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This's you, lo, Chris Haynes. It's so time, Markstein, It's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.
This should be a good one. Hello again, friends, Welcome to another edition this League Uncut. Don't believe what you read on Twitter. Mark Stein, Chris Haynes still for the moment together as a tandem. Despite some high profile flirtations on the Bird app between Chris Haynes and MSNBC's Chris Hayes. I have not received any notifications. I'm still part of this show. We're actually you know, the fact we're recording this is proof just one more element of an absolutely
crazy Wednesday in the NBA. We are recording this on Wednesday night for a Thursday morning drop. If I have my days right. Lakers down huge to the Jah morantless Memphis Grizzlies down thirteen halfway through the third quarter as we start taping this crazy day in the NBA. No Job Morant for the Grizzlies in Game two against the Lakers. No Jannis and De Decoumpo against them against the Miami Heat. Milwaukee's down one Oho they got to play Game two
without Yiannis. Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings Unanimous Coach of the Year, as touted, predicted, and lobbied for by the very in demand Chris Haynes. You called your shot, you said he should be unanimous. He got it. Every first place.
Vote, they got one hundred, one hundred voters all vote at him first to win that award. Well deserved. It was the right, move right decision. There was really Listen, I knew you had reservations about that, but there was really nobody in his class this year that couldn't make the case that they should receive a first place vote.
It wasn't so much reservations, It's just I didn't necessarily think it would happen because like we saw with you know, it doesn't sound like Paolo Benkearo is going to be the umous unanimous Rookie of the Year, when he would certainly have a case for that. But in Mike's case, you proved correct. He absolutely lapped the field.
He lapped the field and at he's the first coach in NBA history to receive that award unanimously. So Coach Brown, he got some of the this League uncut good karma along with them. I'm pretty sure that played a part in a voter's decision.
It has been really nothing good news since he stopped by this league uncut.
Isn't it nothing but good news? I mean, Malik Beasley came on the pod and he got what he wanted. Two days later, you know, got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Uh, you know, Dame, I don't know.
I don't know. If I don't know, if it come.
Don don't. Let's not point let's not point that out.
Don't tell him, Hey, dray BA for that better as well.
I'll tell him either.
I think we're yeah, we're bat in five hundred.
Mike Brown. Mike Brown definitely riding the wave of this league uncut and the first the Coach of the Year award is older than me. It goes back to nineteen sixty two to sixty three, first unanimous winner. But like I said, there's even more. We have a GM change. There is now a GM opening in the NBA. Tommy
Shephard ousted in Washington on Wednesday night. We didn't even get to what I reported Monday about the Mavericks being in advanced talks to hire former Utah Jazz lead assistant Dennis Lindsay, who will be joining the Mavericks front office to be a special assistant to Nico Harrison's I mean, there's there's a zillion different directions we could obviously go, but in truth, there's really only one place to start.
And that's the fact that Draymond Green recent guest on this podcast, as you noted, the our supposed magic dust certainly did not work for him. He's been suspended for Thursday nights Game three. You are going to be on the sideline at what is sure to be an absolutely raucous Chase Center with the Warriors down to zip already, and we'll have to play Game three without their defensive anchor, their defensive brains, and really the guy who's frequently described
as the heart and soul of that team. And I think, look, the suspension, you know, the stomp was severe, playing to the crowd with everybody into even more of a frenzy. Adam Silver was there even saying all that. I still come away surprised that the league went through with this
and suspended him. I think the Warriors are surprised. I don't think We're alone in that surprise, because no matter how merited the suspension might seem on paper, I think there was a lot of skepticism that the league would actually go through with it and take Draymond Green. After he was ejected and missed the final seven plus minutes of Game two, I think there was a fair bit of skepticism that the league would take this step and take him out of Game three, which means, I mean, wow,
can the Warriors? Can the Warriors win a Game three, even at home without him?
That's a very good question, Stean. Before I answer that or tackle that, I should say, Producer Ryan comes through again and he related to us that Dame. Don't forget Dame won the three point contest.
Right hours after.
Thank you. So we are three for four.
And hey, who knows, maybe the Warriors win Game three without him and come back to win this series and we can forget this little suspension. But let's be real, nobody's gonna forget the suspension because it's a massive, massive story. We all remember the way the Warriors season started with the practice court clash with Jordan Poole, the punch the Warriors. You know, Draymond Green did take time away from the team, but he was not suspended at the start of the season.
He was there for Ring night. But now the most important game of the season, he's not going to be on the floor. Just give me your takeaways and we'll just take it. Something tells me we're gonna we'll have a lot to say on all sides of this one. But I mean, when this thing came down at almost midnight on Tuesday night, Eastern time, what were you You were on the court, right, I mean, you're working the game in Phoenix.
I was on.
I was Yeah, I was on during the game. Yeah, doing a sounce clip game. I didn't like it. I don't like it. I don't. I might be in well, I'm not saying I'm a minority in that, but I don't. I didn't even think it warranted an injection. In game two, I think give them both flagrant ones and keep it moving. I think the bonus is I'm not saying what he did is being swept under the rug, but you know
that's a dangerous play, very dangerous play. When you're grabbing a guy's foot his ankle area and grabbing hold to it, you know you can commit serious damage. Depending on how that player whose foot is being held, depending on how he moves, and so, yeah, it was. It was it assessive, Yes it was, But I believe the hold was obsessive as well. And I don't think I don't think it warranted Draymond being a and I certainly don't think it
should have warranted a suspension for Game three. With that being said, Joe Dumars laid out in a statement that they took into consideration Dre's past incidents.
I get it.
I don't like it still, I think you should take it by a case by case basis. I don't, you know, because what that what people can lead into that is that if that same situation happened with someone else, they would get the benefit of the doubt and be allowed to play the next next anme, I don't think you. I don't think what happened in the past should have any bearing on the decision you make moving forward. That's just my, uh, my personal opinion. So I don't like it.
With that being said, to go to state Wars find themselves in this in this situation far too often, and it's you know, it's typically Draymond Green putting them in that situation.
So there are they used to it?
I don't know if they're used to it, but you know it's gonna be tough, man, because Sacramento Keys are playing some extremely great basketball. Man they've actually gotten it seemed like the world is catching on to just how fun this team is to watch. And even though the game shifts to Oakland, excuse me, San Francisco, Oh I.
May, I wish it was still in Oakland? Am I allowed to say that? Yes, I wish I wish it was still in Oakland.
Okay, I love love to be in Oakland.
Oracle Arena was one of the top three best arenas experience wise for me. But it's still gonna be a tough game for the Words to overcome. And uh if they are, if they find themselves down oh three, you know Dremond's gonna catch a lot of hell for sure.
Well look, I mean you are going to be right in the heart of it. You are going to be on the floor for you know, one of the most anticipated games of the season because how the Warriors, I mean, the Warriors are playing for their lives. I mean the reality is, and I think a lot of people are overlooking this today, even if Draymond Greenen were playing in this game three, let's not forget math and history say
that the series is very likely over. In NBA history, teams that go down two with or without their best defensive players suspended are twenty six and three to oh eight all time. I repeat, twenty six and threeh eight. That's a winning percentage of point zero seven eight. Not good. So even if Draymond green were playing in game three, the math and history are stacked against the Warriors coming back out of this hole, especially with their road record.
But I mean, this thing has so many layers. I mean, you mentioned Joe Dumars. Joe Dumars is the one whose name is on the press release, a press release that very strangely again went out at eleven thirty eight Eastern time. I mean, I can't remember an NBA decision that went out so late. Why wouldn't that just hold until the morning. I mean, even that was bizarre that it drops when it did in the middle of a really absorbing Suns Clippers playoff game. But Joe Dumar's name, as you know,
basically the head of NBA discipline at this point. But Joe Dumar's last job before he worked for the NBA, was with the Sacramento Kings in their front office, and then on top of that, he is incredibly close to Draymond Green, and based on everything I've heard and read, I mean, Draymond looks at him as a mentor. So there was a lot here just for Joe Dumars to mow through. Look, this is very hard for me to say, because I feel like I am one of Draymond's biggest fans.
And the reason I am one of his biggest fans is because my last three years at ESPN, I was embedded, basically embedded with the Warriors. I went a lot of places where I traveled with that team a ton. The reason I shouted out Oakland is because I became a
part time Oakland resident for three years. I mean, it was incredible living in what I used to call the Warriors dorm because I would stay at the Oakland Marriott and the Warriors would practice on top of the Oakland Marriott, and you could I could roll out of bed and be in front of a camera in ten minutes. I mean, it was the coolest work setup I've probably ever had. But having observed this team from very close range, I think I have a pretty good handle on how important
Draymond Green is to that whole machine. Obviously, the Warriors universe revolves around Stephan Curry, and nobody would dispute that. And I'm certainly not even trying to take an ounce away from Steph's influence. You know, he is the center of that universe. But Steve Kerr said it today, Bob Myers said it today, and it's true. The Warriors don't
win any of their championships without Draymond Green. He is that important on both ends of the court, and beyond just his on court contributions, what he, you know, is is really an emotional you know, the emotional compass might be too strong, but I mean, he is such a big part of that team's energy and edge, and so I have a lot of fondness for him. I think that came through and we had him on the show.
But I actually would say that the suspension is warranted, and I feel like I'm in the minority saying so. I think when you combine the severity of the stomp with the wrestling histrionics after the stomp that whipped up the crowd with Adam Silver in the house, and you know, when they do factor in the history, like I said
to me, the suspension can be justified. The surprise to me is that they actually went through and did it, because I think the Warriors and even around the league, I think even other teams watching this did not expect the league to take this step and actually sit him down for this huge Game three.
So the question I have to you is what does him getting into it with the crowd, going back and forth with them, What does that have to do with the incident.
What it does to what it says is that there's no contrition and that there's no if you're gonna say you put your foot there because you had nowhere else to put it, Like to me, you have to show some level of apology or remorse about how hard your foot down came on on another player. And I think by throwing in the wrestling stuff talking to the cameras, it took something that was over the line, even farther over the line on my scorecard.
Okay, again, I'm not Sabonis, so I don't know what he felt. But do you believe that Sabonis did a little Hollywood at at all to try to sail the severity.
Look, I think you can certainly make the case that he that he's gotten off very light here, all all sabonus all, But all we know about Sabonis is he got a technical foul. Now to this point, the Kings have said he's questionable with a sternhum contusion. Yeah, yeah, yeah, So I can tell by I can tell by the tone of your voice you're not exactly buying that injury report, you know.
I mean, you can get a contusia any type of way. But I think if Draymond actually thought he hurts really hurts the Bonis, I don't think he's doing that, even for Draymond. I know people may find that hard to believe, but I think if he really felt like he hurts Sabonis, I don't think he's acting that way. You know, he said it even after that game that he felt like Sabonis was selling it a little bit.
And you know, rightfully.
So that's something you know, I think I can say most players, but I think a lot of players would do that in that situation. Again, I'm not said he did it, but I don't. I don't think it was that hard of a stump. Again, I just think they should have moved on flagrant wants for both of them. Both of them kept it, kept it moving. Let's get to game.
Three and it's okay, So we differ there. But I guess what also when I come away from this thing, because you know, we had Draymond on the week. We talked to him exactly a week before the playoffs started, and you asked him about the New Orleans game, and he went into incredible depth talking about his mindset and kind of what made him, you know, go to that place that he talks about where he he is trying to change the game with the way he comports himself
on the court. And so the Warriors might have ended up in the plane if they don't win that New Orleans game. They won that New Orleans game because of all the stuff he did that night. And remember he even told us he said something to the effect of, you know that, didn't he tell Dante DiVincenzo that like, I don't even care now if I get kicked out,
because we've got this game one. It's turned around like he went to that place to try to get the team behind him, and it did change that game dramatically. So I guess the reason I bring that story up is just to say this is the way the Warriors operate like they might have been in the play in if Draymond didn't do what he did in that home game in New Orleans. He tried the same approach in
this game too, and it backfired. But that's a trade I think the Warriors have always been willing to make because many more times than not it has worked for them. They win way more often because of Draymond Green than lose because of Draymond Green. Stat muse put out late last night when all this was going on this season, When you add in the two playoff games, the Warriors are a is it a five to sixty two team or a five eighty two winning percentage with Draymond on
the floor. Without Draymond there're a three point thirty three. That's their winning percentage. Like he's a winning player and he makes this team go emotionally a lot of the time. And so that's why I think they roll with it, because of course, now there's this whole conversation that maybe this is the end, and this is gonna be a horrible way for this to end for the Warriors, and but Draymond Green has been. There's been so much more good than bad from his time as a Warrior.
Yeah, but the bat has been really bad, and one of the bats cost him a championship.
You know. But people, but even that I would dispute to a degree because, okay, Game twenty sixteen, the common refrain is he got suspended for Game five and that cost them the championship. No, I think it cost them Game five, which could have been the clincher, no question. But the momentum in Game seven he was, he was, He played the best game of his life in Game seven.
He did.
But at that point, you gave the Calvs life, You gave them momentum.
Okay, so he gave them life, he gave the momentum, But giving them the championship, to me, that's always been a step too far. And the other reason I say it is because losing that series. The Warriors don't get Kevin Durant if they don't lose that series. And so then they won the next two, so they won three out of four.
So it's the trade off. It's trade off. You know, for every bad there's two goods.
That let me that was terrible. I'm not trying to that was you know, that was a you know, that was a really bad moment, a really low moment in his career. And yes, it did cost the Warriors a Game five that they could have clinched at home and handed the Kas momentum. And yes, that mistake will be talked about in reference to Draymond Green's career for the rest of his life. He's going to have to hear about getting suspended from Game five in the twenty sixteen Finals.
But I just to me, it's always been an oversimplification to just say it cost the Warriors the championship.
Well, when I say that, that because the way you're saying it, you're making it seem like that is the common theme, like that's the narrative.
And that might be.
But from my Vanash point where I come from. Remember, I was covering the Caves. I was a Cavs beat writer at that time, So I'm judging it off of how.
What was being said.
In that locker room to me at the time, the disposition, the vibe the locker room.
I'm basing it all off of that.
That was the year before you became a CALVS spy.
Correct, the year before I came a war a Warrior spot. Yes, so right when they won the championship two months later.
Yeah, you were were for the Caves.
I was a spy for the Calves, according to Dremond, and it took it took about half a season for him to realize that I was a journalist like everybody.
You know, it's funny, like I told, I mean, I forget about the fact that, like, how crazy is that that you covered the Calves the twenty sixteen the great, you know, the greatest season in their franchise history, Lebron's you know, greatest moment, and then you had to flip right over and cover the Warriors.
I didn't want to. I didn't I want to star.
And the reason I didn't want to was because of that. Like, first of all, when I went to cover the Cavaliers, I know it was jumping on it.
I want to hear it. I've never told me this, so I want.
To hear I went No.
I wanted to become a national NBA writer, a national NBA insider, and so I viewed that Cavaliers job covering Lebron as.
He returned home.
I view that.
I viewed that as the stepping stone to get that national gig. So the plan was always to do two years always, and I did two years was my second year.
ESPN brought me on.
I won't mention names of who the people that were involved in you know, get me over there, but ESPN brought me on and the role was for a national NBA insider slash, you know, writer, and that was the role for like the the month, the first month that we're negotiating, that is the role. Somewhere along the line after a month, something changed and then they wanted me to cover the Warriors, and I'm like, hold on, here,
cover the Warriors. Like, first of all, like I'm done with the beat stuff, Like I felt like I've done the most, one of the most, the one of the biggest beats you can do, just covering Lebron, covering his his journey home, him getting the championship. And then they want me to cover the Warriors. Now all of a sudden, after that's something that I didn't verbally agree to, and then I'm like, hold on, Ethan Strauss covers the Warriors,
like what are they? So it was just it was a situation where I already had let the Cleveland Plain deal to know I was leaving. So I ended up taking the role and I and I didn't want to take the role number one because I didn't want to
be a beat writer anymore. But I didn't want to take the role again because who do you know stein in your history of being in this in this profession, who do you know somebody who covered the Celtics as a beat writer in the Celtics Laker rivalry time and then went to cover the Lakers beat Like I've never
I've never heard of that. I just never even though I don't root for any I just know how fan bases are gonna view it, and I know how players are gonna view it, because obviously you develop relationships his status with players on one team and then you go on the other team and try to do that, And so I was I was really concerned about that.
Well, it's interesting because even if it has happened before, and I don't really you know, maybe there's an example that I just don't remember, you know, like I remember the great Buck Harvey, someone I absolutely loved covering the Spurs with great columnists for the San Antonio Express News
for years and years and years. He actually was a former Celtics beat writer, but made the move from the Celtics to the Spurs, Like, I can't remember a situation you're describing, but like I said, even if there is one, and I'm forgetting it. You're doing this in the social media era, which is a lot. You know, you're gonna hear about it. You're gonna you're gonna get those weird reactions now that you know, had you done, had you switched beats like that in nineteen ninety seven, you wouldn't
have felt as angst. You wouldn't have felt as angsty about it as you probably did in twenty seventeen.
Yeah, I don't think I would have.
But I was doing research like at that time because I'm again like I don't want to take it. You know that that is the main reason why I don't want to take it. But I'm doing research to try to see, like, was there anybody, anybody, because I was trying to reach out to people, and I didn't reach out to anybody because I couldn't find anybody who made a similar move covering two rivalries within the year, you know, covering two teams in the same rivalry within the year, And I.
Mean it ended up working out.
Man like, if I was going to make that transition, the Warriors were just the perfect team.
Steph is awesome, Clay is awesome. Dreymond was the one.
Who had to be convinced over time that I was not a Lebron James spy Cleveland Cavaliers spy. But it worked out, and you know, I ended up, you know me another two years before I got my full time NBA insider status.
Now that you say it out loud, the conspiracy theorist in me wonders, like, did they already know what was going to happen to Ethan? Somebody on this podcast and some other people in April twenty seventeen, did they already know that when they when they put you on the Warriors Beat. I don't know that answer, but that is a that's an interesting question for that all ESBN pod that you keep want to make me do someday?
What I what I can say to that. You know, Ethan has spoken on a record on his pod. I believe he's written about it a few times. He didn't want to do the everyday minutia of what is required of the Warriors Beat, like he just you know, Ethan is a Ethan is a great writer and he wants to spend his time doing great work. And you know, he made it. You know, he said this publicly. He didn't want to do the beat stuff, the things that ESPN was asking. So I essentially came over there and
did that. But the one thing, and Ethan was able to focus on the big picture stuff. But one thing that I did like about ESPN is that I was required to do the daily beat grind work for the Warriors, but they didn't stop me from doing anything else. And so I felt like a national NBA insider at the time because they let me work on breaking stories on you know, other teams. They let me do the sit downs when I was doing sit downs at the time with Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Dame CJ like dinner sit
downs for Sports Center. So they gave me so much autonomy over there to do some good work. So I appreciate them for that. I just did not want to be a beat writer. And then when my contract was up after two years, they they gave me a they gave they offered me a new contract, a new contract. It was more money than what I was making, actually more money than I was ever making. But again they wanted me to stay on the Warriors beat and do the same thing, and I said no to that, and
I went out. Then I went to looking at other offers, and and then I got the biggest, the biggest deals that I've ever had in my life from those other offers. So it ends up working out. But I, you know, no hard feelings towards ESPN.
It just wasn't. I wasn't willing to do that role anymore.
And that's the Chris Haynes side of the story. Stay tuned well, so hold on.
That's my side.
People don't care about my side in the other part of the equation. No hard Chris, no hard feelings. Hanes has weighed in. Mark Stein has yet to add his his part of the story. But look, you know what, It's true. You made the right decision. You became a national writer. Five years later after that, you and I got to finally, finally, finally do this pod together that we're that we've been trying to do. We finally the planets aligned to allow us to hook up to do this.
You know, I did get a little scared earlier tonight when I saw MSNBC's Chris Haynes nominate. You know, when I saw him suggesting that you guys were gonna team up and that our our podcast partnership was you know, I think this is episode twenty eight, so like, I'm like, man, did we not even make it to thirty episodes? And it's over? But luckily that was just Twitter talk. We're still together, and we'll see if I ever, we'll see if I ever reveal any of that, We'll see if I ever.
I thought, yeah, yeah, we'll see. Yeah, I'm gonna keep you know, I'm gonna keep poking. But I thought when we started this podcast, I thought you was gonna hit me with tampering charges. Not me, mister Chris Hayes. I thought you were gonna hit him with tampering charges.
Well look, I mean if he offers, if he offers you a better deal, I mean, I then I you know, what can I say? I mean, I might have to just shake your hand and say it was a good ride. But hopefully he doesn't. But you know what, if he so he wants to come on the pod, maybe, I mean, you know, I can always.
Just we're gonna have to get them all.
We need a Haines Hayes summit. So producer Ryan also notes that this is only episode twenty seven, so we definitely didn't even make it to thirty episodes. But luckily we're still here, still together. You brought up contracts, great segue for the other element of this whole Warriors thing. It's been out there now for a month. Last dance? Is this the Warriors last dance? Last dance? I know, our good buddy Tim Kawakami had Steve Kerr on his pod, you know, within the last month and asked him, is
this the last stands for the Warriors? Like, I just don't think last dance is the right terminology here. Obviously, Draymond Green has a player option and Klay Thompson wants a contract extension. And if they go out in the first round and again with or without Draymond Green, history says that, you know, only twenty six of three hundred and thirty four teams in this position in NBA history have ever come out of an O two hole to
win the series. So history says the Warriors are going out in the first round, They've got decisions to make. I think the anticipation league wide is that there will be changes with this team that it's not going to look the exact same that with the new CBA coming in, it's going to be too expensive for the Warriors to
keep this thing together. So I think, you know, the questions, the talk as a subject, it is natural to throw all these things out and ask you know, we asked Raymond directly when he was on do you think you're going to finish your is a Warrior? Because you know it's unclear if his long term future with this team is unclear, and I think he acknowledged that. And you know, so again, change is expected to some degree. But I
don't think Stephen Curry's going anywhere. I don't know what kind of contract extension Klay Thompson is getting or not getting, but I don't think Clay's going anywhere. Yes, we're gonna ask questions about Draymond's future because he has the player option for next season at twenty seven point six million and he has to make a decision. We're going to ask questions about Bob Myers because we've been talking about that all year. Is Bob Myers going to stay on
as the lead voice in the Warrior's front office? But I don't think Steve Kerr is going anywhere, So, I mean, you know, last it's not as drastic as a last dance. Yes, the Warriors are very likely going to look different next season than they do right now. But it's not going to be a last dancy kind of overhaul where they're all gone.
Yeah, it's not I agree with you Wat saying it's not the equivalent at all. You know, I think Clay will be back. Draymond is up in the air, but there's you know, he controls his destiny.
Yeah, it's not the equivalent at all.
Yeah, maybe they're gonna, I mean, if they go out in Round one as defending champions, to go out in Round one, yeah, they're they're gonna. They're gonna look at trades. They might make a trade or two, and they might drastically shake this thing up. I don't you know, but drastic shake up is not a last dance. But I guess, even as I say it out loud, I understand the sentiment because you know I did when we had Drake,
we had Draymond on you know, I said it. I'm a basketball romantic and I would love to see those three guys in particular play their whole careers together, and just the reality is that doesn't happen in the end. It doesn't happen in the modern NBA. So are Stephen Curry, Clay Thompson, and Draymond Green going to be able to play their whole careers together after our first round exit?
It gets a lot tougher to say that, Yeah, for sure. So, as I mentioned right at the top, there's a lot of different directions we could have gone in this show. With Tommy Sheppard exiting the Washington front office today and the injuries with John and Giannis and Mike Brown, and I mean, there's so much going on. But I had a feeling that Draymond and all things suspension and Warriors had a feeling all that was going to dominate today's discussions.
But I think the perfect ending spot for us is it's just to get an update of your travels, mister Haynes, because you know you are jet setting, running around series the series. I'm stuck at home. I don't have any fun travel tales to share. As stated, You've got you're gonna be at Chase Center Thursday night tonight for Kings at Warriors Game three. Then where are you going after that.
From there, then I go to LA and I catch the Size and Clippers game four. That game would be Saturday. Then after that I stay in La, which is cool. I got Monday's game Game four between the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzle.
Wow, three different series of.
Yeah, four days. Yeah, and then after that.
It's not official yet, but I think I'll finally get to do a home game where I reside in Sacramento. That Wednesday game, which would be that game five? What game would be next week? Wednesday Warriors? It'll be five? Okay, that would be five. So yeah, you know, it's crazy. I'm thinking I'm second guessing myself, like that that can't be five, because that mean King's got Game seven. They don't have home court advances. It's yes, they do. I forgot. I forgot.
See it still has a second ar how good the Kings are?
Like, what will that be like for you to jump from King's Warriors to Suns Clippers to Lakers Grizz will be to do three different series and that short of a span.
I will have a day in between, so you know, I can make my calls and you know, do my research. So it would be cool because I'm familiar with all those teams, so you know, Lakers, Memphis, easy, easy transition, you know, all you know, a lot of guys have relationship with already from all those teams, Warriors, Clip, I mean, Warriors, Kings, same thing, so that that's an easy transition. Like so if but if I'm going out East, because I haven't
spent much time East, it depends on the team. But you know there's a few East teams where you have to kind of like, all right, you got to dig a little deeper. But this will be this will be cool.
So all right, let me see, let me see.
So there was one point obviously, you know, for those who'll know what you know, as I'm doing sidelines, I got a seat right there at the scores table, right there. And that's why Stein loves his Dallas Mavericks media seat because he's right there, can hear everything.
Great seat. But there was one point.
In the game, and I thought fans might have caught this on video because bones Hiler took Chris Paul to the rack a few times and after one of the layups, he after one of the layups, he like went off on Chris Paul's like start talking you know, got in his face, start talking, wolfing, and then he went to guard whoever he was guarding, and so there was a stoppage of play not too long after that, and Chris
Paul is over there talking with ty Loo. He's in Tylu face, and so I had to take out my earpiece. I'm trying to hear what's going on, and I'm like really close and I can pretty hear. And he was like, yeah, a young kid doing all that talking.
Put him on me. Stop being scared. Put him on me.
Don't go don't go score on me, and they go and then go up guard somebody else. You want to, you want to, you want to, you know, you want to do this right, get on put him on me. And Lou said nope, that's just time, and he just turned away and start coaching again.
I said nope.
So that that was the one thing like behind to say, I thought, I thought somebody will catch it on camera, because you could see what Chris Paul was pointing like at bones, like put him on me, put him on me. So that's one thing. And then uh, I told you.
You know I have not I have not worked sideline of any kind on a Tylu game since twenty sixteen or twenty seventeen. But I found him to be in my limited time doing sidelines for ESPN Radio, Tylu there were there were always in game interactions with Tyler. You always every single game that that the reporter was in. I mean, like I said, he would just ask me, was that a foul? What should I I mean, he would just I mean, he was joking, but like he he would just he likes that sideline commentary.
And so let's let's keep it on ty Lou.
As we know, ty Lou is arguably the best best coach when it comes to X and OS, drawing up plays. He just gets real creative, you know, with that aspect of coaching, one of the best. And so Steyle, I don't know if you noticed, so he's been he has been starting zubots defensively on Tory Craig and you know, and you would know STI from the time that the Clippers the Clippers Mavericks series was a year ago, two
years ago when he started zubots on Luca. And so these are all like unorthodox like assignments that he puts on his players and he expects he expects them to execute.
So check it out. I didn't get to use this. So I went up to Zubos before the game, before game two and.
I said a zoo, like, what's your reaction when coach Lou comes to you, like with these crazy defensive assignments, and like like how do you accept it?
And he started laughing and he was like.
Well, for Toy Craig, he said, I don't care about him, but the word what.
He said, I'm being.
I'm being I'm being really uh PG thirteen with how he said that if you can get my drift. I don't want to say exactly what he said, but he said, with Toy Craig, I don't care about him, but Luca, you gotta you know, it takes more work. I gotta put more work and more effort, and I got to be better prepared to have the assignment like him. And he said, but with Lou, you know, I trust him. I trust him, he said, So it may sound strange, but I trust that he's going to put me in
the best, you know, best situation possible. So that was like, that was really unique. I wish I could say exactly what Zubac said. I don't think he would care if I did say it because he said it knowing it was on record. But I let that be. They're still in the playoffs. I don't want to give more bulletin board material, even though I probably have. And lastly, side,
I wanted to ask you about this one. Norman Powell told me he is pissed, pissed off about not being one of the three finalists for the sixth Man of the Year award, being that he led the league in scoring off the bench. He said it was pissed. He couldn't believe it when the list came out. He felt like his body of work, He felt like his body of work warrned it him being in the top three. And he feels his disrespectful and he just his pissed.
Does he have a complaint remember the Clippers over the last Let me see if I have the stat the Clippers have won. I want to say six of the nine last six minut of the Year awards. I believe from the combination of Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford, Montrez Harrold, so they steady produced those awards on their team. Does Norman Powell have a gripe?
I mean, I can see why he's surprised he wasn't at least a finalist, you know, Bobby Portis was. You know, it's probably you know, Malcolm Brogden and Emmanuel Quickly. I think it's going to be one of those two who probably win it and will know this week. Is that I think that one might even be the Thursday Thursday announcement. So I guess for third finalist it's between Bobby Portis and Norman Powell. I mean, I really like the year.
The leading score off the leaders score off the bench.
That I really liked the year Porters had. I think Porters had had.
A huge Oh no, no doubt, no doubt. I'm arguing three. I'm arguing top three.
Does he have one of those three? Do we knock out? I mean that's really the question. I mean, do you take out quickly? Do you take out Brogden? Do you take out Portois?
I mean producer Ryan says is five at the last.
Nine, which is a lot. I didn't realize that that's a lot track of that. Yes, I don't think that was a factor because I never even heard that stat until you said it, So I really don't think that was a factor. But I mean, I'm glad he told you. I'm glad he told you how he feels about it, and I'm glad you shared it with because I was not aware of that.
No, he said, nobody ever asked him. He said, nobody asked him.
And I can see what I can see why he's not happy, for sure. But you know, again, I did not have an official ballot, but I must confess those would have been my three finalists as well. I really think Portois had an amazing year. I don't know why. I'm really fascinated about the rebounding situation in the NBA because I looked this up for my Tuesday newsletter. The top ten rebounders in the NBA nine are from countries not named America. The highest American rebounder is number ten,
Julius Randall, but Bobby Portis was thirteenth. I didn't realize Bobby Portis was that high on the list. I mean, that's that's quite impressive for a six man.
I mean he you know, he and somebody who plays with Giannis too, So I.
Mean that's the thing. Not trying to slight Norm Powell in any way, shape or form. I just think it was a it was a crowded. It's crowded. I mean, just even getting a finalist spot is crowded. But uh no that I'm glad you asked him. It's amazing nobody asked him.
Yeah, so nobody asked him. So all right, I was just putting it out there.
We love hearing about your travelers. Like I said, I'm envious. It's very weird. I'm home. I don't know what, when or if I will be attending a playoff game this post season, which is just crazy weird. But I get to live vicariously through Chris Haynes. Say it right, Haynes.
Hanes, Please, Chris Haynes.
Who's got? So you got Thursday Sons, Clippers, Lakers, Memphis.
Sunday, Thursdays, which is tonight, Warriors, Kings, Saturday Suns Clippers, Monday, Lakers Grizzlies, and which because we're taping this tonight, we're taping this on a Wednesday night. Lakers just lost to the Memphis Grizzlies without job series todd On.
Glad you threw that in because that was on my list to make sure we update the scores as we're putting this thing to bed. As you said, Memphis without jaw wins. Game two evens the series with the Lakers at one to one. Milwaukee without Yannis absolutely rolling against Miami. So it looks like the Bucks are going to tie that series even without their best player. The lead was seventy nine fifty was the last score I saw. Wow, eighty one fifty five at the half. The Bucks eighty
one points at the half without their best player. Crazy Game two and then of course you've got Minnesota at Denver is the game that will be taking place now as Chris and I go off the proverbial air. Thanks A mil for joining us on another edition of This League Uncut. Sounds like with Chris's schedule falling the way it does, hopefully we will be able to record on our usual Sunday night for Monday morning release schedule. Please rate, review and subscribe to the pod This League Uncut, Stein
and A. Haynes back with you very soon. Thanks for joining us everybody, and that'll do it for us. See you next time. This League Uncut is an iHeartRadio production. Don't suck a look up
Chris Hans and marks time