Edwards can't hit the second pacers haven't changed up ahead, Nieman Flock Edwards getting up.
And good night.
Welcome into nv Pulster production of iHeartRadio in the NBA. I'm Sarahcusack, NBA analyst for the Yes Network, and today is Friday, March eighth, and from our extraordinary core group of NBA journalists were joined now by NBA dot Com Senior writer Steve Ashburner and wooh wee asked, we had a good game last night, A couple of good ones. Actually a slate for the Thursday night, and we're gonna get to the showdown between the Denver Nuggets and the
Boston Celtics. But let's get back to the Minnesota Timberwolves. My goodness, Anthony Edwards put on a show. It was in light of the news that came out of Karl Anthony Towns having torn his meniscus. He will require surgery. He'll be reevaluated in a month. I think there is hope on certain about the timeline, but that he will inevitably, hopefully be able to return for the Minnesota Timberwolves at some point during the playoffs. Given where they're at, and
assume they are still going and advancing. But Anthony Edwards man. It was extraordinary to watch as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat Indiana at Indiana one thirteen, one eleven, amongst a lot of showcasing of what he could do on the offensive side with forty four points and six rebounds. He had a nasty block ash against aaron Ne Smith, a second block of the game that looked like he his armpit was at the rim. It's hard to believe a six to four player like him could get up that high,
but it was fun to watch. It was good to see thirty six points, Rapids.
Pull up from deep cash lit Hessy runner off one leg got it the drop, forty three for Anthony Edwards. Edwards can't hit the second, Pacers have a chance up ahead, Niceman block Edwards getting up and good night.
Just overall four Minnesota the response that they had and continue to have as they for the night took sole possession of first there in the Western Conference. What did you take away from that showing and in particular the performance of Anthony Edwards.
Well, Hi, Sarah, you know the second thing I thought of was I know how much you hated it when you would hit your head on the bottom of the backboard when you would block opponent.
Shots exactly exactly. It's a terrible ponytail would always be yeah, get getting caught caught in the in the nuts.
The first thing I thought of, though, was I mean, that was clearly Anthony Edwards saying, get on my backfellows. Know I've got this. Karl Anthony Towns is going to be out for a while. They do not want to sink in the standings. That would be sort of old Timberwolves approach. You know, they want to maintain their their
lofty perch, certainly a top seed in the West. If they can't quite hang on to number one, it's a it's a real test of this team's maturity and that that's sort of been one of the questions, even when things have been going well. It's just like, you know, are they are they able to handle the highs? You know, they've had to handle lows. One good thing is that they had to play quite a lot without Karl Anthony Towns last season, so they know how to do that.
The key is doing it and maintaining your success. And and I know last year they got into a thing where they tried to play one way when they had Cat and Rudy Gobert and then they tried to play a different way when uh, you know, Cat was out. And you know, I think that the key now is to try to maintain and play their style, keep their defense up. But that's been their calling card this season.
You know, you have spectacular offensive play from Cat at times and Anthony Edwards on many nights, but they want to stay good defensively. Anthony Edwards is spectacular in this game, and you know he's he's spectacular in most games in moments. Consistency is still you know, there to be had for him. And we'll see now if this is an opportunity, if he seizes this opportunity to you know, be the leader in every which way for this team. You know, he's
a he's a really solid two way player. He doesn't need to lead the defense at Rudy Gobert's job. But you know, Anthony Edwards now is uh. I mean, we heard it last night, you know, when they talked about it on the on the national broadcast that he's he's worthy of MVP consideration and he's one of those new faces like you know, Shake Gilgs, Alexander and Jason Tatum that I think will get a lot of votes, even you know Brunton, depending on how the Knicks finish, and
some new blood in that MVP consideration. So Anthony Edwards has the stage right now and we'll see how he finishes.
Do you think he'll be a future MVP?
Oh? I think he's got all the skills. I think that that team is sort of becoming I hate the term, you know, his team, but it really is. He is becoming the point guy that on that team. And as if he irons out, you know, lapses and knights where he doesn't stick to his strengths, you know, there's no reason to stop them. Look, you know I mentioned it early in early this calendar year. I went there right after Christmas and did a couple of stories on them,
and other people have mentioned it too. I mean, there's a there's a look to him, there's a sort of a coiled energy to him, and certainly there's raw talent to him that is reminiscent of Michael Jordan. Now that's a heavy burden to put on anybody. Some guys have wanted it and seized it and have fallen short. Anthony Edwards doesn't seem particularly interested in it. But his size, his leaping ability, just his overall look, he packs potential to be a Jordan like player in the course of
a forty eight minute game. You know, everything that Jordan accomplished, beyond that awards, commercial success, everything, you know, that's that's a whole different topic. But in terms of Anthony Edwards and the way he plays and what he can do for that team, you know, I don't want to put a ceiling on that.
And nor should we. And you mentioned that in the disposition, just how genuinely himself he always shows up. But you see that competitiveness and you certainly saw it last night, as you mentioned on both ends of the and how he continues to improve his efficiency from the three point line last night, you know, being one of those three of seven. But that's become more of a consistency of his decision making of when he's attacking, using that explosiveness,
when he's looking to take those perimeter shots. But yeah, but it's it's it was a again in light of the news of Karl Anthony Towns, Kylie Anderson getting the start there, they've got a veteran group, they've got a solid backup big who had been playing a lot of
four but in in nas Red. It's going to be interesting to watch how they continue to play and if they can maintain whether it's that top spot in the Western Conference or maintain they've been bouncing around up there between them Oklahoma City and the Denver Nuggets, if they can stay in those places as you get set towards the postseason, it's looking like like a team that, to your point, is Anthony Edwards team speaking of MVPs, speaking
of the Western Conference and those Denver Nuggets. The showdown last night was fun between the Denver Nuggets Boston Celtics. The Nuggets end up winning one fifteen, one oh nine at home, and I think there's a lot of things that you take from that game. Ash, I think, you know we're talking about MVP. We were talking about Jason Tatum, a player who thinks that he has said at this point of the season that he is the best player in the league. You should be a part of the
MVP conversation. But I think there's points that there's questions in some of those biggest moments, and last last night being one of those for the Celtics. Jalen Brown was incredible forty one points, fourteen rebounds. Tatum, though, had an off NiFe five to thirteen from the field for just fifteen points, especially some opportunities down the stretch. Kristaps porsingis with twenty four points and Jokic put together another masterpiece triple double thirty two point triple double.
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What a pass pass?
When it comes to this Nuggets team, the Celtics team, and the things that's still the regular season, the things that you start to pick apart as you look at these two teams and potentially meeting in the finals. What did you take away from that game last night that either fortified some of your thoughts in the things that you would expect, or gave you more pause and questions about where these teams are out at this point of the year.
No, not so much pausing questions after that game. I mean, I like the fact that both of them had lost their previous games. I think that nobody wanted to lose to in a row. That added to the tension and the motivation. Not that those teams you know, need much, but it was a different mood. I sense. There was a seriousness about that game, as there should be when you're into March and you've got the top you know, two of the top contenders, a potential finals preview. I
don't have serious concerns frankly about either team. I think that they are you know, they're as good as it gets in their respective conferences. Whether they finish, you know, in the Nuggets case first or not, I don't as long as they're a top seed with some home court edge, you know, early on, I think they know how to go places and win. Obviously they would love to flex their fifty two eighty advantage more often. Jalen Brown mentioned that he missed half his free throws, possibly because of
the altitude. So I mean, that's sort of the least exertion you make, right you standing and shoot a free throw. He might have been looking at that number that they have right by the line there, but no, I think I think it was a terrific game. You know, the way Denver rallies around Yokich's desire to get that number one seed, and they've been great since the All Star break. He sent a group text apparently right after coming out of the break and you know, identified that as a goal.
So that's seriousness. By defending champions is very impressive. I mean, he's he's a marvel to watch because all the things that, you know, it's almost like a Steph Curry thing where Steph Curry breathed life into a lot of young basketball players dreams that hey, I don't have to be six ' ten. You know I can. I can learn to shoot this ball and handle this ball, and that could carry me a long way. Not you know, not silly, I'm only going to play in the NBA, or my life is
ruined kind of stuff. But you know, it's inspirational. And I think Jokich is the same way. You know, you don't have to jump three feet in the air, or more like Anthony Edwards, you you don't have to be the quickest guy. I mean, Luca too shows you you can play slow and play great. And with Jokic his ability to pick apart defenses to come up with the ball to you know, just the finesse and the and the and the instincts and the vision that he has to make those other guys better. I mean, to me,
he's leading candidate for MVP. I talked about new Blood earlier, but you know the guy that that sort of that his to win I think right now is Yokic. So I could take seven more of those games in June, that would be a delight.
If you did take seven more of those games in June.
Who do you have, Well, tell me where Game seven is going to be played. I mean, it looks like it would be played in Boston, so you know, I would I would think that perhaps this would be the Celtics breaking through. They seem to have everything they need. I think they're the best team in the league right now. They don't have the experience quite that Denver has. They don't have Jokic. Tatum's not a bad MVP candidate, you know, of his of his own and I think they learned
things as they go. I mean, I think that that that Cleveland game was a learning experience in terms of for Tatum and for for the Celtics, for Joe Massoula, that you're gonna go quicker. If you're down, you have to go quicker and you know what they what they tried to do. They treated it like it was a tie game, and and it doesn't work that way. So, you know, I think that those type of things are
picking up. I'm very impressed with Porzingis too. I mean, all of the Celtics have to sort of give a little bit in their games because of the other guys on the floor, But I mean Porzingi's just his ability to just you know, his quick release as a big man, some of the things he does at seven foot three. You know, we get all excited about Webbin Yama because he's a rookie and he's got one more inch on him,
but Porzingis to me, is a gold standard. You know, when Minyama could do a lot worse than to you know, emulate or be compared to Porzingis. So I just I think they're loaded. And yeah, I would go with whichever team is home on Game seven between those two.
Okay, diplomatic answer, I do. I think Boston is incredible. They've had incredible season. There's a reason why they have been the runaway favorite in the Eastern Conference, why they've had the best record in the NBA. To your point, how Kristaps Porzingis has fit in. They have been extraordinary from the three point line, leading the league, you know,
again pretty much for the entire season. It takes and makes and all of those things, the depth of the group, the core pieces of Tatum playing, you know, to a rough game last night, but Tatum playing like an MVP candidates. I say all that to say, though, those are my concerns that you have a night. They didn't shoot the ball well from three, just around a twenty nine percent, but Denver did not as well. They were for twenty one from beyond the arc. But that is my concerns.
You have a couple off nights, and I would still take I think sometimes it comes down to do you have the best player on the floor, And to me, there was no question that Nikola Jokic is the best player on the floor. I think Michael alone having won a championship, the experience that he has. I think Joe Missoula has made strides this year. But I still think that will be something to watch in the course of
the postseason. Adjustments to be made. So yeah, I still I still would give Denver the edge, regardless of what that looks like. But but man, would that be fun and potentially will be fun. And speaking of fun, ass she wrote a story about my hometown Chicago bulls who've been who have exactly our hometown Chicago Bulls who are coming off of a win last night. We're going to talk about that right after the break. Welcome back to nd Pulser Cristak joined by the great Steve Ashburner, uh
and ash As. We mentioned good old Chicago, Chicago Bulls currently sitting in that nice spot in the Eastern Conference, and you know, a lot of questions about direction of the bulls, what's going to happen, what they were going to do with the trade deadline. You can look at a variety of areas, but overall since then and what they've been doing and playing better. They beat the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, won twenty five twenty two.
Last night. You had a big game from Nikolavucevich thirty three and eleven, twenty points from Kobe White to mar De Rozen with thirty three and eight. He's been playing really well. You've got a story about the Bulls in what they've been doing in this recent stretch. Fill us in, fill us in a little bit and give some optimism to all our shy folks.
Well, here's the good news, I guess for the Schicgo Bulls this season. It's going to be hard for them to miss the playing tournament. Now, it's going to be hard for them to do any better than a play in spot, because they're about as far from sixth place as they are from eleventh. So you know, it kind of is what it is. They're about five games in each direction, so a play in you know, these days of play in birth has a little more luster when you look at the teams that are clumped down there
in the West. You get some powerhouse teams with Sacramento and Dallas and the Lakers and the Warriors, and then of course what Miami did out of the playing spot last season. Now anybody thinks that that's the way to go for the playoffs to make a long run, you know, they'd be sadly mistaken. But we'll see. The Bulls have been rather bullheaded in their approach to this season. They haven't made many changes, they haven't willingly shuffled the deck.
They were supposed to be sellers at the trade deadline, and nothing happened, and much to a lot of people's chagrin that follow that team, But here they are. They win a little, they lose a little. Up until last night, they hadn't won or lost more than two in a row, and I think it's two months. So you know, they tease,
they go back. They lose to Detroit for two times, you know, the second time a couple of weeks ago this season, two losses to the Pistons who've only won ten and yet then they come back the next night and they beat Cleveland in double overtime. So it's been that kind of a thing. They go into Golden State and win, and that three and zero on this West coast trip, which again, that's a big winning streak for the Chicago Bulls. You know, I think one key, like
it or not, has been Zach Lavine's absence. You know, he he had a sore foot, I believe it was, and he eventually opted to shut things down with surgery. They were ten and five in the games he played. They're over five hundred when he's not there, So it
does suggest some addition. By subtraction, it has opened up opportunity for guys like Kobe White, who I think is certainly deserves consideration for most improved player Io Dsumu, who has a bigger role now he's built himself up physically, he's more capable of playing both ends and playing longer minutes. You know, they have the core guys of Vussovic and Demarto Rosen and they've been very solid vets. I like the fact that Billy Donovan has experimented at times with
the two bigs, with Vouch and Andre Drummond. So you know, there are interesting facets to this Bulls team to do it without Levigne, who's supposed to be their number one guy, right,
he's paid like it. He's not around Patrick Williams. You know, management, this management are turns corn of service his draft pick at number four about four years ago, that that hasn't panned out at all, and yet here they are, and you know, I think it's it's a it's a tribute to resiliency and stubbornness and they still pack that building, which you know is almost a disincentive for them to tear up that team and try to start over.
Yeah, it's been something that's been interesting to watch to monitor, and I do think to your point with what the building is like what United centers like the fans deal whether they are they are excited or they're a little, uh, you know, a little disappointed. In the big picture of things, this team does play hard, they're fun to watch, and I think there's something to be said for that.
In the how can you not like the dunkin Donuts race.
Right Dots, Benny the Bill Bull, you know, I I would put him amongst the best mascots in putting on a show in the league. So you know, it's it's
gonna be interesting to watch. In your point that those playing teams those we were talking about the Boston Celtics, So I think for a lot of those that end up at that nine to ten spot to the reward of getting a chance to take a trip to Boston, maybe maybe a tough sledding, but nonetheless it's it's it's about postseason basketball, and for a lot of teams that that means something. Ash as always, you are the best.
We appreciate you. We will continue to read, watch all your good stuff on NBA dot Com and NBA TV, and until next time, we'll see so