You're tuned into Heat Check with Triste Quick.
On this episode of the Heat Check, there is a brewing rivalry between the Pelicans and the Suns.
It's gonna be something to watch going forward. Zion is putting himself firmly in the MVP race. Rich Paul is, let's be honest.
Caping for Anthony Davis again, and GQ, why isn't anyone talking about Kate Cunningham because it looks like he might be done for the year. Kate Cunningham might be done for the year, and no one is saying a damn thing about it. And I explain why Mark Cuban is now mad at the Mavericks and also Luca is mad at the Mavericks.
And all the fans are mad at the Mavericks again.
A lot to get to Oh yeah, boy on Bogdanovich might be on the move to the Lakers, so ton to get to Nick drop that beat.
It's getting hot. Sh shit is getting hot between the Phoenix Suns.
And the New Orleans Pelicans. And you know what, I am absolutely here for this. So Adam Silver, as institute of this weird Baseball schedule, We talked about this in a couple episodes ago where teams play each other two or three times in the same week, sometimes on consecutive days. And it's been attacked, right, It's been attacked by Greg Popovich, It's been attacked by other media members because it's a playoff institute, a playoff atmosphere, and it's.
Not really warranted.
We're in the regular season, we shouldn't have a playoff atmosphere, right, But I like it. I like it because a playoff atmosphere creates rivalries, and that's what we need in today's soft ass NBA. More rivalry and the birth of a rivalry might just be what we got on Friday in the first of a three game series between this and the Pelicans, three games in the span of one week, tensions.
If you remember.
Boiled over in the first round series between the Pelicans and the Suns, Right, things.
Got very, very spicy.
As a quick aside to just the rivalry that's brewing and what happened on Friday night, because it was awesome.
Is Chris Paul is Chris Paul the worst? Now? Like what happened.
I liked Chris Paul for so long. I've been talking all kinds of positive things about him. People hate him. I've been saying, No, he's a phenomenal leader. He's one of the best pass first point guards in the league. No, he's not washed, but man, he is a world class cheap shot.
He's the worst. I am now out on Chris Paul.
Do you remember when Jose Alvarado essentially ruined Chris Paul got under his skin, forced him into a backcourt violation, then he picked his pockets in another game, Chris Paul started chirping him to get back on defense and to not pick his pockets again because he was he.
Was Chris pauling Chris Paul.
Also, remember when Chris Paul kicked Jose Alverado in the nuts in the middle.
Of that series.
Then after the series calls Jose Alvarado Alvarada Ho calls him a hoe. Also, by the way, Zion wasn't in that series because he had a foot injury, So that's important to note.
Because of what happened on Friday.
Zion wanted to be He wanted to put his imprint on this little back and forth that they have going on.
So this is what happened. During the game. Chris Paul continued to be as my grandma would have.
Said, a little shit sneaky elbowing Jose Alvarado in the chin as he goes by for no reason. They're not even playing basketball is nowhere in sight. And after a really tight game, the Pelicans pulled away from the Suns late. But I really got the son's pissed was that the
Pelicans had nothing to play for at that point. Game was over, and instead of just running the clock out, Zion took an outlet pass from I forget who maybe Alvarado and proceeded to do a three sixty windmal dunk at the buzzer with like two seconds left on the clock.
Then he flexed for the home crowd. Sons did not like that.
They did not appreciate that whatsoever. Uh, they went nuts. It was a little kerfuffle. You had people fake fighting, pushing each other. Refs got involved, Willie Green got involved, literally, head coach Willie Green was ready to throw down for his team, and was Willy Green's team who initiated it, honestly, So it was funny and.
It was a really good announcement that Zion his back.
Zion's like, I am so healthy that in a meaningless two seconds of a game. I am willing to get my bounce and whim mill that shit down thirty five points on thirteen for seventeen, shooting unstoppable, going downhill in a way I think only in the way that Yannis is capable of doing right and oh boy, oh boy, perpetual black cloud. Chris Paul looked like he was gonna fight. Afterwards, Campaign explained exactly why he was pissed, exactly what pissed him off so much. He said, the game was pretty
much over and they kept playing. Feel like that was a little unsportsmanlike. We don't really like that. We do the right thing. We feel like they should have done the right thing, and then they didn't. We don't take that.
Well. Come on, now, come on, now, let's not act like.
This isn't the same team that saw Jay Crowder cheap shot Anthony Davis by stepping on his foot, pushing him in the lower back with his left hand, and swiping at his right ankle with his right hand. Let's not act like this is a team above it, like it's above me. Now, we don't do that here, we are the Phoenix Sons, a perennial Wait, hold on this is a team that's been bad for forever since after Charles Barkley left. Chris Paul is constantly throwing chippy elbows at people,
constantly doing his best Draymond Green impression. Let's call the call off the pearl clutching campaign for a second, because I don't buy that for one minute?
Do you?
And my guy Eddie Johnson, friend of show, he does a color on the broadcasts for the Suns. He had the absolute gall to call and say that the anger aimed at Chris Paul because Pelicans fans obviously hate him now for a myriad of reasons.
One being that Chris Paul left.
At the goal to say that the boos were fake, that the booze were just merely echoes from some sound machine making the stadium and arena louder than it actually is. A sound machine to amplify the booze. Get the fuck out of here. This is why we'll hold off on. This is why DeAndre Ayton, of course, might have been the only son with a reasonable response. Essentially, yeah, it's a home court, he's doing it first fans. I don't take any of that stuff personal. I love DeAndre Ayton
so much. He is so much better than anyone. He's too good for the Suns given who they are, and Zion he had this to say, that.
Was at lot of character for me. But you gotta understand, I mean, you can understand it or not. They sent my teammates home last year. I missed all last year. I got carried away a little bit. I admit that. But you know I was in that locker room. My brothers were down because you know, the Sun sent us home last year. That would that's a tough moment to be a part of. So in that moment I got carried away. I admit that I was out of character
for me. So you know, if they was to do the same thing, I wouldn't have no problem with it.
If they were to do the same thing, wouldn't have a problem with it.
Unfortunately, the Sons don't have anyone athletic enough to do that. So I don't know about you, but if Zion keeps playing this way, there's gonna win MVP.
Yes, they're the number one in the West.
He's averaging twenty five seven and four with a steal gets blocks all time. If he has even a modicum, as my mom would say, a modicum of defense, and they continue.
To play this way.
Number one in the West, and Zion is doing three hundred and sixty degree windmills at the end of games, causing a scuffle to the point where it becomes Sports Center first take.
And you know what time it is. That's how MVP are born.
Stay healthy, Zion and listen his odds on Thursday night, fifty to one to win the MVP. His odds today twenty to one to win MVP. That is what we call diminishing value.
You should probably jump on Zion tickets right now.
And you know what's crazy is outside of that fight, the media hasn't set a peep, myself included.
We are just hoping and praying Zion is a bust, don't we.
It's like we are just thinking that maybe he'll tear something or erode or break a toe or just get fat again.
Who knows.
We're just weighted with baited breath to see if something wrong goes on. Because Zion as this version of Zion and the team that's the number one in the West. Oh boy, they are fast, they are deep, they have stars everywhere. This team is a killer, and I think that they are the most dangerous team to any contending
team based on this roster alone. And the last question that I have because I was thinking about this when every Son was bitching and complaining and moaning and saying about unsportsmanship and blah blah blah and how unlikable they are. I have rowed for the Sons. My grandmother loved the Phoenix Suns. But are they the most unlike? Are the Phoenix Sons the most unlikable team in the NBA right now? People absolutely hate them. People absolutely hate Chris Paul And
now that hate is extending to Devin Booker. I don't know why that is, but they hate him too, probably because they both fucked the Kardashian and you've got Campaign.
They don't like Campaign. He's kind of a little bit of a unsportsmanlike himself. Jay Crowdery when he was on that team, was very much dislike.
The only likable player on the team is DeAndre Ayden, and he wanted out