TNT Broadcaster says Domantas Sabonis should be getting more national attention

TNT Broadcaster says Domantas Sabonis should be getting more national attention

Yeah yeah uh nice stuff to join us he’s the outstanding TV play-by-play guy for the Timberwolves making his National debut tonight Kings and warriors excuse me Kings and Mavericks paron me on Michael Grady how are you Michael I’m good I’m good yourselves uh we’re we’re

Great thanks for coming on with us uh um can we count on you to educate fans around the country on what an amazing season domas is having because he can’t get the respect he deserves Michael uh you know it really speaks to just how um how many Great Performances

We’ve seen around the NBA this season um because even from a Kings fan perspective uh you to totally feel like domas should have been in the All-Star Game totally feel like he should be getting more attention for the things that he’s accomplishing um this year and

Then when you look at what yic is doing and you look at his numbers you look at Luca donic and his numbers as he enters this game tonight out with Milwaukee um there all these tremendous performances that we’re seeing in individual um uh Excellence that we’re seeing around the league that

Um it’s 100% frustrating especially when uh you know for me personally coming from small markets when you know the teams that I used to cover would be doing some spectacular things and then it would be kind of swept under the rug because these major markets or or or

Teams or players with more cache would get would would have all the Talking Points so I think tonight is a great opportunity on this stage in a in a massive game two teams with identical records where another strong performance from deonis sabonis on this platform

Would go a long way and and and at least getting people to understand how difficult it is to do what he’s able to do night in and night out there we go yeah that’s it Michael I I need I need that monologue on the broadcast tonight man I I need that tonight

Man hey it’s your boy draes here man excited to have you in town for this big game uh you know when you look at the Western Conference and I know you’re very familiar with it having done you you know doing uh play byplay for the Timberwolves how does it stack up to you

Man when you look at you know the the Clippers falling off a little bit but now come here come the Mavericks the Kings the Pelicans I mean this is you know they talk about the wild wild west and this is as wild as it’s been for a

While you know what’s funny the teams that are GE the teams that are that are slipping are still scary yeah and this is what makes the Western Conference in this postseason 100% must see TV you don’t want to miss a game the drama the theater that we’re going to see with

Each matchup over the course of this Western Conference playoff run forget the East the West is crazy so going back to that original point about the teams that are slipping are are are still scary the Clippers have fallen off a little bit anybody want to see Kawai in

Round one anybody enthused about the possibility of matching up with them in round one right now looks like the Pelicans um no that’s still scary uh the who else is slipper Phoenix just lost to San Antonio last night without Victor win Bama man Phoenix is falling off

Anybody want to see ktie and book in round one anybody excited about that first round series even even with golden state the way they’re the way they may not even make the playing tournament uh if they make the playing tournament who wants to see Steph Curry in a Do or Die

Game right so it it’s like every last one of these teams that are fighting for a playoff position fighting for their playing lives um they’re scary they’re desperate and these final weeks of the reg season are going to be uh spectacular the teams that we have at

The top minus Denver who’s number one right now Oklahoma City and you know Minnesota they’ve been doing amazing things this season but still they’re going to have their doubters once the bright lights of the postseason comes on because of their lack of collective uh posting and experience together so how

Will they handle the Limelight when they’re a favorite and round one potentially against the Dallas Mavericks potentially against the Suns or you know or or the Lakers uh so it’s just so many storylines and I I just have never never seen either conference this deep um 11

Deep 11 deep yeah you’re right wow yeah yeah Michael Grady with us he’s got the call tonight on TNT uh kings in the Mavs at you being the t-wolves play byplay guy Michael how impressed were you by what the Kings did that Friday a couple weeks ago when they went into Minnesota

Without Dean Fox and they were able to come away with that Victory when Malik monk went nuts on the t-wolves and and what was a really big game for both teams yeah you know Sacramento again being another one of those teams that you know uh if you want to if you’re

Excited about seeing them in the postseason something might be wrong with you um given the way dearen Fox is playing this season another guy we talk about sabonis being under the radar what dearen fox is doing is under the radar as well um in a lot of NBA circles and

He should be applauded for it uh Malik monk is the Sixth Man of the Year in that game where he dropped 39 where he had you know a slow start in that game and you’re thinking from a from a timberwolf perspective okay if he if he stays pedestrian you’re okay and then

All of a sudden he goes nuclear and you know the basket is as wide as the ocean so he’s he is incredibly fun to watch um from a Defender standpoint he’s incredibly tough to stop and he just makes this this Sacramento Squad more Dynamic the one thing I’m curious about

Um uh and I’ll turn it to you drapes is the the the defense for Sacramento um I remember talking to Mike Brown about this a couple of times um you know this season and that they know that they have a tremendous offense and if the defense

Could just catch up just a little do have to be spectacular but if the defense can rise you know a little bit then you can do some then they could potentially do some some really special things and whether it’s Keon Ellis or whatever it is kind of defensively um

We’re seeing them lock lock in a little bit more and I I think that’s going to make them even more dangerous dangerous as we get into this critical part of the regular season Michael Grady joining us and Michael you talk about the Kings defense man and and it really has improved right

Now they’re 14th in the NBA in defensive rating you know all season long we’ve been just been talking about hey if this team could just be middle of the pack top 15 you know great things will happen and you’re seeing it right now and I

Point to Keon Ellis and you know a lot of times you know what happens is the coach can preach things and say guys we got to do this but you need a player to actually go out there and do it and I feel like what Keon’s done is sort of

You know rubbing off on everybody else you know how it is when one guy is getting after it it sort of you know motivates the rest of the team to do that as well it it it’s contagious and you need irritator like that on your roster and

Um I I think it’s really fun to see and going back to that Minnesota game you know Malik monk obviously went crazy offensively but Keon did so many little things in that game as a disruptor and and and mucking up the flow for the uh for the Timberwolves back court that he

Was 100% noticeable in that game so from my standpoint it’s no from from the outside looking in it’s no surprise kind of the impact that had because again once you start to get easy baskets and you make plays and get stops like I you know the NBA is just all about scoring

120 100 we’re seeing a lot of 120 130 whatever it may be numbers are going down a little bit slightly um but defense is fun like can we make defense fun again can we make can we enjoy getting stops um uh making great defensive plays you know I’ve seen I’ve

Seen it in Minnesota with the number one defensive rating but seeing what you know Sacramento is starting to do and seeing some you know Oklahoma City they’ll get after you defensively Houston is one of the hottest teams if not the hottest team oh they’re the hottest team in the league right now

After what happened with Boston last night um Houston gets after it defensively um I I love talking about defense and um and seeing selfless guys like Keon Ellis have an impact on their respected team Michael Grady with us he’s got the call tonight on TNT Michael to that point uh the Kings last

Wednesday I believe it was they beat Toronto and Mike Brown after the game was trying he was asked to compare Keon to any outstanding Defender he’s seen before and he really struggled it was incredible he was he said I I’m having a hard time with that one he in some ways

And he started to say he may be the best we’ve seen in some areas and he didn’t quite go there but he’s really really impressed it’s amazing how impressed Mike Brown is with Keon Ellis uh to this point but I want to ask you as far as

Tonight goes what’s the first thing that jumps out to you about this matchup between the Kings and the Mavericks well I want to see one number one selfishly I want to see everybody play and I think you know with being a back toback for both teams I think if everybody is able

To participate I think it underscores the significance of this game if the Kings win they lock in the regular season series um against the Mavericks and that gives them an edge in terms of a in terms of a tiebreaker if the Mavericks get a win they of course face

Face each other later in the week if the Mavericks get another win there then it opens up the conference record tiebreaker if the Kings and the Mavericks happen to have the same record which is significant because we’re not talking about two teams that are two three or four in the west we’re talking

Six seven eight so these tie Breakers and the opportunity to get out of the playin and give yourself almost a week of rest before the bright lights of the post season gets underway is massive no one wants to go through that okay okay all right we got to play in this 78 game

And if we lose this then we got to play another game to hopefully get into the play playoffs as an eight seed and these kind of high pressure Do or Die game and plus you’re losing rest you know you got guys with with bumps and bruises

Everybody does at this point um uh in the NBA season so to be able to secure a six seed and to be able to rest and watch these other teams playing these these stressful s eight nine 10 playing games um is just you you just can’t put

A price tag on that so for me I I just I just want to see who wants it more you know I want to see a show I when I want to see the guys go out there and play at a high level and it’s it’s it’s late

March and the playoffs don’t start until mid April but this is almost a mini playoff game and the Mavericks have been one of the hot hotter teams in the league uh the kings are of course tough at home and the tempo with which they play with the way that sabonis is

Playing dearon Fox monk Off the Bench the shooting from uh Keegan Murray uh it’s not going to be an easy game either way and so I’m just I’m just ready to buckle up for a fun one tonight yeah hopefully Luca plays tonight like you said I want to see these guys at full

Strength too he’s uh questionable with the left Achilles sword this Michael my final question you know we’ve talked a lot about the Kings obviously our Squad here but what is it that the Mavs have been doing lately that has led them to you know making a playoff push and

Playing better basketball as of late yeah you know the king haven’t seen this iteration of the Dallas Mavericks you know when they saw each saw them for the you know the last time uh the Mavericks coming off of a back to back where Luca johnon had just scored 73 points um

Against Atlanta speaking of no defense um and so the this is their first time seeing them with Daniel gaffard who’s been an absolute differen maker uh with PJ Washington in the starting lineup and if they have their starting five that they’ve had out there the last handful

Of outings with Luca Don Kyrie Irving PJ Washington um Derek Jones um and uh and Gafford in the middle back starting five is undefeated so they found the right mix um of guys and the right flow and Lively the second coming off com coming off the bench um they’re just tough and the

Chemistry between Tyrie Irving and Luca donic and understand and trusting each other and your turn okay my turn that whole thing and they make life easy for their bigs all their bigs are are are shooting an incredible percentage from the floor because they’re just catching lobs or

Cleaning up the glass so um they have just really been really been clicking and and turning it on um at the right time and um we’ll see if if they are able to get after defensively or how they do in transition transition defense against this Sacramento Squad but it’s

Going to be a it’s going to be a a slugfest Mavericks are playing at a high level and I think it just sets up uh for a terrific matchup there’s really no Advantage other than the Kings being at home both teams are on the second half

Of a back toback and I I can’t wait for it Michael Grady have a great call thanks very much for your time we appreciate it we’ll talk to you soon appreciate you both take care guys all right man see you soon all right bro yeah when we come back tell you why don’t

Calling the Kings-Mavericks game on TNT, broadcaster Michael Grady joined The Drive Guys Tuesday to talk about Sacramento’s upcoming clashes with Dallas. They also dive into the strengths and weaknesses for both squads, and what the western conference looks like at the moment. Plus, what makes Domantas Sabonis such a remarkable player?

All that and more on Sactown Sports.

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