Minnesota Basketball Party: The Minnesota Timberwolves CAN Beat the Denver Nuggets

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It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the party.

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I'm Sam Ekstrom of Lockdown Sports, Minnesota GPE. Can the Timberwolves ORG beat the nuggets? Yes, yes, yes. We'll tell you why. Coming up next on the Minnesota GPE basketball party.

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This is Locked-on Sports Minnesota Podcast WORK_OF_ART. It's endless Minnesota Timberwolves Talk ORG with the diverse voices of your local experts. It's time for the Minnesota Basketball Party on the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What's up, everyone?

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Happy Wednesday. It's Wolves Talk every Wednesday here on the Minnesota basketball party, part of Lockdown Sports, Minnesota GPE. Thanks so much for watching us live and joining in on the chat. Leave some questions for us. We'll get to them later. We are live on Lockdown Sports Minnesota ORG. Please subscribe. You can also watch us on demand on the YouTube channel or catch us on the Lockdown Wolves podcast feed where Ben Beacon produces fantastic daily wolf shows with in-depth analysis.We've got a great show plan for you today talking about the wolves sweeping the suns straight out of Phoenix GPE. Now a matchup with the Nuggets ORG Looms. Anthony Edwards star is shining and Chris Finch might be going under the knife as we speak as he goes to get surgery on his torn Patelotendin. We'll get into all of that on today's show with a great panel. It's a show that is brought to you by Fanduil ORG.Make every moment more right now new customers get $150 in bonus bets guaranteed. It's $150. Win or lose. Visit Fandual.com slash locked on to get started. Let's go around and meet our panel with this morning's opening tip.

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I'm Jack Borman, co-host of the Lockdown Wolf's Postcast ORG with my man, Luke Edmund, and editor-in-chief at Canis Hoopis ORG. And today I'll be talking about why we might be in store for the best series, not just in the Western Conference, but in the entire playoffs coming up with Wolf's Nuggets ORG.

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And I'm Ron Johnson, former gophers and NFL ORG Y receiver, also avid basketball fan and player. And I'm going to talk about why winners, winners just work out after series are over. You know, winners are going to work out. We're going to put that work in. But also I'm going to talk about why as a parent, you guys know this. Chris Finch, the players like his team.Sometimes when the injury is going to happen, a parent's like,

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give it to me, not my child. Is that an eight pound weight, Ron, a 12? What do we work? It's a 20. It's a 20. We do real work over here. We're winners over here. We're doing real work.

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We're not doing that Devin Booker workout. I'm Reggie Wilson, Sports Director at CARE 11 ORG,

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and I learned something. I learned something about Ant PERSON. He might be a little bit more in common with all of us than we think.

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And we'll get into why I believe the Timberwolves can beat the Nuggets as well on today's show. Again, I'm Sam Ekstrom PERSON. That's Jack Borman, Ron Johnson, Reggie Wilson, talking wolves. And let's go back in time to Sunday, where the wolves sweep the suns, a 122-1-16 win in game four, a scintillating Anthony Edwards performance in the one really competitive game in the series. The wolves whitewashed the sons in the first three. In game four, it goes down to the wire. Ant scores 40.And when he put up the 4-0 at the end of that game, I didn't know if he meant 4-0 sweep or 4-0. I just scored 40 on y'all. But Jack Borman, take us back to Sunday. What are the lingering moments that will stay with you going forward?

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Yeah, for me, no question. It's just, it's aunt. No doubt about it. I mean, he had 31 in the second half, for me, no question. It's just, it's, it's, it's, it's, no doubt about it. I mean, you had 31 in the second half, 16 in the fourth quarter. Just, this is Anthony Edwards in the two fourth quarters on the road in game three in game four. Game three had 18 points, five to seven shooting, eight of eight from the free throw line,an assist in a turnover. And then in game four in the closeout game, had 16 points on six of seven shooting, two or two free throw, one assist, zero turnovers, and a turnover. And then in game four in the closeout game, I had 16 points on six of seven shooting, two or two free throw, one assist, zero turnovers and two blocks. I mean, for any player, that's probably a pretty darn good, you know, a whole entire game line. But for him to do that on the road in huge spots, just in the fourth quarter alone, is pretty crazy. And I think in previous years in the playoffs, and even at other times earlier this season, it really felt like the wolves weren't in control of what was going on late in games and in the fourth quarter. It kind of felt like it was up to the other team ofwhether the other team would be able to score against the Timberwolves ORG defense. And if the wolves got enough stops, then they'd win. But on offense, you just kind of had no idea what you were going to get. And it really feels like we've turned a corner in that regard, and that I think what felt so different about this playoff series in particular was it felt like Anthony Edwards was so in control of what was going on in the fourth quarter in both game three and game four. In game three, when they were loading up on him, he was making all these rightpasses and then getting the ball back and then just creating off the catch and getting into the paint and drawing fouls. And then in game four, it was just, you know, I'm going to put my whole entire scoring arsenal on display. I can do it in the midrange. I can get all the way to the rim. I can dunk on Kevin Durant. I can make tough threes. I can make a step in three from 33 feet away or whatever it was from straight on. I mean, he justrees. I can make a step in three from 33 feet away or whatever it was from straight on. I mean, he just did absolutely everything that this team needed. And then,you know, blocked Evan Booker at the rim to prevent him from getting 50 points when he and Carl, Anthony Towns PERSON were at the podium post game talking about, oh, he tried it. He tried it. That's unquestionably what they were referring to when Aunt blocked him and then talked a whole bunch of trash. And Jadim PERSON called him a very unfriendly word on his way out of the arena. It was just, you know, I think the way that this team has kind of taken, you know, kind of taken Ann PERSON's personality and let that become the entire team's personality,I think has been just an overwhelmingly positive thing and a true inflection point that really makes it feel like where we're going now with the Timberwolves ORG is a place that we've never gone. And that's a place of super sustainable success because they've got a guy that outside of Victor Wembeyanama, I don't know that there's any player in the league that you can say with a guy that outside of Victor Wembeyanama PERSON, I don't know that there's any player in the league that you can say with a bullet that you'd rather have on your team moving forward than the name.

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He's the furthest thing from a one-trick pony. Like if you look at all four of these games, game one, he beat him with the mid-range. Game two, he beat him with facilitation and defense. Game three, he got to the rim. And game four, he beat him from beyond the arc. Like it was something different in every single gamewhere Ant PERSON was making his presence felt. Ron PERSON, coming off the sweep, what's sticking with you about Ant PERSON and the rest of that performance?

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Well, first off, I'll say the 4-0 is the 40 points. We know that because when he did the 50, he did the same thing. The fifth, when he was on the sideline. So we know Anthony Edwards wouldn't be braggish about a four-o sweep because everybody knows they were swept. But not a lot of people paid attention to the stat line, which we know Anthony Edwards. He's not a millennium. I don't even know whatthese kids are nowadays. But he's one of these young zinials. I don't even know, Generation X. And they keep track of stats. They also keep receipts. And Anthony Edwards' receipt goes way back to last year when the sons won and they were working out in the hallway and they were sitting back talking by winners win. And then Anthony Edwards then fast forward posted a video laughing at them because they got a 40 piece put on them. I think it was like 36 points in the third quarter, and he was laughing at him on hisInstagram ORG. He kept those receipts. He worked out all offseason. And then, and I don't think the Timberwell PERSON was purposely tried to be funny about it. I think players do just work out after games, sometimes just to get the sorenness and stiffness out.But Timberwell, social media and Twitter ORG all made sure nobody forgot that Anthony Edwards remembers Devin Booker PERSON talking about win, baby. Winners put that work in. And Anthony Edwards made it made us a believer. But when you look at this, the overall series, man, what sticks with me is that Anthony Edwards, he has really made this league understand who he is.Like he didn't have to say it. A lot of people said it for him. That's when you know. Like he doesn't have to go put a crown on his head. People are already giving it to him. And so that's the big difference in him versus a lot of players on the floor of that moment.Kevin Durant PERSON, like he went up and could have like that, that dunk he blocked it. I don't know if it was. I forgot who it was Bill or Devin Booker who was going to dunk it. But he came up last minute from the side and blocked it. That's the difference in him and Kevin Durant PERSON right now. Kevin Durant saw Anthony Edwards coming. Playoff files. I wouldn't have been mad if Kevin Durant took Anthony Edwards like out the air, not trying to hurt him, but like, you're not just dunking on me. He moved out the way business decision let Anthony Edwards get a dunk. That's the difference. And Anthony Edwards really showed everybody, I'm here for this moment. And now it's

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time for him and Jamal Murray to take the stage. Reg PERSON. Yeah.

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Oh, you're muted.

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I know the end is pretty much the topic of conversation,

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but can we just give a shout out to the Timberwolves ORG defense?

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That whole sequence that led to that ant dunk in the fourth quarter was ridiculous.

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And that was how much they were on them the whole series. I made a joke like if Devin Booker, Bradley Bill, KD, whoever was going to the water cooler to get some Gatorade, like they turned around and they had a Timberwolves ORG player in their face. Like that was how much they were on them that That whole series, it was blistering. Like they blitzed them. Like it was crazy.And this is what was crazy to me what stood out to me. I think we said, or I said, I won't say, I won't speak for everybody. But I thought that the sons would at least get one at home. And, you know, maybe the wolves close it out back at home in game five. But they gave the wolves their best punch. 82 combined from KD and Book in game four.And it still wasn't enough because Kat scored 28, Ant scored 40, and paying off the tease, as Ron PERSON would say.

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One thing that I thought was interesting was the duo presser

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after the game with Ant and Kat PERSON.

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By the way, couldn't have been any more of a contrast in clothing than we saw from cat and aunt just had on the tank the beater as some in our culture would say and the sweats and little little ball cap and that was it and then you know cat you know cat's a little bit more flashy he had it on you know as he usually does and that was it. And then, you know, Cat PERSON, you know, Cat's a little bit more flashy. He had it on, you know, as he usually does.And it was crazy because, like, it seemed like Aunt, he was so laid back and just chill. And it just seems like he has kind of overtaken everyone as just kind of like that leader on the team where he almost seemed like big brother in that moment with how he was talking to Kat PERSON. He's just like, hey, stop filing.A little bit more colorful language than that. But, you know, and I think that was one thing that made Ants PERSON so much more relatable to all of us who watched the wolves because we see it with cat we see it some of the the mindless files that he commits and you know he complains about foul calls all the time i think some of that has rubbed off on and i've never seen aunt PERSON complain about files as much as i've seen him this particular season. But he sees it.He's like, cat, stop filing. What are we always saying on X? Like every Timberwolves ORG game, cat in foul trouble, three files in the first quarter. You know, he's sitting for most of the first half because he's in file trouble. Ant PERSON was like us.Ant PERSON was like us. Stop following. Cat PERSON, stop all the filing. Cat PERSON's like, look, man, I could try. I think Cat PERSON doesn't even know how to help it at this point. But Aunt understands like Cat PERSON is a very important piece to the team.And the best ability is availability. And if he's not out there on the court, then he can't help them in the way. And you saw it. I mean, Aunt basically said Cat was the difference in that game and them being able to win that game because Kat PERSON came out. I think he scored eight points in that third quarter. And they were eight big points in that third because it seemed like the sons could have tried to take off.But he kind of helped pace them and keep them, you know, in range. And then Ant was able to do what he did in the fourth quarter and put the game away. And so Aunt C PERSON's just like we see. He's like us.

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I loved Kat PERSON's performance, by the way. I thought that, and Kat hasn't gotten nearly enough credit because of how good aunt was. But 11 of 17, 4 of 6 from 3, 10 rebounds, 3 assists. It was a masterful performance. It was, it wasn't Batman and Robin PERSON. It was like Batman and Superman PERSON. They were both so good in that game.So give Kat PERSON his flowers. And who else? You know who else I want to give flowers to? Jack Borman PERSON, golf clap for you. You predicted the sweep. You called it.You called it last week. And none of us had the guts to go there. And you did. So take a victory lap, just a little victory speech. You saw this sweep coming. You believed that the sons were done after two games. And you were right. Yeah, I thought the sons were

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done after the first quarter of game two. I tweeted from Canis that it was going to be Wolves and four. I mean, I'm sure Ron felt this way going against those bombs in the Big Ten. That, you know, you can just tell when a defender or when an opponent just doesn't have the same dog in you that you do and doesn't want to fight the same way that you do. And you could just tell. It just felt like I saw a tweet that perfectly encapsulated this,that it felt like the sons were watching the wolves make every 50-50 play, come up with every 50-50 ball, make every extra effort. And we're just like, cool, bro. That's cool. We'll keep doing what we do. You guys can do all the little things.And it just totally added up. And, you know, it felt like the wolves made the suns tap out in just about every single game before the fourth quarter even started, with the exception of game four. And I just, it's hard to overcome that. You know, the Timberwolves, you know, didn't have the best, you know, the big three of the sons. Everyone thought was better. But all the other players, like, it was so evident that the Timberwolves ORG had the better team. And when you are the team that is less connected, or excuse me, when you'rethe team that's less talented, you know, one through eight or however many people you're playing, you cannot also be the team that is less connected. And the sons were unquestionably the team that was less connected. And that is ultimately, you know, why I just didn't think that they were going to win a game. And it felt like the wolves just kept that same intensity in their foot on the gas for, you know, all 48 minutes of every game. And then a lot of that has to go, credit has to go to Chris Finch too for the way that he had all these guys prepared with their week off. And, you know, all the best to Chris Finch.I know that, you know, we'll talk about it here in a little bit. But, man, just what a bummer way to end it. But yeah, major bummer.

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To Jack's point, I remember before the series started, Mike Connolly PERSON was like, can we,

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can we just please take this serious, guys? I don't know how many more of these I have left.

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So like, can y'all just please be adults for this series? Like,

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I want to win. And they, they took that to heart. I think there was a lot of pessimism,

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especially with how the season ended and, you know, them dropping to three seed. And just,

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it seemed like they, they ended the regular season with no momentum against this team that had

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swept them in the regular season.

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People were just like, how does that happen?

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I just, I don't see a path forward.

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And then they come out, they're serious. Like I said, they're on them from the time they ran out of the locker room. I think Anthony Edwards was right next to Devin Booker PERSON. Like as soon as he opened the door to walk out of the locker room, I think that was how they were doing it. But they literally flipped a switch and that makes this team very dangerous moving forward.

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Yeah, it almost felt like they literally put the sons out of their misery. Like the son's body language has been knocked by the pundits all year long. And in the postgame comments after game four watching Durant and Beal PERSON, they almost seemed relieved. They almost seemed relieved to be done. Not nearly the same type of devastation, I think you would expect from a team that had that high of expectations. And the wolves just said, all right, well, we don't, we won't make you suffera flight back to Minnesota GPE. You can stay here. We'll just put you down right now.

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And Shams had that article ready to go that dropped 15 minutes after the buzzer. And I also have to do one other thing. I have to give credit to Bradley Beal PERSON. For him to say, you know, I've never been swept in my life. I'll be damned about it.

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And him to open his ex-interview the next day after game four by saying,

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I'll be damned was one of the funniest things. And I think Wolves ORG fans

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kind of thought that Bradley Beale was soft. And I don't think that was necessarily wrong based

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on his play. But they definitely didn't hate him the same way they hated Devin Booker PERSON. And things like that are exactly why, I think, just because that was one of my favorite parts

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of the whole series, if I'm being honest. I don't think Bill PERSON was fully healthy. He was kind of laboring out there.

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I don't know that he was all the way 100%.

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All the misdunks we saw from him, and like, it just, it was bizarre. I respect you riding for the 314, Reg PERSON. I respect it. You think he's cooked?

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No, I'm just, no, I'm just saying you got to protect your guy.

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Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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Oh, yeah, he's one of the best hoopers to come out of the loose. So shout out.

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Let's get a pause in, and then we'll get to series X factors, not named Anthony Edwards. I think there are three or four correct answers for this one. That'll be next on the Minnesota Basketball Party ORG. We are presented by DoorDash ORG. Yes, Mother's Day is coming up. Moms are a gift.So give her the best this Mother's Day. Get gifts as thoughtful as she is with DoorDash ORG, select from hundreds of expertly crafted bouquets to the best of tech to self-care essentials and more delivered right to her door. Does she have a sweet tooth? Is she a beauty connoisseur?Is she outdoorsy? You can get literally anything, any industry delivered to mom for Mother's Day. Get her a bookstore gift card. Get her a good latte. Get all your Mother's Day gifts, all in one place, and get 50% off your next order. Up to $15 when you spend $15 plus on your next flower, convenience, grocery, or retail order now with code locked on NBA ORG.That's locked on NBA ORG. You order using DoorDash today terms do apply. We are also presented by Fanduel. Nuggets ORG are favored in this upcoming series. That's okay. Sons were favored too. It's a winner take all time in the NBA and NHL. FanDuel ORG is giving you a shot to bring home a big win of your own. New customers. Get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet.It's $150 to bet on spreads, money lines, player props, and more. Fanduel.com ORG slash locked on. Fanduel.com slash locked on. Check out all the series odds, the series scenarios for wolves nuggets. You could bet on a wolf sweep again if you wanted to. You could bet on wolves in seven. Make your bet count. Make that first bet count.Winning $5 bet gets you 150 bucks for free. Fanduel, America's number one sports book. All right. Let's kick it to Ron Johnson PERSON for the following question. Who was your biggest X factor in this series not named Anthony Edwards for the Wolves ORG? You could go up and down the roster. There's a lot of good options here.Who are you taking?

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I'm going Mike Connolly PERSON. I said this way back when Mike Connolly PERSON wasn't in and Kat was trying to go for 1,000 points. Mike Connolly is a calm voice that sometimes calms a game down. And the fact that I heard Mike Connolly's name come up with three different teams this morning on national radio, three different teams. The Lakers ORG, they said they could have used Mike Connolly instead of DeAngelo Russell PERSON, and they could have gotten them, but they went DeAngelo Russell PERSON.Mike Conley ends up at Timberwood ORG. They said the sons could have used Mike Connolly because Frank Vogel did not want all three scores in Bill KD PERSON and what you call it, Booker PERSON that he wanted a PG. They said, nope, we're going to give you a thousand points, but nobody to pass it to those guys when matters moment most. Devin Booker PERSON, quote, unquote, is the point guard.It doesn't work that way. They said, look at, sorry, the clippers. They could use a point guard. When you think about Hardin, PG, and Kauai PERSON, they could use somebody to facilitate the ball better on their team. So the fact thateverybody's talking about it. And then they say like the, the Lakers, sorry, Reggie PERSON, they said the Lakers are on their way down or plateauing. They said the Timberwolves ORG on the way up. They say OKC GPE is on their way up and the nuggets or, you know, basically their champs. And so that's where I see it like the bucks. That was the reason why they went and got Damian Liller PERSON. They felt like they needed a better point guard who can also score. Mike Conley PERSON, in my opinion, he is the difference maker in this series.He's been the difference maker all season, and he's been that calm guy to really facilitate the ball, but not make dumb decisions. And he can knock down threes if you leave him wide open. So I got to give it to him. All right, Reg PERSON.

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I go Jaden McDaniels PERSON. I think, you know, moving forward, they need to have a consistent performance. Like, at his best, he's a legitimate three-and-d guy. And if he can consistently make several threes in a game, like, I think that he is all the difference you know what happened last year unfortunately in that series against the nuggets and as i said earlier the best ability is availability and him being out there is going to be even different this year as compared tolast year you know aunt had a great playoff series last year, but the Nuggets were downhill. They were all downhill. And I think if they play this type of blistering defense led by Rudy Gobert PERSON and Jaden McDaniels PERSON on the defensive end, I just think that that's going to be, like, how many times did we see poor, poor Lakers ORG?Oh, they made me so mad the other night. But Jamar Murray PERSON just the most basketball of basketball moves, getting himself free for a shot. And, like, they're unreal shots, okay? So I give them that great shot making ability. But he had AD PERSON in a blenderMaking that shot to win game too and then the shot in the last game was just ridiculous But I think the wolves are probably in better position to guard some of these crazy shots from Jamal Murray Moving forward in this in this series so I just I think Jaden McDaniels PERSON makes a heck of a difference moving forward. But I also think, you know, if he could parlay the last series into a good series next series,like this Wolves ORG team is dangerous.

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Yeah, McDaniels PERSON wasn't a score in every game of the sweep, but two of the four, he was above his average. And his stat line over the four games, that's really what you want, averaged of the four, he was above his average. And his stat line, over the four games, that's really what you want, averaged 14 and 5 and shot 50%. If he can duplicate that in the Nugget series, a lot of good things are going to happen. Jack, you can take this one of two ways.Give me either your X Factor WORK_OF_ART for the Sun series or your X Factor looking forward in the Nugget

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series. Yeah, first I want to shout out Ron. I think that's a great point about Mike Conley PERSON. I think it's also really unfortunate just about national media in that like I feel like the only way people are talking about Wolves ORG players is like, man, some big market team could really use this. I'm not going to lie.

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That's what it felt like this morning. The entire ride drove my kids off at school, Jack PERSON. I'm not going to lie.

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They did not give the Timberwolves ORG any credit.

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It was they could use players elsewhere. Or there was one, and we maybe talk about this later at the end of the time, but they said, could KD end up one axe to come to the Timberwolves ORG?

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Could you imagine hearing that a year ago? Like, it's just insane. But you got to give Ron PERSON his flowers. He's been on the Mike Conley bandwagon all year. Yeah, but for me, I also had Jayne McDaniels PERSON in this previous series. You know, you nailed it, Sam, just in that he raised his averages this season. Heaveraged like three rebounds a game up to five from 10 points, up to 14 points. And what was most impressive to me, I think, is that he averaged 14 points, shooting only 27% from three. He found more ways to put the ball in the hole. He averaged four free throws a game. He averaged just 1.2 in the regular season. So for him to really grow his offense in a more confident way, I think corner crashingon the offensive glass, he got in there and got a bunch of offensive rebounds. That was how the Timberwolf scored their very first points in this series, was Jane McDaniel's quarter crashing from Carl Anthony Town straight on three. And that just set a great tone, I thought, for the rest of the series. And it's just another way for him to get involved and be impactful offensively without touching the ball. And then defensively, he held Devin Booker to 18 points on 4 of 12 shooting,according to NBA ORG matchup stats for this whole entire series. Bradley Biel scored only two points against him on one of five shooting the whole series. And then KD scored 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting. But I mean, when you're watching those games, you're not sitting there thinking, wow, KD Cook Jane McDaniels PERSON. It's just like, wow, Katie is making all these crazy tough shots.And Reg PERSON nailed it. And that, you know, I think Jamal Murray is a guy that like Devin Booker PERSON is someone that struggles with length because he's so used to being able to get to his spots in the midrange and rising up over smaller guards and hitting these crazy tough shots. And I think Jaden moves a lot better than what you saw Anthony Davis PERSON do. I'm so sorry, Reggie, at the end of game two was it when they hit that buzz?Like, I just don't think Jaden McDaniels PERSON is going to get beat on a step back in the same way and so you can make an argument that jaden is also the X factor moving forward in this next series because he's probably going to be guarded by Michael Porter Jr. another guy that's not exactly flight of feet defensively and jaden's going to be able to put the ball in the deck and if they bring two to Ann or they load up on ant in a similar way that the sons did he's going to have to be able to put the ball in the deck. And if they bring two to Ann or they load up on Ant in a similar way that the Suns ORG did, he's going to have to be able to score the ball to force the nuggets to play back single coverage on Ant PERSON.And then we all, I mean, we've all seen what happens when that happens with Ant PERSON and single coverage. So I think Jaden PERSON really finding his stride and finding his confidence offensively. Like if you told me two months ago, Jane McDaniels would be a way better offensive player in the first round series than we saw at any point this whole season. I probably would have said you were crazy,but you got to give him all credit in the world for what he's been able to do.

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I did want to say, though, you said Jane McDaniels PERSON or Michael Porter Jr.

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I don't know if everybody's up on it, but it feels a little bit like Kendrick Lamar versus Drake PERSON. So I'm ready for this.

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Who's who? Who's who in that case, Ron PERSON? Oh, come on now. Lightskin and light skin.

Speaker 11689.04s - 1710.18s

Michael Porter Jr. is Drake PERSON and Kendrick Lamar's body in Drake right now. And that's what James is about to do. He's about to really set the tone. Like, I don't really like you. I don't like how you walk. I don't like how you brush your hair. I don't like the chemicals you put in your hair. It's not natural berries and juices. Like, he's just about to really just get into him. I'm looking forward to this. And we know Yokos PERSON just wants to go to his horses anyway.

Speaker 01711.1s - 1718s

And MPJ PERSON is a killer out there, man. It seems like when he makes shots, it's like at backbreaking moments of the game.

Speaker 11718s - 1730.24s

Yeah. Like, good Lord. Like, and the way he just rises up and just takes the shot out of nowhere. And it's backbreaking. Like, I'm supposed to like the guy because we went to the same school.

Speaker 01730.54s - 1736.58s

But that dude, man, he's a killer out there. I especially hated him against the Lakers ORG. Yeah.

Speaker 41736.72s - 1754.24s

He's the guy you worry about on an offensive rebound. Yokic PERSON gets the offensive rebound, kicks it out. Your defense is scrambled. And MPJ PERSON just jumps so high when he shoots his shots he just explodes upward he's like unblockable and uh yes he hits it definitely

Speaker 51754.24s - 1760.76s

i test tells me that he's shooting 100% on threes off of offense rebounds man it just feels like it right

Speaker 01760.76s - 1800.68s

and and to your point sam a dude with like four, five different back surgeries, that just makes no sense that he has the type of jumping ability on these shots that he does on a consistent basis. But it's like sometimes it's quiet. Other times it's a little bit more pronounced, but you'll look up and MPJ has like 25 points. So you're just like, good Lord. Like it just, what you get from Murray and then what you get from Yokic PERSON and then like if MPJ or KCP ORG just happened to have a strong performance as well, that just makes thatNuggets ORG team feel just unbeatable.

Speaker 41801.62s - 1871s

Yeah, that's where you need the bench contributions for the wolves. That's where, and Nause PERSON didn't have a great series. You need some big Nas games, but you got a lot from Nikiel Alexander Walker PERSON. That's like having, you know, when Jaden and Nikiel PERSON are engaged the way they were, I mean, if you combine them sort of as a hybrid, they average collectively 27 points a game in that series. And Nikiel gave you four assists a game too.Nikiel PERSON was awesome and they both defend insanely well. So that's how the wolves can counteract. I think some of that that's scoring. And you assume that Denver is going to get hot in one game where Murray and Porter PERSON just don't miss and you're going to need to keep up with them somehow offensively. But I do want to shift things to the Chris Finch conversation because I think today he'sgoing into surgery. It looks like he might not be there for game one. We don't know for sure yet how they're going to set him up. He's going to have to recover from surgery. Is he going to be on pain killers? We don't know how that's going to look on Saturday.But Reggie, how do you think the Chris Finch injury will play into this series? Does it concern you at all that the man pulling the strings might not be there or might be in a secondary role?

Speaker 01871.74s - 1881.5s

Yes, it's very concerning. And it's, I haven't been here for very long, but it just felt so Minnesota GPE for that to happen.

Speaker 31881.5s - 1882.96s

Like, come on, man.

Speaker 11883.12s - 1900.68s

Like, you're thankful that it didn't happen to cat or aunt or rudy or or mike conno or any of the stars but like goodness gracious like you sweep the sons and everybody's just like yeah but your coach tears his patel attendant and everybody's just like

Speaker 01900.68s - 1977.4s

dang like that is like the bummer of the playoffs that that happened. And, you know, Chris Fitch has been maligned at times. Like he's been, he's, you know, I still go back to a couple years ago where he didn't call the time out when Memphis ORG was making that run. And I think it's just, it's so unfortunate that that happened to him because I feel like he is kind of coming into his own as well as a coach and as a head coach, I should say,and really pulling the right strings and him not being out there in a series against the defending champs, like you need your best when the best is required. And it's tough. If he's not able to give it a go out there for game one, that could be a really tough challenge for them, game one, a chance for them to kind of come out and make a quick statementagainst the defending champions. And so I just, I think that's so tough that, that he's dealing with this right now. And if he's able to be out there, I don't know how, you know, they finagle it. Is he on a scooter? Is he like, because the leg has to be kind of placed in a specific position.

Speaker 41977.7s - 1977.9s

Yeah.

Speaker 11978.14s - 1993.78s

So like, I just don't know how that, how that works. Like, is he up in the, in the rafters just like chilling and norie just has like a earpiece in he's just like hey hey tell aunt PERSON to play more defense tell him tell them line up like

Speaker 01993.78s - 2027.24s

i don't i don't know how that works um and so i i think and then also you know um aunt PERSON gives a lot of his his maturation and a lot of the game that he has developed, especially in the postseason, to Chris Finch pushing him. And I know Finch PERSON is still going to challenge him, but I don't know what he says to Ant PERSON during games and things that he does to kind of unlock another level of Ant PERSON and him not being in thereor him not being able to facilitate that. It's just going to be a little tough.

Speaker 42032.9s - 2059.74s

Yeah, I do think there are some positive vibes that could be gleaned from this, not to use Chris Finch's PERSON injury as like something good, but I think that that's something the team could rally around. I think that Mike Anori PERSON is someone they could rally around. And if he's on a scooter, like, that's just good energy right there. If Chris Finch is on a scooter, that's kind of hilarious and viral. And I kind of love it, even though he's probably in some pain.Jack, is there anything tactically you worry about with the switch from Finch to Norrie PERSON?

Speaker 52061.54s - 2231.94s

Well, first of all, Mike and Norrie PERSON can absolutely hold his own. I mean, you saw the ATO that he drew up with a minute left to give, or less than a minute left to give Ant PERSON that runway dunk was incredible. All these players respects Mike and Noree PERSON infinitely. And Chris Finch has said multiple times he thinks Mike and Norrie PERSON should be a head coach in this league. So I don't think you worry all that much about, you know, Micah PERSON specifically. But I do think the Chris Finch injury does affect the team 100%because it disrupts the normal rhythm and routine of what happens on game day, not only for players, but for coaches. And it's happening at a time where, you know, I mean, Ron, you've played in a million big games. Like, you need to lean into that routine more so than ever when you've got all the different nerves flowing through you and you're worrying about the stakesand you're worrying about all these things. You know, it's just really unfortunate timing. And I think, you know, so many different guys have spoken since the playoffs started specifically Aunt Jaden PERSON and Carl about things Chris Finches PERSON come and really harped on them for, you know, in the week leading up to the playoffs that really helped them find success in round one.And Chris Finch is undergoing surgery today. Like I don't know how many people watching have undergone surgery of any kind, but like you feel gross for multiple days up to probably a week once all the drugs kind of move through your system. And then you throw in the altitude of being in Denver GPE, how difficult it's going to be to get him set up on a plane, even if it's a private plane. I mean, that's still a lot to ask.So, yeah, it's just super unfortunate because it seems like his leg is going to be locked in place horizontally. So I don't think there's really any chance of him being able to be on a scooter. I don't think you want to risk him further injuring that leg after after a surgery. So, yeah, I just think it's super unfortunate because Chris Finch deserves so much credit for where this thing has gone.And if the Timberwolves ORG continue to win, I just worry that, you know, people won't give him his due. But, yeah, I mean, it also is tough, too, because he's out today and tomorrow worry that, you know, people won't give him his due. But yeah, I mean, it also is tough too because he's out today and tomorrow, presumably, you know, bedridden and probably drugged up and not going to be totally there. Like, if your other assistants, that's got to be a weird feeling knowing that today and tomorrow or you're probably your two biggestprep days, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, you your three biggest prep days. And Chris Finch, the head coach, is out for two of them. And he's done a great job of empowering assistance all year long, but that's just got to be a weird feelingknowing that you know, you can't necessarily just have him there to be like, hey, does this make sense to you or kind of,you know, have someone as a final set of eyes on things. So, yeah, man, all the best to Chris Finch and just a crazy, crazy injury. I can't remember ever seeing something like this happen in the NBA ORG.

Speaker 42232.38s - 2237.3s

No, me neither. Ron PERSON, any coach or personnel injuries in your football career that you can recall?

Speaker 12238.6s - 2342.06s

Oh, no, I mean, I know there was a time where like Glenn Mason PERSON, I don't forget what happened, but like I know one of his assistants had to take over. So I have been a part of that where a coach is just out for like personal reasons or whatever. An assistant coach is going to take over. We've seen that happen before. It's not unheard of for an assistant.I mean, look at Harbaugh in Michigan GPE. Harbaugh was suspended. I mean, he wasn't hurt. But he was gone. He couldn't be around the team. Sharon Moore takes over his head coach of Michigan GPE. They still are national champions. He coached three big games with Penn State, Ohio State ORG, and I forgot the other one. So at the endof the day, like these other coaches are around Chris Finch every day. They know exactly what he wants to get out this team. And basketball is one of the few sports. The biggest thing a head coach can do is get the fill of the game. Like when is it a good time to use a timeout? When is it a good time to challenge? Well, the challenges are coming from the assistants sitting behind them anyway with the TV screen. So they're still there. It's up to him now to make that decision. Is he, you know, like he won't be bullied the way, like a head coach sometimeswon't be bullied other than Darwin Ham PERSON. But a head coach, it's usually tougher for a head coach to be bullied and assistants might listen to the players a little bit more. That's the only thing I could see being a little bit different is maybe the players have a little bit more say-so to an assistant coach than they will for a head coach. But the end of the day, he knows exactly what Chris Fringe PERSON wants. I've had surgery.I've been fine like two days later. I've had hand surgery. I've had multiple knee surgeries and I've come back been fine like two days later. I've had hand surgery. I've had multiple knee surgeries and I've come back, you know, days later. Hands, I came back and played in the game later. My back, I got on a flight and flew out like two days later. My knee, same thing.I was out for a little bit, but I was back working out in the facility. So sometimes it's just a mindset too.

Speaker 02342.06s - 2346.66s

But the one thing I will say is going to be a big deal is him getting on a jet,

Speaker 12346.96s - 2350.8s

going to where he's going to go, and then figuring out where he's going to sit.

Speaker 02350.92s - 2353.34s

Because I think he needs to be on the bench or near the bench,

Speaker 12353.34s - 2361.3s

but I don't know if they need to put him like at the corner backside of the bench. But he has to be in a place where he can be protected by players if somebody comes barreling at them again.

Speaker 02361.4s - 2372.2s

Yeah. Because that would be extremely Minnesota GPE for him to get hurt again, like have surgery. And they're like, oh, yep, you just ripped all the stitches and we got to take you back. And you got to redo this thing again because you didn't listen to us.

Speaker 42372.2s - 2376.6s

So this is a great job for like Luca Garza PERSON on the bench just to be the bouncer.

Speaker 12376.98s - 2379.2s

Yeah, just stand there and tackle everybody.

Speaker 42379.48s - 2379.72s

Yes.

Speaker 12379.76s - 2416.48s

Tackle anybody that comes near him, keep Yokic PERSON's brothers away from it because we know they're dirty. So you just got to, you got to keep him protected at all costs. And I could say he could sit third row, maybe even, because I know there's like three roles of like assistants and there's another role. He could sit back there,but like find a place where he can be protected. And yeah, Luca Garza PERSON, you be the bouncer for coach Chris Finch. But today's technology and being able to have a coach sitting next to him to say, what do you want to say?All right, coach said, do this. Like, it's real simple. But I definitely think he needs to be there in the hotel on the road, on the plane. I mean, they got a PJ. It'll be fine.

Speaker 42417.6s - 2508.78s

We're going to tell you the key matchups for Wolves Nuggets ORG and predict the series next on the Minnesota GPE basketball party. And we're brought to you by Monopoly Go PRODUCT. I know you're saying, you know, whistle. I can't really whistle very well. You're saying personal foul.You've told us about Monopoly Go PRODUCT. We get it. But I'm here to say that Monopoly Go PRODUCT is so compelling and so much fun. And they have so many features that I have to tell you about all this good stuff in the game where you can team up with friends for time tournaments, work together and build each other's monopoly boards. The more you win together, the more awesome prizes you unlock. So, I mean, Monopoly PRODUCT is cool because you can work together with your buddies, but also you can talk a bunch of trash to your buddies if you're playing that type of game where you're on top of the leaderboard.You're the top tycoon. And you can get hilarious emojis for taunting your friends when you smash their buildings and heist their vaults. So you got a good kind of duality going there with Monopoly Go, which feels new and exciting every day with constantly changing tournaments and challenges, a ton include their own unique mini games like digging for treasure or a robot Pachinko machine. That's worth the price of admission right there.There's always new time to vent to win big, like massive multipliers for everything you win or rent frenzies. So there's always something fun to discover at Monopoly Go PRODUCT. Get off the bench. Go download it now for free on Google Play or the App Store ORG. Game on. Hi, I'm Jake from Lockdown.

Speaker 32509s - 2563.58s

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Speaker 42566.36s - 2572.92s

All right. Speed round. Jack Borman, number one matchup to watch Wolves Nuggets ORG starting

Speaker 52572.92s - 2649.92s

Saturday. Yeah, this might be my favorite stat I've pulled all season. The biggest matchup for me is Carl Anthony Towns defensively against Nicola Yokic. Carl has played Nicola Yolkich six times since the start of the 22, 23 season. He's held the Joker to 48 points on 17 to 46 shooting. That is 37 percent and has committed just five shooting fouls against Nicole Yokic in that time frame.So in that span of the players who have guarded the Joker for as many possessions as Kat PERSON has, 37% is the lowest field goal percentage. Any player in the NBA has allowed Nicole Iokic PERSON to shoot. The next lowest is Alperin Schengun of the Houston Rockets at 49.6%. So I think if Carl Anthony Town PERSON is able to replicate his really strong defensive performance, I think a six-game sample against one team is a pretty solid sample to see.If he's able to replicate that, I think that'll be really important for the wolves, especially if you can stay out of foul trouble. You know, that'll be huge because all the other players on the wolves, including, you know, including Rudy Gobert PERSON, have kind of struggled playing Nicole Yokic PERSON straight up in that coverage. So that's the biggest thing for me to watch. If Carl can set of foul trouble continue to play good defense against Yokic PERSON. Ron PERSON.

Speaker 12650.64s - 2654.48s

Yeah, I mean, the matchup I want to see is Anthony Edwards and what's his name, Jamal Murray PERSON.

Speaker 42654.64s - 2659.26s

I mean, when you watch Jamal Murray PERSON, he dribbles around and around and around until he finds a spot.

Speaker 12659.68s - 2700.84s

He, him and Yokic run a perfect two-man game. So I don't know who's going to be on Yokic PERSON the most. I'm guessing Nas maybe. But's going to be on Yokish the most. I'm guessing Nause PERSON maybe. But you got to be able to switch. And then Anthony Edwards, if he ends up on Yokic PERSON, he can't get in the file trouble, but he still got to be able to use that strength in those lower legs to frustrate them.Because I've noticed in the last couple of games watching the Nuggets ORG, when you make Yokch PERSON frustrated, he actually forces it a little bit more. And you got to pick the right time to flop back and take that offensive foul. A lot of people stay standing up because they don't want to give up the easy layup. But he does give you like a third or fourth shove. So I want to see that game between Yokic and Naz or Yokic and Kat and then, you know, Jamal Murray PERSON and

Speaker 42700.84s - 2708.78s

Anthony Edwards. Like I really want to see that though. Reg PERSON. Yeah, Ron PERSON just took mine. Jamal Murray, Anthony, Anthony Edwards. I mean. I mean, John just took mine. Jamal Murray and Anthony Edwards like I really want to see that though. Reg. Yeah, Ron just took mine.

Speaker 02708.9s - 2782.2s

Jamal Murray, Anthony Edwards. I am that I feel like that's must-see TV. Now, what's interesting is, you know, Jamal Murray, he scored 30 in that game against the Lakers ORG, the close-out game, and he had a bad calf. So I don't know, you know, where he is with his calf meat, but he's got to get thatcap meet together and we'll see, like, you know, what he ends up doing there. But I think that's going to be an interesting thing to keep an eye on because I did see him hobbling a little bit late in that game against the Lakers ORG as well, but he still game at the end end too. So, Jamal Murray PERSON, incredible shotmaker in the postseason. Anthony Edwards, incredible shot maker in the postseason.I want to see that head to head. And, you know, it's interesting. You brought that up, Jack, about Kat and the Joker ORG. God PERSON bless. Because I think, you know, maybe Rudy might end up finding himself on Yokic PERSON as well at some point. Just try to do what you can and pray because Yoke PERSON is pretty much,whenever he's just determined to be who he wants to be, he could just do whatever to you.

Speaker 42783.94s - 2831.08s

Mine would be the Wolves bench against the Nuggets ORG bench. The Nuggets ORG bench was awful in the Lakers ORG series, horrible. And we saw what the wolves did to the Sons ORG. When the Sons ORG had to use their bench,the wolves just ended those games. The Sons ORG had no depth. And I don't know if the Nuggets ORG have any depth, not any good depth that's playing well right now. Their bench in five games, one second, Jack PERSON, when their bench went 22 of 71 shooting,31% from the field, 12 points a game. I mean, the wolves with Nikiel PERSON and if they get a better gnaz, and I even like Kyle Anderson, too, getting a little further away from that hit pointer with a lot of time off. I think the Wolves ORG bench is a huge advantage.Jack PERSON, what were you going to say?

Speaker 52831.26s - 2853.5s

I was just going to say to back up your point, I ran these numbers last night. The Nuggets bench players played 22 of a possible 1,000 minutes in round one. That's 18.5% of the total minute share that is by far the lowest in the NBA ORG.The next lowest was the Lakers at 23% flat. So Mike Malone PERSON just doesn't trust any of those guys. That's super interesting.

Speaker 42854.24s - 2860.42s

That's really good. Final minutes, quick prediction for the series, Jack Borman PERSON.

Speaker 52861.42s - 2885s

Yeah, I got Wolves in six. Ant spoke after game one of this last series about the value of the week off leading into that series. He's got another week off to prepare this time around. We've seen him grow. He averaged 31.6 points per game on 48, 35, 85 splits against the Nuggets last season. He's an even better player this time around. I think that combined with the depth element, I think gets the wolves over the top. Ron PERSON.

Speaker 12886.76s - 2887.74s

Oh, this is a tough point.

Speaker 52887.78s - 2889s

I'm going to go wolves in seven, though.

Speaker 12889.1s - 2890s

I'm going to go wolves in seven.

Speaker 52890.08s - 2896.66s

I think the fact that they have to play so much in Denver GPE to close it out, it's going to be tough.

Speaker 02896.66s - 2902.16s

But I could say the wolves in seven. If they can get two in Denver, I'm saying wolves in five.

Speaker 12902.48s - 2906.76s

Like I really think they could close it out in five, but I'm going to say seven. Reggie PERSON.

Speaker 42907.06s - 2909.08s

Yeah, I got wolves in seven as well.

Speaker 02909.58s - 2945.84s

I just, I think I've seen enough from this wolves team to say that they can beat the nuggets. But I think it's not going to be easy for them. I do think that is a good point about the time off, though, because having that time off, I mean, they exerted a lot of energy to beat the suns uh in that four game sweep and so if they're using that same type of energy in that high altitude as well like that's going to be very tough for them so i think you knowthey could get gassed at times and so i i take i take wolves and seven i think they'll they'll have enough to try to get the defending champs.

Speaker 42946.84s - 2957.34s

I'm going to be totally outlier, polarizing. I'm going to say wolves in four, they're just not going to lose a game all playoffs. 16 and no, baby. They're going all the way,

Speaker 52957.46s - 2965.08s

clean sweeps every round. Do you take that fan duel prop of wolves to not lose the game, the whole playoffs, like plus like 20,000 or whatever it was?

Speaker 42966.14s - 2972.38s

Is that out there? That's fantastic. I mean, the odds for them to sweep the suns was like 23 to one. I mean, that would have been a pretty big payday too.

Speaker 12973.62s - 2973.72s

I should have took that.

Speaker 42974.02s - 2975.34s

Thank you. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 12977.12s - 2978.58s

I'll be in Iowa this weekend, by the way. So if anybody wants to wool.

Speaker 42978.66s - 2979.44s

You can jump on it.

Speaker 02979.92s - 2980.6s

Wolves line.

Speaker 42980.72s - 2981.56s

I leave on Friday.

Speaker 02981.66s - 2982.3s

I can't wait.

Speaker 12982.72s - 2989.8s

If they win them all, if they win them all, Sam, I contend that they should end the What a Pro WORK_OF_ART wants commercials.

Speaker 02990.2s - 2993.26s

Because that means they probably have to go through the Thunder ORG.

Speaker 12993.26s - 2993.92s

OKC GPE.

Speaker 02994.42s - 2994.64s

Yeah.

Speaker 12994.7s - 2994.94s

Yeah.

Speaker 42994.94s - 2996.24s

Those are terrible commercials, by the way.

Speaker 02996.44s - 2997.5s

I'm so sick of that song now.

Speaker 42998.1s - 3028.78s

Yeah. Yep. It's just the same ones over and over again. Wolves talk every Wednesday, Minnesota GPE basketball party. Thank you for joining us live, watching us on demand, listening to us on the Lockdown Wolves ORG podcast feed.Jack Borman, Canis Hoopis ORG, postcasts with Luke Inman PERSON, Ron Johnson, host of the Ron Johnson Show, and Reggie Wilson, Carol Evan. I'm Sam Ekstrom PERSON. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next week. A Prime members, you can listen to this

Speaker 23028.78s - 3034.76s

locked on podcast ad free on Amazon Music ORG. Download the Amazon Music app today.