WEBVTT - Brunson, Hart, Knicks Reaction, Sixers Fallout plus Mavs Clippers Preview

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<v Speaker 1>Swing the cards huge three.

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<v Speaker 2>Next, lad, welcome into the NBA Pulster production of iHeartRadio

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<v Speaker 2>in the NBA. I'm Sarah Kustack, NBA analyst for the

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<v Speaker 2>Yes Network, and today is Friday, May third, and from

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<v Speaker 2>our extraordinary core group of NBA journalists, We're joined now

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<v Speaker 2>by NBA dot Com Senior writer Michael c Ryde. And oh,

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<v Speaker 2>we had some good ones last night. An amazing series

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<v Speaker 2>between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia seventy six Ers. Michael,

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<v Speaker 2>we will get to the Pacers closing out the Bucks

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<v Speaker 2>season as well in just a bit. Uh but one

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<v Speaker 2>eighteen one fifteen game six win in Philadelphia for a

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<v Speaker 2>Jalen Brunson led Villanova former Villanova led crew of New

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<v Speaker 2>York Knicks and Tom Thibodeau, and Brunson was once again exceptional.

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<v Speaker 2>He finished off the final three games of the series

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<v Speaker 2>with forty or more points. He had averaged more than

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<v Speaker 2>thirty five throughout the course of the series.

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<v Speaker 1>We're a fifty five second what.

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<v Speaker 2>Big bucket ber Jalen Brunson when you look at the

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<v Speaker 2>the moments, the ways in which he commanded and controlled things,

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<v Speaker 2>and really there's so much to get to with everyone

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<v Speaker 2>because of the way we see saw Maxie perform, obviously,

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<v Speaker 2>Joel Embiid fighting through a lot of things, and Josh

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<v Speaker 2>Hart hitting a key, key three point shot in the

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<v Speaker 2>Type all game with just under twenty five seconds left

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<v Speaker 2>that really helps steal this for and next. But I

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<v Speaker 2>want to focus on Jalen Brunson and what you saw

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<v Speaker 2>to him the final four games. He averaged nearly forty

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<v Speaker 2>two points per game. How, how surprised, impressed? What what

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<v Speaker 2>word would you use to kind of categorize the way

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<v Speaker 2>in which Jalen Brunson seemingly put himself in a different category,

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<v Speaker 2>and how we view him after this postseason performance thus far.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, Sarah, you know they say in the postseason that's

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<v Speaker 1>where you make your reputation, and obviously throughout the regular season,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, he was starting to get into the MVP conversation,

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<v Speaker 1>So you know, I think all he did was just

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<v Speaker 1>sort of reinforced his case for MVP. Now he's not

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<v Speaker 1>gonna win it, but you know what I mean, Like, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>he did it in the regular season. Now we see

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<v Speaker 1>what he's doing in the playoffs. But like you said,

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<v Speaker 1>forty points and more in each of the last three games,

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<v Speaker 1>first Nick to do that since Menara King forty years ago,

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<v Speaker 1>first NBA player since Michael Jordan in nineteen eighty nine

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<v Speaker 1>to close the series with forty or more points. So

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<v Speaker 1>it was it was unbelievable what he did. And the

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<v Speaker 1>thing about that game, though, is the Knicks jumped out

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<v Speaker 1>like what thirty three thirty thirty three eleven I believe,

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<v Speaker 1>and I stopped watching. I was like, Eh, this is

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<v Speaker 1>over the Knicks. They're gonna cook the Sixers. And then

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<v Speaker 1>I look back up and the Sixers going this thirty

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<v Speaker 1>four to eleven run and now they're leading at halftime.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm like, whoa. And the whole game was like that.

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<v Speaker 1>It was like the whole series was like that. It

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<v Speaker 1>was very exciting. And you know, when you see a

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<v Speaker 1>guy like Jalen Brunton perform the way he did with

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<v Speaker 1>the stakes so high, it's just it was just unbelievable.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, think about this, Sarah. Since nineteen ninety six

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<v Speaker 1>ninety seven, there have been five playoff games where a

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<v Speaker 1>team trailed by five points or more in the final

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<v Speaker 1>thirty seconds in regulation and came back to win that game,

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<v Speaker 1>and two of those games were in this series. Game

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<v Speaker 1>two in Game five, so it was unbelievable. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>know what the TV ratings were, but they should be

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<v Speaker 1>phenomenal because, oh my gosh, that was a good series.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, absolutely extraordinary.

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<v Speaker 2>I think selfishly I was hoping for a Game seven

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<v Speaker 2>just because I wanted to see a little bit more

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<v Speaker 2>of it. But it was incredibly close. There were so

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<v Speaker 2>many clutch plays this series. Within the six games, the

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<v Speaker 2>Knicks out scored in total Philadelphia.

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<v Speaker 3>By just one point.

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<v Speaker 2>So it was something I really think will continue to

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<v Speaker 2>look back and just a lot of iconic plays and moments,

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<v Speaker 2>especially when you're looking at two organizations like this. But

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<v Speaker 2>when it comes to Philadelphia in this is a circumstance.

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<v Speaker 2>I think there's a lot of layers to it when

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<v Speaker 2>you look at what they have achieved have not achieved.

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<v Speaker 2>Where did they go from here? What does it look

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<v Speaker 2>like they've got fifty five million dollars in cap space

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<v Speaker 2>moving forward? Tyres Maxie, I think you talk about players

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<v Speaker 2>that have kind of maybe changed the perspective of who

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<v Speaker 2>they are, what they are, the growth of them. I

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<v Speaker 2>think Maxi is one of those players who was extraordinary

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<v Speaker 2>throughout the course.

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<v Speaker 3>Of this series.

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<v Speaker 2>Joel embiid Steel still trying to make that conference finals

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<v Speaker 2>with all he has done, the MVP under his belt.

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<v Speaker 2>Just the health always kind of circles back to being

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<v Speaker 2>an issue. Tobias Harris a player that this summer is

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<v Speaker 2>a free agent. Tyres Maxi is an unrestricted free agent.

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<v Speaker 2>But what do you look at this Philadelphia's seventy six

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<v Speaker 2>ers team and think should be their potential pathway moving forward?

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<v Speaker 3>Given how the season finished.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, the first priority for me is to make sure

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<v Speaker 1>Tyrese Maxi is good, you know, keep him with Joel

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<v Speaker 1>and b because that kid was unbelievable. On the night

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<v Speaker 1>we were just talking about how Jalen Bruns had had

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<v Speaker 1>forty and on a night like that, Tyrese Maxi has

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<v Speaker 1>forty six and wins the game for him essentially. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>so you definitely have to keep those two guys together.

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<v Speaker 1>And the funny thing about Tyres is that it seems

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<v Speaker 1>like over the years they've done everything but try to

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<v Speaker 1>make Tyrese Maxey the guy, you know what I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>Like you bring in James Harden, you know, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>everybody but Tyrese, And then this season, Tyree's just has

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<v Speaker 1>an unbelievable season, and now I think, you know, you've

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<v Speaker 1>got to make sure like he's the guy that Joel

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<v Speaker 1>joelnbid always need it right next to him. And so

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<v Speaker 1>for me, I mean think about that was a game

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<v Speaker 1>five six point deficit, twenty five point four seconds left.

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<v Speaker 1>He scores a team's final six points to force ot

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<v Speaker 1>and then he goes off in overtime. It's just you

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<v Speaker 1>gotta have that guy on the team. But you look

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<v Speaker 1>at Tobias Harris contract expiring, I don't know, I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a veteran, he's getting up there. I think they

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<v Speaker 1>have sort of a couple of foundational pieces and they

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<v Speaker 1>all they need to do is sort of build around

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<v Speaker 1>the edges. I think a lot of teams need to

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<v Speaker 1>start taking the playbook or the I guess the manual.

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<v Speaker 1>From a team like Denver, they didn't go in and

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<v Speaker 1>do a bunch of crazy stuff. They just you draft

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<v Speaker 1>guys and then you bring in guys that really fit you,

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<v Speaker 1>and you do it slowly. And so I don't I

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<v Speaker 1>know they've got capro. I know Darryl Morey's a wheeler

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<v Speaker 1>and dealer, but I think they should just, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just you add a couple solid vets. You don't have

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<v Speaker 1>to go get a superstar, and I think they're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be right back in the thick of it next year.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to watch just across the league,

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<v Speaker 2>all the movement, some of the dominoes that may fall,

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<v Speaker 2>because I think there are a lot of teams that

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<v Speaker 2>question marks are are gonna come to. One of those

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<v Speaker 2>the Milwaukee Bucks who lost in Indiana Pacers and in

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<v Speaker 2>despite the fact that jamst Kupo did not play in

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<v Speaker 2>the entirety of the series, Dame Lillard did come back

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<v Speaker 2>and play last night, though was struggling with that. Achilles

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<v Speaker 2>glad to see that that he's okay and obviously came

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<v Speaker 2>out of that fine had twenty eight points, seven to sixteen.

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<v Speaker 2>It was solid games from Brook Lopez, from Bobby Portis,

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<v Speaker 2>Chris Middleton, but not enough for the Pacers.

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<v Speaker 3>For the Pacers.

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<v Speaker 2>Bench Obi top and twenty one points. TJ McConnell twenty points.

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<v Speaker 2>You kind of look down the list in the roster

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<v Speaker 2>of what this Pacers team does, and in what they

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<v Speaker 2>do is score.

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<v Speaker 3>That's a big part of the pace they play with.

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<v Speaker 2>It's gonna be really interesting to see the contrasting styles

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<v Speaker 2>between the Pacers and the Knicks in this matchup, and

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<v Speaker 2>it's going to be interesting.

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<v Speaker 3>There's storyline, storylines on storylines.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's go back to Reggie Miller and those great series

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<v Speaker 2>with the Pacers and the Knicks. You look at Rick Carlisle,

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<v Speaker 2>head coach of this Pacers team. Of course, head coached

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<v Speaker 2>Jalen Brunson when he was in Dallas, and there's just

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of layers to what this is going to

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<v Speaker 2>look like. What intrigues you most about this matchup in

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<v Speaker 2>the Eastern Conference, Semis.

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<v Speaker 1>I think there's sort of a contrast of styles. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>Indiana gets up and down the floor at a breakneck pace,

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<v Speaker 1>and can New York handle that. I actually think they

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<v Speaker 1>can because they have shown the ability to play pretty

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<v Speaker 1>good defense. So I want to see how that plays out.

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<v Speaker 1>And then let's be real that Madison Square Garden stage

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<v Speaker 1>is something else. Either you shine on it or you

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<v Speaker 1>will there's really no in between in Madison Square Garden,

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<v Speaker 1>and so I'm interested to see how that goes for

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<v Speaker 1>this Indiana Pacers team that is sort of young. They're

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<v Speaker 1>pretty young team. So for a couple of games in

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<v Speaker 1>the Milwaukee series, we saw the return of spicy P

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<v Speaker 1>with Pascal Siaka. Well, you know, he had like thirty

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<v Speaker 1>something points in two straight games, then all of a

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<v Speaker 1>sudden he sort of tailed off there at the end.

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<v Speaker 1>So are we gonna see spicy P or are we

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<v Speaker 1>gonna see mild p?

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<v Speaker 2>Like?

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<v Speaker 1>What are we gonna see in this round? So, like

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<v Speaker 1>you said, there's a lot of great storylines, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>you've got a couple of the NBA's great coaches too,

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<v Speaker 1>so that makes it more fun because there's gonna be strategy,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, tactics, whatever they do, and that'll be fun

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<v Speaker 1>to watch. But who are you, like, what are you

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<v Speaker 1>expecting to come out of this? Like, what's gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>the big storyline for you.

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<v Speaker 2>To me is can the Knicks find a way to

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<v Speaker 2>slow down Indiana? I mean that's what it's been all about.

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<v Speaker 2>And defensively, my big, my big. I wouldn't say question

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<v Speaker 2>Mark because he's been But does Tyrese Haliburton look like

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<v Speaker 2>the Tyre's Halliburton we saw the early part of the season.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, in.

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<v Speaker 2>Just getting back to and I know a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>that him coming back from injury, but I think he's

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<v Speaker 2>going to be the key component you always talk about

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<v Speaker 2>any playoff series and who is the best player in

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<v Speaker 2>the series, and Jalen Brunson proved to be the best

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<v Speaker 2>player in the next series, and obviously the compliments of

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<v Speaker 2>his cast, but he you know, Tom Sabodeau went a

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<v Speaker 2>whole seven deep, and he pretty much.

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<v Speaker 3>Went six I would say six deep.

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<v Speaker 2>It's felt like throughout the course of the games how

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<v Speaker 2>much they play, and so how does that kind of

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<v Speaker 2>factor into what things look like with the way the

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<v Speaker 2>Pacers play and if they get hot, if they're knocking

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<v Speaker 2>down three, then it changes the dynamic of it. But

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<v Speaker 2>if not, they're obviously not a team that does a

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<v Speaker 2>whole lot in terms of defending you. And so I

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<v Speaker 2>think it's going to be interesting to see to your

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<v Speaker 2>point about these coaches, the chess match is given the

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<v Speaker 2>contrast of these styles in what it looks like the team.

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<v Speaker 2>The Pacers, though did knock out mention the Milwaukee Bucks.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a really it was a interesting season for them,

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<v Speaker 2>and not necessarily in a great way. Started with a

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<v Speaker 2>team that for the most part was sicking, sitting in

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<v Speaker 2>second in the Eastern Conference. Yet fires Adrian Griffin brings

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<v Speaker 2>in Doc Rivers. I'm not sure if the team looked

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<v Speaker 2>like they had improved a whole lot and obviously dealing

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<v Speaker 2>with some injuries, but it just felt very disjointed throughout

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<v Speaker 2>the entirety of the season. And you get tell other

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<v Speaker 2>a team that has had championship aspirations, but they are

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<v Speaker 2>starting to age. Some key components are starting to age.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you think is next for the Bucks in

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<v Speaker 2>terms of what changes may need to be made in

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<v Speaker 2>what the future looks like for a team that still,

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<v Speaker 2>I imagine wants to be contending for titles.

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<v Speaker 1>I've got a feeling that they internally feel like they

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<v Speaker 1>would be okay just running it back. And you mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>some very interesting points in the main one is that

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<v Speaker 1>these guys are aging, you know, I mean, even your

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<v Speaker 1>depth is getting old, and so that's that's something to watch.

0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:02.960
<v Speaker 1>But I think part of like Doc Rivers and that

0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:06.280
<v Speaker 1>whole organization, I think they feel like, well, you know,

0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:09.640
<v Speaker 1>we got together sort of late. We hadn't had a

0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:13.160
<v Speaker 1>whole off season together, haven't had time to really implement

0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:17.400
<v Speaker 1>what we want to be as a team. So I

0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:21.199
<v Speaker 1>think that the Bucks will try to They'll try to

0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.320
<v Speaker 1>bring bring it, bring everybody back for the most part,

0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:27.680
<v Speaker 1>and have a whole complete off season with all these

0:12:27.720 --> 0:12:30.400
<v Speaker 1>guys and try to run it back next year. And

0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:33.960
<v Speaker 1>then also these injuries that just popped up out of nowhere.

0:12:34.160 --> 0:12:37.360
<v Speaker 1>It seems like those were major for the Bucks. And

0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:40.800
<v Speaker 1>you know your best suit players are hurt pretty much

0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:44.440
<v Speaker 1>the whole series, and you know that's that's gonna sink

0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:47.079
<v Speaker 1>you in most cases. I mean Gianni's answer to coopbo

0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.160
<v Speaker 1>didn't even play the entire season. That's a problem. So

0:12:50.800 --> 0:12:53.000
<v Speaker 1>I think they running back, but they but they got

0:12:53.040 --> 0:12:57.520
<v Speaker 1>to sort of in the fringes. Depth wise, you need

0:12:57.559 --> 0:13:00.520
<v Speaker 1>to go get some younger people that can contribute right now.

0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:03.079
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and say with Bobby there was just not a

0:13:03.160 --> 0:13:05.800
<v Speaker 2>whole lot of consistency out of that. But I think

0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:09.120
<v Speaker 2>it's to me, I'm curious to see how they go

0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:12.160
<v Speaker 2>about it, because there's reasons, and I don't want to

0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:16.000
<v Speaker 2>call them excuses, but excuses for why you get knocked

0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:19.160
<v Speaker 2>out in the first round, playing without Giannis, and the

0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:22.040
<v Speaker 2>changes throughout the course of the season, and obviously them

0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:25.120
<v Speaker 2>getting accustomed to Dame Lillard and Middleton dealing with some injury.

0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:28.280
<v Speaker 2>But it's still never felt right. It's still never felt

0:13:28.360 --> 0:13:32.840
<v Speaker 2>like how it was supposed to feel or look with

0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:36.400
<v Speaker 2>this team, And yeah, I do think you may end

0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:38.959
<v Speaker 2>up running it back in some some regard and changing

0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:41.440
<v Speaker 2>some parts of the margins, but I'm not sure that's

0:13:41.480 --> 0:13:43.160
<v Speaker 2>going to be enough when you look at the other

0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.120
<v Speaker 2>teams in the Eastern Conference and where they'll be sitting.

0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:49.640
<v Speaker 2>So it's going to be as we said, it's there's

0:13:49.640 --> 0:13:50.959
<v Speaker 2>a lot of movement I think for a lot of

0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:52.800
<v Speaker 2>these teams, and I think the dominoes may kind of

0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:57.520
<v Speaker 2>hit one another of seeing what changes are made in

0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:02.079
<v Speaker 2>different organizations that may see more player movement than we've

0:14:02.120 --> 0:14:04.600
<v Speaker 2>seen over the course of the past couple off seasons.

0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:06.720
<v Speaker 2>We're gonna take a quick break and we're gonna get

0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:09.840
<v Speaker 2>to where you are at Michael in Dallas for the

0:14:09.840 --> 0:14:11.200
<v Speaker 2>Clips and the MAVs.

0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:20.520
<v Speaker 3>Game six tonight. Welcome back to NBA.

0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:23.560
<v Speaker 2>Paul Sarracusak joined by the great Michael c Right you

0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:27.560
<v Speaker 2>are in Dallas. The Clippers in the MAVs series has

0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:32.200
<v Speaker 2>been one that it's been some lopsided games. I think

0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:34.080
<v Speaker 2>we knew with this one it could have been a

0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:36.320
<v Speaker 2>pick up series of just kind of how things would go.

0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:38.640
<v Speaker 2>But I think you know, after every game so often

0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:42.040
<v Speaker 2>you couldn't overreact to it because of how different it

0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:46.320
<v Speaker 2>felt last game in Game five, when Dallas took this

0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:48.800
<v Speaker 2>three to two series lead. It was a big, big

0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:52.560
<v Speaker 2>game for Luka Danncics thirty five points, tennisis, seven rebounds.

0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:55.560
<v Speaker 2>He and Kyrie Irving have looked really good together and

0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.960
<v Speaker 2>it was just a lackluster performance by the Clippers. Kawhi

0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:01.760
<v Speaker 2>Leonard did not play, but after James Harden looked very

0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:04.800
<v Speaker 2>good in the early parts of this series. He had

0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:07.080
<v Speaker 2>just seven points, go two to twelve from the field.

0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:09.880
<v Speaker 2>What's your expectation of what happens here tonight.

0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:13.440
<v Speaker 1>I think we see the end of the series tonight,

0:15:13.720 --> 0:15:18.920
<v Speaker 1>I honestly do. I just feel like Dallas has generated

0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:22.200
<v Speaker 1>some serious moment of it. You know, like you mentioned

0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:27.280
<v Speaker 1>Luka Dodge and Kyrie Irving. Those guys are just so symbiotic.

0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:32.080
<v Speaker 1>They do like it's like Luca sort of sort of

0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:36.160
<v Speaker 1>starts the MAVs out, starts them out, get somewhere where

0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:39.040
<v Speaker 1>they need to be, and then you know, he'll sort

0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.080
<v Speaker 1>of kind of don't let me step back for a

0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.160
<v Speaker 1>minute and then let Kyrie Irving second half, Kyrie Irving

0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:46.520
<v Speaker 1>cook for a little while, and they have they just

0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:48.840
<v Speaker 1>do a really good job of playing off one another.

0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:53.760
<v Speaker 1>And then those those forwards that they have now, Derick Jones, Junior, PJ.

0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:59.840
<v Speaker 1>Washington even and Daniel Gaffer too, so athletic live threat.

0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:04.760
<v Speaker 1>I think in game three, I believe they had eight

0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:09.120
<v Speaker 1>lib dunks in that game. And the first two games

0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:11.800
<v Speaker 1>the Clippers had done a pretty good job of sort

0:16:11.800 --> 0:16:15.880
<v Speaker 1>of neutralizing that aspect of the MAVs game. But when

0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:18.640
<v Speaker 1>they get that lib going like that, there's nothing you

0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:21.360
<v Speaker 1>can do with him now because they can you know,

0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:23.800
<v Speaker 1>they can throw that lib, but they can also kick

0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:28.200
<v Speaker 1>that thing out like It's just it's impossible to defend

0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:30.360
<v Speaker 1>him once they get that aspect of the game going,

0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:34.000
<v Speaker 1>because now you got to defend multiple things. So I

0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:37.640
<v Speaker 1>think it's gonna be over even with Kawhi Leonard, because

0:16:37.680 --> 0:16:40.520
<v Speaker 1>Kawhi Leonard is just not right. In game three, I'll

0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:42.800
<v Speaker 1>watched him and I said, you know, I bet the

0:16:43.160 --> 0:16:46.960
<v Speaker 1>MAVs are hoping that Kawhi Leonard continues to play because

0:16:46.960 --> 0:16:49.880
<v Speaker 1>he can't move. And you saw that in game three,

0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:52.680
<v Speaker 1>and that's why you know, Kawhi Leonard was not his

0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:56.000
<v Speaker 1>usual self. But then you see James Harden have the

0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:58.680
<v Speaker 1>game he had and was it Game three or game four?

0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:03.000
<v Speaker 1>Game four, he has that big game and then you

0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:05.880
<v Speaker 1>expect him to do a repeat performance or at least

0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:08.560
<v Speaker 1>try to, and then in game five what he scores

0:17:08.600 --> 0:17:12.080
<v Speaker 1>like seven. Can't win that way, And I just I

0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:17.119
<v Speaker 1>feel like the Clippers are a little just there. I

0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:20.879
<v Speaker 1>don't know how to explain it. They're they're they're frazzled

0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:23.520
<v Speaker 1>at this point. I think it's good a coach as

0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:25.200
<v Speaker 1>Tyler Lewis, I don't know if he's going to be

0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:26.200
<v Speaker 1>able to pull him out of it.

0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:29.920
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, And I think it's that like some of it

0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:33.840
<v Speaker 2>is the actual execution that needs to take place, but

0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:35.679
<v Speaker 2>some of it is just the body language or the

0:17:35.720 --> 0:17:38.720
<v Speaker 2>effort or the energy. And you particular saw that in

0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:41.159
<v Speaker 2>the second half in the Dallas took a lead with

0:17:41.240 --> 0:17:45.479
<v Speaker 2>the second half of Game five, and even you mentioned,

0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:47.320
<v Speaker 2>you know, Russell Westbrook and kind of the role he's

0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:49.520
<v Speaker 2>been playing. But he goes two of eleven from the

0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:52.480
<v Speaker 2>field in that one. So you can't kind of put

0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:54.680
<v Speaker 2>too much stock into, you know, one game. There's still

0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:57.199
<v Speaker 2>plenty of opportunity here, but it just it feels like

0:17:57.240 --> 0:18:01.119
<v Speaker 2>the Clippers just don't have it anymore. And you can

0:18:01.200 --> 0:18:02.960
<v Speaker 2>tell it by the look and their play in their faces.

0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:06.000
<v Speaker 2>What happens from here for the Clippers, let's say tonight

0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:10.639
<v Speaker 2>is is in fact it for LA what's next for

0:18:11.000 --> 0:18:15.200
<v Speaker 2>this group too, that's moving to brand new arena? Still

0:18:15.240 --> 0:18:17.639
<v Speaker 2>waiting to see what happens with Paul George. Kawhi Leonard

0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:20.480
<v Speaker 2>signed that big contract extension when he was playing, so, well,

0:18:21.359 --> 0:18:22.960
<v Speaker 2>what do you think is next for the Clippers?

0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:26.639
<v Speaker 1>There's lots of toilets in that arena, apparently that's what

0:18:26.680 --> 0:18:31.280
<v Speaker 1>they say. Well, okay, okay, what do they do? I

0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:34.560
<v Speaker 1>have no idea? And I say that because first off,

0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.040
<v Speaker 1>where is Kawhi Leonard health wise?

0:18:38.840 --> 0:18:39.840
<v Speaker 2>Like you?

0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.400
<v Speaker 1>Like you mentioned, you signed him to that deal, and

0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:44.960
<v Speaker 1>so I think you got to get him healthy obviously.

0:18:45.760 --> 0:18:49.439
<v Speaker 1>But then there's the whole contract situation of Paul George

0:18:49.440 --> 0:18:52.200
<v Speaker 1>you've got to deal with. And from everything you see

0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:57.560
<v Speaker 1>and read about the situation, Paul George is not taking

0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:02.280
<v Speaker 1>hometown discounts he wants to. So can they pay him?

0:19:02.760 --> 0:19:06.080
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, but I think they've got to figure

0:19:06.080 --> 0:19:09.520
<v Speaker 1>out sort of what they ultimately want to be because

0:19:10.480 --> 0:19:14.199
<v Speaker 1>from what we've seen with them with Kawhi Leonard, it

0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:18.520
<v Speaker 1>seems to me, like you you get him for so

0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:21.119
<v Speaker 1>long and then at a certain point he sort of

0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:24.680
<v Speaker 1>starts to break down with you know, injuries and stuff

0:19:24.720 --> 0:19:27.480
<v Speaker 1>like that because of what is it now three straight

0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:31.520
<v Speaker 1>postseasons that injuries have sort of knocked him out. Well

0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:35.000
<v Speaker 1>obviously by now that's sort of a you know, that's

0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:36.879
<v Speaker 1>sort of who he is, I guess at this point.

0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:40.240
<v Speaker 1>I mean, he is thirty two years old. So I

0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:43.359
<v Speaker 1>just think that that they've got to figure it out,

0:19:43.400 --> 0:19:47.920
<v Speaker 1>like what what style do we need to play? How

0:19:47.920 --> 0:19:50.040
<v Speaker 1>do we play it? And like I said, also, they've

0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:52.640
<v Speaker 1>got the same thing as Milwaukee. You've got a lot

0:19:52.640 --> 0:19:56.800
<v Speaker 1>of aging people on this roster, and you know, do

0:19:56.880 --> 0:20:00.520
<v Speaker 1>you just keep his status quo in a Western is

0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:03.520
<v Speaker 1>going to get better and better? I don't know, you

0:20:03.760 --> 0:20:06.120
<v Speaker 1>should put your GM hat on. It helped me out

0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:10.200
<v Speaker 1>here because that is just perplexing for me to look.

0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:11.959
<v Speaker 3>At it is.

0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:15.439
<v Speaker 2>And I think too just it all circles back, especially

0:20:15.480 --> 0:20:18.439
<v Speaker 2>when you've got your start, It all circles back to health.

0:20:18.520 --> 0:20:20.720
<v Speaker 2>I think more often than not, we saw the moments

0:20:20.760 --> 0:20:23.280
<v Speaker 2>when they were playing so well and kind of figured

0:20:23.320 --> 0:20:26.639
<v Speaker 2>out the roles and they looked like they were a

0:20:26.680 --> 0:20:29.520
<v Speaker 2>true title contending team, but when you have a lot

0:20:29.520 --> 0:20:32.239
<v Speaker 2>of question marks and inconsistency with that, and for ty

0:20:32.320 --> 0:20:34.720
<v Speaker 2>Lu too, I think not knowing what to expect how

0:20:34.760 --> 0:20:37.639
<v Speaker 2>that changes the dynamic of how you're coaching. When you

0:20:37.680 --> 0:20:41.480
<v Speaker 2>have a player as impactful as Kawhi Leonard. There's a

0:20:41.560 --> 0:20:43.919
<v Speaker 2>lot of factors that go into it, and one that

0:20:45.000 --> 0:20:47.760
<v Speaker 2>is not to be answered just yet. They still have

0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:50.120
<v Speaker 2>a chance here tonight, and as we've seen in this series,

0:20:50.920 --> 0:20:53.399
<v Speaker 2>you never know. Anything can happen with the way these

0:20:53.440 --> 0:20:56.119
<v Speaker 2>teams have come out, and Michael, we will look forward

0:20:56.160 --> 0:20:59.560
<v Speaker 2>to all your stuff, your reports, watching you on NBA TV,

0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:02.800
<v Speaker 2>NBA to follow up that game and throughout the rest

0:21:02.840 --> 0:21:04.679
<v Speaker 2>of this postseason. So, as always, thank you so much

0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:06.520
<v Speaker 2>for your time and we'll talk to you soon.

0:21:07.080 --> 0:21:08.919
<v Speaker 1>You got us, Sarah.

0:21:09.160 --> 0:21:11.320
<v Speaker 2>NBA Pulse with Sarahustak is a production of the NBA

0:21:11.359 --> 0:21:14.560
<v Speaker 2>and iHeartRadio. Please rate, review, and subscribe on the iHeartRadio

0:21:14.640 --> 0:21:16.720
<v Speaker 2>app or wherever you get your podcasts.