EPISODE 25: The NBA playoffs are (almost) here

eventful play in week already we are getting together. We're recording this late on a Thursday night, after Chris Haynes had his own cross country playoff travel to get in position for the Chicago versus Miami play in game the decider Friday night to see who ends up in the number eight seed. We obviously have OKAC against Minnesota in

the West battle for the A seed. My first question, mister Haynes, for you is, besides the pleasant trees, about how your trip was from far away Sacramento to South Beach. So on your last last time you left home you got a one on one with Janice. I'm just curious, who is Who's next? You're you got heat heat bulls, so Jimmy Butler, zach Levine DeMar de Rosen's daughter, Who who is the who is the who is the next? Who is the next heart to heart convo with Well.

Sources relate to me that DeMar de Rosen's daughter will not travel to Miami. She's going back to school. Yeah, so that's the case that counsels out her. You are working on it. You are working on it. Though I would at least say hello to the child. I was at least done that, But stunt, I think, um, first of all, this playing game, I'm excited to do it, single elimination. Whoever loses is out. So this is going to be like, I don't I don't think the playing

is considered the postseason. No, I mean, yeah, you know, it's loosely it is the postseason, but it is. You are not in the playoffs. If you make the play in you are not a playoff team unless you secure the seventh and eighth season. I'm glad you're reminded me. I actually did check again with the league office this week, and I am still being told that statistics in the play in games will continue to float in this nebulous zone where they really don't go into the record books.

They don't get added to your regular season stats, but they're also not playoff stats. So you know, Jimmy Butler could go for whatever, or Zach Lavine on the Chicago side, or you know, we could see some crazy stat line in one of these two games, and it still really kind of doesn't count. So what you're saying for ten years later, there's going to be a player that's going to be heralded as the all time play in score, which really shit me much because it means your team

is always between a seventh intention. I don't know that it should mean much, but I guess didn't um if my memory's right, was it Tatum who had a fifty point playing now? Because Boston's always up, somebody had a

fifty point playing game? Maybe producer Ryan can look that up for us, because of course, when when it's crunch time, my trash memory doesn't remember somebody had a fifty point playing game, and like, but that doesn't count, you know, So if somebody scores fifty tomorrow, they're gonna want it to count, and it doesn't really go anywhere. It's just weird. I know, we're I know we're going way off, But is that that in season tournament that they're going to implement,

is that going to count for regular season? That see that see that. Now, man, you you're right, this was not But now you got me. Now you got me riled up because this is one of my This is one This is one of the things that I am so down about this in season tournament because it's not separate games. They're gonna be regular season games that are designated for playing in season tournament standings. So they're gonna count double, they're gonna count in the regular season. They're

gonna count in your regular season stats. I don't you know. I guess someone will keep in season tournament stats, but like, these are regular season games that are being used for two purposes. It's one of the things that I really really don't like about this. So yeah, I don't know, I don't know where we're gonna see who's going to really keep the in season tournament stats. But yeah, they're regular,

they're regular. The only games that will be extra will be when they, you know, go to this final four, presumably in Vegas, and then they're gonna have to add they're gonna have to add an eighty third game for the two teams that make the finals. So it's do not get me going on the in season tournament. Yeah, I see, we went totally off the rails to like we always do. We we make our plan, we've I even write it down and then and then we end up we don't execute. We do we got to execute.

We are not winning the execution Championship this season. Yeah, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's play in, which will be tonight's play in for technically being m accurate the what the loser, the season will be over. Yeah, And I'm with you because it's the play in games have

all been very good. This regular we spend so much time talking about the problems this league has with load management, and the regular season doesn't have enough stakes, and that's why they're that's why they want to do it in season tournament because they're looking for ways to try to juice the regular season and make it more meaningful. The play in tournament has helped hugely. And the playing games

they've all, they've all been really tight so far. Obviously Lakers Wolves was not a classic in terms of the actual basketball being played, but I mean these have all been you know, close games, and you know, you know, on Wednesday night we saw or you know, we've the number ten seed had never won a playing game, and we saw both Chicago and Oklahoma City get through and and and record a win for number ten. So yeah,

I mean it's it's been good. And I mean you you know it's it's you know, it's going to be a great scene in Miami because the heat, the heat. Everybody thought they were going to beat the Hawks, you know that, And and I thought that. Yeah, I thought I was here to Atlanta, Stu. I thought I was here to Atlanta. I mean, I didn't mind that Atlanta pulled up, pulled off the upset. You find myself in Miami breaking news? You like Miami? You like being in Miami?

Is that? Is that? Is that breaking news for anybody? Stu? Well, I'm just checking, just making sure. So my Ami, where does Miami rank on your list of favorite NBA cities? One one one, number one, number one, number two in New York. Wow, I like Miami. It's not my number one. I mean, look, I I spent a lot of mons. I grew up in southern California, So when I get to go to La obviously, that's like going home. And I really love Toronto, like Toronto is the best of

I do, you know, I do? But I love Toronto in certain portions of the season. And I love Toronto when I'm there, I don't love the process of getting to Toronto. Well, the twenty sixteen All Star Game in Toronto was as cold as it humanly could be, and I still absolutely loved it. I mean, for me, Toronto has always combined the best of the US and island by yourself. I love it. Man, You're on an island by yourself. With that Miami that was the worst All

Star weekend. So okay, so you're happy you're in, Like you're not gonna be there long, but you'll you'll. I suppose you will make the most of your Friday pregame show, meet breakfast, meeting on the patio, breakfast meeting. Actually, I'm going to shoot around. I might miss breakfast tomorrow, going to shoot around bullshoot around tomorrow, check them out and right after so I leave here, and I know I'm going way ahead, but Steyn, once I leave Miami here Saturday,

I'm going straight to Phoenix. I got the first two games of that Sun's Clippers series, so that's gonna be. That's that's another series. I'm looking forward, right, Well, we will go ahead. Let's get back on we will get to that not because and look, the reality is there. The playoffs are just starting, and we know six of the series already. You know, we still are awaiting who's going to be the eighth seed in the East, who's

going to be the eighth seed in the West. The matchups that we know Celtics, Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Cavaliers, Nicks. Which is the standout matchup in the first round for me with Donovan Mitchell, it's the Donovan Mitchell Bowl with the team that didn't get him playing the team that did trade for Donovan Mitchell. In the West, we have Lakers, Grizzlies, we have Kings, Warriors, the Viveka Bowl, the Northern California Championship,

and then Sons Clippers your series. And it's interesting Draymond Green, who again a hearty thank you to Draymond Green for an absolutely detailed, insightful, candid, ultra candid convo with us

that we turned into a two part or. Draymond is already on record as saying the Warriors will beat the Kings, the Lakers will beat the Grizzlies, and are Round two will be will be Lakers against Warriors, which would just be monster ratings if if that happens, and your series is packed with storylines obviously because Kevin Durant having only played eight games as a son, but the Suns are a lot of people's favorites. But look, with all this, I mean, we're gonna be talking about all these series

because they're just getting going. I think this week, really, you know, it's teams out of the playoffs or teams that were just eliminated, where really all the news focus has been. You know, we in Portland, Damian Lillard just joined Stephen A. Smith and made some comments that have a lot of people rebbed up New Orleans losing its playing game to number ten Oklahoma City. Obviously, Zion Williamson

doesn't play. I mean, that's a major story where I live in Dallas, the Mavericks are still generating a lot of coverage even though their series is completely over. The Raptors just went out to Chicago, and so now we laser in on the Nick Nurse situation. Will Nick Nurse stay in Toronto as the Raptors coach? Is he headed to Houston or elsewhere after? As Nick himself volunteered recently ten years with the Raptors, five of his five as an assistant to Dwayne Casey five as the head coach.

So we got all these storylines that deal with teams that are either out or on the brink. And then you know Minnesota Friday Night has to beat Oklahoma City just to get the eighth seed and Rudy Gobert suspended from the playing game in Los Angeles. The Wolves still had an incredible opportunity to beat the Lakers without their

best to defensive players, and they couldn't do it. So there's a zillion different directions we can go, but I think we should start with Damian Lillard because let's face it, you are the world's foremost damologist. You know him better

than anybody who follows this league. So let's let's let's first take a listen to what he said to stephen A. They know how important it is to just you know, be on a competitive team on the level where we can you know, make a run in the playoffs, and uh, you know that just that just has to happen to me. I think is that your way of saying the Portland Trailblazers on clock, they got to show a level of urgency or else, I mean, I ain't go I'm not

even gonna it ain't a threat. I'm not you know, I ain't gonna say I'm putting them on the clock. I'm just saying, you know, if those things can't be done, you know, we can't do something significant like that, then you know we won't we won't have a chance to to, you know, compete on that level. And then not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will too, because at that point it's like, are you going to go young or are we going

to get something done. I think we just kind of been on the with, you know, fully committing to either one. And I just think, you know, we had that down where everybody, everybody wants to win, you know, they believe that I deserve that opportunity. This has been portrayed, is this like Dame has finally issued an ultimatum to the Blazers, And that's not the way I heard it. But you know, again, you are the Dame expert. Tell me what did you make of the comments. I didn't think he said much

like it wasn't a surprise to me. I didn't think he said much of anything that was different from his previous stance over the last couple of years, and I think people were making this out to be like you said, like this is the first time that he's issuing an ultimatum. Well, no, the first time he really this is the first time he really put the organization to task was two summers ago. This was when they lost in the first round to Denver,

when Portland was when Portland was favored. Excuse me, they were the higher seed. I believe what did the higher seed over Denver? I believe they were. I believe they was fighting a lot of us. Yeah, firing a lot of questions at Ryan to look up because I don't remember I believe either, But look, I mean they it was. But no, no, they weren't. No, they weren't. They weren't. They were not a higher seed. But Denver was missing Jamal Murray and they were missing my port Jr. And

so they were. They were a wounded Denver Nuggets squad. Portland went into that playoffs healthy, So I believe the Portland should have been favorite in the odds and they lost. That was the year Dame was really contemplating if he was going to stay or think about going elsewhere. So that was it was. It was more of a serious

point then than it is now. Now. This can elevate to be in a serious situation depending on how the Blazers handle this offseason with the with the the draft coming up, free agency, and so I talked to Dame. So I talked to Dame a little bit before we started this Podcat I told him, look, we're gonna talk about the comments you made with Stephen a. Um, give me your you know, just give me your take on what's going on or what you what you meant to say. He said, look, just say this, he said, I want

to win right now. The Blazers tell me that they want to win right now. He said, So for right now, I'm going in trusting that we're all on the same page and that they're going to do things to improve this roster, to put this roster in position to be a championship contending team. And he said, now if they don't, if things fall short, then he and the team have

a decision to make from there. But he's let it be known it's not a secret to the Blazers because he's already talked to Joe Cronin, the general manager of the Blazers. He had an exit interview with him a couple of days ago. He's already informed him like he doesn't want to go down a road of kind of being a middle tier team just you know, in no man's land, and he doesn't want to be on a

rebuilding team. So the organization already knows dame stance. They know that if they if they aren't able to come through with their promises putting together a comparable roster, they pretty much know the next step. That next step is a step that we haven't seen in Dame's time of being a professional basketball player. And I think right now everything is cool because there's promises being made, but this is a small window to come through on those promises

in these next couple of months. If that doesn't happen, then that's when I think this situation could be elevated, and it would be a worse situation, more worse situation than it was two years ago when Dane finally came out and expressed the desire to have a better team around him. Yeah, because look he I mean, the underlying thing is he continue he wants it to be there. I think that he keeps trying to express that, and I'm not sure people really want to hear it. But

I also understand the reality of the NBA. And I'm not saying all twenty nine teams would be in the hunt for Dame mean Lillard if he ever did become available, but teams there are. You know, certainly there are teams around the league who saw this interview with Stephen A and they start plotting, is this are opening to try to get Damian Lillard. I'm sure you know, I don't have tangible proof of it, but I'm just going to

go out on a limited guess that the Blazers. Maybe they're not getting calls today, but they will get calls because teams are gonna want to try to steal him away. I mean, they're just they will test the Blazers resolve no matter what Dame is saying for public consumption. So it's interesting, It would be really interesting if we had, you know, some sort of accurate pressure meters, like who's under more pressure right now? Is it Portland? Is it Dallas?

For a lot of the same reasons. You know, Luca is only in year one of a five year deal. But look, the MAVs. The MAVs let the world know how much pressure they're feeling when they traded for Kyrie Irving in February. That whole thing was to try to put a team together that could win now just because they want to, you know, diffuse this pressure that they are feeling about building a winning team around Luca Dante.

What's the pressure meter in New Orleans right now? Where at least you know, the Pelicans, you know, they lose very disappointingly to Okay, see the Pelicans, though, would seemingly have the easiest fix. I mean, the Pelicans, their their issue is getting Zion on the court. I mean, like, if they can get Zion on the court, they that's

the fix. They've got the supporting cast. I mean, we were we were talking were a lot of people thought that this was the deepest team in the league when in December, when they were when they were climbing towards the top of the West End. Look, it's man, this Zion situation, like the situations aren't exactly comparable. But I found this interesting that just numbers wise, you know, Zion has played one hundred and fourteen games in four seasons,

only one hundred and fourteen. But Joel Embiid because of the injuries that cost him two seasons. At the start, Joel Embiid had only played ninety four games through four seasons. So it just does tell you that Joel Embiid, who is now an MVP favorite for the third successive season, like Ken Zion, bounce back the way Joel Embiid has.

Will Zion take the necessary steps this offseason to set himself up to bounce back like Joel Embiid did from the injuries that tortured him at the start of his career. I mean, what like when you look at New Orleans kind of how have you been processing the way? And that was that was actually that all I promise I didn't I didn't know I was going to say processing after a Joel Embiid sentence, how are you? What do

you like? What do what do you see in New Orleans? Well, look, you talk about disparity of games misks to games played for Zion, and definitely it's alarming. We all knew that. We knew that for the last couple of years. I think what's making for Pelicans fans, I'll speak to them.

I think it's making the way this season ended for them so frustrating is Zion Williams's last interview he gave to the Scrub, basically stating that he is clear, but from here on out it's a mental hurdle, and he doesn't want to get out there and be second guests in and put himself from himself from harm's way, and then he feels like he wouldn't be a good enough contribution for the team if he's out there a second

guest himself. Now, I just didn't think I get him, first of all, I get him stign let's just talk about that. I've always thought that if they were depending on Zion to come back for the playoffs, I think that's that's a tough ass because he's been out since January, and now all of a sudden he steps into playing in when the games really matter, when everybody is in tip top shape, and he's trying to work himself in shape amongst that type of environment. That's gonna be tough.

So I already thought that was a tall order. But I just think his words didn't do him any favors. Like I would rather, if you're gonna talk at all, I would rather say you're not ready, Like because he was asked, well, what can't What can't you do? He said, no, I can do everything. I can go out there and do everything. But it's a it's a mental thing, which is, you know, if you had a serious injury, it takes

a while. Jamal Murray went through that with Denver where he was clear for a minute, but it's still that mental hurdle that you have to overcome. But the problem, the thing, the difference between Jamal murray situation Zions is Zion keeps going through this, this is a cycle. People

are getting tired of it. And Jamal Murray you're given a benefit of the doubt because the first time he's going through something like this, And so the Zion, everybody's questioning, is he really doing everything necessary on the physical standpoint to be ready in tiptop shape, to be able to play close to seventy games a year. And I don't know.

I don't know the answer to that. I don't I know. CJ. McCullum has some very pointed remarks after that lost saying, we need guys to be ready in physical shape, we need guys to take their dietary. The nutrition stepped that up. You know, he was kind of he was direct, without naming it, naming any names. He was pretty direct and uh so, at least to your point, Styn when you said they're different with the Pelicans. They just got to be healthy. They got the talent, just the talent, they're

they're always dressed in street clothes. Somehow, some way things

have to change. I mean, I guess we'll see if there's a different approach taken this offseason to preparation and everything that he's doing off the court on the court, because I mean, the talent, the talent is absolutely tantalizing, but I mean, one hundred and fourteen games in four years, I mean, it's it's uh, it's rough, and I'm sure that there's a lot of frustration probably among I mean, you know, I haven't been to New Orleans lately, but I would imagine that there's a fair bit of fan

frustration there, not terribly unlike the city where I live, and not terribly unlike Portland, because you know, all of these teams have elite talent, your Games, your Lucas, your Kyrie's, your Zions, so like when you when you are lucky enough to have a player like that, expectations are super

super high. Before we moved to the MAVs. Let's look at the Wolves, because I mean they had it just again, an incredible opportunity to beat the I mean, the Lakers looked awful in that playing game until they finally got it together enough in overtime to win that thing. But I mean the Wolves had the Wolves were up fifteen seventeen, had every opportunity, even with you know, Anthony Edwards just didn't look anything like the Anthony Edwards we've come to expect.

So even without Gobert, even without McDaniels, I mean, that's a game that the Wolves should have won. Now at least they go home, They're gonna have go bear back, They're not going to have McDaniels. But I mean, the thunder have been one of the absolute stories of the season. Obviously the best surprise tale in this season's NBA. It's got to be Sacramento. Nobody expected them to finish with

a top three record in the West. Nobody expect you know, Mike Brown, as you know, with Chris Haynes as his number one hype man, you know, I'm actually starting to believe you now, I think he actually does have a shot at unanimous coach of the year, such is the impact that he's had. But Okase, what they've done as an undersized team with no chet Holmgren, what we've seen from Shay and Giddy and Dort, both of the Jalen Williams, is that the thunder have on the roster. I mean,

it's been They've been a great story too. And man, there's a lot of pressure on Minnesota to win that game after everything they pushed into the into the middle of the table to trade for Gobert. I mean, a first round series against Denver is no picnic, but not even making the playoffs would be just a dagger for the Wolves. Stein That's what I was going to leave with pressure. It's going to be a ton of pressure for Minnesota. Let's let's talk about the different levels to this.

So Minnesota definitely should have had that game. They forgot how to score the damn basketball. In the fourth quarter. They were a shell of themselves. They couldn't run anything. They were shooting ill avised, contested shots. They weren't getting into the offense, they weren't running. They just forgot how

to play. Now, part of that was Karl Anthony Towns was in foul trouble, so his rhythm was off and so he wasn't playing aggressively because he didn't want to pick up that last foul that would have disqualified him for the rest of the game. But Anthony Edwards, you know, he lives for these moments and typically like he shows up and he did it, and so that was very disappointed.

Mike Conley, of all people, offensively came through with big buckets, you know, during that game to keep his team in there to try to get that game, and they couldn't. And so we brought up the Rudy Gobert incident that he had with Um with Kyle, and they said, they passed everything up. You know, that stuff happens, that happens. They passed things up. I have. I have no reason to believe that they're not moving on the professionals. They're

grown ass man. They'll get together. But for Rudy Gobert, who this trade has been scrutinized for everything to Minnesota, Temples gave up. You look at Kestler over there with the Utah Jazz and he's what he produced, I think, and Eric Gilder here's another one for Ryan again, I think Kestler had more blocks than Rudy this year. I think that might have been the case. I will say this, Producer Ryan, by the way, has has he did do

this research? You? You actually already corrected it. But yes, Denver was three in Portland with six in that playoff series, but the Nuggets were shorthanded, and I actually got it right. Jason Tainum did have a fee fifty point playing game in twenty twenty one against Washington. And that fifty point game is just floating somewhere in the ether and isn't

really recorded anywhere. And so the next time you see Tatum, ask him, hey, has anybody ever told you, like, what, what do you get credit for that fifty point playing game or what? Because I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess he does care about that. But back to you. Yeah, so no, I've been saying so all the scrutiny that the Minnesota was taken for that trade and everything that it gave up, and it hasn't panned

It hasn't panned out. It simply hasn't. Now Rudy puts himself in a situation where he was suspended for the first play in Now this is pressure. This whole season. Think about this for Rudy standpoint and a Timberwools. You lose this game, it's not all It's not just about losing to the Lakers and putting yourself in this in

this situation. It's about everything that's transpired to put you to this point, from the trade to all the draft picks that were giving up to you getting you know, to Rudy getting into it with Kyle to now this this last game, he has a chance to Timboos have a chance. I wouldn't say saved their season, but they definitely can avoid a whole lot more of a tense public scrutiny if they can avoid, if they can get into the playoffs, this is gonna be a huge game.

It's gonna be pressure. And one thing that one team that doesn't have pressure is okay, see they're not supposed to be here. They are not supposed to be here. They go, they go on the road, pressure free. Minnesota has all the pressure. So I want to see if Rudy has it in them. I want to see if Karl Anthony Towns has to them. I want to see if Anthony Edwards has it in them, you know, to

make to try to. You know, the scrutiny is gonna be there, but I'm telling right now Stein, the scrutiny ain't will be nothing like it's going to be if they lose to okaysee at hold, with everything that has transpired to get them to this point, it's going to be ugly. And Ryan producer Ryan says, yes, Walker did have more blocks than Rudy Gobert this season. Walker actually had one hundred and seventy three for Utah. Golbert had

ninety five. Man, what's the games played? Their producer, Ryan, I didn't realize it was that much of a difference, But to me, suspending Gobert was the right call. Had to do it. If that happened, I mean that happened in a game. Let's correct this real quick. Let's correct this real quick. Producer Ryan gave us. I think these are updated. What's seventy four for Walker? Oh? Those games played? Okay? Sorry? Sorry, Walker played seventy four games this season, Rudy played seventy.

That's still a large disparity blocks. I mean they basically played the same number of games and Walker Kessler. That's is why Walker Kessler is gonna end up being second or third in the Rookie of the Year race. Walker Kessler one hundred and seventy three blocks in seventy four games. Rudy Gobert ninety five blocks in seventy games. That's that's wow.

And look, let's be honest, that's heaped more scrutiny and pressure on the Wolves for making that trade because the Wolves gave up four first round picks to get Gobert and Kessler. He got so good so fast this season. At the trade deadline, by all accounts, there were only three players that the Jazz were not willing to trade, Lowry markenin Abaji, the rookie, and Kessler Walker. Kessler quickly played himself to that level where the Jazz were not

going to take any trade calls on him. They were listening to trade offers for pretty much the whole roster at that point, and of course did trade Malie Beasley and Vanderbilt and Conley. So Kessler's rise, it's you know, it's added to all the angst here. And you know, again, I think it had to be a suspension. It doesn't matter how hard Rudy Gobert swung on Kyle Anderson. This happened in a game. If it happened during the regular season, it certainly would have been a suspension. So you got

to uphold the same standards in the playing game. You don't throw out your team rule book just because there's a playing game on the line. But let's hold on, star, hold on, ste hold on. Let me come back with you on that one. Right, go for it. I agree with you. I agree with you he had to be suspended. No, no, I agree with you that it was the right decision to suspend him. Did he have to be suspended? Let's go take go to State for instance. Did Draymond Green situation.

It didn't happen in the game, but it did get out, it was public. That was worse than what Gobert did Trey. Now, being that that's that was that happened during camp. There were no games, so he wasn't technically suspended. So could Minnesota have I know it's a different organization, but could they have looked at that and see how that played? I think Golden State theough took a lot of criticism for not issuing a suspension there and basically it was

ring night and they didn't want to. They didn't want Draymond Green to miss ring Knight. So there was no suspension, and I think they took considerable heat for that decision. And I mean, to me, I don't see anyway if if Gobert had done that during any regular season game, I think there would have been at least a one game suspension, so to me, And look, you know, I would love to know maybe Minnesota players. Maybe I would

love to know exactly how the players felt. Maybe they said they would have said, you know, forget the suspension, Let's just let's just go into the play in with with as much of a team as the strongest team we can. But no, I think I do think they had to do it. You had they There had to be something. I think Stein when you talk about teams taken on too scrutiny, and was there a backlash to the Warriors not suspendis Raymond? Yeah? But did it last? Like?

How significant was it? How bad was it? I'm not so much thinking about the fan backlash part of it. And no, I did reference it with you know, obviously there was external criticism of the Warriors in the Draymond Pool situation that they didn't suspend them. But I'm I'm I'm thinking more of like just as a team, as a franchise, when you have your players, if there's a punch thrown in a huddle during a game, I would think within the whole team, you're expecting some level of

discipline within the team. I have to believe that the Wolves were expecting them to take some sort of action against Rudy Gobert. Now I also thought about this, and I don't know, like, is that a situation where, because it's in the playoffs, would you put it to some kind of team vote and ask the team how do they feel about this? But I mean, it looks like, you know, the Wolves moved. It looks like the Wolves

move pretty quick here. I mean, they sent Rudy home at halftime, and you know, after the incident with Kyle Anderson, and they pretty quickly came out the next day and said that he was being suspended for the playing game.

And then you know, you also have the conspiracy theorists who have said Rudy's back was bothering him anyway, he wasn't full strength enough to play against the Lakers, and they really didn't sacrifice all that much by spending him because they knew he wouldn't have been effective had he played anyway, So yeah, Astu. The other the other thing is, let me ask you this, If Rudy is playing at the rudy level that he was in Utah for the Timberwolves, do they suspend him. If Rudy Gobert is the Rudy

Gobert that we've seen in Utah, do they suspend them? Yeah? I mean it's a great point. I don't you know, I don't know, and it doesn't you know. Was it because he needed the extra time anyway to get his back right for this game against Oklahoma City? And I guess we'll see because Rudy Gobert should be back for Friday nights game against Oklahoma City and we'll see how

effective he is against a very small thunder team. Okay, last thing we'll get to before we before I let you zero grow in on your preparations for the game that will be later tonight by the time this pod drops Bulls at Miami for the number eight seed in

the East. And you know, hey, Miami, Miami's gonna be right there in that pressure cooker with all these teams we've been talking about, Blazers Pelicans, Mavericks, Raptors, Wolves, the Heat are gonna jump right into that category if they don't win this Chicago game, because exiting in the play in would be a shock. It wasn't that long ago that people were looking at the Heat as Hey, the Heat are gonna get the seven seed and be a

super tough first round matchup for Boston. And now we're wondering if the Heat are even going to make the playoffs after they lost shockingly at home in the seven eight game against Atlanta. But look, the Mavericks not in the playoffs, but still in the news. The NBA's investigation has not concluded yet, so we're gonna find out if there's any sort of penalty for the Mavericks for basically

tanking the last two games. I mean, I look, I do think a fine is possible here, because of course, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has already been fined for tanking comments that he made in twenty eighteen in the lead up to the Mavericks getting the draft rights for Luca don chich. I. You know, I don't see how it could be more than a fine, because look, the Mavericks are basically under investigation because they talked about what they were doing, how they were approaching those last two games

too openly. That's why they are under the microscope. But the reality is, the night before Dallas announced that it was going to rest Kyrie Irving and several players against Chicago, and there was still a mathematical chance for the Mavericks to get into the play. And the night before the Jazz did the exact same thing at home against Oklahoma City rested a slew of eyes. They were still mathematically alive for the play. In the Jazz lost, and nobody

said anything. And the reality is to me, you know, the Blazers. The Blazers, now two seasons in a row, we've seen Portland after the All Star Break basically just shut it down. Now, last season obviously Damian Lillard was out after surgery, but this season they shut Damian Lillard down.

They potentially endangered Damian Lillard's All NBA case because after the All Star break, shortly after the All Star break, not the day after, but very shortly after the All Star break, the Blazers basically said we're out of this and we're not going to compete. The last two seasons, Portland is six and forty after the break with fourteen losses by thirty points or more? So, how is that less of a competitive eyesore than what the Mavericks did. So it's like, to me, you can't judge this tanking

is worse than this kind of tanking. So to me, I just don't see how the MAVs get anything more than a fine here. So once the MAVs move past this investigation thing, kind of all the attention goes back to can they resign Kyrie Irving? I mean, that is the question in Dallas. You know, Chris and I have talked about it before. I'm sure we'll keep talking about it.

Can they resign him? I mean to this point, I you know, I do think they are the favorites to keep him in free agency because at this point I still don't see that external suitor who's going to come after Kyrie. What does the Chris Haynes Crystal ball say when you just said that right now, you basically wrote an article for somebody that will be aggregated right there, I think, so I guarantee I'm will find it guarantee. Uh,

real quick, let me say something about the tanking real quick? Yeah. Yeah, the Dallas, Y'll probably get fine, like you said, a little slap on the wrist. But I just I just think just because the Mavericks made a mockery of it, and I think that's what the league is frowning up on. But the problem is the bigger issue is that there's multiple teams doing it and everybody should be gett a slap on the wrist. I don't think the Mavericks should be singled out at all. I'll just say that now

when it comes to Kyrie Irving, yes I would. I would attend to agree with you as a right now we're talking with it's this April thirteenth, April fourteenth, when this pot is dropping. Yes, I think you're right and the Mavericks being the favorites. But one thing started that kind of you know, because I go through, you know, cruise on social media, try to see what people are saying, and I saw a tweet. I can't remember the tweet saw, but I saw a tweet in which it was either

Nico or Cuban who said they're optimistic. I think it was Nico said the optimistic of signing Kyrie, and immediately below the tweet or people quote tweeting it. Immediately they went to, yeah, we heard this before, we heard this before with the Brunson Yeah. No, I mean, look, people are not sold. They are not buying a vision here. They are not Look the tension that you know, I live in Dallas, The tension is tangible. Earlier today, I did an hour and a half on a radio show,

the Benn and Skin Show. And skin Wade is also who he's on the MAVs broadcast and also part of the team that I work with on the pre and postgame show. So I mean with with with Ben and Skin on ninety seven point one, the Freak in Dallas, we talked about this. We talked a lot of Kyrie in in our hour and a half. And I mean, because Brunson left for nothing, there is there's a lot of nerves, there's a lot of tension. And yeah, nobody

wants to hear about optimism and confidence. They want to hear that there's a deal done because after losing Brunson, the MAVs can't lose Kyrie without compensation at you know, at the minimum. They have to hash out a sign and trade. If a team does emerge, if a suitor that we don't see today. If a suitor you surfaces and wants to make a free agent run at Kyrie, can they at least hash out a sign and trade.

Because they gave away two very good players and an unprotected first round pick in twenty twenty nine to trade for Kyrie Irving. So a lot of tension in Dallas, a lot of nerves, a lot of jittery anticipation to see what happened? You know what happens now in the draft? Will the MAVs with an eighty percent chance to keep their pick in the top ten and then that means they don't have to send it to the Knicks to lead the Porzingis trade. Will the picks stay in the

top ten? I mean the MAVs have a terrible history in the lottery. The mass have had sixteen lottery picks in franchise history. They have never moved up. For those of you who think that maybe there's a shot to get Wemby and put Wemby with Luka Dontich and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks have never moved up in the lottery. They've

moved down seven times out of sixteen. They've ended up lower than their projected spot in the lottery, so that the lottery is May sixteenth, and there's there's gonna be a lot of MAVs fans living on edge until that happens. Did you have a problem with Kyrie skipping the media portion of Eggs interviews? I would say this like, I don't think we were gonna learn anything dramatic, and I don't think you look at it and say, because he didn't do media that means he's definitely leaving Dallas. But

let's be clear. On February thirteenth, at Kyrie's introductory press conference in Dallas, obviously at that press conference, he got questions about the future, and he asked the Dallas media please let's table all contract talk and all talk about the future, because his words were that line of questioning creates quote unwarranted distractions end quote. From February thirteenth until the end of the season, almost two months, the Dallas

media complied with that request. No one asked him another contractual question for the rest of the season, not even during the last week of the season, when Mark Cuban held an impromptu one hour press conference touching on all kinds of topics. He spoke at length about Kyrie that night. Just three or four nights before, for the last game of the season, Cuban spoke at length about how he hopes to keep Kyrie and just he's There was so much Kyrie talk in that media availability. It would have

been very natural to ask Kyrie postgame questions. When he met with the media after the win over Sacramento, it would have been very natural to ask him about Cuban's comments, and frankly, I wish I did. I was surprised nobody else did, but I didn't do it either, and thought that there would be the chance at the end of the season to finally bring all this to him, because that was basically what he asked for. I was really

hoping to see reciprocal courtesy. And when the season was over and the Mavericks were doing all their exit interviews with the media on Sunday afternoon after that last game against San Antonio, I think it would have been good for Kyrie Irving to meet the media and take the questions that he wasn't asked for nearly two months. I forgot about that when we were talking about potential topics for this for this episode, I forgot Kyrie said that

he asked that you guys table those contractual questions. And I have to give y'all props. I give y'all the Dallas media props for for going with that, because y'all definitely was not entitled to. But the way it was explained to me by you know, people in Kyrie's camp, they felt like him speaking would have probably just added just more negative commentary and it wouldn't have created anything positive at it. Anything that he would have said would

have been would have been flipped to something negative. So that's that's the way it was explained to me why he didn't do that. But he did, you know, talk with the coaching staff, and he met with management. He spoke with people with an organization before he before he left. But from from what I was told, that was the

reason why he didn't. Yeah, Nico, Nico Harrison did say Nico Harrison, the MAVs GM did a season ending press conference on Tuesday, and he did say that he had an exit meeting with Kyrie Irving and you know said that was among the reasons fueling his optimism that Dallas can keep him. But look like we've been saying for this whole pod. There are a lot of teams under a lot of pressure, and Dallas is right there at the top of the list. I don't know how you separate,

you know. Is it more than Portland? Is it more than New Orleans? Is it more than the Wolves will feel if they can't sneak into the playoffs and make some kind of run. Is it more than Toronto feels right now with all the talk about is Nick Nurse going to stay as their coach and what kind of roster moves we might see from the Raptors after a season filled with trade speculation about almost every marquee name on that team. So a lot of teams feel on

the heat right now. Speaking of another team feeling it, Nicolas Patuna, the Los Angeles Clippers just text me Stein, He texts me, stay away from me, stay away from us. Only East Coast games for you, my brother in the playoffs. So for those of you though that thought, remember the last couple of games I've done for T and T the sideline, the last couple of Clipper games I've done. The Clippers have lost every single game. And so Patuma

always looks at me with a dirty look. He thinks I'm the Jinks and so I guess this is his way of trying to get me to go to the East Coast because he doesn't want any disruption, doesn't want me to be a cause. But just like I told you, guys, Patuma has another thing coming because I'm anna signed for the first two games the Suns Clippers. I'm gonna sign for the first two games. So I let us sent

to him my schedule for the first two games. He responded, Damn, that's right, Nick, I'll see you Saturday, Baby, I will see you Saturday. Hopefully you can beat the Jins. You just ruined his Thursday night and his Friday. But you know how I earlier I called you the world's greatest damologist. He's like the wembiologist. Like I'm constantly seeing him describing wemban Yama. And I know you've written about his scouting

report on Wemben Yama. So can you ask him that when the season is over and he's and his band of Chris Haynes is over, can he come on this pod and give us a Victor wemban Yama official, you know, scouting report from France. I think we need that that's done deal. That's a done deal. Consider it done. All right, Let's hope, let's hope he's still speaking to you by the end of these playoffs. Yeah, they gotta, they gotta. They gotta get a win in my presence. First. You

gotta get a win in my presence. First. The clips need a split in Phoenix for the sake of this pod. All right, everybody, that does it for the latest edition of This League Uncut. Chris and I will be back hopefully Monday. He's got a great people. Seriously, he has a crazy travel schedule because this is when he's at his busiest. He's gonna be covering multiple playoff series on the sidelines for TNT. So we're gonna have to get a little creative here keeping our pod schedule where it

needs to be. But we will find a way to do it. Don't worry. And please, everybody, please subscribe to the pod, Please rate the pod, Please review the pod. We love you guys, Thanks for joining us, thanks for listening. Back soon with another episode of This League Uncut, Stein Haynes, everybody, have a great opening weekend of the playoffs, and that'll do it for us. See you next time. This League Uncut is an i Heeart radio production. Buscka Loca, Chris Hanes and Mark Steyne