Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty four hour NBA News. This's you, Chris Haynes. It's so time, work's time, it's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should be a good one.
Hey, everybody, it will be a good one. Thanks for joining us again. Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes, another edition of this League Uncut. We're actually recording on Monday night, a night later than usual. But in the playoffs you gotta make adjustments. And Chris Haynes, unlike me, is going to be doing tons of traveling, moving all up and down the NBA map to fill his various TNT sideline assignments. Me I'm happily, happily consuming all of this from home.
The opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs. It was at the same time, on one hand, really absorbing many good games, not all, but many good games. But then there was the dispiriting slash depressing side of things with the injuries we saw on Sunday. To see Janna Santetokumpo and John Morant and Tyler Hero all sustain concerning injuries in two cases, then you know a downright crisis for the Miami Heat to lose Tyler Hero for at least a month. So
we're going to get into all that here. But it's great to reconnect with Chris because on my list on Monday, I did my list of superlatives from the opening weekend of the playoffs, and Chris Haynes he earned a spot on that list because the man looked absolutely resplendent Friday night in his South Beach clean white suit, impeccably tailored. It was still the playing round, then the play It was the night before the playoffs actually started, but I
counted it as part of the weekend. And Chris Haynes, you are the first recipient on my sub stack of the Look of the Weekend Award. You won it in a route in a runaway.
I've officially made it. I've officially arrived. I have officially arrived. I got to Actually I didn't see that start. I didn't see that.
Yeah, the tweet, the tweet misfired. I thought the tweet actually was funny because I thought people because what I did. I had the picture of you with Max Struse and Jimmy Butler your postgame interview, and I put the tweet out thinking everyone's gonna know I'm talking about his suit. But instead I'm gonna say, please rate and review dot dot dot dramatic pause are podcast. And I thought that would be funny, but man I I it was. It was a swing in the swing and miss it did nothing on Twitter?
What else? Why you're a sports writer and not a comedic writer.
Well, I do, but I do have a story to you, know how you always say you want to hear personal stories. You want to hear a humorous personal story.
A dude, I don't.
In high school, I was so much more daring than I was than I am in adulthood, Like you know me in adulthood. I know, I frustrate you because I'm so I'm always worried. I'm so safe. I'm like ultra safe, and you love to like ask me for advice, hear my safe advice and then just do what you're gonna do anyway, But you love to you love to do that to me. But in high school, I can't believe I had the guts to do this. High school graduation, we go on a cruise. You know, my ten or
so best friends of me. We're on a cruise to celebrate our graduation from high school, and they had a talent show on the ship. And this is nineteen eighty seven, so Jerry Seinfeld is not super well known at this point. Obviously he he was, you know, comedy fans knew him, but like he was not a national sensation. I had memorized his whole act, and at the talent show, I basically went up there and did his whole HBO act.
And I actually, for the rest of the cruise had people coming up to me going, wow, you got talent, like they obviously didn't know who Jerry Seinfeld was at that point. No absolutely criminal offense for you know, comedy to just completely rip off somebody's act. But but uh completely, yeah,
I'm guilty, But that part's not the importan part. The important part is I can't even imagine that I actually had the guts to go up there and do that in front, Like, I don't know, it's like a different person. I don't know. I don't know where I got that.
Which leads me to my next question. What got you to this point?
Honestly I don't know, but something early in college, something changed and I became mister worry, mister safety, mister panic.
I like.
To cry too late though, because it's been a long time since I was eighteen or nineteen. It was a long time ago. But yeah, thankfully there is no video of that. But uh yeah, like I said, I you know again, please forgive me for the horrendous comedy crimes of you know, not going up there with my own material. But I'm just still more like, how did I actually have the guts to do that in front of a whole ship?
Yeah? No, chest no, chick definitely impressed.
All right, So that's that's we start. I didn't see we all I we always have a plan and then somehow we diverged from the plan. But yes, let's let's get back to the point. The point here was you looked fantastic. You look fantastic, game on, you came out strong.
You definitely I was in Miami style. You feel you feel Miami us. I'm gonna tell you. I'm gonna tell you how you feel. Maybe looking at all these beautiful people walking walk in the face of the earth in Miami,
and you look at everybody looking fit, looking good. Skin is just everybody's skin is just glowing, and you feel a certain way, so you put you know, you put a suit on that's kind of you know, bright, So I had it was a light bluish I was called a light bluish, light bluish color looks it could look white depending on the view. But you know, I have my my shirt on, and you know, it's one of those days, starn where you might you might want to take an extra button out, you know. Man. Jeff Yeah,
well they was doing that way before, Richard Jefferson. That's just Miami, baby, that's just Miami. So you feel yourself a little bit. So I'm like, let me But Eric Sposer was getting who Billy Donovan? They all they was like, oh you and Miami.
Huh have you ever warned?
Have you ever come out.
In all white suit before?
Yeah? Once? That was high school, my high school prom, last first and last time I wore all white suit. It's not white anymore. By the way, it wasn't white anymore at the end of that night. What happened was the last I mean, it's just white, just white. Just seventeen year old getting into whatever, you know, especially that night. You know.
Okay, but I was confused. I thought we were talking about your new Miami suit. Did your new Miami suit. Make it past one day.
The new Miami suit. Okay, yeah, let's get this. Let's get this straight, just so aggregators will get this roll. I was talking about the seventeen year old Shenanigus back in the day, not a couple of days ago. No, this suit is okay. I learned.
I learned how to shirt this time. That was good. You didn't have to buy a shirt. You didn't have to buy a shirt in Miami.
I did bring a shirt. But if I chose not to buy a shirt and chose not to wear a shirt, I would have fit right in in Miami. Now on the broadcast, that would have been a different story.
That's right. I think Russ didn't Russ walk into Game one with no shirt.
He's in Phoenix. You can do that, stiin the weather is so beautiful.
Ally, you did not do You did not do too bad on the weather assignment, starting out in South Beach and then heading to the desert.
And that's why you don't hear not one complaint from me.
So was there anything notable that happened on your Miami trip besides everybody giving you a hard time about your gear?
No? You know, listen, I'll say this. You know, we talk about how all Stars run the league and how there's there's just a fascination with knowing what the stars have to say, what they do, how they really are. But I'm telling you something people disagree. Patrick Beverley has that appeal. And what I would say about that is that you never know what the guy is going to say. He's just so in Miami, my seat is right there, courtside, right in the middle, so it's a great view, great
for listening and eavesdropping. So and I'm surprised video hasn't surfaced of this moment that I'm about about to say. So it's the first half and Pat Beav and Tyler he Row got into it about something early on. Early on in the game. I think Pat foul DeMar Tyler got in his face, kind of roused up the crowd. Later on in the game, Pat foul Tyler again, and the heat gets the ball on the side out. So Pat walks to where ma max Strus is inbound to
the bass. Tonight's guarding him, so he's by the inbounder and remember Pat had just fouled Tyler hero I believe, and so he comes over walking towards Max Druce, saying, man, trying to somebody, try to be hard, but they flopping like that. They can't take a foul. That don't make sense, That don't make sense. He kept like saying that, saying that repeatedly. Then Max Druce, who's I'm behind Max Sdruce,
who is back is towards me. So I couldn't really make out what Max said, but he said something to Pat, and Pat said, shut up. I don't even know who you are. I don't even know your name. Shut up. And then you know, Max goes and have one of the best by the end of the night. The night.
Look, man, you know we've talked about this before. I really, really really did not like that move the Lakers. I never thought that he could fit into Lakerland. I just thought his personality was too big on a team that already has two rather large personalities in Lebron James and Anthony Davis. But you have to give the man his props. He went to Chicago, his hometown team, and he clearly made a difference. They played with an undeniable edge after adding Pat Bev. Gotta give him his props.
Yeah, props, you know, We've had some things me and him, uh, some issues or two before, but I got none of love for the dude to do his funny. He's a competitor.
No, he never switches it off. It'll be interesting to see do the do the Bulls bring him back. He had such a big impact there that you know, I know Minnesota fans were devastated that when Pat became available on the buyout market that the Wolves decided that they weren't going to bring him back because he had such a similar impact in Minnesota. So I'm gonna be curious to see if the Bulls say, you know what we need, We need that edge back for one more year. You
were the first to report about Tyler heroes injury. The severity of it, I mean four to six weeks.
Man.
It's like with the state that the Bucks are in the heat, actually have a chance to win this series, which nobody would have thought. Milwaukee's surely thinking that they're gonna get get Atlanta in the play in, or maybe even a lower seed like the Bulls or the Raptors, and instead the Bucks end up with a first round matchup against Miami. Giannis goes down. Jiannis was already playing
through a wrist injury. So I mean there's a lot of pressure already on the Bucks, who really began these playoffs as not just the Eastern Conference favorite, but a lot of people's favorites to win it all. I'm sure Miami, now having stolen Game one, the Heat think they can win this series. I'm sure they believed it going in, because that's we know, Jimmy Butler's gonna always kind of carry himself that way. But what is it four to six weeks?
Right? No?
No, I mean they're not getting Tyler Herro back for at least a month.
All right, So I'm being told that it would take the Heat making it to the NBA Finals for Tyler to have the chance to come back. That's rough.
Terrible opening weekend for injuries, man, Just terrible style.
You know, it's behind the scenes. We give people a little bit behind its pull back the curtain a little bit when it comes to reporting. So I was actually working the Clippers Clippers Sons game last night during the brocket. I mean, I was working, you know, the broadcast, and I got this news about Tyler Hero. So I actually broke it during that game, and you know, stoan. It's one of those things where you you know, the Miami
Heat are not the favorites. They were not the favorites going in, and then you get news of Tyler Hero breaking his breaking his hand, and it's well, let me let me get make sure I state what exactly he broke for clarity purposes out there, he broke the middle and ring finger of his shooting him. So immediately when I got that news, initially, you know, I was thinking
about reporting Tyler Hero done for the season. You know, obviously broken you know, broken middle finger, uh, middle finger and ring finger, and you know, I'm thinking, like, hold on, okay, And then I got like soon after, my sources hit me up saying, you know, it's a four to six weeks uh timetable, and so I'm still thinking, okay, he's out for the year. But then I was like, hold on, the NBA playoffs will still be going on. And you don't want to get on the wrong side of the
fans here, you know what I'm saying. They believe they going, They're going all the way. So I'm like, you know what, let me just keep this conservative. Let me let me keep this strictly uh to the facts of how I you know what I received, uh, four to six weeks, so, I mean, but definitely if you look at the Bucks and Miami still in game one, Giannis's condition, sure, I mean, if they get past the Bucks, I mean you can't.
Yeah, that's that's what That's what I'm saying. Yeah, they beat the Bucks, they can win the East.
Yeah. But I wasn't thinking that, you know, you know at the time, you know, I was like, well, man, I guess, I guess he's out for the year. But nah, let me just you know, let's let's keep hope alive out there. And and I think I'm definitely with them going in there and getting Game one. They definitely feel like they still have a shot, even with Tyler Hill being out. Now.
On the Milwaukee side, it sounds like there's some some hope there that they isn't a super serious injury for Yannis and that even if he can't make it back for Game two, that it it should be some time after that. Like, this doesn't seem to be like it's going to be the kind of thing that knocks him out for a whole series. But I mean, look, it doesn't get more alarming than losing Jannis for any amount of time because the guy is so durable and we know he tends to play hurt.
So but that back, that back is nothing to play with. Man, that pas back and knees. Oh, those those are some of the worst injuries to play with. You can you could possibly get out there and and be of service, but you don't have your lift. You know each step I play, you know I play with both both those types of injuries. Man, I'm dealing with some neat issues right now as I continue to try to keep playing Who three or four times a day, So.
Three or four times a week especially, you don't play three or four times a day? Thank you for correct But do you do you try to find Hoop on the I mean, I'm hundreds of years past that point. But on the road, do you try to find pick Up?
No? I don't. I don't. I just save it. I play. Actually I play more than three. I play. I played about five times a week when I'm at home, five days a week. Yeah, when I'm at home. But when I'm on the road, Nah, I don't. I don't find Who.
How does your game look objective?
How do you you know what I'm I'm playing the best basketball of my forty one year.
Why now, so.
I'm smarter my athletic. You know, there's there's video of style. See me duncan no catch.
That's why we're so excited. That's why we're so excited. Just when you showed me that picture of you playing in the post, I had never even seen a picture a still picture of you playing in college before that.
Oh you're serious. Yeah, there's video out there me playing against Will Barton. It's about six years ago. He's throwing me alley.
Oops, just like at a practice.
We were playing one one.
Will Barton the only NBA player you hold in higher esteem than Damian Lillard. I don't know if Dame knows that.
Yes, Will Will Barton, but no, my athleticism is not where I can still dunk, but the nowhere near what I used to be able to do. But nah, that's the only way sign for me. That's the only way that I can get cardio in. I'm not one of these crazy people that can just go and just run somewhere and just hear their own breath breathe in and out.
Like I can't do that. Like when I'm playing basketball, I'm trying to stop my guy from scoring, or I'm going at my guy to get a bucket and then next thing you know, it like you're running up and down the floor hundreds of times and then you're drenched in sweat, so you're not even thinking about all the running. So that's how I get my cardio. I can't even getting on the tramp mill. I'll do it if I have to, but it's nothing like playing basketball for me.
But and this is probably not the basketball we should be delving into so deeply. But I'm gonna ask one I'm gonna ask one more. I'm gonna ask one more question. I'll get back to the NBA playoffs because of your job now. So if you're just playing pick up at whatever LA Fitness, aren't guys trying to go after you because you know now that they know you.
All the time, all the time. And you know what I say, bring it, bring it on, Oh that stile, you don't go to my ig. I'm always posted, always routine, Lee, I post about I'll post some video clips.
Actually, you just reminded me because you know I'm so I like Twitter obviously is the domain that I'm familiar with and comfortable with. I know, I'm terrible at monitoring IG. I'm terrible at using IG, terrible at posting IG, even worse at reading IG. But my sources say, and I'm gonna actually out this source, it's my son who follows you. Now he's and he's he he said. I I asked him. I was like, what, what good stuff's he been throwing on there? And of course He's like, man, he just
got a haircut. And I'm like, of course he did. There's nothing that makes there's nothing in life that makes this man happier than getting a haircut.
Oh man, you put that on I g.
Stein. Listen, Man, a haircut does wonders to a mass confidence. Man, you just feel like it's a new person. Man.
Or did I freeze?
I'm good? You froze froze Ryan did Stein freeze? Yeah?
Was that me? Or you who froze?
Okay, froze me? Or you you froze?
St So I missed it.
I'll I'll start, I'll start back up. Three yep three two one Stein. Nothing makes a man feel more confident and more prepared than having a fresh haircut. Man. When you get a haircut, man, you feel like you can do anything, and so before. But I gotta go on. I gotta go on TV with a clean cut. I have to, man, I feel good. When you feel good, you play good. That's real. When you feel good, you play good. It doesn't matter what type of job you have,
what type of occupation. When you look good, you perform good. And so I believe in that. And and I don't know how much longer I'm gonna have hair, so I gotta keep documenting as long as I can.
If you say so, man, I believe you. All right, Well, let's move on then, to you, because the next stop of your travels was even more eventful than South Beach, even more eventful than strutting into the arena with the white suit, because you saw quite a game between the Clippers and the Suns. The Clips with Russell Westbrook, the most inspirational three for nineteen performance in league history, incredible string of clutch plays at both ends as the Clippers
stormback and win. Bizarre game for Kevin Durant the third quarter. I know everybody's talking about the fourth quarter, but in the third quarter, Kevin Durant no field goal attempts but six assists. But not only do you get to cover this amazing game. You've got one on ones with Paul George and Russell Westbrook. So let's start with PG. Give
us the PG update. Where is he? And I mean, I think it's pretty well established that we're not going to see him in this first round series, but just kind of what were your takeaways from visiting with him?
Yeah, well, you know, he's it was tough. I wish you could see video of why he was talking to me. I grabbed him after the game, after Game one, and you know you could tell it's really tough, he said. It is a frustrating time to be sitting down watching the guys because you know they can help, he said, but he's doing everything he can behind the scenes to try to get back when he can when it's possible.
And so it's looking like the Clippers they're going to have to extend this out, when I mean extend this out if they want to have any hope of Paul George. I mean, you got talking Game seven, but you for sure talking, you know, next round, and I don't know that you would bring Paul George back for a Game seven. Anyways. I think he's been out since March twenty third, so that would be a tall task. But you know, he just talked about doing everything he can to try to
get back as soon as he can. But he believes in this team and believes they can do what it takes to get them to that point. And you know that that was a tremendous game. Stein. I ran across my guy, Nicholas Patune in the locker room, who you know, who hasn't been talking to me because he called me the black Cat, because he said every every game that I cover, they lose. Well they won last night. As soon as I go in the locker room, he's there standing up, greets me with a hug. Say bring it in.
The curse is broken. Gave me a hug right there in the locker room. I said, I told you, I said, now you can. You could conquer anything. Now you get past me, You could get past anything now. So but russ tine russ Man again, what do you call that? The most inspiration.
Inspirational three for nineteen game in league history? And I'm happy for him because like he's he I mean, even when things go well, he's still taking all kinds of heat and criticism. And I mean that fourth quarter belonged to him. You know, I put it on Twitter. Give Russ the game ball now, then you have to take a step back and say, okay, Kawhi Leonard did score thirty eight points and looked really, really, really good. So maybe we have to split that game ball in half.
But I mean, Russ, everyone second guess the Clippers when they made this move. And you know, to this point, for now, you have to say he's making a difference there. He's fitting in they you know, he's he's definitely helping fill the Paul George woyd which is really unfillable. And I mean it sounds like from your convote from PG thirteen, I mean, that's that's Russ's number one fan.
Yeah, he said, you know what are people saying now as a remember because Paul George is the one who voiced publicly vouching for Russell Westbrook at the time when Russ got traded to the Utah Jazz, and so this is something he's seen. And he said, you know, Russ and his other stop. If he wasn't making shots, he would have got the quick hook. And he said, you have to allow Russ to play through it, because he's
going to find a way to impact the game. And then on Russ gave me some time after the game as well. That's my guy. Russ has become my over the last few years start. I don't know why, but he's become my guy. But he gave me some time after the game as well, and I told him about
what Paul George here. He said, yeah, it means. It means the world to him to have the coaching staff talking about Tyron lu in particular, believe in him and trusting him that win his shots when one aspect of his game is not being effective, that they know that he can do other things in the court. And he's not looking over his shoulders. That's one thing he said. He's not looking over his shoulder after a mistake, so he doesn't have to hesitate when he's playing. He can
still go out there and play relentlessly. And that's what he did. Stein from offense clutch offense to rebounds, multiple clutch offense rebounds down the stretch to hit in two big free throws to get in that isolation on isolation isolation island with Devin Booker, which is not easy to do. Got the block but still was able to get to
keep ball in bounds and Clippers ball. He just did an unbelievable job on the defensive end all night keeping guard and Kevin Durant he you know, you had to be happy for the guy man to have to have that feeling while going while missing sixteen of his nineteen shots. Man, he was really he was really, he really didn't.
I don't know if we'll ever get the full candor on this, but you know, the vibe I got really was that I don't think the Clippers front office was completely sold on the idea of going after Russell Westbrook. I mean, it really looked.
I thought about writing that STN. I thought about right now, but I'm like, you know what, it ain't time for that.
But it really looks it. I mean, you know, from the outside, it certainly came off as Paul George is the one who had the lobby to get this thing done. And I think right now they're obviously glad that they listened, because you know, as you said, Paul George, in a best case scenario, realistically, the soonest we see him is probably the next round. And this was pg's quote to you and your piece quote. This is the reason why Russ was such huge pickup for us. They just see
Russ for the shots that he misses. They don't see him for the rebounding the defense. Look at the block on KD to start this series off and the block on d Book to finish the game. They don't see the intangibles, and they look past everything else that he does. They solely look into whether he make or misshots and judge him off that. Please don't judge him off who
he is as a basketball player. And you know what, I'm glad you relayed that story about Batoomb because again, like I said, I said the last time this came up, Batoomb doesn't know it yet, but he is. He is going to be a huge part of our NBA draft coverage. When when when, when we get closer to the draft time we are bringing we are gonna lobby him. We're gonna work on him to come on this show and
give us the Parisian view of Victor Wembinnyam. The more than presumptive number one pick in the draft, the obvious, the automatic number one pick looming in the June draft.
So what do you see from the Suns? You know this this playoffs is so weird because it was a weird season in the West with only two fifty win teams and so many teams clumped together, and then the playoffs start, and really, has there ever been a postseason where the number six Warriors, who of course are the defending champions, or the number seven Lakers, or you know, the number five Clippers would be in this conversation if
Paul George were healthy right now. The number four Sons, they're another team that, like all of these middle to the middle, middle to lower seeds in the West, they all generate more public belief than the one, two or three seeds that they can win the West. I mean, you just outside of Denver, outside of Memphis, outside of Sacramento, outside of the city limits, you don't see anyone saying that those teams are capable of winning this supposedly wide
open conference. So it's just been a strange year. But you know, I think the Suns, again, I don't want to overreact to a Game one, but they're immediately under pressure because you know, yeah, they were eight to o in the regular season without Kevin Durant, but right now they're owen one with Kevin Durant. When it matters, and they did not look like a team that really knew each other in that game one.
That's that's why I say the playoffs are a different ballgame. When everybody was talking about the eight to no regular season start KD Sons, I'm gonna tell you what I think happened with the Phoenix Sons is what I kind of talked about doing the broadcast. Uh. You know, I spoke with Chris Paul night before the game and I was asking him. I said, hey, like, where is KD at with, you know, finding his way, learning the concepts, learning the schemes, you know, having it all in his head.
And he said, we're still getting to that point. And I was like, okay, so if you still getting to that point, that means you're still learning on the fly in the playoffs. He was like, yeah, it is. It is what it is. He says, really impressed in it, but that's the task we have. And he said, I'm not making any excuses, but it is what it is.
And so think about that, stiin, has there ever been a scenario where a player of that magnitude comes over to a new team and he's learning, still learning things, learning concepts and nuances of his team in the playoffs, like this is really unpressed. Like usually you know, trade that line you got them in for months before the playoffs. I mean, you know KD got injured so that that, you know, put it different things. But they're still learning him.
And the thing and one thing that showed me why they still are learning on the fly, KD was under utilized in the second half. He was he was, Yeah, I'm not.
I think Kg's adjusted. It's everybody else adjusting to him. I mean, they like whatever you throw a KD, he's going to figure out. Like again going back to that third quarter, that he could manufacture six assists in this situation, first playoff game with these guys, and you know, he's so adaptable. I think it's the other guys finding their spots around him that I mean. And the other thing, I mean, they only took nineteen threes. I mean that
that's not enough. They're gonna have to They're gonna have to in game two, increase, increase the attempts and makes from the three point line. I mean, it's just into in the modern NBA, you're not gonna win shooting only nineteen threes. But yeah, like you said it is unprecedented. I mean, really the when we talk about you know, mid season trades that lead to a championship, there are three prime examples in NBA history that everyone points to.
Clyde drex Are going to Houston in ninety five, but they had a Keem Rashid Wallace, that's really the one two thousand and four. He went to first, he went to Atlanta for one game, then went to Detroit, and he was like the last puzzle piece in a perfect puzzle. I mean, the Pistons were just such a unique team because they didn't really have they didn't have anyone in the durant role, you know, Chauncey and Rashid and Rip
and Ben Wallace all in a way. I mean, you could make the case that all of them were the best Piston if you if you narrow it down to a certain skill or two. And then obviously Tayshawn was was another great, you know engine to help make things happen there. But and then Marc Gasol going to the Raptors. But I mean you had Kawhi Leonard. I mean Mark Marcasol was a great you know center and defensive play anchor and all that stuff, but you know, a complimentary
piece to a championship team. And you know, Durant is he is the universe now with you know, or at least he shares it with Devin Booker. So I mean, yeah, this is this to me, was why as good as the Sons looked in the regular season, like we had no idea what the Sons would look like on the playoff stage, and and the first look was not was not a work of art.
I know, kdstuy he's still trying to I.
Mean, you're you got a better feel to me, you were there.
Doesn't want to nah, he doesn't want to infringe upon what the Sons have done to this point. And so yeah, you talk. You mentioned that how the Sons have to get used to him, and yeah, they they they do. But I'm telling you right now, like there's going to have to be there's going to have to They're going to have to get to a point where they give it to KD. Get out the way, let them go,
force feed them. And it's going to have to get to a point where KD is demanding the ball because Chris Paul, Devin Booker, everybody else, they're used to playing with each other used to playing and doing their thing, and they haven't. They haven't really adapted. KD is just so good where he's coming in and he's just fitting. And he did that in the regular season. If you look at like, he's still not he's not taking more
shots than Devin Booker. And not to say that, it's not saying that he needs to take more than Devon, but I'm just I'm using that as an illustration of how he's just coming in and trying to blend. Because KD he always talks about, I can go with any system and play with Yeah, you can do that, but in order for the Sons to go to the distance, KD is going to have to be the best player, and he is the best player on the team, and so they're eventually they gonna have to treat him like that.
So it's going to be an adjustment, and that's what I'm saying. Is so uncommon to have an adjustment period in the first round of the playoffs, So they're trying to figure all all these things out on the fly, and they will. You don't want to overreact to one game, but that was one game that damn Like, if you're gonna win a game with Russ going three for nineteen. If you can't get that one, it's gonna be tough and sty The Suns don't get much production from the bench.
Yeah, no, they're incredibly thin now after this trade. I mean, their four best players are you know, it's a great top four. But behind that, I mean there's no question they've been weakened severely. I mean, look, I mean, I don't think we're I don't think we're taking a huge leap to say the Clippers are gonna take a lot from that Game one win and really believe now that they can win this series even without Paul George. I mean, they they clearly have that belief. I'm curious, from your seat,
how rattled are the Suns? What's the panic level after one loss?
They're They're fine, They're fine right now. They're fine right now. But look, I'm gonna say this it the Clippers took Game one, they took Game one. They were they are
not the favorites. Sons were heavily favorite, the heavily favorites, and they went in there and took it that that has to do something, that has to do something to a team psyche And again it's not like the Suns are used to being in this situation as constructed, you know, So it's not like they can lean on past experiences to say we've been knocked down before we got up. Well you haven't. With this group, it's different. So that's
why it's a little bit alarming. Now, if I was to say who's still gonna come out victorious in this series, I still would have to lean towards the Suns just because damn they got you know, they arguably, yeah, well they got great players. They got great players over there. So but Clippers are deep, they're deep. Anybody can contribute, somebody different could contribute, you know, each night, and the Sons don't have that. Their main three guys have to be on or close to beyond close to being on
to get to have a chance. So it's gonna be tough. So I wouldn't say they're a rattle, but it definitely is alarming. And look stein my my my first quarter interview, after the first quarter interview with Tyler lou you know, I asked him about what was his message to the team before they took the court, and he said that we're here to win, We're here to win like they believe they can win. That was in the first quarter
when he said that they believe they can win. And you know, ty Lou, once he gets the playoffs, he started, he started, the lineup, he started. He had zuke box guarding some perimeter. It was a perimeter player, I can't remember. Like he just switches up the defensive NEPs like he he's like a wizard when it comes to this time of year. Man, So it has to be alarming. I'm not saying it in trouble.
Tylou is an excellent coach, still an underrated coach after his championship with the Calves, and I'm guessing you've probably experienced this in the sideline role. But you know, I have to say, you know I've said this before. In fifteen years at ESPN, there is no assignment I loved better than being the sideline guy for ESPN Radio during the NBA finals. And I got to do that four times. I believe it was twenty thirteen through twenty seventeen. So
I got the Calves in the finals. The first year was blat but the second two years that I did it, ty Lou was there, and Tylu he'll talk to you during the game. I don't get those seats very often anymore to know how many coaches would be willing to do that, but there have not. In my four years of doing sideline for ESPN Radio, there were not many coaches at this point who would stroll over to where you're sitting and actually ask you stuff during the game.
But but Ty would always do it. I mean he would throw questions that, you know, do you see that? What'd you think of that call? Just you know, he's he is, uh, he's very entertaining to watch during a game. And and I would have to you know, have you know I remember his calves huddles like he you know, he had Lebron tuned in. Not every coach who's coach Lebron can say that, but when he was coaching the Calves, Lebron was dialed in.
Well, I could definitely say he's much more cordial to you than he is to me when he when he walks over to me when I'm on the sideline.
What But that's what I mean.
But that's even that is like he's he's loose, like he's he's he's loose, like he's chatty during game games, all right, everybody.
I think that does it for this edition of this league uncut. You got Game two clips at SUNS. What do you have next? Is it top se? Are you allowed to reveal your sideline assignments?
Yeah? Bullshit. I believe it may be out out to the public already. If it's not, then hey, I'm revealing it. But yeah, I got Game two. He'll still here Phoenix and the Clippers. Then i transitioned to San Francisco on Thursday for Game three of The King's Wars. So I'm looking forward to seeing what that action is like, seeing what the atmosphere is like, and then I believe then I, yeah,
I do. Then I come back to this series, but it would be Game four in La Clippers Sons and if I don't know the rest throughout, but I wouldn't be surprised if I if I stuck on the look.
I should have said this earlier, and I'm glad you you doing your schedule kind of reminding me to say this, because there is an undeniable flaw in this show that we're that we're recording Monday night for a Tuesday release because we're recording it during six ers nets, so we obviously do not know at this point as we're recording what the results are of Game two in Sacramento, which is a massive game. Obviously, if the Kings, I mean,
Sacramento is already lit to the max. If the Kings go up to zip I get to defending champs, not only is that an absolute party in Sacramento, but you know how much pressure that would heap upon the Warriors, who looked the Warriors were eleven and thirty on the road during the regular season. I believed it, and if I believed it, I know they believed at times ten that they're gonna win one of these first two games
on the road. The Warriors, of course, have that streak, that NBA record streak twenty seven consecutive playoff series with at least one road win. Stephen Curry, Clay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Gudalad they have been part all four of them have been part of all twenty seven of those series. If I'm not mistaken, maybe Andre, I'm throwing him in there and I shouldn't, but definitely, Steph, Clay and Draymond have been part of all twenty seven in a row
of those series. That Golden State has managed at least one road wind. So obviously by the time this podcast drops, everyone will know if that series is two to ozho or one to one. But either way, you've got yourself quite an assignment for game three at Chasin.
And I want to leave by saying this, free E forty, Free my boy forty one, Free him Stace. I know you're a big E forty fan.
What's the fact that I cannot even pretend that I could name a favorite song? But but I uh, I did take note of the fact that the Warriors were playing his music at their practice today, So this is clearly so this is clearly something that mattered to shoot around. This is clearly something that matters to them, like they're you know, is it going to be motivation that puts I'm over the top in a game they need to win. I don't know about that. But this is definitely not
a small story. This is something that is on the Warriors' minds too.
I can't wait to get over there forget all.
Right, everybody, And I actually want to sign off with a small message because on this Monday night, it is Yoma Shoah, which is Holocaust Remembrance Day, and I just want to pay tribute to my father, Rubinstein, who was a Holocaust survivor. And you know, I've written about this
a few times, but I can't say it enough. If it wasn't for him and everything he did and the fight he waged to survive the atrocities of the Holocaust and then make it to communist Romania, and then make it to Israel, and then make it to the United States, all to set up his spoiled kids to you know, grow up in the shadow of Disneyland. And and for me, you know, to basically live out this pinch me life as a sportswriter. None of that is possible without everything
my dad did. And I just on this Yoma show wanted to pay tribute to him and talk about him and remember him. And if I can mix a couple of languages here, Abba tell you best. I think about you every day. And that's all I had to say. Everybody, Thanks Samil for listening to another edition of This League Uncut. Take care of.
Him and that'll do it for us. See you next time.
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