Will Damian Lillard’s All-Star SUCCESS translate into a BETTER 2nd half for the Bucks? | NBA Today

Will Damian Lillard’s All-Star SUCCESS translate into a BETTER 2nd half for the Bucks? | NBA Today

Allstar Weekend is officially in the rearview mirror now the second half of the season is right around the corner which means things are about to heat up can you believe y’all that the playoffs start two months from today so let’s catch you up on everything around the association with the little Coast to

Coast starting with the Boston Celtics who have a six-game lead on the rest of the East with only 27 left to play so Austin with an overall homecourt Advantage is it Championship or bus for Boston absolutely uh when you talk about this roster outside of Denver they are

The best put together starting lineup in basketball they have the best overall record in the Eastern Conference and this is a team that we all know gets judged in the postseason Jason Tatum is an MVP like player he’s got the cast that’s built around him to contend for

Championships this is a team that either goes to the finals wins the finals or it’s not a successful season oh okay you heard it from Austin now one lurking contender in the East is the Philadelphia 76ers who have been without Joell embiid since January so Ramona how

Optimistic is the team that they’ll get their MVP back this season there is an optimism in Philadelphia that Joel embi can return at some point during the regular season at least close enough to the playoff to get his rhythm heading into the playoffs but they don’t want to

Put any time frame on it until he starts ramping up but I’m told he went to practice today he got there early he assumed everything was in the morning but the team’s not practicing till later in the day so his enthusiasm is there that’s good that’s really good let’s

Switch though to the west where the Wolves Hold the top spot but only three games separate them from the defending champs in fourth so Zach what team most needs the number one seed April 20th I think you got to go with Minnesota only because there’s going to

Be a lot of pressure on them a lot of expectations for the first time Denver’s been there done that Oklahoma City is a young upand cominging team the Clippers are a veteran team Minnesota needs every Edge they can get but y’all when I personally look at the sings there’s one

Thing that jumps off the screen it’s the idea that the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors sit in ninth and 10th respectively meaning that we are on track for a single elimination game between LeBron James and Steph Curry in the playin now we would have an absolute

Popcorn shortage for that one but you know looking into the future Zach those are the biggest storylines in the league right now but to you what is the biggest question whose answer can help to decide the second half of the NBA season the single biggest question in the whole league including the Lakers

And the Warriors and all that is this what exactly are the Milwaukee Bucks 3 and seven under Doc Rivers offense is gone in the tank have not put together even a five game stretch at any point in this season where you say to yourself uhoh here it is they’ve got it they’re

In a rhythm now on offense defense whatever if it’s not one thing going wrong it’s another thing the chemistry between Dame and Giannis hasn’t come as easily as we all expected it to be Dame hasn’t had the kind of season he had the last couple of Seasons there’s 2530

Games left you have arguably the best player in the world I would rate him at number two some people number one and Giannis at age 29 at his absolute Apex there is no time to waste and they are running out of time to find the kind of

Team they need to be to get out of the East Ramona are they really running out of time because if there’s one player that walked out of all-star weekend with a lot of momentum it’s Dame Lillard I mean he was the first ever player to win the Three-Point Contest and allstar game

VP do you see that parlaying into success the second half of the season I do in the sense that anytime you get a new head coach anytime you do a big trade I usually like to give teams 10 games to settle in and be what they are

And it’s been 10 games right Zach you mentioned three and seven they had one of those losses was a weird one at the end as they were heading into the break against Memphis but I think at this stage like you have to assume like Talent is going to play here Giannis is

Too good Dame is too good and they’re both too invested in this team working to let this this fall away and slide away and and quite frankly if they don’t get it together they’re on the clock I I know he signed an extension I know Yannis is locked in there and made a

Commitment to the franchise but when you have Giannis on your team you are always on the clock he has made it very clear he does not want to sit around and wait for the team around him to be as committed to winning as he is and his

Comments after that last loss in Memphis were pretty pretty profound they were pretty telling and Austin we got your timeline yesterday you said the Bucs have a year and some change a little bit not just this season you’ve got next season for them to make that push for a

Championship but what do you think will decide the second half of the season I mean if we’re talking about what I’m into I want to see the race between the Lakers and the Warriors and I don’t want a play in game between them I want them

Both to be in the playoffs I mean imagine turning on the playoffs and not having Stephen Curry or LeBron James in it it doesn’t even sound realistic these are the two guys who have carried the torch for us in the NBA our two brightest stars that we have in our

Modern day era um and both of their teams are playing better basketball and before the season started we’re talked about as contending teams or teams that could possibly contend and we have obviously seen both of these teams sell you know Play Short look we’re going to talk about both those teams all season

Long but the teams that I want to see if they’re for real and everybody I mean who are the two teams leading the Western are this they’ve had 10 BR y’ you understand this it’s 10 games do yeah and it took a while for fig out

It’s to take it’s going to take a minute I’m not saying there’s no pressure with the Bucs it’s not a free year you don’t have a player like Giannis and Dame and that that roster that they have and even you doc as a coach like that team has to

Contend it should be them and Boston in the Conference Finals that’s what it’s supposed to it should be but the teams leading the western conference are the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder Sur teams that have young superstars MVP candidate and Shay gilas Alexander and and I think can they hold

On are they going to stay in those two spots right there we’re all talking about them and we’re all the Denver Nuggets defending champs the Clippers are coming but is Anthony Edwards ready for this like he is is Chay ready for this cuz if they go in as one two in the

Western Conference these young teams that are here before anybody expected them to be the pressure is on these young teams and that that Thunder team I’ll tell you they remind me a lot of the Thunder team from a couple from about 10 years ago Kevin Durant Russell

Westbrook James Harden they got there to the playoffs they played the Lakers and Kobe Bryant said to those guys afterwards I’m glad we got you this year because I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to beat you guys to me they’re totally different situations in

Terms of pressure and expect ations for the Thunder yeah they have an MVP candidate in his prime but this is all gravy right now to be this good this young with this many extra draft picks to throw at people this is fantastic the Wolves Carl Anthony towns is right in

His prime has not won to playoff series Rudy goar is 30ish they traded a million draft picks to get him they got a win right now and they are starting to realize I think in the entire history of this franchise with maybe the exception of one Garnett season season they have

Not faced the kind of expectations and pressure they’re going to face as a top three seed in the playoffs man if they go down 1 it’s going to get loud real fast in Minnesota this team has got to make a deep playoff run but Zach you started off by mentioning the Los

Angeles Clippers how did you guys not mention them I mean to me this is the team of the second half of the season will the Clippers finally make their first NBA finals and win it all that’s what this city that we’re in really cares about will they finally emerge

Outside of the Lakers you know Shadow and if you look at the numbers Kawhi Leonard he has played in 48 out of 54 games that’s what you need they’ve got six players in double figures they are battle tested with their coach and tyou they have a new Arena and they need

Butts and seats and a championship will really bring that so I’m looking at the rest of the field yes those young Gunners out west the Thunder uh the Timberwolves they will have a little bit of a wiggle room to win a championship based on the young stars but right now

With kawhai James Harden Paul George why not the Clippers I mean I think the Clippers have to be seen as the co- favorites in the west along with the Denver Nuggets I think they’re that good and the way the fit has gone with James Harden since he’s since he’s really been

Given the ball has been tremendous but what the thing with the Clippers they’ve been here since 2019 when they went and got Paul George and kawh Leonard and they’ve been in this position they got to the Conference Finals one year kawhai was hurt but I I think until they do it

They’re on a they’re in a pro prove me right stage too because I think they they like they’ve had that Talent there for five years now yeah I’m in I’m in agreeance this is a team that’s built right now to win uh all these guys are

At the back end of their Prime as well we talk about timeline with the other teams this team is a win now team they’ put it together you know we were very hard on this team early on but they have figured out a Groove James has been unbelievable yes for the Clippers he’s

Put them as a team that was good to being a contending team that’s James Harden um so the system is working Uno he’s doing his stuff out there got to give the flowers du you know what I mean uh they are the team that I think other

Than Denver could you know come out the West yeah yeah it’s true I mean you said the system that was funny that was cheeky right there uh for me I’m looking forward to the Clippers to emerge out of the Lakers Shadow all right let’s have

Some fun let’s play a round of chop it or drop it you want to talk it you chop it you want to skip it we drop it but this time we are going with a sound bite is that good with everybody okay all right let’s get into it first up Damen

Lillard gave us his dream starting five you could create your own starting five what’s your team it would be me Lebron Steph Kevin Durant and I’m going go with bam out of Bio so Dame had bam on his starting five over Giannis Austin chop it or drop it

Uh we could chop it okay let’s go I mean listen I don’t think he meant anything personal by it I think once he put LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the team is based upon a team around them you understand what I’m saying like oh I

Got my two forwards yeah I got my two forwards I picked Kevin Durant LeBron James obviously so I don’t think it’s a personal shout out to Giannis I think you know he was putting the team around the best player come on man it wasn’t like anyone put him up to it

Look you’re picking positionally all right next let’s go to Yannis then Yannis was on the mic as well this weekend take a listen oh man I just in general do not watch basketball so stats highlights how people play I have no idea and I I love it you know I love

When I go to the game I have no idea who I’m playing and what they do makes it harder jannis says he doesn’t watch basketball so Ramona are we going to chop it or drop it yeah let’s drop that I don’t believe that for a second okay

Yeah we don’t believe it I think he Wasing so let’s laughing let keep it pushing let’s keep it pushing next up Nica yic he had some oncourt chemistry with Luka donic in the All-Star Game okay if luuka gets mad join me in Denver Zach chop it or drop

It I’m chopping it only because Nicole yic is one of the rare Superstars when he says he doesn’t want to leave Denver he means he doesn’t want to leave Denver and it must be nice for the Nuggets to know that and hear it out loud again what happens with Luca is another story

But just remember that yic thing because we’re probably never going to have a free agency or trade drama with him ever so if yic isn’t leaving what about Trey young because Trey Young’s name was tossed around in trade rumors at the deadline how does he feel about his future in

Atlanta my mindset is standing in Atlanta right now and uh I don’t get caught up in all the the rumors and stuff my contract is locked in for a couple years so I don’t have very much say in it right now Ramona chop it or drop it uh let’s

Chop it a little bit because we’re probably going to be chopping this all summer long because I do think there will be some drama there I do think he’s a candidate to move on from Atlanta at some point um they need to decide what direction they’re going with their

Franchise I know they brought in Quinn and there’s a there’s a sort of reshaping of that franchise that’s happening over the last couple years and he gets to decide who his guys are and so let let’s see how they finish this year let’s see how it Go Trey’s

Obviously had a great success there in Atlanta but I could see us chopping it a lot

Zach Lowe, Austin Rivers and Ramona Shelburne join Chiney Ogwumike on NBA Today to talk about news from around the league after the conclusion of NBA All-Star Weekend:

0:00 Boston Celtics leading the Eastern Conference
0:50 Will Joel Embiid be back this season?
1:24 Difference between Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder
1:55 Los Angeles Lakers & Golden State Warriors in the Play-In?
2:30 Can the Milwaukee Bucks have a better second half?
4:36 Lakers & Warriors race to the playoffs
5:51 Timberwolves & Thunder race to the playoffs
7:15 Will the Los Angeles Clippers make it to the finals?
9:10 Damian Lillard’s dream starting 5
10:38 Nikola Jokic & Luka Doncic on-court chemistry
11:38 Trae Young’s future in Atlanta

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