March 13, 2023 • 18 mins
Sarah talks with NBA.com senior writer John Schuhmann about his latest Power Rankings. Why the Nuggets slump could be a troubling sign, why the Bucks are not secure at #1, and how the Sixers can win the East. Plus, why Jokic vs Embiid is still an exciting MVP race.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome in to NBA Pulse, a production of iHeart Radio
When the NBA. I'm Saracustack, NBA analysts for the S
Network and today is Monday, March thirteenth, and from our
incredible core group of NBA journalists, we're joined now by
NBA dot Com senior writer John Schumann and Schue. You
got another week of power rankings out out and some
(00:21):
interesting things we're gonna get to some of these teams
off the top. Milwaukee stays at number one, Boston jumps
up to number two, Philadelphia up to number three, The
Denver Nuggets dropped to number four, and the Cleveland Cavaliers
are at number five. And let's start with the Denver
Nuggets because this is kind of the first real slump
of the season. They've lost the three straight, but the
first one included a twenty one point loss at home
(00:45):
to the Chicago Bulls. Then they went and lost at
San Antonio. In just last night they lost to the
Brooklyn Nets by two points. A lot of close games.
They haven't lost much at home, They're thirty and six
at home, but a lot of close games at home.
What have you seen out of the Nuggets throughout the
course of this three game losing streak. Yeah, they had
(01:06):
lost three games in a row before earlier in the season,
but I think this one came with basically, I think
maybe they're two worst losses of the season. The twenty
one point loss at home to Chicago and as you noted,
like they were there, what do we say, thirty and
six at home. Their first four losses at home came
by three, to one, and two points, so a total
(01:28):
of eight points. And then they lost to Chicago by
twenty one and then after that they went to San
Antonio and lost. And the Spurs obviously one of the
three worst teams in the league. So to have to
have those two losses back to back, it's the first
real sort of step backward for the Nuggets. It's not
I don't think it's anything that they sort of can't
(01:50):
recover from. There's still, you know, the best team in
the Western Conference. They still have a comfortable lead atop
atop the standings, but it's a little bit of you know,
adversity for them to face. Um you know, as we
as we go into the last four weeks of the season,
and I think the one thing is is their defense.
(02:11):
Um you know, they had you know, been steadily improving defensively,
um to the point where they were almost in the
top ten for the season, and then these three games
come come along and they and they drop back, and so, UM,
that's always going to be sort of the focus for them.
It's always going to be. I think Michael Malone's top
priority is to get them defending. UM. You know, they
(02:34):
gave up a ton of points in the paint to
both Chicago and San Antonio. Um, their lost to Brooklyn
was a little bit more about perimeter shooting and free throws,
I think. UM, So it's always going to be, you know,
defense is always going to be, you know, sort of
what makes or breaks this team. Their offense is obviously fantastic. UM,
(02:54):
So it's just something to keep an eye on as
we go forward. I know this happens in makes sense
when you have a former MVP, two time reigning MVP,
and another one that is a front runner this season.
That's off the floor. But the on off numbers for
Nicola Yolks are pretty dramatic and drastic when it comes
to what this Nuggets team looks like when they're playing
(03:17):
without him. Is that something that should be a concern
for this group when you think about how you think
about the postseason and what that may look like. It
certainly has been. I mean, they went out and they
got you know, Thomas Bryant. At the trade deadline, they
went and got added Reggie Jackson, you know, hoping to
bolster their bench because they've been so bad. When Nicol
(03:40):
Nicola Yokich sits, you know, we have on off that
for the last seventeen years, and the sort of the
record for on off differentials basically how well your team
performs with you on the floor versus off the floor.
Looking at it on a per one hundred possessions basis
is twenty six point one. So basically, in twenty fifteen sixteen,
(04:03):
the year the Warriors won seventy three games, they were
twenty six points per one hundred possessions better with Draymond
Green on the floor than they were with him off
the floor. So Nicola Yokich is approaching that record. The
Nuggets have now been twenty five point one points per
a hundred possessions better with Yokich on the floor than
they have with him off the floor. So they're a
(04:24):
plus thirteen poor a hundred, So which is like super elite,
best team in the league with him on the floor,
and they're a minus twelve per one hundred with him
off the floor, which is absolutely terrible. And in that
game against Brooklyn on Sunday, Yokis was a plus fourteen
and thirty nine minutes and the Nuggets lost. That's brutal,
(04:46):
right like, So that means they were outscored by sixteen
points in the nine minutes that he was on the bench.
And that's it's always a concern. You know, they're they're
going to stagger their minutes. I think, you know, Jamal
Murray not being one hundred percent hurts because they can
sort of put him on keep him on the floor
for most of the minutes that yokich is off. But
(05:08):
even even when they've done that, they've still struggled to
sort of stay afloat when when Yoki goes to the bench. Yeah,
it cann't be interesting to watch, and and that is
typical to some extent. But I think with the Nuggets
something to figure out. As you mentioned, number one team
in the West, they're still sitting six games ahead of
(05:29):
number two sacrament of Kings and Grizzlies, so still an okay,
spot playoff positioning wise, just a matter of how they
look peeking towards this last stretch of the season. The
number one team in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee Bucks. They've
been playing well, and the interesting thing when you look
at Milwaukee is just how they've been playing with Chris
(05:51):
Middleton now back in the lineup, not a lot of time.
Obviously have a core group that won a championship together.
But John, you have some interesting numbers in your article
about the time on the floor with Chris Middleton. Janni
has given a handful of injuries, so he's dealt with
throughout the course of the season, still dealing with the
minor one. Now, um and Drew Holiday, what jumps out
(06:12):
to you about this Bucks team and in how they're
sitting currently, Yeah, I mean, it's amazing that they have
the best record in the league, two games in the
lost column, ahead of the Celtics and at the top
of the East with their three best players or you know,
Drew Holiday, Chris Middleton, and Jannis an Sta Cumpo having
(06:32):
played a total of one hundred and thirty two minutes
together all wow. So Middleton came into the starting lineup
last week but on Stacumpo has been out and in fact,
like he's barely h played over their last few weeks.
Like he's had a couple of injuries. He had the
risk injury right before the All Star break, and then
(06:54):
he came back and had had another issue. So he's
only been available and able to complete for their last
twelve games. So that number with all those three guys
on the floor is still one hundred and thirty two minutes,
which is the bucks fifty sixth most used three man
combination this season. And so one thing for On one side,
(07:17):
you look at it as a positive that they've been
so good even though they're three best players have only
played one hundred and thirty two minutes together. On the
other end, you know, you look at it like we
always talk about the Clippers and how the Clippers never
have a chance to build chemistry because their guys are
always in and out of the lineup. Well, I mean
you could sort of say the same thing about the Bucks.
And this is a team that has had offensive issues
(07:38):
in the past, late late in games in the playoffs.
You know, even when they won a championship, they had
some ugly, you know, offensive performances along the way, So
I think, you know, that's a that's an issue, and
and you know, we haven't heard much concern about Ansta Kumpo,
you know, and his sort of health going forward. You know,
(07:58):
the first round of the playoffs there or about a
month away, but it would be nice if they can
get all those guys on the floor and playing together
for a decent amount of time before we get to
the playoffs. Yeah, does that concern you in some of
your no, Jiannis, you have finishing just four of the
last ten games. A player like Jannis, what he means
(08:19):
to that group, especially at this point of the season,
should that be concerning for Milwaukee? I don't know, you know,
I don't think we have I mean, it doesn't seem
like it, but I mean he's you know, he's been
dealing with a bunch of stuff this season. So I
think when the playoffs come, you know, even if he's
a little banged up, there's I don't think there's any
(08:41):
doubt that he'll be on the floor. But you know,
like I said, we're a month away from the playoffs,
and the fact that he's sort of in and out
of the lineup is is I would say maybe a
three on a scale of one to ten in regards
to concern at this point. But you know the other
thing with these guys, they've played together now for three years,
(09:02):
so they they they know each other, They know what
plays are going to run at the end of the
at the end of games that they're not always successful,
but they know what they're gonna do. So I think
as far as the chemistry part, I think there's less
less issues than you might have in other locations on
other teams. Absolutely absolutely, all right, well we're gonna do
(09:23):
is take a quick break, but when we come back,
we are going to talk about the Philadelphia seventy six
ers playing really well. As a blake five seconds ago, driving, spinning,
(09:46):
absolutely stoppable. Welcome back to NBA Pulse saracoustav joined by
John Schumann and Shoe. Philadelphia seventy six Ers up to
number three in your Powder rankings. They have won five
straight game six of their last seven, coming off of
win against the Wizards, of which Joel Embiad had thirty
(10:08):
four points, James Harden eighteen and fourteen. What is starting
to click? I shouldn't say starting too, because they've been
playing well, but at this point of the season. I
feel like they're a team we have talked about a lot,
but kind of the expectations we have with what Embiad's
doing with his just total dominance, great chemistry with James Harden,
even Harden was out not that long ago. To Tyrese
(10:30):
Maxie just continues to fill those gaps really nicely. What
do you like about this Sixers team at this point
of the season with how they're playing, I mean, they've
just been terrific offensively. I mean there's not much like
they've not been that great defensively in some of their
their recent games, including you know, a game against the Pacers,
recently against the Port the Blazers just on Friday. Yeah,
(10:53):
they sort of buried up a bunch of points in
the first half, but they've just been so explosive offensively
that it hasn't mattered much. Ad he bounced back to
mbid not to Matsey setting the shoot ice Maxie. The
fact that they can sort of sort of take a
(11:13):
back seat defensively, or take periods off or possessions off
defensively and still come back and play so well on
offense is just remarkable. I watched that game in Minnesota
where they didn't have hardened, and it was like Maxie
was just taking his place and running pick and roll
(11:34):
within Joel Embiid, Maxie slips inside for the bucket of
the foul he was attacking Rudy go Beart. Sometimes he
just blew right by Gobert and if he didn't, he
pulled Gobert into the paint and just kick the ball
back to Joel Ebiad who was just draining jumper after jumper.
See tend to shoot screen embat, pick pop, bead a
(11:58):
triple and at one point that the Wolves had to
take Gobert off of em beat and put Kyle Anderson
on him and put Gobert on PJ. Tucker because they
were getting roasted so much in the in the pick
and pop game with with Gobert trying to protect the
paint and then be just you know, standing outside and
hitting jumpers. So they have really found a rhythm offensively.
(12:21):
They know where to get Joel and beat the ball
where he can shoot. Obviously we saw the game winner
against Portland's where you know, he gets the ball in
the middle of the floor and and he's happy to
shoot off the catch face up or you know, uh
do a little spin move turnaround like he did for
that game winner Spinney. Yeah, when it comes to it's
(12:44):
been fun to watch just how you mentioned Tyres, Maxie,
but James Harden, Joel embiid how they continue to just
build such a great rhythm together and figure out how
they played together. Does this play do you feel translate
into the postseason? Are they a team that you trust
in the playoffs? Um? And and could be a legit,
legit contender here in the East and overall, I think
(13:08):
they have the ingredients to win the Eastern Conference. Um,
whether you know, James Harden and Maxie and uh, you
know play well enough and and you know execute well
enough and defend well enough to to you know, get
past the Celtics and or Bucks. I'm not sure, but
(13:31):
I think this team is really good like and and
they have I mean they've they've been shooting really well.
I mean even like guys like d Anthony Melton and
George Niang, they've both been shooting the really well. And
if they get those guys, you know, making shots, I
think they're comfortable with with what their rotation is now. Um,
they can play PJ. Tucker at backup center if if
(13:54):
Mantraz Harrell isn't working, So I think they have lots
of options. They have great depth. I mean we saw
I think you know when in the summer when they
added Melton, when they added Tucker uh and they and
her and Harold like, oh my gosh, like this team
is is was already really talented. But the depth that
they added, um just makes them so much stronger. They've
(14:16):
been sort of being able to withstand some absences, but
they've been pretty healthy. And UM yeah, I think I'm
I'm very enjoyed, Like I'm gonna love whatever the two
three series is in the Eastern Conference because I think
that will be um huge, and I think one of
those teams is obviously going to go home really disappointed.
(14:37):
The Sixers have been basically one of the best teams
in the league over the last five years. Um. I
think I had a stat at the at the beginning
of the season that they were the only team that
ranked that was an above average on both ends of
the floor each of the previous each of the last
four seasons. But there are fourteen teams that made the
conference finals, either in the West or the East over
(14:57):
those four years, and the sixers were not one of them,
so that there is a ton of pressure for this
team to finally get out of the second round, and
they're going to have a huge job. If they're still
in the three seed, they're going to have a huge
obstacle in their way to accomplish that, without a doubt.
What about Embied for MVP given the way he's been playing, Uh,
(15:19):
it's a little bit, a little bit of a bump
for Denver though Joe Yokich is still putting up his numbers. UM,
where do you think this MVP race sits right now
at this point? I'm not one hundred percent sure. Like
I haven't I haven't really dug into it too much.
I think Yokis was probably my leader, you know, heading
into the last few days, just because of the ridiculous
(15:41):
efficiency the numbers, the triple you know, averaging a triple
double and with the with the on off differential that
we've talked about, and just how much Denver depends on him. Um,
even if you ignore the sort of how bad they
are when he's off the floor, the fact that like
he is just everything to them. You know, they have
(16:03):
the number two offense in the league and he is
the guy in that offense. Number one offense is Sacramento
a little bit more of an ensemble in that regard,
but Denver number two, and he is like the man
in that offense now and Beat obviously has more value defensively.
But that's what makes it a great, you know, sort
(16:25):
of discussion. It can get a little toxic at times,
but I think it's still a sort of a fascinating discussion.
And Jana san Satokumpo as obviously in the discussion as well.
I'm gonna have a hard time voting this year. I
think I've had a hard time voting for it in
the last couple of years. But you know, I don't
think there's a wrong answer, really, absolutely, Yeah, I'll deserving
(16:46):
candidate's Most importantly, John your hokeis the Virginia Tech women's
basketball team earned a number one seed for the first
time in program history. They going all the way. Oh, I,
I don't know, but they're playing really well, Sarah. They've
won eleven straight games. They dominated the ACC tournament, killed
(17:08):
Duke in the semi finals, one comfortably against Louisville in
the in the in the championship game, UM super happy
Kenny Brooks, the coach there is doing an awesome, awesome
job with that team, and Liz Hitley is just a
monster inside, and Georgia Amore is a star in the making.
(17:29):
Watch out, shoot, take it, Keep everybody, keep an eye
on the hookies. It's a really it's really fun team
to watch and I've had a ton of fun watching
them over the last couple of months. Well, we appreciate you,
and we will keep her our out. I'm excited. I
became a fan, I started room for them because of you.
So here we go March March madness, amazing time of year,
(17:52):
and we will be back on Wednesday when Steve Ashburner
joins us. NBA Pulse with Sarahkustack is a production of
the NBA and I Heeart Radio. Please rate, review, and
subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Welcome in to NBA Pulse, a production of iHeart Radio
When the NBA. I'm Saracustack, NBA analysts for the S
Network and today is Monday, March thirteenth, and from our
incredible core group of NBA journalists, we're joined now by
NBA dot Com senior writer John Schumann and Schue. You
got another week of power rankings out out and some
(00:21):
interesting things we're gonna get to some of these teams
off the top. Milwaukee stays at number one, Boston jumps
up to number two, Philadelphia up to number three, The
Denver Nuggets dropped to number four, and the Cleveland Cavaliers
are at number five. And let's start with the Denver
Nuggets because this is kind of the first real slump
of the season. They've lost the three straight, but the
first one included a twenty one point loss at home
(00:45):
to the Chicago Bulls. Then they went and lost at
San Antonio. In just last night they lost to the
Brooklyn Nets by two points. A lot of close games.
They haven't lost much at home, They're thirty and six
at home, but a lot of close games at home.
What have you seen out of the Nuggets throughout the
course of this three game losing streak. Yeah, they had
(01:06):
lost three games in a row before earlier in the season,
but I think this one came with basically, I think
maybe they're two worst losses of the season. The twenty
one point loss at home to Chicago and as you noted,
like they were there, what do we say, thirty and
six at home. Their first four losses at home came
by three, to one, and two points, so a total
(01:28):
of eight points. And then they lost to Chicago by
twenty one and then after that they went to San
Antonio and lost. And the Spurs obviously one of the
three worst teams in the league. So to have to
have those two losses back to back, it's the first
real sort of step backward for the Nuggets. It's not
I don't think it's anything that they sort of can't
(01:50):
recover from. There's still, you know, the best team in
the Western Conference. They still have a comfortable lead atop
atop the standings, but it's a little bit of you know,
adversity for them to face. Um you know, as we
as we go into the last four weeks of the season,
and I think the one thing is is their defense.
(02:11):
Um you know, they had you know, been steadily improving defensively,
um to the point where they were almost in the
top ten for the season, and then these three games
come come along and they and they drop back, and so, UM,
that's always going to be sort of the focus for them.
It's always going to be. I think Michael Malone's top
priority is to get them defending. UM. You know, they
(02:34):
gave up a ton of points in the paint to
both Chicago and San Antonio. Um, their lost to Brooklyn
was a little bit more about perimeter shooting and free throws,
I think. UM, So it's always going to be, you know,
defense is always going to be, you know, sort of
what makes or breaks this team. Their offense is obviously fantastic. UM,
(02:54):
So it's just something to keep an eye on as
we go forward. I know this happens in makes sense
when you have a former MVP, two time reigning MVP,
and another one that is a front runner this season.
That's off the floor. But the on off numbers for
Nicola Yolks are pretty dramatic and drastic when it comes
to what this Nuggets team looks like when they're playing
(03:17):
without him. Is that something that should be a concern
for this group when you think about how you think
about the postseason and what that may look like. It
certainly has been. I mean, they went out and they
got you know, Thomas Bryant. At the trade deadline, they
went and got added Reggie Jackson, you know, hoping to
bolster their bench because they've been so bad. When Nicol
(03:40):
Nicola Yokich sits, you know, we have on off that
for the last seventeen years, and the sort of the
record for on off differentials basically how well your team
performs with you on the floor versus off the floor.
Looking at it on a per one hundred possessions basis
is twenty six point one. So basically, in twenty fifteen sixteen,
(04:03):
the year the Warriors won seventy three games, they were
twenty six points per one hundred possessions better with Draymond
Green on the floor than they were with him off
the floor. So Nicola Yokich is approaching that record. The
Nuggets have now been twenty five point one points per
a hundred possessions better with Yokich on the floor than
they have with him off the floor. So they're a
(04:24):
plus thirteen poor a hundred, So which is like super elite,
best team in the league with him on the floor,
and they're a minus twelve per one hundred with him
off the floor, which is absolutely terrible. And in that
game against Brooklyn on Sunday, Yokis was a plus fourteen
and thirty nine minutes and the Nuggets lost. That's brutal,
(04:46):
right like, So that means they were outscored by sixteen
points in the nine minutes that he was on the bench.
And that's it's always a concern. You know, they're they're
going to stagger their minutes. I think, you know, Jamal
Murray not being one hundred percent hurts because they can
sort of put him on keep him on the floor
for most of the minutes that yokich is off. But
(05:08):
even even when they've done that, they've still struggled to
sort of stay afloat when when Yoki goes to the bench. Yeah,
it cann't be interesting to watch, and and that is
typical to some extent. But I think with the Nuggets
something to figure out. As you mentioned, number one team
in the West, they're still sitting six games ahead of
(05:29):
number two sacrament of Kings and Grizzlies, so still an okay,
spot playoff positioning wise, just a matter of how they
look peeking towards this last stretch of the season. The
number one team in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee Bucks. They've
been playing well, and the interesting thing when you look
at Milwaukee is just how they've been playing with Chris
(05:51):
Middleton now back in the lineup, not a lot of time.
Obviously have a core group that won a championship together.
But John, you have some interesting numbers in your article
about the time on the floor with Chris Middleton. Janni
has given a handful of injuries, so he's dealt with
throughout the course of the season, still dealing with the
minor one. Now, um and Drew Holiday, what jumps out
(06:12):
to you about this Bucks team and in how they're
sitting currently, Yeah, I mean, it's amazing that they have
the best record in the league, two games in the
lost column, ahead of the Celtics and at the top
of the East with their three best players or you know,
Drew Holiday, Chris Middleton, and Jannis an Sta Cumpo having
(06:32):
played a total of one hundred and thirty two minutes
together all wow. So Middleton came into the starting lineup
last week but on Stacumpo has been out and in fact,
like he's barely h played over their last few weeks.
Like he's had a couple of injuries. He had the
risk injury right before the All Star break, and then
(06:54):
he came back and had had another issue. So he's
only been available and able to complete for their last
twelve games. So that number with all those three guys
on the floor is still one hundred and thirty two minutes,
which is the bucks fifty sixth most used three man
combination this season. And so one thing for On one side,
(07:17):
you look at it as a positive that they've been
so good even though they're three best players have only
played one hundred and thirty two minutes together. On the
other end, you know, you look at it like we
always talk about the Clippers and how the Clippers never
have a chance to build chemistry because their guys are
always in and out of the lineup. Well, I mean
you could sort of say the same thing about the Bucks.
And this is a team that has had offensive issues
(07:38):
in the past, late late in games in the playoffs.
You know, even when they won a championship, they had
some ugly, you know, offensive performances along the way, So
I think, you know, that's a that's an issue, and
and you know, we haven't heard much concern about Ansta Kumpo,
you know, and his sort of health going forward. You know,
(07:58):
the first round of the playoffs there or about a
month away, but it would be nice if they can
get all those guys on the floor and playing together
for a decent amount of time before we get to
the playoffs. Yeah, does that concern you in some of
your no, Jiannis, you have finishing just four of the
last ten games. A player like Jannis, what he means
(08:19):
to that group, especially at this point of the season,
should that be concerning for Milwaukee? I don't know, you know,
I don't think we have I mean, it doesn't seem
like it, but I mean he's you know, he's been
dealing with a bunch of stuff this season. So I
think when the playoffs come, you know, even if he's
a little banged up, there's I don't think there's any
(08:41):
doubt that he'll be on the floor. But you know,
like I said, we're a month away from the playoffs,
and the fact that he's sort of in and out
of the lineup is is I would say maybe a
three on a scale of one to ten in regards
to concern at this point. But you know the other
thing with these guys, they've played together now for three years,
(09:02):
so they they they know each other, They know what
plays are going to run at the end of the
at the end of games that they're not always successful,
but they know what they're gonna do. So I think
as far as the chemistry part, I think there's less
less issues than you might have in other locations on
other teams. Absolutely absolutely, all right, well we're gonna do
(09:23):
is take a quick break, but when we come back,
we are going to talk about the Philadelphia seventy six
ers playing really well. As a blake five seconds ago, driving, spinning,
(09:46):
absolutely stoppable. Welcome back to NBA Pulse saracoustav joined by
John Schumann and Shoe. Philadelphia seventy six Ers up to
number three in your Powder rankings. They have won five
straight game six of their last seven, coming off of
win against the Wizards, of which Joel Embiad had thirty
(10:08):
four points, James Harden eighteen and fourteen. What is starting
to click? I shouldn't say starting too, because they've been
playing well, but at this point of the season. I
feel like they're a team we have talked about a lot,
but kind of the expectations we have with what Embiad's
doing with his just total dominance, great chemistry with James Harden,
even Harden was out not that long ago. To Tyrese
(10:30):
Maxie just continues to fill those gaps really nicely. What
do you like about this Sixers team at this point
of the season with how they're playing, I mean, they've
just been terrific offensively. I mean there's not much like
they've not been that great defensively in some of their
their recent games, including you know, a game against the Pacers,
recently against the Port the Blazers just on Friday. Yeah,
(10:53):
they sort of buried up a bunch of points in
the first half, but they've just been so explosive offensively
that it hasn't mattered much. Ad he bounced back to
mbid not to Matsey setting the shoot ice Maxie. The
fact that they can sort of sort of take a
(11:13):
back seat defensively, or take periods off or possessions off
defensively and still come back and play so well on
offense is just remarkable. I watched that game in Minnesota
where they didn't have hardened, and it was like Maxie
was just taking his place and running pick and roll
(11:34):
within Joel Embiid, Maxie slips inside for the bucket of
the foul he was attacking Rudy go Beart. Sometimes he
just blew right by Gobert and if he didn't, he
pulled Gobert into the paint and just kick the ball
back to Joel Ebiad who was just draining jumper after jumper.
See tend to shoot screen embat, pick pop, bead a
(11:58):
triple and at one point that the Wolves had to
take Gobert off of em beat and put Kyle Anderson
on him and put Gobert on PJ. Tucker because they
were getting roasted so much in the in the pick
and pop game with with Gobert trying to protect the
paint and then be just you know, standing outside and
hitting jumpers. So they have really found a rhythm offensively.
(12:21):
They know where to get Joel and beat the ball
where he can shoot. Obviously we saw the game winner
against Portland's where you know, he gets the ball in
the middle of the floor and and he's happy to
shoot off the catch face up or you know, uh
do a little spin move turnaround like he did for
that game winner Spinney. Yeah, when it comes to it's
(12:44):
been fun to watch just how you mentioned Tyres, Maxie,
but James Harden, Joel embiid how they continue to just
build such a great rhythm together and figure out how
they played together. Does this play do you feel translate
into the postseason? Are they a team that you trust
in the playoffs? Um? And and could be a legit,
legit contender here in the East and overall, I think
(13:08):
they have the ingredients to win the Eastern Conference. Um,
whether you know, James Harden and Maxie and uh, you
know play well enough and and you know execute well
enough and defend well enough to to you know, get
past the Celtics and or Bucks. I'm not sure, but
(13:31):
I think this team is really good like and and
they have I mean they've they've been shooting really well.
I mean even like guys like d Anthony Melton and
George Niang, they've both been shooting the really well. And
if they get those guys, you know, making shots, I
think they're comfortable with with what their rotation is now. Um,
they can play PJ. Tucker at backup center if if
(13:54):
Mantraz Harrell isn't working, So I think they have lots
of options. They have great depth. I mean we saw
I think you know when in the summer when they
added Melton, when they added Tucker uh and they and
her and Harold like, oh my gosh, like this team
is is was already really talented. But the depth that
they added, um just makes them so much stronger. They've
(14:16):
been sort of being able to withstand some absences, but
they've been pretty healthy. And UM yeah, I think I'm
I'm very enjoyed, Like I'm gonna love whatever the two
three series is in the Eastern Conference because I think
that will be um huge, and I think one of
those teams is obviously going to go home really disappointed.
(14:37):
The Sixers have been basically one of the best teams
in the league over the last five years. Um. I
think I had a stat at the at the beginning
of the season that they were the only team that
ranked that was an above average on both ends of
the floor each of the previous each of the last
four seasons. But there are fourteen teams that made the
conference finals, either in the West or the East over
(14:57):
those four years, and the sixers were not one of them,
so that there is a ton of pressure for this
team to finally get out of the second round, and
they're going to have a huge job. If they're still
in the three seed, they're going to have a huge
obstacle in their way to accomplish that, without a doubt.
What about Embied for MVP given the way he's been playing, Uh,
(15:19):
it's a little bit, a little bit of a bump
for Denver though Joe Yokich is still putting up his numbers. UM,
where do you think this MVP race sits right now
at this point? I'm not one hundred percent sure. Like
I haven't I haven't really dug into it too much.
I think Yokis was probably my leader, you know, heading
into the last few days, just because of the ridiculous
(15:41):
efficiency the numbers, the triple you know, averaging a triple
double and with the with the on off differential that
we've talked about, and just how much Denver depends on him. Um,
even if you ignore the sort of how bad they
are when he's off the floor, the fact that like
he is just everything to them. You know, they have
(16:03):
the number two offense in the league and he is
the guy in that offense. Number one offense is Sacramento
a little bit more of an ensemble in that regard,
but Denver number two, and he is like the man
in that offense now and Beat obviously has more value defensively.
But that's what makes it a great, you know, sort
(16:25):
of discussion. It can get a little toxic at times,
but I think it's still a sort of a fascinating discussion.
And Jana san Satokumpo as obviously in the discussion as well.
I'm gonna have a hard time voting this year. I
think I've had a hard time voting for it in
the last couple of years. But you know, I don't
think there's a wrong answer, really, absolutely, Yeah, I'll deserving
(16:46):
candidate's Most importantly, John your hokeis the Virginia Tech women's
basketball team earned a number one seed for the first
time in program history. They going all the way. Oh, I,
I don't know, but they're playing really well, Sarah. They've
won eleven straight games. They dominated the ACC tournament, killed
(17:08):
Duke in the semi finals, one comfortably against Louisville in
the in the in the championship game, UM super happy
Kenny Brooks, the coach there is doing an awesome, awesome
job with that team, and Liz Hitley is just a
monster inside, and Georgia Amore is a star in the making.
(17:29):
Watch out, shoot, take it, Keep everybody, keep an eye
on the hookies. It's a really it's really fun team
to watch and I've had a ton of fun watching
them over the last couple of months. Well, we appreciate you,
and we will keep her our out. I'm excited. I
became a fan, I started room for them because of you.
So here we go March March madness, amazing time of year,
(17:52):
and we will be back on Wednesday when Steve Ashburner
joins us. NBA Pulse with Sarahkustack is a production of
the NBA and I Heeart Radio. Please rate, review, and
subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
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