Chris Haynes and Marc Stein get together for an all-new edition of #thisleague UNCUT that starts with Chris' trip to L.A. for Warriors at Lakers TNT sideline duty, moves to an update on Giannis Antetokounmpo's worrisome calf strain in Milwaukee, features more Haynes vs. Stein debate about the Play-In Tournament that seems to so rankle Chris and even works in some MVP discussion about Luka Dončić with his Mavericks on a 16-2 tear to close the season.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Some tails from the road, courtside tales from a huge
Lakers Warriors showdown in Los Angeles. How the Bucks are
going to cope with the latest injury setback for Giannis
Antetokumpo and the Dallas Mavericks on a sixteen and two
tear that sends them to fifty win territory and maybe
(00:22):
gives some life to the Luka Doncic MVP campaign. All
of that coming up next right here on This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to This League Uncut.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
In the rule of twenty four hour NBA News, this
is you lose.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Chris Haynes.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's time, work's time. It's so time. This League Uncut is.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Underway and on fire.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
This should be a good one. Hey, everyone, welcome in
to another edition of This League Uncut. Mark Stein here
with Chris Haynes, recording on Wednesday night. It'll be Thursday
by the time this lands in your podcast feed. We
(01:15):
are trying to focus on pod matters here, but it
is admittedly difficult. While Minnesota and Denver, the top two
teams in the West, really putting on a late Wednesday
night show. We're going to try to do this pod
and keep our eye on the score. Who knows, maybe
(01:35):
that game ends before we finish this. Not totally sure
yet because we're late in the first half. But let's
get to business. Chris Aynes, we got a lot to
cover as usual, another wild and busy week, the final
week of the regular season underway, and you were in
Los Angeles last night for a very eventful Warriors victory
(02:01):
over the Lakers. I got a little carried away on
Twitter with some bad late night math. The Warriors have
not passed the Lakers yet. The Lakers still have the
number nine seed in the West. As we're doing this
on Wednesday night, Lakers still have a half game lead
(02:22):
over the number ten Warriors, but Golden State, by virtue
of that win in Lakerland, they do now if they
win out, they can take number nine away from the
Lakers and shove Lebron James, Anthony Davis and the Lake
Show into the tenth seed, depending on how things play
out from here. So you go ahead, take it wherever
(02:44):
you want. Tell us about the Warriors, tell us about
the Lakers, tell us about anyone you ran into at
the arena formerly known as Staple Center. How was it
Tuesday night? How was the vibe?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
First of all, I'm glad you said take it wherever
I want to take it, because I'm not going there
with the Lakers right now. Stein, you just said that
you're referring to that Minnesota Denver game. Correct, that's who's
playing Minnesota in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Did say it wrong?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
No, you said it right.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
But you said that we're going to follow what's going
on during that game while we're recording this podcast, and
maybe we'll finish, maybe the game will finish while we're
on you know, while we're recording. And you said that
(03:41):
that game is in the first half. I'm gonna tell
you right, they're in the first half. Tell still gonna
tell you. This is what I'm gonna tell you because
I don't want to get our listeners hopes up. We
are not staying on this pod that long to the
game is over. That's gonna take another hour forty five, Steyle,
that's not happening. We are not We were not guarantee
(04:03):
I start. I can guarantee we are not listen if
we might not make it to the fourth quarter of
that game.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I'm telling you that right now.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Like I just told you, my my late night math
is fuzzy and unreliable. Last night on Twitter, I gave
the Warriors the ninth seed before they actually had it.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So yeah, okay, I'm lowering. Okay, I'm lowering everybody's expectations.
That's that's all.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Do not trust my late night calculations. Tell us, please
just tell us after all that, just what what happened
in La? What was what was your evening like? It
was with the number nine Lakers against the number ten Warriors.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
It was, It was a very interesting pregame. So, as
you know, Lebron James is dealing with the illness flew
like symptoms a d. In the game before the Warriors
against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he got hit in the eye
again with that same eye he got hit hit in
(05:07):
believe it's in Washington almost a week ago, and so
their status was unknown going into the game. Now, let
me tell everybody about Lebron. Lebron usually arrives at the
arena before any players anyone way, early before the opposing players,
(05:28):
before coaches, before a lot of coaches. He's there. And
so I arrived at the arena. It was a seven
o'clock tip. I arrived at the arena at three o'clock
and usually that's around the time Lebron typically creeps in,
and so you know, there's always camera crews there already
(05:49):
early because they want to they want to catch a
shot of the players getting out the car walk into
the locker room. So as soon as I get there,
they say, hey, you know, Lebron's came yet. I'm like, okay,
all right. So I'm just, you know, I'm chilling walking around.
Then I see a D and a D is He's
(06:11):
walking into different parts of the arena, and you know,
I'm letting him. I don't want to get in his
way because I'm you know, I believe he's trying to
do whatever he can to to be available that night.
But he's just walking, like just going to different rooms,
go to a locker room, then walks down the hall,
goes to another room, and so I'm just like, what's
going on? So I finally had to ask him. I'm like, hey,
(06:33):
a D Like as he walks past me, I give
him a thumbs up or thumbs down, and he gives
a thumbs down, and I'm like huh, and he just
walks away. And so then I got a call from
somebody who said they just saw a d leave the arena,
(06:54):
get in the car and leave the arena, and so
that is.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
All over the place that's not even your home gym.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I spent a lot of time with I spent a
lot of time with the Lakers, especially when Lebron first
went first went that first year in LA. I was
in La a lot, and so somebody called me so
that I don't know if you know Stein. So I
ended up breaking that Anthony Davis would be was not
going to play that game. And that was kind of
the tip I got when I got a call that
(07:24):
he actually I left the arena.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So that was surreal.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
And then Lebron James again, two hours, an hour goes by,
two hours goes by, he still he still doesn't come.
He still doesn't come. Man, I have I had went
on TNT because I was told that the expectation is
that he was going to play.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
He was going to play.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Well, three hours before the game, two hours before the game,
he's not there. He finally shows up an hour before
the game, and he shows up an hour before tip. Again,
he had no shoot around, no no nothing. The Lakers,
they didn't want to do anything that day. And so
I happened he happened to arrive at the arena when
(08:06):
it was like ten minutes left of locker room access,
and usually Lebron he would just go in the train
at the treatment room, just disappear. But he went straight
to his locker stall and start putting on his uniform,
putting on his clothes, and so it was pretty obvious
(08:27):
from there that he was going to play. But yeah,
it was a really crazy pregame scene for me.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
I mean it had to be crazy because obviously the
Lakers are in desperation mode on Tuesday. I did a
piece kind of looking at the history of the playing
tournament because the big Tuesday Night game which you were at,
you were on the TNT sideline for It's the Lakers
mired in the number nine spot, the Warriors after four
(08:54):
championships in a span of nine seasons, clinging to number ten.
And with the stars that these teams have assembled, neither
wants to be stuck in the play in zone. And
if they are stuck in the play in zone, they
definitely don't want to be nine to ten. They were
both hoping at worst that they'd be in a seven
(09:18):
eight situation. So you get two cracks at getting out
of the playan Zone, and of course, you know, we're
closing in on three years. It was almost three years
ago that Lebron famously said, whoever invented this shit should
be fired, And of course he was referring to the
play in tournament. And the Lakers have been in the
(09:40):
play in Tournament twice previously, but both of those times
they were the number seven seed. This season, they might
actually need the play in tournament to save their season
if they end up ninth or tenth, the play in
Tournament's going to be the only thing that gets the
(10:00):
Lakers into the playoffs potentially. And of course Golden State
has experiences with the play in tournament as well. And
when I was doing the research for this, it kind
of amazed me that we're only we've only had three
full seasons of the play in tournament. This will be
the fourth year. You know, the first year we were
(10:22):
in the bubble and Portland beat Memphis in that one
game playing situation, but that was more like a modified version,
so I'm not really counting that this is going to
be year four of the full on four teams in
each conference seven through ten are in the play and zone.
But in this short span. We've already seen eighteen different
(10:44):
franchises have experienced the play in Tournament, and Philly, Phoenix,
and Sacramento they're all at risk for landing between seven
and ten this season, and it would be the first
time in the play in Tournament for those teams. So
(11:05):
if that happens for Philly, for Phoenix, for Sacramento, that
would mean twenty one of the NBA's thirty teams will
have had to go through the play in Tournament in
just these first few years. But I mean, you you
tell me, like, what's what's the what are the respective
vibes around these team and the Lakers, it looks tense
(11:28):
from afar to put it politely, just watching them, just
watching you cover them on TV. Whereas the Warriors, I mean,
they've won sixteen out of twenty on the road. I
think they and the Warriors were just in Dallas, so
I got to see them, talk to them, catch up
with them. They really gave me the impression that they
feel like they're playing much better than their record. Things
(11:48):
are finally starting to come together. You know, you were
on the sideline post game with Draymond Green and he's
just made five threes and clearly feeling good about the
three ball. Like the Warriors, they seem to be trending
in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Well, you have to remember, the Lakers are playing really
good ball, you know, for a while, for a few
weeks now you could make the case that Dallas Lakers
and the Warriors were playing the best ball over these
last few weeks. And you know, it's just in an
unfortunate situation with what transpired with Anthony Davis.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
But you know, they were in a good vibean style.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
You know, It's funny, like as a slum reporter, you know,
sometimes I have to read the room and at the
end of the third quarter, I you know, I have
to interview excuse me, at the end of the first quarter,
and at the end of the third quarter, I interview
a coach. And so at the end of the third quarter,
it was going to be Darvin Ham, and it ended
up being Darvingham. But what I'm saying, is what I'm
(12:50):
going to relay, is that the last two minutes of
that third quarter, I think the Lakers were they cut
the lead to five, and then the last two minutes
of that core the war has just blitzed them. And
I think they got it up to seventeen by the
end of the third. Now here I come. I have
(13:13):
to talk to Darvin Ham after he just got blitzed,
And so.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
In my mind, I was like, you know, I want
to be respectful.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
You know, it's not the playoffs, but you know, these
are very crucial games right here. And for people that
don't know, don't excuse me. For people that don't know,
is when you secure those coach interviews, it's typically the
team's pr head job to go pull the coach away
(13:51):
from his huddle with the other coaches to tell them
to come over there. Because coaches ain't they most of
them do not remember that they have to come over
and talk to me at the end of the first
or at the end of the third, especially not the
end of the third when it's like they're going to
the most pivotal quarter of the game. And so Ham is,
(14:13):
he's in this huddle with his coaching staff and I'm waiting.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I'm waiting, and I'm like, damn. Like sometimes that happens.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Coaches forget and usually if they if they take a
long time to get to me, it'll be one question
and that's it. But he came with just enough time
where my producer was like, yeah, you go ahead and
ask him two questions, but I could just tell he
was so irritated. So after the first question, I was like, Ham,
(14:41):
I know you don't want to talk to me, so
I'm gonna let you go ahead and get back in
your huddle.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
See, we're back over there. So it's like you have
to kind of read the room. But the Lakers in
general style like they they're feeling confident, they're feeling really good,
and it's just unfortunate with adc situation. Hopefully he starts
to feel better before the next game, but.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
They're in the groove.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
I know a d and Lebron out was told that
they've been stressing to the team the importance of, you know,
trying to get that seventh or eighth seed, preferably the
seventh seed, but get that seven to eight seed because
they want to be able to get one win and
then get into the playoffs, opposed to having to get
(15:26):
two wins to get into the playoffs. You know, you
fall into that nine and ten seed, you have to
win two times, which again Stein, I'm sorry, I know
you didn't ask for it, but which again, I have
to acknowledge the travesty that is happening to the Miami Heat.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
They are now stein, they are eight.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Games they are the eighth seed. They are eight games
ahead of the TIFC Atlanta Hawks and six and a
half games up on the Chicago Bulls, who are the
ninth seed. It is not fair. It is not fair.
Eight full games ahead of the Hawks, and all the
(16:10):
Hawks have to do is potentially beat them once, So
beat them twice, orn't play in formula, and then they
get into playoffs.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It is not fair. But I you know, go ahead, no.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
No, I love when you get riled up about that.
So here, let's just discuss this briefly. Are you saying
that you don't want to see the playing at all?
Or are you saying you just want to see a limit.
So if we get in the situation, like Limb said,
looking at the current standings as of Wednesday night, as
of US recording this show, Miami has a six and
(16:42):
a half game lead over number nine Chicago and an
eight game lead over number ten Atlanta. And so are
you just saying that should be three or four There
should be some sort of limit to get into the
playing round.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
They could come up with the number.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
But if if you're ahead five games or more of
a next opponent, like you should already get an automatic
burf into the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So you're not saying I do away with the play
in totally right now?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
No, No, not do one with the play in.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
No, they should have autumn like in the East, those
eight should be it right now. There, you know what,
I guess I am saying that. So in the East
right now, the way the standings are, no play in
tournament in the Eastern Conference, yes, because Miami.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Is the a seed with a certain limit. But like
I you know, because look, I think the playing has
been in totality fantastic. I mean, the whole point of
the playing really is it wants teams trying as hard
for number six as it can, which theoretically makes teams
take the one to eighty two regular season more seriously.
(17:47):
And they want teams that still have a mathematical shot
at number ten. And this season we don't have any
this season in the East. The bottom five in the
East Brooklyn, Toronto, Charlotte, Washington, Detroit, they've been out of
it forever. So there's been no race for number ten
in the East, and then we just saw Houston. Okay,
Houston was finally eliminated Sunday in my presence in Dallas,
(18:11):
but at least Houston had a shot at sneaking into
the top ten. So I do think there are huge
positives overall with the plan. But I get what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
It is but Stein, there are going to be seasons
where a situation like this happens. There is no re
There is no way a thirty six or thirty seven
win team Chicago and Atlanta should be in the playoffs
above a team that has forty four wins.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
That's too big of a gap.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Remember remember when Stein, and you have to refresh my memory,
but I remember when they started the bubble.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yeah, so if you remember in the Bubble, the way
it went was the whole league didn't get invited to
the Bubble. Only twenty two of the thirty teams were
invited to be at Walt Disney World because basically, especially
in the East. In the East, only nine of the
(19:10):
fifteen teams were invited because so many teams in the
standings that season were deemed to be so far out
of range that they shouldn't be part of it. So
Washington was the only team in the bubble in the
East that was outside of the top eight that was
(19:31):
actually invited to the Bubble, and the Wizards they played
so poorly in the Bubble that they actually finished lower
percentage wise than Charlotte in the standings that season, but
Charlotte wasn't even at the bubble. So basically what we
saw in the East is what you were talking about.
The teams were so Orlando was the eighth seed in
(19:52):
the East that year, and teams nine, ten and all
the way down they were so far out of range,
so far behind even number eight Orlando, which was a
sub five hundred team, that there was no playing in
the East in the bubble, whereas there was enough of
a battle with Portland and Memphis and Phoenix. Remember Phoenix
(20:15):
went undefeated in the Bubble. It was the first signs
of like the Phoenix launch. And of course the next
season the Suns traded for Chris Paul and ended up
going all the way to the finals. But it was
really in the Bubble where the Monte Williams Devin Booker
combination really clicked, and the Sons were fantastic in the Bubble,
and even though they went undefeated. They just fell a
(20:37):
little bit short of forcing their way into the playing round.
And the playing round of the Bubble was just the
one game Portland beating Memphis. But the East that year
operated with kind of this limit. You're suggesting that maybe
the NBA needs to consider that for the ninth and
tenth seeds to qualify for the playing tournament, they got
(20:57):
to be closer to number eight than the Bulk or
the Hawks are today. I think I'm summarizing your case accurately.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Now, do you agree with me?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Yeah? I think I do. I think it is I
think it is six and a half and eight games
is pretty hefty. That is a pretty big gap. And
I think the problem that the I think what the
league would say is if they don't let nine and
ten in no matter what, that there will be years where,
(21:32):
you know, like we're seeing in the West where Houston
isn't so far off of the number ten spot. They
want those teams playing, you know, they want those teams
battling all the way to the finish until they're limited.
So I think that would be the league's counter argument that, well,
(21:52):
if Chicago and Atlanta were kicked out of the playing tournament,
that the tanking teams in the East would have started
tanking even sooner.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Okay, okay, all right, I get that, I understand. But
to completely dismiss the body of work that the Miami
Heat have put forth in the regular season just because
you want to make sure those other teams are competing
to the very end, I think it's short sighted.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Are we sure, just one more time that this is
really not about you lamenting the fact that Miami gets
knocked out in the playing round and then you get
no trips to South Beach this postseason?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It has it has, It has nothing to do with that. Look.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
I mean, obviously I would definitely love to be in Miami.
I mean we made that abundantly clear. But producer Arondie
just jump in on this as well. But this is
I would say, it's a travesty. It's a travist. Miami
has forty four wins, and there is I don't care, Chicago, Atlanta,
(22:52):
they don't deserve to be in right now. So in
this scenario this season, it won't be like this every season,
because it's the first time happened this badly.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I hope you didn't read I hope you didn't read
my Tuesday story because I have about seventeen quotes from
Quinn Snyder about how pleased and happy the Hawks are
to have this chance to try to sneak in through
the play indoor, and how Miami was an inspiration last
season because the Heat. The Heat were a playing team
and then they went all the way to the finals.
So don't read that story.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Of course, of course, poluce a Ryan, what do you
think should happen?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Do you think lead the play in as is? Do
you think there should be a limit like I'm proposing?
What's your thoughts?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Absolutely, there should be a limit. I think the play
in obviously has great value as Stein had just laid
out with the various teams that are within striking distance
getting their chance to make a run in the playoffs.
But I completely agree with your sentiments that when the
gap is over five games, it gives way too much
(23:58):
of a benefit to the team trying to play their
way into the tournament than it is to the team
that had a far greater eighty two game regular season.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Thank you, Stein. Let me let me ask you this.
I don't know if this will ever happen. Check this out, Stein,
because you said you know the league is trying to
make sure your teams aren't tanking. Well, okay, you can't
guarantee that, but let's say Stein, Let's say teams nine
through fifteen are all trying to tank, all doing their
(24:32):
best job to tank. Maybe there is some victor winby
Yama Yama around the corner another one.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
They're all trying to tank. So the team that just.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Probably has one more win than the other five or
six horrible teams, they're just gonna be stuck and forced
to be in a play in that they don't want
to be in.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
You know what I mean. Like Stein, it can get
to that point and they do not deserve to be.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
In a player situation when they've been trying to take
all season low.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Now STI.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
If the league wants to get in front of this,
add that limit, add that game's limit, because it's going
to be in a situation where teams nine through fifteen
might be all taking trying to take well, you.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Know today's NBA. All you have to do is make
a suggestion, rant get really mad, say something needs to
be changed, and then they'll say, you know what, we'll
take a look at that. So maybe you're gonna get
your maybe you're gonna get your.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Wish because you don't want to be embarrassed, because then
the fans that you're gonna everybody's gonna kill the league
because it's obviously these teams were not trying to win
and compete, but they're stuck in them.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
All I know is whoever wins that Chicago Atlanta first
playing game, they're gonna be playing these podcast comments from
you to rile up the team. Whichever coach at Billy
Donovan or Quinn Snyder is gonna be using this is
bulletin board material. Chris Haynes says, we don't belong here.
Chris Haynes thinks we should go home that show the world,
(26:09):
but we're about.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Yes, listen, let's show the world what we're about. You
won two games at the end, good, bravo, bravo. Come on, now,
that's a travesty. That's a travesty. It completely dismisses the
total body of work that the Miami Heating other teams
are done through the through the eighty two game season that.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Is supposed to be important. Eighty two games supposed to
be important, right.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Man, So you guys, just if you guys, just see
this nas reed move off the bounce.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Oh you are multi.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I know we're not supposed to be doing play by play.
I know producer Ryan will get mad at me, but
that was nice. We are in the third quarter. What
a game in Denver, Wolves Nuggets, battling for the number
one seed in the West. But no, I'm not gonna
all right back to the back to the discussion at hand,
back to the matter.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Last thing I want to say about for it.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Eighty two games are supposed to matter because they want
the regular season meaning something again, right, okay, so, but waste.
What you're telling me is is that seventy six games
matter for the Miami Heat, not the other six wins
that they got during the regular season.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Look, I really, I'm a huge playing fan, so I
hear what you're saying. This particular season, it doesn't look
it's a bad look. It doesn't look good. The Bulls
and Hawks are way behind the sixers in Heat in
terms of seven, eight, nine, ten. But I still, I mean, okay,
maybe we need a slight modification. I still the overall
(27:38):
playing tournament.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
That's all I'm asking. That's all.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Still, let's all lay in tournament.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
That's all I'm gonna hit supposter. I'm gonna see see
if you give me his thoughts center.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
All right, let's shift gears to a pretty worrisome development
from earlier Wednesday. The Bucks announcing no great surprise, but
when they announce it, when they make it official, it
certainly catches your attention. Jannis Attakunpo his regular season is finished.
The good news, the Bucks are saying that he dodged
(28:17):
any achilles damage when he just went down with no
contact Monday night in the Bucks win over Boston, But
Jannis is going to miss the rest of the regular season.
The Bucks do not know if Jannis is going to
be healthy and ready to play in the playoffs, which
will start in less than two weeks for the Bucks.
(28:40):
Pretty huge win for the Bucks on this Wednesday night
without Yannis, they thump Orlando at home. So the Bucks,
after just a dreadful losing streak last week, still can't
fathom how they lost consecutive games to the Wizard's Grizzly
and Raptors. But now the Bucks are almost almost home
(29:05):
in terms of wrapping up the number two seed in
the East. After these two wins, They've got a game
and a half lead on the number three Knicks with
two games to go for Milwaukee three games to go
for New York. So at least maybe I overstated it,
maybe I said it too strong, but certainly the number
two seed is back within the bucks sights here, But man,
(29:30):
the reality of having no Yannis for the rest of
the regular season. And remember last season in the playoffs
when the Bucks lost to Miami in Round one, the
eighth seed in Miami heat who had to go through
Chris's beloved play in round two games in the play
in round just to get to that series. Yiannis was
(29:51):
playing hurt in that series, and you know, his health
and trying to grit through an injury situation last season
was certainly a contributing factor to Milwaukee's demise. You know,
the Bucks as well as anybody, how dire is this situation?
How worried do you think they are deep down to know?
(30:15):
I mean, will they have Giannis for Game one against
whoever the number eight seed is? They? They genuinely do
not know. Doc Rivers tonight said, I'm hoping he's back,
but I really don't know. I mean, he admitted that much.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
The Bucks dodged a huge blow. That's what I can
say how worried.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I wouldn't From the people I've spoke spoke to, they're
not overly concerned about They do believe that they will.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Have him back for the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
So and you know, again, it helps that there's this
playing round that you love so well. Stein By some
time before the postseason starts, the real postseason starts.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Do they consider the play in postseason?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
They consider it postseason but not playoffs. There is a difference.
It does not go in the playoff record books, but
it is the postseason, if that makes sense, And I
I get the distinction. I just wish that playing games,
(31:23):
there was a way to factor that in statistically a
little more cleanly. The league still hasn't quite figured out
exactly what to do. You know, Like Jason Tatum had
a fifty something the one time Boston was in the
play and Jason Tatum had a fifty point game, and
it exists but doesn't count, if that makes any sense,
(31:46):
Like it's not part of his playoff career totals. Sorry, Ryan,
three two one. It exists, but in a way it
also doesn't count. It's not part of Jason Tatum's career
playoff total. So playing games are kind of weird that way. Statistically,
(32:06):
they still float in this kind of weird zone of
their own. Yeah, the playoffs don't really start till we're
down to sixteen.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Yeah, and that's what again, Man, I'm not and everybody
gets in the war, everybody gets a certificate era.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I'm just not down with it. It shouldn't count for
the playoffs because it's not.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I don't I don't even want to say it's the postseason.
It's this little in between. It's like a mid term.
It's not even a mid term.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
It's an intern that's what it is at end, a term,
that's what it is. I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
You really don't like this. This is you know, this is.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
No, it's not I don't like it. It's not. It's
not that. Just some modifications, that's all I'm not calling
for in.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
To the player you keep. But there's more than once
you've thrown out this participation tournament thing. I think it's
more than.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Yeah, I'm just well, I'm just again, I'm probably not
the right person to talk to about that because I
don't like change much anyways, But definitely when there's a
change made and you see a lot of holes in it,
and I'm definitely gonna point those holes out. And that's
one hole that I see, and I think the league
needs to get ahead of the curve and change some
(33:20):
things before it becomes.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Listens to this podcast, So I'm fully expecting some sort
of press release or focus group or something they're gonna
They're gonna address this somehow.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, I'm saying he's good.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
He listens, and that's that's one thing we call say
that we like about the this commissioner is that he's
innovative and he's open to new ideas. But to the Bucks,
they are they're confident that they'll be able to have
Gianni's back once the playoffs. It's only two games left
they got Okay, it's two tough games, Okay, C and
(33:56):
Orlando again.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They beat Orlando pretty good without Christmas.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
They gotta win one more just to make sure that
the East, the Leastern Conference has two fifty win teams.
I mean, come on, man, I guess the Knicks could.
The Knicks with a three to zero finish could get
the fifty wins. But at this point only Milwaukee and
the Knicks, only those two teams have a shot at fifty. Otherwise,
(34:21):
we are looking at the sixty two wins Celtics as
the only fifty win team in the East, while in
the West Dallas tonight became the fifth fifty win team
out West. Sorry to interrupt your bucks take there.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Oh that's okay, Star, you know it was towards the end.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Well, it's interesting though, because didn't Dame have this same injury,
this souliest injury he did.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
He did, and Dame had missed just a moment. I
was talking about that with somebody. Yeah, Dame had that
same injury. It was last year, last year. Yeah, here
in Portland. Yeah, he was out of few I believe
it was out a few weeks maybe well, or it
was or I don't want to say he was out
(35:09):
a few weeks. But it's an injury that causes you
to be out a few weeks now Portland, remember they
doing what they were doing trying to again, you know,
Tank probably had him out longer than expected or at
extended time.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
But yeah, it's usually an injury that keeps you out.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
We can have to and look, one thing you have
to say, Jannis has showed us on more than one
occasion in the past that he rebounds faster than most humans.
Like the year that Milwaukee went all the way. You know,
he had that horrendous knee situation which just looked awful,
(35:51):
and he did miss some time in the Eastern Conference finals,
but was able to get back and keep the Bucks
on track to win their first cheaceampionship in fifty years.
And I mean that thing just looked awful. So you know,
is this something that he can bounce back from faster
than the norm? If he did, I don't think anybody
(36:13):
would be hugely shocked.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
I can't wait. I can't wait for the playoffs. I
can't wait. And you know I can't wait for the
play Let me show the play in some love the
West playing is going to be crazy. Oh, I can't wait, Stein,
So stop putting this narrative out there, Stein, that I'm
a play in hater. No, I am not a player
and hater. I just call out a disservice. That's what
(36:40):
I call out injustice. So that's what it is over
an Eastern Conference, but over in the West it is beautiful, beautiful.
I will have one of those Western Conference playing games,
So I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
As much as you have made it very clear that
you are not especially excited to see the thirty seven
and forty two Bulls or the thirty six and forty
four Hawks. I get it, you're not really hyped to
see them in the play in tournament. But the East
playing round will have well, it will almost certainly have
(37:15):
Miami now, but it also could still have Philly if
the Pacers can hang on to number six. So if
it's Philly Miami in that seven to eight game, that
game just becomes so huge because the winner will most
likely advance to a first round series against Milwaukee, a
(37:35):
Bucks team which now cannot be sure that Giannis Antetokumpo
will be available for the start of the playoffs. Maybe
they hope, so, maybe they're optimistic behind the scenes, but
the truth is, we don't know yet what Yanni's status
will be. You naturally, if you're the Sixers or the Heat,
you want to be seven rather than eight, because eight
(37:58):
means you open up with the bustin Celtics, one of
the most impressive regular season teams that we've ever seen.
So that first playing game in the East will be
huge to see who can secure the number seven seed,
and honestly, even the loser of a potential seven, eight
six ers Heat battle, the pressure that that team will
(38:21):
be under going up against the sub five hundred Bowls
or the sub five hundred Hawks just to get into
the playoffs and just to get Boston in round one.
I mean, this whole playing tournament is gonna be it's
gonna be nuts, gonna be nuts. So you are I
will not be at any of those games in person,
That's pretty you will. You will have a you will
(38:43):
see some ten scenes if you're covering those West playing.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Games, for sure. Looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
All right, So before we go, we focus so much
of this discussion so far on Lakers and Warriors, who
are at the bottom of the West playoff ladder, and
then Milwaukee dealing with this fresh Yahness injury concern. So
we've we've had so much crisis talk in this podcast
we should probably we should probably flip it a little
(39:22):
bit before we go and look at look at a
team that is just rolling. And maybe it's because I
end up talking about them so much on my weekly
radio show here in Dallas that we don't get into
too much MAVs talk on this podcast. But man, Dallas,
tonight a win in Miami, the Heat were absolutely exhausted
(39:46):
after going double overtime with Atlanta on Monday night, and
I think the heat were weary, but the MAVs were
also on the second half of a back to back
after in Charlotte, and Dallas got up to a big lead,
we're able to maintain it. The Mavericks now sixteen and two.
(40:09):
Since Jason Kidd changed the lineup. He made Daniel Gafford
and Derek Jones junior starters, the Mavericks are the hottest
team in the league. Sixteen of their last eighteen they've won.
They have the league's number one defense in that span,
and the Mavericks tonight again, as I mentioned previously, they
(40:30):
are now fifty and thirty, the second fifty win season
in Jason Kidds three seasons as Dallas coach, and the
ten before Kid took the job, Dallas only had one
fifty win season. So Jason Kidd is another coach who
never hear him in the Coach of the Year talks,
(40:51):
and he is.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I was just about to say that he is just
about to say that.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
He has really had quite a second half run here
with the Mavericks since the trade. I mean, these trades
have just completely changed the complexion of the team. And yeah, no,
I'm I'm I'm glad. You know, I'm curious kind of
since you're you know, like I said, I live in Dallas.
I'm I'm talking and hearing about the MAVs daily. You know,
(41:15):
give me your impressions of what's going on with this team.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Oh, they're playing really good, They're really in sync.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
They have shooters, they're athletic, they got the they have
the vertical threat. You got two guys who could get
their shot at wheel. Like this is really a complete team.
They really are. They don't have many Yeah, they don't
have many weaknesses. And yeah, I mean they got a guy,
(41:44):
you know, they got guys that can guard on the perimeter. Like,
they're just really versatile. So I'm not surprised to see
them going this run this stretch. Maybe surprised that it's
come together so quickly, you know, since they made those moves.
But aside from that and Jason Kidd unbelievable coach. I
was with stan Van Gundy calling a game with him
(42:06):
about a week ago. We were in New York, and
he was just raving about Jason Kidd. He was like,
he doesn't get enough credit. For the mind that he
has as a head coach in this league, and so
it's cool to hear him.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
I mean, here's the reality. Last season in Dallas was
a disaster. They went from a Cinderella run to the
Western Conference Finals in kids first season to thirty eight
and forty four. They fell all the way out of
the playoffs. Kyrie and Luca after the Kyrie trade they
were only five and eleven win in uniform and together.
So last season was really rough and Jason Kidd absorbed
(42:45):
a ton of criticism for it. But this season, the
job he's done, the defense that the Mavericks have been
playing since the acquisitions of PJ. Washington and Gafford, and
you know, and Kyrie have formed one of the most
potent duos in the league. Everyone's raving about them now.
(43:08):
These guys clearly like each other. Kyrie Irving got knocked
to the floor in the first quarter of the game
tonight in Miami and Lukadancic ran. Lukadancic was out of
the game at that point with foul trouble. Lukadancic ran
faster to go pick Kyrie up. Then you usually see
him moving when the game's going on. I mean, he's
(43:29):
sprinted down there to get him. So, I mean they've
been vibing great. And I think, you know, the coach
does play a role in that too. You know, I
just wrote a massive piece, the almost three thousand words
about Kyrie's first year plus in Dallas, and I think
Kid is an underrated factor there. I mean, he has
the absolute buy in, the absolute buy in of his
(43:51):
two star players, and that's a massive thing. But the
other thing here is I mean, I just I'm just well,
there's a couple. I mean. The first thing and probably
the main thing that we now have at least one
matchup set in the West, and for that matter of
(44:11):
the East, there's only one matchup set. We know, we
know now after tonight's results that the Mavericks and the
Clippers will face each other in the first round. The
Clippers will most likely have home court advantage in that series.
That still has to be settled, but we are definitely
headed for our third Mavericks Clippers series in a span
(44:34):
of five years. But then there's the other thing is
that I just you know, and I mentioned this the
last time we got together, Like, to me, everyone is
treating the MVP races over that Jokic has won it,
and I just I think it's closer than the polls
and the Vegas odds makers project. I'm not saying Yokic
(44:55):
is going to lose. He's still the favorite, but I
I don't understand how it isn't closer, and how Luka
Doncic averaging thirty four to nine and nine, which no
one has ever done over the course of a full season.
He's averaging thirty four to nine and nine. And now
the Mavericks have fifty wins. They're fifth in the East,
(45:18):
but it's the sixth best record in the league. The
Mavericks are in the elite of the NBA after this
sixteen to two runs. So I just, I'm just wondering
why there isn't more MVP consideration for number seventy seven.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
So let me give you a little insight. I don't
know if you knew this. You probably did. Let me
know if I surprised you, this surprises you were not.
So I haven't voted the last two or three years.
I've declined to vote over the last two or three years.
I'm voting this year, and I've noticed that I started
receiving gifts in the mail from teams, you know, they're
(45:58):
sending out these posts. And I got a box of
cookies from the Portland trail Blazers. They are they're trying
to get Matisse Thaible to you know, make one of
the all defensive teams I got.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
I got a poster from the Utah Jazz. What else
I'm getting emails?
Speaker 3 (46:19):
And I'm like, man, I want like and it's just
seems like I'm getting more than I've gotten over the
last two or three years. And so I was talking
to a PR member, a PR a PR member of
one of the NBA teams, and I asked them, I said,
because they they had recently sent me something via email
(46:41):
asking to see if I can get get my vote for,
you know, these awards they're trying to get for their players.
And I asked this individual, I said, Hey, do do
y'all know like who has a vote, who has a
ballot this year? Because I'm just getting things off. He's like, yeah,
you can. You know, you can call the league and
(47:03):
the league will tell you who's going to be you know,
who's going to be voting this year.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
So who's one of the one hundred voters this season.
Speaker 3 (47:11):
So then we get you know, then we find out
who's the hundred and then I'm gonna say this one team,
this one team said they'll disperse them by thirty like
so one PR person personnel will send out an email
or if it's a gift or whatever, they'll send out
to thirty of them. The other PR, the second in command,
(47:33):
send out another thirty and then another thirty.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
So that's how they do it. So, yeah, they find
out who has a ballot. So they're not because I
didn't know that at first.
Speaker 3 (47:41):
I thought they were just sending out you know, just
sending out these gifts and sending out these emails to
all the media members. No, they're not wasting an email,
they're not wasting a gift. It's going to the people
that they know who has a balance. So I found out, surprise.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
I think you're exactly right, because what I've noticed is,
you know, I have not voted since twenty seventeen, and
this season only one team. I keep getting stuff from
the Utah Jazz. That's the only team that sends me anything,
Like I just got a Keyante George poster for all
rookie teamp But that's all I got so so the
(48:20):
other twenty nineteen, thank you Jazz for continuing to make
me feel important. But the other twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
Well, the other tweeter but star after the Jazz listen
to this pod.
Speaker 2 (48:33):
Now they're going to they can hold on. Man, we're
wasting gifts, We're wasting posters. Here.
Speaker 3 (48:38):
All we have to do is call the league and
find out who has a ballot. So after this, after
this post, I your gifts from Utah may cease.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
Yeah, you're probably right. I'm sorry, probably, And remember, like
we discussed in our last pod, the balloting this year.
You know, usually the ballots go out this week, the
final week of the regular season, and for years and
years and years, votes were always due the day after
the season. But now, because of the sixty five game rule,
the league wants to wait until the season is one complete.
(49:14):
So in the five categories that sixty five games are
required for eligibility, the league will have that list and
know it exactly before ballots go out. So it sounds
like ballots will go out next week between Tuesday and Friday.
(49:34):
And once they go out, it sounds like voters are
only going to have a day to make their picks.
I believe that is correct. Info.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
Yep, yep, I'll be ready. I'll be ready style before
we end this episode.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
By the way, it is the it is the fourth
quarter of that game. We did make it all the
way to the fourth quarter.
Speaker 2 (49:58):
Yeah, but we not making it to the end. That's
what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
And we're winning at home. Absolutely joking.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
We're not giving you five minutes. It's not not happening.
Sorry everybody. So before we end this episode, stein have
to give you an update in the Filipino League that
I'm in. So uh, this is a new I've added
two new players to this team. You're in the GM Championship.
(50:31):
I'm the GM of my team. Yes, remember we won
the championship last season. We were a last place team,
but we got hot in the playoffs won the champions Oh.
Speaker 1 (50:41):
So since what you guys go through the playing tournament?
How'd you guys get in if you were in last place?
Speaker 2 (50:46):
No, all teams made the place.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
Only sixteen all teams make the playoffs. It kind of
sounds like a participant. There wasn't a.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Five game gap. There wasn't a five game or six
game gap.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Stann stop it qualified, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (50:59):
Thank you? So Anyways, I've since added two more players
to my team. I added a brother named Winston, and
I added I added my guy Nam who is Blieve's Blieve,
he's Laos. So those are my two. They're two good
players though, adding to my team, Stein were three and oh.
That's far.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
I am the front runner for m v P yet again,
and it's uh for this season. But Stein, we received
a complaint. So one of my teammates, his name is Mike,
he's Filipino.
Speaker 2 (51:36):
Uh. The commissioner, who is also Filipino, went up to.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
Mike last week after we went three and oh, and
a commissioner told Mike that he's getting two complaints. The
first complaint is that our team is two stacked. He's
getting these players, the players players from the lead. These
are complaints from players in the league. The first complaints
is that we're too stacked, and the second play is
(52:03):
that we're too black. Now we comes to the team
that's stacked. No, not guilty at all, not guilty at all.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
This we are a team that was in last place
last season, last place.
Speaker 3 (52:21):
Nobody would say anything. We just happened to go on
a run. Now I've added a brother and a and
an agent to my team this year. Now to the
to the charge of too black, guilty is charge. I
have nothing to say about that. Guilty is charge. But
I don't want to hit like so, so I told
(52:42):
say anyways, so I had to let my team know.
I had a meeting, had a team meeting via the text,
and I said, listen, guys, you know, because this is me,
let me see. It's me, Winston and Twine Khalil. It's
four brothers, four brothers on a team. We have a
team of nine. So it's four of us and we're four.
You know, we're all pretty good. And I think everybody
(53:04):
else probably has one or two at the max two
brothers on the team.
Speaker 2 (53:08):
So we got four. We're pretty good.
Speaker 3 (53:11):
But anyways, I told my team, I said, look, you
have to understand people are complaining we're three and zero.
We do we do have the most brothers on the
team with four, so understand that, you know, calls might
not be coming our way, and we can't be arguing
with the refs. We can't be talking trash to the opponent,
like including myself because I talk a lot. We got
(53:33):
to be on our best behavior. And so everybody agreed, Yeah,
let's just let's just play basketball. Let's do what we
have to do. And so Stein, I came up with
the idea. This package right here, I'm lett people hear
the package. So our next game is Saturday, and Stein,
(53:54):
this is what I ordered for my team because I
want our I want our team, want our team to
be unified.
Speaker 2 (54:02):
But also I want to show the league that we're
on their side and we mean nothing.
Speaker 1 (54:12):
Sounds like piece of paper when he's on inside the NBA.
Speaker 3 (54:18):
These are Philippine flag headbands that the whole team is
going to wear.
Speaker 2 (54:26):
Bought nine of them.
Speaker 3 (54:27):
They're the philip they're Philippines. The flag of the Philippine
on these head bands. So we're all going to wear
this as a team, so that we're all during this
during this season. I may be African American now, you
may be Laos right over here, you may be Caucasian,
(54:49):
but when we step in this league, we're all Philippines.
And what if we're all Philippines.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
If you don't like playing in the headband, you're still
going to make them wear it.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
I'm still I think you know, listen, it just shows.
Speaker 1 (55:01):
That hes you sound like the GM and the coach.
Speaker 2 (55:04):
Now I'll do it all. I'll do it all.
Speaker 3 (55:07):
But this is the Team Bob experience, and it's to show,
you know, show the league that, look, man, we're not
over here trying to start trouble. You know, we're you know,
we're here with y'all. So my team doesn't know that
I did this.
Speaker 1 (55:20):
Yet, so they're gonna find out on this pod.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
They're gonna if they listen to the pod. I'm hoping
they don't listen, but you.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Think they You don't think the guys on this team listen.
I think they probably do listen because this league gets
so much attention. Your league gets so much attention on
this League Uncut, that they probably do listen, hoping, hoping
that they're gonna get some.
Speaker 3 (55:42):
Pub I hope not, because I wanted to just surprise them,
like right before tip. But yes, that's that's what we're doing.
So this this is like to show that you know,
we're on your side, We're good and we support y'all.
That's all too black Guilty as charge, guilty too, stat No,
(56:06):
we were just the last place team.
Speaker 1 (56:10):
On that note, we will definitely wrap up this edition
of This League Uncut, which covers the NBA and of course,
the rec league journey entails as only they can be
told by our Chris Haynes. You guys know what to do.
Playoffs are almost here. Follow us rate the show, review
(56:34):
the show. We'd love a five star review from you.
And we've got lots coming up here. We have multiple
guest pods planned before the playoffs even start. I'm hesitant
to mention names because I don't want to jinx anything.
Speaker 2 (56:53):
I won't I won't mention name Stein, but I'm gonna
go on. I'm gonna go out on the limb and
say Bucks related.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Yes, okay, we should have a Bucks related guest as
you put it, this weekend. We've got another guest visit
tentatively scheduled before that, so hopefully both of those come
to fruition. That said, we thought we might have a
guest visit tonight on this Wednesday night recording, and that
(57:19):
didn't materialize. So this time of year, these things are fluid.
But the point is we've got some extra pods, some
bonus pods coming up here before the playoffs begin. As
Chris said, he'll be on the road next week doing
multiple play in tournament games, and the playoffs really are
almost here. As we said, we do have this one
(57:42):
matchup locked in now Clippers and MAVs. We know they're
going to meet in round one, and as the week continues,
we'll have a little bit of a clearer picture of
how all the playoff matchups break down or how they
start to break down. And good times, crazy times, year
(58:02):
end a ward ballots, playing tournament playoffs. It's all happening
as mid April draws near. Thanks so much for being
with us, Chris and I and producer Ryan will be
back with you very very soon. Take care of one
and that'll do it for us. See you next time.
(58:23):
This League un Cutter is an iHeartRadio production Chris Haines
and Mark Stein
Some tails from the road, courtside tales from a huge
Lakers Warriors showdown in Los Angeles. How the Bucks are
going to cope with the latest injury setback for Giannis
Antetokumpo and the Dallas Mavericks on a sixteen and two
tear that sends them to fifty win territory and maybe
(00:22):
gives some life to the Luka Doncic MVP campaign. All
of that coming up next right here on This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to This League Uncut.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
In the rule of twenty four hour NBA News, this
is you lose.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Chris Haynes.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's time, work's time. It's so time. This League Uncut is.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Underway and on fire.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
This should be a good one. Hey, everyone, welcome in
to another edition of This League Uncut. Mark Stein here
with Chris Haynes, recording on Wednesday night. It'll be Thursday
by the time this lands in your podcast feed. We
(01:15):
are trying to focus on pod matters here, but it
is admittedly difficult. While Minnesota and Denver, the top two
teams in the West, really putting on a late Wednesday
night show. We're going to try to do this pod
and keep our eye on the score. Who knows, maybe
(01:35):
that game ends before we finish this. Not totally sure
yet because we're late in the first half. But let's
get to business. Chris Aynes, we got a lot to
cover as usual, another wild and busy week, the final
week of the regular season underway, and you were in
Los Angeles last night for a very eventful Warriors victory
(02:01):
over the Lakers. I got a little carried away on
Twitter with some bad late night math. The Warriors have
not passed the Lakers yet. The Lakers still have the
number nine seed in the West. As we're doing this
on Wednesday night, Lakers still have a half game lead
(02:22):
over the number ten Warriors, but Golden State, by virtue
of that win in Lakerland, they do now if they
win out, they can take number nine away from the
Lakers and shove Lebron James, Anthony Davis and the Lake
Show into the tenth seed, depending on how things play
out from here. So you go ahead, take it wherever
(02:44):
you want. Tell us about the Warriors, tell us about
the Lakers, tell us about anyone you ran into at
the arena formerly known as Staple Center. How was it
Tuesday night? How was the vibe?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
First of all, I'm glad you said take it wherever
I want to take it, because I'm not going there
with the Lakers right now. Stein, you just said that
you're referring to that Minnesota Denver game. Correct, that's who's
playing Minnesota in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Did say it wrong?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
No, you said it right.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
But you said that we're going to follow what's going
on during that game while we're recording this podcast, and
maybe we'll finish, maybe the game will finish while we're
on you know, while we're recording. And you said that
(03:41):
that game is in the first half. I'm gonna tell
you right, they're in the first half. Tell still gonna
tell you. This is what I'm gonna tell you because
I don't want to get our listeners hopes up. We
are not staying on this pod that long to the
game is over. That's gonna take another hour forty five, Steyle,
that's not happening. We are not We were not guarantee
(04:03):
I start. I can guarantee we are not listen if
we might not make it to the fourth quarter of
that game.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I'm telling you that right now.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Like I just told you, my my late night math
is fuzzy and unreliable. Last night on Twitter, I gave
the Warriors the ninth seed before they actually had it.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
So yeah, okay, I'm lowering. Okay, I'm lowering everybody's expectations.
That's that's all.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Do not trust my late night calculations. Tell us, please
just tell us after all that, just what what happened
in La? What was what was your evening like? It
was with the number nine Lakers against the number ten Warriors.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
It was, It was a very interesting pregame. So, as
you know, Lebron James is dealing with the illness flew
like symptoms a d. In the game before the Warriors
against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he got hit in the eye
again with that same eye he got hit hit in
(05:07):
believe it's in Washington almost a week ago, and so
their status was unknown going into the game. Now, let
me tell everybody about Lebron. Lebron usually arrives at the
arena before any players anyone way, early before the opposing players,
(05:28):
before coaches, before a lot of coaches. He's there. And
so I arrived at the arena. It was a seven
o'clock tip. I arrived at the arena at three o'clock
and usually that's around the time Lebron typically creeps in,
and so you know, there's always camera crews there already
(05:49):
early because they want to they want to catch a
shot of the players getting out the car walk into
the locker room. So as soon as I get there,
they say, hey, you know, Lebron's came yet. I'm like, okay,
all right. So I'm just, you know, I'm chilling walking around.
Then I see a D and a D is He's
(06:11):
walking into different parts of the arena, and you know,
I'm letting him. I don't want to get in his
way because I'm you know, I believe he's trying to
do whatever he can to to be available that night.
But he's just walking, like just going to different rooms,
go to a locker room, then walks down the hall,
goes to another room, and so I'm just like, what's
going on? So I finally had to ask him. I'm like, hey,
(06:33):
a D Like as he walks past me, I give
him a thumbs up or thumbs down, and he gives
a thumbs down, and I'm like huh, and he just
walks away. And so then I got a call from
somebody who said they just saw a d leave the arena,
(06:54):
get in the car and leave the arena, and so
that is.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
All over the place that's not even your home gym.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I spent a lot of time with I spent a
lot of time with the Lakers, especially when Lebron first
went first went that first year in LA. I was
in La a lot, and so somebody called me so
that I don't know if you know Stein. So I
ended up breaking that Anthony Davis would be was not
going to play that game. And that was kind of
the tip I got when I got a call that
(07:24):
he actually I left the arena.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So that was surreal.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
And then Lebron James again, two hours, an hour goes by,
two hours goes by, he still he still doesn't come.
He still doesn't come. Man, I have I had went
on TNT because I was told that the expectation is
that he was going to play.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
He was going to play.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Well, three hours before the game, two hours before the game,
he's not there. He finally shows up an hour before
the game, and he shows up an hour before tip. Again,
he had no shoot around, no no nothing. The Lakers,
they didn't want to do anything that day. And so
I happened he happened to arrive at the arena when
(08:06):
it was like ten minutes left of locker room access,
and usually Lebron he would just go in the train
at the treatment room, just disappear. But he went straight
to his locker stall and start putting on his uniform,
putting on his clothes, and so it was pretty obvious
(08:27):
from there that he was going to play. But yeah,
it was a really crazy pregame scene for me.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
I mean it had to be crazy because obviously the
Lakers are in desperation mode on Tuesday. I did a
piece kind of looking at the history of the playing
tournament because the big Tuesday Night game which you were at,
you were on the TNT sideline for It's the Lakers
mired in the number nine spot, the Warriors after four
(08:54):
championships in a span of nine seasons, clinging to number ten.
And with the stars that these teams have assembled, neither
wants to be stuck in the play in zone. And
if they are stuck in the play in zone, they
definitely don't want to be nine to ten. They were
both hoping at worst that they'd be in a seven
(09:18):
eight situation. So you get two cracks at getting out
of the playan Zone, and of course, you know, we're
closing in on three years. It was almost three years
ago that Lebron famously said, whoever invented this shit should
be fired, And of course he was referring to the
play in tournament. And the Lakers have been in the
(09:40):
play in Tournament twice previously, but both of those times
they were the number seven seed. This season, they might
actually need the play in tournament to save their season
if they end up ninth or tenth, the play in
Tournament's going to be the only thing that gets the
(10:00):
Lakers into the playoffs potentially. And of course Golden State
has experiences with the play in tournament as well. And
when I was doing the research for this, it kind
of amazed me that we're only we've only had three
full seasons of the play in tournament. This will be
the fourth year. You know, the first year we were
(10:22):
in the bubble and Portland beat Memphis in that one
game playing situation, but that was more like a modified version,
so I'm not really counting that this is going to
be year four of the full on four teams in
each conference seven through ten are in the play and zone.
But in this short span. We've already seen eighteen different
(10:44):
franchises have experienced the play in Tournament, and Philly, Phoenix,
and Sacramento they're all at risk for landing between seven
and ten this season, and it would be the first
time in the play in Tournament for those teams. So
(11:05):
if that happens for Philly, for Phoenix, for Sacramento, that
would mean twenty one of the NBA's thirty teams will
have had to go through the play in Tournament in
just these first few years. But I mean, you you
tell me, like, what's what's the what are the respective
vibes around these team and the Lakers, it looks tense
(11:28):
from afar to put it politely, just watching them, just
watching you cover them on TV. Whereas the Warriors, I mean,
they've won sixteen out of twenty on the road. I
think they and the Warriors were just in Dallas, so
I got to see them, talk to them, catch up
with them. They really gave me the impression that they
feel like they're playing much better than their record. Things
(11:48):
are finally starting to come together. You know, you were
on the sideline post game with Draymond Green and he's
just made five threes and clearly feeling good about the
three ball. Like the Warriors, they seem to be trending
in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Well, you have to remember, the Lakers are playing really
good ball, you know, for a while, for a few
weeks now you could make the case that Dallas Lakers
and the Warriors were playing the best ball over these
last few weeks. And you know, it's just in an
unfortunate situation with what transpired with Anthony Davis.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
But you know, they were in a good vibean style.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
You know, It's funny, like as a slum reporter, you know,
sometimes I have to read the room and at the
end of the third quarter, I you know, I have
to interview excuse me, at the end of the first quarter,
and at the end of the third quarter, I interview
a coach. And so at the end of the third quarter,
it was going to be Darvin Ham, and it ended
up being Darvingham. But what I'm saying, is what I'm
(12:50):
going to relay, is that the last two minutes of
that third quarter, I think the Lakers were they cut
the lead to five, and then the last two minutes
of that core the war has just blitzed them. And
I think they got it up to seventeen by the
end of the third. Now here I come. I have
(13:13):
to talk to Darvin Ham after he just got blitzed,
And so.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
In my mind, I was like, you know, I want
to be respectful.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
You know, it's not the playoffs, but you know, these
are very crucial games right here. And for people that
don't know, don't excuse me. For people that don't know,
is when you secure those coach interviews, it's typically the
team's pr head job to go pull the coach away
(13:51):
from his huddle with the other coaches to tell them
to come over there. Because coaches ain't they most of
them do not remember that they have to come over
and talk to me at the end of the first
or at the end of the third, especially not the
end of the third when it's like they're going to
the most pivotal quarter of the game. And so Ham is,
(14:13):
he's in this huddle with his coaching staff and I'm waiting.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I'm waiting, and I'm like, damn. Like sometimes that happens.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Coaches forget and usually if they if they take a
long time to get to me, it'll be one question
and that's it. But he came with just enough time
where my producer was like, yeah, you go ahead and
ask him two questions, but I could just tell he
was so irritated. So after the first question, I was like, Ham,
(14:41):
I know you don't want to talk to me, so
I'm gonna let you go ahead and get back in
your huddle.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
See, we're back over there. So it's like you have
to kind of read the room. But the Lakers in
general style like they they're feeling confident, they're feeling really good,
and it's just unfortunate with adc situation. Hopefully he starts
to feel better before the next game, but.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
They're in the groove.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
I know a d and Lebron out was told that
they've been stressing to the team the importance of, you know,
trying to get that seventh or eighth seed, preferably the
seventh seed, but get that seven to eight seed because
they want to be able to get one win and
then get into the playoffs, opposed to having to get
(15:26):
two wins to get into the playoffs. You know, you
fall into that nine and ten seed, you have to
win two times, which again Stein, I'm sorry, I know
you didn't ask for it, but which again, I have
to acknowledge the travesty that is happening to the Miami Heat.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
They are now stein, they are eight.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Games they are the eighth seed. They are eight games
ahead of the TIFC Atlanta Hawks and six and a
half games up on the Chicago Bulls, who are the
ninth seed. It is not fair. It is not fair.
Eight full games ahead of the Hawks, and all the
(16:10):
Hawks have to do is potentially beat them once, So
beat them twice, orn't play in formula, and then they
get into playoffs.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It is not fair. But I you know, go ahead, no.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
No, I love when you get riled up about that.
So here, let's just discuss this briefly. Are you saying
that you don't want to see the playing at all?
Or are you saying you just want to see a limit.
So if we get in the situation, like Limb said,
looking at the current standings as of Wednesday night, as
of US recording this show, Miami has a six and
(16:42):
a half game lead over number nine Chicago and an
eight game lead over number ten Atlanta. And so are
you just saying that should be three or four There
should be some sort of limit to get into the
playing round.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
They could come up with the number.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
But if if you're ahead five games or more of
a next opponent, like you should already get an automatic
burf into the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So you're not saying I do away with the play
in totally right now?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
No, No, not do one with the play in.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
No, they should have autumn like in the East, those
eight should be it right now. There, you know what,
I guess I am saying that. So in the East
right now, the way the standings are, no play in
tournament in the Eastern Conference, yes, because Miami.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Is the a seed with a certain limit. But like
I you know, because look, I think the playing has
been in totality fantastic. I mean, the whole point of
the playing really is it wants teams trying as hard
for number six as it can, which theoretically makes teams
take the one to eighty two regular season more seriously.
(17:47):
And they want teams that still have a mathematical shot
at number ten. And this season we don't have any
this season in the East. The bottom five in the
East Brooklyn, Toronto, Charlotte, Washington, Detroit, they've been out of
it forever. So there's been no race for number ten
in the East, and then we just saw Houston. Okay,
Houston was finally eliminated Sunday in my presence in Dallas,
(18:11):
but at least Houston had a shot at sneaking into
the top ten. So I do think there are huge
positives overall with the plan. But I get what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
It is but Stein, there are going to be seasons
where a situation like this happens. There is no re
There is no way a thirty six or thirty seven
win team Chicago and Atlanta should be in the playoffs
above a team that has forty four wins.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
That's too big of a gap.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Remember remember when Stein, and you have to refresh my memory,
but I remember when they started the bubble.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yeah, so if you remember in the Bubble, the way
it went was the whole league didn't get invited to
the Bubble. Only twenty two of the thirty teams were
invited to be at Walt Disney World because basically, especially
in the East. In the East, only nine of the
(19:10):
fifteen teams were invited because so many teams in the
standings that season were deemed to be so far out
of range that they shouldn't be part of it. So
Washington was the only team in the bubble in the
East that was outside of the top eight that was
(19:31):
actually invited to the Bubble, and the Wizards they played
so poorly in the Bubble that they actually finished lower
percentage wise than Charlotte in the standings that season, but
Charlotte wasn't even at the bubble. So basically what we
saw in the East is what you were talking about.
The teams were so Orlando was the eighth seed in
(19:52):
the East that year, and teams nine, ten and all
the way down they were so far out of range,
so far behind even number eight Orlando, which was a
sub five hundred team, that there was no playing in
the East in the bubble, whereas there was enough of
a battle with Portland and Memphis and Phoenix. Remember Phoenix
(20:15):
went undefeated in the Bubble. It was the first signs
of like the Phoenix launch. And of course the next
season the Suns traded for Chris Paul and ended up
going all the way to the finals. But it was
really in the Bubble where the Monte Williams Devin Booker
combination really clicked, and the Sons were fantastic in the Bubble,
and even though they went undefeated. They just fell a
(20:37):
little bit short of forcing their way into the playing round.
And the playing round of the Bubble was just the
one game Portland beating Memphis. But the East that year
operated with kind of this limit. You're suggesting that maybe
the NBA needs to consider that for the ninth and
tenth seeds to qualify for the playing tournament, they got
(20:57):
to be closer to number eight than the Bulk or
the Hawks are today. I think I'm summarizing your case accurately.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Now, do you agree with me?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Yeah? I think I do. I think it is I
think it is six and a half and eight games
is pretty hefty. That is a pretty big gap. And
I think the problem that the I think what the
league would say is if they don't let nine and
ten in no matter what, that there will be years where,
(21:32):
you know, like we're seeing in the West where Houston
isn't so far off of the number ten spot. They
want those teams playing, you know, they want those teams
battling all the way to the finish until they're limited.
So I think that would be the league's counter argument that, well,
(21:52):
if Chicago and Atlanta were kicked out of the playing tournament,
that the tanking teams in the East would have started
tanking even sooner.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Okay, okay, all right, I get that, I understand. But
to completely dismiss the body of work that the Miami
Heat have put forth in the regular season just because
you want to make sure those other teams are competing
to the very end, I think it's short sighted.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Are we sure, just one more time that this is
really not about you lamenting the fact that Miami gets
knocked out in the playing round and then you get
no trips to South Beach this postseason?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It has it has, It has nothing to do with that. Look.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
I mean, obviously I would definitely love to be in Miami.
I mean we made that abundantly clear. But producer Arondie
just jump in on this as well. But this is
I would say, it's a travesty. It's a travist. Miami
has forty four wins, and there is I don't care, Chicago, Atlanta,
(22:52):
they don't deserve to be in right now. So in
this scenario this season, it won't be like this every season,
because it's the first time happened this badly.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I hope you didn't read I hope you didn't read
my Tuesday story because I have about seventeen quotes from
Quinn Snyder about how pleased and happy the Hawks are
to have this chance to try to sneak in through
the play indoor, and how Miami was an inspiration last
season because the Heat. The Heat were a playing team
and then they went all the way to the finals.
So don't read that story.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Of course, of course, poluce a Ryan, what do you
think should happen?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Do you think lead the play in as is? Do
you think there should be a limit like I'm proposing?
What's your thoughts?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Absolutely, there should be a limit. I think the play
in obviously has great value as Stein had just laid
out with the various teams that are within striking distance
getting their chance to make a run in the playoffs.
But I completely agree with your sentiments that when the
gap is over five games, it gives way too much
(23:58):
of a benefit to the team trying to play their
way into the tournament than it is to the team
that had a far greater eighty two game regular season.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Thank you, Stein. Let me let me ask you this.
I don't know if this will ever happen. Check this out, Stein,
because you said you know the league is trying to
make sure your teams aren't tanking. Well, okay, you can't
guarantee that, but let's say Stein, Let's say teams nine
through fifteen are all trying to tank, all doing their
(24:32):
best job to tank. Maybe there is some victor winby
Yama Yama around the corner another one.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
They're all trying to tank. So the team that just.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Probably has one more win than the other five or
six horrible teams, they're just gonna be stuck and forced
to be in a play in that they don't want
to be in.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
You know what I mean. Like Stein, it can get
to that point and they do not deserve to be.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
In a player situation when they've been trying to take
all season low.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Now STI.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
If the league wants to get in front of this,
add that limit, add that game's limit, because it's going
to be in a situation where teams nine through fifteen
might be all taking trying to take well, you.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Know today's NBA. All you have to do is make
a suggestion, rant get really mad, say something needs to
be changed, and then they'll say, you know what, we'll
take a look at that. So maybe you're gonna get
your maybe you're gonna get your.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Wish because you don't want to be embarrassed, because then
the fans that you're gonna everybody's gonna kill the league
because it's obviously these teams were not trying to win
and compete, but they're stuck in them.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
All I know is whoever wins that Chicago Atlanta first
playing game, they're gonna be playing these podcast comments from
you to rile up the team. Whichever coach at Billy
Donovan or Quinn Snyder is gonna be using this is
bulletin board material. Chris Haynes says, we don't belong here.
Chris Haynes thinks we should go home that show the world,
(26:09):
but we're about.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Yes, listen, let's show the world what we're about. You
won two games at the end, good, bravo, bravo. Come on, now,
that's a travesty. That's a travesty. It completely dismisses the
total body of work that the Miami Heating other teams
are done through the through the eighty two game season that.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Is supposed to be important. Eighty two games supposed to
be important, right.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Man, So you guys, just if you guys, just see
this nas reed move off the bounce.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Oh you are multi.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I know we're not supposed to be doing play by play.
I know producer Ryan will get mad at me, but
that was nice. We are in the third quarter. What
a game in Denver, Wolves Nuggets, battling for the number
one seed in the West. But no, I'm not gonna
all right back to the back to the discussion at hand,
back to the matter.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Last thing I want to say about for it.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Eighty two games are supposed to matter because they want
the regular season meaning something again, right, okay, so, but waste.
What you're telling me is is that seventy six games
matter for the Miami Heat, not the other six wins
that they got during the regular season.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Look, I really, I'm a huge playing fan, so I
hear what you're saying. This particular season, it doesn't look
it's a bad look. It doesn't look good. The Bulls
and Hawks are way behind the sixers in Heat in
terms of seven, eight, nine, ten. But I still, I mean, okay,
maybe we need a slight modification. I still the overall
(27:38):
playing tournament.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
That's all I'm asking. That's all.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Still, let's all lay in tournament.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
That's all I'm gonna hit supposter. I'm gonna see see
if you give me his thoughts center.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
All right, let's shift gears to a pretty worrisome development
from earlier Wednesday. The Bucks announcing no great surprise, but
when they announce it, when they make it official, it
certainly catches your attention. Jannis Attakunpo his regular season is finished.
The good news, the Bucks are saying that he dodged
(28:17):
any achilles damage when he just went down with no
contact Monday night in the Bucks win over Boston, But
Jannis is going to miss the rest of the regular season.
The Bucks do not know if Jannis is going to
be healthy and ready to play in the playoffs, which
will start in less than two weeks for the Bucks.
(28:40):
Pretty huge win for the Bucks on this Wednesday night
without Yannis, they thump Orlando at home. So the Bucks,
after just a dreadful losing streak last week, still can't
fathom how they lost consecutive games to the Wizard's Grizzly
and Raptors. But now the Bucks are almost almost home
(29:05):
in terms of wrapping up the number two seed in
the East. After these two wins, They've got a game
and a half lead on the number three Knicks with
two games to go for Milwaukee three games to go
for New York. So at least maybe I overstated it,
maybe I said it too strong, but certainly the number
two seed is back within the bucks sights here, But man,
(29:30):
the reality of having no Yannis for the rest of
the regular season. And remember last season in the playoffs
when the Bucks lost to Miami in Round one, the
eighth seed in Miami heat who had to go through
Chris's beloved play in round two games in the play
in round just to get to that series. Yiannis was
(29:51):
playing hurt in that series, and you know, his health
and trying to grit through an injury situation last season
was certainly a contributing factor to Milwaukee's demise. You know,
the Bucks as well as anybody, how dire is this situation?
How worried do you think they are deep down to know?
(30:15):
I mean, will they have Giannis for Game one against
whoever the number eight seed is? They? They genuinely do
not know. Doc Rivers tonight said, I'm hoping he's back,
but I really don't know. I mean, he admitted that much.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
The Bucks dodged a huge blow. That's what I can
say how worried.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
I wouldn't From the people I've spoke spoke to, they're
not overly concerned about They do believe that they will.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Have him back for the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
So and you know, again, it helps that there's this
playing round that you love so well. Stein By some
time before the postseason starts, the real postseason starts.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Do they consider the play in postseason?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
They consider it postseason but not playoffs. There is a difference.
It does not go in the playoff record books, but
it is the postseason, if that makes sense, And I
I get the distinction. I just wish that playing games,
(31:23):
there was a way to factor that in statistically a
little more cleanly. The league still hasn't quite figured out
exactly what to do. You know, Like Jason Tatum had
a fifty something the one time Boston was in the
play and Jason Tatum had a fifty point game, and
it exists but doesn't count, if that makes any sense,
(31:46):
Like it's not part of his playoff career totals. Sorry, Ryan,
three two one. It exists, but in a way it
also doesn't count. It's not part of Jason Tatum's career
playoff total. So playing games are kind of weird that way. Statistically,
(32:06):
they still float in this kind of weird zone of
their own. Yeah, the playoffs don't really start till we're
down to sixteen.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Yeah, and that's what again, Man, I'm not and everybody
gets in the war, everybody gets a certificate era.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I'm just not down with it. It shouldn't count for
the playoffs because it's not.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I don't I don't even want to say it's the postseason.
It's this little in between. It's like a mid term.
It's not even a mid term.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
It's an intern that's what it is at end, a term,
that's what it is. I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
You really don't like this. This is you know, this is.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
No, it's not I don't like it. It's not. It's
not that. Just some modifications, that's all I'm not calling
for in.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
To the player you keep. But there's more than once
you've thrown out this participation tournament thing. I think it's
more than.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Yeah, I'm just well, I'm just again, I'm probably not
the right person to talk to about that because I
don't like change much anyways, But definitely when there's a
change made and you see a lot of holes in it,
and I'm definitely gonna point those holes out. And that's
one hole that I see, and I think the league
needs to get ahead of the curve and change some
(33:20):
things before it becomes.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Listens to this podcast, So I'm fully expecting some sort
of press release or focus group or something they're gonna
They're gonna address this somehow.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, I'm saying he's good.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
He listens, and that's that's one thing we call say
that we like about the this commissioner is that he's
innovative and he's open to new ideas. But to the Bucks,
they are they're confident that they'll be able to have
Gianni's back once the playoffs. It's only two games left
they got Okay, it's two tough games, Okay, C and
(33:56):
Orlando again.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They beat Orlando pretty good without Christmas.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
They gotta win one more just to make sure that
the East, the Leastern Conference has two fifty win teams.
I mean, come on, man, I guess the Knicks could.
The Knicks with a three to zero finish could get
the fifty wins. But at this point only Milwaukee and
the Knicks, only those two teams have a shot at fifty. Otherwise,
(34:21):
we are looking at the sixty two wins Celtics as
the only fifty win team in the East, while in
the West Dallas tonight became the fifth fifty win team
out West. Sorry to interrupt your bucks take there.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Oh that's okay, Star, you know it was towards the end.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Well, it's interesting though, because didn't Dame have this same injury,
this souliest injury he did.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
He did, and Dame had missed just a moment. I
was talking about that with somebody. Yeah, Dame had that
same injury. It was last year, last year. Yeah, here
in Portland. Yeah, he was out of few I believe
it was out a few weeks maybe well, or it
was or I don't want to say he was out
(35:09):
a few weeks. But it's an injury that causes you
to be out a few weeks now Portland, remember they
doing what they were doing trying to again, you know,
Tank probably had him out longer than expected or at
extended time.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
But yeah, it's usually an injury that keeps you out.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
We can have to and look, one thing you have
to say, Jannis has showed us on more than one
occasion in the past that he rebounds faster than most humans.
Like the year that Milwaukee went all the way. You know,
he had that horrendous knee situation which just looked awful,
(35:51):
and he did miss some time in the Eastern Conference finals,
but was able to get back and keep the Bucks
on track to win their first cheaceampionship in fifty years.
And I mean that thing just looked awful. So you know,
is this something that he can bounce back from faster
than the norm? If he did, I don't think anybody
(36:13):
would be hugely shocked.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
I can't wait. I can't wait for the playoffs. I
can't wait. And you know I can't wait for the
play Let me show the play in some love the
West playing is going to be crazy. Oh, I can't wait, Stein,
So stop putting this narrative out there, Stein, that I'm
a play in hater. No, I am not a player
and hater. I just call out a disservice. That's what
(36:40):
I call out injustice. So that's what it is over
an Eastern Conference, but over in the West it is beautiful, beautiful.
I will have one of those Western Conference playing games,
So I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
As much as you have made it very clear that
you are not especially excited to see the thirty seven
and forty two Bulls or the thirty six and forty
four Hawks. I get it, you're not really hyped to
see them in the play in tournament. But the East
playing round will have well, it will almost certainly have
(37:15):
Miami now, but it also could still have Philly if
the Pacers can hang on to number six. So if
it's Philly Miami in that seven to eight game, that
game just becomes so huge because the winner will most
likely advance to a first round series against Milwaukee, a
(37:35):
Bucks team which now cannot be sure that Giannis Antetokumpo
will be available for the start of the playoffs. Maybe
they hope, so, maybe they're optimistic behind the scenes, but
the truth is, we don't know yet what Yanni's status
will be. You naturally, if you're the Sixers or the Heat,
you want to be seven rather than eight, because eight
(37:58):
means you open up with the bustin Celtics, one of
the most impressive regular season teams that we've ever seen.
So that first playing game in the East will be
huge to see who can secure the number seven seed,
and honestly, even the loser of a potential seven, eight
six ers Heat battle, the pressure that that team will
(38:21):
be under going up against the sub five hundred Bowls
or the sub five hundred Hawks just to get into
the playoffs and just to get Boston in round one.
I mean, this whole playing tournament is gonna be it's
gonna be nuts, gonna be nuts. So you are I
will not be at any of those games in person,
That's pretty you will. You will have a you will
(38:43):
see some ten scenes if you're covering those West playing.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Games, for sure. Looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
All right, So before we go, we focus so much
of this discussion so far on Lakers and Warriors, who
are at the bottom of the West playoff ladder, and
then Milwaukee dealing with this fresh Yahness injury concern. So
we've we've had so much crisis talk in this podcast
we should probably we should probably flip it a little
(39:22):
bit before we go and look at look at a
team that is just rolling. And maybe it's because I
end up talking about them so much on my weekly
radio show here in Dallas that we don't get into
too much MAVs talk on this podcast. But man, Dallas,
tonight a win in Miami, the Heat were absolutely exhausted
(39:46):
after going double overtime with Atlanta on Monday night, and
I think the heat were weary, but the MAVs were
also on the second half of a back to back
after in Charlotte, and Dallas got up to a big lead,
we're able to maintain it. The Mavericks now sixteen and two.
(40:09):
Since Jason Kidd changed the lineup. He made Daniel Gafford
and Derek Jones junior starters, the Mavericks are the hottest
team in the league. Sixteen of their last eighteen they've won.
They have the league's number one defense in that span,
and the Mavericks tonight again, as I mentioned previously, they
(40:30):
are now fifty and thirty, the second fifty win season
in Jason Kidds three seasons as Dallas coach, and the
ten before Kid took the job, Dallas only had one
fifty win season. So Jason Kidd is another coach who
never hear him in the Coach of the Year talks,
(40:51):
and he is.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I was just about to say that he is just
about to say that.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
He has really had quite a second half run here
with the Mavericks since the trade. I mean, these trades
have just completely changed the complexion of the team. And yeah, no,
I'm I'm I'm glad. You know, I'm curious kind of
since you're you know, like I said, I live in Dallas.
I'm I'm talking and hearing about the MAVs daily. You know,
(41:15):
give me your impressions of what's going on with this team.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Oh, they're playing really good, They're really in sync.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
They have shooters, they're athletic, they got the they have
the vertical threat. You got two guys who could get
their shot at wheel. Like this is really a complete team.
They really are. They don't have many Yeah, they don't
have many weaknesses. And yeah, I mean they got a guy,
(41:44):
you know, they got guys that can guard on the perimeter. Like,
they're just really versatile. So I'm not surprised to see
them going this run this stretch. Maybe surprised that it's
come together so quickly, you know, since they made those moves.
But aside from that and Jason Kidd unbelievable coach. I
was with stan Van Gundy calling a game with him
(42:06):
about a week ago. We were in New York, and
he was just raving about Jason Kidd. He was like,
he doesn't get enough credit. For the mind that he
has as a head coach in this league, and so
it's cool to hear him.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
I mean, here's the reality. Last season in Dallas was
a disaster. They went from a Cinderella run to the
Western Conference Finals in kids first season to thirty eight
and forty four. They fell all the way out of
the playoffs. Kyrie and Luca after the Kyrie trade they
were only five and eleven win in uniform and together.
So last season was really rough and Jason Kidd absorbed
(42:45):
a ton of criticism for it. But this season, the
job he's done, the defense that the Mavericks have been
playing since the acquisitions of PJ. Washington and Gafford, and
you know, and Kyrie have formed one of the most
potent duos in the league. Everyone's raving about them now.
(43:08):
These guys clearly like each other. Kyrie Irving got knocked
to the floor in the first quarter of the game
tonight in Miami and Lukadancic ran. Lukadancic was out of
the game at that point with foul trouble. Lukadancic ran
faster to go pick Kyrie up. Then you usually see
him moving when the game's going on. I mean, he's
(43:29):
sprinted down there to get him. So, I mean they've
been vibing great. And I think, you know, the coach
does play a role in that too. You know, I
just wrote a massive piece, the almost three thousand words
about Kyrie's first year plus in Dallas, and I think
Kid is an underrated factor there. I mean, he has
the absolute buy in, the absolute buy in of his
(43:51):
two star players, and that's a massive thing. But the
other thing here is I mean, I just I'm just well,
there's a couple. I mean. The first thing and probably
the main thing that we now have at least one
matchup set in the West, and for that matter of
(44:11):
the East, there's only one matchup set. We know, we
know now after tonight's results that the Mavericks and the
Clippers will face each other in the first round. The
Clippers will most likely have home court advantage in that series.
That still has to be settled, but we are definitely
headed for our third Mavericks Clippers series in a span
(44:34):
of five years. But then there's the other thing is
that I just you know, and I mentioned this the
last time we got together, Like, to me, everyone is
treating the MVP races over that Jokic has won it,
and I just I think it's closer than the polls
and the Vegas odds makers project. I'm not saying Yokic
(44:55):
is going to lose. He's still the favorite, but I
I don't understand how it isn't closer, and how Luka
Doncic averaging thirty four to nine and nine, which no
one has ever done over the course of a full season.
He's averaging thirty four to nine and nine. And now
the Mavericks have fifty wins. They're fifth in the East,
(45:18):
but it's the sixth best record in the league. The
Mavericks are in the elite of the NBA after this
sixteen to two runs. So I just, I'm just wondering
why there isn't more MVP consideration for number seventy seven.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
So let me give you a little insight. I don't
know if you knew this. You probably did. Let me
know if I surprised you, this surprises you were not.
So I haven't voted the last two or three years.
I've declined to vote over the last two or three years.
I'm voting this year, and I've noticed that I started
receiving gifts in the mail from teams, you know, they're
(45:58):
sending out these posts. And I got a box of
cookies from the Portland trail Blazers. They are they're trying
to get Matisse Thaible to you know, make one of
the all defensive teams I got.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
I got a poster from the Utah Jazz. What else
I'm getting emails?
Speaker 3 (46:19):
And I'm like, man, I want like and it's just
seems like I'm getting more than I've gotten over the
last two or three years. And so I was talking
to a PR member, a PR a PR member of
one of the NBA teams, and I asked them, I said,
because they they had recently sent me something via email
(46:41):
asking to see if I can get get my vote for,
you know, these awards they're trying to get for their players.
And I asked this individual, I said, Hey, do do
y'all know like who has a vote, who has a
ballot this year? Because I'm just getting things off. He's like, yeah,
you can. You know, you can call the league and
(47:03):
the league will tell you who's going to be you know,
who's going to be voting this year.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
So who's one of the one hundred voters this season.
Speaker 3 (47:11):
So then we get you know, then we find out
who's the hundred and then I'm gonna say this one team,
this one team said they'll disperse them by thirty like
so one PR person personnel will send out an email
or if it's a gift or whatever, they'll send out
to thirty of them. The other PR, the second in command,
(47:33):
send out another thirty and then another thirty.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
So that's how they do it. So, yeah, they find
out who has a ballot. So they're not because I
didn't know that at first.
Speaker 3 (47:41):
I thought they were just sending out you know, just
sending out these gifts and sending out these emails to
all the media members. No, they're not wasting an email,
they're not wasting a gift. It's going to the people
that they know who has a balance. So I found out, surprise.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
I think you're exactly right, because what I've noticed is,
you know, I have not voted since twenty seventeen, and
this season only one team. I keep getting stuff from
the Utah Jazz. That's the only team that sends me anything,
Like I just got a Keyante George poster for all
rookie teamp But that's all I got so so the
(48:20):
other twenty nineteen, thank you Jazz for continuing to make
me feel important. But the other twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
Well, the other tweeter but star after the Jazz listen
to this pod.
Speaker 2 (48:33):
Now they're going to they can hold on. Man, we're
wasting gifts, We're wasting posters. Here.
Speaker 3 (48:38):
All we have to do is call the league and
find out who has a ballot. So after this, after
this post, I your gifts from Utah may cease.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
Yeah, you're probably right. I'm sorry, probably, And remember, like
we discussed in our last pod, the balloting this year.
You know, usually the ballots go out this week, the
final week of the regular season, and for years and
years and years, votes were always due the day after
the season. But now, because of the sixty five game rule,
the league wants to wait until the season is one complete.
(49:14):
So in the five categories that sixty five games are
required for eligibility, the league will have that list and
know it exactly before ballots go out. So it sounds
like ballots will go out next week between Tuesday and Friday.
(49:34):
And once they go out, it sounds like voters are
only going to have a day to make their picks.
I believe that is correct. Info.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
Yep, yep, I'll be ready. I'll be ready style before
we end this episode.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
By the way, it is the it is the fourth
quarter of that game. We did make it all the
way to the fourth quarter.
Speaker 2 (49:58):
Yeah, but we not making it to the end. That's
what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
And we're winning at home. Absolutely joking.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
We're not giving you five minutes. It's not not happening.
Sorry everybody. So before we end this episode, stein have
to give you an update in the Filipino League that
I'm in. So uh, this is a new I've added
two new players to this team. You're in the GM Championship.
(50:31):
I'm the GM of my team. Yes, remember we won
the championship last season. We were a last place team,
but we got hot in the playoffs won the champions Oh.
Speaker 1 (50:41):
So since what you guys go through the playing tournament?
How'd you guys get in if you were in last place?
Speaker 2 (50:46):
No, all teams made the place.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
Only sixteen all teams make the playoffs. It kind of
sounds like a participant. There wasn't a.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Five game gap. There wasn't a five game or six
game gap.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Stann stop it qualified, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (50:59):
Thank you? So Anyways, I've since added two more players
to my team. I added a brother named Winston, and
I added I added my guy Nam who is Blieve's Blieve,
he's Laos. So those are my two. They're two good
players though, adding to my team, Stein were three and oh.
That's far.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
I am the front runner for m v P yet again,
and it's uh for this season. But Stein, we received
a complaint. So one of my teammates, his name is Mike,
he's Filipino.
Speaker 2 (51:36):
Uh. The commissioner, who is also Filipino, went up to.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
Mike last week after we went three and oh, and
a commissioner told Mike that he's getting two complaints. The
first complaint is that our team is two stacked. He's
getting these players, the players players from the lead. These
are complaints from players in the league. The first complaints
is that we're too stacked, and the second play is
(52:03):
that we're too black. Now we comes to the team
that's stacked. No, not guilty at all, not guilty at all.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
This we are a team that was in last place
last season, last place.
Speaker 3 (52:21):
Nobody would say anything. We just happened to go on
a run. Now I've added a brother and a and
an agent to my team this year. Now to the
to the charge of too black, guilty is charge. I
have nothing to say about that. Guilty is charge. But
I don't want to hit like so, so I told
(52:42):
say anyways, so I had to let my team know.
I had a meeting, had a team meeting via the text,
and I said, listen, guys, you know, because this is me,
let me see. It's me, Winston and Twine Khalil. It's
four brothers, four brothers on a team. We have a
team of nine. So it's four of us and we're four.
You know, we're all pretty good. And I think everybody
(53:04):
else probably has one or two at the max two
brothers on the team.
Speaker 2 (53:08):
So we got four. We're pretty good.
Speaker 3 (53:11):
But anyways, I told my team, I said, look, you
have to understand people are complaining we're three and zero.
We do we do have the most brothers on the
team with four, so understand that, you know, calls might
not be coming our way, and we can't be arguing
with the refs. We can't be talking trash to the opponent,
like including myself because I talk a lot. We got
(53:33):
to be on our best behavior. And so everybody agreed, Yeah,
let's just let's just play basketball. Let's do what we
have to do. And so Stein, I came up with
the idea. This package right here, I'm lett people hear
the package. So our next game is Saturday, and Stein,
(53:54):
this is what I ordered for my team because I
want our I want our team, want our team to
be unified.
Speaker 2 (54:02):
But also I want to show the league that we're
on their side and we mean nothing.
Speaker 1 (54:12):
Sounds like piece of paper when he's on inside the NBA.
Speaker 3 (54:18):
These are Philippine flag headbands that the whole team is
going to wear.
Speaker 2 (54:26):
Bought nine of them.
Speaker 3 (54:27):
They're the philip they're Philippines. The flag of the Philippine
on these head bands. So we're all going to wear
this as a team, so that we're all during this
during this season. I may be African American now, you
may be Laos right over here, you may be Caucasian,
(54:49):
but when we step in this league, we're all Philippines.
And what if we're all Philippines.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
If you don't like playing in the headband, you're still
going to make them wear it.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
I'm still I think you know, listen, it just shows.
Speaker 1 (55:01):
That hes you sound like the GM and the coach.
Speaker 2 (55:04):
Now I'll do it all. I'll do it all.
Speaker 3 (55:07):
But this is the Team Bob experience, and it's to show,
you know, show the league that, look, man, we're not
over here trying to start trouble. You know, we're you know,
we're here with y'all. So my team doesn't know that
I did this.
Speaker 1 (55:20):
Yet, so they're gonna find out on this pod.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
They're gonna if they listen to the pod. I'm hoping
they don't listen, but you.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Think they You don't think the guys on this team listen.
I think they probably do listen because this league gets
so much attention. Your league gets so much attention on
this League Uncut, that they probably do listen, hoping, hoping
that they're gonna get some.
Speaker 3 (55:42):
Pub I hope not, because I wanted to just surprise them,
like right before tip. But yes, that's that's what we're doing.
So this this is like to show that you know,
we're on your side, We're good and we support y'all.
That's all too black Guilty as charge, guilty too, stat No,
(56:06):
we were just the last place team.
Speaker 1 (56:10):
On that note, we will definitely wrap up this edition
of This League Uncut, which covers the NBA and of course,
the rec league journey entails as only they can be
told by our Chris Haynes. You guys know what to do.
Playoffs are almost here. Follow us rate the show, review
(56:34):
the show. We'd love a five star review from you.
And we've got lots coming up here. We have multiple
guest pods planned before the playoffs even start. I'm hesitant
to mention names because I don't want to jinx anything.
Speaker 2 (56:53):
I won't I won't mention name Stein, but I'm gonna
go on. I'm gonna go out on the limb and
say Bucks related.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Yes, okay, we should have a Bucks related guest as
you put it, this weekend. We've got another guest visit
tentatively scheduled before that, so hopefully both of those come
to fruition. That said, we thought we might have a
guest visit tonight on this Wednesday night recording, and that
(57:19):
didn't materialize. So this time of year, these things are fluid.
But the point is we've got some extra pods, some
bonus pods coming up here before the playoffs begin. As
Chris said, he'll be on the road next week doing
multiple play in tournament games, and the playoffs really are
almost here. As we said, we do have this one
(57:42):
matchup locked in now Clippers and MAVs. We know they're
going to meet in round one, and as the week continues,
we'll have a little bit of a clearer picture of
how all the playoff matchups break down or how they
start to break down. And good times, crazy times, year
(58:02):
end a ward ballots, playing tournament playoffs. It's all happening
as mid April draws near. Thanks so much for being
with us, Chris and I and producer Ryan will be
back with you very very soon. Take care of one
and that'll do it for us. See you next time.
(58:23):
This League un Cutter is an iHeartRadio production Chris Haines
and Mark Stein
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