WEBVTT - EPISODE 18: March in #thisleague is also madness 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:07.040 Welcome to this week Uncut in the world of NBA News. 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:18.239 Chris Hans Stein, it's some time this Lincoln Cut is 0:00:18.320 --> 0:00:22.400 underway and then fire. This should be a good one, 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:29.680 Stein Haynes, This League Uncut back with you for a 0:00:29.760 --> 0:00:34.120 new episode. We're recording on Wednesday night for a Thursday 0:00:34.200 --> 0:00:37.440 morning drop of the pod. We're getting off to a 0:00:37.560 --> 0:00:42.000 slightly delayed start because just as we were gonna start recording, 0:00:42.040 --> 0:00:46.040 of course, Chris Haynes's phone rang and a bigger name. 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:47.960 He had a bigger name on the other line. So 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:51.040 that means Stein goes back to the end of the queue, 0:00:51.600 --> 0:00:54.880 as we would say in England, and uh, he had 0:00:54.920 --> 0:00:57.640 to take are you at Liberty to share with us 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:00.800 who you were speaking to? Think it would be okay 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:03.720 because the story would be out in the morning already, 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:06.759 so the news would have already dropped. But I had 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:10.959 reached out to Jalen Brunson, who's having an incredible year 0:01:10.959 --> 0:01:13.000 with the New York Knicks. They're doing really good things 0:01:13.000 --> 0:01:15.720 out there at fifth seed in Eastern Conference standards and 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.600 Jayalen playing playing at the All star level. But I 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:22.200 reached out to him earlier in the day about you know, 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:24.960 giving me some time, can he call me at some 0:01:24.959 --> 0:01:27.280 point in the next few days. And I didn't hear 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:32.959 nothing anything Stein And so he actually texts me at 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:38.160 halftime of the Knicks Magic game, and so like he 0:01:38.240 --> 0:01:42.080 was like, hey, Chris, my bad. I'm just seeing your text. Hey, 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:44.720 what'll we call you after the game. We're a halftime 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:47.880 right now. I'm like halftime, I said, bro Kiah hit 0:01:47.920 --> 0:01:49.680 me upat there. I said, get back in the game. Man, 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.360 don't worry about this. He said, no, I'm not playing tonight, 0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:54.480 so it's all good. He said, So I'll call you. 0:01:54.560 --> 0:01:57.120 I'll call you after the game. And so he ended 0:01:57.200 --> 0:01:59.360 up calling in my bad styne because usually year the 0:01:59.440 --> 0:02:01.880 one that always has something to do right before we 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.680 go on and hold us up. So this time it 0:02:04.760 --> 0:02:07.840 was mine. I wish it was because of NBA All 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:10.720 Stars or near all stars calling me for interviews, but 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.680 that's usually it's usually because I messed up somehow, not 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:18.239 because I have not because I have a Yeah, I 0:02:18.800 --> 0:02:22.760 couldn't tell I understand, I understand, but I couldn't tell Jayleen. Hey, 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:27.839 you know what, man, let's do it tomorrow. I'm wait 0:02:27.880 --> 0:02:31.480 after the pod. So now so it's we'll have a story. 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.919 It'll be it's on Bleacher Report as a right now, 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:36.639 y'all can check it out. Yeah, it'll be interesting to 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:38.840 see if that story. Does that story come out before 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:41.880 this pod, we'll see. It'll be a race. Well, we'll see. 0:02:42.040 --> 0:02:45.399 We'll see which comes out first. But put me down 0:02:45.400 --> 0:02:49.840 as jealous, like everyone in Dallas, I missed Jayto he 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:54.080 has he has some Dallas comments, so yeah, yeah, peep 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:56.560 it out. Yeah, no, I mean he is. He has 0:02:56.600 --> 0:02:59.560 definitely missed. He was just great to watch and great 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:03.200 to cover. The guy gets better every single year and 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:06.960 just an absolute pro. So it's been you know, I 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:10.160 thought he was stepping in, really stepping into a pressure 0:03:10.160 --> 0:03:14.040 cooker situation where you know, all the microscope was going 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:17.720 to be on him, and he is just zoomed past 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:22.000 all expectations yet again for a former second round pick. 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:24.760 Just one of the season's better stories. The Knicks and 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:28.720 Jalen Brunson two of the season's better story. So, as 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:32.919 we are recording this on a Wednesday night, very important 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:36.600 game taking place as we speak, the Clippers playing their 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:41.400 first game since Paul George went down with that really 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:46.600 really hard to watch knee injury. Thankfully, it appears to 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:52.080 be one of those knee sprains that just looks stomach 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:56.520 turning when you factor in the injury history that Paul 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:01.600 George already has from the Team USA disaster from almost 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:04.600 a decade ago. Now, just just terrible to see that, 0:04:04.720 --> 0:04:07.280 and then you know, thankfully, it looks like it's not 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:10.240 as severe as it looked, but there's still a great 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:14.880 deal of uncertainty. The Clippers have basically said that Paul 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:18.560 George is essentially out for the rest of the regular season. 0:04:18.600 --> 0:04:21.120 It's going to be two to three weeks before he's reevaluated. 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:24.640 That's realistically going to consume the rest of the regular season. 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:27.520 So a Clipper team that had won five of six 0:04:27.600 --> 0:04:30.839 and was starting to trend in the right direction is 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:35.960 now most likely going to have to survive the rest 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:37.720 of the regular season at least and see if they 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:41.080 can preserve their top six status without Paul George. I 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:45.040 tweeted the stat earlier on Wednesday night. They are twenty 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:48.560 four and fourteen with both of their stars in uniform 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:52.760 four and two, with Kauai only entering this Wednesday night 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:55.120 game with Okase. You'll know the result by the time 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:57.400 this drops in the morning, eight and ten with PG 0:04:57.600 --> 0:05:01.040 only two and nine with both fout. We've got injury 0:05:01.040 --> 0:05:03.919 news with the Lakers as well. But I know the 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:06.560 Clippers are a team you are around a lot. I 0:05:06.640 --> 0:05:11.520 know you know PG pretty well. I mean, I've had 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:14.240 trouble figuring out what I mean. We've been waiting. I mean, 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:17.200 we've been waiting for years. Are they ever gonna have 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:20.480 their whole team? And yet again we're saying they're not. 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:25.039 And I mean, the thing is that it seemed like 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.039 this type of situation is going around the league a lot. 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:31.799 You know, there's a lot of teams, Lakers right there, Phoenix, 0:05:31.839 --> 0:05:36.000 Suns right there as well, dealing with injuries and New Orleans, Dallas, 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:40.680 New Orleans guys. It's happened a lot, and it's unfortunate 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:44.880 because for the Clippers, from their perspective, been waiting for 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:48.080 a while, and they get it, got out, the guys back, 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:51.280 and Tylu finally has the pieces where he can try 0:05:51.400 --> 0:05:55.400 to mix and match and try to assemble the right 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:58.800 type of rotation and start line up together. And they're 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:01.680 kind of like they're rolling a little bit going into 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:04.039 the postseason, which is the right time to be rolling. 0:06:04.920 --> 0:06:08.080 And then this happens Stein. Were you there in Vegas 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:12.440 that year Paul George had that catastrophe moment and listen, 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:16.760 I feel I still feel guilty about how this went 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:21.800 down because that was in the midst of I got 0:06:21.839 --> 0:06:25.839 to cover three straight Team USA runs for ESPN, the 0:06:25.920 --> 0:06:30.360 twenty twelve Olympics in London, twenty fourteen Worlds in Spain, 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:33.640 and the twenty sixteen Olympics in Rio, and I always 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:38.159 say those are probably the three best assignments of my career. 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:41.839 Brazil was tough. Brazil. The workload was crazy because I 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.520 was doing writing and TV the first time I really 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:48.000 had to do well. I mean I really had to 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:51.200 do both at at at a heavy level. And the 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:55.159 security issues in Brazil. I was really looking forward to 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:57.080 go into Brazil because it's a country i'd never been. 0:06:57.080 --> 0:06:58.760 And I know, you beat me there, you went there, 0:06:58.760 --> 0:07:02.719 you went there with the Yeah, I was really looking 0:07:02.760 --> 0:07:06.080 forward to going. And because of the security situation and 0:07:06.240 --> 0:07:08.800 the workload and just the way, like I really, I 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:12.360 saw very little of Brazil. They didn't want us going 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:16.440 anywhere but but London. You know how much I love England, 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:19.480 so to be to basically have my own apartment in 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:22.520 London for a month was off the charts. And then honestly, 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:27.720 twenty fourteen, I was with Team USA for thirty five days, 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:32.200 most of it in Spain and just incredible assignment. So 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:36.440 in advance of that, I actually said I better take 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:38.920 a between free agency and that I'm like, I better 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:44.920 take a break. And so Ramona and Windy covered that game, 0:07:45.600 --> 0:07:48.600 and that was such a scary situation with Paul George. 0:07:48.840 --> 0:07:51.040 I think Ramona was doing like live hits from the 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:53.840 hospital before the sun came up. I mean it was 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:56.800 like they I felt so bad that, you know, they 0:07:56.840 --> 0:07:58.640 stepped in for me thinking, oh, it's just the Team 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:03.120 USA scrimmage, and they ended up working round the clock 0:08:03.240 --> 0:08:06.400 because I mean, not Paul George. I mean, we don't. 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:08.520 We don't need to go back because everybody who saw 0:08:08.520 --> 0:08:10.880 it remembers how ghastly it was. And knock on Wood, 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:13.760 thank god that he bounced back from that and got 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:16.720 past it and has had the career he's had, because man, 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:20.640 that was just seeing it on TV was bad enough. 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:25.640 I can't even imagine being there and trying to cover that. 0:08:25.640 --> 0:08:28.280 That was my I want to say that that matter 0:08:28.280 --> 0:08:31.360 of fact, that was my first year of covering Team 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:35.439 USA that summer before they went off to I believe. 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:37.320 I believe they were going off to play a couple 0:08:37.320 --> 0:08:41.240 of exhibitions in Chicago or New York or something like that, 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:47.160 and that I was there and I've seen a bunch 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:49.439 of gruesome I can't say a bunch, but a few 0:08:49.480 --> 0:08:53.760 gruesome leg injuries, but that was the only one that 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:57.840 I've seen in person actually being off that was tough. Um. 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:02.800 But yes, definitely you see in the replay of of 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:07.240 his latest injury, it definitely, you know, jobs your mind 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:12.240 back to to that that point. But thankfully it's nothing seriously, 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:16.839 And I was able to talk to some members of 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:20.640 the Clippers before we got on and they think that 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:23.440 he'll be back for the playoffs. Oh really, they yeah, 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:25.280 they think he has a chance to be back for 0:09:25.320 --> 0:09:27.920 the playoffs. They're they're optimistic, I should say, And that 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:31.040 would be amazing, because again, it just it would that's 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:34.439 those injuries though, like and look like believe me, I'm 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:37.040 no doctor, but I but I had, like you do, 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:42.200 see those nie brains that sometimes they just look so 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:45.080 bad and then knock on wood, they turn out to 0:09:45.120 --> 0:09:49.080 be not as severe as they look in the momentum, 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:53.080 not a whole lot of injuries that that we seem 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:57.520 able to say that. But but you know, let's hope, man, 0:09:57.559 --> 0:09:59.200 I mean, I you know, I don't know where the 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:03.560 Clippers are gonna end up. I mean, I think Kauai's 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:05.439 off to a seven for seven start from the field 0:10:05.440 --> 0:10:07.319 and this game that's gone on while we're on, So 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:11.120 they're still going to be quite formidable if Kawhi can 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:13.080 play these last nine games and they you know, they 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:16.440 have a deep team, one of the deepest really, so 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:19.920 they should still be able to get into the playoffs. 0:10:19.920 --> 0:10:23.520 But yeah, think this this. You know, I still keep 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:27.120 saying it about the West. You know this, the injuries 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:31.439 are not everything. The West should not be as mid 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:34.160 if I can use that word again as it's been, like, 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:38.360 the record shouldn't be this average, in this mediocre. But 0:10:38.840 --> 0:10:43.000 I mean the injuries, I mean, really, Sacramento's success has 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:45.720 been fueled in a lot by the fact that they've 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:48.720 mostly avoided it. You know, They've they've lost Kevin Hurder 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:52.280 here recently, really in their in their top rotation, they 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:55.000 haven't had to deal with They've they've largely stayed healthy 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:59.920 and just everywhere else you look, you know, Phoenix might 0:11:00.160 --> 0:11:02.440 have to go into the playoffs with Durant playing maybe 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:05.920 less than five games. The Lakers, Lebron and a d 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:09.760 have both missed significant time. Dallas cannot get Luca and 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:14.000 Kyrie Irving on the court together. New Orleans hasn't seen 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:17.880 Zion Williamson since January second. Just on and on and on, 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:23.040 And you don't think an argument can be made that 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.480 the reason the wins are down in the Western Conference 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:32.040 is due primarily to injuries. It's undoubtedly a factor, but 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:36.680 I still say that the clump of teams in the 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:42.240 five hundred range is still abnormal. And look, something else 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:46.720 we always see we not always something else. We also 0:11:46.840 --> 0:11:50.440 see frequently in the NBA are teams that lose a 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:54.840 key player and still find a way to put wins together. 0:11:54.920 --> 0:11:58.559 So I just I cannot believe that when you look 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:03.440 at the standings that again, from from four through you know, 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:06.400 I think the Blazers have pretty much removed them you know, 0:12:06.400 --> 0:12:09.360 they're they're removing themselves from this conversation. So from four 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:13.880 to twelve that you know, we still have that it's 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:17.160 still still so compact. It's to me, it's just it's 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:20.800 not all injuries. Injuries one hundred percent are a significant factor. 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:24.560 But it ain't all injuries, I understand. But those teams 0:12:24.559 --> 0:12:29.440 that you're talking about that at five hundred, Pelicans significant injuries, Lakers, 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:34.560 significant injuries, Dallas Mavericks, they've dealt with their their share. 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:40.400 Minnesota yes, significant injuries, Golden State yes, significant injuries, Clippers yes, 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:44.679 Phoenix yes. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris paul Is. Sometimes 0:12:44.960 --> 0:12:48.240 Sacramento is the only team like you mentioned, so nobody 0:12:48.240 --> 0:12:50.520 can rise above it. I mean, remember last year, here's 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:53.679 a classic example. Last year Memphis went twenty and five 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:58.160 without job. That's what I'm saying, Like, you know what, 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.560 shouldn't we have seen one or two of these teams. 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:05.280 You know, Phoenix got themselves in a big hole with 0:13:05.360 --> 0:13:08.080 the way they were playing before, you know, long before 0:13:08.800 --> 0:13:13.440 the Durant trade. So again, I den Booker was out, 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:16.640 no question Bookers, I mean, Bookers missed a zillion games. 0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:20.920 I mean, I just think, I just I just think 0:13:21.080 --> 0:13:24.320 it's this is such an anomaly. It just is so 0:13:24.640 --> 0:13:31.640 strange that everybody is in this clump together that because 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:33.600 I think that's that's a question that's kind of gone 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:35.720 on all season. Will we see this again? Is this 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:37.720 the new normal? I do not think this is the 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:41.760 new normal, Like this is this is just so abnormal. 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.960 Oh here's another one. Okay, Golden State. No question, they've 0:13:44.960 --> 0:13:49.240 had injuries, stepsmissed twenty six games, but that doesn't account 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:52.320 for you know, what are they what are they on 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:54.320 the road nine and twenty nine now and they were 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:56.960 seven and twenty nine before winning the last two. I 0:13:56.960 --> 0:14:01.520 mean the Warriors, the Warriors trade the Warriors playoff hallmark 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:05.199 has been the fact that they've won an NBA record, 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:08.360 They've won a road game in a league record twenty 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:13.400 seven consecutive series. Like they're they've they've always been great 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:17.160 on the road, and this year, going into the Dallas 0:14:17.200 --> 0:14:19.400 game the other night, they were twenty eighth in the 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:23.520 league in defense in road games and tied for third 0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:27.120 in defense in home games. So again, it's not all injuries. 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:31.640 There's some there's some suspect play in the mix as 0:14:31.640 --> 0:14:35.840 well for somebody. I mean, because look, I look at 0:14:35.840 --> 0:14:38.720 the Lakers now they're I mean, they're they're winning games 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.640 without Lebron. I mean they've now that they've made all 0:14:41.640 --> 0:14:43.560 these moves since the deadline. I mean that's saying you can. 0:14:44.080 --> 0:14:48.360 You're supposed to be able to weather one injury absence 0:14:48.400 --> 0:14:50.760 for a little bit of time when you're a good team. 0:14:50.960 --> 0:14:53.200 But hey, it's just one man's theory. Maybe I'm wrong. 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:56.960 Maybe maybe it's all injuries and I'm just a doomsayer. 0:14:57.400 --> 0:14:59.560 Now you're supposed to. But if you look at the 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:03.240 the teams that are thriving in the Western Conference, they've 0:15:03.280 --> 0:15:06.520 relatively been healthy all year long and right now and 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:09.600 right now, nobody's really nobody's thriving in the West. I 0:15:09.600 --> 0:15:13.720 mean Memphis, given everything they've gone through with the Josh 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:16.000 suspension and now getting him back, I mean, they've they've 0:15:16.040 --> 0:15:21.920 actually been They had a terrible, a terrible wobble early, 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:23.880 you know, before the All Star break, but they've they've 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:26.720 they've really been good here lately. And they've it's not 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:28.920 just Job. I mean they've they've lost Brandon Clark for 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:30.560 the year and they have no Steven Adams, so they 0:15:30.720 --> 0:15:34.080 they've the Grizzlies have actually shown a lot of toughness 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.000 here and very quietly have a thirty one and five 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:44.640 record at home. So I mean, what about the Lakers. 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:48.680 There were multiple reports, including from one Sea Haynes of 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:52.480 Turner Sports about there's there's some hope in Laker Land 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:55.480 that Lebron might come back for the last few games 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:59.800 of the season. And to be very clear, those reports 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:04.720 followed an official bulletin from the Lakers about how Lebron 0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:08.480 has been cleared for more on court activity. Lebron, though, 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:11.360 followed that up with his own update. There wasn't an 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.680 evaluation today and there hasn't been any target for my return. 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:17.920 I'm just working around the clock every day, three times 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:20.800 a day, to give myself the best chance of coming 0:16:20.800 --> 0:16:25.120 back full strength whenever that is God bless y'all sources. 0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:34.240 I speak for myself. So there it is from NA shuts, 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:41.640 not at you. That was just everybody else, everybody else. Yeah, 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:43.520 I don't like I said. I don't know why he 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:47.320 was so mad because the initial bulletin, again came direct 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.480 from the Lakers. The Lakers told their beat writers before 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:54.800 that Lebron tweet Lebron James has begun on court activity 0:16:54.840 --> 0:16:59.120 and gradual basketball movement progression. There is no specific timeline 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:02.200 for his return. Further updates will be provided as appropriate. 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:05.120 So I guess he probably didn't love the He wants 0:17:05.160 --> 0:17:06.879 to play in the last few games. But man, is 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:10.440 that I mean, but then he had let me see, 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:15.119 he said there wasn't an evaluation today and there hasn't 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:18.680 been a target date for my return. Who who reported 0:17:18.760 --> 0:17:26.040 or said anything about an evaluation. I'm assuming he's talking 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:30.200 about what the Lakers put out and probably assumed that 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:36.000 everyone was reporting that an evaluation took place, which led 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:40.320 to the Lakers releasing their update. I don't know. I 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:43.920 don't know King James is controlling the message. He's letting 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:46.239 it be known. You're going to hear it first and 0:17:46.320 --> 0:17:51.480 foremost from him and f y'all sources. That's what he's saying. Look, 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:54.040 I mean, I would I don't think it seems like 0:17:54.080 --> 0:17:56.040 a grand leap to assume that he would want to 0:17:56.040 --> 0:17:58.119 play in the last couple of games. He surely doesn't 0:17:58.119 --> 0:17:59.720 want to just have to come back in the playoffs 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:03.480 with no semblance of Rampa. But I mean, look, the 0:18:03.560 --> 0:18:07.160 Pelicans won't go away, the Jazz won't go away. I mean, 0:18:07.160 --> 0:18:11.160 the Lakers still have to secure a playing spot. I 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:13.600 don't think they're going to move up into the top 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:17.800 six without Lebron, even if he is able to come 0:18:17.840 --> 0:18:20.600 back for one of those last couple But Lakers play 0:18:21.280 --> 0:18:24.320 April fifth against the Clippers. That's at Staples. Then obviously 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:27.359 at Staples. Yeah, I'm gonna call it Staples. It's at Staples. 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:29.960 And then then they got home games to finish the 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:32.720 season on the seventh and the ninth. So the Lakers 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:36.360 last three games are in LA. I think whether or not, 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:39.479 no matter what was said and tweeted today, I think 0:18:39.480 --> 0:18:40.800 we're all kind of going to be looking at that 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:44.360 to see if, if, if Lebron is able to make 0:18:44.359 --> 0:18:49.080 a comeback. By then, Braun said, I speak for myself. 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:53.280 That's how he entered it. I started texting, like, what's 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.120 what's you're talking about? Broun, What's what's on your mind? 0:18:55.119 --> 0:18:58.400 I started text him. I'm like, Naali Belone, I say 0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:01.560 that for down the road. Um, will you see the 0:19:01.600 --> 0:19:08.840 Lakers anytime soon? I scheduled to see them anytime soon 0:19:09.320 --> 0:19:12.880 right now. My next game is Golden State Golden State 0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:17.720 in New Orleans in San Francisco this coming up Tuesday. Nice, 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:23.920 So I expect we'll get some Zion Williamson details from you. Perhaps. 0:19:26.080 --> 0:19:30.800 Oh that's another thing, right, that's man? It do you 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:33.560 if you had if you were if you, I what 0:19:33.640 --> 0:19:36.320 did your gut tell you, Stein? Does your gut tell 0:19:36.320 --> 0:19:39.320 you Stein that Zion is out for the rest of 0:19:39.320 --> 0:19:41.959 the season? I mean, yes, if I was forced to 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:46.000 make a choice, I can't like because again, that too 0:19:46.119 --> 0:19:49.120 is it's the same thing as like the ramp up, 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:51.480 you know, I mean, what kind of ramp up is 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:53.840 he gonna be able to have? If you know, I 0:19:53.880 --> 0:19:56.040 think same thing. They said they were going to evaluate 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:58.399 him in two more weeks, so he's he's only going 0:19:58.440 --> 0:20:01.359 to have a couple more a couple of games before 0:20:01.400 --> 0:20:03.680 the end of the regular season to just run out there. 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:06.520 But you know, the Pelicant, you know, Willie Green and 0:20:06.560 --> 0:20:09.120 the Pelicans have been adamant that no decision has been 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.200 made yet and the door is still open for him 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:15.639 to potentially to return at the end of the season. 0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:19.000 But it's just been so long since we've seen him 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:24.640 that and you think about what what details are ramp up? 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:27.440 You know, you have to you definitely have to take 0:20:27.480 --> 0:20:32.160 into consideration Zion's injury history and is a ramp up 0:20:32.760 --> 0:20:36.320 at the later part of the season when you're talking 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:38.320 about the end of the regular season when games matter, 0:20:38.440 --> 0:20:41.960 or even potentially a play in does that make sense, 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:44.440 And teams aren't even practicing at this point. They're not 0:20:44.720 --> 0:20:47.879 they're not they're not practicing. These are high stakes games 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:50.960 where they're going at it hard. Can you put Zion 0:20:51.480 --> 0:20:54.800 into a playing game, can't you know, for his first 0:20:54.840 --> 0:20:57.720 couple of games, if he if he, if he's able 0:20:57.760 --> 0:20:59.840 to come back at that time, it's it's just not 0:21:00.160 --> 0:21:04.560 a good like if this was anybody else, Yeah, like 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:07.560 Lebron is going to go through it, But Zion hasn't 0:21:07.560 --> 0:21:11.240 played in a minute, and his history, his injury history, 0:21:11.280 --> 0:21:14.520 tells you that you gotta be cautious with the guy, 0:21:15.040 --> 0:21:18.000 and you gotta take all precautions. And so I don't 0:21:18.040 --> 0:21:21.000 see them. I can't see it. I don't know. I 0:21:21.000 --> 0:21:24.119 don't have any intil I just can't see it. And 0:21:24.119 --> 0:21:25.600 so I kind of agree with you with it. But 0:21:25.640 --> 0:21:28.560 that's why it's a good thing that we'll be putting 0:21:28.600 --> 0:21:32.480 you on the on the this League uncut private jet 0:21:33.480 --> 0:21:36.720 and having you attend that game, attend your first game 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:40.159 back after the NCAA's is a Pelicans game, so we 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:46.639 can dispatch you to get some answers. I was definitely 0:21:46.680 --> 0:21:48.919 asked for some answers. I don't I don't know if 0:21:48.920 --> 0:21:51.159 I'll get them, but I'll ask kind of some unfair 0:21:51.200 --> 0:21:54.720 pressure on put I'll ask not the first time. You 0:21:54.720 --> 0:21:57.000 know what people always ask me, like what do you 0:21:57.080 --> 0:22:00.320 miss about not being at ESPN? And I'm all always 0:22:00.320 --> 0:22:03.480 going to give the same, the same two answers. I 0:22:03.920 --> 0:22:07.800 loved ESPN Radio, even though I have a face for 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:10.639 radio and a voice for print. As one tweeter once 0:22:10.720 --> 0:22:14.840 told me, I loved radio is one of my favorite 0:22:15.440 --> 0:22:18.520 Radio is probably tied with writing is my favorite medium. 0:22:18.520 --> 0:22:22.520 I absolutely loved working for ESPN Radio. But the other 0:22:22.560 --> 0:22:28.680 thing is ESPN had an armada of research studs, just 0:22:29.160 --> 0:22:34.880 stupendous research people who would just give me nugget after 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:37.560 nugget after nugget. I mean helped me. So you know, 0:22:37.920 --> 0:22:41.960 to have to have the might of ESPN stats and 0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:45.000 info to back me up assembling the power rankings for 0:22:45.000 --> 0:22:47.720 fifteen years. And this week, one of my former colleagues 0:22:47.760 --> 0:22:52.000 from ESPN Research, Micah Adams, who is now a managing 0:22:52.119 --> 0:22:54.040 editor at The Sporting News, but he was he was 0:22:54.080 --> 0:22:57.359 an ace researcher for ESPN. We worked together. He had 0:22:57.400 --> 0:23:02.359 an incredible stat this week. Did you realize that Lebron 0:23:02.960 --> 0:23:06.920 and KD. Now, Katie's been on multiple teams in this stretch. 0:23:07.240 --> 0:23:11.040 But Wednesday night, when the Lakers beat the Suns, it 0:23:11.160 --> 0:23:16.160 was the seventeenth straight game between Lebron's team and Kd's 0:23:16.200 --> 0:23:19.720 team that they did not play. Wow, they have not 0:23:19.880 --> 0:23:24.560 played each other in nearly fifteen hundred and fifty days. 0:23:24.960 --> 0:23:32.800 Those gems courtesy of Mica Adams. Fifteen hundred days. It's 0:23:32.920 --> 0:23:39.440 similar to KD hasn't played in Golden State since he's left. Yeah, 0:23:40.560 --> 0:23:44.280 it's we need to get these guys back on the court, 0:23:44.359 --> 0:23:50.400 all of them, Katie, Lebron, Zion, Kyrie, who else? All 0:23:50.440 --> 0:23:53.760 these Who am I leaving out in the West. I'm 0:23:53.800 --> 0:23:56.719 sure I'm leaving people out all right. Style. You mentioned 0:23:56.800 --> 0:24:02.560 what you miss about ESPN? What do you not? This was? 0:24:02.600 --> 0:24:07.040 That was that on the list? Go ahead, don't you 0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:09.760 brought it up? Go ahead, don't open the door if 0:24:09.800 --> 0:24:11.879 you ain't prepared to walk down that. I did not. 0:24:12.080 --> 0:24:14.200 I did not think I was opening the door to 0:24:14.320 --> 0:24:16.520