Power Rankings, Knicks Streaking, KD and the Suns on Fire and Warriors in Trouble

Sarah talks with NBA.com Senior Writer John Schuhmann about his latest NBA Power Rankings. Why the Knicks can't lose, Kevin Durant doing work on both ends for the Suns, and why the Warriors are facing their most important 5-game stretch of the season. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
The Celtics. Welcome into NBA Pulsi production of iHeartRadio in
the NBA. I'm Sarah Kustock, NBA Analyst for the S Network,
and today is Monday, March six, and from our incredible
core group of NBA journalists, we are joined now by
senior writer John Schumann and Shoe. We got some power
rankings out this week. We're continuing down this final stretch

(00:30):
of the season and as we look where things sit in,
Milwaukee stays in that number one spot, Denver jumps up
from three to number two, Boston drops to three. You
still have Philadelphia at four, The New York Knicks, which
we will get into, jump up to number five, Cleveland
is at six, and Phoenix jumps up to seven. But

(00:52):
first we're gonna start in the Western Conference and some
news in an incident that occurred as the Memphis Grizzly
Is announced early Saturday morning that John Morant would be suspended.
Initially it was at least two games. He was seen
on his Instagram live brandishing a gun, and so the

(01:14):
Grizzlies initially had put out that that announcement. However, it
looks like he will be out indefinitely or at least
away from the team and so yet to know when
one Morant will return to another hit that Brandon Clark
tore his achilles, so they will be without him for
the rest of the season. Currently, Memphis sitting in that

(01:35):
second spot still in the Western Conference, but just one
game ahead of Sacramento. They've lost too in a row.
How do you frame things, Shoe with this Memphis team.
Obviously there's a lot of unknowns as they moved forward
throughout the course of the season. But where things sit
in the context of what they're doing in the Western

(01:56):
Conference and what it looks like them is they try
and continue to find success closing off this season. Yeah,
I think unknown as the word of the day. Um,
you know, I think the one thing we know is
that Brandon Clark is out for the season, and that's
that's a tough blow. Um. You know, he wasn't a starter,
but his minutes off the Brents were critical the Um,

(02:18):
you know, the lineup versatility that he brings where they
can play him alongside Jaren Jackson and have a little
bit more athleticism, athleticism on the front line, more of
an ability to switch screens on the on the front line.
Um is a tough blow. They've in and over the
last few years, they've always been really, really good with
Jackson and Clark on the floor together. Um, we know

(02:41):
that Steven Adams is out and they've been missing him. Um,
you know, they just haven't been the same. This is
a team that leads the league and points in the
paint differential, and when they lost to the Nuggets last week,
they got sort of crushed in the in the paint
um and so John Brant obviously hurts them even more.
You know, an absence of John Morant even hurts hurting

(03:02):
even more in regard to their ability to get to
the basket getting the paint finish. Tis Jones, I think
we've been saying for a long time is maybe the
best backup point guard in the league. But he's better
as a backup point guard and not the starter, especially
because now you've got to find somebody to run the
offense in the ten twelve minutes that he's off the floor.

(03:23):
So it is a big is a huge unknown. It's
amazing this team is in second place in the Western Conference.
They've been terrific this year, but it's it's it's almost
like a little bit like the next situation a while ago,
where it's like this team is really good, but we
don't know, you know, what's going to happen next. We
do know that, you know last year that the Grizzlies

(03:46):
were terrific when Morant was out. They won twenty of
their first twenty two games that he missed last year,
and that's basically when they turned their season around when
he first went down with an injury. This year, they're
they're just four and six with him out of the
line up, and that includes three straight losses. So it
is a huge unknown. It's obviously obviously, um he is

(04:08):
going to shake up the Western Conference a little bit.
The Kings, like you said, are just a game behind,
so they can take advantage. The Suns aren't aren't too
far behind behind those guys, and so um, you know,
I think it's it's a crazy situation to be in
with less than twenty twenty games to go in the
regular season, without a doubt, without a doubt, Taylor Jenkins
and the group will out their work cut out for

(04:29):
him and for a young team that there's been so
much promise. A pretty wide open, uh scenario here with
the Western Conference especially towards the middle of it. Interesting
to see just how things play out. You talked about
a backup point guard in a backup point guard that
had a big time game last night was manual quickly

(04:51):
as the Knicks won their ninth game in a row,
quickly turns the corner into the peak quickly, ti. As
I mentioned, they are now number five in your power rankings.
They're currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, just one
game back of fourth place Cleveland double overtime win at Boston.

(05:12):
As I mentioned, Jalen Brunson did not play even in
that one, but Josh Hart was tremendous as he continues
to be Julius Randall. The list goes on, how would
you put into context what the Knicks are doing and
given the way the top of the East looks, how
real of a deal they are in terms of a

(05:32):
team that could really make some noise in the postseason.
You know, I do think they are real. I think
they just have they found the right mix and they're
playing really well at the right time. Their bench, as
you said, has been terrific. They are This wedding streak
coincides with the addition of Josh Hart so they are
nine and zero with Josh Hart on the team and

(05:55):
in the rotation, their best minutes have been with him
and quickly on the floor. You'll you'll often see those
guys closing games, um, you know, coming off the bench
and closing games. UM. But I'll say this, UM, the
big if you look before this nine game winning streak,
they were had a five and eight stretch, and if

(06:16):
you look at the numbers from that five and eight
stretch and the winning streak, one big difference is how
well their starters have played. And so while the bench
is it has been a you know, a big part
of their success this year even last year. UM. Their

(06:37):
starting lineup has also been much improved over this uh
nine game winning streak, and the return of Mitch Robinson
from from injury has been a key to that. If
you look at their numbers with their regular starting lineup
with Robinson there, they are so much better. If you
then you know, with the other four guys on the

(06:57):
floor without Robinson, there's a huge, huge different. It's in
those numbers. And so him being back, it's health is
also a big key to their success. He's huge for
them both on the defensive end of the floor, but
also on the offensive glass. Yeah, you mentioned it. Mitchell
Robinson last night thirteen points, fourteen rebounds. R. J. Barrett
as well. Add in there you're talking about the starting

(07:19):
lineup twenty nine points, eleven rebounds, And you mentioned Josh
hard And I think so much of what's impressive about
a player like him is that the things don't that
he does that make a team a winner don't always
show up in a box scorn a statue. You have
an incredible number in your column last four games, plus
fifty nine, is that correct? Kicks it hard to tie figure,

(07:43):
big shock from Josh Hark. Yeah. So every every week
in the Power rankings, I'll I'll list who had the
best cumulative plus minus for the last week. It's it's
not something that matters much. It's not saying what's going
to happen going forward, but it's just a little look
back at the last week to see, you know, what
teams have had success and who's been on the floor

(08:05):
when they've had it. So Josh harton this week in
Jordan Poole actually from Golden State reached tied with a
plus fifty nine and four games. That was the highest
humulative cumulative plus minus for the last seven days. And
like I said, the Knicks have been at their best
with their reserves on the floor. At the same time,
their starting lineup being better than it was prior is

(08:27):
also a big key. Yeah, it's been fun to watch them.
Fun to watch also an individual that went from the
East to the West. Kevin Durant made his debut with
Phoenix Suns three games ago and since then the Suns
have won all three games, including a big showdown between
the Dallas Mavericks Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving facing

(08:49):
one another once again and Phoenix ends up pulling it
out of really close game one thirty to one twenty
six at Dallas. Currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference,
in Durant his looked like Kevin Durant ever since, coming
back thirty seven points, seven rebounds, not to mention just
the efficiency he continues to show, twelve or seventeen from

(09:09):
the field, ten of eleven from the line. What about
the Suns, how do you frame? How do you frame
what they are? What they can be? The potential of
what we want to get excited about them as a contender.
Now that Kevin Durant has had a few games here
with this group. It's funny like the first game he played.
The game in Charlotte was actually a fairly ugly game.

(09:32):
In fact, it was their least efficient offensive performance in
a game they won this season, and you saw it.
Durant's impact on the defensive end of the floor. He's
stuffed Mark Williams on two. Mark Williams was seven feet
tall and the big strong dude Durant stuffed him twice
on jump hooks. Williams decided smother chicken for Durant. Durant

(09:55):
shows his defensive chops right there. There was also one
other play where where he was icing a pick and
roll on the side of the floor, which means he
was trying to keep it from going towards the middle.
So he's sort of got his back is he's sort
of perpendicular to the baseline and the ball handler rejected
the screen. I think it was Dennis Smith Junior and

(10:15):
drove baseline, and usually when that happens, the screeners defender
is the guy who cut cuts off that drive. But
it was Durant himself who sort of got back in
front of Dennis Smith and basically put his foot on
the baseline and kept Dennis Smith from being able to
turn the corner under the basket. It's just amazing that
he can realize just how big he is, but also

(10:36):
how well he moves defensively and how much you know,
just if he's if he's engaged defensively, how much of
an impact he makes. And of course in the next
two games, then their offense really went off. Back to
Kayde was six, Durant driving on hardaway pull up jumper.
Durant got it, and Phoenix has a two point late
thirty five for Durant, Durant and Devin book or Devin

(11:00):
Booker has not taken a back seat whatsoever. He's he
leads the team and usage rate by a heavy by
a wide margin. Over these three games that Durant has
been there, they've staggered their minutes, so Durant's basically running
the second unit by himself while Booker and Chris Paul rest.
But just to have have that ability to have you know,
when Devin Booker goes to the bench, Kevin Durant is there.

(11:21):
And when Kevin Durant goes to the bench, you got
to Devin Booker on the on the on the floor.
It's just such a luxury. I think they're only going
to get better from here. Um. And they have a
big game like so um you said it there and
they're in fourth place in the West only they're three
games behind Sacramento in the lost column. And they play

(11:44):
another big game, uh this week. I believe it's in Sacramento. Um.
The the Sons have actually won the first two meetings,
so they can you know, win the season series if
they win again this week. So that's a that's a
big game to watch, you know. Coming up. Western Conference
has been fun, fun to watch the new addition obviously

(12:05):
of Durant in Phoenix and also Steph Curry back for
the Golden State Warriors. But how are they trending? We
will get to that right after the break. Welcome back
to NBA Pulse Saracusta joined by John Schumann and Shoe

(12:26):
talk about the Golden State Warriors because we're looking where
teams are at, we're talking about favorites in the Western Conference.
I think they're a team you never overlook thinking about
if they are actually healthy, with their experience, the championship pedigree.
They swept a homestand a five game homestand, so they
jumped up from tenth to fifth in the Western Conference.

(12:48):
Steph Curry was injured in a way for eleven games,
so finally makes his return on Sunday, and what happens
The Warriors go to Los Angeles. Lakers roped that game.
What's your take on where the Warriors are at in
what you think they have the potential here? We're talking
a lot of unknowns, a lot of unknowns here on

(13:10):
the show. But what do you think about where the
Warriors are at now that stuff is back? I think
I think the next three weeks basically will make or
break their season. Like you said, they swept their homestand
it was their best defensive stretch. You know, defense has
been where they've really fallen off from last year. But
the five game homestand was their best stretch of defense
this season in regards to points allowed per one hundred possessions.

(13:34):
But you know, they get Curry back, but they're playing
on the road, and of course they lose on the
road to the Lakers without Lebron James. It was more
of an offensive issue than a defensive issue. But here's
the thing. That game began a stretch where the Warriors
are playing eight of ten on the road and the

(13:55):
only home games in that stretch are against the Bucks
and the Suns. So it is a critical stretch as
far as them trying to figure out their road wos,
get their feet under them with Steph Curry back, Andrew
Wiggins is still out and that's that's a that's a
huge loss. But I mean, I think this is basically

(14:15):
where the war where we find out if the Warriors
can put things together, if they can sort of put
their road wos behind them and win some games on
the road, if they can come home and beat teams
like Milwaukee and Phoenix, and if they don't, I mean,
I just don't. Like I mean, if this team, you know,
finishes the season at you know, forty three and thirty

(14:39):
nine or something like that, I mean we really I don't.
I don't know how we can take them too seriously, um,
you know, if they don't, uh you know, I think
I've said this before, like they haven't won seven out
of ten since I think it was early December, So
it can they put together and eight and two stretch,
you know, like that would be really nice, but you know,

(15:00):
we haven't seen them do it so I think this
These next few weeks are absolutely huge for them. Yeah,
it'll be interesting to watch a lot of teams to
watch as well, Clippers included. They coming off a win
against the Grizzlies, but they've been struggling as well as
a late shoe. As always, we appreciate all of your insight,
your time, and your power rankings. Make sure to check

(15:20):
those out on NBA dot com and we will be
back on Wednesday. NBA Pulse with Sara Kustack as a
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