Inside the NBA Preview Mavericks vs Thunder | March 14, 2024

Inside the NBA Preview Mavericks vs Thunder | March 14, 2024

COACH. LATER, WE SHOUT THEM OUT YOU GO GIRLS! >> YEAH, OUR SECOND GAME TONIGHT, THE MAVS AND THUNDER WOULD HAVE FEATURED THE TOP TWO SCORERS IN THE NBA, LUKA DONCIC AND SHAY GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER. >> BUT A HAMSTRING INJURY LAST NIGHT HAS LUKA OUT TONIGHT FOR THE LATEST. WE HEAD TO OKC AND LAUREN JBARA

LAUREN GOOD EVENING. >> HEY RJ. HEY GUYS. WHAT’S GOING ON? YEAH I KNOW A LOT OF NBA FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE WORLD, WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE TOP TWO SCORERS IN THE NBA GO HEAD TO HEAD. WELL, UNFORTUNATELY WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR THAT.

LIKE YOU SAID EJ LUKA OFFICIALLY OUT TONIGHT WITH A LEFT HAMSTRING SORENESS. HE DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE TRIP UP HERE RIGHT NOW. HE’S GOING TO BE STAYING BACK HOME. AND I KNOW THAT THEY PLAYED THE NUGGETS THREE DAYS FROM NOW. SO HE’S GOING TO REST UP, RECOVER FOR THAT COME SUNDAY. SO OFFICIALLY

OUT TONIGHT. BUT A GUY THAT’S BEEN PUTTING UP SOME VIDEO GAME NUMBERS RECENTLY FOR THE DALLAS MAVERICKS RECENTLY ACQUIRED DANIEL GAFFORD. HE’S HIMSELF HAVING A HECK OF A STREAK. AND NOW I DON’T WANT TO JINX ANY STREAK BY TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT 33 CONSECUTIVE MADE FIELD GOALS. THE RECORD 35

BY WILT CHAMBERLAIN. SO ONLY NEEDS TWO MORE TO TIE IT TONIGHT. THREE MORE TO BE ABLE TO SURPASS THAT AND BE THE SOLE RECORD HOLDER FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE MADE FIELD GOALS IN THE NBA, WHICH IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE. NOW, HEARING FROM HIM, HE SAID IT’S NOT SOMETHING HE’S FOCUSING ON. HE’S JUST

TRYING TO PLAY THE GAME, HELP HIS TEAM GET A WIN. AND THAT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THEY’RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON TONIGHT HERE IN OKC. NOW SPEAKING OF OKC, THIS IS A TEAM THAT’S ONE OF THE YOUNGEST IN THE NBA. AVERAGE AGE OF 22.5. BUT THE WAY THAT THEY’RE PLAYING YOU’D

NEVER TELL HOW YOUNG THEY ARE. THEY PLAY POISED AND REALLY REALLY SOLID EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. THEIR TOP FIVE IN DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE RATING. AND ONE OF THOSE GUYS, SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, LEADING THE WAY, THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE FOR THIS TEAM. HE OFFICIALLY SURPASSED KD FOR THE MOST 30 POINT GAMES HERE

AT OKC. IT’S INCREDIBLE WHAT HE’S BEEN ABLE TO DO. I TALKED TO CHET HOLMGREN THIS MORNING AT SHOOTAROUND AND HE SAID YEAH, SHEA LEADS THE TEAM. BUT HE GETS EVERYONE INVOLVED. HE SAID THE REASON WHY WE PLAY SO POISED FOR BEING SO YOUNG IS WE’RE SEEING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COVERAGES NIGHT IN

AND NIGHT OUT. SO WE’RE ABLE TO ADJUST. WE’RE ABLE TO LEARN AND COME TOGETHER TO PLAY FULL BASKETBALL. FOR A FULL 48 MINUTES. HE ALSO SAID IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE ALL 17 GUYS ON THIS TEAM HAVE BOUGHT IN THEIR MESSAGE, AND THEIR GOAL FOR THE SEASON IS TO

WIN. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS TEAM WHEN IT COMES TO POSTSEASON. DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE? ARE THEY TOO YOUNG? I CAN TELL YOU THAT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WORRY ABOUT INSIDE THAT LOCKER ROOM. ALL 17 OF THOSE GUYS ARE FOCUSED ON WINNING

ONE GAME AT A TIME AND MAKING IT HAPPEN. AND APPARENTLY THE MUSIC IS TELLING US THAT THEY WANT TO GET IT GOING TOO, BECAUSE THUNDER JUST CAME ON. WE’RE FEELING GOOD RIGHT NOW, GUYS, BUT IT’S ALL ABOUT PLAYING THAT CONSISTENT BASKETBALL NIGHT IN AND NIGHT OUT. SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER ALSO SAID

IT’S ALL ABOUT THAT CONSISTENCY, THE WAY HE EATS, THE WAY HE SLEEPS, THE WAY HE PRACTICES. IT’S CONSISTENT AND I KNOW CHUCK KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT CONSISTENCY WITH THE AMOUNT OF DIET BEVERAGES THAT HE DRINKS EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT APPARENTLY OKC IS READY TO GO. GUYS THUNDER JUST

STARTED PLAYING AND LET’S DO THIS THING. >> THERE YOU GO. AUDIO IS WORKING. DIDN’T MISS A BEAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH LAUREN. >> LAUREN JBARA. >> IF I’M MR. GAFFORD I’M NOT TOUCHING THE BALL UNLESS I’M IN THE LANE. WELL THAT’S THE LONGEST OF HIS SHOTS IN THIS STREAK.

>> FIVE FEET THAT THAT IS 17 DUNKS. >> IF YOU GET IT CLOSE TO A RECORD THAT IMPRESSIVE. UNLESS I GOT A DUNK. >> HOW MANY IS IT AWAY TWO AWAY TWO AWAY FROM TYING WILT 35 THREE STRAIGHT. >> IF YOU LIKE LIKE EVERYBODY CAN SAY THEY DON’T WORRY ABOUT RECORDS. IF YOU

GOT A CHANCE. FIRST OF ALL, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT RECORD WOULD BE BROKEN. YOU THOUGHT A GUY WOULD MAKE 33 STRAIGHT SHOTS? 35. THAT’S CRAZY. AND IF YOU TWO AWAY, MAN. HEY, DON’T PASS ME THE BALL UNLESS I GOT A LAYUP OR A DUNK. >> I WON’T BE OUT THERE.

>> I’M NOT GOING TO BE OUT THERE. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME. >> THAT’S THAT’S WHERE I’M GOING TO BE. >> THAT’S INCREDIBLE. MAN. THAT IS SO. WELL HE TIE OR BREAK THE RECORD TONIGHT YES OR NO I, I, I HOPE HE BREAKS IT. NO. WILL HE.

>> YES HE WILL, HE’LL HE’LL BREAK THE RECORD TONIGHT. >> YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN I HOPE NOT REAL DOLLARS. >> HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT’S INTERESTING? >> SOMEONE SOMEONE BLOCKING SHOTS. >> YEAH. KENNY, YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO BE INTERESTING? WHO’S GOING TO PLAY THE POINT? BECAUSE NOW,

LUKE, I BET YOU OUT OF THOSE 33 BASKETS, I BET YOU 33 OF THEM LOBBED SOME LUKA FROM LUKA OR LAYUPS FROM LUKA. SO, IT’S GOING TO BE INTERESTING GETTING WHO GOING TO PLAY THE POINT FOR THE MAVS. IT’S PROBABLY GOT TO BE KYRIE. CORRECT I WOULD AGREE. >> YEAH.

>> HE’S A GOOD LOB THROWER. >> MEANTIME ON THE OKC SIDE AND LAUREN TALKED ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE AND THAT KIND OF THING. HERE’S A TEAM HAVEN’T BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS SINCE 20. HAVEN’T WON A SERIES SINCE 16. IS THIS A TEAM THAT’S READY TO MAKE THAT JUMP FROM. HEY WE HAVEN’T

BEEN THERE IN A WHILE. WE HAVEN’T WON A SERIES IN A WHILE TO CONTENDING FOR A WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. >> NO, THEY CAN’T WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. BUT CAN THEY WIN A SERIES? I DON’T THINK THEY CAN WIN THE WEST. RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT AS GOOD AS DENVER. I DON’T I

WOULD FIRST OF ALL, I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THEY CAN WIN A SERIES. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS NOT THE SAME RECORD AS DENVER. YOU WOULDN’T PICK OKC OVER DENVER IN A SERIES. >> I WOULDN’T PICK ANYBODY OVER DENVER RIGHT NOW. >> BUT MY QUESTION IS, ERNIE, IT’S REALLY AN UNFAIR

QUESTION BECAUSE THEY COULD I WOULD PICK THE SUNS OVER THEM IF THEY PLAYED IN A SERIES WOULDN’T YOU WOULD YOU. NO OKAY. >> DOESN’T MAKE IT I MEAN DOESN’T MAKE IT AN UNFAIR QUESTION. IT WOULDN’T BE DEFINITIVE OKC BUT I UNDERSTAND. >> BUT I WOULD I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED YOU I WOULD TAKE

THE SUNS I AGREE YOU AGREE I WOULDN’T. >> NO. YO YOU TAKE OKC OVER THE SUNS OKC OKAY. THE REASON WHY I TAKE OKC BECAUSE THEIR ROLES ARE DEFINED AND THEY’VE BEEN PLAYING THAT WAY A LONG TIME. WHEN I LOOK AT PHOENIX IT’S YOU KNOW YOU SAY THIS ALL THE TIME KEVIN. YOU

SHOOT BOOK YOU SHOOT BRADLEY BEAL. YOU TAKE THE MAINTENANCE SHOTS. BUT THEY PLAY. IF THE SEASON ENDS TODAY THEY’RE PLAYING. THAT’S WHO THEY PLAY. THEY WOULD PLAY THE SUNS. >> NO. OR THE WINNER BETWEEN SEVEN GUYS. >> THE GUYS ON OKC KNOW WHAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO DO. AND THEY FOLLOW AND LISTEN SGA

IS MY MVP RIGHT NOW. HE HE FITS BOTH OF OUR CRITERIA. HE’S THE BADDEST MOFO. SHUT YOUR MOUTH IN THE LEAGUE. AND HIS TEAM IS WINNING. SO IF MY CRITERIA AND YOUR CRITERIA HE IS DEFINITELY MY MVP. WELL YOU KNOW I SAY THE OPPOSITE ANTHONY AND ANTHONY EDWARDS GOT SOMETHING TO SAY

ABOUT THAT ALSO. AND OBVIOUSLY I’M AN AND JAYSON TATUM. AND OBVIOUSLY THE JOKER IS PROBABLY THE FRONTRUNNER I WOULD SAY SGA IS RIGHT IN THERE. >> BUT I WOULD, THE ONE THEY REMIND ME OF, THE OLD OKLAHOMA CITY TEAM. LIKE THIS IS COULD BE THIS IS THE BREAKTHROUGH YEAR FOR DURANT

FOR HARDEN. WESTBROOK FOR WESTBROOK. THIS IS 4. SO IT’S SGA CHAT AND THE LIKE I THINK THIS IS THAT BREAKTHROUGH YEAR THAT THEY GET TO THE YOU KNOW WHEN MY GUYS SCOTTIE BROOKS WAS COACHING YOU KNOW THEY GET TO THE TO THE TO THE FINALS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO

THAT. AND BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SEE DENVER UNTIL IT’S A WESTERN CONFERENCE. IF THIS DENVER AND THEM IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL WE WE’LL SEE. >> I LIKE TO SAY I LOVE WHAT THEY’RE DOING IN OKC. I THINK IT’S A GREAT STORY. >> HOW MANY YEARS AWAY ARE

THEY THEN. WELL, I MEAN IF YOU DON’T THINK IT’S THIS YEAR HOW MANY YEARS. >> WELL I CAN’T EVEN LIKE I SAY, I CAN’T EVEN COME UP WITH ANY IDEA BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, I’M NOT GOING TO PICK THEM OVER THE SUNS. I AM NOT GOING TO. OR THE MAVERICKS.

WHAT I TAKE, MAN, THE MAVERICKS AND THEM WOULD BE A GREAT SERIES. AND WHY ARE YOU NOT PICKING THEM OVER THE SUNS. WELL BECAUSE THEY THEY’RE SO INEXPERIENCED AND SHEA HAS TO PLAY GREAT. >> BUT HE’S PROVEN HE’S GOING TO HOLD ON. >> AND SHEA IS GREAT. BUT IF

YOU THINK ABOUT THE SUNS WOULDN’T YOU SAY KATIE AND BOOKER WOULD BE THE NEXT TWO BEST PLAYERS IN THAT SERIES? YES. OKAY. AND SHEA YOU WOULD STILL SAY THAT KYRIE AND LUKA WOULD BE THE SECOND TWO BEST PLAYERS IN THAT SERIES. SO SO I’M NOT EVEN SURE THEY WOULD HAVE THE

BEST PLAYER IN ANY SERIES, SGA THE GUY WHO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE COULD BE THE MVP. >> YEAH, BUT BUT I WOULDN’T TAKE HIM. WOULD YOU TAKE HIM OVER KD NO, YOU WOULD NOT. AND WOULD YOU TAKE HIM OVER LUKA. PROBABLY NOT. THAT’S ALL I’M SAYING. ALL RIGHT.

BUT HE STILL HE SHOULD BE AHEAD OF THEM IN THE MVP VOTING NOW BY THE WAY THREE TEAMS IN THE NBA TOP TEN OFFENSE AND DEFENSE CELTICS NEW ORLEANS OKC NEW ORLEANS. >> YEP OKLAHOM

Kenny on OKC winning a championship: ‘They remind me of the old OKC team.. I think this is that breakthrough year’
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