WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Another wild NBA week … plus storytime with Chris Haynes 0:00:05.400 --> 0:00:12.239 A recap of Chris's trip to Milwaukee, fresh turmoil and 0:00:12.360 --> 0:00:18.800 tumult in Golden State, surrounding Draymond Green, the latest on 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:19.759 the sale. 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:23.079 Of the Minnesota Timberwolves, that is now the non sale 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:27.040 of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the afore mentioned Chris Haynes. 0:00:27.400 --> 0:00:33.599 He's got stories for us, involving Malik Beasley, involving Lebron James, 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:40.640 and involving home life. All of that is next. You're 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:42.800 on the latest edition of This League Uncut. 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:52.360 Welcome to this league cut in the rule of twenty 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:53.360 four hour NBA. 0:00:53.159 --> 0:01:00.560 News You, Chris Hanes. Let's go time, Cork time, Chris time. 0:01:05.160 --> 0:01:09.880 This leaguean cut is underway in fire. It should be 0:01:09.920 --> 0:01:10.440 a good one. 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:17.560 Hey everyone, welcome in to another edition of This League Uncut. 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:21.480 Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes. We are recording late 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:28.200 Thursday night before a pretty stacked Friday schedule of games 0:01:28.200 --> 0:01:32.080 in the NBA. But honestly, this whole week, as tends 0:01:32.080 --> 0:01:35.679 to happen this time of year, it's been pretty chaotic. 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:39.880 There's been crazy stuff happening day after day after day. Thursday, 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:43.920 even with only two games on the schedule, a very 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:50.040 eventful Bucks loss at New Orleans and Atlanta with another 0:01:50.160 --> 0:01:55.280 win over the Boston Celtics, this one in overtime and 0:01:56.320 --> 0:02:00.680 another crazy ending forty four shots for Dejonte Murray en 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:03.360 route to forty four points. But the Hawks will take 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:07.040 it another victory over the Celtics with. 0:02:07.120 --> 0:02:08.040 No Trey Young. 0:02:08.760 --> 0:02:13.040 But first, I think before we proceed into all of 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:18.080 the madness happening around the league, Chris Haynes, Welcome back 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:22.480 to Sacramento. You are home in time for a Friday 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:27.160 night quite a quite a Friday night game in your 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:30.160 home city. The Kings will be playing host to the 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:35.840 Mavericks in the second half of a two game baseball 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:38.959 series after the MAVs probably played their best game all 0:02:39.040 --> 0:02:42.679 season running away from the Kings in the first game 0:02:42.720 --> 0:02:45.959 Tuesday night. We'll see how the MAVs coped with two 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:51.000 nights of Sacramento nightlife because there's this two day break 0:02:52.120 --> 0:02:53.040 in between the games. 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:57.120 All Right, I babbled on too long. How was you 0:02:57.160 --> 0:02:59.280 were in Milwaukee for most of the week? How was it? 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:03.600 Weather was Okay, it didn't snow, so no complaints there. 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:07.320 But obviously that was a great game, double overtime. It 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:11.320 looked like we were head to triple overtime at one point, 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.880 but Lakers came back. I believe they were down by 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:16.720 nineteen in the second half, came back and got that 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:21.160 huge victory on the road with no Lebron James. That 0:03:21.280 --> 0:03:23.960 was definitely a fun night. Fun night for sure, good 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:28.280 atmosphere to be a part of in Milwaukee, and it's funny. 0:03:28.280 --> 0:03:28.840 So Steyne. 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:31.320 So I've been a couple of last couple of games, 0:03:32.040 --> 0:03:37.000 I've actually been sitting depending on the arena. So sometimes 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:41.680 you know, they'll have the sideline reporters sitting at the 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:45.280 scorers table, but some arenas they'll have you like tucked 0:03:45.320 --> 0:03:48.160 in a corner where it's like a bad view. And 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:53.040 when that happens, typically I'll I'll get a seat and 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:58.400 I'll sit next to the broadcast crew, which was last game, 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:02.640 it was Spiral Deats and Reggie Miller. So I'm sitting 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:06.400 right next to Reggie, and it's it's funny and interesting 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:10.320 to see Reggie do his thing, like sitting right next 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:13.400 to him. He's standing up, he's getting up like he's 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.200 he's pointing, he's doing it all. He's like he's real 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:19.719 theatric uh when he's calling the game. And then you know, 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:22.039 at a certain point, Like so, now I'm sitting there 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:25.320 to his right, and so when there's like a big shot. 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:26.599 About the there's about. 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.080 To be a big moment, he's grabbing my shoulder and 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:31.720 squeezing it hard and getting up and he's just using 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:34.280 me as a prop. And so it was just cool, 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:37.279 cool to see the game up close and personal. 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:40.080 You know. Ass he's calling the game, So that was 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:40.480 a treat. 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:43.160 So they don't mind when you slide a chair right 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:45.039 next to the right, next to their little table. 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:45.760 They're good with it. 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:49.000 Yeah, yeah, I do that. You know, I do that 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:52.800 occasionally throughout the season. But you know, I'm not right, 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:56.000 you know, I'm you know, so like if sometimes you know, 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:59.760 the camera shows a two shot of the broadcast crew. 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:02.599 Some you know, I make sure I'm out of sight 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:05.520 where you can't see me there. But yeah, for the 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:08.480 most for you know, sometimes I say on the side 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:11.400 of them, and it's just cool to watch them in 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:12.880 their element do their thing. 0:05:13.839 --> 0:05:15.880 What was the mood in that building when the Bucks 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.640 let a nineteen point lead slip. This hasn't been you know, 0:05:19.839 --> 0:05:22.440 they had turned things around. They were playing really well, 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:24.200 and I think in the grand scheme of things. They 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:27.080 still are in a much better place than they were 0:05:27.600 --> 0:05:31.840 before the coaching change. But to lose such a big 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.200 lead to the Lakers when Lebron James is in street cloths, 0:05:36.400 --> 0:05:40.680 you know, that certainly raises some eyebrows and gets people 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:46.560 chattering about the Bucks potential shortcomings and vulnerabilities. What's the 0:05:46.560 --> 0:05:47.960 mood around that team right now? 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:52.320 Yeah, well, they just lost Thursday night. They lost to 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:55.599 New Orleans in New Orleans. You know, that was a 0:05:55.640 --> 0:05:58.440 game they that they were well with it, that was 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:02.560 well within their grafts. So it's not looking good right now. 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:06.240 The mood in that locker room, what was that Tuesday night? 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:08.760 You know, it was what you would expect. It was 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:12.359 very quiet. You know, guys had scattered out. There weren't 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:15.240 many in there to begin with, you know, when the 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:19.640 media was allowed in, you know, you know, of course, 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:21.360 you know, I talked to Dame after the game, and 0:06:21.480 --> 0:06:23.080 you know, he said it was one of those games. 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.800 He had an offshoot night. So that's just one of 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:26.320 those games. 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:26.440 Man. 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:28.840 You gotta look, you gotta quickly look to the next 0:06:29.200 --> 0:06:32.960 turn the page. And uh but yeah, I mean I 0:06:32.960 --> 0:06:38.919 think overall they haven't lost confidence I think they still 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:43.160 believe that they're forced to be reckoned with come playoff time, 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:48.359 but they definitely need some more time to come together, 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:51.919 and particularly the big three of Dame Giannis and Chris Middleton. 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:54.159 Those those three haven't had a lot of time to 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:58.120 play significant minutes together, so this is going to take 0:06:58.160 --> 0:06:58.560 some time. 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:01.960 Well, the good news for the Bucks is despite all 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:05.400 of these ups and downs through the regular season, they're 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:08.839 still the number two seed. I mean, both the Bucks 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:12.280 and the Celtics lost on this Thursday night that we're 0:07:12.320 --> 0:07:16.040 recording on, so the Celtics still have an eleven game lead. 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:19.880 The Celtics are obviously going to win. They've already clinched 0:07:19.960 --> 0:07:23.760 the top seed in the East, and I do think 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:26.040 the Bucks hang on to number two, though the Knicks 0:07:26.080 --> 0:07:27.920 are within a game and a half. Even though the 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:32.080 Knicks have had their share of injury woes with Julius 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:34.920 Randall being out so long and ogn and Obi clearly 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:39.000 still plagued by an elbow issue, I think the Bucks 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:40.960 are going to hang on to that number two seed 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:42.120 in the East. 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:44.760 The Knicks could move up. 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:47.720 Cleveland's done a really good job dealing with injuries for 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:49.560 the bulk of the season, But now that we get 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:52.440 near the regular season finish line, I think it's been 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:56.360 harder for them, and they've you know, they it's been 0:07:56.400 --> 0:07:59.320 harder for them to win shorthanded recently, although it sounds 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:03.040 like Donovan Mitchell is going to be back as early 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:05.560 as Friday for them, which they obviously need. 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.600 But yeah, look the East. 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:12.600 We focused so much on the West, but the East 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:17.080 it really is just as interesting with you know, we 0:08:17.120 --> 0:08:19.000 talked about this the last time we did this pod, 0:08:19.040 --> 0:08:22.720 and you basically said you didn't think that Miami or 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:26.280 Philly could. I think he just said Philly that you 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:29.960 were doubting Philly could get out of the play in zone. 0:08:30.000 --> 0:08:35.559 And the Sixers still stuck down at number eight, fuming 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:40.720 and with justification it would appear about the way their 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:44.520 loss to the Clippers ended and the officiating in that game. 0:08:44.640 --> 0:08:49.000 Kelly Oubre certainly made his feelings known in a way 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:52.480 we won't soon forget. I guess the ray of hope 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:56.199 for the Sixers, you know, Nick Nurse said he does. 0:08:57.000 --> 0:09:00.840 I think very good likelihood was the phrase he used 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:04.520 to describe the idea of Joel Embiid making it back 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:05.760 into the Sixers lineup. 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:09.559 Before the end of the regular season. Only nine games to. 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:13.000 Go though for the six Ers to work Embiid back 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:15.679 in before the play in. But yeah, just looking at 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:19.360 the standings to see Miami in seventh and Philly in eighth. 0:09:19.760 --> 0:09:21.679 And Indiana hanging on. 0:09:23.240 --> 0:09:25.920 At number six. I mean, if Miami and Philly end 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:29.120 up in the play and that's just crazy. And look, 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.480 the Hawks, the Hawks are starting to put things together. 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.800 So the Bucks have the Hawks Necks on their three 0:09:34.840 --> 0:09:38.480 game road trip, and there's a chance game might not 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:43.040 play that game, potentially for personal reasons. 0:09:43.040 --> 0:09:45.319 So that's something to look out for. 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:50.160 Yeah, So look, there's tons in the East as well 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:53.079 as the West if we're going to do scoreboard watching, 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:56.280 if we're going to analyze the standings. But one of 0:09:56.320 --> 0:10:01.400 the other major developments this week that crazy Wednesday night 0:10:01.480 --> 0:10:06.839 for the Warriors in Orlando, the night you were in Milwaukee. 0:10:08.240 --> 0:10:12.319 The Warriors won in Miami, but the Heat were severely shorthanded. 0:10:12.360 --> 0:10:15.359 So second night of a back to back, the Warriors 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:20.679 are in Orlando, Draymond Green gets tossed inside five minutes, 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:25.679 the second first quarter ejection of his career, which, if 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:28.760 my memory is right, that's never happened I don't know 0:10:28.800 --> 0:10:31.480 where exactly you works. I know yesterday was a travel day, 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:34.559 but I'm guessing you saw the clip of how emotional 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:39.360 Stephan Curry was when Draymond Green was ejected. He pulled 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:41.880 it together by the end hit the dagger put him 0:10:41.880 --> 0:10:45.040 to sleep shot. But what was the Chris Haynes reaction 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:50.720 when you saw that clip of Steph struggling to contain himself, 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:53.680 let's say, right after Draymond Green got ejected. 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:57.160 Yeah, honestly didn't know what to make of it when 0:10:57.200 --> 0:11:02.319 I initially saw it. Definitely raw emotions. I don't think 0:11:02.360 --> 0:11:07.400 I've ever seen that type of display, not just from Steph, 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:12.320 from any player in a situation like that. There's Steph, 0:11:12.520 --> 0:11:15.760 you know, he kind of addressed it after the game 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.160 and saying like, you know, this is an important time 0:11:18.240 --> 0:11:21.320 right now. We need all of our guys into the 0:11:21.320 --> 0:11:24.760 fold because we understand what we're up against right now. 0:11:25.440 --> 0:11:28.480 So I just looking, you know, looking at those raw 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:32.000 emotions and the way he just left it all out there. 0:11:33.600 --> 0:11:39.840 I think it details exactly the urgency and the struggle 0:11:40.520 --> 0:11:41.480 that they're up against. 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:45.200 And then to Draymond, you know, you just wonder, like 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:50.440 when it's enough enough. It's tough. You know, the. 0:11:50.320 --> 0:11:53.679 Warriors, they know him better than than anybody else, and 0:11:55.160 --> 0:11:58.680 you know they want to make sure that Draymond doesn't 0:11:58.720 --> 0:12:02.720 lose his edge. You know, he plays with edge. You 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:06.040 don't want to take that away from him. But that 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.120 edge has also gotten him in the team in trouble 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:14.080 and put them in compromising situations. It wasn't a good look. 0:12:14.200 --> 0:12:18.560 It wasn't a good look considering the circumstances. So you know, 0:12:18.640 --> 0:12:21.600 it's just tough. It's like you just wonder, like when 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:24.880 is enough, Like is there something else that needs to 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:25.280 be done? 0:12:25.320 --> 0:12:25.760 I don't know. 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:28.400 Yeah, And look, it was so shocking, and it's hard 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:30.760 because you don't want to try to step into Stephan 0:12:30.840 --> 0:12:35.080 Curry's head and say definitively, yes it was about A, 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:37.760 B and C, because really only Steph knows, and he 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:41.840 didn't expound on it that much. But just if we're 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:46.199 going to try to observe it and play armchair psychologist, 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:49.040 I mean, to me, it just looked like the enormity 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:54.480 of the season, the occasion, how much pressure that these 0:12:54.559 --> 0:13:02.880 repeated Draymond absences and situations, how much tougher that has 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:06.360 made it for the Warriors, who are now. I mean, 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:08.400 it was only a couple of weeks ago the Warriors 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:10.440 were hoping that they could still get into the mix 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:14.080 for a six seed. Right now, they are hanging on 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:17.880 for dear life at number ten in the West because 0:13:17.880 --> 0:13:22.920 the Houston Rockets absolutely refuse to lose a basketball game. 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:26.760 Ten wins in a row for the Rockets, eight of 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:31.800 them without Alpa and Shengoon, who is widely considered the 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:36.120 Rocket's best player, although the way Fresno's Jalen Green has 0:13:36.160 --> 0:13:40.040 been playing, I don't know, we might have to revisit 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:45.040 that description because Jalen Green continues to play the best 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:49.200 basketball of his career with Houston playing faster. They got 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:53.280 Jabari Smith Junior back from suspension to step into the 0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:58.760 five for Shengoon and man emeo Odoka. This is only 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:02.400 Emo udoka second season as a coach. 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:03.160 In the NBA. 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:08.280 In March of his one season in Boston, the Celtics 0:14:08.280 --> 0:14:12.320 went eleven and three. In March of his first season 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:17.440 in Houston, the Rockets are eleven and one. There is 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:23.200 no coach in America, college or NBA who likes March 0:14:23.280 --> 0:14:27.720 better than Ema Udoka. So tons and tons of pressure 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:32.280 on Golden State to just hang on to a playing 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:35.160 spot at this point, because the Lakers have won five 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:38.840 in a row and have put some distance between them 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.800 and the Warriors. Lakers at the nine seed, Warriors at 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:47.120 the ten seed. And look, Stephen Curry's care factor is 0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:50.800 fifteen out of ten, and I think we all saw that. 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:56.360 But man, this is just this has been seventy two 0:14:56.440 --> 0:14:59.800 games in for the Warriors. This has been a really, really, 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:04.600 really long season. And even if they are able to 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:06.880 hang on to a play and spot at this point 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:10.560 and hold the Rockets off, I mean, how far are 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:11.480 they really going? 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:13.880 How far are they really going? 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:16.840 You say, if they're able to get into the playoffs start, 0:15:17.360 --> 0:15:18.160 is that what you're saying? 0:15:18.520 --> 0:15:20.760 They got to secure the play in spot first, And 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.760 just yeah, you know, we always do this every time 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:25.800 we get together and just talk about it. You know, again, 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:31.240 going into Friday's play you got Phoenix at seven, Sacramento 0:15:31.280 --> 0:15:35.400 at eight, Lakers at nine, Warriors at ten. If Sacramento 0:15:35.440 --> 0:15:39.600 beats the Mavericks at home on Friday night, Sacramento jumps 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.400 back into the top six and the. 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:43.560 Suns are all over the place. 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:45.840 But just as we speak, as we stand, I mean 0:15:45.840 --> 0:15:49.200 you're playing matchup. The Warriors are going to have to 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:53.480 beat the Lakers and then play the seven eight loser 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:54.720 just to get to the playoffs. 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:58.160 I mean that is a that in itself is a 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:02.960 tall order. And then you know, if the Warriors do 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:04.119 all that, they're. 0:16:03.920 --> 0:16:07.400 Probably looking at the Nuggets because I think the Nuggets 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:09.960 are going to win the West, so just getting in 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:14.440 the playoffs it's brutal. And yes, I think the Warriors 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.960 are a sneaky, tough matchup for the Nuggets. I don't 0:16:17.960 --> 0:16:23.080 think the Nuggets particularly like having to defend the Warriors 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:29.560 with all the movement that Stephen Curry imposes on another 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:34.040 team and forces them to deal with. The Warriors actually 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:38.240 are not afraid of that matchup. But you know, is 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:40.040 that how you would want to start a playoff run 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:42.480 if you're the Warriors. Great got to win an away 0:16:42.520 --> 0:16:46.040 game against the Lakers, and then beat the seven eight 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:50.400 loser and then likely first round series against the defending 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:54.680 champions with four of the seven games in Denver's altitude, 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:57.000 I don't know, not a very appealing roadmap. 0:16:57.480 --> 0:17:00.880 It's not definitely not the way you want to go 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:05.320 into the postseason with those type of obstacles ahead of you. 0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:10.680 But Golden State and the Lakers are two scary teams 0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:15.440 that I would think will pump fear in most teams 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:17.480 in the Western Conference. Not to say that the Warriors 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:21.119 or Lakers will be favorite favorites in any matchup, but 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:25.840 just the fact that there's history, there's championship pedigree, there's experience, 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:30.280 and those factors I would think would instill some fear. 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:32.359 So I would I would still think they will be 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:33.680 a scary out. 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:36.080 Well, the thing I feel most confident about when we 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:39.040 talk about the Warriors, like you knew this was going 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:42.080 to happen, and look, there is no defense. 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:44.680 Draymond cannot be getting kicked out of. 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:49.159 A crucial road game that the clock hasn't even reached 0:17:49.160 --> 0:17:52.399 the five minute mark. I mean, it's unacceptable on a 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:55.280 lot of levels. But like anyone who thinks that this 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:58.800 is some sort of last straw or the Warriors are 0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:00.639 going to get sick of him him, or. 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:04.200 He's gonna lose, like he ain't gonna lose. 0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:09.960 Stephen Curry's support Draymond Green to me, is going nowhere. 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:15.840 And you know, in the moment, was there considerable frustration 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:19.479 from Stephen Curry and Warriors coaches. 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:22.320 I'm sure there was tons, but like. 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:26.000 I really am not looking at this as some sort 0:18:26.040 --> 0:18:27.200 of last straw. 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:34.080 Moment of all the potential last straw moments. What just 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:37.240 happened in Orlando is not to compare to what we've 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:42.840 already witnessed. We've seen some real situations with dray Bond 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:46.160 that you probably would think should have been the last 0:18:46.160 --> 0:18:51.119 straw moment. Getting ejected in Orlando in the first quarter 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:57.320 doesn't even qualify as some of the real potential last 0:18:57.359 --> 0:18:58.320 defining moments. 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:03.400 Yeah, I think we're in agreement on that one. All right, 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:09.000 Let's shift gears to another headline grabbing story. It emerged 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:16.040 Thursday that the Minnesota Timberwolves in the end are not 0:19:17.240 --> 0:19:21.880 going to be sold to Mark Lauri and Alex Rodriguez, 0:19:22.320 --> 0:19:30.679 so says longtime Timberwolves owner Glenn Taylor. The Wolves had 0:19:32.000 --> 0:19:35.160 basically it was an end of March deadline for Mark 0:19:35.280 --> 0:19:39.680 Lare and Alex Rodriguez to make the final payment needed 0:19:40.200 --> 0:19:45.920 to assume majority control of both the Timberwolves and the 0:19:46.040 --> 0:19:47.879 WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. 0:19:48.520 --> 0:19:52.080 But well it's in dispute, of course. 0:19:52.160 --> 0:19:55.960 The Lorre Rodriguez side said they did meet all the requirements, 0:19:56.400 --> 0:19:59.399 the Glen Taylor side insisting they did not meet all 0:19:59.400 --> 0:20:02.800 the financial requirements. But look to be honest, and it's 0:20:02.840 --> 0:20:05.240 funny this week helping us. Actually, for the last two 0:20:05.280 --> 0:20:11.160 weeks Minnesota Tim has been pinch producing for us, and 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:18.080 he is a long time Wolves fan and not the 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:23.600 only Wolves fan in our organization. But I think even 0:20:23.680 --> 0:20:28.200 pinch producing Tim, like me, was not at all surprised 0:20:28.640 --> 0:20:34.080 by these developments. Honestly, from the moment this arrangement was introduced, 0:20:35.840 --> 0:20:41.080 was it two years ago? Glenn Taylor struck me as 0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:44.600 a reluctant seller of the team then. I don't think 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:49.160 he really wanted to sell the Timberwolves then. And there 0:20:49.200 --> 0:20:54.280 have been questions and doubts about the Lori Rodriguez side 0:20:54.320 --> 0:20:57.240 of this being able to finance the purchase of the team. 0:20:57.520 --> 0:20:58.040 I mean, there have. 0:20:58.080 --> 0:21:03.480 Been doubts for ages and from the lore and Rodriguez side. 0:21:03.520 --> 0:21:07.760 They came out today and said that seller's remorse on 0:21:07.840 --> 0:21:10.360 Glenn Taylor's part is at the heart of all this. 0:21:10.600 --> 0:21:15.600 And yeah, the value established when this sale was agreed 0:21:15.680 --> 0:21:19.719 upon was only one point five billion. That's way low 0:21:20.240 --> 0:21:23.399 for an NBA franchise sale. So even though Glen Taylor 0:21:23.520 --> 0:21:28.320 was adamant in speaking to multiple media outlets Thursday, Glen 0:21:28.320 --> 0:21:32.240 Taylor said, over and over to anyone in the Minneapolis 0:21:32.280 --> 0:21:35.680 media who would listen, that the team is not for sale. 0:21:35.760 --> 0:21:39.280 He doesn't want to turn around and sell to someone else, 0:21:39.440 --> 0:21:43.120 and now he wants to keep the team and run 0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:50.560 it and retain his majority ownership. The suspicion is there's 0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:55.240 certainly a curiosity. Let's say, there's a lot of questions 0:21:55.280 --> 0:21:59.959 percolating wondering was the real motivation here that now Taylor 0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:03.320 wants to sell at a much higher valuation, because obviously 0:22:03.920 --> 0:22:06.679 the Wolves, had they gone on the open market today, 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:10.080 would be valued in a lot more than one point 0:22:10.119 --> 0:22:13.959 five billion. So that's the long background of all this. 0:22:14.160 --> 0:22:16.840 But you know, then there's the question of here are 0:22:16.880 --> 0:22:21.120 the Wolves in the midst of arguably the best season 0:22:21.359 --> 0:22:25.600 in franchise history, and now they've got to deal with 0:22:25.640 --> 0:22:29.480 this potential distraction. How do you think the team will 0:22:29.520 --> 0:22:32.040 deal with these kind of headlines in this kind of story. 0:22:33.160 --> 0:22:36.680 Honestly, Stein, I don't think it matters much to them. 0:22:38.040 --> 0:22:42.240 Doesn't change what they do their preparation. You know they're 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:45.000 trying to No, I don't see it being a distraction 0:22:45.119 --> 0:22:47.960 at all for the team. Does a Ross still come 0:22:48.000 --> 0:22:50.400 to game? Does he still have that court side seat? 0:22:51.080 --> 0:22:55.320 Is he still a Timberwolves fan? What did things stand 0:22:55.400 --> 0:22:57.840 with him and his fan hood? 0:23:00.200 --> 0:23:00.360 Know? 0:23:00.359 --> 0:23:03.560 Stan, Now, I'm hoping you've got a Wolves game or 0:23:03.560 --> 0:23:05.920 two left on the schedule so you can track him down, 0:23:06.280 --> 0:23:08.520 because I think if they want to make people think 0:23:08.560 --> 0:23:11.960 that they did everything right and had the money they 0:23:12.000 --> 0:23:14.080 needed and still want this team, I guess he still 0:23:14.119 --> 0:23:14.640 has to go. 0:23:16.000 --> 0:23:17.480 You know, that'd be awkward. 0:23:18.000 --> 0:23:20.600 That'd be awkward, you know, because he was sitting in 0:23:20.600 --> 0:23:27.320 those seats with the thoughts that he would be the 0:23:27.359 --> 0:23:30.640 owner coming up soon. Does pride getting you away from 0:23:30.640 --> 0:23:35.120 here on out? Like? You know, I could see him, 0:23:35.520 --> 0:23:37.920 you know, taking off from here. But I will say 0:23:37.920 --> 0:23:41.960 to Stean, throughout this process, the selling process, you know, 0:23:41.960 --> 0:23:49.239 I kept hearing rumors about like payments being laid, you know, 0:23:49.359 --> 0:23:51.600 giving Alex and his team a little bit more time 0:23:51.680 --> 0:23:53.359 to come up with a payment. You know, I was 0:23:53.440 --> 0:23:55.159 hearing rumbles like I don't know if that's something you 0:23:55.160 --> 0:23:57.199 were hearing as well, but I was hearing rumbles like 0:23:57.359 --> 0:24:02.920 about that throughout the process. So if those were concrete rumbles. 0:24:03.920 --> 0:24:08.720 Then that means that this final straw was just that 0:24:08.720 --> 0:24:15.520 that it had to been other instances of Glenn Taylor 0:24:15.840 --> 0:24:19.280 just feeling like this process was going playing out way 0:24:19.320 --> 0:24:23.600 too way too you know, too long, longer than expected 0:24:23.720 --> 0:24:28.960 or anticipated. He probably felt like he's given many opportunities, 0:24:28.960 --> 0:24:33.080 he's given a couple more extensions, and he probably felt 0:24:33.119 --> 0:24:37.520 like this process wasn't going the way it should have been. 0:24:37.560 --> 0:24:40.119 And then to your point too about the evaluation like 0:24:40.240 --> 0:24:43.840 that he probably could get more now on the market. 0:24:43.960 --> 0:24:46.080 You know, maybe that does play a factor as well. 0:24:46.160 --> 0:24:49.280 But yeah, I mean I'm not I wasn't surprised when 0:24:49.280 --> 0:24:50.640