March 10, 2023 • 18 mins
Sarah talks with NBA.com senior writer Shaun Powell about how the latest injury to Kevin Durant will impact the Suns title hopes, the Grizzlies spicy victory over the Warriors, why the Kings keep rising despite the doubters, and the Knicks playoff positioning.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome into NBA Pulsar production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.
I'm sarahcu Stock, NBA analysts for the S Network, and
today is Friday, March tenth, and from our terrific core
group of NBA journalists were joined by NBA dot Com
senior writer Sean Pyle. And Sean a lot to get
into as we head into the weekend here, but we
had a fun night of games and the association last night.
(00:23):
The Warriors the grizz Sacramento continues lighting the beam as
they beat the New York Knicks. But we'll get to
those games in just a second. I want to start
with Kevin Durant and the latest with the Phoenix Suns,
who currently still sit in fourth place in the Western Conference,
three games ahead of fifth place Los Angeles Clippers. But
unfortunate Kevin Durant just comes back from that knee injury.
(00:44):
They're trying to acclimate themselves, get together with this new
group with their title aspirations, and on Wednesday during pregame
warm ups, he slipped sprayed his ankle. The latest reports
we have is that Durant is expected to be reevalued.
He waited in two weeks with that sprain and based
on the rehab process, so they'll figure out when he
(01:05):
will actually be able to make his way back onto
the court. Sean, your take on this, we only have
about a month left of the season here, You're taking
on the affected impact that this injury with Kevin Durant
has on the goals or the big picture goals of
this Phoenix Suns team. Well, my first thought was, I
(01:26):
hope this is not an omen of things that come,
you know. I mean, the guy really hasn't gotten any
kind of tracks with Phoenix and he has a freak injury.
That's the first thing I thought. The second thing I
thought is what is what's what Kevin Durant stepping on
things and things happening negatively. Last time he stepped on something,
he stepped on the three point line against the Milwaukee Bucks,
(01:48):
And basically, Sean, you're hitting you're hitting a nerve. I know,
I know, and you know it's funny because that was
really kind of like the that was going to be
the high point of the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving
and James hard and everything, because you know, Booklyn's going
to the finals, right, But that happened, So look, I mean,
(02:09):
it's not serious, serious as in, you know, season threatening,
playoff threatening, all that. All those things are still kind
of in play. He could come back before the regular
season's over, get a couple reps, and be ready to
go for the playoffs. And the other thing is that
(02:30):
the good news for the Phoenix Suns is Devin Booker
is scalding scalding. You know, he played well with k
D and then in the game where KAD slipped and fell, uh,
he had thirty points at halftime. So that's the good news.
But look, they really wanted k D during the stretch
(02:51):
the next three games against the Kings, the Warriors, and
the Bucks, and that really would have showed us a
lot about you know, the sign with KD, Booker, Chris Paul,
DeAndre Ayton going up against those three very good teams.
So we're gonna miss out on all that, but we
still have our suspicions about a healthy KD and the Suns.
(03:12):
We saw glimpses of it. He went in and you
can really plug him into any system and he's going
to help that team. And we saw how that tag
team went between him and Devin Booker. Devin Booker average
like thirty five points a game with Kady in the lineup,
and it just showed us, Sarah, that Kady can play
next to any superstar. He did it in Oklahoma City,
(03:34):
Russell Westbrook did it with the Warriors, and Stephan Curry
did it in Brooklyn with James Hart and Kyrie Irving.
This guy, you know, there's not going to be any stress,
there's not going to be any conflict. He's just gonna
go and he's a high percentagehooter, so he doesn't need
to come in and take thirty shots. He's gonna come
in and he's just gonna be seamless. So from that standpoint,
(03:54):
if I'm the Phoenix Suns, I can basically exhale knowing
that Kevin Durant eventually is going to come back this
season and you can keep those championship aspirations. And the
other thing is that this guy doesn't need a transition.
You know, he can miss half the season, you know,
come into Phoenix right around the All Star break, Bam,
he's there. The Sons are winning, and I think this
(04:15):
team is going to be okay, and of course we
hope Kadi's gonna be okay too. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Well,
it's fun to watch here in the Western Conference just
how close everything has been. But let's take a look
at some of these other teams that are in that
top six. We had oh spicy matchup last night Sean
between the Golden State Warriors Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies come
(04:37):
away with a win after dropping three straight one one,
one ten against the Warriors. Joy Tias Jones had twenty
two points, Desmond Bane twenty one points, Jaren Jackson Junior
twenty one points, Jackson j Third three. There was some
(04:58):
exchanges started with a podcast and some words verbal whatnot
between Draymond Green Dylan Brooks. But that aside the uncertainty
of when John Morant may we return to this team.
What's your take on the Memphis Grizzlies where they're at Sacramento,
which again we will get to them now sitting tied
(05:20):
with the Grizzlies for that second place in the Western Conference.
What can Taylor Jenkins look forward to with this group,
with where they're at in the trajectory of some of
these unknowns and uncertainties of what things look like for
them through the close of this season. Well, you know,
we always here right around this time that you know,
this team right here, and nobody wants to face them
(05:41):
in the playoffs. Well, with the Grizzlies, this is a
team that everybody wants to face in the playoffs, you know,
particularly in the first round. If you're looking at the
standings now and looking at the teams that could potentially
see the Memphis Grizzlies, teams like Phoenix at Golden State,
the Clippers, they're like, hey, great, let's get Memphis. We'd
rather have Memphis than playing each other in the first round.
(06:04):
And obviously that is because for a couple of reasons,
you know, John Moran's got to get back in and play,
you know, played well and all that. But they feel
that the Memphis Grizzlies are somewhat wounded. But the one
thing about the Grizzlies is throughout all this even last
year when John Morette missed games, this team played well.
(06:26):
This team played well. Jones is one of the better
backup point guards in the NBA. He you know, knows
his teammates, knows how to get them the ball, can
score a little bit obviously, is they're a drop off
between you know, the point guards of course, but again
he's very good, and he showed last year when Johan
Morett missed some games that Memphis kept rolling. Obviously this
(06:49):
is a different situation. But I think what you saw
last night is a Memphis Grizzlies team that is really
tough minded. Not like the you know, the grit and
grind you know with Conley and Gasol and Zebo at
not that level. But they have to be somewhat tough
minded given what they're going through. And you know, Dylan
(07:13):
Brooks is say what you will about him, He's not
one of the top players in the NBA or whatever,
but the Grizzlies kind of like the spirit that he brings.
Joan Brooks as long as he doesn't go with a line, right,
that's what you don't want. You don't want him collecting
technical files. He don't want him disrupting the flow or
(07:35):
anything like that. I thought he probably exercised some pretty
good restraint going up against Draymond Green. Of course, you
know that game, Draybond was one more technical away from
a one game suspension, so he was going to be
on his best behavior too. So the bottom line is
the Grizzlies do have they have a challenge they've got
to do two things. Number one, they've got to continue
(07:58):
playing well, uh in the sins of John Morant, or
at least play respectable basketball. I don't know how much
how well they're going to be able to play. And
then number two, they've got to get back the respect
of the NBA and still be somewhat feared as a
playoff of first round playoff opponent. Those are the two
twin challenges facing the Grizzlies right now. What about the
(08:21):
challenges facing the Golden State Warriors team that they're still
sitting in six but tied with Minnesota and Dallas. They
hid won five games, five straight games at home, and
get Steph Curry back, so you think, okay, here's an
opportunity for things to turn a little bit. They go
to the Los Angeles Lakers and lose, They go to
(08:41):
Oklahoma City and lose, and then of course losing last
night to Memphis. Everyone's healthy and played. What's your concern
level right now, if at all, for the Golden State
Warriors and how they've been playing as a plate. You know,
it's very where, Sarah, that you can look at a
title contender. Let's let's say the Warriors still fit that
(09:02):
definition definition of a title contender, and these guys have
one more road to win than the Houston Rockets. I
mean that's just where really where the other thing is
they don't play defense all that Well, you saw, you know,
against Memphis, Memphis had what you know, forty four forty
six points the first quarter. Loan that It just we've
seen droughts like that from the Warriors all year. And yeah,
(09:27):
there are circumstances. Andrew Wiggins not the lineup, He's one
of their better defenders. Gary Payton also not in a
line of yet he was one of their better defenders
last year. So yeah, there are some reasons for that,
but you still have Draymond Green and maybe Clay Also
the other thing, Clay Thompson might not yet be the
defender he was before his injuries. So those are all
(09:51):
the factors. But still you would like to think that
a team defending champion with title aspirations can sort of
play more respectable. It hasn't happened. So again, the inability
went on the road, the inability to get stops is
really what's holding this team back. So those are the
challenges for the Warriors as we come down the home stretch.
(10:12):
Eventually they're going to get those two missing players back,
at least you think, and then there'll be more whole
going into the playoffs. But what they have to do
is they have to hold it together between now and then.
And if you look at the Western Conference standing Sarah,
I mean, it's so tightly packed from let's say fourth
place to like ninth place, and if you go on
a two or three game losing streak, that could have
(10:35):
some serious repercussions, you know, not only about you potentially
avoiding the play in situation, but also the first round matchup. See,
there's a lot going on here. I mean, if you
slip and fall and all of a sudden you got
a first round matchup against I don't know, the Clippers,
or first round matchup against the Phoenix Suns, I mean,
(10:57):
that's very, very difficult because both of the teams will
be healthy, you would think, and be just a much
more difficult matchup as if you went against, say, you know,
I don't know, the Dallas Mavericks or the Sacramento Kings
or the Mattheist Christmas. So all this will be very
interesting to see how that all unravels here in the
final three weeks of the regular season. Yeah, to your point,
(11:20):
Golden State just two games out of playoff playing positioning,
I should say eleventh place. I don't think they're going
to fall entirely out of things, but still it's it's
very tight in the West, but up at the top.
Sacramento continues lighting the beam. We're gonna take a break
and talk about them afterwards. Welcome back to NBA. Polt
(11:44):
Saracousta joined by Sean Pyle and Sean Boo. We had
a fun one last night Sacramento, New York Knicks. The
Kings end up winning this one, holding off a late
rally by the Knicks one twenty two, one seventeen and
this King's team, man, they are fun to watch one
and it just got some good vibes, good energy amongst
(12:04):
the group, break chemistry as Mike Brown has him rolling.
Demonus Sabonis had his ninth triple double of the season.
Daron Fox had fifteen of his twenty three points in
the fourth quarter. He also had seven assists, Daron Fox
for three. There's an answer, a sip. They currently sit
tied now with Memphis for that second seed. What do
(12:25):
you make of the Kings just looking at it. How
deep in the season, I think there was always questions
throughout the course of it, are they going to be
able to sustain this? Are they really for real? And
they just continue showing that they're the real deal and
a team that you've got to watch out for, especially
as we head in this final stretch of the season
and into the postseason. I would say that there's a
(12:48):
significant segment of the basketball community just sort of waiting
for when the King's downfall begins. That figuring that the
Kings are just keeping that seat warm for one of
the more traditional favorites in the West. Well, you know,
keep holding your breath. It may not happen. You know.
The Kings are seven and one since the All Star break.
(13:10):
Daron Fox after controls, he scores the last nine, He
splits it, Fox Hans and scores, Fox take it over.
So there hasn't been a slippage at all. They faced
a lot of challenges and beat those challenges, and so
I think slowly but surely they're becoming more, say significant
(13:35):
in the eyes of people who were suspicious about them.
I think we can safely say that Sabonus has just
been magnificent for them all season. Actually, ever since he
came from Indiana in the trade for a Tigres Haliburton,
Fox is leading the NBA and clutch scoring. He'll probably
win that the first annual Jerry West Award because he
(13:59):
is just so uh secure with the ball in those
minutes last five minutes of regulation over time when the
game is tight. Oh my goodness, Malik Monk, let me
tell you something, Malik Monk. Was it two or three
years years ago when he was in Charlotte The Hornets
didn't even want him. And this is a Hornets team
(14:20):
by the by the way, it's kind of star for talent,
you think. So he goes to the Lakers and for
whatever reason, the Lakers can't keep him right, and you
think the Lakers at this point would love to have
Malik Monk. M I kind of think so, Sarah. But
Malik Monk has gone to Sacramento and found himself, found
his career young player. He's he's tough minded, you know,
(14:41):
he comes in, he gets the ball, uh and in
certain situations he's on the same level as dearon Fox.
I mean, this guy has been bawling out and he's
one of the reasons, by the way, why the Kings
has refused to fall in that Western Conference. So again,
I mean credit Mike Brown first year with the Sacramento
(15:01):
Kings front Munno right now for coach of the Year.
Done a magnificent job there. They're a highly efficient offensive team.
So he's gotten them to jail. And if you look
at you know, the Sacramento Kings and you're saying to himself,
you still have many sum doubts because they Latin the
playoff experience. But I think, Sarah, I think right now
(15:22):
they're tied for second in the West with Memphis. I mean,
they are trending up when a lot of people thought
at some point they start trending down. Yeah, it's, as
we said, impressive to watch what they continue to do.
New York Knicks off the wind streak. They've now dropped
two straight. They're still sitting in fifth place, but they're
just a game ahead of six place. Brooklyn, how do
(15:44):
you feel about the Knicks right now and is this
just a little bit of a blip facing tough teams.
Do you still think that they they're a team that's
gonna potentially have a chance to move up to that
fourth spot in the East against Cleveland or if not,
still be maintaining a solid run here to close off
the season. I think they're kind of locked him where
they are. It's not so bad. I mean, they moved
to the fourth spot. They're still going to probably play
(16:06):
Cleveland in the first round. I think that's the first
round match that we can almost write an ink it's
going to happen. Of course, you know, Jadon Brunson left
the game last night. He had a little bit of
a foot injury. Obviously he had to be a little
bit concerned about that. But I wouldn't ring the alarms
too loudly, if at all in New York. I mean,
that's like the last thing that that fan base needs,
right Sarah. You know, they've been that, They've had their
(16:28):
hopes up all year, you know, for this team, and
Jadon Brunson has been playing just magnificent basketball. You could
say since the All Star break when he was snubbed.
I would even go back to January first, when the
calendar flip. He's just been outstanding his scoring averages. You know,
he's rising and just in terms of a clutch score.
In addition to this being an all round score for
(16:49):
the for the first three and a half quarters of
the game, this guy has he's among the league leaders,
and three point shots made in the clutch, so he's
really been playing all Julius random. What else can we
say about this guy? He was booed last year at
Madison Square Garden. Now it's nothing but cheers and throning
rose pedals at his feet. And I think the Knicks
at this point are probably immune to the four or
(17:12):
five game losing street. This team is too good for that.
I don't think that's going to happen. And I do
think they're pretty much locked in the fifth place. That's
a good place to be. That's a good place to
be as long as you don't fall, and I don't
think they'll fall. And I'm not so sure they're gonna
get past Cleveland for fourth place, only because I think
the Cleveland Cavaliers they're pretty good team too. Sarah, real quick,
(17:33):
Do you think it matters home court? You say four
or five? Do you think that matters in the series? No,
I don't think so. Usually in the playoffs it doesn't anyway,
And I think these teams are so evenly matched, I
think you know they can win on the other team's court.
You know, pretty Effortsully. I think Donovan Mitchell back at
(17:53):
the garden. How about that? Fun to see it all, Sean,
you are the best. We appreciate your time as always,
and we look forward to the next time. Okay, thanks Sarah.
NBA Pulse with Sarah Kustock is a production of the
NBA and iHeartRadio. Please rate, review, and subscribe on the
iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome into NBA Pulsar production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.
I'm sarahcu Stock, NBA analysts for the S Network, and
today is Friday, March tenth, and from our terrific core
group of NBA journalists were joined by NBA dot Com
senior writer Sean Pyle. And Sean a lot to get
into as we head into the weekend here, but we
had a fun night of games and the association last night.
(00:23):
The Warriors the grizz Sacramento continues lighting the beam as
they beat the New York Knicks. But we'll get to
those games in just a second. I want to start
with Kevin Durant and the latest with the Phoenix Suns,
who currently still sit in fourth place in the Western Conference,
three games ahead of fifth place Los Angeles Clippers. But
unfortunate Kevin Durant just comes back from that knee injury.
(00:44):
They're trying to acclimate themselves, get together with this new
group with their title aspirations, and on Wednesday during pregame
warm ups, he slipped sprayed his ankle. The latest reports
we have is that Durant is expected to be reevalued.
He waited in two weeks with that sprain and based
on the rehab process, so they'll figure out when he
(01:05):
will actually be able to make his way back onto
the court. Sean, your take on this, we only have
about a month left of the season here, You're taking
on the affected impact that this injury with Kevin Durant
has on the goals or the big picture goals of
this Phoenix Suns team. Well, my first thought was, I
(01:26):
hope this is not an omen of things that come,
you know. I mean, the guy really hasn't gotten any
kind of tracks with Phoenix and he has a freak injury.
That's the first thing I thought. The second thing I
thought is what is what's what Kevin Durant stepping on
things and things happening negatively. Last time he stepped on something,
he stepped on the three point line against the Milwaukee Bucks,
(01:48):
And basically, Sean, you're hitting you're hitting a nerve. I know,
I know, and you know it's funny because that was
really kind of like the that was going to be
the high point of the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving
and James hard and everything, because you know, Booklyn's going
to the finals, right, But that happened, So look, I mean,
(02:09):
it's not serious, serious as in, you know, season threatening,
playoff threatening, all that. All those things are still kind
of in play. He could come back before the regular
season's over, get a couple reps, and be ready to
go for the playoffs. And the other thing is that
(02:30):
the good news for the Phoenix Suns is Devin Booker
is scalding scalding. You know, he played well with k
D and then in the game where KAD slipped and fell, uh,
he had thirty points at halftime. So that's the good news.
But look, they really wanted k D during the stretch
(02:51):
the next three games against the Kings, the Warriors, and
the Bucks, and that really would have showed us a
lot about you know, the sign with KD, Booker, Chris Paul,
DeAndre Ayton going up against those three very good teams.
So we're gonna miss out on all that, but we
still have our suspicions about a healthy KD and the Suns.
(03:12):
We saw glimpses of it. He went in and you
can really plug him into any system and he's going
to help that team. And we saw how that tag
team went between him and Devin Booker. Devin Booker average
like thirty five points a game with Kady in the lineup,
and it just showed us, Sarah, that Kady can play
next to any superstar. He did it in Oklahoma City,
(03:34):
Russell Westbrook did it with the Warriors, and Stephan Curry
did it in Brooklyn with James Hart and Kyrie Irving.
This guy, you know, there's not going to be any stress,
there's not going to be any conflict. He's just gonna
go and he's a high percentagehooter, so he doesn't need
to come in and take thirty shots. He's gonna come
in and he's just gonna be seamless. So from that standpoint,
(03:54):
if I'm the Phoenix Suns, I can basically exhale knowing
that Kevin Durant eventually is going to come back this
season and you can keep those championship aspirations. And the
other thing is that this guy doesn't need a transition.
You know, he can miss half the season, you know,
come into Phoenix right around the All Star break, Bam,
he's there. The Sons are winning, and I think this
(04:15):
team is going to be okay, and of course we
hope Kadi's gonna be okay too. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Well,
it's fun to watch here in the Western Conference just
how close everything has been. But let's take a look
at some of these other teams that are in that
top six. We had oh spicy matchup last night Sean
between the Golden State Warriors Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies come
(04:37):
away with a win after dropping three straight one one,
one ten against the Warriors. Joy Tias Jones had twenty
two points, Desmond Bane twenty one points, Jaren Jackson Junior
twenty one points, Jackson j Third three. There was some
(04:58):
exchanges started with a podcast and some words verbal whatnot
between Draymond Green Dylan Brooks. But that aside the uncertainty
of when John Morant may we return to this team.
What's your take on the Memphis Grizzlies where they're at Sacramento,
which again we will get to them now sitting tied
(05:20):
with the Grizzlies for that second place in the Western Conference.
What can Taylor Jenkins look forward to with this group,
with where they're at in the trajectory of some of
these unknowns and uncertainties of what things look like for
them through the close of this season. Well, you know,
we always here right around this time that you know,
this team right here, and nobody wants to face them
(05:41):
in the playoffs. Well, with the Grizzlies, this is a
team that everybody wants to face in the playoffs, you know,
particularly in the first round. If you're looking at the
standings now and looking at the teams that could potentially
see the Memphis Grizzlies, teams like Phoenix at Golden State,
the Clippers, they're like, hey, great, let's get Memphis. We'd
rather have Memphis than playing each other in the first round.
(06:04):
And obviously that is because for a couple of reasons,
you know, John Moran's got to get back in and play,
you know, played well and all that. But they feel
that the Memphis Grizzlies are somewhat wounded. But the one
thing about the Grizzlies is throughout all this even last
year when John Morette missed games, this team played well.
(06:26):
This team played well. Jones is one of the better
backup point guards in the NBA. He you know, knows
his teammates, knows how to get them the ball, can
score a little bit obviously, is they're a drop off
between you know, the point guards of course, but again
he's very good, and he showed last year when Johan
Morett missed some games that Memphis kept rolling. Obviously this
(06:49):
is a different situation. But I think what you saw
last night is a Memphis Grizzlies team that is really
tough minded. Not like the you know, the grit and
grind you know with Conley and Gasol and Zebo at
not that level. But they have to be somewhat tough
minded given what they're going through. And you know, Dylan
(07:13):
Brooks is say what you will about him, He's not
one of the top players in the NBA or whatever,
but the Grizzlies kind of like the spirit that he brings.
Joan Brooks as long as he doesn't go with a line, right,
that's what you don't want. You don't want him collecting
technical files. He don't want him disrupting the flow or
(07:35):
anything like that. I thought he probably exercised some pretty
good restraint going up against Draymond Green. Of course, you
know that game, Draybond was one more technical away from
a one game suspension, so he was going to be
on his best behavior too. So the bottom line is
the Grizzlies do have they have a challenge they've got
to do two things. Number one, they've got to continue
(07:58):
playing well, uh in the sins of John Morant, or
at least play respectable basketball. I don't know how much
how well they're going to be able to play. And
then number two, they've got to get back the respect
of the NBA and still be somewhat feared as a
playoff of first round playoff opponent. Those are the two
twin challenges facing the Grizzlies right now. What about the
(08:21):
challenges facing the Golden State Warriors team that they're still
sitting in six but tied with Minnesota and Dallas. They
hid won five games, five straight games at home, and
get Steph Curry back, so you think, okay, here's an
opportunity for things to turn a little bit. They go
to the Los Angeles Lakers and lose, They go to
(08:41):
Oklahoma City and lose, and then of course losing last
night to Memphis. Everyone's healthy and played. What's your concern
level right now, if at all, for the Golden State
Warriors and how they've been playing as a plate. You know,
it's very where, Sarah, that you can look at a
title contender. Let's let's say the Warriors still fit that
(09:02):
definition definition of a title contender, and these guys have
one more road to win than the Houston Rockets. I
mean that's just where really where the other thing is
they don't play defense all that Well, you saw, you know,
against Memphis, Memphis had what you know, forty four forty
six points the first quarter. Loan that It just we've
seen droughts like that from the Warriors all year. And yeah,
(09:27):
there are circumstances. Andrew Wiggins not the lineup, He's one
of their better defenders. Gary Payton also not in a
line of yet he was one of their better defenders
last year. So yeah, there are some reasons for that,
but you still have Draymond Green and maybe Clay Also
the other thing, Clay Thompson might not yet be the
defender he was before his injuries. So those are all
(09:51):
the factors. But still you would like to think that
a team defending champion with title aspirations can sort of
play more respectable. It hasn't happened. So again, the inability
went on the road, the inability to get stops is
really what's holding this team back. So those are the
challenges for the Warriors as we come down the home stretch.
(10:12):
Eventually they're going to get those two missing players back,
at least you think, and then there'll be more whole
going into the playoffs. But what they have to do
is they have to hold it together between now and then.
And if you look at the Western Conference standing Sarah,
I mean, it's so tightly packed from let's say fourth
place to like ninth place, and if you go on
a two or three game losing streak, that could have
(10:35):
some serious repercussions, you know, not only about you potentially
avoiding the play in situation, but also the first round matchup. See,
there's a lot going on here. I mean, if you
slip and fall and all of a sudden you got
a first round matchup against I don't know, the Clippers,
or first round matchup against the Phoenix Suns, I mean,
(10:57):
that's very, very difficult because both of the teams will
be healthy, you would think, and be just a much
more difficult matchup as if you went against, say, you know,
I don't know, the Dallas Mavericks or the Sacramento Kings
or the Mattheist Christmas. So all this will be very
interesting to see how that all unravels here in the
final three weeks of the regular season. Yeah, to your point,
(11:20):
Golden State just two games out of playoff playing positioning,
I should say eleventh place. I don't think they're going
to fall entirely out of things, but still it's it's
very tight in the West, but up at the top.
Sacramento continues lighting the beam. We're gonna take a break
and talk about them afterwards. Welcome back to NBA. Polt
(11:44):
Saracousta joined by Sean Pyle and Sean Boo. We had
a fun one last night Sacramento, New York Knicks. The
Kings end up winning this one, holding off a late
rally by the Knicks one twenty two, one seventeen and
this King's team, man, they are fun to watch one
and it just got some good vibes, good energy amongst
(12:04):
the group, break chemistry as Mike Brown has him rolling.
Demonus Sabonis had his ninth triple double of the season.
Daron Fox had fifteen of his twenty three points in
the fourth quarter. He also had seven assists, Daron Fox
for three. There's an answer, a sip. They currently sit
tied now with Memphis for that second seed. What do
(12:25):
you make of the Kings just looking at it. How
deep in the season, I think there was always questions
throughout the course of it, are they going to be
able to sustain this? Are they really for real? And
they just continue showing that they're the real deal and
a team that you've got to watch out for, especially
as we head in this final stretch of the season
and into the postseason. I would say that there's a
(12:48):
significant segment of the basketball community just sort of waiting
for when the King's downfall begins. That figuring that the
Kings are just keeping that seat warm for one of
the more traditional favorites in the West. Well, you know,
keep holding your breath. It may not happen. You know.
The Kings are seven and one since the All Star break.
(13:10):
Daron Fox after controls, he scores the last nine, He
splits it, Fox Hans and scores, Fox take it over.
So there hasn't been a slippage at all. They faced
a lot of challenges and beat those challenges, and so
I think slowly but surely they're becoming more, say significant
(13:35):
in the eyes of people who were suspicious about them.
I think we can safely say that Sabonus has just
been magnificent for them all season. Actually, ever since he
came from Indiana in the trade for a Tigres Haliburton,
Fox is leading the NBA and clutch scoring. He'll probably
win that the first annual Jerry West Award because he
(13:59):
is just so uh secure with the ball in those
minutes last five minutes of regulation over time when the
game is tight. Oh my goodness, Malik Monk, let me
tell you something, Malik Monk. Was it two or three
years years ago when he was in Charlotte The Hornets
didn't even want him. And this is a Hornets team
(14:20):
by the by the way, it's kind of star for talent,
you think. So he goes to the Lakers and for
whatever reason, the Lakers can't keep him right, and you
think the Lakers at this point would love to have
Malik Monk. M I kind of think so, Sarah. But
Malik Monk has gone to Sacramento and found himself, found
his career young player. He's he's tough minded, you know,
(14:41):
he comes in, he gets the ball, uh and in
certain situations he's on the same level as dearon Fox.
I mean, this guy has been bawling out and he's
one of the reasons, by the way, why the Kings
has refused to fall in that Western Conference. So again,
I mean credit Mike Brown first year with the Sacramento
(15:01):
Kings front Munno right now for coach of the Year.
Done a magnificent job there. They're a highly efficient offensive team.
So he's gotten them to jail. And if you look
at you know, the Sacramento Kings and you're saying to himself,
you still have many sum doubts because they Latin the
playoff experience. But I think, Sarah, I think right now
(15:22):
they're tied for second in the West with Memphis. I mean,
they are trending up when a lot of people thought
at some point they start trending down. Yeah, it's, as
we said, impressive to watch what they continue to do.
New York Knicks off the wind streak. They've now dropped
two straight. They're still sitting in fifth place, but they're
just a game ahead of six place. Brooklyn, how do
(15:44):
you feel about the Knicks right now and is this
just a little bit of a blip facing tough teams.
Do you still think that they they're a team that's
gonna potentially have a chance to move up to that
fourth spot in the East against Cleveland or if not,
still be maintaining a solid run here to close off
the season. I think they're kind of locked him where
they are. It's not so bad. I mean, they moved
to the fourth spot. They're still going to probably play
(16:06):
Cleveland in the first round. I think that's the first
round match that we can almost write an ink it's
going to happen. Of course, you know, Jadon Brunson left
the game last night. He had a little bit of
a foot injury. Obviously he had to be a little
bit concerned about that. But I wouldn't ring the alarms
too loudly, if at all in New York. I mean,
that's like the last thing that that fan base needs,
right Sarah. You know, they've been that, They've had their
(16:28):
hopes up all year, you know, for this team, and
Jadon Brunson has been playing just magnificent basketball. You could
say since the All Star break when he was snubbed.
I would even go back to January first, when the
calendar flip. He's just been outstanding his scoring averages. You know,
he's rising and just in terms of a clutch score.
In addition to this being an all round score for
(16:49):
the for the first three and a half quarters of
the game, this guy has he's among the league leaders,
and three point shots made in the clutch, so he's
really been playing all Julius random. What else can we
say about this guy? He was booed last year at
Madison Square Garden. Now it's nothing but cheers and throning
rose pedals at his feet. And I think the Knicks
at this point are probably immune to the four or
(17:12):
five game losing street. This team is too good for that.
I don't think that's going to happen. And I do
think they're pretty much locked in the fifth place. That's
a good place to be. That's a good place to
be as long as you don't fall, and I don't
think they'll fall. And I'm not so sure they're gonna
get past Cleveland for fourth place, only because I think
the Cleveland Cavaliers they're pretty good team too. Sarah, real quick,
(17:33):
Do you think it matters home court? You say four
or five? Do you think that matters in the series? No,
I don't think so. Usually in the playoffs it doesn't anyway,
And I think these teams are so evenly matched, I
think you know they can win on the other team's court.
You know, pretty Effortsully. I think Donovan Mitchell back at
(17:53):
the garden. How about that? Fun to see it all, Sean,
you are the best. We appreciate your time as always,
and we look forward to the next time. Okay, thanks Sarah.
NBA Pulse with Sarah Kustock is a production of the
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