1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to this week Uncut in the world of NBA News. 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: Chris Hans Stein, it's some time this Lincoln Cut is 3 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: underway and then fire. This should be a good one, 4 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: Stein Haynes, This League Uncut back with you for a 5 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: new episode. We're recording on Wednesday night for a Thursday 6 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: morning drop of the pod. We're getting off to a 7 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: slightly delayed start because just as we were gonna start recording, 8 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: of course, Chris Haynes's phone rang and a bigger name. 9 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: He had a bigger name on the other line. So 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: that means Stein goes back to the end of the queue, 11 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: as we would say in England, and uh, he had 12 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: to take are you at Liberty to share with us 13 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: who you were speaking to? Think it would be okay 14 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: because the story would be out in the morning already, 15 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: so the news would have already dropped. But I had 16 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: reached out to Jalen Brunson, who's having an incredible year 17 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: with the New York Knicks. They're doing really good things 18 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: out there at fifth seed in Eastern Conference standards and 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: Jayalen playing playing at the All star level. But I 20 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: reached out to him earlier in the day about you know, 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: giving me some time, can he call me at some 22 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: point in the next few days. And I didn't hear 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: nothing anything Stein And so he actually texts me at 24 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: halftime of the Knicks Magic game, and so like he 25 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: was like, hey, Chris, my bad. I'm just seeing your text. Hey, 26 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: what'll we call you after the game. We're a halftime 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: right now. I'm like halftime, I said, bro Kiah hit 28 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: me upat there. I said, get back in the game. Man, 29 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: don't worry about this. He said, no, I'm not playing tonight, 30 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: so it's all good. He said, So I'll call you. 31 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: I'll call you after the game. And so he ended 32 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: up calling in my bad styne because usually year the 33 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: one that always has something to do right before we 34 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: go on and hold us up. So this time it 35 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: was mine. I wish it was because of NBA All 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: Stars or near all stars calling me for interviews, but 37 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: that's usually it's usually because I messed up somehow, not 38 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 1: because I have not because I have a Yeah, I 39 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: couldn't tell I understand, I understand, but I couldn't tell Jayleen. Hey, 40 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,839 Speaker 1: you know what, man, let's do it tomorrow. I'm wait 41 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: after the pod. So now so it's we'll have a story. 42 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: It'll be it's on Bleacher Report as a right now, 43 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: y'all can check it out. Yeah, it'll be interesting to 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: see if that story. Does that story come out before 45 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: this pod, we'll see. It'll be a race. Well, we'll see. 46 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 1: We'll see which comes out first. But put me down 47 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: as jealous, like everyone in Dallas, I missed Jayto he 48 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: has he has some Dallas comments, so yeah, yeah, peep 49 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: it out. Yeah, no, I mean he is. He has 50 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: definitely missed. He was just great to watch and great 51 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: to cover. The guy gets better every single year and 52 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: just an absolute pro. So it's been you know, I 53 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: thought he was stepping in, really stepping into a pressure 54 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: cooker situation where you know, all the microscope was going 55 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: to be on him, and he is just zoomed past 56 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: all expectations yet again for a former second round pick. 57 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: Just one of the season's better stories. The Knicks and 58 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson two of the season's better story. So, as 59 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: we are recording this on a Wednesday night, very important 60 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: game taking place as we speak, the Clippers playing their 61 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: first game since Paul George went down with that really 62 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: really hard to watch knee injury. Thankfully, it appears to 63 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: be one of those knee sprains that just looks stomach 64 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: turning when you factor in the injury history that Paul 65 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: George already has from the Team USA disaster from almost 66 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: a decade ago. Now, just just terrible to see that, 67 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: and then you know, thankfully, it looks like it's not 68 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: as severe as it looked, but there's still a great 69 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: deal of uncertainty. The Clippers have basically said that Paul 70 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: George is essentially out for the rest of the regular season. 71 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: It's going to be two to three weeks before he's reevaluated. 72 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: That's realistically going to consume the rest of the regular season. 73 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: So a Clipper team that had won five of six 74 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: and was starting to trend in the right direction is 75 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: now most likely going to have to survive the rest 76 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: of the regular season at least and see if they 77 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: can preserve their top six status without Paul George. I 78 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: tweeted the stat earlier on Wednesday night. They are twenty 79 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: four and fourteen with both of their stars in uniform 80 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: four and two, with Kauai only entering this Wednesday night 81 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: game with Okase. You'll know the result by the time 82 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: this drops in the morning, eight and ten with PG 83 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: only two and nine with both fout. We've got injury 84 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: news with the Lakers as well. But I know the 85 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: Clippers are a team you are around a lot. I 86 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: know you know PG pretty well. I mean, I've had 87 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: trouble figuring out what I mean. We've been waiting. I mean, 88 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: we've been waiting for years. Are they ever gonna have 89 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: their whole team? And yet again we're saying they're not. 90 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: And I mean, the thing is that it seemed like 91 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: this type of situation is going around the league a lot. 92 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,799 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of teams, Lakers right there, Phoenix, 93 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: Suns right there as well, dealing with injuries and New Orleans, Dallas, 94 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: New Orleans guys. It's happened a lot, and it's unfortunate 95 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: because for the Clippers, from their perspective, been waiting for 96 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: a while, and they get it, got out, the guys back, 97 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: and Tylu finally has the pieces where he can try 98 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: to mix and match and try to assemble the right 99 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: type of rotation and start line up together. And they're 100 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: kind of like they're rolling a little bit going into 101 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: the postseason, which is the right time to be rolling. 102 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: And then this happens Stein. Were you there in Vegas 103 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: that year Paul George had that catastrophe moment and listen, 104 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: I feel I still feel guilty about how this went 105 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: down because that was in the midst of I got 106 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: to cover three straight Team USA runs for ESPN, the 107 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: twenty twelve Olympics in London, twenty fourteen Worlds in Spain, 108 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: and the twenty sixteen Olympics in Rio, and I always 109 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: say those are probably the three best assignments of my career. 110 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: Brazil was tough. Brazil. The workload was crazy because I 111 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: was doing writing and TV the first time I really 112 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: had to do well. I mean I really had to 113 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: do both at at at a heavy level. And the 114 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: security issues in Brazil. I was really looking forward to 115 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: go into Brazil because it's a country i'd never been. 116 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: And I know, you beat me there, you went there, 117 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: you went there with the Yeah, I was really looking 118 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: forward to going. And because of the security situation and 119 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: the workload and just the way, like I really, I 120 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: saw very little of Brazil. They didn't want us going 121 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: anywhere but but London. You know how much I love England, 122 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: so to be to basically have my own apartment in 123 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: London for a month was off the charts. And then honestly, 124 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen, I was with Team USA for thirty five days, 125 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: most of it in Spain and just incredible assignment. So 126 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: in advance of that, I actually said I better take 127 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: a between free agency and that I'm like, I better 128 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: take a break. And so Ramona and Windy covered that game, 129 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: and that was such a scary situation with Paul George. 130 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: I think Ramona was doing like live hits from the 131 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: hospital before the sun came up. I mean it was 132 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: like they I felt so bad that, you know, they 133 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: stepped in for me thinking, oh, it's just the Team 134 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: USA scrimmage, and they ended up working round the clock 135 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: because I mean, not Paul George. I mean, we don't. 136 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: We don't need to go back because everybody who saw 137 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: it remembers how ghastly it was. And knock on Wood, 138 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: thank god that he bounced back from that and got 139 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: past it and has had the career he's had, because man, 140 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: that was just seeing it on TV was bad enough. 141 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: I can't even imagine being there and trying to cover that. 142 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: That was my I want to say that that matter 143 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: of fact, that was my first year of covering Team 144 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 1: USA that summer before they went off to I believe. 145 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: I believe they were going off to play a couple 146 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: of exhibitions in Chicago or New York or something like that, 147 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: and that I was there and I've seen a bunch 148 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: of gruesome I can't say a bunch, but a few 149 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: gruesome leg injuries, but that was the only one that 150 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: I've seen in person actually being off that was tough. Um. 151 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: But yes, definitely you see in the replay of of 152 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: his latest injury, it definitely, you know, jobs your mind 153 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: back to to that that point. But thankfully it's nothing seriously, 154 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: And I was able to talk to some members of 155 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: the Clippers before we got on and they think that 156 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: he'll be back for the playoffs. Oh really, they yeah, 157 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: they think he has a chance to be back for 158 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: the playoffs. They're they're optimistic, I should say, And that 159 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 1: would be amazing, because again, it just it would that's 160 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 1: those injuries though, like and look like believe me, I'm 161 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: no doctor, but I but I had, like you do, 162 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: see those nie brains that sometimes they just look so 163 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: bad and then knock on wood, they turn out to 164 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: be not as severe as they look in the momentum, 165 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 1: not a whole lot of injuries that that we seem 166 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: able to say that. But but you know, let's hope, man, 167 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: I mean, I you know, I don't know where the 168 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: Clippers are gonna end up. I mean, I think Kauai's 169 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 1: off to a seven for seven start from the field 170 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: and this game that's gone on while we're on, So 171 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: they're still going to be quite formidable if Kawhi can 172 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: play these last nine games and they you know, they 173 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: have a deep team, one of the deepest really, so 174 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: they should still be able to get into the playoffs. 175 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, think this this. You know, I still keep 176 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: saying it about the West. You know this, the injuries 177 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 1: are not everything. The West should not be as mid 178 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: if I can use that word again as it's been, like, 179 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: the record shouldn't be this average, in this mediocre. But 180 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: I mean the injuries, I mean, really, Sacramento's success has 181 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: been fueled in a lot by the fact that they've 182 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: mostly avoided it. You know, They've they've lost Kevin Hurder 183 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: here recently, really in their in their top rotation, they 184 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: haven't had to deal with They've they've largely stayed healthy 185 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: and just everywhere else you look, you know, Phoenix might 186 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: have to go into the playoffs with Durant playing maybe 187 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: less than five games. The Lakers, Lebron and a d 188 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: have both missed significant time. Dallas cannot get Luca and 189 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving on the court together. New Orleans hasn't seen 190 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: Zion Williamson since January second. Just on and on and on, 191 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: And you don't think an argument can be made that 192 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: the reason the wins are down in the Western Conference 193 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: is due primarily to injuries. It's undoubtedly a factor, but 194 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: I still say that the clump of teams in the 195 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: five hundred range is still abnormal. And look, something else 196 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: we always see we not always something else. We also 197 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: see frequently in the NBA are teams that lose a 198 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: key player and still find a way to put wins together. 199 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: So I just I cannot believe that when you look 200 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: at the standings that again, from from four through you know, 201 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: I think the Blazers have pretty much removed them you know, 202 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: they're they're removing themselves from this conversation. So from four 203 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: to twelve that you know, we still have that it's 204 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: still still so compact. It's to me, it's just it's 205 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: not all injuries. Injuries one hundred percent are a significant factor. 206 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: But it ain't all injuries, I understand. But those teams 207 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: that you're talking about that at five hundred, Pelicans significant injuries, Lakers, 208 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 1: significant injuries, Dallas Mavericks, they've dealt with their their share. 209 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: Minnesota yes, significant injuries, Golden State yes, significant injuries, Clippers yes, 210 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 1: Phoenix yes. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris paul Is. Sometimes 211 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: Sacramento is the only team like you mentioned, so nobody 212 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: can rise above it. I mean, remember last year, here's 213 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: a classic example. Last year Memphis went twenty and five 214 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: without job. That's what I'm saying, Like, you know what, 215 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: shouldn't we have seen one or two of these teams. 216 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: You know, Phoenix got themselves in a big hole with 217 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: the way they were playing before, you know, long before 218 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 1: the Durant trade. So again, I den Booker was out, 219 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: no question Bookers, I mean, Bookers missed a zillion games. 220 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I just think, I just I just think 221 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: it's this is such an anomaly. It just is so 222 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: strange that everybody is in this clump together that because 223 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: I think that's that's a question that's kind of gone 224 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: on all season. Will we see this again? Is this 225 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: the new normal? I do not think this is the 226 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: new normal, Like this is this is just so abnormal. 227 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: Oh here's another one. Okay, Golden State. No question, they've 228 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: had injuries, stepsmissed twenty six games, but that doesn't account 229 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: for you know, what are they what are they on 230 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: the road nine and twenty nine now and they were 231 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: seven and twenty nine before winning the last two. I 232 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: mean the Warriors, the Warriors trade the Warriors playoff hallmark 233 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: has been the fact that they've won an NBA record, 234 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: They've won a road game in a league record twenty 235 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: seven consecutive series. Like they're they've they've always been great 236 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: on the road, and this year, going into the Dallas 237 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: game the other night, they were twenty eighth in the 238 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: league in defense in road games and tied for third 239 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: in defense in home games. So again, it's not all injuries. 240 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: There's some there's some suspect play in the mix as 241 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: well for somebody. I mean, because look, I look at 242 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: the Lakers now they're I mean, they're they're winning games 243 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: without Lebron. I mean they've now that they've made all 244 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: these moves since the deadline. I mean that's saying you can. 245 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: You're supposed to be able to weather one injury absence 246 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: for a little bit of time when you're a good team. 247 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: But hey, it's just one man's theory. Maybe I'm wrong. 248 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: Maybe maybe it's all injuries and I'm just a doomsayer. 249 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: Now you're supposed to. But if you look at the 250 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 1: the teams that are thriving in the Western Conference, they've 251 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: relatively been healthy all year long and right now and 252 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: right now, nobody's really nobody's thriving in the West. I 253 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: mean Memphis, given everything they've gone through with the Josh 254 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: suspension and now getting him back, I mean, they've they've 255 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: actually been They had a terrible, a terrible wobble early, 256 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: you know, before the All Star break, but they've they've 257 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: they've really been good here lately. And they've it's not 258 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: just Job. I mean they've they've lost Brandon Clark for 259 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: the year and they have no Steven Adams, so they 260 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: they've the Grizzlies have actually shown a lot of toughness 261 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: here and very quietly have a thirty one and five 262 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: record at home. So I mean, what about the Lakers. 263 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: There were multiple reports, including from one Sea Haynes of 264 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: Turner Sports about there's there's some hope in Laker Land 265 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: that Lebron might come back for the last few games 266 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: of the season. And to be very clear, those reports 267 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: followed an official bulletin from the Lakers about how Lebron 268 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: has been cleared for more on court activity. Lebron, though, 269 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: followed that up with his own update. There wasn't an 270 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: evaluation today and there hasn't been any target for my return. 271 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: I'm just working around the clock every day, three times 272 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: a day, to give myself the best chance of coming 273 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: back full strength whenever that is God bless y'all sources. 274 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: I speak for myself. So there it is from NA shuts, 275 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: not at you. That was just everybody else, everybody else. Yeah, 276 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: I don't like I said. I don't know why he 277 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: was so mad because the initial bulletin, again came direct 278 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: from the Lakers. The Lakers told their beat writers before 279 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: that Lebron tweet Lebron James has begun on court activity 280 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: and gradual basketball movement progression. There is no specific timeline 281 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: for his return. Further updates will be provided as appropriate. 282 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 1: So I guess he probably didn't love the He wants 283 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: to play in the last few games. But man, is 284 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: that I mean, but then he had let me see, 285 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: he said there wasn't an evaluation today and there hasn't 286 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: been a target date for my return. Who who reported 287 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: or said anything about an evaluation. I'm assuming he's talking 288 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: about what the Lakers put out and probably assumed that 289 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: everyone was reporting that an evaluation took place, which led 290 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: to the Lakers releasing their update. I don't know. I 291 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: don't know King James is controlling the message. He's letting 292 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,239 Speaker 1: it be known. You're going to hear it first and 293 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: foremost from him and f y'all sources. That's what he's saying. Look, 294 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I would I don't think it seems like 295 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: a grand leap to assume that he would want to 296 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 1: play in the last couple of games. He surely doesn't 297 00:17:58,119 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: want to just have to come back in the playoffs 298 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: with no semblance of Rampa. But I mean, look, the 299 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: Pelicans won't go away, the Jazz won't go away. I mean, 300 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers still have to secure a playing spot. I 301 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: don't think they're going to move up into the top 302 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: six without Lebron, even if he is able to come 303 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: back for one of those last couple But Lakers play 304 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: April fifth against the Clippers. That's at Staples. Then obviously 305 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: at Staples. Yeah, I'm gonna call it Staples. It's at Staples. 306 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: And then then they got home games to finish the 307 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: season on the seventh and the ninth. So the Lakers 308 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 1: last three games are in LA. I think whether or not, 309 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: no matter what was said and tweeted today, I think 310 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: we're all kind of going to be looking at that 311 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 1: to see if, if, if Lebron is able to make 312 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: a comeback. By then, Braun said, I speak for myself. 313 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: That's how he entered it. I started texting, like, what's 314 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: what's you're talking about? Broun, What's what's on your mind? 315 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 1: I started text him. I'm like, Naali Belone, I say 316 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: that for down the road. Um, will you see the 317 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: Lakers anytime soon? I scheduled to see them anytime soon 318 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 1: right now. My next game is Golden State Golden State 319 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: in New Orleans in San Francisco this coming up Tuesday. Nice, 320 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: So I expect we'll get some Zion Williamson details from you. Perhaps. 321 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: Oh that's another thing, right, that's man? It do you 322 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: if you had if you were if you, I what 323 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: did your gut tell you, Stein? Does your gut tell 324 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: you Stein that Zion is out for the rest of 325 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,959 Speaker 1: the season? I mean, yes, if I was forced to 326 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: make a choice, I can't like because again, that too 327 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,120 Speaker 1: is it's the same thing as like the ramp up, 328 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, what kind of ramp up is 329 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: he gonna be able to have? If you know, I 330 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: think same thing. They said they were going to evaluate 331 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 1: him in two more weeks, so he's he's only going 332 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: to have a couple more a couple of games before 333 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 1: the end of the regular season to just run out there. 334 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: But you know, the Pelicant, you know, Willie Green and 335 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: the Pelicans have been adamant that no decision has been 336 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: made yet and the door is still open for him 337 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: to potentially to return at the end of the season. 338 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: But it's just been so long since we've seen him 339 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: that and you think about what what details are ramp up? 340 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,440 Speaker 1: You know, you have to you definitely have to take 341 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: into consideration Zion's injury history and is a ramp up 342 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: at the later part of the season when you're talking 343 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: about the end of the regular season when games matter, 344 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: or even potentially a play in does that make sense, 345 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: And teams aren't even practicing at this point. They're not 346 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: they're not they're not practicing. These are high stakes games 347 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: where they're going at it hard. Can you put Zion 348 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: into a playing game, can't you know, for his first 349 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: couple of games, if he if he, if he's able 350 00:20:57,760 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: to come back at that time, it's it's just not 351 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: a good like if this was anybody else, Yeah, like 352 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: Lebron is going to go through it, But Zion hasn't 353 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: played in a minute, and his history, his injury history, 354 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: tells you that you gotta be cautious with the guy, 355 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: and you gotta take all precautions. And so I don't 356 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: see them. I can't see it. I don't know. I 357 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: don't have any intil I just can't see it. And 358 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: so I kind of agree with you with it. But 359 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: that's why it's a good thing that we'll be putting 360 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 1: you on the on the this League uncut private jet 361 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: and having you attend that game, attend your first game 362 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: back after the NCAA's is a Pelicans game, so we 363 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: can dispatch you to get some answers. I was definitely 364 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: asked for some answers. I don't I don't know if 365 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: I'll get them, but I'll ask kind of some unfair 366 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: pressure on put I'll ask not the first time. You 367 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: know what people always ask me, like what do you 368 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: miss about not being at ESPN? And I'm all always 369 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: going to give the same, the same two answers. I 370 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: loved ESPN Radio, even though I have a face for 371 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: radio and a voice for print. As one tweeter once 372 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: told me, I loved radio is one of my favorite 373 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: Radio is probably tied with writing is my favorite medium. 374 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: I absolutely loved working for ESPN Radio. But the other 375 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: thing is ESPN had an armada of research studs, just 376 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 1: stupendous research people who would just give me nugget after 377 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: nugget after nugget. I mean helped me. So you know, 378 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: to have to have the might of ESPN stats and 379 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: info to back me up assembling the power rankings for 380 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: fifteen years. And this week, one of my former colleagues 381 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: from ESPN Research, Micah Adams, who is now a managing 382 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: editor at The Sporting News, but he was he was 383 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: an ace researcher for ESPN. We worked together. He had 384 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: an incredible stat this week. Did you realize that Lebron 385 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: and KD. Now, Katie's been on multiple teams in this stretch. 386 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: But Wednesday night, when the Lakers beat the Suns, it 387 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 1: was the seventeenth straight game between Lebron's team and Kd's 388 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: team that they did not play. Wow, they have not 389 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: played each other in nearly fifteen hundred and fifty days. 390 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: Those gems courtesy of Mica Adams. Fifteen hundred days. It's 391 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: similar to KD hasn't played in Golden State since he's left. Yeah, 392 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: it's we need to get these guys back on the court, 393 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 1: all of them, Katie, Lebron, Zion, Kyrie, who else? All 394 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: these Who am I leaving out in the West. I'm 395 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,719 Speaker 1: sure I'm leaving people out all right. Style. You mentioned 396 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: what you miss about ESPN? What do you not? This was? 397 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: That was that on the list? Go ahead, don't you 398 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 1: brought it up? Go ahead, don't open the door if 399 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: you ain't prepared to walk down that. I did not. 400 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: I did not think I was opening the door to 401 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: that question. That has to be a whole pod in 402 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: its own, like that's that's like a summertime That's like 403 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: a summertime pod when we when we're not in the middle. 404 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,679 Speaker 1: That's like in August when we're you know, free agencies over. 405 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: We're not in the middle of the season, like we 406 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: can't everybody. We might need, we might need hours for 407 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: that one. I tried everybody. Well, I mean, I figured 408 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: you would want to I mean much more newsy than that. 409 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: I figured you would want to talk about the game 410 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: I was at last night with uh, you know, Dallas 411 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: and Golden State and the Mavericks are again going to 412 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: lodge a protest. The Mavericks are the last team to 413 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: lodge a protest in the NBA. In the nineteen twenty season, 414 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: they protested a loss to Atlanta. They lost. Mark Cuban 415 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: was subsequently fined five hundred thousand dollars, which I had 416 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: forgotten about. Did you were you? Did you see what 417 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: happened in Dallas? Because I don't know if it was 418 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: any I don't know if it was any I hope 419 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 1: it was clear watching on TV, because I'm gonna tell 420 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: you I was. I had moved in the second half 421 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: from my usual press row spot. I had moved into 422 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: the stands to speak with someone, and so being in 423 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: the stands when all that was going on, it was 424 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: super confusing to try to figure out what happened. So no, 425 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: I mean that I've seen on TV. Just like everybody else, 426 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: you have a different, more grander perspective, So tell us talk, 427 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: talk us through that. Well, look, they're not going to 428 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: win the protest, but there are you know, I think, 429 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: and I think deep down they know they're not going 430 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: to win the protests because NBA protests are not one. 431 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: I mean again, I think Matt Williams from ESPN Research, 432 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 1: to name check ESPN Research again, I think he assembled 433 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 1: a piece this week that lists there's only like five 434 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: or six successful protests in NBA history. The last successful 435 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: one was in two thousand and seven eight, but before that, 436 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 1: there wasn't a successful protest since nineteen eighty two. It's 437 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,199 Speaker 1: really hard to win these. And look, I do think 438 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: the Mavericks have some elements of a case in their favor. 439 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,400 Speaker 1: There's audio of Jason Kidd telling one of the officials, 440 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: you told us it was our ball. The MAVs thought 441 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: it was their ball. And for all the confusion about 442 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: where the MAVs were on the court and all the 443 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: criticism they're getting about they were out of position. They 444 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: lost track of where the game was. They didn't know 445 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: which end they were supposed to be on. One of 446 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: the three refs, Michael Smith, he was also confused. He 447 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: was down where the Mavericks were, so there was sufficient 448 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: chaos on the floor that what should have happened One 449 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: of the other two refs should have realized that the 450 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 1: Mavericks and one of his colleagues were completely discombobulated by 451 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: what was happening over whose ball it was, which end 452 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: the ball was being inbounded from. There should have been 453 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 1: a stoppage of play to get everybody in order and 454 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 1: restore order to the situation. Instead, they decided to hand 455 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: the ball to the Warriors to inbound the ball with 456 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 1: no Mavericks in the vicinity, and Jordan Poole got to 457 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:27,919 Speaker 1: pass to Cavan Looney for an uncontested five on nil layup. 458 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: But the other reality is there was more than thirteen 459 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: minutes left in the game when this happened, and the 460 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: league is inevitable is inevitably going to say that those 461 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: two points, no matter how errant they may have been, 462 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: did not change the outcome of the game, and that 463 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: the Mavericks had enough time to come back. So ultimately, 464 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: I don't foresee this protest succeeding. Because remember the way 465 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: NBA protests work. If the NBA were to grant this 466 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: protest and say that the Mavericks protest is successful, the 467 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: Warriors would have to be flown back to Dallas to 468 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 1: replay the game from that point. So at some point 469 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: here before the end of the season, the Warriors would 470 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: have to play the Mavericks the last one fifty plus 471 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,640 Speaker 1: of the third quarter and the whole fourth quarter all 472 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: over again. That ain't happening. It's just not happening. The 473 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: Warriors are. The Warriors ain't coming back to Dallas. Although 474 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: it's it is crazy when you think that that game 475 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: would get quite a bit of attention if it if 476 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: it did happen, but it's it's sure, it's not that's 477 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: that's not happening from that Yeah, replaying a game or 478 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: restarting the game at that point, flying all that, you know. 479 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: That just the question I have if if the Mavericks 480 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: would have lost by four, six, eight ten on a 481 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: mass foul on the protest, I don't think so. And 482 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: the reason I say that is because Mark Cuban. It's 483 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: like during the game and after in the in the 484 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: in the at one at the first stoppage. After this chaos, 485 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: Mark Cuban went all the way to the ESPN broadcast team, 486 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: which was near where I was sitting at that point, 487 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: to try to find out what they knew, and he 488 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: told Jeff Van Gundi, who was calling the game with 489 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: Dave Pass, he said, if we lose by two, we're protesting. 490 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: But yeah, I think if it was more, If it 491 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: was more, then they really wouldn't have had a case. 492 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: But it you know, Reggie Bullock makes a late three 493 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: to cut it, you know, a meaningless three that cuts 494 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: into two at the buzzer, and now for the for 495 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: the yeah, for the for the fee of ten thousand dollars, 496 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: the MAVs are going to lodge this protest and this 497 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: thing will be in the news until at least next week. 498 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 1: And because that's how long it's gonna you know, teams 499 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: can take five six days to basically make their case, 500 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: or it takes at least five six days for a 501 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: case like this to be resolved, and you know it's 502 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 1: gonna go, Yeah, it's it's it's most likely going to 503 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: go into next week. And so it just keeps a 504 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: spotlight on, you know, yet another example of team dismay 505 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: with refereeing this year, which is certain by no means. 506 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: You know, this is not the only time it's happened. 507 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: I think we all remember Fred van Vleet in Toronto 508 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: just absolutely going off on Ben Taylor. Recently, we saw 509 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: Monty Williams, you know, pounding the table in frustration at 510 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: his postgame press conference after the Sun's lost to the 511 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: Lakers forty six to twenty free throw disparity, and Monty 512 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: basically went up, you know, went off on the officiating 513 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: and and and that was that was the totality of 514 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: the press conference. That's not not something we often see 515 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: from him. So there's a lot of I mean, there's 516 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of tension going around these days. 517 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: And I think the tight standings is a factor too. 518 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: That just it's so bunched up for everybody in every 519 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: single game matters right now, which is that's something the 520 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: NBA obviously does want, and that's something that's one reason 521 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: why they love the plane is because it keeps so 522 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: many teams in that hunt for a top ten spot 523 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: and you get the kind of late season standings watching 524 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: that we used to not get in the NBA. The 525 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: foul talent complaint is always a little it could be 526 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: comical because sometimes the reason I say that, and this 527 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: has to do with money Williams and this complaint. But 528 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: a lot of times you'll see coaches complaining about the 529 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: disparity and foul calls free throw you know, players get 530 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 1: into the free throw line, and the simple solution would 531 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: be to actually get to the paint, you know, be physical, 532 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 1: get into the basket. You know, you'll see a lot 533 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: of coaches, you know, if there's a huge foul to 534 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: spare there, they'll complain about it. But if you look 535 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: at it, that team might have just shot nothing but 536 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: jump shots where you're not getting all those fouls compared 537 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: to a team like say Milwaukee, team like the Lakers, 538 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 1: where you got Jannis or you got Lebron. That's gonna 539 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 1: always put pressure on the defense. Get into the basket, 540 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: posting up, you know, just attacking and you got to 541 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: foul a big guy like that. Opposed to being a 542 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: jump shooting team, you're not going to get that call. 543 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: And so I get why, So I get why coaches 544 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: do that. They want to a lot of times when 545 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: they're complaining publicly like that, and they're gonna take that fine. 546 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: They're trying to set it up for the next game, 547 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 1: trying to get in the referees head and and it 548 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: would be a different referee cru but these referee CRUs 549 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: they study the previous games on what was the narrative 550 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: or what was talked about in that game, and they 551 00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: want to change it because they don't want to be 552 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: part of that narrative or that storyline. So it does 553 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 1: have a mental approach to it. But you know, a 554 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of it a lot, you know, 555 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: nine times out of ten, you know, it's it's really 556 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: you can really look at a number of jump shots 557 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: the team and shooting and you can kind of tell, Okay, 558 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: why such and such team is getting to a line 559 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: a little bit more in that game. But you know, 560 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,719 Speaker 1: it's cool. That's that's that's the play. That's how that's 561 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: how coaches, that's how they that's how they do that 562 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 1: play those mind games. That's that's always been the case. 563 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: You travel more than I do because of the nature 564 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: of your job being a sideline reporter for Turner, and 565 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: you're just you are just on the road much more 566 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: than me. I mean, obviously I live in Dallas, so 567 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: I just from where I live, I hear plenty of 568 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: of of reviews of the officiating. Let's politely say, I 569 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: mean it feels league wide though that like frustrations. There's 570 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: a lot of tension right now between players, teams and 571 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 1: the rests. I mean, are you are you feeling it? 572 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: Are you sensing it when you're out there? Yeah? There is. 573 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: I had a conversation, man, I wish I could say 574 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 1: his player's name. I had a conversation with a star 575 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: player and he was talking about, um, this certain ref 576 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 1: just how disrespectful um this ref? Well, actually it was this. 577 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:21,840 Speaker 1: It was the it was the ref crew of that 578 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 1: whatever the game that was. And he was just basically saying, 579 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: you know, just how they're not held accountable. You know 580 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: how they'll they'll say something that's disrespectful, and you know, 581 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: they'll respond back saying, hey, I'm a man, you can't 582 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 1: talk to me about that, or they'll cuts back at them, 583 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: and then they get the text and they're the ones 584 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: that have to live with public scorn of being reprimanded 585 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: and they feel like the officials get off. But I 586 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: let me say, man, there's a there's a ton of 587 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: officials that I love out there. You know, ten officials 588 00:34:55,400 --> 00:35:00,200 Speaker 1: that I consider to be really good friends, and it's 589 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: a thankless job. And I do think the overwhelming majority 590 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: they're trying to get it right. This is a really 591 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: hard sport to officiate. But yeah, that accountability thing, I 592 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 1: mean that I think the public wants to see more 593 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: of what of how they're judged and you know, what 594 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 1: happens when there's disciplined, and the league has always been 595 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 1: fiercely protective of that. They don't want us to know 596 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 1: when referees get disciplined or what kind of discipline they face, 597 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: And so I think, yeah, I mean I think players 598 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: too are that kind of complaints has been more frequent 599 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: this season. Why is that? I don't know. Yeah, I 600 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:48,520 Speaker 1: really don't know, Like I don't know why why it 601 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 1: seemed like it's resta boiling point this year. I couldn't 602 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 1: call you got it? You know, And I this is 603 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: such a complex subject. It's I probably shouldn't even have 604 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: tried to throw it in here at the end, because 605 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: that's things like this is my thirtieth season, Like there's 606 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,360 Speaker 1: been complaining about the referees for all thirty of those seasons. 607 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: Like if it was I guess I haven't heard what 608 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: the fixes. Who's gonna train, Like, who's gonna If it 609 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: was easy to fix, somebody would have done it by now. 610 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:19,360 Speaker 1: It's just it's just not that easy to repair. And 611 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: you know, I'm sure, I'm sure if if refs could 612 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:27,239 Speaker 1: speak freely, I'm sure several would say, well, you don't 613 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:32,440 Speaker 1: know what the stuff they say to us. So, m okay, 614 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 1: so I don't know. Since we're on the we're on referees. 615 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 1: Let me see. The day passed already. Damn the day 616 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: pass So there is a let me see my guy. 617 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 1: But James Williams, referee number sixty, veteran ref, really one 618 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: of the best rests we have in the league. I 619 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,400 Speaker 1: was supposed to put this out a week ago and 620 00:36:57,480 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: I'm looking back at it and I'm like, damn, I 621 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: missed it. So he started a it looked like it's 622 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 1: a website called ref Masters, and it's a it's a 623 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:13,200 Speaker 1: site that's supposed to help fans understand what refs are 624 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: looking at like at certain points of the game, is 625 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: trying to it's a it's a site to try to 626 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:25,880 Speaker 1: educate fans on what to look for, why certain calls 627 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: are being made. H So this is This is all 628 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,120 Speaker 1: started by James, my brother James William. So y'all go 629 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 1: to Instagram at ref Masters and check him out. He 630 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,080 Speaker 1: gives let me say, he did a Q and A 631 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:43,200 Speaker 1: on March eleventh that I missed, So sorry James this 632 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: We're already in mark March twenty three. But go to 633 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:48,879 Speaker 1: that site. Check him out. He's doing really good things, 634 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:59,239 Speaker 1: trying to educate the fans on official interesting stun. I 635 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: got a question, and of course I'm coming from leftfield. 636 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: I promise you I'm going somewhere with this. But who 637 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 1: is the next player Portland Trail Blazers player that you 638 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:17,040 Speaker 1: think will have his jersey retired by the Blazers? Man, 639 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,239 Speaker 1: I do not know the Blazers as inside and out 640 00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 1: as you, and I'm guessing you're not asking me. You're 641 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: not asking this about Dame, who's certainly years away from 642 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: retirement at this point. So obviously, no, I thought you. 643 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:32,399 Speaker 1: I thought you would say Dame. This isn't because he's probablyological, Yeah, 644 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,360 Speaker 1: I mean da, I mean Dame's a layup that you know, 645 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: I guess from the era previous. I mean, would Brandon 646 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:46,360 Speaker 1: Roy be a contender because you know, obviously injury, tortured, 647 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 1: but he had some some really high highs as a Blazer. 648 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. You know again, I'm saying that totally 649 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,839 Speaker 1: as a guess. I don't have a super I don't 650 00:38:55,880 --> 00:39:00,239 Speaker 1: have my finger on the pulse of the Blazer like 651 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 1: you do. I'm guessing. So I bring this up for 652 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 1: a reason. But the only and no disrespect to I'm 653 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,960 Speaker 1: not talking about Brandon Roy, not talking about la Marcus Aldreds. 654 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:14,560 Speaker 1: I'm actually going I'm actually going to Era before that 655 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: and LaMarcus what has a case based off of how 656 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,720 Speaker 1: the Portland Troublers that have done things in the past. 657 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: When it comes to retiring jerseys, Portland is not like 658 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers or the Celtics. Lakers and Celtics have Hall 659 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 1: of Famers. It is no disrespect to these players, but 660 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: most of the players jerseys that's retired by the Blazers, 661 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:42,360 Speaker 1: these players were on that seventy seventeam that won the 662 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:47,320 Speaker 1: NBA championship. It's the Portland Troublers only championship, and so 663 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 1: there's not a lot of you know, you gotten trying 664 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: to think the Hall of famers on that that's retiring 665 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:58,759 Speaker 1: for the Blazers. Clyde Drexler, Bill Walton, I think that 666 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,840 Speaker 1: is it. Do you have a listen front doctor Jack, 667 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,959 Speaker 1: doctor Jack Wickcamp. But but yeah, like, look like you're saying, 668 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 1: I didn't even I didn't even realize this. Lloyd Neil's 669 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,879 Speaker 1: number thirty six is retired by the Portland Trailblazers. Member 670 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:15,919 Speaker 1: of that team, Bob Gross a more well known member 671 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: of that team, but his number thirty also retired. And 672 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,399 Speaker 1: Bob Gross only average nine point two points a game, 673 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 1: but obviously his role on that championship team makes him 674 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:30,839 Speaker 1: a Blazer's legend. But yes, I see your point here. 675 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 1: So when I stopped so when I started covering the league, 676 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 1: I'm just being honest. I'm twenty eight at the time, 677 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 1: twenty seven or whatever. I'm looking up at the Raptors 678 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,279 Speaker 1: and I don't I'm like, who are these guys like that? 679 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,960 Speaker 1: That's just it's just it's just different. It's not like 680 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 1: I said, it's not Lakers, it's not the self things. 681 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,279 Speaker 1: They do things differently, but based off of how they've 682 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: done things in the past. I'm sharing a story here. 683 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:57,879 Speaker 1: So I was very close with Jerome Kersey and I've 684 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:00,600 Speaker 1: never shared the story before. But I was very close 685 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:05,000 Speaker 1: with Jerome Kersey and he kind of took me in, 686 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:08,360 Speaker 1: like him and Michael Holton who steered there with the Blazers, 687 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:10,560 Speaker 1: and Antonio Harvey used to be the radio guy with 688 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:13,200 Speaker 1: the Blazers. Those guys like really took me under my 689 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,160 Speaker 1: wing to try to show me the ropes on just 690 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 1: you know, how to navigate road life with a family 691 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,440 Speaker 1: and everything, and just telling me all the stories back 692 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,960 Speaker 1: back in the day playing in the eighties and nineties, man, 693 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: and they're just encyclopedia, man. So I just loved being 694 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: around him. But Jerome told me that the Blazers had 695 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:43,000 Speaker 1: let him know that they had intentions of retiring his jersey, 696 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 1: and I said, man, I remember telling him back back 697 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:49,680 Speaker 1: in the day, So this is I think he probably 698 00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: told me this as early as twenty eleven. And at 699 00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:55,839 Speaker 1: that time, Jerome worked as an ambassador for the team. 700 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,200 Speaker 1: So it's one of those roles where you go out 701 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 1: in the community represent the you know, represent the team. 702 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:05,200 Speaker 1: So he did he did that, fourth he did that 703 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:07,960 Speaker 1: for a good amount of years, and so he was 704 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,520 Speaker 1: always looking forward to having his jersey lifted up there 705 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 1: in the Raptors. And again, no disrespect to you know 706 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:17,759 Speaker 1: a lot of those players. But he's looking at some 707 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:20,320 Speaker 1: of those players up there, a lot of than what 708 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:23,520 Speaker 1: on Jerome Kurtsey's level, and people you gotta look up. 709 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:26,799 Speaker 1: Jerome k Kirsty was a dog. He's a dog. Played 710 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:29,560 Speaker 1: with Drexler and Porter. He you know, he didn't get 711 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:33,240 Speaker 1: to stand out um like other players did on other teams, 712 00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:35,879 Speaker 1: but he was a dog. He was probably the heart 713 00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:37,520 Speaker 1: a lot of people were calling from the heart and 714 00:42:37,640 --> 00:42:40,960 Speaker 1: soul of those Portland Trail Blazer teams that went to 715 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 1: the finals and battled against Michael Jordan's So two Thy 716 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: fourteen happens. Twenty fourteen comes around, and this is we're right, 717 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 1: We're right. We're about to get right into the twenty 718 00:42:55,200 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: fourteen two Thy fifteen season. And Jerome calls me and 719 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:07,320 Speaker 1: tells me, hey, the Blazers are signing Steve Blake. And 720 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:09,879 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, cool, you know, Steve Blake is coming back. 721 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:14,040 Speaker 1: He's a fan favorite in Portland. And I'm like, okay, 722 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:16,719 Speaker 1: that's quest a nice pick up, nice backup to dame. 723 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:21,120 Speaker 1: He was like, he's they're giving him number twenty five. 724 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:27,360 Speaker 1: And again I'm not, you know, it's still not registering 725 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 1: to me like, he was like, that's my number, man. 726 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:34,319 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, he was like, they still ain't 727 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:38,840 Speaker 1: put me like he was hurt. He was hurt. This 728 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: is twenty fourteen, two fifteen season. He was hurt that 729 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:49,360 Speaker 1: they gave Blake his number number twenty five and basically 730 00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:54,279 Speaker 1: saying that there's no plans to no immediate plans to 731 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:58,920 Speaker 1: retire his jersey. So that was in the fall of 732 00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:04,040 Speaker 1: two thousand and fourth team. Jerome passed due to a 733 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:10,480 Speaker 1: blood clot about five months later and never got to 734 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:14,720 Speaker 1: see it. Now, I don't know. The Blazers have changed, 735 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:18,800 Speaker 1: change regimes in the front office and the business side 736 00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:24,080 Speaker 1: since then. I never knew who it was that promised 737 00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:27,800 Speaker 1: Jerome that it was in the plans to retire his jersey. 738 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:33,000 Speaker 1: But I've always felt that him being one of the 739 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: guys that was a heart and soul of that team 740 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:39,920 Speaker 1: in the nineties with Terry Porter and Clyde Director, which 741 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,760 Speaker 1: those two both have their numbers up there, I felt 742 00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:45,239 Speaker 1: like it was deserving. I felt like he I felt 743 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 1: like he was deserving to have his number up there, 744 00:44:47,239 --> 00:44:50,440 Speaker 1: especially if he was told so, and especially if you 745 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,759 Speaker 1: look at the guys that are up there right now, 746 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,719 Speaker 1: and so that that was a very I've never I 747 00:44:57,840 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 1: never talked about that. I've never shared that story about 748 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:03,640 Speaker 1: you know, when Steve Blake came around, and how Jerome 749 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:08,280 Speaker 1: felt when they gave him his number. Um, I wish 750 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 1: I wish they would. I wish he would have got 751 00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:14,000 Speaker 1: a chance to see it, and not just see it, 752 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,400 Speaker 1: because they still haven't done it. So you know, I 753 00:45:17,440 --> 00:45:19,759 Speaker 1: would like to see the Blazers do that. I would 754 00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:24,000 Speaker 1: like to one thing about Jerome. That guy don't lie. 755 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:26,520 Speaker 1: He gonna keep it straight up. So I believe him 756 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:29,760 Speaker 1: when he told me somebody high, a high ranking official 757 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:33,840 Speaker 1: with the Blazers told him they planned to to retire 758 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:36,680 Speaker 1: his jersey. So I hope they do that for his family, 759 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:41,360 Speaker 1: for his kids, even though he can't see it, you know, 760 00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:43,960 Speaker 1: I you know, I want them to. I want them 761 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,600 Speaker 1: to do right by them. I think I think he 762 00:45:46,719 --> 00:45:50,560 Speaker 1: deserves it consider the campaign started. That was a beautiful tribute. 763 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:54,719 Speaker 1: I got to actually cover him, not in his Blazer days, 764 00:45:54,760 --> 00:45:56,040 Speaker 1: and you know you said it. I mean, he was 765 00:45:56,120 --> 00:46:00,200 Speaker 1: an integral part of those two Blazer teams that went 766 00:46:00,239 --> 00:46:04,440 Speaker 1: to the finals and had to deal with with Michael. Um. 767 00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:08,880 Speaker 1: I got to cover him, not only in San Antonio 768 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:11,040 Speaker 1: when he was part of a championship team when the 769 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:13,879 Speaker 1: Spurs won their first title, but when my last year 770 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:16,920 Speaker 1: in LA as a beat writer, he was on the Lakers. 771 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:19,200 Speaker 1: It was the Shack and Kobe year. And man, Del 772 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:22,719 Speaker 1: I can still hear you know, Del Harris has a 773 00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:27,560 Speaker 1: very very you know, the twang of Dell's voice is 774 00:46:28,239 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 1: if you've covered him, it's very noticeable. And I can 775 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:34,000 Speaker 1: I can still hear Dell talking about JK. I mean, 776 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:35,920 Speaker 1: I can still, I can just hear it. Um. He 777 00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:39,040 Speaker 1: was a beloved guy on that Laker team and someone 778 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:43,279 Speaker 1: that Del Harris really really leaned on. Um just just 779 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:47,879 Speaker 1: a solid vet late late in his career, that kind 780 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:50,840 Speaker 1: of you know, kind of like a you know, nobody's 781 00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:53,160 Speaker 1: really like Udonis has them in terms of his oneness 782 00:46:53,239 --> 00:46:55,560 Speaker 1: with the heat. But you know, you always you want 783 00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:58,520 Speaker 1: guy you know, you want a Haslem or an Igodala 784 00:46:58,600 --> 00:47:01,319 Speaker 1: on your team. You want those you know, those vets. 785 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 1: Jared Dudley was, you know, he filled that role on 786 00:47:03,719 --> 00:47:06,759 Speaker 1: the Lakers title team in the bubble, like you you 787 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:11,080 Speaker 1: need those guys who've been around and seen it all. 788 00:47:11,160 --> 00:47:14,040 Speaker 1: And so that's that's the that's the Jerome Kersey that 789 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: I got to cover late in his career with both 790 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:19,920 Speaker 1: the Lakers and the Spurs, so I was not as 791 00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:22,400 Speaker 1: close to him as you. But let's consider this the 792 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:26,600 Speaker 1: start of the campaign. No doubt, man number of If 793 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:30,520 Speaker 1: you're wrong, rest in peace, brother. All Right, everyone that 794 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:34,600 Speaker 1: does it for another edition of this league uncut. Chris 795 00:47:34,680 --> 00:47:38,000 Speaker 1: and I will be back Monday, which is right in 796 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:42,719 Speaker 1: the midst of a stretch of great importance in terms 797 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:45,040 Speaker 1: of the regular season, in terms of the MVP race, 798 00:47:45,239 --> 00:47:50,280 Speaker 1: a stretch that people have really been looking forward to. Saturday, Nicola, 799 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:54,600 Speaker 1: Yokich and Denver supposed to face Janis until the Koompa Milwaukee. 800 00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:59,080 Speaker 1: Monday is supposed to be Denver Philly, which means Yoki 801 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:02,520 Speaker 1: versus MB and Bead's been dealing with a calf issue 802 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:05,520 Speaker 1: this week. Hopefully he is passed it and able to 803 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:09,440 Speaker 1: give it a full go on Monday, and then shortly 804 00:48:09,480 --> 00:48:12,640 Speaker 1: after that Philly plays Milwaukee. So we've got three interesting 805 00:48:12,719 --> 00:48:16,640 Speaker 1: head to head matchups in this MVP race. Shirley, we'll 806 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:21,280 Speaker 1: be getting into that next week and whatever chaos awaits 807 00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:24,680 Speaker 1: us this weekend, everybody have a great weekend, and please, 808 00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:31,040 Speaker 1: please please rate, review, subscribe Chris and I'll be back 809 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:36,719 Speaker 1: with you very very soon, and that'll do it for us. 810 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:41,680 Speaker 1: See you next time. This league uncut is and iHeartRadio production, 811 00:48:46,560 --> 00:49:03,080 Speaker 1: Christine and Mark Steyne. It didn't matter.