
Speaker 1: you can't beat a severely week in Jazz team at home,
Speaker 1: where is that win coming from. I mean, this is
Speaker 1: a team that wanted to compete this season. They didn't
Speaker 1: trade Boyon Bogdanovich and Alec Burks. They didn't trade these
Speaker 1: guys because they wanted to have vets on the team
Speaker 1: for Cad Cunningham's return, because they thought they were going
Speaker 1: to be making a run at the play in spots,
Speaker 1: at least in the East. They spend thirteen million a
Speaker 1: year on their coach. I mean, Detroit is just that
Speaker 1: is that is a crazy story.
Speaker 2: So you look at that roster and the youth movement
Speaker 2: that they're in, and you mean to tell me the
Speaker 2: expectations that Detroit was going to continue for a playing spot.
Speaker 1: I think that's what they thought. Yeah, I mean why
Speaker 1: didn't If they didn't, why, I mean, why did they
Speaker 1: keep Bogdanovitch. I mean teams have been trying to acquire
Speaker 1: Boyon Bogdanovich from from the Pistons going back to the
Speaker 1: early parts of last season, and the consistent word has
Speaker 1: been the Pistons put a really high price tag on
Speaker 1: Bogdanovitch because they want They didn't want to just lose them.
Speaker 1: They wanted they wanted to have. They thought they were
Speaker 1: going to be a team that was in the mix
Speaker 1: for the ninth or tenth seed in the East. They
Speaker 1: did not expect to be two and twenty six. Wow,
Speaker 1: when you're next Detroit game? Is that on the schedule?
Speaker 2: I don't think TT is putting the troil schedule anytime soon, man, TT,
Speaker 2: or ESPN for that matter.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Man, the Wizards. You're five and twenty two, running
Speaker 1: away from the Pistons.
Speaker 2: The Wizards got got a big win, big win in Portland,
Speaker 2: Portland and Portland, and you're looking at some of the
Speaker 2: bottom feeders of the of the league, Wizards, Detroit, Portland,
Speaker 2: San Antonio. God, what is the do you know? It's
Speaker 2: off top of your hand, Steve. What's the most the
Speaker 2: team has lost consecutively?
Speaker 1: Yeah, twenty six air on the doorstep now that So
Speaker 1: they got the calves the year after Lebron and in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty ten eleven, and the processed sixers in twenty thirteen, fourteen,
Speaker 1: twenty six in a row. So we are recording this
Speaker 1: on a Friday afternoon, I believe tonight. Let me double
Speaker 1: check this while I'm looking at it.
Speaker 2: Check this time.
Speaker 1: Is it tonight or tomorrow? Detroit has a Basically, Detroit
Speaker 1: has a road game at Brooklyn to avoid tying the streak,
Speaker 1: and then they got Brooklyn at home to avoid number
Speaker 1: twenty seven. So a home and home with the Nets
Speaker 1: is all that stands in the way of the Detroit
Speaker 1: Pistons setting the NBA's single season record for defeats. And
Speaker 1: it is tomorrow. I just looked the schedule. So Saturday
Speaker 1: night Pistons at Nets, that is to avoid lost number
Speaker 1: twenty six. Then the teams come right back and play
Speaker 1: in Detroit on the day after Christmas, So the Pistons
Speaker 1: desperately need to win one of those two games. After that,
Speaker 1: the Pistons are at Boston home to the Raptors. Then
Speaker 1: a four game Western Conference road trip Houston, Utah, Golden State, Denver.
Speaker 1: Then they got the Kings at home. Finally, on January tenth,
Speaker 1: the Pistons have the Spurs at home.
Speaker 2: Okay, there you go.
Speaker 1: January tenth, though, feels a long way away Detroit.
Speaker 2: Right there you go, there's a win.
Speaker 1: Well, so you seriously, this whole week, this whole week,
Speaker 1: you weren't at home going. Man, I'm jealous. Stein's at
Speaker 1: the showcase. He's stocking GMS, he's trying to get gossip.
Speaker 1: He's in beautiful Central Florida. You weren't. You didn't have
Speaker 1: any fomo.
Speaker 2: Again, if the showcase was where it should have been,
Speaker 2: which is Las Vegas. If it was there, I would
Speaker 2: have we would have reunited. But no, I had no aspirations. Again,
Speaker 2: if that's the first one, that's the first one I
Speaker 2: missed in a while. I just Orlando just didn't do
Speaker 2: it for.
Speaker 1: That, but you, because I think you only started going
Speaker 1: when it was in Vegas. I've covered the showcase. I've
Speaker 1: covered the showcase in Boise, Idaho. I've covered the showcase
Speaker 1: in orem Utah, covered the Showcase in South Padre Island, Texas.
Speaker 1: I've covered it in Santa Cruz, which is it would
Speaker 1: have at least been drivable for you. I've covered it
Speaker 1: and I've covered it in Mississauga, Ontario, which I loved
Speaker 1: because that meant staying in Toronto.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Toronto. Would I have done that. I had just
Speaker 2: become I think a national reporter at that time when
Speaker 2: it was in Toronto. I think I just missed it,
Speaker 2: But I would have did Toronto. Well, Toronto and the
Speaker 2: what is it like over there in December style.
Speaker 1: A frosty I love it. Were you at the Toronto?
Speaker 1: Were you at the All Star Game in Toronto?
Speaker 2: It was the worst All Star game in the history
Speaker 2: of All Star games. That you know, when I'm talking
Speaker 2: about the weather, talking about weather only. I did not
Speaker 2: go outside, not one time unless I was going to
Speaker 2: cover cover one of the events at the at the Arena.
Speaker 1: I was so happy to be in Toronto that I
Speaker 1: didn't care how cold it was. I loved it. Oh,
Speaker 1: it's funny. I think I told you this. I was
Speaker 1: working I did that All Star Game for ESPN Radio.
Speaker 1: So I was working with PJ Carlissimo, who of course
Speaker 1: previously coached in Toronto. And PJ had so much juice
Speaker 1: that somehow there would be someone to escort us from
Speaker 1: the court to some walkway that I didn't even know existed.
Speaker 1: So we could, we could, we could, we could escape,
Speaker 1: but stay inside. So PJ had all the hookups. PJ,
Speaker 1: PJ not and what he's famous for his restaurant. It's like,
Speaker 1: you know how much I love restaurants, but PJ Carlismo
Speaker 1: makes me look like I don't even like to eat out.
Speaker 1: He takes restaurants so seriously and it's always it was
Speaker 1: always fascinating to work with him because no matter how
Speaker 1: late the game ended, somehow he had a place that
Speaker 1: would stay open to serve us. You know, it could
Speaker 1: be midnight any city, but PJ had a PJ had
Speaker 1: the hookup for us to get dinner at midnight, twelve thirty,
Speaker 1: whatever it was. That is a man who cares deeply
Speaker 1: about his dining.
Speaker 2: That's a man who's built solid relationships as well, because
Speaker 2: it takes rest most important relationships forget forget NBA relationships.
Speaker 2: You know, culinary very much important. You know how big
Speaker 2: on food.
Speaker 1: People away people, People who ask me, they'll say, don't
Speaker 1: do you have a favorite team, And I'm like, I
Speaker 1: root for hotels and restaurants.
Speaker 2: Yeah. He stein give a shout out you hooking me
Speaker 2: and a wife up at the restaurant in Dallas. Man.
Speaker 1: Yeah. So Chris Haynes, Chris Haynes and Missus Haynes were
Speaker 1: in Dallas the night before the recent Lakers Mavericks game,
Speaker 1: and I sent them to one of Dallas's most historic
Speaker 1: dining institutions, Bob Steak and Chophouse, the original Bob Steak
Speaker 1: and Chop House. And my sources say that the Haynes
Speaker 1: family had a very nice meal that night.
Speaker 2: Very very nice, it was. It was tremendous, great service.
Speaker 2: The man himself, the owner himself, your.
Speaker 1: Guy, Bob sample legendary restaurateur in Dallas. He opened that
Speaker 1: this is actually this this year was the thirty year
Speaker 1: anniversary of the original Bob's opening in Dallas. And yes,
Speaker 1: it is a if you are a steak fan, it
Speaker 1: is a wonderful, wonderful experience. And you know what, if
Speaker 1: I wasn't attending a high school soccer game that night,
Speaker 1: I would have been there with you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I was cool. He came and introduced himself
Speaker 2: and everything. So we made sure we gave a proper
Speaker 2: tip up on leaving Steyn. So now we had a
Speaker 2: we had a good experience. Appreciate you.
Speaker 1: Next time you're back in Dallas, We're going together because
Speaker 1: that's the thing is, like I was, so we barely
Speaker 1: saw each other on that trip, and we really you
Speaker 1: were running around TV duties and I don't know, we
Speaker 1: just we didn't we I mean, we really should have
Speaker 1: tried to do a pod together, but we just we
Speaker 1: got no time to hang out.
Speaker 2: We actually did do a pod the day of the game.
Speaker 1: That's when we had That's right, Yeah, we we had,
Speaker 1: we were we should have physically done it. Yeah, we
Speaker 1: interviewed Jamal Mosley in the morning, but we need we
Speaker 1: needed to do the next time we're in the same city.
Speaker 1: We got to do a side by side pod of
Speaker 1: some sort.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll have to. Unfortunately, I have the good The
Speaker 2: good news is that I have two more Dallas games
Speaker 2: on the schedule in February. The unfortunate part about that
Speaker 2: is both of those are at the other team's home
Speaker 2: Dallas at Brooklyn, Dallas at New York in February, back
Speaker 2: to back. So we'll try to We'll try to heyl
Speaker 2: All Star Weekend Star. You'll be there. Indian Indianapolis correct.
Speaker 1: Still under deliberations. I love Indianapolis, but I'm working on
Speaker 1: I'm working on something else that I'm I can't say
Speaker 1: too much about yet, So we'll see. We'll there's a
Speaker 1: there's Like I said, I love Indie so I definitely
Speaker 1: want to be at that All Star Game, but I
Speaker 1: still got some stuff to figure out.
Speaker 2: In the new year. I'll just do it.
Speaker 1: Chris Haynes is going to help us figure out who
Speaker 1: the all star starters should be at guard because there's
Speaker 1: like seven guys for two spots. So Chris Haynes, he's
Speaker 1: got the magic formula to help us, Right, you know
Speaker 1: exactly what.
Speaker 2: I don't know if I have a magic formula.
Speaker 1: But I'll say no, I'm kidding. I know, I know
Speaker 1: you don't.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, but I'll say it is definitely a conundrum,
Speaker 2: particularly in that Western Conference. Think about this time. They're
Speaker 2: each year, you can already pencil in, forget pencil in,
Speaker 2: you can ink in, you know, permanent marker in a
Speaker 2: few names each year West or East. East is usually Yannis,
Speaker 2: Joel and b for the last few years, like just
Speaker 2: use a permanent marker, put their name in as starters.
Speaker 2: The West is usually a couple names each year Lebron
Speaker 2: James permanent marker. The other name Stephen Curry permanent marker.
Speaker 2: Now I will I believe that those two will still
Speaker 2: be permanent marker status. But should they that is the question.
Speaker 2: Let's talk about the guards in the West, right, Wow,
Speaker 2: this is a tough one. Go to State Warriors currently
Speaker 2: number eleventh in the standings, right Andy, But let's go
Speaker 2: up above in the standings. Let's start in Minnesota, number
Speaker 2: one in the NBA, best record in the NBA, Anthony
Speaker 2: Edwards having a great year. Some would argue that he
Speaker 2: deserves an All Stars started spot just being number one seed,
Speaker 2: being the best player on that team and the leap
Speaker 2: that he's taken. All right, let's go number two. Who's
Speaker 2: the number two? And who's number two? In extend that
Speaker 2: that would be the Oklahoma City Thunder And we know
Speaker 2: that's Sga Shay having a great year again number two,
Speaker 2: top what four and scoring maybe top three on the
Speaker 2: off top top of my head, but he's averaging thirty.
Speaker 2: All right, Let's go down number four seed Sacramento Kings
Speaker 2: de Aaron Fox averaging thirty this season. The Kings are
Speaker 2: having a phenomenal year. The Aaron Fox MVP discussion, early
Speaker 2: MVP discussion. Great year. Go down to the Dallas is
Speaker 2: you know, fall into number six. They're on a two
Speaker 2: game losing street. But number six, Luka, Dakich, Luca, come
Speaker 2: on now, I mean in go down to number nine
Speaker 2: the Devin Booker Phoenix Suns. So what I'm saying is
Speaker 2: what I'm saying is this I I still do believe
Speaker 2: Lebron James and Stephen Curry and probably and Luca. I
Speaker 2: should have put Luca. I think Luca's permanent, permanent market status.
Speaker 2: But god, Lee, that's that's that's that's tough on guys
Speaker 2: like Shay Dearn, Anthony Edwards, Dearon Fopp. You know I
Speaker 2: said Deern missing like I'm missing somebody else real quick.
Speaker 2: You know, Lucas should be in I don't know, so star,
Speaker 2: I'm not. I don't mean to put you on the
Speaker 2: spot because I am not in any I'm not in
Speaker 2: the place to say who should or who shouldn't be
Speaker 2: in it, because this is a you know, the All
Speaker 2: Star starters. You know it's a popularity vote, but you know,
Speaker 2: definitely you want to see the guys who deserve to
Speaker 2: get those spots. You want to see them rewarded. Do
Speaker 2: you feel like this season is any different from all
Speaker 2: the other years where it seemed like guys are going
Speaker 2: to get I don't want to say screwed, because I
Speaker 2: think all those guys will end up being reserves. But
Speaker 2: is this is this out of ordinary where you got
Speaker 2: this many guys that probably should be starters over somebody
Speaker 2: who's known to be permitting permittent market status.
Speaker 1: I actually think this is the new reality because then
Speaker 1: I just looked at the East and I feel like
Speaker 1: it's the same, and it's just, you know, one of
Speaker 1: the things stats, the stat lines that players are putting
Speaker 1: up in the modern NBA are so gaudy. But yeah,
Speaker 1: like you know, you asked. You started by asking that
Speaker 1: where they should they? And it's just you know, and
Speaker 1: then you you raised the same point that I was
Speaker 1: gonna raise. I never want to say should they on starters,
Speaker 1: because that's the fans choice. The fans get to see
Speaker 1: who they want to see. I mean, you could argue
Speaker 1: that if we're gonna make this about statistics and teams
Speaker 1: success to this point, it's hard to see how Shay
Speaker 1: and Luca wouldn't be the two starters. But I think
Speaker 1: you're absolutely right. Stephan Curry is going to win the
Speaker 1: starter vote and Luca generally does pretty damn well in
Speaker 1: the starter vote as well, So it wouldn't surprise anyone
Speaker 1: if Steph and Luca were voted in as the West
Speaker 1: starters at GUARD. But yes, Shay Gildes, Alexander Luka, Doncic,
Speaker 1: Stephan Curry dearon Fox Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker. I mean
Speaker 1: is it is a crowd, a big crowd. But then
Speaker 1: you look at the you look at the East and
Speaker 1: you see the same thing. I think Tyrese Halliburton and
Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson have they have definitely earned All Star spots.
Speaker 1: Now are they going to get voted in as starters?
Speaker 1: That remains to be seen. But I think both of
Speaker 1: those guys are playing better than ever. They've both gone
Speaker 1: to a new level. But in the East, you know,
Speaker 1: is Jimmy but you're classified as a guard or a forward?
Speaker 1: Maxie has been great, Jalen Brown is he classified as
Speaker 1: a guard or a farward? Donovan Mitchell is in there,
Speaker 1: Trey Young is still there. And then there's this guard
Speaker 1: in Milwaukee named Damian Lillard, who I think you know
Speaker 1: fairly well. So even in the East there are a
Speaker 1: zillion guard candidates. I just think whom I who'd I
Speaker 1: leave out?
Speaker 2: Let's see if it'll come to you, Okay, I'll just
Speaker 2: I'll just say.
Speaker 1: It didn't I say, I said, Trey who, Donovan Mitchell?
Speaker 1: Who who am I leaving out?
Speaker 2: The leader in assists in the league?
Speaker 1: Halliburton, I already said hallib he's not the leader in
Speaker 1: assistant Yeah, I hear O. Yeah, Halliburton and Brunson were
Speaker 1: my first two guys.
Speaker 2: Oh, you said Tyres So I thought you meant Maxy.
Speaker 1: No, Tyrese. Halliburton and Brunson. I think would would be
Speaker 1: the starters if we based it on the combination of
Speaker 1: statistics and team success, but not necessarily Maxie.
Speaker 2: Hold On, you said what you said, Halliburton and.
Speaker 1: Maxie Haliburton and Brunson Haliburton, and.
Speaker 2: You think those would be the two stars based off
Speaker 2: a team success and statistics.
Speaker 1: And and and stats.
Speaker 2: Hold on here, hold on here. Milwaukee was number two
Speaker 2: in the East. Don Yeah, Dan Dame? Are we looking
Speaker 2: at James Dame? The only persons the only person scoring?
Speaker 2: Dames outscoring Brunson. He's outscoring Maxie by a small margin
Speaker 2: right now. Who and he has to share the ball
Speaker 2: with more players than a Bruntson.
Speaker 1: Or MAXI so you did notice, though, when I did
Speaker 1: the whole list, I worked up to that to your
Speaker 1: guy at the end. That was dramatic.
Speaker 2: Listen, those are definitely these guys are definitely worthy candidates.
Speaker 2: If I had to vote right now for the starters
Speaker 2: on I would put probably it's hard. It's you know, Halliburton,
Speaker 2: the Pacers. They've been struggling post the n season tournament,
Speaker 2: so it's hard as of right now, it's hard to
Speaker 2: take Halliburton out of the equation. I would go Halliburton
Speaker 2: and Dame. I think, like, come on, Milwaukee's.
Speaker 1: Number, and I would imagine even though he switched conferences
Speaker 1: that Dame is still going to have a very powerful
Speaker 1: sway on voters when it comes to All Star starters.
Speaker 1: He's an immensely popular player even though he's in a
Speaker 1: new city for the first time.
Speaker 2: Yeah, like, right right now is still early. I would
Speaker 2: probably go Halliburton and Dame. But again, Indiana and Halliburton
Speaker 2: have struggled post in season Turner.
Speaker 1: Mean, if we're gonna say it's Dame, I would actually
Speaker 1: go Dame in Brunson because if we're going to make
Speaker 1: team success the issue. The Pacers did have the Cinderella
Speaker 1: to the in season tournament final, but they've struggled coming
Speaker 1: out of that, and as of Friday, entering Friday's play,
Speaker 1: the Pacers are only a game over five hundred. So,
Speaker 1: you know, again, Halliburton and Brunts, it to me maybe
Speaker 1: the better way I should have put it is I
Speaker 1: think they have both been kind of story of the
Speaker 1: season contenders to this early juncture through Christmas, and they've
Speaker 1: both taken a leap. I think both those guys have
Speaker 1: taken a late But certainly, if Dame is a starter
Speaker 1: and one of those guys is just elected as an
Speaker 1: All Star reserve, it's no big thing. I think both
Speaker 1: Haliburton and Brunson will be All Stars this season, and
Speaker 1: for Brunson it will be a first time All Star.
Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean Dame has.
Speaker 2: Been I gotta show the if Halliburton, like, if they
Speaker 2: continue on this trend. Next up, in my opinion, it's
Speaker 2: Tyres MAXI.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Maxi's right there.
Speaker 2: He's right there. Philadelphia's number three. You know, they're a
Speaker 2: game and a half behind the Bucks for number two.
Speaker 2: You know, again, if we're talking stats and team record,
Speaker 2: if you know, those are the big you know, if
Speaker 2: that's what we're really looking at right there, it's hard
Speaker 2: to dismiss Maxie. So you know, I mean, look, I
Speaker 2: do you know when I when I'm evaluating, you know,
Speaker 2: I definitely look at stats and and all that and
Speaker 2: try to look at the different you know, look at
Speaker 2: advanced stacks and different metrics. But you know team standings
Speaker 2: where they're at Philadelphia, I don't I don't necessarily look
Speaker 2: at storylines like they got rid of James hard And
Speaker 2: and Maxie. No, I'm looking at Maxie's been playing his
Speaker 2: ass off man. Maxie. He's a start. So there's a
Speaker 2: there's a there's a long jam with guards as well.
Speaker 2: But I do think through it all, we're just talking
Speaker 2: about starters. You know, no need to get all up
Speaker 2: in arms for people listening, because I do think all
Speaker 2: the guards that we're mentioning, I think they will make the.
Speaker 1: Star I think there there won't be room for all
Speaker 1: these guys. Like team success, the team success thing, the
Speaker 1: team success thing, that's a conversation when we're picking reserves.
Speaker 1: You know, that's something that the coaches look at for starters.
Speaker 1: You know, fans should be picking the players they want
Speaker 1: to see the most. And you know, I'm never gonna
Speaker 1: quibble with how the starters turn out. But again, in
Speaker 1: the West, Steph s g A, Luca Fox, Anthony Edwards,
Speaker 1: and Devin Booker, are all of those guys gonna make
Speaker 1: the All Star Team? Maybe in the East, No, maybe
Speaker 1: in the East but in the East. In the East,
Speaker 1: Dame Halliburton, Brunson, Maxie, Jimmy Butler, we got to decide
Speaker 1: if he's a garter forward. Jalen Brown, we got to
Speaker 1: decide if he's a garter forward. And Trey Young. I
Speaker 1: mean there's there's a I mean it is. I don't
Speaker 1: know if there's gonna be room in the West.
Speaker 2: I can't see any of those guys in the West
Speaker 2: that you mentioned being excluded in the East. Yes, there
Speaker 2: will be a few, all right, before we go to Garden?
Speaker 2: Is he a garden in Chicago? That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1: I mean that to me is the modern game. The
Speaker 1: modern game is there there are so many players, crazy
Speaker 1: stat lines. It's gonna be hard to make room for everyone.
Speaker 1: And that's why you know we're still twelve man rosters
Speaker 1: for the All Star Game. It's a thirty team league.
Speaker 1: Now we're probably gonna have expansion in a few years
Speaker 1: and the league's gonna grow to at least thirty two teams.
Speaker 1: Should should the rosters at twelve?
Speaker 2: Yes it should, Yes, it should, Yeah, it should, Yes
Speaker 2: it should.
Speaker 1: What's gotten into you've become You have become the you've
Speaker 1: become the No. I'm just you've become the old head traditionalist,
Speaker 1: resistant to change guy on this podcast. When did that happen?
Speaker 2: We don't need to keep making awards and making a
Speaker 2: like stop it. Like everybody this, you know what I
Speaker 2: teach my kids this. Everybody. Everybody doesn't get the job.
Speaker 2: I'm sorry when you step into the real world.
Speaker 1: Okay, but and I get that. And look, I'm usually
Speaker 1: the stubborn traditionalist who never wants to change anything. But
Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties. I mean, I started loving the league
Speaker 1: in the seventies, but the nineteen eighties was when the
Speaker 1: NBA became an obsession for me. It was a twenty
Speaker 1: three team league throughout my high school days, and it
Speaker 1: was still a twelve man all star team. They've added
Speaker 1: seven teams since then, and rosters are now eighteen deep
Speaker 1: with three two ways, so they've added almost one hundred players.
Speaker 1: And again, we're gonna have expansion eventually that makes the
Speaker 1: league even bigger. So we just keep the all star
Speaker 1: roster at twelve forever.
Speaker 2: Yeah, listen, that's not something I'm so high up on. Like, Okay,
Speaker 2: give it each team three extra spots, that's fine. I'm
Speaker 2: not so high on that. But I'm just come on now,
Speaker 2: stop it. Stop it with the participation trophy, Era, Like,
Speaker 2: I don't want to see too much of it. Let's compete, please.
Speaker 1: If they give if they give you some kind of
Speaker 1: trophy for your rec league, I bet you'll take it.
Speaker 2: Fir. I'm glad you. I'm glad you came up with
Speaker 2: that excellent segue. So, as you know, we're in the
Speaker 2: final four tomorrow morning, Stein, at nine to twenty tomorrow morning.
Speaker 2: And as we're doing this pod right now, Stein, my
Speaker 2: parents just came into the house. They're here for Christmas,
Speaker 2: so I told them, in order to stay here for
Speaker 2: the weekend, it's mandatory that they attend my game in
Speaker 2: the morning. So we're in the final four. Game is
Speaker 2: at nine to twenty. If we win that game, we
Speaker 2: play the championship at noon. I am ready. I've been
Speaker 2: battle a little a thumb spring, a little thumb, my
Speaker 2: right thumbs a little swollen, so I've been nursing it
Speaker 2: and get treatment all week. And I'm ready, Stein, I'm ready, ready.
Speaker 1: Ready for the y You're ready, You're ready for the
Speaker 1: double teams.
Speaker 2: They're coming. But you know what, Stein, you gotta trust
Speaker 2: your teammates. I prepared them, I put them int situation
Speaker 2: so in the games, Stein, I can take over and
Speaker 2: get my shot whenever I want to, but I always
Speaker 2: start the game trying to get my teammates involved. I
Speaker 2: want it's still confidence in them, to let them know
Speaker 2: that not only do I believe in you, but I
Speaker 2: trust that you're gonna take and make that shot and
Speaker 2: if you don't miss it. I used to be I'm
Speaker 2: a hot head on the court, Stein, but over the
Speaker 2: last few years I've evolved. I'll go patch you on
Speaker 2: the button now after a miss and say you're gonna
Speaker 2: hit the next one, And so I still confidence. So
Speaker 2: I'm ready bring the doubles. So initially I'm gonna take
Speaker 2: the doubles. I'm gonna get the ball out my hands
Speaker 2: and hope that they can beat the numbers games. But
Speaker 2: closing minutes Stein, the double comes, I'm going through that double.
Speaker 2: There's gonna be consequences and repercussions.
Speaker 1: Will these games be streamed anywhere?
Speaker 2: I think I'm going to stream I just think Stein.
Speaker 2: I think I might do like an IG Live or
Speaker 2: something like that, so people y'all can follow me on
Speaker 2: Chris B. Haynes NBA. That's my IG account. I think
Speaker 2: I might go live the whole game nine to twenty
Speaker 2: am Pacific Standard time, Final four, Final four.
Speaker 1: I wanted to end this podcast with you choosing your
Speaker 1: favorite Christmas Day matchup, the game you're looking forward to
Speaker 1: the most. But I'm starting to get the vibe that
Speaker 1: nothing on this Christmas menu and one more time I'm
Speaker 1: gonna go through it. Bucks at Nick's, Warriors at Nuggets,
Speaker 1: Celtics at Lakers, Sixers at Heat, Mavericks at Suns. But
Speaker 1: you're more excited about your two rec League games on Saturday.
Speaker 1: I haven't Saturday.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I haven't even gotten there yet. I haven't gotten
Speaker 2: to Monday. I gotta get past Saturday because I got
Speaker 2: big plans. But if we're just talking about Christmas Day game,
Speaker 2: I'll talk about that. What's the game I'm looking forward
Speaker 2: to the most. Lakers Celtics is kind of to me,
Speaker 2: kind of lost this luster because Lakers aren't playing well.
Speaker 2: Lakers are going through something right now.
Speaker 1: But I think their desperation kind of makes that game
Speaker 1: interesting because they also, like the Pacers, have just stumbled
Speaker 1: big time since the nd season tournament. That since the
Speaker 1: big in season tournament Banner reveal that got everyone so
Speaker 1: upset and sparked very very it Stine, Why.
Speaker 2: Why I seen everybody. I think Derek Fisher even I
Speaker 2: believe I think he had a comment about like Lakers
Speaker 2: shouldn't have done that. Why the Lakers taking so much heat.
Speaker 2: I'm telling y'all, Lakers, the Lakers did not want to
Speaker 2: do it. They are cooperating with the league. The league
Speaker 2: wants to think so the league wants this to be
Speaker 2: a big deal. Yes, this is the Lakers.
Speaker 1: You think you think they wouldn't have done it unless
Speaker 1: the league convinced that.
Speaker 2: I don't think they would have done it. I don't
Speaker 2: think they would have done that. I'm not saying the
Speaker 2: league told him they had to do it. I'm not
Speaker 2: saying that, but the league definitely wanted a big deal
Speaker 2: made of this n season tournament championship. So they're playing ball.
Speaker 2: So you know, I don't get, like I do, believe
Speaker 2: Lakers would not have done anything if there was no
Speaker 2: is it influence, If they were just considering themselves, they
Speaker 2: wouldn't have done anything. So I don't get why Lakers
Speaker 2: have been receiving shots like that.
Speaker 1: All right, Well, look, I mean all these games have
Speaker 1: something to offer, you know, Golden State has picked it
Speaker 1: up here lately, so they're an interesting foil for the
Speaker 1: defending champions from Denver. Of course, such a smaller team
Speaker 1: than the Nuggets are, So we'll see how the Warriors
Speaker 1: fare on a Christmas Day when they're the visitors who
Speaker 1: have to take on the defending champs. That Bucks Knicks
Speaker 1: game as well, that's I mean, that'll that'll get our
Speaker 1: all start debate going. That gets our all start debate going.
Speaker 1: With Jame going up against Jalen Brunson, and I'm sure
Speaker 1: Giannis will have no shortage of motivation playing on them
Speaker 1: Adison Square Garden stage on Christmas Day. You know, Celtics
Speaker 1: Lakers again, because this the Lakers now are suddenly desperate
Speaker 1: Sixers heat. You know, the Sixers have been so good
Speaker 1: without Harden. Hopefully Jimmy Butler can play in that one.
Speaker 1: Always interesting when he takes on his old friend Joe
Speaker 1: el Embiid. And of course where I live, Maverick Sons,
Speaker 1: no matter who's in the lineup is one that gets
Speaker 1: everybody here in Dallas talking. So more so I'm gonna
Speaker 1: I'm watching, I'm watching all five, I'm watching all five
Speaker 1: and and I will be assembling power rankings, my now
Speaker 1: monthly power rankings that will come out the next day,
Speaker 1: So it will be a busy Christmas over here.
Speaker 2: I will be smoking on a barbecue pit for the
Speaker 2: first two couple games, maybe even the third game while
Speaker 2: watching that game. So I'm very much looking forward to.
Speaker 2: But real quick, before you go, star Mavericks fans, they
Speaker 2: get up more so for a Sun's game than the
Speaker 2: Clipper game.
Speaker 1: Yes, the Suns have become there. You know, it's a
Speaker 1: it's it's there is quite a bit of animus between
Speaker 1: the two teams after the playoff series they had and
Speaker 1: the Mavericks winning that game seven by such a big
Speaker 1: margin on Phoenix's floor. And obviously Devin Booker and Luca
Speaker 1: Dantic have had their moments against each other. So yeah,
Speaker 1: that one. That game. That game has always circled around here.
Speaker 2: Okay, interesting, I thought the Clippers were like that was
Speaker 2: considered the I mean.
Speaker 1: Look, hey, the Clippers. The Clippers really have looked good lately.
Speaker 1: You have to you really have to say that. I mean,
Speaker 1: we so many of us were just crushing them after
Speaker 1: the trade and how poorly things started in the James
Speaker 1: Harden Era. But Harden has been running the show Kawhi
Speaker 1: Leonard after a slow start to the season, and he
Speaker 1: has looked fantastic here really really, really really looking like
Speaker 1: the Kawhi of old. Here in December and you know
Speaker 1: they've they've found something. The Clippers are another team that's
Speaker 1: super small when compared to the Nugget zuboch Is. They're
Speaker 1: only really, they're only available big. But the Clippers have
Speaker 1: it rolling and have people asking a new are they
Speaker 1: for real? Should we believe? Do we dare believe in
Speaker 1: this team.
Speaker 2: Before Clippers got over there?
Speaker 1: Now, yes, Daniel Tye, Yes, no, you're right, You're right,
Speaker 1: But I meant and that was a great pickup and
Speaker 1: a huge it was a great pickup able to get
Speaker 1: you know, that's one that confused me because I thought
Speaker 1: the Pacers should have been able to trade him. But
Speaker 1: I'm but you know, Daniel Tice is not massive. I
Speaker 1: mean they you know, losing plumbly was a big loss
Speaker 1: for that team. And you know, we'll see how quick
Speaker 1: they can get him back. But I mean, if you're
Speaker 1: gonna be Denver, you you probably need three bigs, really sure,
Speaker 1: you Needn't you need that many? Fouls and that's you know,
Speaker 1: that is still the standard in the West. Can you
Speaker 1: get past Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, You're gonna
Speaker 1: need multiple bigs to get you through. And it's not
Speaker 1: just the Clippers. Dallas is in that position, Golden State
Speaker 1: is in that position, Phoenix is in that position. There
Speaker 1: are a lot of teams in the West that don't
Speaker 1: have an abundance of size, whereas Minnesota does have a
Speaker 1: lot of size, and that's why they've one of the
Speaker 1: reasons why the Wolves have been so good here through
Speaker 1: the first twenty five ish games of this season. But
Speaker 1: we're gonna leave it there. We're gonna wish Chris Haynes
Speaker 1: tremendous luck. Hopefully it's a doubleheader on Saturday. Hopefully. You guys, now,
Speaker 1: if you lose the semi final, is there a third
Speaker 1: place game or you get you This.
Speaker 2: Is the style I'm telling you, the way I'm built.
Speaker 2: If we lost the first one, I'm not playing a
Speaker 2: no damn third place game. You win, you had to
Speaker 2: win it, or you don't win anything. That's just how
Speaker 2: I'm built made up.
Speaker 1: Sorry, in all seriousness, I am really looking forward to
Speaker 1: some text updates on Saturday, and some details revealed in
Speaker 1: our next pod. We have to figure out when the
Speaker 1: next pod will be man with you having family there,
Speaker 1: my initial thought was, let's try to do it after
Speaker 1: all these Christmas games. But if your whole family's in
Speaker 1: the house, that might be a tough one. But whenever
Speaker 1: we get together again, whenever we get together again, I
Speaker 1: hope you have some highlights to share with us from
Speaker 1: these Well, I'm gonna tell you this.
Speaker 2: The highlights that I do share in our next pod
Speaker 2: hopefully is basketball oriented, because remember after our first after
Speaker 2: my last family get together, the highlights I share didn't
Speaker 2: have anything to do with basketball. It was the highlights
Speaker 2: that happened here in his household.
Speaker 1: So hopefully, now i'm family, I'm predicting. I'm predicting a
Speaker 1: very calm and happy Christmas at the Hotel Haynes. It's
Speaker 1: gonna be nothing but love.
Speaker 2: All right, Well, I wish that upon everybody else. I
Speaker 2: wish everybody a happy merry Christmas. And again, this is
Speaker 2: sometimes great, great day. You know, it's a day kids
Speaker 2: and even adults dream up every day to wake up
Speaker 2: to Christmas Day and open presence. But also it comes
Speaker 2: with a lot of family getting together, and a lot
Speaker 2: of times again we don't like our family. We love them,
Speaker 2: but we don't like them, and we have to learn to,
Speaker 2: you know, just get along with you know, get along
Speaker 2: for those two days or whatever, because you know, stuff happens,
Speaker 2: Arguments happen, things break out. It happened here and my
Speaker 2: Thanksgiving they have house in my household here, So I'm
Speaker 2: hoping that that doesn't happen here, and I hope it
Speaker 2: doesn't happen for our listeners out there. So I wish
Speaker 2: you a very peaceful merry Christmas.
Speaker 1: Happy holidays everyone. Thanks to Brandon for pitching in here
Speaker 1: and pinch hitting on the production duties after I personally
Speaker 1: messed up the recording schedule. But we got it done.
Speaker 1: We got this episode done to accompany you on Festivus,
Speaker 1: December twenty third, on Christmas Eve, December twenty fourth. Hopefully
Speaker 1: this will give you some good NBA content to get
Speaker 1: you ready and take you up to that five game
Speaker 1: slate on Monday on Christmas Day. Chris and I will
Speaker 1: be back with you again soon. And remember, please, if
Speaker 1: you haven't already, rate, review and subscribe to this League
Speaker 1: Uncut via Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts or wherever you
Speaker 1: get your pods. We'll be back with you soon. Happy
Speaker 1: holidays everyone.
Speaker 2: Happy holidays, and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 1: See you next time. This League, Uncut is and iHeartRadio production,
Speaker 1: Chris Haynes and March Time I didn't