Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 1 (00:29):
Hello, Welcome in side hour to the Jason Smith Show
with my best friend Mike Harmon. Try from the Tirac
dot Com studios tirec dot com.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
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Speaker 3 (00:51):
Well.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I gotta tell you it's not quite the end of
last night's game with the Celtics and the Pacers, where
there's mistakes every five seconds, But oh boy, right now,
the Mavericks lead the Timberwolves one o eight, one oh four.
There are one point eight seconds left, and Mike Conley
Junior is at the free throw line to shoot three.
(01:11):
For some reason, Josh Green fouled him with two seconds left,
and it's a desperation three. They're up by four, So
now most likely what's gonna happen. As long as Conley
makes the first two, he will miss the third and
the Mavericks have to hope for a rebound. However, Conley
has missed the second free throw, so that's gonna kind
(01:32):
of screw things. So it's a three point game with
one point eight seconds left to go. All Dallas has
to do is either rebound the ball or make sure
it gets tied up so Minnesota can't get it out
for a three because this is gonna have to be
Mike Conley Junior missing, So a big second miss by Conley,
so barring disaster, Dallas is gonna walk away from this
game with a one o eight, one oh five win.
(01:54):
I mean, I don't know what you're doing. What the
hell are you doing being that close to him?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
When?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
When?
Speaker 3 (01:59):
When that happen happens? I really don't get it.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
But luckily for the Dallas Mavericks, the freight throw has missed,
the rebound comes out to Kyrie irving apropos the game
he had, and Dallas beats Minnesota one eight, one oh
five to take Game one of the Western Conference Finals,
their fifth road win of the playoffs. It's tied for
most in the league. This has been some kind of
(02:23):
game tonight and Dallas closes it out with a victory
and they take home court away.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
From the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Unbelievable down the stretch right two guys over ninety percent
from the foul line. Irving makes both of his come
to the other end. Conley was a ninety one percent
free throw shooter for the year, Jason and misses that
second one to take away that opportunity for the tap
(02:51):
in or whatever it was gonna be. It was gonna
take a bit of a miracle regardless, but you know,
taking taking that last gasp away. So huge win for Dallas.
Kyrie Irving a huge first half scoring, was quieted in
the second, but again hits the big free throws when
it matters.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Now here's gonna be the big controversy, because we do
have big.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Controversies surrounding this game.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
It was a one o four, one oh two lead
for Minnesota when Mike Conley missed a bad three and
Karl Anthony Towns, who was on an absolute heater in
the fourth quarter, you're gonna look at his numbers.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
And go, yeah, yeah, okay, no, he was the guy.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
In the fourth quarter. He was doing everything tonight. It's
a one o four, one o two game. And after
the miss, Carl Anthony Towns comes streaming in for a
putback dunk that's ties the game at one oh four,
the minute left to go. However, they went to look
at it right away. You saw the Mavericks signaling, look,
(03:51):
that was basket interference. He touched the cylinder, and the
best angle that we have of it, which unfortunately is
only the straight up above the rim. Boy, it certainly
looks like the ball never really leaves the cylinder. It's
hard because in the beginning it kind of looks like
when it first goes up, you're like, oh, wait a minute,
wait a minute. Then you see it come straight back down.
It's oh no, no, And when he catches the ball,
(04:13):
it's in the cylinder. It's bad that there's only that
one angle to have because there's no other angle. You're
gonna see it and say, okay, I can tell just
because it's a ball that goes straight up in the air.
You can't even really tell on the side angles or anything. Else,
and it was a very quick review. Review said, Okay, nope,
this is an offensive goaltend. The bucket was taken away,
so instead of a one four to one oh four tie,
(04:35):
it's a two point lead. Luca makes a step back
jumper from fifteen feet out and the Mavericks have a
four point lead. They never really relinquish over the course
of the rest of the game. So I want to
look at this and say, wow, is this but really,
I mean seeing it from the angle, yeah, when he
touched it was sort of in the cylinder. Did it
look like it could have left and come back? I mean,
(04:55):
I mean we're getting to that point, but you see
the same angle I saw. By the time he touches
it back down, it definitely looks like it's too much
in the cylinder to not make that call if it
was if it was nebulous, like if I could say, boy,
they could go either way with that, because I could
see this, I could see this, But no, I would
say seventy percent of me says, yeah, this ball is
(05:16):
in the cylinder. He touches it when when he shouldn't,
and it's a dunk, and they did the right thing
in the game.
Speaker 6 (05:21):
But Jason, you can see the rim on the other
side of the basketball.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Right, But that's the reason you see the rim.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
If you see the rim.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
No, no, no, because the ball is coming straight up, so
it's going to clear the rim. Because when the ball,
because it looks like it's like an optical illusion almost
where the ball looks like it's going it's going out.
But if the ball clears the rim from the overhead
angle because it's coming straight up, because it's coming straight up,
it's eventually going to clear the rim and then it
comes back down. And I think, no matter what you
look at when he catches the ball, he catches the ball,
(05:50):
it's in the cylinder.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
It looks like he just pushed it straight back down. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
I mean, it's the unfortunately very quick review. You don't
have any auxiliary angles to try to save it. And
we've seen so many replays through the playoffs, guys, you
know where I clear he shouldn't have touched this, or
clear that wasn't a defensive goal to ending or any
of those.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
This one seemed pretty straightforward.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
And yeah, Kat with the demonstrative response, which they I
think showed about fourteen times in the final minute forty
one plus the sign off before the next block of commercials.
So yeah, huge play, but one that because you saw
the defenders immediately right one, it was a way to
(06:34):
cover their asses because they didn't bother to fill the
lane to keep Cat from a very easy walk up
from put back. Unfortunately for Cat that there was a
reason because it was going to go back down, or at.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Least it appeared to be.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
You can see no matter what, I don't think the
ball would have gone in, Like it wasn't going to
be a three that hits the front of the back
room up and goes back in. But it definitely is
going to come down and it's going to hit the rim.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
I don't know, and I thought it was gonna be
one of those Jalen bronsons that we saw in a
prior round that went about eighteen feet in the air
and then went straight down through.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
No, I feel pretty confident seeing that if the ball
comes down, the outside of the ball is going to
hit the rim, meaning the majority of the ball is
going to be.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Inside of the cylinder.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
So I really I know it's a big deal, but
that's the only angle we haven't From that angle, yeah,
I can see where Okay, it's kind of straight up,
kind of straight down. I get it. An it looks
like an optical illusion when you see the ball come
up and it looks like it leaves the cylinder because
you can see space between the front of the rim
and the ball. And if you've seen this, you know
exactly what I'm talking about. You saw the replay. But
(07:43):
this ball doesn't go out and come back right. There's
no english on any ball that's going to force the
ball to.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Go out and in the air come back and lets
you have a string on it.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And maybe Arian Foster has that on his you know,
on his script, but this is the ball that goes
straight up and comes down.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
It just gives you that optical illusion that it's gone.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
But again, when I saw this, I can understand them
making that call.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, because.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
But it looks like.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Did Jason I slowed it down and then still did
it and took a picture. I send it to you.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, I get where you're taking. It looks like it's
pat because it's just coming up really high. So it's
going to pass the rim because it's.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Gotten up really high.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
But it's not.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
He's not moving anywhere. It's going straight up.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
And I think it really comes down to this, where
the hell is the technology that they used for the
off side calls in.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
The English Premier League.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
That's what we need to be able to overlay this
to know they can't have it on a chip in
the ball or a chip in the rim for the
gu beat.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
That was that was a cylinder violation. Cylinder violation, cylinder violation.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
We're finally this week starting to talk about potentially getting
rid of the chain gang as the the first line
of defense to marking first downs. So I mean we're
just now getting there. You're not getting a chip in
the ball yet.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
The magnets in the ball would would mess it up.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
The ball was in the cylinder, The ball was in
the cylinder.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You just it just the whole arena starts beeping, A
big red light goes up.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
You touched the cylinder, Oh man, I can't believe it.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Yeah, but then you'd be fearful that the ball was
then gonna explode like you Segal Movies or Jean Claude
van Dam. I mean, what's happening here?
Speaker 4 (09:23):
You know?
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And the crazy part of this is that how many
alley oops did did the Wolves?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
And again they threw one too many.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Horrible decision by Mike Conley Junior right before that, uh
to try to throw or right after that to throw
an alleyu pass when there's five guys in the in
the lane. They they were they were rolling on the
alley oop so much in the fourth quarter in Towns
and go bare We're throwing them to each other. And then, uh,
you know you had this play which is almost like
an alleup because it comes right off the rim for
(09:50):
a dunk, and then you have an alley oop that
that Conley tries to throw up. And it was a
horrible decision to put up the alleyute because again, five guys.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
In the in the in the in the paint, and
that's not gonna go.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
It's a big turnover, and that contributed to the Mavericks
beating the Timberwolves as well.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Big fourth quarter Luca Doncis, though you know we talked
about Kyrie, talk about these other plays. Obviously a big
night from McDaniels for the Timberwolves. Edwards finishes with nineteen
Karl Anthony Towns. Really seemed like he scored more than sixteen,
didn't it in terms of what he meant read off
the bench had a couple of big plays later, right,
(10:29):
sixth man of the Year. But Luca in the fourth
quarter was fantastic thirty three points, eight assists and a
couple that I'm sure he's gonna go and film review
and say, look, man, I hit you with that great
bounce pass. You got to finish that stuff. Come on,
we had, we had breathing room if you guys can catch.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
But look, but let me let me say this again,
this call, I will wait and see what people say
about it at too many review.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Let's go human review. I get it. Where's the pool
reporter at again?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
I always say with the knicks, with the sixers pit,
whatever it is. If I'm the Timberwolves and I want
to look at how I lost this game, there are
so many other things I can say besides oh, had
we gotten that dunk putback, we would have won. You
still had the ball with a chance to tie the
game the next possession because that Dallas turned it over,
still a chance. Dallas turned it over, and that's when
(11:22):
by Conley Junior threw that ridiculously awful alley you that
had no chance that got picked off on me. What
are you doing doing?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Man?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
And again, a lot of my Conley junior with the
ball at the end of the game, and I wonder
if that's going to change the next game, because boy,
we'll get to Anthony Edwards who did not have a
good game. But there's so many things I can say, Hey,
you could have done this, You could have done this,
this happened, you could have made plays at the end. Hey,
you know Luca or Kyrie is going to take the
final couple of shots here. So how many times have
(11:52):
you seen Luca with a with a with a step
back three from fifteen feet away that dead winds up
winning a game. I mean, so there's there's many things
I can tell you that. Hey, if I'm the Timberwolves,
that's what I focus on. I'm not looking at this
call is going to lose us the game. I think
you should just say it's all on me. Go to
the Rick Carlisle, tell on me, tell my fault.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
It's all my fault.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Uh So again, this this this is gonna be a
big deal.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
This storry.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
We'll talk to Mark Stein coming up next out what
he thinks about the in the cylinder call and the
final minute of the game here between the Mavericks and
the Timberwolves. But again, if you are the Timberwolves, you
look at this game and go wow. Our defense was
terrible in the first half. We had chances at the end.
Officiating did not cost us this game eight seven, seven
ninety nine on Fox eight seven seven nine nine, six
(12:39):
six three six nine The Jason Smith Show with My
best friend Mike Harmon. So yes, Mark Stein on the way. Next,
are the Wolves in trouble? Are the Celtics in trouble?
Keep it right here, Jason and Mike Fox. Fifty six
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Speaker 2 (13:21):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
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Pali Fusco here with Tony Fusco. You know, as the
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We get tons and tons of fanmail every day, piles
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Speaker 7 (13:41):
In fact, Tony, why don't you open up one of
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to this, Dear Paulian Toni, your sports takes the dumbest
and most terribly.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
That Wait, why open this other one?
Speaker 7 (13:52):
Dear Pauli in Toni, you suck more than anyone. Wait,
try this one, Dear Pauli in Toni, you guys are
the absolute best. There you go coming up with the
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Speaker 1 (14:05):
Get Just listen to and Toni Fusco Show on the
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Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yee Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
The Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon
live from the tire Rack dot Com Studios were an
absolute stunner.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
In Game one, Kyrie Irving taking my take.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
From last night. Personally, Hey, I think Kyrie. I think
Kyrie's hit the wall. He's not looked good that last series.
He did not look good this is too much basketball.
He hasn't played this much basketball in five years. And
then Kyrie Irving goes and leads the Mavericks by the
t Wolves one eight, one five. He has thirty. Meanwhile,
Luka Doncic catches fire in the fourth quarter to finish
(14:47):
with thirty three. So the back court of the Mavericks
enough to beat the team defense of the Minnesota Timberwolves,
and boy t Wolves have a lot to get back
to for Game two if they're to win this series,
because clearly, watching tonight, this was not the same Timberwolves
defense that we saw. And I gotta say on and
(15:07):
off at this point, right, I gotta say on and
off because you'd think after the first two games against
the Nuggets, Okay, we're going home, we're gonna be able
to do this. They couldn't, And then they did it
again late in the series and tonight I just I
just didn't see that from them. I thought it was
I thought it was too easy for Kyrie and Luca.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
You know, it was too well you want to stat
that's gonna wow, you.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
No give me one.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Gimme Mavericks points in the paint sixty two to thirty eight.
Who how about that twenty one of twenty seven in
the restricted area shooting seventy seven point eight percent against
the trees.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
Mike, you know why that is? Why is that because
Kat lives at the three point line?
Speaker 4 (15:47):
This is true.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Yeah, but look, come on, it's not like it's come on,
it's not like the Timberwolves have like the you know,
the defensive player of the year on the team.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Oh wait, oh wait.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
A minute, wait to hang on, hang on, the they do,
actually I spoke to but in the first half they
put up that stat and I wrote it off off
in the corner of my sheet, and I'm like, all right,
let's go see if we get the updated final stats.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
There you go, sixty two thirty eight points in the paint.
Just unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I mean that that is you know, watching this game,
I thought, Okay, the Timberwolves are gonna settle in, right,
They're gonna settle in, and this great start by Dallas
is gonna petter around right.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
We came on there.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
I said, Look, it's it's middle of third quarter right now,
the game is tied, but I expect Minnesota's defense is
gonna wind up throwing the hammer down by the time
we get to the midway.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Point of the fourth quarter and instead it never happened.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
You know, buckets were tough to come by in the
final four or five minutes, but the Harvey was oh
for six in the seventh quarter.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Yeah, Wolves are off, But.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
You know, really, you know, the one thing you think
is that, hey, defense travels right. Def every game, defense right,
no matter what, you canna have a bad game offensively,
but defense, you're gonna wind up having a great consistent effort.
And I don't know, I just I just didn't feel
like we saw it from Minnesota tonight, and it was
like it was kind of on and off during the
the Nuggets series, because how do you have two games
(17:10):
like that on the road in Denver and go home
and get pasted like that where it doesn't even you
don't even look like the same team, Like what is that?
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Like?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
I don't think Denver adjusted. It was yo kitchen Murray.
I mean, what's not like suddenly guys are showing up.
We didn't know they had Alex English was gonna come play.
I mean, come on, it's you know, I don't know
that that two thousand and eight Melow was gonna show
up again. So it really, you know, it's it's kind
of shocking to say that, but I feel like the
defense of the Timberwolves is is kind of a ratic
(17:40):
where it's it's just not always there, and you see
some games where it's everywhere and the other team did
they struggle to even get the ball across half court
and never mind get the ball into the paint. And
then nights like tonight where it's boy Lucas slidestep in
his way, they have one player on him, they're not
they're not very active across the floor.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
And that was another thing, like.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
They weren't really active and it shocks me that, but
that's kind of I think the most apropros way to
say is that defensively, they were really inconsistent tonight, and
that's been kind of a thing that's happened to them
in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Maverick shooting nearly fifty percent for the game, just six
of twenty five from three point range. On the other side,
and this is where you know, we talk points and
points in the paint. Sixty two to thirty eight advantage. Dallas,
Minnesota shoots forty two percent from the game, thirty eight
makes overall eighteen of those eighteen of those from three
(18:31):
point range, they made three times as many three point
shots as the Mavericks did. They got out rebounded by
eight and they were still in this game, right, and
they still three times as many three point makes and
they lose. I mean, Dallas can't possibly shoot as poorly
(18:52):
from the outside. Now, I would expect some evening out
in that points in the paint category, again owing to
the size and perspective. But I mean, Anthony Edwards had
six makes on the night, Jason. Five of them were
three point shots. Yeah, nothing inside, only got to the
line once two for two.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
I mean, look now, and that's the other part of this, right,
you have the defensive part for the Timberwrels. And then
let's get into Anthony Edwards here for a couple of minutes, okay,
because we talked about this off the top of the show.
It is what man, Hey, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Afraid to talk about it while the game is going on,
and people like to say, oh, you spoke too soon.
I don't give a crap. The show is going on.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You see so much of the media really trying to
make Anthony Edwards happen as the next face of the league,
not not not a next great superstar, but Michael Jordan
the facelift. I mean, all of a sudden, he's He's
had a breakthrough year and he's Jordan who went six
for six and NBA Finals and is going down as
as one of the number one or number two greatest
(19:51):
player of all time depending on on where you are,
and that in that debate, and all of a sudden,
he's this. Anthony Edwards has had some stinkers in the playoff.
He had a stinker in Game seven, but the t
Wolves defensive effort was there, and all I saw coverage
after was, oh, you know he despite a part shooting
at but he was great defensively. You know, now the
whole team was playing great. One guy can't just play
(20:12):
great defensively and you win. The other players picked him up.
But no matter what kind of game, Anthony Edwards has
all the guys Jordan, the guys.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Quit trying to make him happen. Everybody's trying.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
He's being Mac Jones like this is I feel like
the same thing is going on, except Edwards is a
better player than Mac Jones is. But it's okay, Hey
Brady retired, What what are we gonna do. I'll look
at Mac Jones right training camp. He's doing things that
Brady didn't do as a rookie, like like like like
what carry other somebody else's shoulder pads? Because they don't
hate like that anymore? Like what is he doing that
(20:44):
Brady didn't do something? We want him to be Tom
Brady so bad. Fans and media want him to be
a Tom Brady so bad, so bad. And now we
get the same thing with Anthony Edwards. They want him
to be Jordan so bad. I'm like, I'm sorry when
he has a stinker, you gotta say it. He had
a stinker in games and tonight here were large swaths
of the game where he was invisible the end of
(21:05):
the game. Where was he at the end the end
of the game was Karl Anthony Towns trying to make
it's Mike Conley throwing up all kinds of crazy shots
to me. Come on, Mike Conley is thirty seven. He's
a nice thirty seven man. I mean, really, this is
where you're at if you're in Minnesota. So let's just
be fair.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
We talk about Anthony Edwards. Hey, the guy's a terrific player.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
He's phenomenal, But wow, I really keep trying to make
him happen, and when he.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Has a bad game, you gotta call it out for it.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Jason Smith Mike Harbon live Fromthetirack dot Com Studios phone
number eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. We continue
this debate right now. Nobody'd better help us break it down.
Longtime NBA insider, you can fall him on Twitter at
the Steinline, friend of the show. Check him out on
substack as well, Mark Stein Mark, what's happening man?
Speaker 8 (21:47):
How are you guys? I'm good, I'm good, Hey, Mart.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
I mean, this is an absolute thriller tonight.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
But we'll get to the goaltend call in a second,
but let's bring you in here on the Anthony Edwards
conversation tonight.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
What did you make of his game tonight?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
I really was surprised in the fourth quarter how what
little presence he had, especially in crunch time when they
need hoops.
Speaker 8 (22:09):
Well, I think the defensive work he had to do
tonight took it out of him to some degree. I
think you're being a little too hard on him. I'm
with you on the next georgy stuff. I think it's
gone too far with that, and I think even Anthony
Edwards has said it's gone too far with that. But
you know, tonight he was taxed on the defensive end
(22:30):
to a much higher degree than he was in the
Denver series. I mean, this was Apex, Luka, Doncic, and
Kyrie Irving together. Kyrie Irving in the first half was majestic,
and then what Luca did in the fourth quarter. I mean,
when those guys rumble for more than sixty points, you know,
the Mavericks are really tough to beat with the defense
(22:53):
they've built now. And that's really the thing. I know,
you want to talk about. Edwards and Minnesota was at home,
and you know they're the new favorites at least in
the West when you go to Denver and you win
three times. But I just I can't get over the
defense that the Dallas Mavericks now play. I've been around
(23:14):
this franchise for more than twenty five years. I've covered
them in more than two hundred playoff games, and look,
they've had some sensational teams. I mean, they were an
automatic fifty win for years in the Navitki era, and
the twenty eleven team that won it all was a
(23:35):
very good defensive team. You had Sean Marion who could
guard every position on the floor.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
You have Deshaun.
Speaker 8 (23:40):
Stevenson coming off the bench as a wing defender, and
most of all, you had Tyson Chandler, who snapped next
to Naviki better than any center who ever played with him.
But in the Navidki era, that team was still always
known for its offense and always known for what Dirt
could do. What a difficult matchup he was. This Mavericks team,
(24:02):
even with this dynamic duo, you know, they have just
reached you know, Minnesota, it's still the best defensive team
in the league, but the Mavericks are an elite defensive team,
and you can't win a game like this unless you
are an elite defensive team.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
Well, that was the impressive that we were talking about
a little bit before.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Mark.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
You know, the stat that stood out all game long,
just the domination and the points in the paint and
Dallas is interior defense showing up big.
Speaker 8 (24:32):
Yeah. Look, Jokic's dealing with Jokic is something that you know,
that's that puts pressure on a defense like nothing else
in the NBA, and Minnesota just cope with it fantastically well.
To win that series. But Denver is not a team
(24:52):
that's teaming with deterrents at the rim, and the Mavericks are.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
And you know they, like.
Speaker 8 (24:59):
I said, they have so swiftly become a good defensive team.
Because look, another thing history tells us, mid season trades
don't typically lead to title. We had Clyde Drexler going
to Houston in ninety five, but the Rockets were the
defending champions when they got Clyde Drexler. In two thousand
(25:21):
and four, you had the Pistons acquiring Rashid Wallace and
they want it all. And then twenty nineteen you had
the Raptors getting Mark Gasol from Memphis on you know,
they got him at the deadline and then went on
to win the championship. But it's not often that a
deadline deal changes a team so dramatically, and the Mavericks
the changes they made in February, and it is just
(25:42):
a completely different look that they give you, And like
I said, it's a completely different look from what we've
seen from this team for years and years and years.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Mark Stein with us here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
All Right, so from the defensive offensive, I'll tell you
what surprised me the most about this game is how
Kyrie Irving led them until Luca takes over in the fourth,
because Kyrie didn't have a great last round and I'm wondering, hey,
maybe he's hitting the wall a little bit. It's the
most basketball he's played in four or five years, and
I'm worried that he might be a little bit easier
(26:20):
to control in this series, especially with the fact Minnesota
being as great as they are defensively, and all of
a sudden, like he took that personally and suddenly he's
out of the gate and saying, get on my back,
and that really surprised me.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
I did not see that from Kyrie coming tonight.
Speaker 8 (26:33):
Well, I would say he didn't have a good series
or a standout series against Oklahoma City offensively, but the
defense that he's consistently played in these playoffs, I personally
have never seen him give more at the defensive end
than we've seen in this postseason run. But yes, throughout
the playoffs, Kyrie Irving has been a second half player,
(26:56):
and especially in the Clippers series. Multiple times was very
quiet early and then went off in the second half
and a lot of times became the closer that Luka
Doncic so relished because Luca carries such a big load
every single night for this team. So to be able
to have another closer he can hand the ball to
(27:19):
and turn to, it's a tremendous luxury that Luca has
enjoyed all season long. But tonight, Yes, Look, this is
a sixth playoff series that the Mavericks have had under
Jason Kidd as their coach. They were zero and five
in Game one. They've won four of those five series,
but they had never won a Game one. To see
Kyrie Irving come out tonight after the Oklahoma City offensive
(27:42):
struggles you reference and score twenty four in the first half.
That gave the Mavericks a huge foothold, and they needed
it because Dallas did not have the three ball going
at all tonight. So to get this win without making
what were they six for twenty five is from three
I'm not looking at a statue. They were parable from
the three point line. So to find a way to
(28:04):
win under those circumstances, I mean, this was the blueprint
of what this duo is at its best. I mean
they I mean you saw with the hug that those
guys shared when they finished off Oklahoma City, and I'll
put my hands up and say I was right there
at the front of the line with skeptics all over
the NBA map about what this duo could do. And
(28:28):
last season they didn't know. They by no means came
close to clicking. They were only five and eleven when
those two were in uniform together. But it's just a year.
Two has been a completely different tory. And what's so
remarkable about it. Everybody in Dallas here where I live,
thought it's going to be great. These guys are going
to get a training camp this time. They played less
(28:49):
than seven minutes together in the preseason because both got hurt.
They didn't have a training camp this season either. But
they have become a duo that just knows how to
play off each other. And tonight you saw them. I
mean that was the peak script.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
Mark was it goaltending on cat?
Speaker 8 (29:09):
I only got two looks at it. I mean they
called it so quickly that I thought they got it right.
But look, I you know, it seems like when we
get those kind of plays that we typically get six seven,
eight looks at it afterwards. To sure be a lot
smarter than the referee. You who have to call it
in real time, but they so quickly wave the basket
(29:29):
off that, you know, I think they got it right.
But like I said, I've only seen it twice, all right, Mark,
what do you guys think?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
You know, it's weird because the one angle from overhead,
it's almost like an optical illusion because you could see
the ball kind of clear the front of the rim,
but it comes up and right back down and clearly
when when Towns grabs it, it's the vast majority of
the ball is in the cylinder.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
I completely get them making that call, you know. I
get that. We want to say, oh, maybe not, how
do you make in that situation?
Speaker 1 (29:58):
But that's something you go back and look at final
two minutes and I see it it kind of goes straight.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Up and straight down. I get them making the call.
Speaker 8 (30:06):
I think they did the right thing because just by
calling if they invoked the replay. So I just you know, again,
on two looks at it, I tend to think they
got that one right.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
He's on Twitter at the steinline.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
That is at the Steinline, NBA insider Mark Stein joining
us throughout the NBA playoffs. Mark has always appreciate your
time appreciate your inside.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
We will talk to you soon.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Have fun, enjoy the night, gounds, good guys, Thanks, Mark,
tick Care, Aaron, great stuff there from Well, look asking us,
so we thought about that about it?
Speaker 4 (30:34):
You know? Actually yeah, the only other question that remains.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
You got a team that shot seventeen more three pointers
tonight than they averaged in the regular season in what
was a one or two possession game virtually all night.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
That's all.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
It's a it's a weird game one to say, how
do you feel going into Game two? The Jason Smith
Show with my best friend Mike Harmon coming up next. Yes,
we'll have more on Anthony Edwards and more on what
to expect game two from Luca and Kyrie and the
t Wolves. As the shocker in Game one goes to
the Mavericks keeper right here, Jason and Mike Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with My best
friend Mike Harmon. We got a big NFL story come
on your way in about ten minutes.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
But what to look forward to now? In Game two?
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Following the Mavericks win tonight over the Minnesota Timberwolves, a
game which saw Kyrie Irving own the first three quarters
and then Luka dontc own the fourth quarter as a
Timberwolves blow home court, Mavericks take game one.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
And this was a game.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
That we saw great heroics by the Mavericks on offense,
especially in the fourth quarter from Luca in those step
back threes. They went at one eight, one oh five.
But I will tell you this, I have to think
for next game. If I'm looking into the next game Minnesota,
it is gonna it is gonna be a thirty six
hour tongue lashing about playing smarter on defense, about about
(32:11):
being able to make sure that Kyrie and Luca aren't
running all over the floor, because that's really what it was.
You know, Kyrie was the guy for the first three quarters.
He was not good in the fourth, didn't matter, didn't
need him because Luca was making everything still being single guarded. Still, Hey,
we're gonna allow Luca to get in the lane, take
that big step back fifteen foot or he makes it,
They're gonna have some kind of change right there. And
(32:33):
also this has to be where if Anthony Edwards really
is next he comes up with a big game, because
you know, I'm already looking forward to Mike seeing tomorrow.
How how all the talking heads on TV in the
radio try to spin it that somehow Anthony Edwards still
had a good game, because no matter what kind of
game he has, because everybody keeps trying to make him
happen as the next great star in the NBA, he's
(32:55):
Michael Jordan. No, even Michael Jordan did off nights. Maybe
that's what they'll say tomorrow. But he was terrible tonight.
He ran his mouth saying I'm excited to guard Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irvings said after the game, I use that as motivation.
What happened offensively, he was invisible. He was invisible in
the fourth quarter of this game. He did not have
a big game. He was not someone that defected the scoreboard.
(33:16):
When it came down to the end, it was Karl
Anthony Towns making shots and too much Mike Conley with
the basketball. Edwards is six out of sixteen for nineteen points.
Looks like he had a good game, all eleven rebounds,
eight assists. He was invisible. This is a guy you
need to score thirty points a game. If he's that good,
he'll do it. But people keep trying to make him happen,
and you gotta own it. This was a bad game
(33:37):
for Anthony Edwards and it's time to just realize that
if he is great, he will step up and do it.
No amount of saying, oh, but look the guy so
but we need to be Jordan's so bad we need
another face in the league. Really, it's completely out of
control and it's not accurate. I'm waiting to see how
this game has spun tomorrow because suddenly Anthony Edwards with
a bad game.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
I don't know. I don't know how people are gonna say,
we almost had a bubble. What do you want from
the guy? I don't know what they're gonna say, but
it's gonna be something like that.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Part of it is take the ball to the rack.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
I mean, you only had four shots that were not
three point shots in this game. I mean, and that's
the the overarching thing from the offensive side for me.
I mentioned it as as we went to Monsei for
the update. You shot forty nine three point shots. You're
a team that averaged thirty two a game, thirty two
(34:27):
a game.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Man he had what he was.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
Two of nine, Conley one of six. McDaniels was on
fire in the first half. He finished six to nine
from three. But you shot almost thirty three per game.
We'll round up to be nice. You shot another sixteen
in a two possession game. It's like you've got these
guys with great size, a guy like Edwards where all
you've seen is highlight reel stuff of him going to
(34:54):
the rim.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
He took four shots that were not three point shots.
Speaker 5 (34:58):
As a team, you took and look, they made eighteen, right,
they shot thirty seven percent from three point range. That's
all finally good, three times as many as Dallas. But
part of your game is working the interior, using the
height advantage and the aggressiveness that you've displayed all year
to go and dominate the boards, and you got out
rebounded by the Mavericks.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
He needs.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
There is nobody who needs a bigger Game two more
than he does. And if they're gonna win game two,
this needs to be a game where he explodes and
goes for forty and he gets to the rack.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
And he leads the team.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Look again, like you said, you can't have twelve or
sixteen shots be three pointers, but he only took.
Speaker 5 (35:41):
Four shots in the fourth quarter. He was a four
and they were all at or around the arc.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, I mean he was.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
He was Like I said, he was invisible when they
needed him the most at the end of the game.
It's too much Mike Conley with the ball. Too much
Mike Conley trying to make a play him, Like, dude,
come on, this is He's not Brunson, He's not Halliburton.
This is not like we have a great point guard
too that if hey, if Luke is not making the shot,
then Kyrie's gonna You're talking Mike Colley Junior, whose job
is gonna be is to get the ball to someone.
So it's not him trying to make all these plays.
(36:09):
I mean, I get that he's an important player, but
come on, man, you have you have three four other
players offensively who are better than gun that gotta get
in the swing of this.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
And this is like, this is your wake up call
for Game two.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
I really do expect a big game from them, but
they absolutely have to have it, especially Edwards.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
I gotta see a different team in game.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Two attack the rim.
Speaker 5 (36:28):
I mean, you can't lose and be outscored by twenty
four in the post, Hey, it's just it's unconscionable for
the way you've constructed your.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Squad exit out about a Fresca exit Swallen do on
the Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Carmon.
That's what's edd for game two. If he's the face
of the league, he comes through. But again, like Gretchen Wiiers,
everybody keeps trying to make him happen. You don't have
the word unconscionable. Coming up next, got a big story
out of the NFL. This is Fetch Fox, Fetch