1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: It's all about timing. Several stars, including Zion Williamson, Trey 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: Young and Fred Van Vliet, show out just before coaches 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: have to make their all star reserves. Picks the Timberwolves 4 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: fire head coach Ryan Saunders and replace him immediately with 5 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: an assistant from another organization, and the Nets keep winning 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: and they might add the rockets to Marcus Cousins. Actually 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: he's not available. He's available. He's not available. He's not available. 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: He's a vila. I'm tas malus, and this is what 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: you need to know in the NBA for Monday, February 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: twenty second. And we start with Zion Williamson because there's 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: nothing like him in the NBA. He is one of 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: a kind. So when I saw there was a nationally 13 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: televised game ABC the afternoon tilt Pelicans Celtics, I was pumped. 14 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: And then the game landed with a thud. Boston Celtics 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: were up twenty four points. At one point. Zion couldn't 16 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: get anything going. He was just driving into body after 17 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,639 Speaker 1: body after body. He had guards digging, little Kemba Walker 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: getting in there, stripping Zion Williamson. So in the second half, 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 1: Stan Van Gundi Pelicans head coach. He changed it up. 20 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: He said, Zion, let's spread it out, baby. You do 21 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: your thing and iso up top. Just use your body 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: to get through your defender and the handles that you got. 23 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: That's enough. Get to the rim and everything will work out. 24 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: And it did. Zion had a great fourth quarter thirteen 25 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: fourth quarter points, twenty eight overall. As the game went 26 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: into overtime in the Pelicans won, Brandon Ingram played perfectly 27 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: off Zion's drives. Brandon Ingram had thirty three points in 28 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: this one. Poor Brandon Ingram. He's having a better season 29 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: than he did last year when he was named an 30 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: All Star, and this year it's very very unlikely he'll 31 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: get an All Star nod, while Zion Williamson could. And 32 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: he's playing great at the perfect time as the coaches 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: are getting there. All Star our ballots filled out right now. 34 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: They're going to have to make their picks before Tuesday's announcement. 35 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: All Star Reserves announced Tuesday night on T and T. 36 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: Looking forward to that. We've got a head coaching change 37 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: in the NBA. The Timberwolves have fired head coach Ryan Saunders. 38 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: But first they had a game to play. Ryan Saunders 39 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: was coaching against the guy he replaced, Tom Thibodeau of 40 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 1: the New York Knicks, having a great season there. This 41 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: game went down to the wire. Karl Anthony Towns had 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: a shot in the post to try and take the 43 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: lead with thirty seconds left over his former teammate Taj Gibson, 44 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: but it rimmed out on a rim in Madison Square 45 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: Garden where the ball just kept rimming out on Sunday, 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: and that was Ryan Sanders' final quarter as head coach 47 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He took over for his late father, 48 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: Flip Saunders, in twenty nineteen. The thirty four year old 49 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: had a little string of injuries to deal with and 50 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: played in many, many close games, and the Timberwolves already 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: have saunders replacement. Chris Finch, who was a Raptors assistant 52 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: coach this season, has been given a multi year deal 53 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: by the Minnesota Timberwolves to coach them full time. It's 54 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: a rare move to pluck an assistant from another team 55 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: mid season to take over a job just doesn't happen 56 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: very often. Usually, the team that fires ahead coach just 57 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: moves their assistant over for a while. At the very 58 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: least when the full job search can be done until 59 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: the full job search can be done in the offseason. 60 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: But they had been looking at Chris Finch for a 61 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: long time. In fact, he interviewed in twenty nineteen when 62 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: Ryan Saunders was eventually given the job and Finch, like 63 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: his good friend, Raptors head coach. Nick Nurse coached abroad 64 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: for a long time UK, Germany and Belgium, then moved 65 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: to the g League and then was an assistant in 66 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: the NBA for a decade, and he's an offensive specialist. 67 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: He's worked with James Harden and Zion and now he'll 68 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: have the chance to work with Karl, Anthony Towns and 69 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards. One other instance I found of an assistant 70 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: coach moving to the head coaching spot on another team 71 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: midseason was Lionel Hollins moving from the Bucks bench to 72 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: the Grizzlies head coaching spot in nine Thanks to Mike 73 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: Vorkanov and the Athletic Slack channel for giving me that info. 74 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: Speaking of Nick Nurse, he said he's going to be 75 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: calling all the other head coaches, saying Fred van Vliet 76 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: should be an All Star and against the Philadelphia seventy 77 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: six ers, fred van Vliet sure look like an All Star, 78 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: making a first quarter run, bringing the Raptors back with 79 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: a great thirteen point quarter a wild shot off the glass. 80 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: He didn't call it last, but either way, Fred van 81 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: Vliet is making his name known this season. If you 82 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: remember a few weeks ago, he had a monstrous fifty 83 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: four point night. It's an outside chance that he'll make 84 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: the All Star team. But if the coaches value winning, 85 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: the Raptors have a winning record. More on that in 86 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,559 Speaker 1: a second. That's wild. Joel Embiid, coming off a career 87 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 1: fifty point night himself in his previous game, went up 88 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: against Nick Nurse. Nurse and his wild coaching style. The 89 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: started small, o j Annobi, Pascal Siakam what but in 90 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter they went big against Joel Embiid and 91 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: it works seeing all these different defenses. Embiid shot six 92 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: for twenty. Aaron Bain's looking like a player, Chris Bouche 93 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: looking like a player. What's going on with these Raps? 94 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: They're sixteen and fifteen, first time above five hundred this season. 95 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: They started very slow in their new home of Tampa. 96 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: But why am I telling you? Let's let one of 97 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: the best analysts in the biz. Raptors Jack Armstrong break 98 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: it down for you. 99 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: Raptors started today, for all you people that jumped off 100 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 2: the wagon. Shave by you. You gotta be falling in 101 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: love with this seae. They fight, they rhyme, They're coming. 102 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 1: The Brooklyn Nets are staying hot. They have won six 103 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: in a row and they swept a five game West 104 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: Coast swing, much of it without Kevin Durant, but Harden 105 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: and Kyrie were enough to get a big lead on 106 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Although the Clippers fought 107 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: back in the fourth quarter, they were down fourteen. Maybe 108 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: it was owner Steve Balmer's flailing legs courtside that got 109 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 1: them tied with twenty nine seconds left, but DeAndre Jordan, 110 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,559 Speaker 1: against his old team, a great tipping with his left 111 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: hand to give the Nets a two point lead. Then 112 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: Kawhi had a chance to tie it. He drove James 113 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: Harden well, he flopped and the offensive whistle went against 114 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: Kawhi Leonard. People were going crazy for the flup. It 115 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: was definitely a flop, although I will say mere seconds earlier, 116 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: when Kawhi tied it from the free throw line, he 117 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: got a very questionable call against DeAndre Jordan who barely 118 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: bumped him, so it all balances out. Unfortunately, Paul George 119 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: wasn't on the floor there late minutes. Restriction yis he 120 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: set the last couple minutes when he was the best 121 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: clipper on the floor in this one, thirty four points 122 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: for him the Nets. They are now six to one 123 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: against the Lakers, Clippers, Jazz, Bucks, and Sixers this season. Man, 124 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: they're impressive, but they could use another big And that 125 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 1: brings me to the DeMarcus Cousins story out of Houston. 126 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: It's a strange story, Cousins having a solid year on 127 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: a non guaranteed deal. February twenty seventh is when non 128 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: guaranteed deals either have to be guaranteed for the rest 129 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: of the season or the player has to be released. 130 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: On Friday, it was guaranteed early by the Houston Rockets, 131 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: and on Saturday there are reports that Houston was going 132 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: to release him. Okay, everyone said, you know what they're doing, 133 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: DeMarcus Cousins. Right. Teams and agents around the league see 134 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: moves like that where you pay a player for his 135 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: time and people respect it. So I start reading stories 136 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: about DeMarcus Cousins and why he struggled a little bit 137 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: in Houston defensively, how he's not part of the future 138 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: on the ethletic that that totally makes sense. But then 139 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: on Sunday, when everybody's thinking, oh, is he going to 140 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: the Lakers, he's going to the Nets. Well, Rockets head 141 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: coach Steven Silas was asked, is Marcus Cousins with the team? 142 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: Is he leaving the team? No, He's here and he's 143 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: going to be here for the foreseeable future. So it 144 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: sure looks like the Rockets will release him at some 145 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: point if they can't get an asset back into trade, 146 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: if they can't get a second round pick back for 147 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: DeMarcus Cousins from whether it's the Nets or the Lakers. 148 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: But I think he will be joining another team, and I, 149 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: for one think it should be the Lakers. I think 150 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: he'll get exposed on the Nets because they're not a 151 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: great defensive team and they will want him to be 152 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: something really good defensively, something which he isn't at this point, 153 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: He'll get exposed. They like to switch a lot. He'll 154 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: just be out on an island way too much. While 155 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: with the Lakers, they're already a good defensive team. They 156 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: won't ask him to do too much, and he was 157 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: there last year, so I think he can take a 158 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: bit of a lesser role and be okay with that, 159 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: and they can get him the ring that he should 160 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,719 Speaker 1: have got before they released him last season. LA is 161 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: the better option for me. Let's take a look at 162 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: how a few potential All Star reserves are performing just 163 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,959 Speaker 1: before the coaches have to make their decision. Okay sees 164 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: Shay Gilgess Alexander peaking at the exact right time, thirty 165 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: one points on only fifteen shots against the Cavs on Sunday. 166 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: Although it's tough West to make an All Star team, 167 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: I think Shay will be on the outside looking in 168 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: this season. Trey Young in the East is not a lock, 169 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 1: even though he made it last year, but he's peaking 170 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: at the right time. His last few games have been great. 171 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: He had thirty five points and fifteen assists against Denver 172 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: on Sunday. I do think he will be selected, and 173 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: Orlando's Nikola Vucevic. What more can he do? He's not 174 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: getting hot at the right time. He's just been hot 175 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: all season. He had a thirty seven point game against 176 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: the Pistons on Sunday. I'm not sure if the one 177 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: time All Star will make it when the reserves are 178 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: picked on Tuesday, but I will be watching. Thanks for 179 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: watching today. Make sure you watch the full No Dunks 180 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: episode here on Monday. I'll be back on Tuesday to 181 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 1: give you the news as fast as I possibly can. 182 00:09:44,160 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: I'll see then special experience became experiment