1 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Hey, I'm Tas Mellis, and this is what you need 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: to know in the NBA for Friday, January eighth. The 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: first thing you need to know is that Luka Doncic 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: is going to be all right. I was definitely worried 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: that Luca wasn't in good enough shape. Maybe we weren't 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: going to get an MVP type season from Luka Doncic 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: this year. He sat out Sunday against the Bulls with 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: a quad contusion. Maybe he was getting himself into shape 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: a little bit. But then he's returned two straight games, 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: triple double in the first one and then the second 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: one on Thursday night and was definitely the game of 12 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: the night. He got thirty eight points, thirteen assists, and 13 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 1: nine rebounds. Who cares about the nine turnovers in a 14 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: real great head to head matchup with nikol Jokic of 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: the Denver Nuggets, and it looked like the MAVs had 16 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: this one when Luka Datcyic found Maxi Kliba for a 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: jumper with three seconds left in the fourth cour but 18 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: Nikoli Jokich wrapped up a seventeen point fourth quarter A 19 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: little side step on the baseline can't double that jumper? 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: Over Willie khley Stein, sending it to overtime. Nikol Jokich 21 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 1: had thirty eight points himself and in overtime the MAVs prevailed. 22 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: They got enough. Josh Richard didn't hit a couple of shots, 23 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: he had fourteen points on the night. I was worried 24 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: about this Mavericks team coming into the season. Would they 25 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: have enough without krisps Porzingis to supplement Luka Dancich. Well, 26 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: Luca is just good enough and he gets enough from 27 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: his teammates to win basketball games. And good news for 28 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: the Dallas Mavericks, who sit at four and four. Krisps 29 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: Porzingis is traveling with the team. No timetable on his return, 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: but they do need him just to help out Luka 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: a little bit. But they're treading the three and five 32 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets. They're struggling a little bit. They are gonna 33 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: be fine, sort of like the MAVs because they've got 34 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: a superstar nikol Jokich at the helm. But it would 35 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: be nice to get Michael Porter Junior back, the second 36 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: year player who's been playing really really well, inserted into 37 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: the starting lineup for the first time, was supposed to 38 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: be back with the team on Thursday after a seven 39 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: day quarantine period because of contact tracing. Then on Thursday, 40 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 1: the Athletic Sean Sharana reported that Michael Porter Junior is 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: going to have to quarantine an additional ten to fourteen days. 42 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: What the heck happened? I assume this is me speculating, 43 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: but Michael Porter Junior wasn't careful at some point during 44 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: that seven day quarantine period, meaning he is going to 45 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: have to quarantine an additional nearly two weeks, which could 46 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: mean that he's going to miss ten straight games. A 47 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: big chunk here for Michael Porter Junior and the Denver Nuggets. 48 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: Hopefully Michael Porter Junior is fine and he has been 49 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: playing really, really well, but it does stink inserting him 50 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: into the starting lineup where he had to learn the 51 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: defensive end. Hopefully the Nuggets can get him back as 52 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: quick as possible because these quarantine periods, although they're being 53 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: reported as a certain amount of days in games, sometimes 54 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: they get shorter, sometimes they get longer. Hopefully it's on 55 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: the shorter end for the Denver Nuggets. That game was phenomenal, 56 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: but the first game of the TNT doubleheader was disappointing. 57 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: It tuned in was very excited to see the Nets 58 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: in their tie dies from the ninety ninety one season 59 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: looking good. First piece of news I hear when I 60 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: tune into the broadcast Kyrie Irving is not with the 61 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: Nets and they don't know where he is. Apparently Steve 62 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: nash Head, coach of the Nets, texted him no response 63 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: from Kyrie Irving, and then we later learned from Joe 64 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: Varden of the Athletic that he did text his teammates pregame. 65 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: He is fine, but he's dealing with the personal issue 66 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: and he's also going to miss the team's next game 67 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: Friday against the Grizzlies. I don't really think it's a 68 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: big deal in the locker room. I think this will 69 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,839 Speaker 1: just float by and it won't be a huge deal 70 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: if Kyrie Irving is communicating with his team. On the 71 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: other side, it was also disappointed that Seth Curry of 72 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: the Sixers wasn't going to be playing. He had an 73 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: ankle injury. He's on the bench seventeen points per game, 74 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: sixty from the floor, sixty from three. I picked him 75 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: as my under the radar guy to score fifty points next. 76 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: He has been having a great season a career season. 77 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: He's sitting on the bench. We later learned according to WOJ, 78 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: who is a reporter that now has to do contact 79 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: tracing tracing me. He's on the bench. And WOJ reports 80 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: that at the end of the first quarter he left 81 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 1: the bench because he was told he tested positive for 82 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 1: the coronavirus. And I say that reporters are going to 83 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: have to do contact tracing tracing because Woj with the 84 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: report breaking it down, he was sitting beside assistant coach 85 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: Sam Cassel, and then when Joel Embiid came out of 86 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: the game, Joelle sat beside him. So hopefully everything is 87 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: good in Seth Curry's world, and it wasn't for the 88 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: Philadelphia seventy six ers in this game. They went into 89 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: Brooklyn with the best record in the NBA at seven 90 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: and one, but the Nets are deep and Kris LeVert 91 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: got the start because Kyrie is out, KD is out 92 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: due to contact tracing, Spencer Dinwid he is out. He 93 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: had twenty two points and ten assists. Joe Harris, who 94 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: is on the bench to sort of balance the units. 95 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: I believe Steven Ash is doing that. He had twenty 96 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: eight points off the bench. That's coaching Steve Nash. Big 97 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: big game for Joe Harris. So the seventy six Ers 98 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: sit at seven and two while the Nets are now 99 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: five and four. Spurs visiting the Lakers. I told you 100 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: the Spurs were exciting the young guys. Greg Popovich is 101 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: down with the kids. They go into Los Angeles, where 102 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers are wearing these throwback blue jerseys themselves. I'm 103 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: not so much a fan. That's too blue for the 104 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,359 Speaker 1: Lakers in my opinion. Anyway, it's the Spurs who are 105 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: worth talking about in this one. They scored the first 106 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: nine points of the game and then led the entire way. 107 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: Everybody was having some shooting fun in the Spurs starting lineup, 108 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: everybody hitting threes, even DeMar de Rosen in his hometown. 109 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: Marcus Aldridge, though, was the guy who led the way 110 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: twenty eight points for him, his best game of the 111 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: season by far, and the kids having fun around him. 112 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: De Jontey Murray looking so freaking good out there, Lonnie 113 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: Walker as well, even Devin Vasel, a guy out of 114 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: Florida State. The Spurs just drafted a couple threes off 115 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: the bench. He could be a steal at number eleven. 116 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: Patty Mills throwing beauty passes. The Spurs went into LA 117 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: and won both games against the Clippers and the Lakers. 118 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: And that's why I was a little worried about the 119 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: Lakers winning the one seed, because they're going to get 120 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: everybody's best shot, number one, number two. They're just going 121 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: to be a little bit lax, not trying to win 122 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: every single game, not going all out, I should say, 123 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: every single game. And that's what happened. The Lakers weren't 124 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: playing to their full capabilities. Even the commentators in this 125 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: game were saying, oh, Lebron James is gonna sit a 126 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: couple minutes here, he'll come back. Yeah. It is a 127 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,239 Speaker 1: product of Lebron's teams. After they won the championship in Cleveland, 128 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: their defense fell off the next season. Who knows the 129 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: Lakers are good enough to win the one seed. They 130 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: now sit at six and three. Couple other games on 131 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: the sked the Grizzlies and Calves. No sex Land backcourt 132 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: for the Cavs, no Colin Saxon, no Darius Garland for them. 133 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 1: The Grizzlies missing their best players. John Ran still up, 134 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: Darren Jackson Junior still out, Justice Winslow still out. This 135 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,679 Speaker 1: game came down to the wire the Grizzlies Desmond Baine 136 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: missed a three pointer to tie it seconds tick down. 137 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,239 Speaker 1: Although in his rookie season he's hitting plenty of threes, 138 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: and I feel like no dunks has failed you. We've 139 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,239 Speaker 1: barely mentioned that there's a player named Baine in the league. Anyway. 140 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: Larry Nance Junior a great game for the Cleveland Cavaliers 141 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: in their victory. He was seven to seven, hit four 142 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: to threes, eighteen points. One note on him. John Hollinger 143 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: pointed out earlier this season, if the Cavs are looking 144 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: to rebuild and maybe get some draft picks for their guys, 145 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: although they've started the season really, really well, maybe Larry 146 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: Nance could be a guy that they move. A lot 147 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: of teams will be looking to get a guy like 148 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: Larry Nance, who is a very much a modern day 149 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: big the way he's shooting the ball out there, four 150 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: threes for Larry Nance didn't really expect that out of 151 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: his bag. Last game, Portland routed the Wolves Dame thirty 152 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: nine points, seven threes and the Blazers win. The Wolves 153 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: Number one pick Anthony Edwards at a career high twenty 154 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: six points off the bench. It's interesting that he comes 155 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: off the bench with all of their lack of depth issues. 156 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: He could be starting, and I wonder at some point 157 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: does Ryan Saunders throw him into the darting lineup. I 158 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: know they're trying to balance and trying to be a 159 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: good team. Carl Anthony Towns out there really really struggling. 160 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: All eight games off the bench for Anthony Edwards to 161 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: this point. Last note, there's a G League bubble starting 162 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: in February in Florida. I wanted to mention it because 163 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: some great old NBA names will be there, Lots of vets, 164 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: Lance Stevenson, Michael Beasley, Jeremy Lynn as Cham's sure on 165 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: you reported Leangelo Ball will be there as well. TMZ 166 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: told me that one. Yeah, no joke, TMZ. And some 167 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: other great names im meccha ocofor oh my favorite, Terrence Jones, 168 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: Quincy Pondexter diamond Stoned, diamond Stone, He's not stoned. And 169 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: Jamerio Jones. Jamerio Jones, I remember that name. It got 170 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 1: me in a spelling bee with the starters. Jamerio j E. 171 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: M E. R ri Io. Oh that's a tough one. 172 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: Thanks to Jonathan Givoni for that information. All right, we're 173 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: all done here. Make sure you check out the Nodunks 174 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: full length episode on Friday. It's the drop Baby, Got 175 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: Worse of the Week, Rapid Fire a top five coming 176 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: to you. I'll be back on Monday to tell you 177 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 1: the news as fast as I possibly can. See that