With six days left in the NBA regular season, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein connect for a long talk about the struggling state of the Eastern Conference outside of Boston, discuss the latest injury return timetables for Julius Randle and Trae Young, provide an important update on NBA season-ending awards season and talk more about the solar eclipse than they ever imagined.
Follow, rate and review #thisleague UNCUT with Chris Haynes & Marc Stein here!
https://link.chtbl.com/thisleagueuncut
#fsr #dpshow
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The twenty twenty three to twenty four NBA regular season
is down to its final six days, and we've got
updates on year end award ballots, a comprehensive look at
the Eastern Conference for a change rather than the West,
and more North American solar eclipse talk than this show
ever planned or imagined. All that's next. You're on a
(00:24):
brand new episode, a brand new edition of This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome to This League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you love, Chris Haines. It's
go time, work's time, It's so time. This League Uncut
is underway and on fire.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
This should be a good one. Hey everyone, welcome in
to the latest edition of This League Uncut. Mark Stein
here with Chris Haynes. It is late on Monday night
as we record this. There were no NBA games tonight
(01:11):
as the professionals let the collegians have the stage. Of course,
Yukon won the National Championship. Of course, Chris Haynes and
I combined to watch so little of it that any
attempt at analysis from us would be an affront to
the game of round ball. So we are just going
(01:31):
to talk about the stuff that we know about, and
that of course is the NBA. But I have to say, guys,
and producer Ryan is here as well. I mean, this
was quite a day in Dallas. Here in the path
of totality, we had a full on solar eclipse. Obviously
it was a big deal all across the country, but
(01:53):
I don't know, I guess in California, where you guys are,
I mean, you tell me how big a deal it
was in your lives, because, like I said, for you know,
we had I had the glasses, my kids at school,
with all kinds of high tech photo equipment taking pictures
of this thing. And I'm you know, I didn't. I
(02:14):
wasn't expecting to, but I really did get swept up
in the moment here seeing a full blown eclipse.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I mean, I think there were people who were definitely
intrigued with it and set up their day and planned
around to plant around their schedule to make sure they
could make it. I wasn't one of them. I was
actually in the air, flying to LA.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You're in the air.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I was in the air, and no, I didn't look
out the window to see if I can see the clip.
I didn't care, you know, no, really, I have no
you know, listen, no ill will towards you people who do.
I just didn't didn't care, so missed it.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
And Ryan was probably on the Herd. Of course, producer
Ryan is part of the army that produces and runs
Colin Cowherd's daily show. I'm guessing you guys couldn't just
hit the pause button on live TV so everybody could
go outside and check this thing out.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I had had to do it live. No, we were preoccupied,
Although I will say I'm a little surprised, Chris. Were
you a window seat and you just very much avoided
looking out the window or were you at least an
aisle guy.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
No, I'm an aisle guy. I like to stretch my leg.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit, all right, So.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
I get that maybe you didn't have a clear view.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Of it, Ryan, Ryan, that had absolutely nothing to do
with it. If I was sitting in a window seat,
my shades would have been down and I would have
been sleep just like I was on this On this flight,
I usually sleep. I knock out like I And I
love that about myself because it, you know, it makes
the makes the flight go by quicker. But uh, yeah,
(03:54):
I just had no desire to. I'm sorry, don't judge me,
just had no desire.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
No, we're not judging you at all. No, I'm just
I just have to say, like I said, even from
my perspective, I was not expecting to get swept up
in the moment. But you know, here in Dallas again
being in the quote path of totality. It last happened
in the Greater DFW area in eighteen seventy eight, and
it is not projected to happen again like it did
(04:20):
today with four minutes of darkness just intruding upon the
afternoon at one forty pm. It's not supposed to happen
here again until twenty three seventeen. So I don't think
this league uncut will still be in existence in twenty
three seventeen.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Hold on, man, you don't think we'll have a show
good enough that it will stand the test of time.
And that's somebody else like our family, as somebody our
kids will take over the program, on our grandkids and
their grand kids. You don't think it has survived of
survivings in staying power.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Maybe do you think AI is so advanced that it
could replicate your stories about the rec League and everything
else that happens in your life. Is that possible?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Hey, listen, I've been looking at some you know, I
spent quite too much time on social media, and I've
seen what AI can do already. It's tricking some folks
is writing stories for people. AIS was having their own conversation.
So I wouldn't be surprised what we could see, you know,
at that juncture.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
But yeah, twenty three seventeen, Yeah, I'm gonna be I
will be able to tell the story just like Chris
Haynes about storming out of the car at Popeye's.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Twenty three seventeen. So that's why everybody was all up
in arms about this eclipse.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Oh yeah, man, last week in Dallas we had like
I saw reprint of how the papers covered it in
eighteen seventy eight. I mean, like I said, I just
I've never been you know, I've never really gotten wrapped
up in previous eclipse viewings. But this time, because it
was such a big story here for days and days
(06:08):
and days and so much, so much, I guess pessimism
that the weather was going to mess it up, and
then the weather really didn't mess it up.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I have a question, then, when was the last eclipse
before this.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
One, well, I know there was a significant one in
twenty seventeen. But like I said, I am not the
authority on these things, So I mean to quote anything
I say on the matter is probably probably a mistake.
I can only speak to it.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
You can only speak to what.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I can only speak to it. Like I said, from
this opportunity that Dallas had to have a total eclipse, which,
like I said, in this area, you know, I know
the because it's been talked about so much here that
people were saying, yes, we have not been we have
not had this opportunity since eighteen seventy eight, and so in.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Dallas, got you Okay, I'm about to say, because this
is this is a really uh an erotic trend here.
So the last one was about seventy.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
One kind of trend?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Can can I fish my point? Start? About? Allowed to
fish my point?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I guess yeah, I mean, sure, finish.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The last one was seven years ago, and now you
said the next one won't happen until twenty three seventeen.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Like what Like I said, like I said, I I
don't even know. Don't listen to me. I don't know
what I'm talking about. I know, my knowledge is very
very very surface.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I mean, if I don't know about I don't know
about erotic trends.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I'm sticking with that erotic I did.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
I did listen to Uh they did a daily episode
on it today. So they do happen every several years
or so, right, because there's a guy who's an expert
and he goes to like every single full eclipse based
off of where they are on planet Earth. So he's
been to like once on Antarctica, Australia, India, Canada. So
(08:20):
to Stein's point, specifically, the one that passes directly over
Dallas will only happen every few hundred years, but if
you're willing to go to a different part of the world,
they do happen more or less like a munch a decade.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Is kind of I think the cadence of it gotcha.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Right, So yeah, I think I think the story that
Ryan is. You know, there's been talk about this Texas
gentleman who is one hundred and five years old and
this was his thirteenth total solar eclipse. So they do happen,
and it just, yeah, like that thing. I think that
was the other reason why it became such a big
deal here is that you know, there were stories of
(09:00):
people coming here from New Zealand and all over the
world to see this thing where you know, Dallas again
was in the that's you know that that much. I
have learned that they do call it the path of totality.
But you know what we've probably can.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
We learned. We learned something new every day, and I've
learned like if I you know, it's bigger in Dallas,
because had I known that I'm only going to see
this once in my lifetime, I probably would have planned
my schedule around it.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
So that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
If mygift to you Dallas folks out there, but.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
If Sacramento ever, if Sacramento ever ends up in the
path of totality, you it will it will, you will
hear tons about it, and I am sure you will
get yourself a special set of glasses like I did.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
To Okay, now, let's define eratic, not even or regular
in pattern or movement, unpredictable.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
So what Whatyes, I do know what the word erratic means,
but that's not what it sounded like you said. That's
that was my that was my concern slash confusion. I'm
pretty sure Producer Ryan and our listeners and I know
the meaning of erratic E R R A T I C. Unfortunately,
(10:23):
that's not what it sounded like you said.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Sorry, I've been watching too much of social media clips.
By my pause.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Should we talk about should we try? Should we try
to salvage this show and move on to basketball? Let's go,
because there was even though this was a day that
belonged to the collegians, there was a little bit of
news earlier in the day. I checked with the league
office because I heard a rumble over the weekend. I've
(10:53):
said at least once or twice publicly being asked by
readers by listeners to kind of go over the award
ballot process and award ballots. I'm sure we've talked about
it here on this League uncut. When do ballots go out?
When are awards due? And the voting for year end awards.
(11:15):
For as long as I can remember, ballots were always
due the day after the season, and ballots typically would
go out, you know, today with like a week to go,
and then again, you know, in this year, I even
wrote about it because tax Day is April fifteenth, and
that's the day after the regular season, so it was like, oh, wow,
(11:37):
April fifteenth this year is going to be tax Day
and the day that year end award ballots are due.
But no, the league is actually implementing a new system
this season for the first time in years and years,
and the reason is the sixty five game rule, and
it really does make sense when you kind of get
the explanation, but basically, in five different award caps that's
(12:02):
where the sixty five game rule applies. Only for five
different awards MVP, All NBA Most Improved, Defensive Player of
the Year, and the All Defensive Team. So for example,
the Rookie of the Year Award, the All Rookie Team,
the sixty five game rule does not apply in those categories.
(12:24):
But for the five categories that the sixty five game
rule does apply, we're not going to know the full, exact,
precise list of eligible winners until the season is completely finished.
So basically, the league office confirmed today that ballots won't
(12:49):
be able to go out to voters until after the
regular season, and it sounds like the voting process is
going to be conducted and completed between April sixteenth and nineteenth,
when the play in tournament is going on. And that
means Chris Haynes, in addition to working the sideline for
a play in game or two for TNT, you are
(13:10):
gonna have to do your ballots then, because, as we
have previously discussed here on this league uncut, you are
again an official voter. I am not an official voter.
But that's the newsy slight change to the award situation
that ballots will go out and be completed between April
sixteenth and nineteenth, now the week. This will all take
(13:34):
place during the week after the season, as opposed to
in the past where it had to be wrapped up
immediately the day after. It really is not that big
a deal. I don't think it's going to change things dramatically.
What it does is, though people who like to vote early,
you can't. You can't even get started until the league
sends out the ballot, which again is not going to
(13:56):
happen till next week. So you got a little You've
got a little X for time to get ready with
your various awards elections.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, that's true. I mean they give you three days
from what you reporter, You got three days from when
they give you your ballot. You got three days to
submit it. That's different. But yeah, I mean you don't
need your ballot to to you know, have you know
to already have your picks in mind or have them
written down. So yeah, that's not going to change anything.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Have you begun that process to any serious degree?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
No? I have not.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
No, I have not, right, and I'm not going to
press you. But I'm sure if we said, hey, you
need to tell us your MVP right now, you could
at least give us two three names that you're looking at.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, I mean Joker, Shaye. Those the top two.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Man, you are still you don't even have Luca in
your top two yet. Man, top two over say and
Joker you are tough. Hey, it's your ballot. It is
your ballot again.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
And again I have it dissected, the numbers and crunched everything.
So you know that can change once I do a
deep dive. But as of right now, just looking at
things from a glass, Yeah, those are my top two
Shayan Joker right now.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So Harrison Fagan, he's the NBA manager at ESP Nation,
works with all kinds of NBA team sites under that
ESP Nation umbrella. And I know he is a he's
a very loyal listener to this podcast and he tweets.
He tweeted after the last episode. This pod is great
(15:41):
because every episode is basically like dot dot dot Stein,
who is your MVP? Haines? I got mad. My wife
picked Popeyes for dinner, so I got out of the
car and walked three and a half miles home. That's
the way he summed up this league, uncut.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
That sounds like a natural. That's a natural progressive on
a conversation. That's how totally normal to me.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
All right, today I'm gonna rant about something, and we'll
see what kind of reaction I go.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Oh, hold on, hold on, stop, hold on, hold on,
hold on, ladies and gentlemen, hold on, ladieship, before he
goes here, before he goes there. I want y'all to
understand and appreciate how big of a pull this is
to get this out of Stein. Stein doesn't tell you
much about I've just I've just found out about his
(16:33):
family about a year ago, and I've been knowing a
guy for ten years now.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
So this is how this is. I didn't want to
get your hopes up too much. This is not a
personal rant. This is this is NBA related.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
You fooled us all even producer Ryan was ready go ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
If you wanted a personal rant, you should have seen
me about ten minutes before we started, because I wanted
to throw every piece of equipment I own into the
into the garbage because nothing was working, so that that
actually would have been a good You guys would have
been quite amused had you seen that. It was not
pretty okay. If Missus Stein ever comes on here, like
(17:09):
Missus Haynes did last week, she'll probably tell you how
dismayed and disgusted she was by my behavior because it
was a John McEnroe esque throwing tantrum, my horrendous equipment.
But that is not what I came here to rant today.
I came here to rant about the Eastern Conference. Your
(17:38):
Eastern Conference, Chris Haynes. Seriously, I've been debating. I did
this in print as well. Do I need to bring
back my Leastern Conference tag that I used for years
and years and years in the power rankings? This is ridiculous, ridiculous,
and your Milwaukee Bucks are a big part of this.
I mean, do you realize on Tuesday morning, when this
(18:02):
pod drops and when the season resumes, the Celtics of
Boston will enter the Final six days of the regular
season with a fifteen game lead over the number two
seeded Bucks of Milwaukee. Fifteen games. That is outrageous. That
(18:28):
is unbelievable. And I'm gonna put this to you both.
Producer Ryan can also participate trivia time. When was the
last time we saw a conference race that was this
out of hand, this lopsided? And listen, do not be
ashamed if neither one of you can get this answer.
(18:49):
Because I didn't know either. I had to turn to
Justin Kubatko, a good friend of mine who keeps he
does incredible NBA research. I needed his help to look up.
I give you, guys, pretty much a zero percent chance
of getting it unless you read my piece tonight, and
I'm guessing neither one of you did. So tell me,
do you have any clue when the last time we
(19:13):
saw such a gap between one and two in any
conference in NBA history, any season.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
I have I do not have a clue.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
None whatsoever. That is totally understandable, because you guys know,
I fancy myself to be a pretty decent NBA historian,
and I had no idea. No, guests, you have to
go all the way back to the nineteen seventy five
seventy six season when there were only eighteen teams in
the NBA as opposed to thirty in nineteen seventy five
(19:47):
seventy six Golden State defending the first championship in franchise history.
Those Warriors, led by Rick Berry fifty nine and twenty three.
In nineteen seventy five seventy six, Seattle sixteen games back
at number two in the West at forty three and
(20:09):
thirty nine, and Phoenix ended up going to the finals
that year and losing to Boston. Of course, that series
feature the game with Garherd forcing overtime with one of
the most memorable shots in NBA history. Celtics, though, did
win that series over Phoenix in seventy six. So I mean,
(20:30):
the point is Boston has been so good this season
and the dominant team of the regular season that the
Celtics presence that does give me some pause in throwing
out Leastern Conference rampantly on this podcast. And obviously injuries
have been a factor up and down the East, with
(20:51):
more teams than not in the East top ten. There
is an injury situation with note, but still none Chris, Please,
I've ranted long enough. Please tell me what's going on
with the Milwaukee Bucks. I mean they are, I mean
to be fifteen games behind Boston. And what we witnessed
last week from the Bucks consecutive losses in Washington then
(21:14):
at home to Memphis at Toronto, those teams are combined
sixty seven and one sixty eight. What in the world
is going on with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Before I touch on the Bucks, Stein, Stein and Ryan producer, Ryan,
I want to stay on the Eastern Conference because you
you're calling it the Leastern Conference, and you're pointing out
the travesty that is at the top of the Eastern
Conference standings in which the Celtics hold a fifteen game
(21:48):
lead over the number two Bucks, which is a valid
point to bring out. But I would like to take
your attention downward. Let's go down, Let's go Let's get
to the eighth seed, nine seed, tim seed. This is
where it's a travesty in my opinion, Ryan, Ryan, and Stein,
(22:09):
you're talking about the play in situation. This is the
problem I have with the play in under this circumstance
and when this scenario happens, and I think you know
where I'm going with the stun You have the Miami
who excuse me, you have the Miami Heat, who sit
at number eight right now. They will be in the
play in situation most likely. But behind them or below them,
(22:35):
I should say, are the Chicago Bulls. And they are
six games above the Chicago Bulls. So what you're telling
me is this a team that is six games above
the next team. You're telling me all it takes is
for that team below to win two games, just two
(22:59):
games in the play is scenario to make it to
the playoffs. I think that is totally unfair. I love
the play and I think has been great, But I
think if you're a seventh seed or sixth seed or
whatever I mean seventh seed or a seed and you
have I think there needs to be a number like
(23:22):
if you're six games are more above the next team,
you should get an automatic birth to the playoffs because
it doesn't make sense that.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I think some people would back you up on that
that you know, should there be a games behind limit
or minimum requirement? Should teams nine to ten do they
have to be within three games of number eight or
four games of number eight? But I hear what you're saying,
the Bulls will enter Tuesday's play six games behind number
(23:58):
eight Miami. The Hawks will enter Tuesday's play seven games
behind number eight Miami, and if playing matters go in
a haywire fashion, a team like Philly or Miami could
be knocked out by a team that's well under five hundred. However,
I don't know that it was appropriate for you to
(24:20):
distract from my initial rant when I suspect that your
real complaint here is you want to be in Miami
and that's really all you care about selfishly, which you've
admitted on this podcast numerous times, and you're just upset
that because of the play in the Heat could get
knocked out early and you might not get any games
(24:42):
in Miami this playoffs, and that's really all your concern
is here.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You brought that up, not me, but what I'm saying,
let's stick to the broader point. The broader point is, yes,
I think that is a complete travesty when a team
can win two games, just two games, because basically now
you're telling me that five or six games of the
regular season really didn't matter because the Hawks or Chicago
(25:10):
could just get a heat.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Are really six or seven games better than the Bulls
and or Hawks. I mean, shouldn't they win a one
off game.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
It doesn't match Stine. We understand the injuries take you know,
players can be hurt, you know what I mean, Like
the Atlanta's finding a stride right now, like they're gonna
get Trey Young back pretty soon. They're a different team now.
So no, you can't just look at it like because anybody,
anybody can be That's why I have a story. Anybody
(25:38):
can beat anybody. And this brings me to my story, Stine.
I'll tell at the end of our pod. Anybody can
beat anybody at any given time. So if you're gonna
say Star, well they just they're better. They should be
able to beat them in a two game scenario. No,
these are professional players. It doesn't matter. And you just
(26:00):
taking away all the importance of having a six game lead.
You might as well just eradicate those five or six
wins that the Miami had. That's all.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Well, Look, you were there last season when after Atlanta
stunned Miami in the first playing game, you had Heat Chicago.
You were there for the start of the Heat's fairy
tale run from playing tournament almost play in tournament failure
all the way to a trip to the NBA Finals.
(26:35):
But you know what, again, let's I think we still
need to rewind, go back where this ranting all started.
What in the world is going on with the Milwaukee Bucks?
Please enlighten us. I know that's a team you know
well cover closely. You're constantly dialed in there. What happened
last week? Seriously, those losses were ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
They're losing to horrible teams. The team is just not
very good right now. Period. Can they turn it on?
Can they find something? I don't know, possibly, but this
team is just showing that they're not that good, period,
And it would be hard to pick them in any
(27:20):
series right now. That's just how terrible they've been over
the past few weeks. After the All Star break, it
seemed like they turned the corner. They were doing good.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, I thought I thought they started to figure things out.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Yeah, I mean yeah, Stein, I can't, I can't put
a finger on it.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
But how worried do you think they are? Because now
I'm not even sure they're going to hang on to
number two again. You know, it looked and as I
you know, all kind of joking aside. Injuries have been
a major factor in the East all season. There's no
question Miami has dealt with numerous absences. Philly only just
(28:03):
got Joel Embiid back, Indiana lost Benedict Maturin, and Halliburton
has not been the same player since the hollatious groin strain,
and Cleveland has had multiple, multiple significant injuries. The Knicks,
you know, we're going to get into that your report
about Julius Randall last week, and now Julius Randall is
not coming back this season, and they've had to play
(28:24):
so many games without Randall, without og An Andobi. Pretty
much everyone in the East top ten has had to
deal with a variety of injury issues. Maybe Orlando's have
been slightly less impactful than many of the teams around them,
and that's among the reasons why the Magic, in conjunction
with their surprisingly great top five defense, why the Magic
(28:48):
are in the hunt now for number two, as no
one predicted coming into the season. Again, you know, if
we want to talk about awards, another really tough one
is going to be Coach of the Year. Trying to
set rate Chris Finch in Minnesota, Mark dagnaalton O Ca
se Jamal Mosley in Orlando. Like to me, all three
of those coaches.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Oh you're not mentioning udokah, now huh.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Now they're out of the play.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Oh okay, all right.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
But see, Actually, you know, after that pod, when you
mocked me for that suggestion.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
And I mocked people who only give Culture the Year
awards to teams that you didn't expect much of, that's
all right.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
But you what you said there was you likened what
the Rockets were doing to a participation trophy, And when
I thought about that after the pod, I feel like
that was a little bit much. Because the Rockets were
nine games under five hundred, they lost Shengon, their best player,
ended up reeling off an eleven game winning streak to
(29:56):
put themselves over five hundred from being way under five
hundred and putting some real pressure on Golden State. I
don't think that's just a participation trophy. I think that
was a pretty impressive run. But hey, they followed up
eleven do.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
We Award style? You just said it was an impressive run?
Do we Award runs? Or do we.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Had? Had they sustained it to the finish line and
finished over five hundred, and I think would have been
in the conversation they lost five game and that thing,
and that's why Udoka's out. They lost, They followed up,
they followed up eleven straight wins with five straight losses.
They're back under five hundred, they're out of the play
(30:38):
and they've been officially eliminated. So now I'm in agreement
with you will not be in the Coach of the
Year race. But when we talked about it, they were
still in the midst of that run and still alive
for maybe knocking Golden State out of the play in
I don't think that would have been a participation trophy,
but they couldn't pull it off in the end.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Stop it, we gotta stop it. Are we giving? Is
this a Coach of the Year award or Coach of
the Month or Coach of the post All Star Break Award.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
We did a pod recently. We did a pod recently
where you put two trophies on the desk and then
told us how another season is coming up in like
a month. So what you get to be MVP again
in a month? I mean, how many you get to
be MVP five times a year because they just keep
starting a new season. Or the Houston but now the
(31:31):
Houston Rockets who went on this amazing run without their
best player to almost get over five hundred. Like, that's
not a participation trophy.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Okay, run of the run of the period, Run of
the year. I gave you that run. See in twenty
twenty four. We always making up new awards because we
won award. Everybody, there you go, run of the Year award.
I'll give you that. Who had the best run?
Speaker 1 (32:00):
It is run of the year?
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Yeah the year.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Congratulations Houston Rockets. Only, by the way, the Houston Rockets
will go down as only the fifth team in league history.
There are only five and only two others in the
modern NBA era where sixteen teams have gone to the
playoffs for the last forty years to post a double
digit win streak and not make the playoffs. So typically,
(32:25):
if teams can win a double digit amount of games
in a row, they almost always go to the playoffs.
So all I'm saying is, I think, I think what
Houston did is more impressive than participation trophy territory. But again,
yet again, this is like the seventh time we've diverted
from the Bucks and everything going on in the East.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
I mean, what's up with the Bucks? Nobody cares about
the Bucks. Nobody want to hear about the Bucks.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
You know what nobody cares about the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
The Bucks got the Celtics tomorrow or when it's tonight,
I should say, because this is when this podcast is
going to drop. Let's let's talk about him after that game.
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Let's talk about it. Let's talk about another team in
the East that you reported on extensively last week, the
New York Knicks. You got everybody talking Thursday night, You're
(33:27):
in New York to cover Kings at Knicks. By this point,
we know that Julius Randall has been ruled out for
the rest of the season, but TNT's Chris Haynes before
Thursday's game, reports that he had spoken to Julius Randall
and Julius Randall previously a guest here on this League Uncut.
(33:51):
Julius Randall told you that he had suffered a setback
in his rehabitempts to try to get back on the floor,
and that's what led him to decide that he did
need season ending shoulder surgery.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
So just.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Let's go back to your day in New York and
just tell us kind of how that all played out.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Yeah, so I had obviously, I had the game for
T and T that night. It was the Kings and
the Knicks. And that morning news broke that Julius Randall
would have season in the surgery. So obviously, you know,
I'm all on the Julius Randall situation. And so I
(34:35):
had to go on to on inside the NBA before
and you know, you know, they wanted some you know what,
what did I know about Julius Randall. So I'm like,
you know what, let's give it a try. Let me
call Julius himself, let me figure it out. And I
texted him and he said, I'm gonna hit you back
in a couple hours. You hear that from players a
(34:58):
lot sometimes in my forget or whatever whatever happens. He
called me back, and he called me probably about an
hour before I was to go to the arena, and
he was just ready to talk. And one thing that
stood out to me is that he really wanted it
out there publicly, that he suffered a setback about five
(35:20):
weeks about five weeks ago during a contact session, and
you know, it was back to square one with a shoulder,
and he still, he said, he still tried to fight
and still try to go through rehab, but the shoulder
just wasn't cooperating and wasn't responding until recently until he realized,
(35:43):
you know, that there was nothing else he could do.
He was not going to be able to return this
season and surgery was the only option. So that was
never revealed before the fact that he had suffered a
setback during a contact session with Pat. So you know,
he really wanted that. He want he wanted he wanted
(36:04):
his story told. So I appreciate him and trusted in
me two to reveal that on his behalf. But uh,
you know, remember when he had this, when he first
suffered the injury, he could have opted for surgery then,
but he really wanted to stick it out and we
wanted to try to play and get back this season.
(36:26):
And so this really doesn't hurt him at all for
next season because I know there's some peoples like, well,
he probably should have had the surgery then, Well, it
wouldn't have changed any change anything. He hasn't surgery stilled
out for five months. He has a surgery. Now it's
gonna be out for five months, but he'll be ready
for the start of training camp. So and you know
it's brief. I'm being brief, but you know that's and
that's the consensus of what he shared with me, and
(36:49):
he really wanted wanted it known that he really tried
everything he could to get back on the court, but
his shoulder just did not cooperate, especially after suffering that setback.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
And you can understand why he would want to try
to leave open every chance to come back this season,
because again, look, Boston has been tremendous. They're sixty two
and sixteen. You know, they have done pretty much everything
you could possibly ask of a team in the regular season.
(37:20):
But outside of Boston, I mean, number two in the
East is up for grabs still, the Knicks. Despite all
the games that Randall and og Annobi have missed, the
Knicks enter Tuesday's play only a game behind the Bucks
in a tie with Orlando. Orlando does have the edge
(37:42):
and is technically the number three seed. The Knicks are
at number four. But there's this, there's there's a tremendous
opportunity to at least go to the conference finals this
season and presumably play the Boston Celtics. It's there for
the taking. So it makes sense why Randall would have
wanted to come back, because I mean, the East does
(38:06):
seem so wide open underneath Boston. But now that was
that was interesting and pretty cool to see how candid
he was with you and how much he told you
about that situation.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
Yeah, I said, I appreciate Julius for doing that, but yeah,
that's how that came about. Called me by surprise.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
And then now, you know, having heard having heard what
you just said about Chicago and Atlanta, I'm almost hesitant
to segue to this other injury topic. But Trey Young
on Monday, he was officially cleared to return to contact
and practice. I know on your Bleacher Report stream on
Friday you had some Trey Young intel on there as well.
(38:53):
It sounds like it sounds like Trey Young really wants
to come back before the season ends. This Sunday night.
It sounds like Trey wants to get back on the
court so he can make a contribution in the play
and round. And you know, I think there was a
sense that when he sustained this ligament injury in a
(39:18):
finger on his left hand in late February, that that
might be the rest of the season. But Trey Young
clearly isn't looking at it like that, and it sounds
like he sounds like we have a decent chance of
seeing him play this week, which to me, is again
not super interesting for the standings because the Hawks can
only finish as high as ninth. Atlanta's gonna play Chicago
(39:39):
in a nine to ten playing game. Really, the only
mystery is where that game is gonna be. But Trey
Young coming back for the end of the season and
a play in game or two, and maybe even some
playoff games, if the Hawks can get through the playing round,
as they've done multiple times in the past, all that
is pretty intriguing to me. I'm really curious to see
(40:01):
what it looks like for Trey Young to come back
and rejoin the Hawks here at such a late stage.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Yeah, he's adamant on returning. That was always his focus
right now, and they're a different team. If he comes
back and he can get back to the form he
was before that injury, they're a completely different team. And
that would put the Miami Heat in a tough situation
(40:30):
if they were to see the Atlanta Hawks at some point. Basically,
what I'm saying is Miami Heat deserved to be in
the playoffs. They deserve to be in the playoffs, and
I'll leave it.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
At that translation. As we've already established, you are concerned
about your ability to return to South Beach this season.
I know I get it, But I'm going to take
this thing back to Trey Young because, like I said,
I will be watching the Hawks this week with great
interest if he makes it back onto the floor. Because
(41:03):
I included this in my Monday musing's column on my
sub stack one league source. The way it was described
to me, the most likely scenario remains that before next season,
Atlanta would more likely than not trade one of its
star guards. The expectation remains at this juncture that Tray
(41:31):
Young or de Jonte Murray the best forecast at this
point is that one of the two would likely be
moved before next season. I'm not sure you agree, but
I think there are a lot of people around the
league who see it that way, and so that's why
I'm saying I think there's it's gonna be really interesting
(41:53):
to see them reunited on the court and what that
looks like. Because they've now gone twenty two games where
this team has been to Jontay Maurice centric. The Hawks
are twelve and ten in those games, which is still
a pretty middling record, but the defense has been much better.
So it's good that we looked at the other side
of the conference. Coin here and again shout out one
(42:14):
more time to the Orlando Magic. Top three defensively this season.
Jamal Mosley has gotten such a good response out of
that young team to see Orlando when the NBA resumes
play on Tuesday, Orlando with the league's number three defense,
behind only Minnesota and Boston, one spot ahead of the
(42:38):
Miami Heat. And it is it is somewhat amusing to
me that you had all those things to say about
the East playing and all joking aside. I know why
you're saying it, and you make it is it is
a valid point. I'm sure Philly and Miami are looking
at the standings right there with Chris Haynes. They're looking
at the stands and saying, why are we in a
(42:59):
plan with Chicago and Atlanta that are so far behind us?
But this week, Chris Haynes, you will be thrust into
the heart of the West play and race. The records
in the West playin zone are much more impressive from
seven to ten, But man, you are in the heart
(43:20):
of the play in battle. This week, Tuesday night, you're
on the TNT sideline for Warriors at Lakers. The Lakers
are still ninth. The Warriors Okay, Houston and their run
of the year is no longer a concern for the Warriors,
But Golden State has won fifteen of its last nineteen
(43:43):
road games. Ridiculous to have a fifteen and four stretch
on the road. Remember, the Warriors only won eleven road
games all of last season, and they haven't moved up.
They're stuck in tenth. The Lakers were briefly up to
number eight, but they're back to number nine. Got Warriors
at Lakers on Tuesday night, and then on Thursday night,
(44:04):
You've got the teams currently in the seventh and eighth
spots number seven, New Orleans at number eight Sacramento. So,
Chris Haynes, producer, Ryan Chris Haynes, this week is going
to experience and be exposed to nothing but absolute NBA
desperation here in the last three, four, five days.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I mean it, it
can be very well be these two teams, I mean,
these four teams in the same pairing Lakers, Warriors, Pelicans, Kings.
So it can start up some type of short term
rivalry as I should say, I will say, particularly from
the Kings and Pelicans, just to playing so close so soon.
(44:49):
But no, I'm looking forward to it because this has
you know, both teams should be playing their guys that
are healthy, and we should you should have some good basketball.
So I'm excited about this play in matchup potential preview.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
All Right, I think that's going to do it for
what can only be described as a pretty erratic episode
of This League Uncut. To underline that was erratic, err
at ic. That's gonna do it for Mark Stein and
(45:26):
Chris Haynes on the latest edition of This League Uncut.
As always, friends, please follow us, rate the show, review
the show. We would love to get a five star
rating from you if possible. With all these games coming up,
with two sideline appearances for Chris in short order Tuesday
and Thursday, we will still have to figure out exactly
(45:50):
when we get together for our next edition of This
League Uncut, but I can promise you it will happen soon.
We're also working on a special guest to that we
hope to secure before the playing round starts next Tuesday.
So lots of stuff going on Thanks as always for listening.
(46:10):
We'll be back together with you again gras and that'll
do it for us, See you next time. This League
Uncut is an iHeartRadio production Chris Haines and Mark Stein
The twenty twenty three to twenty four NBA regular season
is down to its final six days, and we've got
updates on year end award ballots, a comprehensive look at
the Eastern Conference for a change rather than the West,
and more North American solar eclipse talk than this show
ever planned or imagined. All that's next. You're on a
(00:24):
brand new episode, a brand new edition of This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome to This League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you love, Chris Haines. It's
go time, work's time, It's so time. This League Uncut
is underway and on fire.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
This should be a good one. Hey everyone, welcome in
to the latest edition of This League Uncut. Mark Stein
here with Chris Haynes. It is late on Monday night
as we record this. There were no NBA games tonight
(01:11):
as the professionals let the collegians have the stage. Of course,
Yukon won the National Championship. Of course, Chris Haynes and
I combined to watch so little of it that any
attempt at analysis from us would be an affront to
the game of round ball. So we are just going
(01:31):
to talk about the stuff that we know about, and
that of course is the NBA. But I have to say, guys,
and producer Ryan is here as well. I mean, this
was quite a day in Dallas. Here in the path
of totality, we had a full on solar eclipse. Obviously
it was a big deal all across the country, but
(01:53):
I don't know, I guess in California, where you guys are,
I mean, you tell me how big a deal it
was in your lives, because, like I said, for you know,
we had I had the glasses, my kids at school,
with all kinds of high tech photo equipment taking pictures
of this thing. And I'm you know, I didn't. I
(02:14):
wasn't expecting to, but I really did get swept up
in the moment here seeing a full blown eclipse.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I mean, I think there were people who were definitely
intrigued with it and set up their day and planned
around to plant around their schedule to make sure they
could make it. I wasn't one of them. I was
actually in the air, flying to LA.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You're in the air.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I was in the air, and no, I didn't look
out the window to see if I can see the clip.
I didn't care, you know, no, really, I have no
you know, listen, no ill will towards you people who do.
I just didn't didn't care, so missed it.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
And Ryan was probably on the Herd. Of course, producer
Ryan is part of the army that produces and runs
Colin Cowherd's daily show. I'm guessing you guys couldn't just
hit the pause button on live TV so everybody could
go outside and check this thing out.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I had had to do it live. No, we were preoccupied,
Although I will say I'm a little surprised, Chris. Were
you a window seat and you just very much avoided
looking out the window or were you at least an
aisle guy.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
No, I'm an aisle guy. I like to stretch my leg.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit, all right, So.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
I get that maybe you didn't have a clear view.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Of it, Ryan, Ryan, that had absolutely nothing to do
with it. If I was sitting in a window seat,
my shades would have been down and I would have
been sleep just like I was on this On this flight,
I usually sleep. I knock out like I And I
love that about myself because it, you know, it makes
the makes the flight go by quicker. But uh, yeah,
(03:54):
I just had no desire to. I'm sorry, don't judge me,
just had no desire.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
No, we're not judging you at all. No, I'm just
I just have to say, like I said, even from
my perspective, I was not expecting to get swept up
in the moment. But you know, here in Dallas again
being in the quote path of totality. It last happened
in the Greater DFW area in eighteen seventy eight, and
it is not projected to happen again like it did
(04:20):
today with four minutes of darkness just intruding upon the
afternoon at one forty pm. It's not supposed to happen
here again until twenty three seventeen. So I don't think
this league uncut will still be in existence in twenty
three seventeen.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Hold on, man, you don't think we'll have a show
good enough that it will stand the test of time.
And that's somebody else like our family, as somebody our
kids will take over the program, on our grandkids and
their grand kids. You don't think it has survived of
survivings in staying power.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Maybe do you think AI is so advanced that it
could replicate your stories about the rec League and everything
else that happens in your life. Is that possible?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Hey, listen, I've been looking at some you know, I
spent quite too much time on social media, and I've
seen what AI can do already. It's tricking some folks
is writing stories for people. AIS was having their own conversation.
So I wouldn't be surprised what we could see, you know,
at that juncture.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
But yeah, twenty three seventeen, Yeah, I'm gonna be I
will be able to tell the story just like Chris
Haynes about storming out of the car at Popeye's.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Twenty three seventeen. So that's why everybody was all up
in arms about this eclipse.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Oh yeah, man, last week in Dallas we had like
I saw reprint of how the papers covered it in
eighteen seventy eight. I mean, like I said, I just
I've never been you know, I've never really gotten wrapped
up in previous eclipse viewings. But this time, because it
was such a big story here for days and days
(06:08):
and days and so much, so much, I guess pessimism
that the weather was going to mess it up, and
then the weather really didn't mess it up.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I have a question, then, when was the last eclipse
before this.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
One, well, I know there was a significant one in
twenty seventeen. But like I said, I am not the
authority on these things, So I mean to quote anything
I say on the matter is probably probably a mistake.
I can only speak to it.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
You can only speak to what.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I can only speak to it. Like I said, from
this opportunity that Dallas had to have a total eclipse, which,
like I said, in this area, you know, I know
the because it's been talked about so much here that
people were saying, yes, we have not been we have
not had this opportunity since eighteen seventy eight, and so in.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Dallas, got you Okay, I'm about to say, because this
is this is a really uh an erotic trend here.
So the last one was about seventy.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
One kind of trend?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Can can I fish my point? Start? About? Allowed to
fish my point?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I guess yeah, I mean, sure, finish.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
The last one was seven years ago, and now you
said the next one won't happen until twenty three seventeen.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Like what Like I said, like I said, I I
don't even know. Don't listen to me. I don't know
what I'm talking about. I know, my knowledge is very
very very surface.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
I mean, if I don't know about I don't know
about erotic trends.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I'm sticking with that erotic I did.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
I did listen to Uh they did a daily episode
on it today. So they do happen every several years
or so, right, because there's a guy who's an expert
and he goes to like every single full eclipse based
off of where they are on planet Earth. So he's
been to like once on Antarctica, Australia, India, Canada. So
(08:20):
to Stein's point, specifically, the one that passes directly over
Dallas will only happen every few hundred years, but if
you're willing to go to a different part of the world,
they do happen more or less like a munch a decade.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Is kind of I think the cadence of it gotcha.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Right, So yeah, I think I think the story that
Ryan is. You know, there's been talk about this Texas
gentleman who is one hundred and five years old and
this was his thirteenth total solar eclipse. So they do happen,
and it just, yeah, like that thing. I think that
was the other reason why it became such a big
deal here is that you know, there were stories of
(09:00):
people coming here from New Zealand and all over the
world to see this thing where you know, Dallas again
was in the that's you know that that much. I
have learned that they do call it the path of totality.
But you know what we've probably can.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
We learned. We learned something new every day, and I've
learned like if I you know, it's bigger in Dallas,
because had I known that I'm only going to see
this once in my lifetime, I probably would have planned
my schedule around it.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
So that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
If mygift to you Dallas folks out there, but.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
If Sacramento ever, if Sacramento ever ends up in the
path of totality, you it will it will, you will
hear tons about it, and I am sure you will
get yourself a special set of glasses like I did.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
To Okay, now, let's define eratic, not even or regular
in pattern or movement, unpredictable.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
So what Whatyes, I do know what the word erratic means,
but that's not what it sounded like you said. That's
that was my that was my concern slash confusion. I'm
pretty sure Producer Ryan and our listeners and I know
the meaning of erratic E R R A T I C. Unfortunately,
(10:23):
that's not what it sounded like you said.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Sorry, I've been watching too much of social media clips.
By my pause.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Should we talk about should we try? Should we try
to salvage this show and move on to basketball? Let's go,
because there was even though this was a day that
belonged to the collegians, there was a little bit of
news earlier in the day. I checked with the league
office because I heard a rumble over the weekend. I've
(10:53):
said at least once or twice publicly being asked by
readers by listeners to kind of go over the award
ballot process and award ballots. I'm sure we've talked about
it here on this League uncut. When do ballots go out?
When are awards due? And the voting for year end awards.
(11:15):
For as long as I can remember, ballots were always
due the day after the season, and ballots typically would
go out, you know, today with like a week to go,
and then again, you know, in this year, I even
wrote about it because tax Day is April fifteenth, and
that's the day after the regular season, so it was like, oh, wow,
(11:37):
April fifteenth this year is going to be tax Day
and the day that year end award ballots are due.
But no, the league is actually implementing a new system
this season for the first time in years and years,
and the reason is the sixty five game rule, and
it really does make sense when you kind of get
the explanation, but basically, in five different award caps that's
(12:02):
where the sixty five game rule applies. Only for five
different awards MVP, All NBA Most Improved, Defensive Player of
the Year, and the All Defensive Team. So for example,
the Rookie of the Year Award, the All Rookie Team,
the sixty five game rule does not apply in those categories.
(12:24):
But for the five categories that the sixty five game
rule does apply, we're not going to know the full, exact,
precise list of eligible winners until the season is completely finished.
So basically, the league office confirmed today that ballots won't
(12:49):
be able to go out to voters until after the
regular season, and it sounds like the voting process is
going to be conducted and completed between April sixteenth and nineteenth,
when the play in tournament is going on. And that
means Chris Haynes, in addition to working the sideline for
a play in game or two for TNT, you are
(13:10):
gonna have to do your ballots then, because, as we
have previously discussed here on this league uncut, you are
again an official voter. I am not an official voter.
But that's the newsy slight change to the award situation
that ballots will go out and be completed between April
sixteenth and nineteenth, now the week. This will all take
(13:34):
place during the week after the season, as opposed to
in the past where it had to be wrapped up
immediately the day after. It really is not that big
a deal. I don't think it's going to change things dramatically.
What it does is, though people who like to vote early,
you can't. You can't even get started until the league
sends out the ballot, which again is not going to
(13:56):
happen till next week. So you got a little You've
got a little X for time to get ready with
your various awards elections.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, that's true. I mean they give you three days
from what you reporter, You got three days from when
they give you your ballot. You got three days to
submit it. That's different. But yeah, I mean you don't
need your ballot to to you know, have you know
to already have your picks in mind or have them
written down. So yeah, that's not going to change anything.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Have you begun that process to any serious degree?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
No? I have not.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
No, I have not, right, and I'm not going to
press you. But I'm sure if we said, hey, you
need to tell us your MVP right now, you could
at least give us two three names that you're looking at.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, I mean Joker, Shaye. Those the top two.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Man, you are still you don't even have Luca in
your top two yet. Man, top two over say and
Joker you are tough. Hey, it's your ballot. It is
your ballot again.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
And again I have it dissected, the numbers and crunched everything.
So you know that can change once I do a
deep dive. But as of right now, just looking at
things from a glass, Yeah, those are my top two
Shayan Joker right now.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So Harrison Fagan, he's the NBA manager at ESP Nation,
works with all kinds of NBA team sites under that
ESP Nation umbrella. And I know he is a he's
a very loyal listener to this podcast and he tweets.
He tweeted after the last episode. This pod is great
(15:41):
because every episode is basically like dot dot dot Stein,
who is your MVP? Haines? I got mad. My wife
picked Popeyes for dinner, so I got out of the
car and walked three and a half miles home. That's
the way he summed up this league, uncut.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
That sounds like a natural. That's a natural progressive on
a conversation. That's how totally normal to me.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
All right, today I'm gonna rant about something, and we'll
see what kind of reaction I go.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Oh, hold on, hold on, stop, hold on, hold on,
hold on, ladies and gentlemen, hold on, ladieship, before he
goes here, before he goes there. I want y'all to
understand and appreciate how big of a pull this is
to get this out of Stein. Stein doesn't tell you
much about I've just I've just found out about his
(16:33):
family about a year ago, and I've been knowing a
guy for ten years now.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
So this is how this is. I didn't want to
get your hopes up too much. This is not a
personal rant. This is this is NBA related.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
You fooled us all even producer Ryan was ready go ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
If you wanted a personal rant, you should have seen
me about ten minutes before we started, because I wanted
to throw every piece of equipment I own into the
into the garbage because nothing was working, so that that
actually would have been a good You guys would have
been quite amused had you seen that. It was not
pretty okay. If Missus Stein ever comes on here, like
(17:09):
Missus Haynes did last week, she'll probably tell you how
dismayed and disgusted she was by my behavior because it
was a John McEnroe esque throwing tantrum, my horrendous equipment.
But that is not what I came here to rant today.
I came here to rant about the Eastern Conference. Your
(17:38):
Eastern Conference, Chris Haynes. Seriously, I've been debating. I did
this in print as well. Do I need to bring
back my Leastern Conference tag that I used for years
and years and years in the power rankings? This is ridiculous, ridiculous,
and your Milwaukee Bucks are a big part of this.
I mean, do you realize on Tuesday morning, when this
(18:02):
pod drops and when the season resumes, the Celtics of
Boston will enter the Final six days of the regular
season with a fifteen game lead over the number two
seeded Bucks of Milwaukee. Fifteen games. That is outrageous. That
(18:28):
is unbelievable. And I'm gonna put this to you both.
Producer Ryan can also participate trivia time. When was the
last time we saw a conference race that was this
out of hand, this lopsided? And listen, do not be
ashamed if neither one of you can get this answer.
(18:49):
Because I didn't know either. I had to turn to
Justin Kubatko, a good friend of mine who keeps he
does incredible NBA research. I needed his help to look up.
I give you, guys, pretty much a zero percent chance
of getting it unless you read my piece tonight, and
I'm guessing neither one of you did. So tell me,
do you have any clue when the last time we
(19:13):
saw such a gap between one and two in any
conference in NBA history, any season.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
I have I do not have a clue.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
None whatsoever. That is totally understandable, because you guys know,
I fancy myself to be a pretty decent NBA historian,
and I had no idea. No, guests, you have to
go all the way back to the nineteen seventy five
seventy six season when there were only eighteen teams in
the NBA as opposed to thirty in nineteen seventy five
(19:47):
seventy six Golden State defending the first championship in franchise history.
Those Warriors, led by Rick Berry fifty nine and twenty three.
In nineteen seventy five seventy six, Seattle sixteen games back
at number two in the West at forty three and
(20:09):
thirty nine, and Phoenix ended up going to the finals
that year and losing to Boston. Of course, that series
feature the game with Garherd forcing overtime with one of
the most memorable shots in NBA history. Celtics, though, did
win that series over Phoenix in seventy six. So I mean,
(20:30):
the point is Boston has been so good this season
and the dominant team of the regular season that the
Celtics presence that does give me some pause in throwing
out Leastern Conference rampantly on this podcast. And obviously injuries
have been a factor up and down the East, with
(20:51):
more teams than not in the East top ten. There
is an injury situation with note, but still none Chris, Please,
I've ranted long enough. Please tell me what's going on
with the Milwaukee Bucks. I mean they are, I mean
to be fifteen games behind Boston. And what we witnessed
last week from the Bucks consecutive losses in Washington then
(21:14):
at home to Memphis at Toronto, those teams are combined
sixty seven and one sixty eight. What in the world
is going on with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Before I touch on the Bucks, Stein, Stein and Ryan producer, Ryan,
I want to stay on the Eastern Conference because you
you're calling it the Leastern Conference, and you're pointing out
the travesty that is at the top of the Eastern
Conference standings in which the Celtics hold a fifteen game
(21:48):
lead over the number two Bucks, which is a valid
point to bring out. But I would like to take
your attention downward. Let's go down, Let's go Let's get
to the eighth seed, nine seed, tim seed. This is
where it's a travesty in my opinion, Ryan, Ryan, and Stein,
(22:09):
you're talking about the play in situation. This is the
problem I have with the play in under this circumstance
and when this scenario happens, and I think you know
where I'm going with the stun You have the Miami
who excuse me, you have the Miami Heat, who sit
at number eight right now. They will be in the
play in situation most likely. But behind them or below them,
(22:35):
I should say, are the Chicago Bulls. And they are
six games above the Chicago Bulls. So what you're telling
me is this a team that is six games above
the next team. You're telling me all it takes is
for that team below to win two games, just two
(22:59):
games in the play is scenario to make it to
the playoffs. I think that is totally unfair. I love
the play and I think has been great, But I
think if you're a seventh seed or sixth seed or
whatever I mean seventh seed or a seed and you
have I think there needs to be a number like
(23:22):
if you're six games are more above the next team,
you should get an automatic birth to the playoffs because
it doesn't make sense that.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I think some people would back you up on that
that you know, should there be a games behind limit
or minimum requirement? Should teams nine to ten do they
have to be within three games of number eight or
four games of number eight? But I hear what you're saying,
the Bulls will enter Tuesday's play six games behind number
(23:58):
eight Miami. The Hawks will enter Tuesday's play seven games
behind number eight Miami, and if playing matters go in
a haywire fashion, a team like Philly or Miami could
be knocked out by a team that's well under five hundred. However,
I don't know that it was appropriate for you to
(24:20):
distract from my initial rant when I suspect that your
real complaint here is you want to be in Miami
and that's really all you care about selfishly, which you've
admitted on this podcast numerous times, and you're just upset
that because of the play in the Heat could get
knocked out early and you might not get any games
(24:42):
in Miami this playoffs, and that's really all your concern
is here.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You brought that up, not me, but what I'm saying,
let's stick to the broader point. The broader point is, yes,
I think that is a complete travesty when a team
can win two games, just two games, because basically now
you're telling me that five or six games of the
regular season really didn't matter because the Hawks or Chicago
(25:10):
could just get a heat.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Are really six or seven games better than the Bulls
and or Hawks. I mean, shouldn't they win a one
off game.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
It doesn't match Stine. We understand the injuries take you know,
players can be hurt, you know what I mean, Like
the Atlanta's finding a stride right now, like they're gonna
get Trey Young back pretty soon. They're a different team now.
So no, you can't just look at it like because anybody,
anybody can be That's why I have a story. Anybody
(25:38):
can beat anybody. And this brings me to my story, Stine.
I'll tell at the end of our pod. Anybody can
beat anybody at any given time. So if you're gonna
say Star, well they just they're better. They should be
able to beat them in a two game scenario. No,
these are professional players. It doesn't matter. And you just
(26:00):
taking away all the importance of having a six game lead.
You might as well just eradicate those five or six
wins that the Miami had. That's all.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Well, Look, you were there last season when after Atlanta
stunned Miami in the first playing game, you had Heat Chicago.
You were there for the start of the Heat's fairy
tale run from playing tournament almost play in tournament failure
all the way to a trip to the NBA Finals.
(26:35):
But you know what, again, let's I think we still
need to rewind, go back where this ranting all started.
What in the world is going on with the Milwaukee Bucks?
Please enlighten us. I know that's a team you know
well cover closely. You're constantly dialed in there. What happened
last week? Seriously, those losses were ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
They're losing to horrible teams. The team is just not
very good right now. Period. Can they turn it on?
Can they find something? I don't know, possibly, but this
team is just showing that they're not that good, period,
And it would be hard to pick them in any
(27:20):
series right now. That's just how terrible they've been over
the past few weeks. After the All Star break, it
seemed like they turned the corner. They were doing good.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, I thought I thought they started to figure things out.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Yeah, I mean yeah, Stein, I can't, I can't put
a finger on it.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
But how worried do you think they are? Because now
I'm not even sure they're going to hang on to
number two again. You know, it looked and as I
you know, all kind of joking aside. Injuries have been
a major factor in the East all season. There's no
question Miami has dealt with numerous absences. Philly only just
(28:03):
got Joel Embiid back, Indiana lost Benedict Maturin, and Halliburton
has not been the same player since the hollatious groin strain,
and Cleveland has had multiple, multiple significant injuries. The Knicks,
you know, we're going to get into that your report
about Julius Randall last week, and now Julius Randall is
not coming back this season, and they've had to play
(28:24):
so many games without Randall, without og An Andobi. Pretty
much everyone in the East top ten has had to
deal with a variety of injury issues. Maybe Orlando's have
been slightly less impactful than many of the teams around them,
and that's among the reasons why the Magic, in conjunction
with their surprisingly great top five defense, why the Magic
(28:48):
are in the hunt now for number two, as no
one predicted coming into the season. Again, you know, if
we want to talk about awards, another really tough one
is going to be Coach of the Year. Trying to
set rate Chris Finch in Minnesota, Mark dagnaalton O Ca
se Jamal Mosley in Orlando. Like to me, all three
of those coaches.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Oh you're not mentioning udokah, now huh.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Now they're out of the play.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Oh okay, all right.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
But see, Actually, you know, after that pod, when you
mocked me for that suggestion.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
And I mocked people who only give Culture the Year
awards to teams that you didn't expect much of, that's
all right.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
But you what you said there was you likened what
the Rockets were doing to a participation trophy, And when
I thought about that after the pod, I feel like
that was a little bit much. Because the Rockets were
nine games under five hundred, they lost Shengon, their best player,
ended up reeling off an eleven game winning streak to
(29:56):
put themselves over five hundred from being way under five
hundred and putting some real pressure on Golden State. I
don't think that's just a participation trophy. I think that
was a pretty impressive run. But hey, they followed up
eleven do.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
We Award style? You just said it was an impressive run?
Do we Award runs? Or do we.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Had? Had they sustained it to the finish line and
finished over five hundred, and I think would have been
in the conversation they lost five game and that thing,
and that's why Udoka's out. They lost, They followed up,
they followed up eleven straight wins with five straight losses.
They're back under five hundred, they're out of the play
(30:38):
and they've been officially eliminated. So now I'm in agreement
with you will not be in the Coach of the
Year race. But when we talked about it, they were
still in the midst of that run and still alive
for maybe knocking Golden State out of the play in
I don't think that would have been a participation trophy,
but they couldn't pull it off in the end.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Stop it, we gotta stop it. Are we giving? Is
this a Coach of the Year award or Coach of
the Month or Coach of the post All Star Break Award.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
We did a pod recently. We did a pod recently
where you put two trophies on the desk and then
told us how another season is coming up in like
a month. So what you get to be MVP again
in a month? I mean, how many you get to
be MVP five times a year because they just keep
starting a new season. Or the Houston but now the
(31:31):
Houston Rockets who went on this amazing run without their
best player to almost get over five hundred. Like, that's
not a participation trophy.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Okay, run of the run of the period, Run of
the year. I gave you that run. See in twenty
twenty four. We always making up new awards because we
won award. Everybody, there you go, run of the Year award.
I'll give you that. Who had the best run?
Speaker 1 (32:00):
It is run of the year?
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Yeah the year.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Congratulations Houston Rockets. Only, by the way, the Houston Rockets
will go down as only the fifth team in league history.
There are only five and only two others in the
modern NBA era where sixteen teams have gone to the
playoffs for the last forty years to post a double
digit win streak and not make the playoffs. So typically,
(32:25):
if teams can win a double digit amount of games
in a row, they almost always go to the playoffs.
So all I'm saying is, I think, I think what
Houston did is more impressive than participation trophy territory. But again,
yet again, this is like the seventh time we've diverted
from the Bucks and everything going on in the East.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
I mean, what's up with the Bucks? Nobody cares about
the Bucks. Nobody want to hear about the Bucks.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
You know what nobody cares about the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
The Bucks got the Celtics tomorrow or when it's tonight,
I should say, because this is when this podcast is
going to drop. Let's let's talk about him after that game.
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Let's talk about it. Let's talk about another team in
the East that you reported on extensively last week, the
New York Knicks. You got everybody talking Thursday night, You're
(33:27):
in New York to cover Kings at Knicks. By this point,
we know that Julius Randall has been ruled out for
the rest of the season, but TNT's Chris Haynes before
Thursday's game, reports that he had spoken to Julius Randall
and Julius Randall previously a guest here on this League Uncut.
(33:51):
Julius Randall told you that he had suffered a setback
in his rehabitempts to try to get back on the floor,
and that's what led him to decide that he did
need season ending shoulder surgery.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
So just.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Let's go back to your day in New York and
just tell us kind of how that all played out.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Yeah, so I had obviously, I had the game for
T and T that night. It was the Kings and
the Knicks. And that morning news broke that Julius Randall
would have season in the surgery. So obviously, you know,
I'm all on the Julius Randall situation. And so I
(34:35):
had to go on to on inside the NBA before
and you know, you know, they wanted some you know what,
what did I know about Julius Randall. So I'm like,
you know what, let's give it a try. Let me
call Julius himself, let me figure it out. And I
texted him and he said, I'm gonna hit you back
in a couple hours. You hear that from players a
(34:58):
lot sometimes in my forget or whatever whatever happens. He
called me back, and he called me probably about an
hour before I was to go to the arena, and
he was just ready to talk. And one thing that
stood out to me is that he really wanted it
out there publicly, that he suffered a setback about five
(35:20):
weeks about five weeks ago during a contact session, and
you know, it was back to square one with a shoulder,
and he still, he said, he still tried to fight
and still try to go through rehab, but the shoulder
just wasn't cooperating and wasn't responding until recently until he realized,
(35:43):
you know, that there was nothing else he could do.
He was not going to be able to return this
season and surgery was the only option. So that was
never revealed before the fact that he had suffered a
setback during a contact session with Pat. So you know,
he really wanted that. He want he wanted he wanted
(36:04):
his story told. So I appreciate him and trusted in
me two to reveal that on his behalf. But uh,
you know, remember when he had this, when he first
suffered the injury, he could have opted for surgery then,
but he really wanted to stick it out and we
wanted to try to play and get back this season.
(36:26):
And so this really doesn't hurt him at all for
next season because I know there's some peoples like, well,
he probably should have had the surgery then, Well, it
wouldn't have changed any change anything. He hasn't surgery stilled
out for five months. He has a surgery. Now it's
gonna be out for five months, but he'll be ready
for the start of training camp. So and you know
it's brief. I'm being brief, but you know that's and
that's the consensus of what he shared with me, and
(36:49):
he really wanted wanted it known that he really tried
everything he could to get back on the court, but
his shoulder just did not cooperate, especially after suffering that setback.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
And you can understand why he would want to try
to leave open every chance to come back this season,
because again, look, Boston has been tremendous. They're sixty two
and sixteen. You know, they have done pretty much everything
you could possibly ask of a team in the regular season.
(37:20):
But outside of Boston, I mean, number two in the
East is up for grabs still, the Knicks. Despite all
the games that Randall and og Annobi have missed, the
Knicks enter Tuesday's play only a game behind the Bucks
in a tie with Orlando. Orlando does have the edge
(37:42):
and is technically the number three seed. The Knicks are
at number four. But there's this, there's there's a tremendous
opportunity to at least go to the conference finals this
season and presumably play the Boston Celtics. It's there for
the taking. So it makes sense why Randall would have
wanted to come back, because I mean, the East does
(38:06):
seem so wide open underneath Boston. But now that was
that was interesting and pretty cool to see how candid
he was with you and how much he told you
about that situation.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
Yeah, I said, I appreciate Julius for doing that, but yeah,
that's how that came about. Called me by surprise.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
And then now, you know, having heard having heard what
you just said about Chicago and Atlanta, I'm almost hesitant
to segue to this other injury topic. But Trey Young
on Monday, he was officially cleared to return to contact
and practice. I know on your Bleacher Report stream on
Friday you had some Trey Young intel on there as well.
(38:53):
It sounds like it sounds like Trey Young really wants
to come back before the season ends. This Sunday night.
It sounds like Trey wants to get back on the
court so he can make a contribution in the play
and round. And you know, I think there was a
sense that when he sustained this ligament injury in a
(39:18):
finger on his left hand in late February, that that
might be the rest of the season. But Trey Young
clearly isn't looking at it like that, and it sounds
like he sounds like we have a decent chance of
seeing him play this week, which to me, is again
not super interesting for the standings because the Hawks can
only finish as high as ninth. Atlanta's gonna play Chicago
(39:39):
in a nine to ten playing game. Really, the only
mystery is where that game is gonna be. But Trey
Young coming back for the end of the season and
a play in game or two, and maybe even some
playoff games, if the Hawks can get through the playing round,
as they've done multiple times in the past, all that
is pretty intriguing to me. I'm really curious to see
(40:01):
what it looks like for Trey Young to come back
and rejoin the Hawks here at such a late stage.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Yeah, he's adamant on returning. That was always his focus
right now, and they're a different team. If he comes
back and he can get back to the form he
was before that injury, they're a completely different team. And
that would put the Miami Heat in a tough situation
(40:30):
if they were to see the Atlanta Hawks at some point. Basically,
what I'm saying is Miami Heat deserved to be in
the playoffs. They deserve to be in the playoffs, and
I'll leave it.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
At that translation. As we've already established, you are concerned
about your ability to return to South Beach this season.
I know I get it, But I'm going to take
this thing back to Trey Young because, like I said,
I will be watching the Hawks this week with great
interest if he makes it back onto the floor. Because
(41:03):
I included this in my Monday musing's column on my
sub stack one league source. The way it was described
to me, the most likely scenario remains that before next season,
Atlanta would more likely than not trade one of its
star guards. The expectation remains at this juncture that Tray
(41:31):
Young or de Jonte Murray the best forecast at this
point is that one of the two would likely be
moved before next season. I'm not sure you agree, but
I think there are a lot of people around the
league who see it that way, and so that's why
I'm saying I think there's it's gonna be really interesting
(41:53):
to see them reunited on the court and what that
looks like. Because they've now gone twenty two games where
this team has been to Jontay Maurice centric. The Hawks
are twelve and ten in those games, which is still
a pretty middling record, but the defense has been much better.
So it's good that we looked at the other side
of the conference. Coin here and again shout out one
(42:14):
more time to the Orlando Magic. Top three defensively this season.
Jamal Mosley has gotten such a good response out of
that young team to see Orlando when the NBA resumes
play on Tuesday, Orlando with the league's number three defense,
behind only Minnesota and Boston, one spot ahead of the
(42:38):
Miami Heat. And it is it is somewhat amusing to
me that you had all those things to say about
the East playing and all joking aside. I know why
you're saying it, and you make it is it is
a valid point. I'm sure Philly and Miami are looking
at the standings right there with Chris Haynes. They're looking
at the stands and saying, why are we in a
(42:59):
plan with Chicago and Atlanta that are so far behind us?
But this week, Chris Haynes, you will be thrust into
the heart of the West play and race. The records
in the West playin zone are much more impressive from
seven to ten, But man, you are in the heart
(43:20):
of the play in battle. This week, Tuesday night, you're
on the TNT sideline for Warriors at Lakers. The Lakers
are still ninth. The Warriors Okay, Houston and their run
of the year is no longer a concern for the Warriors,
But Golden State has won fifteen of its last nineteen
(43:43):
road games. Ridiculous to have a fifteen and four stretch
on the road. Remember, the Warriors only won eleven road
games all of last season, and they haven't moved up.
They're stuck in tenth. The Lakers were briefly up to
number eight, but they're back to number nine. Got Warriors
at Lakers on Tuesday night, and then on Thursday night,
(44:04):
You've got the teams currently in the seventh and eighth
spots number seven, New Orleans at number eight Sacramento. So,
Chris Haynes, producer, Ryan Chris Haynes, this week is going
to experience and be exposed to nothing but absolute NBA
desperation here in the last three, four, five days.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I mean it, it
can be very well be these two teams, I mean,
these four teams in the same pairing Lakers, Warriors, Pelicans, Kings.
So it can start up some type of short term
rivalry as I should say, I will say, particularly from
the Kings and Pelicans, just to playing so close so soon.
(44:49):
But no, I'm looking forward to it because this has
you know, both teams should be playing their guys that
are healthy, and we should you should have some good basketball.
So I'm excited about this play in matchup potential preview.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
All Right, I think that's going to do it for
what can only be described as a pretty erratic episode
of This League Uncut. To underline that was erratic, err
at ic. That's gonna do it for Mark Stein and
(45:26):
Chris Haynes on the latest edition of This League Uncut.
As always, friends, please follow us, rate the show, review
the show. We would love to get a five star
rating from you if possible. With all these games coming up,
with two sideline appearances for Chris in short order Tuesday
and Thursday, we will still have to figure out exactly
(45:50):
when we get together for our next edition of This
League Uncut, but I can promise you it will happen soon.
We're also working on a special guest to that we
hope to secure before the playing round starts next Tuesday.
So lots of stuff going on Thanks as always for listening.
(46:10):
We'll be back together with you again gras and that'll
do it for us, See you next time. This League
Uncut is an iHeartRadio production Chris Haines and Mark Stein
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.