The Pacers Overcome Middleton's 42, Anthony Edwards Dominates the Suns, Kawhi Looks Hobbled

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It's the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day.

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Hello and welcome to Locked-on WORK_OF_ART NBA.

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Is youth being served across the NBA ORG in these playoffs? The Pacers, Wolves, and Mavericks ORG seem to think a changing of the guard is in the works. That is next on Locked on NBA. You are Locked on NBA ORG, your daily NBA podcast.

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Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day.

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And thanks for making Locked on NBA your first listen Monday through Friday, wherever you get your podcasts. It's always free, never behind a paywall. Locked on NBA is also available on YouTube for fans to enjoy. Make sure you are subscribing to the audio and video feeds for this channel. Be an everydayer, be a part of the conversation. I'm Andy Kamenetsky, one of the co-hosts of Locked on Lakers ORG.I am joined by Swipa, one of the six or seven co-hosts of Locked-on Nuggets ORG. And it feels quite frankly really unfair, like an HR violation that I am co-hosting with the host of a team that has mine down 03 in these playoffs

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when it feels like a sweep is inevitable. Like I got to talk to Nick Engstatt, the channel leader for the NBA ORG. Like this feels like seriously an HR violation swipe up.

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You know, it's all good talks. You know, it's just so happens to line up that way. Did not, did not. I thought a suite was on the table. And I think it didn't really solidify itself until after a game two, that was more than likely going to happen. But yeah, we can get to that a little bit later for sure.

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Yeah, and there feels like there could be another sweep in the works in the Western Conference. But we will begin with the first of the three playoff games Friday night. The Pacers taking a two one lead over the Bucks ORG. The first of the games in Indiana, they win 121, 118 in overtime. Chris Middleton, hell of a Robin PERSON performance, no Yannis in this game, 42 points for the Bucks ORG,16 to 29 plus 10 rebounds, five assists. Dame Lillard, 28 points, but 6 of 20, and his scoring and efficiency has been really, really up and down. And then Miles Turner, 29 points for the Pacers ORG. Pascal Seacum, 17, he was really big on the glass. I thought Aaron Neesmith was terrific defensively. And then in overtime, Swipe PERSON, you got the go-ahead bucket fromTyrese Halliburton PERSON. And I thought in a lot of ways, you could feel just the youth and the energy of these Pacers ORG really revealing itself down the stretch in ways that we're, I think, kind of inspiring and at times even a little bit nerve-wracking if you're Rick Carlisle.

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Yeah, I mean, definitely youth. But I think for me, this whole thing comes down to the Bucks ORG. They just, even without Yonis PERSON, you know, I feel like this is the matchup that they should be able to take advantage up and win. I mean, the Pacers can't stop anybody, but the Bucks ORG, they continue this theme that they started all year, that even when they have the veterans on the court, Brooke Lopez, Bobby Portis, they can't get any stops themselves. And so really frustrating to watch on their end because you get a 42-point performance from Chris Middleton PERSON, and thenyou get 28 points from Damien Lillard PERSON. I mean, you would expect that to be more than enough to be able to win that matchup, but they don't. It ends up being a Tyrese Halliburton PERSON game winner. And again, full court run up the court. And then he crosses over Patrick Beverly PERSON. And then Patrick Beverly PERSON being overzealous,fouls him on the other end and hits him across the head to add on to the game winner. And again, this is after Chris Middleton had two three-pointers to tie the game up on separate occasions in order to put them back in the game. And so, again, just a lot of things just went well for the bucks, but they could not control the game enough themselves defensively in order to actually come out with this win. And, you know, looking at Doc Rivers, Chris Middleton, Damian, Lulu, they got all the age on their side. They got the coaching. Doc Rivers, top 15 all-time coach, purdy NBA, Damian PERSON, Lillard, you know, one of the best offensive players in the league, veteran. And then you got ChrisMiddleton doing what he did. And then Brooke Lopez, Bobby Porter, they got NBA champions on their roster, Andy PERSON. And they just don't feel like a team that has any real confidence in what they're supposed to be doing on a night-to-night basis. And it really is so frustrating. I would imagine for Milwaukee Bucks fans to have to watch this happen even without Yonazantatat Dacoupa PERSON being there.

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Well, I was going to say, I mean, those issues that they had, and Milwaukee's had problems all season long finding an identity, but they become magnified so much more without Yonis PERSON. And honestly, side note for Bucks ORG fans, it has to be concerning that this is the second straight postseason where Yonis has been unavailable or struggling to be concerning that this is the second straight postseason where Janus PERSON has been, you know, unavailable or struggling to be available in the opening round of the playoffs.Like forget even just the idea of like getting injured in the third round or whatever. Like this is early on and they're already dealing with Janus PERSON's absence. You know, they bring in Doc Rivers PERSON supposedly to bring all this turmoil to a place where all of a sudden this team has an identity on both sides of the ball. And Doc PERSON has spent a lot of this season feeling like a guy openly regretting his decision,

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but he couldn't turn down the money. You know, couldn't turn down, I guess the opportunity figured he'll be back on the golf course again at some point. But like he has the body language of a guy who feels like he made a mistake. Well, even the comments about Damien Lillard PERSON after about his Achilles and the explosion and everything.And it just it just doesn't, again, the explosion and everything. And it just, it just doesn't. Again, the whole situation right now just feels like everything is completely up in the air. And there's just not a lot of control, I would say, coming from the top. But ultimately, you know, you want to give a shout out to the Pacers ORG, man. Like the Pacers ORG were able to win this game, take care of business. And to be able to do this with as much use asthey have. And Aaron Neesmith, like his defense, the three points shooting off at a corner, that's all huge. And Halliburton ORG, and this is what I want to say, man, Halliburton, like, he hasn't been healthy for me for months. And 18, 10, and 16 assists in a playoff game. And again, you're clearly still hampered a little bit because He's not the same player he wants to start the year off. This is huge, man. So I love Andrew Nimhard's PERSON game as well.They got some really nice pieces in Indiana GPE. If they can get this series win, this could be a great propellant for them for next year with Patshouse Yacob PERSON.

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Well, you know, you mentioned Halliburton and the 16 assists,

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which are obviously it's a staggering total.

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But what really jumps out of me is it's against just four turnovers. And in the fourth quarter and overtime, he had one turnover combined. And it just speaks to, you know, Hal Burton ultimately ends up getting the game-winning go-ahead bucket for the Pacers ORG. But this is a game where he was 8 to 22 from the field. I mean, a lot of that was affected by going 1 of 12 from behind the arc.But it never felt like Halliburton was really hurting the Pacers ORG,

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even though he wasn't able to get the shots to fall because he doesn't take a lot of bad shots. And he exercises so much control over the game in a way

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that he makes very few mistakes and he just he's able to keep everybody just moving on a string and operating, you know, from the same place where they can offset whatever issues he's having. And, you know, Pat Bev PERSON clearly relished the idea of trying to mess up this young point guard at times. I think he went a little overboard. Not just even that last shot. He picked up, like, two files on Halliburton about five seconds. But, you know, Miles Turner PERSON was terrific. Pascal Seacum had two critical offensive rebounds, like in the last minute of the fourth quarter that's set up.I think Nebhardt getting to the line or Nebhardt bucket and then an Ann one opportunity for Seacum PERSON himself. The Pacers had four offensive rebounds in overtime alone. And that's where, I was saying before Swipe, but like the youth of the Pacers ORG to me, it just felt like they were able to get to those 50-50 balls, give themselves more opportunities so they get offset that lack of experience.Yeah. Yeah, we'll see. You know, definitely going to see. It's going to be interesting next game. I think Game 4 LAW is going to have a lot to it. Again, another game in Indiana GPE.Again, we'll see if you can carry over with that energy, some of that just the biligins that they had today, that was kind of carried, carried them to a victory. So it should be a lot of fun. Yeah. I mean, they,

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look, they're, they're a precocious team, but they're, they're built, especially now,

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you mentioned, you know, bringing in Siakum PERSON and like you, they're obviously focused on this series,

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but you think about what they're going to look like

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with him fully integrated,

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and he's bringing some of that experience that the rest of these guys don't have in the playoffs. He has that championship with the Raptors ORG. They could be a fun team on the rise, especially if they learn how to play a little defense, which he will actually help with.A team that does not seem to be on the rise right now, let's go with the Sons ORG, because they are potentially at a serious crossroads, now down 03 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Again, youth being served.

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We'll talk about that coming up next. Locked-on NBA is brought to you by Nissan ORG.

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That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash lock on NBA ORG. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com slash lock-on NBA ORG. So the final of these three games tonight, Swipa, was the Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns ORG.

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Phoenix now at home for the third game, and they don't look really any better at home than they have on the road.

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They fall down 03.

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Minnesota wins 126-109. Massive, massive game from Anthony Edwards. 36 points on 12 of 23 from the field. Got to the line 11 times, made all of them, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals, and just swag through the roof. I mean, that dude just drips charisma. He is a real candidate to be the next face of the league. And what's awesome about Ant ORG is he truly wants that. Rudy Gobert, 19 and 14, cat, 18 points, 13 rebounds,five on the offensive glass. You just got terrific performances up and down from Minnesota ORG. Their defense is swarming. And another game, Swipe, I know this is nothing new to throw out as an observation about Phoenix ORG. They don't run anything offensively. You just watch them.You're like, it's, I don't think I've ever seen three scorers who seem to have as much difficulty generating offense together as this team with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beale, and Devin Booker PERSON. It's just, it's, it's shockingly ugly to watch

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when you think about the talent. Well, so last game prior to game three, I noted that they did not attempt a shot at the rim, the Suns, versus the Timber Rules, until six minutes and 19 seconds left in the first quarter. And then when you watch today's game, KD starts the game off with a tough pull-up two over Carl Anthony Towns PERSON. In my head, I'm just like, why did I even think that the Suns ORG could possibly win thisseries? And I entirely relied on too much regular season data because all they did is said, look, we're bigger than you, we're longer than you, and we're way more physical than you all are. We're just going to turn you into a bunch of jump shooters. And you're not going to beat us that way. And even theirdefense has been so abysmal. They have been allowing this Timberwolves ORG team that's not a good offense to just blitz them from the perimeter because their rotations are trash. Their transition defenseis awful. They don't communicate. They overhelp. Like even just basic exouts, they're messing up and two people are going in the same direction and the keel alexander walker apparently off the bench four of ten from three he's been a good spot of three point shooter this year i would never take a wait after i wanted themi told people last year he's a six foot six six five combo guard who's an elite poea defender screen navigator, navigator, and then he's also a lock and trail guy, and then he's also a good shooter. I don't know why more people didn't go after him. He's had a two-year $9 million deal last year. Again, it makes no sense.

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He's a really good player, and when you put in next to Mike Conley PERSON and Carl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and Jada McDaniels and Anthony Edwards, you're going to have problems.

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And Naz Reeves, you're going to have problems. Monte Morris, you're going to have problems. And Nas Reeves PERSON, you're going to have problems. Monte Morris PERSON, you're going to have issues. And so I'm watching the Sons ORG. And again, I already said this on Twitter, but to me, we'll get to the Lakers ORG game. I can understand the Lakers getting swept by Denver ORG.That's something that's happened before. But for the Sons to be down 30 to a team that's never had anyone down 3-0 in the history of their franchise and to be led by a 22-year-old when you got Katie, Booker, and Bill PERSON, it's unacceptable. And Frank Vogel PERSON, you won a championship. Not Chris Finch. Frank Vogel PERSON has.It's unacceptable. And I think for everything that Match Ispia ORG has put into that team, which I think some of this is being overzealous on his part. Oh, you think? He gave him, he gave him KD. He gave him Bill PERSON. Like, again, they don't have a point guard and all that, but they, it's not,they can't even functionally create enough offense to get penetration at the rim or to get Rudy Gobert PERSON any place away from the basket, because if they take Nirkich out their cook, they want to put Eubanks in there, but they can't put Katie at the five. And so therefore, he's just hovering. And they're having issue generating quality looks consistently. But then like I said on the other end, because they're so discombobulated offensively, by the time they get back on defense, their defense is all over the place. So it looks like a, they, they look like a team withnobody that's been to an NBA ORG finals, with nobody that's won an NBA finals, with no coach that's coast in the NBA finals. They look like that team, not the Timberwolves ORG. There's,

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you mentioned that disorganization. There was a sequence at, I think there was a maybe two or three minutes into the third quarter where Yusuf Nurkich PERSON was bringing the ball up, which in and of itself odd. And I saw Katie clap for the ball, doesn't get it. Nurkich PERSON ends up swinging it in a different direction. It ends up an empty possession. I don't remember if it ended up a miss or a turnover or whatever.But I actually saw Kevin Durant PERSON look over at the coaches on the bench.

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It seemed like saying like what the F is going on, man?

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Like why is this guy bringing the ball up? What is going on? And just that concept of what is going on just kept running through my head as I was watching this. Because like you said, the disorganization defensively, which is, you know, it is a Frank Vogel PERSON calling guard. I mean, he is a legitimately good defensive coach.They do not cover well. They don't rotate well. Like you said, they were allowing all these straight line drives to the basket. They are terrible at keeping teams off the glass. And then offensively, and this is where I do think having a coach like Frank Vogel PERSON can be an issue for them because he's not a particularly good offensive mind. You watch Mike Conley with the Timberwolves ORG and the effect that he that he's had with this organization.And you wonder like how much somebody like him, you know, a's had with this organization. And you wonder, like, how much somebody like him, you know, a one-time All-Star, you know, a very respected, solid player, but nobody who's on the way to the Hall of Fame, like the type of effect that Conley PERSON could have with the Suns ORG, just getting guys in the right places and just being a conduit for offense. So like creating some type of flow, it's just ugly to watch Phoenix ORG.

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Yeah, it's bad. So we'll see. You know, obviously we have more games to get to now, but just a just a really bad, awful, no good, very not so great performance from a team that you expect more from.

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Well, I mean, Matt Ishbio PERSON, like you said, he is paying out the nose for this roster. And it ain't going to get any less expensive trying to fix it if he even can. The clippers are in a bit of issues right now, down to 1 to the Mavericks ORG. And what is going on with Kauai Leonard PERSON? We'll talk about that next. Lockdown MBA is brought to you by LinkedIn ORG.And when you're hiring for your small business, you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role. That's why you got to check out LinkedIn ORG jobs. LinkedIn ORG jobs has the tools to help you find the right professionals for your team faster and for free. LinkedIn ORG, it's not just another job board.It has a vast network of more than a billion professionals, which makes it the best place to hire. It gives you access to professionals. You can't find anywhere else. LinkedIn ORG does all of that while making the process easy and intuitive. Hiring is easy when you have that many quality candidates. It's so easy, in fact, that 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within 24 hours.LinkedIn ORG understands that small businesses, you're wearing a lot of hats. You have to juggle a lot of balls. You don't necessarily have the time or resources to hire, and that's why they're always trying to find ways to make it easier. They've even launched a feature that helps you write job descriptions so you can streamline it that much more. Post your job for free at can streamline it that much more.Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash locked on MBA ORG. It's LinkedIn.com slash locked on MBA ORG to post your job for free terms and conditions.

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I'm Trey Wingo PERSON. And I'm Kevin Frazier PERSON. We're teaming up on a new weekly sports podcast from Wondry Alternate Routes ORG. As former sports center anchors and current sports obsessives, we're consumed by all the what-if questions that make being a sports fan so excruciatingly fun. If you're like us, then you also live and dieon the fallout from every drop pass, busted draft pick, and game-changing play. Or play call. Intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler PERSON. Sorry, Marshawn PERSON, still too soon. Each week on alternate routeswill take a flashpoint in sports break down what actually happened that explore every alternate scenario and the ripple effects it would have caused. Follow and listen to alternate routes on the Wondry ORG app or wherever you getyour podcast. You can listen ad free by joining Wondry ORG Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple ORG podcast. I mean, the possibility is a limitless, Kevin PERSON. What if Portland drafted Michael Jordan PERSON? What if the NBA never vetoed the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers ORG?

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That's the butterfly back for real.

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So the final game of Friday, the Mavericks back at home take out the Clippers 101.

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The game wasn't necessarily as close as the score would indicate. Luca Donchich, probably the biggest scare, was a little bit of concern that he was having a knee issue that was hobbling him early in the game, but he finished through it. Excuse me. Kyrie Irving was quite good, 21 points, 8 to 17 from the field, 6 assists, just two turnovers. P.J. Washington, his first time in the field, six assists, just two turnovers. PJ Washington, his first time in the playoffs,Swipe PERSON, he is living his best playoff life. He's loved being this agitator and instigator. And then Russell Westbrook ends up getting tossed because of a back and forth with Luca and then PJ Washington. He had been, I think, angling to get tossed this whole game. Kauai Leonard PERSON does, he does not look fully playable right now. And without Kauai Leonard PERSON, I don't know how the clippers are going to try to make a series out of thisbecause they just do not look whole. No, it's over.

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Oh, yeah, I said, I said Maverston 6th Sixth if Kauai PERSON's not healthy and he is not healthy. He's playing, looks like, to try to help his team, but it's not helping his team. Andy, I knew in the second quarter of this game, Kauai Leonard PERSON lost the ball on the left side of the court, dribbling, trying to do a post-up at the nail. Just the same nail touch that he's always had over the course of his career,you shoot over or you power through and you shoot over at six feet. And he couldn't do it. Lost the ball. And then in transition, Kauai Leonard PERSON,who's proven to be one of the most dangerous transition defenders in the league for the last, you know, since 2011, got absolutely beat and then couldn't rotate off of a missed shot. And it was just like he's not the same player. He's like laboring up and down the court. He's not explosive.His defense doesn't look anything worthwhile right now. He can't plant. He's just not the same player. And it's so frustrating because he looks so good. I mean, for the first 65 games of the year, you know, he was in right next to Katie, LeBron, and Tatum for first team all NBA ORG for me.I thought he was having an incredible year. And really the first 40 games of the year, he was playing out of his mind. But, you know, especially that December of his mind. But, you know, especially that December 1st stretch where the Clippers went like 23 and 5, whatever their record was, you know, it just is frustrating because they're not going tobeat the Mavericks if Kawhi Litter PERSON's not healthy. And again, tonight, let's just look through this. Kaui Linder has nine points in 25 minutes. Paul George PERSON, who's not hurt, Andy PERSON. he's not hurt.Nope. He's healthy. He had seven points and five rebounds and five assists on three of 11 shooting.

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Five fouls, which was a real problem for him. He spent the game in foul trouble, and I think that really affected him. Paul George PERSON, what are you doing?

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Yeah. What do we, I mean, honestly, what are you doing? Yeah.

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What do we, I mean, honestly, like, you know Kauai PERSON's out.

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What are you doing? The only reason this game was even the semblance of a game, if you could, James Harden PERSON, had to try to create everything for this team. Evica Zubach, Norm Powell PERSON, that was it. That was their team. Those were the three players. James Harden, 21, 2, and 5, 5 of 8 fromak, Norm Powell. That was it. That was their team. Those were the three players.James Harden, 21, 2, and 5. 5 of 8 from 3, minus 21. I'm not blaming James Hardin PERSON for that. Where's PG PERSON? Where's Kauai PERSON? Evica Zubach, 19 points and 8 rebounds today.8 of 11 from the field. Norman Powell off the bench, 30 minutes, 21 points, 4, or 6 from 3. They did their job. Yeah. So I'm trying to figure out, Paul George PERSON, you're healthy. Like, this is why we put, this is why we did this.Because in case Kauai was down, we'd at least have two of the three all-star players in a roster that are always available and then they can play. If Paul George misses time, we got Kauai and we got Hardin PERSON. And Hardin's been out by himself so far, the last two games. And it makes no sense to me. available and then they can play if paul george missed his time we got kawyd and we got hardin and hard's

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been out by himself so far the last two games and it makes no sense to me and then even in the mavericks luca don't should like 40 minutes he was 7 of 25 from the field he has been shooting in the gutter

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since the playoff started and yet here we are looking at this matchup and we're just like okay well the clippers you have opportunities, Kyrie Urban at 21, an 8 to 17, not anything pretty. That's spectacular. PJ Washington with 10 points. Derek Jones Jr. with 11 points.Sure. But the pace is slow. The defenses have been set. And it's just like, you know Kawhi Leonard PERSON isn't healthy, but they're going to play him because he wants to play. But if that's the case, then I can't, I can't have PG PERSON just standing around.I can't have podcast P just standing around and just having just doing nothing. Like I like Paul George PERSON. He's a great player. But seven points on 30 minutes is completely unacceptable regardless of the situation if you're healthy, knowing your best player is not the same dude because he clearly bothered by knee injury.

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Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when I brought up the foul trouble for Paul George PERSON,

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I'm not using it as an excuse me saying I think it drastically affected him.

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And then with Kauai, before we get into a couple of the games coming up tonight's Saturday,

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like there was a point where I was noticing

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Kauai Leonard, three, four straight possessions.

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He was only guarding off ball threats. Right. Like he's guarding like Derek Jones, Jr. And you're seeing like Paul George has taken either Luca or Kyrie PERSON, but like James Hardin or Russell Westbrook or Norman Powell PERSON, like these are the guys who are guarding one of the other between Kyrie and Luca with Kauai Leonard PERSON on the floor.Like that told me everything that I needed to know. And like this wasn't like a cross match type thing or guys getting back in transition and you just, you end up on a random guy. This was by design. Like this was the guy, these were the guys that he was out there and you just, you end up on a random guy. This was by design. Like this was the guy, these were the guys that he was out there, you know, PJ Washington, Jones PERSON, guys like that, that normally like that you'd never, you know,frankly, waste Kauai Leonard PERSON on those guys. But he, you know, he had a couple dunks, but those dunks were with nobody in front of him where you could just make like a straight line drive. He cannot move laterally right now. He can't drive around anybody. He can't pick up people defensively.They're going to have to make a real decision heading into game forward. Like, at least think over the idea of do we play Kauai PERSON?

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Because those minutes that he's out there,

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I give him respect and props for trying to play, but those minutes that he's out there, he's actually hurting the team.

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Like there's no way around it. He had 15 points to last game.

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Yeah.

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I don't need a role.

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I'm sorry, Kauai PERSON.

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If you can't be Kauai PERSON, I don't need another role player out there standing around.

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I don't. We talked about the clippers being in trouble. There are a lot of people

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wondering, okay, the Miami Heat, who everybody had left for dead with no Jimmy Butler against

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the Eastern Conference juggernauts run away with the conference Boston Celtics, it's now one-to-one

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heading back to Miami Swipa. Are the Celtics ORG in any trouble for this series?

Speaker 41788.72s - 1790.68s

They're in trouble with themselves.

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This is like one Fleur of the Cuckoo's Nest WORK_OF_ART, one of the best books of all time, and one of the best movies of all time.

Speaker 41799.14s - 1803.06s

And it's a great play. It's a great play as well. I acted in it in high school.

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There you go. There you go. Andy, there you go. If you need tips on the play in one flu or the cuckoo's nest,

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you're the person he asked. Look, they, we've been saying this, the green monster,

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you know, the Boston Wall. There's a green monster, but it's not necessarily the Celtics ORG. It's the Celtics within their mind. They inexcusably lost this game to the Miami Heat, 11 to 101, because as everyone said all year, you shoot 47% of your shots from three. You live in by that design, Eric PERSON's bolster is the one to take advantage of that. And he did. Andy, the perfect scenario is the Miami Heat ORG shouldn'twin. What if they do win game three? That psychology is real. That's real. And then now you,

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now the Celtics that said a win game four. Now we're going back to Boston GPE and guess what? Guess who's

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beating you on your home floor multiple times? Oh, that's the Miami Heat ORG. And now all of a sudden, you're in a clash with Tyler here on Duncan Robinson PERSON. Like, what? So this is what I'm telling you.

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The Celtic ORG is not about talent. There's something, Andy PERSON, about them that they just fold into this thing.

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They fall into these habits. And those habits, if you're an elite coach like Eric PERSON's bolster, you're like, oh, check that off. I know exactly how to take advantage of that. And then bam out of bio. And everybody's like, what I love about the Miami Heat ORG, you're like, oh, there's no way. They're going to shoot 53% from three again. Who said? They did that last year to the Milwaukee

Speaker 41900.2s - 1915.34s

bucks the whole first round. Because if you leave them open or if you give them any confidence, they're going to cook you. So look, I don't think they're never going to trouble. They're never going to be afraid. That's the thing. You're talking about the Celtics ORG getting inside their own head, you know, allowing that

Speaker 01915.34s - 1944.88s

sort of doubt to creep in, you know, ultimately water may seek out its own level. And Boston just having more talent may overwhelm Miami GPE, but Miami will never get scared. And that's the one thing you always know about them. Going to the others, you know, Eric Spolster PERSON, I think is considered the consensus, best coach in the NBA ORG. Jamal Mosley has had a terrific, terrific run so far coaching the magic.I believe second in coach of the year voting behind Dagnow PERSON.

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Do you think that they beat Cleveland in game three by almost 40 points? Are you anticipating this ending up tied going back to Cleveland ORG?

Speaker 11955.88s - 1970.96s

No, Cleveland ORG can't do that, man. That team has no experience at all. But you know what? The Cavs fell apart versus the Knicks last year. We'll see. I doubt.I really truly doubt it because, again, Paolo Von Schencherro PERSON like turns it on after he started off really glad in that game.

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He's huge to like him and Franz and them.

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They're both really good players.

Speaker 01974.74s - 1980.8s

But nah, nah, Donovan, nah, not, Donovan. You got to, you can't give them any light. You cannot do it.

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The thing about the magic and, you know, they're,

Speaker 41984.14s - 2030.08s

this is not their time, but I think they're really moving in the right direction. What I find really fun to watch with them is they're such an unusual team. They're built so much with their front court and with Bancaro and Wagner PERSON. Those guys do a lot of playmaking for them. Their back court is really, really defense first. Like Jalen Suggs PERSON, that guy gets up and in you and he can wreck offenses at the point of attack. But they're so unconventionally built, I would think that even if you're playing them in a series,it takes a little while to get used to them just because they're different than most teams you're going to see in the NBA ORG. Well, they're long.

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So again, so it's Jalen Suggs PERSON. It's Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris PERSON, Cole Anthony PERSON when he plays, Franz Wagner, Apollo Banchero PERSON, Wendell Carter, Jr., Mo Wagner PERSON, Anthony Black PERSON.Like, they're all long. They're all big. They're all slashes. Like every, all of them. So Markell Fultz PERSON, they're all long. Yeah. They're all big. They're all slashes. Like every, all of them. So Markell Fultz PERSON, they just have so many bodies. And I think because when you're playing versus a team with that many wings, it's just like,they can literally put a lineup out and say, cool, uh, Paulo Ben Chiroz, Wagner PERSON, Jonathan Isaac PERSON, Wendell Carter Jr. And Jalen PERSON sucks. Go get him. Like what? Like why is everybody switching?Everyone's switching. Everyone's at least 6'8 or Jalen Sugs PERSON and a hound. So yeah, they have it all. They really have a really bright future. I think Paulo can, I think Paulo two years from now will be similar to what Jason Tatum was by his to 2021 season. I think he can, I think Paulo, two years from now, will be similar to what Jason Tatum was by his, to2021 season. I think he can be an all-M-A player. He has all the skill sets. Like, he, you know, he has a bag. You know, he has a nice shot. Like, you know, he's been to put triple double performances up 30, 10, and five in this last game.He has everything. Like, I think he can legitimately be an all-M-Ba player next couple years. So I'm really excited for, I'm excited for Jamal Mosley, too. Like turning around that franchise, it's no small thing.

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It's awesome. It's really cool. Also Saturday, there's a game, Lakers Nuggets ORG. But we are not talking about that one. I'm Andy Kaminowski PERSON. He's Swipa PERSON.This has been Locked on NBA. Everybody, enjoy your playoff weekends. And again, make sure you are making Locked on NBA and all of the shows in the locked on NBA network your first listen Monday through Friday and sometimes particularly during the playoffs during the weekends as well subscribe to the

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YouTube channels and we will see everybody soon Hey, Prime members, you can listen to this locked on podcast ad-free on Amazon Music ORG.

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