WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: First-round playoff chaos 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.080 Welcome to This League Uncut rule of. 0:00:04.080 --> 0:00:09.680 Twenty four hour NBA News. This's hell, Chris Haynes, it's 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:11.360 no time, Mark Stein. 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:13.480 It's so time. 0:00:17.120 --> 0:00:21.520 This league and cut is underway inod on fire. This 0:00:21.560 --> 0:00:24.920 should be a good one. Here we go. 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:30.440 Everyone, Welcome in at last to the first of this 0:00:30.560 --> 0:00:36.680 week's episodes of This League Uncut. Mark Stein, still in 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:41.160 La Chris Haynes en route to Miami. We've had some 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:45.040 travel challenges this week with both of us on the 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:49.920 road covering different first round matchups. We've had some technical 0:00:50.000 --> 0:00:51.519 snaffoos that we had. 0:00:51.320 --> 0:00:52.040 To work through. 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:56.960 We actually started recording the other day and had to 0:00:57.000 --> 0:01:00.720 abandon it because my hotel room was just not cooperating. 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:03.560 But we've worked through it all. We are finally together again. 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.560 And it's perfect timing now because last night Chris Haynes 0:01:07.840 --> 0:01:13.200 was in Boston to see the Mighty Celtics, who everyone 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:17.520 thought were gonna absolutely roll through the short headed Miami 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:23.039 Heat but oh no, heat culture goes wild from three 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:28.800 twenty three threes from the Heat and Chris Haynes was there. 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:30.640 What did it look like? What was it like to 0:01:30.680 --> 0:01:31.840 be in Boston last night? 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:36.800 Boston's always won, I will say top three most rowdy 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:40.680 crowds environments in the league, especially in the playoffs. But 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:44.600 I love Boston Celtics fans. But I will say, you know, 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:49.760 you can't tell an awful lot about a team's demeanor, 0:01:50.160 --> 0:01:53.480 especially how they're going to play, by just looking at 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:58.160 a team before the game. But I saw the Miami 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:01.960 Heat walk into the arena. They were laser focused, like 0:02:02.080 --> 0:02:07.320 there was just a seriousness about them that it just caught. 0:02:07.120 --> 0:02:11.040 My attention right away. And again I'm not I'm still not. 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.200 Thinking like, damn, okay, they gonna they gonna come up 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:14.680 here and put on the show. 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:16.960 But it just caught my attention. 0:02:17.800 --> 0:02:22.880 Coach Spode, everybody, everybody, pat Riley, everybody's walking. 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:25.160 They're laser focused. 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:29.760 And they came out and put together a game plan 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:34.359 and a performance that many didn't expect. I did predict 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:36.520 that they would win yesterday. 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.919 Didn't war. Where was that? Where was that prediction registered? 0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:45.560 I didn't predict the publicly? Is that okay? Start? Do 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:47.760 I have Do I have to predictable thing? Publicly? 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:51.320 I did, hold on, I will bring listen, I would 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:54.000 bring Actually I did, I did publicly. I did do 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:56.320 it public but it wasn't on any airways or on 0:02:56.360 --> 0:03:00.440 any podcasts. But Stan Van Gundy can vouch because before 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:04.359 the game, Stan said he had Boston blowing him out, 0:03:04.560 --> 0:03:06.560 and I said, no, I think Miami is going to 0:03:06.639 --> 0:03:08.960 get this game. We're going to bring Stan on at 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:11.480 some point, and he could vouch for me that I 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:13.920 did say that Miami is going to get it. 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:16.480 I'm going to ask him because listen, you you don't 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.280 have to publicly make your predictions, but if you're going 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:22.480 to take a victory lap, you have to have made it. 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:27.040 Doesn't knows about it, so that that should officially count. 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:29.519 They had the Garden quiet, and I'm not talking about 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:32.040 Madison Square Guarden. I'm talking about TV Garden. They had 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:36.040 them quiet, especially the latter part of that fourth quarter. 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:39.200 Miami was just making plays down the stretch. Tyler Hero 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:43.520 was phenomenal. Bam out of Bio. He was hitting that 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:47.280 mid range jump shot with so much consistency, the three 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:51.240 point ball like they were flying on defense. They executed 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:55.560 a game plan to perfection. So now off to Miami, 0:03:56.000 --> 0:04:00.520 where where things really get interested start Miami for games 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:01.080 three or four. 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:03.760 Well, look, I'm not gonna take too much of a 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:07.640 victory lap. But I do feel somewhat vindicated because I 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:09.440 did in France. 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:11.720 I can send you the link if you need proof. 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:15.520 I did say this series with those six games, and 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:18.200 I think people thought I was a little crazy. But 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:22.479 such is my respect for the Miami Heat. And you 0:04:22.480 --> 0:04:26.599 know what it isn't It isn't even just about these 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:29.560 last few years, with three trips to the finals in 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:32.359 a very short span. And last season, of course, we 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:37.159 all remember Miami as an eight seed, looking so bad 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:39.839 in the play in they lost to Atlanta, they barely 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:43.520 squeaked past Chicago, and then they go on this magical run, 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:46.599 starting with the first round upset of Milwaukee. It's not 0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:49.240 even just because that is so fresh in the memory. 0:04:50.000 --> 0:04:53.760 I have lived in fear of the Miami Heat since 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:57.000 two thousand and six, when I watched them go down 0:04:57.080 --> 0:04:58.279 two zero in the finals. 0:04:58.760 --> 0:05:01.359 I was critical of that team all season. 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:05.600 Dan Lebattard used to bring me on his radio show 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:08.760 in those days, billing me as the Heat hater. I 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:11.839 didn't like the construction of that team. I thought they 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:15.120 overdid it by bringing in all the veteran stars. I 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.679 never thought that group was going to flourish and man 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:21.919 did they teach me a lesson? Down two Oho? In 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:26.120 the six finals, they come back beat Dallas four in 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:28.560 a row. It was the first comeback from two to 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:32.760 down the finals that we had seen since the seventies 0:05:33.720 --> 0:05:38.280 and ever since then, since two thousand and six, I said, 0:05:38.320 --> 0:05:41.760 I am never writing off the Miami Heat again. So 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:46.560 almost twenty years later, my respect for this franchise is 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:50.680 still so strong that I said, even without Jimmy Butler, 0:05:50.680 --> 0:05:53.679 they're going to win at least two games in this series, 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:56.280 and I'm sure they will be insulted even by that. 0:05:56.720 --> 0:06:00.360 Knowing the Heat, they probably think that they can this 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:04.480 series without Jimmy, even against the mighty Celtics. 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.039 It's funny that you say that, Stein, because I spoke 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:09.760 to Bam right before the game. I didn't get to 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:14.080 use this during the broadcast, but I asked him. I said, 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:18.080 you guys are shorthanded, you're missing your best player, and 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:22.240 you're missing your starting point guard tiros Year. What makes 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:24.680 y'all think that y'all could come in here in TV 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:30.239 Garden and do what most people think can't be done? 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:32.000 He said. 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:35.840 My whole tenure with the Miami Heat, we've been doubted 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:41.719 and We've been to multiple NBA finals. He said, why 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:45.280 would I think otherwise now that we can't do it. 0:06:45.440 --> 0:06:49.320 We've never been the favorites. So what he said, this 0:06:49.400 --> 0:06:52.560 is all we know. He said, So we're comfortable being 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:55.919 in this position. And he said, and I'm confident and 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:59.200 my guys can't come away with the win. I didn't 0:06:59.200 --> 0:07:02.279 get to use that. He said, they're comfortable in this position. 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:06.120 I have to think about that. They're comfortable in this position. 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:08.560 You buying that though you really think they are? 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:13.840 Yes, I mean, look with the results shoot multiple. 0:07:13.520 --> 0:07:16.640 NBA Finals appearances over the last three four years, like 0:07:17.280 --> 0:07:20.720 they're accustomed to this. Whether it's the coaching staff or 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:25.559 it's up from pat Riley on down. They get off 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:31.480 of being discounted, like it motivates them. And some people 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:35.480 can't function that way, but for some reason, this team does. 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:38.040 And I'm not going I'm not going as far as 0:07:38.040 --> 0:07:41.240 said they're going to take down the Celtics in this 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:45.160 entire series, but yeah, I do. I do believe that 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:48.000 they feel comfortable like this is there used to being 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:48.760 in this situation? 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:52.880 Well, because the skeptic would say, okay, they made twenty 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:56.760 three threes three point variants. There's no way they're going 0:07:56.840 --> 0:08:01.600 to shoot the ball that well more times to win 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:06.320 this series. So I think there is still a healthy 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:11.160 dose of skepticism that the Heat can actually find a 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:15.400 way to the finish line in this series without Jimmy Butler, 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:17.640 because we know we're not going to see Jimmy Butler 0:08:17.680 --> 0:08:20.080 in this series. Yeah, and again, I'm sure just me 0:08:20.240 --> 0:08:24.720 even saying that would insult Spoe and various members of 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:28.280 the team and anyone else who hears it, because they 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:33.000 are I mean, you might not like hearing about Heat culture, 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:36.160 you might not like seeing it on their court, but 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.440 they are stubborn and like you say, they believe it. 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:41.600 Mm hmm. 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:46.080 Stian, let me tell you this after the game me, 0:08:46.280 --> 0:08:50.120 stan Van Gundy, Brian Anderson, we're getting chauffeur back to 0:08:50.200 --> 0:08:51.160 our hotel. 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:54.640 And this is why we got to bring him on. 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:57.760 He made a very astute point and something that I 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:02.200 didn't even recognize throughout the course of the game. He 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.240 said the Miami he put Tyler Hero on Jalen Brown, 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:08.480 and we all know Jalen Brown. 0:09:08.400 --> 0:09:09.319 Loves to post up. 0:09:09.720 --> 0:09:14.480 He's a He's an excellent post up player for a guard. 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:21.480 But by them making that switch. Boston started feeding Jayden 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:25.640 Jalen Brown in the post. Okay, he had some success, 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:27.800 but that there's some times he didn't, you know, forced 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:32.679 up some shots. But that played into Miami's hands of 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:36.200 getting Boston off of that three point line to where 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:39.520 Boston will see, oh, we have an advantage over there. 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:40.319 Let's go over there. 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:44.760 Let's go over there, completely taking Boston out of what 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:48.360 got them the one O League, which was the threat 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:51.120 of the three point ball. That's what Miami, he kept 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:53.920 saying before the game. We got eliminated three point shooting. 0:09:53.960 --> 0:09:57.640 We got to close out, liminate three point shooting, close out. 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:01.800 And so just like one little tactic like that where people, uh, 0:10:02.040 --> 0:10:05.800 you might miss, even hardcore basketball fans you might miss. 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:10.440 But a little tactic like that kind of went, you know, 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:13.280 went away from what Boston did to get in, you know, 0:10:13.320 --> 0:10:15.319 getting to put themselves. 0:10:15.000 --> 0:10:15.880 In a bition to go up one. 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:19.640 Oh and I'll say this before we transitioned out before 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.400 game one, the day before Game one, the day before 0:10:22.440 --> 0:10:25.959 Game two, I should say I had dinner with the 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:30.960 Stan van Gundy, Jeff van Gundy, Brian Anderson, and myself Stein. 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:35.200 Hearing those two talk and When I say talk, I 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:38.960 probably mean argue, you know, because that's just how they communicate. 0:10:39.679 --> 0:10:44.200 They communicate, might argue it having differences of opinions, but 0:10:44.240 --> 0:10:46.520 then they come back, you know, past that meat over there, 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:49.080 stand past pass Negric over there, you know, get right 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:52.840 back to that. It's very hilarious. Just watching those two interact, 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:55.040 you can tell that really closed. So that was a 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:59.240 good time to have. I told them that. I told 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:03.800 them get they shout their own podcasts. They are very hilarious. 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.280 The world according to the Van Gundies. 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:09.280 And Jeff of course now working as a consultant to 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:13.160 the Celtics, so he has a vested interest in this series. 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.920 And yeah, that would I'm guessing that would be a 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:17.360 rather entertaining evening. 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:19.040 You're on this series. 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:21.920 You got both the games in Miami, you just did 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:23.120 game two in Boston. 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.320 Yes, it's a little usual. 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:28.280 Isn't it for you to have an extended run on 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:30.320 the same first round series, isn't it? 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:31.839 Yes? It is? 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:37.560 But TNT has TNT has those games. So I think 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:40.360 I think the higher ups Obviously I don't have a 0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:42.040 say on where I go, but I believe the higher 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:45.520 ups felt like, okay, since we have all these games. 0:11:45.520 --> 0:11:49.040 We have these we have four. They actually have two, three, 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:52.520 four and five. So I guess they figure just keep 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:55.040 you know, just keep the same crew on those games, 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:59.719 because usually you'll have TNT for game three, ESPN or 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:00.840 ab SEE for game four. 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:01.200 Five. 0:12:01.280 --> 0:12:05.520 It just happens that TNT has three through five, two 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.600 through five, I should say. And so yeah, they're keeping 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:11.480 me on. And I don't know if they know that 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:13.800 I would love to be in Miami. I don't know 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:17.240 if they listened to this podcast, but there was no 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:19.760 complaints at all once I got my schedule. 0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:22.280 No, I have to think for you to be able 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:26.680 to lock into one series, it has to be easier 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.520 and give you a chance to really dig in. And 0:12:31.040 --> 0:12:33.679 these guys see you every day, makes the reporting better. 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:36.680 So well, you tell me how is the Celtics mood 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:40.440 before we move on to the other seven first round matchups? 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.200 How did the Celtic I mean, again, with no Jimmy Butler, 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:47.640 the Celtics were widely expected to just roll in this series, 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:50.920 maybe win a game, maybe it's a gentleman sweep in five, 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:56.680 but to be one one going to Miami, I don't 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:59.880 know how many people really expected that So how shaken 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:03.000 were the Celtics by this turn of events. 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:07.440 Yeah, it was a shake for sure. I would say. 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:10.400 I went to Celtics shoot around the morning of the 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:14.880 game and Jalen Brown was the last player to leave, 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:19.240 and I actually talked to him before I left that 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:21.560 shoot around session, but he was the last player to leave. 0:13:22.679 --> 0:13:26.800 He was working on his free throws, and it was 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:28.959 this free throw drill that they had where they were 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:32.120 trying to cause all type of confusion, and there was 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:36.440 an assistant coach behind him, like throwing a basketball in 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:39.480 his direction as he's shooting a free throw. They're making 0:13:39.520 --> 0:13:42.200 a lot of noise, so they're trying to simulate just 0:13:42.880 --> 0:13:48.480 a Rockets environment. And I was wonder because I've never 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.080 seen that before. And I started asking people around, like 0:13:51.480 --> 0:13:53.720 does he do this like this? They're like, no, this 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:54.800 is not his routine. 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:55.600 I'm like, huh. 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:58.840 And I found out he missed like consecutive free throws 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:04.000 in game one, but he ended up shooting pretty poorly 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:05.560 from the free throw line in game two. 0:14:05.760 --> 0:14:07.080 You know, even after having that. 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:10.760 Me see free throws, he was three or six from 0:14:10.760 --> 0:14:13.480 the free throw line in game two. 0:14:14.320 --> 0:14:17.160 So yeah, I guess they'll gotta keep doing those drills. 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:21.520 But I was in there time out huddles a lot 0:14:21.560 --> 0:14:25.320 that night, and a lot of heads were down. 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:26.440 A lot of heads were down. 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:29.520 Our Horford was trying to keep them, keep those guys encouraged. 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:34.760 I saw Horford on multiple occasions trying to like pep 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:38.960 talk Christats Porzingis who had a horrible shooting night. 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:42.040 He shot. Let me see, he scored six points. He 0:14:42.160 --> 0:14:44.360 was one of nine from the field, and. 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:47.440 There were a couple of times I believe Christah Perzinger 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:50.680 forced some shots. And I went into the timeout hull 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:56.680 the very next break and Horford was telling Pazingis, like, 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.120 when you get the ball, fake the pass this way 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:04.040 to get the defense to shift, then shoot your jump shot. 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:05.960 And so they was trying to help them and motivate 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:08.240 them and encouraging them. You could tell they were rattled. 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:10.360 They were shot. You know, you don't you don't expect 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:13.240 Miami to come out and hit twenty three threes and 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:14.920 take They made twenty. 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:17.760 Three out of forty three, Lee shot. 0:15:17.520 --> 0:15:23.040 Fifty three percent doing so that was they didn't expect that. So, yeah, 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:24.840 a little bit shaken for sure. 0:15:25.880 --> 0:15:28.440 Last night I was talking to one of my most 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:34.200 trusted league observers, someone who I love to consult in 0:15:34.280 --> 0:15:41.280 situations like this, And the reaction that was shared with 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:43.080 me was, you watch, this will be a great This 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:45.560 will end up being a great thing for Boston. They 0:15:46.120 --> 0:15:51.760 rolled during the regular season, and this will snap them 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.640 back into focus. They were probably feeling themselves too much. 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:57.800 They probably didn't take Miami as seriously as they should 0:15:57.840 --> 0:16:01.640 have without Butler. But man, I am struggling to co 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:07.400 sign on that one, to lose this early and give 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:13.600 Miami even more belief than it already had. You know, again, 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.080 I'm not trying to do too much of a victory lap, 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:22.280 but I felt like I was somewhat in the minority 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:24.520 to say that this thing could go at least six, 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:28.800 and I think now will for sure go at least six, 0:16:29.800 --> 0:16:31.920 given that Miami already got that. 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:34.440 Split in Boston. 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:39.880 But I mean, man, I think the Celtics have been 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:42.400 rocked here and it's going to be really interesting to 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:43.440 see how they respond. 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:48.720 Stein about two weeks. Should I even say this? Let Mestak, 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:51.080 Should I say it? 0:16:51.080 --> 0:16:53.080 It's funny whenever you say should I say it? You 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:56.400 usually go ahead and say it. I usually don't. 0:16:56.680 --> 0:17:00.840 You usually can I think I can. I think I can. So. 0:17:01.600 --> 0:17:06.480 About two weeks ago, I got a text message from 0:17:06.520 --> 0:17:11.280 a random number. It said, this is JT new number. 0:17:11.320 --> 0:17:15.200 Lock me in. And you know, during playoffs or whatever 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:17.520 time it is, even like playing even in some of 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.160 the last games of the season, light there. It's such 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:23.320 a frenzy, like you're doing so much when you're covering 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.600 this league, and so I didn't have time to investigate it, 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:31.000 look into it or anything. And so during the broadcast yesterday, 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:37.159 we are highlighting a player's shoes. His new colorways dropped 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:39.879 yesterday on the day of the game, so we were 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:40.560 going to highlight. 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:43.720 So I got I got the shoes, and so we're 0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:47.040 highlighting during the game. 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:50.800 Yeah, it ended up. So that's why I'm getting to 0:17:51.040 --> 0:17:55.720 So the selfiess come out into the to do their 0:17:55.760 --> 0:17:58.240 warm up, to do their layup drills, you know. Fifteen 0:17:58.280 --> 0:18:01.520 minutes before the game, Tatum sees me on the sideline, 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:04.280 comes over, gives me that he said, Hey, you didn't 0:18:04.280 --> 0:18:07.679 respond back. I'm like, respond back to what? He's like, I 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:10.439 got a new number. I text you. I'm like, you 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:10.919 text me? 0:18:11.000 --> 0:18:11.800 What, Like, what are. 0:18:11.680 --> 0:18:14.679 You talking about? He said, Yeah, I text you JT. 0:18:15.040 --> 0:18:17.280 I was like, man, I said, Bro, you gonna give 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:19.399 me a little bit more information than that. Man, Come on, 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:22.640 you know what I mean? JT's I know, like every 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:24.679 people don't I told people don't refer to you as 0:18:24.760 --> 0:18:25.760 j T that much. 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:28.520 I'm like, God, come on, man, Like all. 0:18:28.440 --> 0:18:30.359 You got to say this is Jason and spell your 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:33.600 name that way JY, because you the only person I 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.159 know spells the name j Y s O N. 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:37.280 Yeah. 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:41.240 So I say you would think commercial thing he would 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:45.280 know about confusion over his name. I amazingly did Notaly 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:46.639 did not get the same text. 0:18:46.680 --> 0:18:48.640 I did not get the hey, here's my number, lock 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:48.919 it in. 0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:54.320 Hold on, what what ESPN commercial? What you're talking about? 0:18:54.400 --> 0:18:57.280 You haven't seen that ESPN commercial When Jason Tatum is 0:18:57.320 --> 0:18:59.600 like there on you know, it's one of those Sports 0:18:59.600 --> 0:19:02.639 Center comercials and he's there getting his ID and he 0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:04.800 has to give you know that. He sits down to 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:07.000 take his picture and the guy's asking for his name, 0:19:07.040 --> 0:19:09.480 and he goes through all his nicknames and finally says 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:10.399 Jason with a Y. 0:19:10.800 --> 0:19:11.879 You haven't seen that one? 0:19:12.560 --> 0:19:15.719 No, I don't think. No, what else I forgot? 0:19:16.280 --> 0:19:18.280 Or maybe you just don't watch ESPN anymore. 0:19:18.960 --> 0:19:22.760 That's that's true, too cold blooded? That's true. Who watch games? 0:19:23.160 --> 0:19:25.159 You're even more cold blooded than me? I love it. 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:36.359 Yeah, I'll watch games. 0:19:37.680 --> 0:19:39.800 All right, Well, we will continue. 0:19:39.880 --> 0:19:43.960 I suspect to be talking more about Celtic's heat than 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:48.800 we ever imagined, especially with Chris Haynes on the sidelines 0:19:49.040 --> 0:19:53.280 upcoming in his beloved South Beach for games three and 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:55.600 four of that series. 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.600 And you said you might even end up on five. Yes, 0:19:58.720 --> 0:19:59.440 back in Boston. 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:02.639 Yes, that's TNT game as well, So I predict that 0:20:02.680 --> 0:20:03.280 I'll be there for. 0:20:03.280 --> 0:20:05.560 Five and you're with Stan the whole time. 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:09.639 Stan and Bia with them the whole way through up 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:13.679 until the Eastern Conference Finals, and then Stan Stan for 0:20:13.760 --> 0:20:18.240 the Western Conference Finals. Stan will join Reggie and Kevin 0:20:18.240 --> 0:20:20.600 Harlan for the Western Conference Finals. 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:22.840 We need to get Stan on the podcast. 0:20:23.400 --> 0:20:26.880 It's don Dale, just lea, let me win, yes, Dundale. 0:20:27.359 --> 0:20:27.720 All right. 0:20:27.760 --> 0:20:31.440 So look, there are seven other first round series that 0:20:31.480 --> 0:20:32.960 we could be diving into. 0:20:33.200 --> 0:20:36.520 I have been covering Mavericks Clippers. I was at the 0:20:36.520 --> 0:20:37.480 two games in La. 0:20:37.640 --> 0:20:41.160 I'm actually still in La as we record this, because 0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:44.840 before I fly back to Dallas for Game three of 0:20:44.960 --> 0:20:48.400 MAV's Clippers, and that's Friday night. I'm gonna at least 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:52.000 drop in on Lakers Nuggets. I'm not going to be 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:54.480 able to stay for the actual game, but I wanted 0:20:54.480 --> 0:20:57.199 to at least go to pregame later today after we 0:20:57.280 --> 0:21:00.720 finish this recording, so I can see the Lakes, see 0:21:00.720 --> 0:21:03.480 the Nuggets a little bit, see some people before again 0:21:03.520 --> 0:21:06.120 getting back on a plane, getting back to Dallas and 0:21:06.160 --> 0:21:10.720 resuming my coverage of Mavericks Clippers, which is another one 0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:13.280 to one series. We finally had some road teams win 0:21:13.359 --> 0:21:16.560 some games here, with the Heat winning in Boston, with 0:21:16.720 --> 0:21:20.880 Indiana winning in Milwaukee, with Dallas winning here in LA 0:21:20.920 --> 0:21:25.000 against the Clippers in Game two. But instead of and again, 0:21:25.040 --> 0:21:30.800 we're also recording this on Thursday afternoon, so by the 0:21:30.920 --> 0:21:35.920 time this drops Thursday early evening, there won't be much 0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:40.920 time before some pretty huge game threes Philadelphia and New York. 0:21:41.520 --> 0:21:44.320 That series moves to Philly now, but the Sixers are 0:21:44.320 --> 0:21:47.120 down two to oho to the Knicks. Of course, Game 0:21:47.160 --> 0:21:51.240 two hugely contentious circumstances. We'll get into that here shortly. 0:21:51.520 --> 0:21:55.400 The Lakers playing host to the defending champions from Denver. 0:21:55.800 --> 0:21:58.840 The Nuggets have a two to oh lead in that series, 0:21:59.320 --> 0:22:03.359 and now Cleveland and Orlando, that series moves to the 0:22:03.400 --> 0:22:07.520 Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom also down two to oh. 0:22:07.600 --> 0:22:11.320 And of course NBA historians and I think fans are 0:22:11.359 --> 0:22:14.440 pretty well versed in this stat because it gets circulated 0:22:14.480 --> 0:22:18.240 so often. When you go down two to oh in 0:22:18.280 --> 0:22:21.520 a best of seven series in the NBA, history tells 0:22:21.600 --> 0:22:24.919 us that nearly ninety three percent of the time you 0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:28.040 go on to lose. There have only been thirty three 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:32.480 teams in nearly five hundred best of seven series with 0:22:32.560 --> 0:22:35.400 a two oho deficit, only thirty three that have managed 0:22:35.640 --> 0:22:37.840