NBA TODAY | ‘It’s all hands on deck’ – Bradley Beal on Suns’ race for a playoff spot, March Madness

NBA TODAY | ‘It’s all hands on deck’ – Bradley Beal on Suns’ race for a playoff spot, March Madness

To your point though tonight’s game it kicks off a really brutal stretch for the Suns every single game are against a team with a better record than Phoenix so in the latest edition of Bradley Beal’s andscape video diary with our very own Mark Spears he discusses how

The scuffling suns are trying to find their footing yeah I think everybody wants us to all go score 30 at night in a perfect world but we realize this that won’t happen you know it’s very it’s very you know fine line like yeah we can look at it through that lens

And kind of go with kind of the the the opinion of every like the whole world and the expectation of what everybody has for the situation or we can Embrace who we are as a team and embrace our versatility and embrace the need of everybody and not just bill Booker and

Durant no no no no talking about we don’t expect them to go out each one of them and have 30 at night we expect them to win games that a high level consistently we expect them to actually look like a basketball team not a bunch of individuals out there getting their

Numbers and if the world have these expectations for you guys for the Phoenix Suns what are their expectations in the locker room like Bradley Bill you left Washington DC got traded to the Phoenix Suns with Kevin Durant arguably one of the greatest players to ever touch the basketball Devin Booker he’s

Going to be in the Hall of Fame when he finish and y’all really really the only team that has a big three so what are we talking about right now yes the expectations are going to be High when they when they traded for Bradley Bill I

Know I was one of them that that set up here and said you know what they might be the favorite to come out of the Western Conference here we are now they’re fighting to survive just to stay or or try to get into the postseason

They have enough time to fix it not with that schedule you just they just show who who laid that beautiful graphic out know that was director c i I love her but listen I’m telling you with that schedule is problems yeah so I I really I was thinking about this I really do

Think their loss the other night to the Spurs without Victor was the worst loss in the NBA this year I I had it with the c with the Bucks losing that game in Memphis right before the break remember against um against a bunch of 10day guys

But this is really the worst because of that schedule because they had to win that game and what I can’t explain and yeah they’ve had injuries absolutely and yeah they had a little bit of an unfortunate thing happened to them when they traded for Kevin Durant with all

Those picks and then the rules changed with the CBA it’s very intricate but that doesn’t explain why they are the one of the worst fourth quarter teams in the NBA in the modern era did you hear what I just said they’re one of the worst fourth quarter teams in the modern

Era how do you explain okay they M okay Durant Booker and be Miss games perk at least two of them have played almost all the time how do you explain being the most Dreadful offense in the fourth quarter right even okay you lost Chris

Paul I get that I get by the way that graphic Chris Paul’s going to take that to his free agent meetings with teams this summer going see what happened when I left the Suns that’s unexplainable unrecoverable situation unrecoverable and unexplainable that they are that bad in the fourth quarter with that kind of

Talent look at Wendy throwing me aive and I’m going go get it too because everything you just said point in the direction of leadership four quarter woes like they’re having being the worst in the league comes down from leadership you bought up Chris Paul what was he on that

Team the leader the floor General so these are the things that we’re watching right now and I if we see it damn it they got to see it especially when it comes down to being in the film room so I’m not going to sit up here and point

The f finger at Frank voger because this is not a young group of guys this is a veteran team Malika one guy has two finals MVPs two championships and Kevin Durant Devin Booker has been to the finals Bradley Bill he’s 30 plus like this is not a young ball Club it also

Might be though Kendrick a a stuck ball Club if you will because they do not have very many options to change the roster that they have right now so whatever improvements the Phoenix Suns are going to make not even just this season they’re likely going to have to

Be in trinic they’re likely going to have to come from themselves am I wrong on that Brian they have no functional way to dramatically make over the roster if you brought in like a basketball consultant and said what should we do at this roster that consultant would probably say considering consider

Trading Bradley Beal to rebuild this team a little bit oh but wait Bradley Beal is a no trade clause yep so they really are locked in they’re going to have to find a way though to help get some help a point guard the Phoenix Suns might be a little bit stuck but there

Are several teams who are already flipping the calendar looking toward the NBA draft that’s just a couple of months away and speaking of it’s been nearly 5 months since James Harden forced his way out of Philadelphia and tonight he makes his return to his old stomping grounds

To kick off our ESPN double header our reporter Tim Bond temps joins us now from Philadelphia and Tim if there is one thing that I know about Philadelphia fans is that they are so warm fuzzy and loving when a former player comes back into Wells Fargo Center I’m completely

Kidding of course what are the expectations that James Harden and the Clippers have for starting off this 4 game Road Trip well I’m sure it’s going to be a festive atmosphere as you point out Malik as it always is at the Wells Fargo Center here in South Philly but I also

Think it’s going to be kind of a weird vibe for this game right obviously there’s going to be some emotion about James Harden coming back here to Philadelphia where we’ve spent most of the last two seasons resulting in a couple more second rounde exits from the

Playoffs but this is a matchup that just happened on Sunday in Los Angeles where the Sixers came away with a big win every B win without Joel ID right now is big and this is also coming 5 months after the trade so there’s been a lot of

Time for sort of everything to settle in for the departure to take place there’s also the fact that Joel embiid is still not playing and the Sixers are really just desperately trying to get out of the playing mix in the Eastern Conference standings and this isn’t the kind of Titanic battle between the

Clippers and a team with a healthy Joel embiid that we thought it might have been when the schedule came out so all that’s to say that I’m sure it will be a frosty reception for James Harden but I don’t anticipate this being anything like for example when Ben Simmons came

Back here a couple years ago for the first time just think it’s going to be that same level of animosity for all these reasons involved it’s just kind of a weird atmosphere and uh you know setting for this game to come so long after the trade happen absolutely well

Put let’s dive into Joel embiid a little bit more because it’s been about seven weeks since his surgery and there’s only 10 games is left in the regular season so where is he at in terms of his recovery well things have been in a bit of a stasis with Joel embiid for a

Couple weeks now Malika where as Nick Nur said before the Sixers went on the west coast trip which Jo be did not go on with the team that he’s on the court doing some working out but has not been in any full contact situations has not

Been in a full practice yet with the team and so we’re still in a bit of a holding pattern where as you said there’s 10 games left in the regular season three weeks from today we’ll be talking about the playin tournament in the Eastern Conference right now

Philadelphia is sitting in what would be a pretty juicy matchup in a 78 situation with the Miami Heat with the winner of that game likely going on to play the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and the loser potentially having to win an 89 game just to get the right to play

The team with the League’s best record the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs but certainly the first order business for Philly is to get Joel embiid back on the court and now that they’re back around him for a couple of days I think we’ll get a little bit more

Of a sense of just how long it’s going to take to get him back out there but even if ID does get out on the court leak I think it’s safe to assume there’s going to need some time for him to ramp himself up and get his conditioning back

Anywhere near where it was before when he was leading the league at scoring for a third straight year and playing at an m caliber level for the Sixers well as he continues to ramp up in the hopes of returning we will continue to update everybody at home Tim bonm thank you so

Very much enjoyed tonight’s game but as Tim knows all too well even without Joel embiid do not count out the 76ers tonight after all they went into Los Angeles they got a wir to wire win over the Clippers over the weekend and Los Angeles followed that up with a blowout

Loss to Indiana which caused tyou Kendrick Perkins to label this team as soft he didn’t lie so what do you need to see from Harden and the Clippers starting tonight well first of all they need to get uncomfortable right espe day yeah because James Harden is too comfortable and he’s still auditioning

Right he’s auditioning for this team he wants a a contract with this team well this is the time of year going into the postseason where all eyes are on James Harden and with Russell Westbrook coming back I think tou has some leverage to have some competition within the locker

Room a lot of people look at it as it’s as if it’s a negative netive when it’s actually not you actually love competition in the locker room because it holds guys accountable and I wouldn’t be surprised if James Harden doesn’t Elevate his game and pick his play up

That if tou wouldn’t roll with Russell Westbrook a lot more as that starting as that point guard that they need to get Paul George and kawh Leonard going like they need to get going offensively look I don’t care if this is a hard and return game I don’t care if they’re

Playing the Washington generals at Rucker Park the Clippers have to win this game this is a must-win game because they’ve got to stem the tide they’ve got to start this road trip off on a bright spot they got lucky last night that the Pelicans couldn’t take advantage of the Thunder uh playing at

Home and the Pelicans um took a loss and so the Clippers got back into fourth place but they’re still way too close to the play in than they should be they should be fighting to get out of the four seed into the three so they don’t have to potentially face the Nuggets of

The second round instead they got to be looking in their rear view look at how close they are to the play in and not only that Beyond just where the standings are these recent losses that they’ve had are unacceptable they got to get a win tonight forget about what

Happens with Harden forget about the crowd they got to put together 48 minutes of quality basketball to build some momentum they got way way bigger goals than being the four seed or getting J James Harden get back game they got to start turning it around now well and they’re not the only ones

Included in that sentiment on our ESPN double header tonight first you can catch James Harden’s return to Philadelphia which is Brian Richardson over Taylor and nobody can stop her from duke Richardson this turn head early match Richardson it at 47 in the ACC this season Reagan Richardson are you

Kidding meona back on the floor kicks it out open three Richardson puts it in so much Buzz around this tournament and rightfully so and so much Buzz for Reagan Richardson in the crowd here for Ohio State fans she’s done that Richardson Fade Away got it what a shot

Back to back 25-point games Richardson does a great job getting herself [Applause] Open Richardson floats it in and the Duke Blue Devils are dancing on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 not another Mirage your tower has been destroyed what a game we saw between

Iowa State who knocked off Maryland and Tara vanir in Stanford 99 career NCAA tournament wins 100 sends them to the Sweet 16 and that is Cameron Brink and Audi Crooks just came in with a 40-point game back and forth Brink down low causing trouble for Brooks Base is under attack two of

11 Iowa state in the first half Iowa state had a two-point lead into the third Brink gets called for the foul that’s her fourth had to head to the bench one of the stars in the college game but they have more and this young lady Kiki iopen

Was absolutely out of her mind in this one Stanford leading by two Emily Ryan a spectacular game for Iowa State knocks down to three we’re tied at 57 Ryan step back bottoms Iowa State takes the lead on the other end off glass Stanford back up to and then the three

From Brook Demitri down low in a tie game iopen can’t get the bucket to go we head to overtime in our overtime put two more on the board eie off and good there Cooks down low pleasure doing business with you Erie offen Stanford up two on the other end Addie Brown a

Three Brook Demitri it’s your turn and we need it if we’re Stanford and we get it if we’re Stanford shout out to Stanford Steve two-point game down low it doesn’t go in the paint Brown can’t get that free throws are made it was an easy decision because if

You think about what we did last time cost two subs right so for us we knew we can get the 45 we wouldn’t use a window um and we wouldn’t use two sub so and then what it gave the guys is a boost that you got a guy like Ty Adams on the

Field and you can see how impactful he was in the 45 and you know typical and he wants to play more you know guys are asking why can’t he play more you know it’s a whole thing and but we have to stick to it you know that’s

What we agreed with his club and for for us as much as I wanted him in the game because I did you know it’s it’s a safety thing we want him to make sure that he gets back in a healthy way because he has a lot um more games to

Play the takeaway from these 45 minutes from Houston in this game or what we’ve often talked about this how will the game be afficiated uh you know if if they’re allowed to play free and be physical at the defensive in the floor they can really become disruptive uh if

It’s a tight whistle all of a sudden you’re seeing your opponent go for 40 free throws that’s 45 yeah 45 free throws for Texas A&M uh it it forces you to be a little bit less aggressive at the defensive end of the floor that allows you to get better quality shot

The other thing that concerned me a little bit about Houston tonight offensive rebounds just the ability to get on the offensive glass 23 offensive rebounds by Texas Radford who you mentioned had the big scoring day also LED them in offensive rebounds but from the guard position

And so I think a little bit of concern there but I think you really got to be pleased with Jamal shed I mean the quintessential best leader on the floor the coach extension of the coaching staff all the superlatives you want to throw at this young man he has stepped

Up time and time again made big moments made big reads uh and put his team in position to win and the NCAA tournament you usually have to go through a game that doesn’t go your way this might be that game for Houston in order to make sure they get to the Final Four

An enemy has been defeated an enemy has been defeated Picture Perfect offense from Virginia ATT Walker a halfcourt heath to beat the buzzer oh my goodness Jada Walker Jada Walker had something to say about it Baylor up three is way head to the for an enemy has been defeated double

Kill Slims At Your Service for Carol Lawson’s team who played the fourth toughest schedule and who before this year had never played point guard and nice still on the bench with two fouls but they got a three from Richardson to get Ohio State’s defense to collapse Richardson again a Richardson back over

Taylor and nobody can stop her from duke Reagan Richardson this tournament early match goodness Richards it at 47 in the ACC this season re Richardson are you kidding me con back on the floor kicks it out open three Richardson puts it in so much Buzz around this tournament and

Rightfully so and so much Buzz for Reagan Richardson in the crowd here for Ohio State fans she’s done that Richardson deated Fade Away got it what a shot backto back 25-point games Richardson does a great job getting herself open you have defeated Richardson blocks it in and the Duke Blue Devils are

Dancing on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 your team has destroyed a tower you have defeated an enemy what a game we saw between Iowa State who knocked off Maryland and tarand in Stanford 99 career NCAA tournament wins 100 sends them to the Sweet

16 and that is Cameron Brink and Audi Crooks just came in with a 40-point game and it’s back and forth Brink down low causing trouble for Kooks who was two of 11 Iowa state in the first half Iowa state had a two-point lead into the third Brink called for the foul that’s her

Fourth and had to head to the bench one of the stars in the college game but they have more and this young lady Kiki aren was absolutely out of her mind in this one Stanford leading by two Emily Ryan a spectacular game for Iowa State knocks down the three we’re tied at 57

Ryan step back bottoms Iowa State takes the lead on the other end off glass Stanford back up too and then the three goes from Brook Dimitri down low in a tie game iopen can’t get the bucket to go we head to overtime in a overtime put two more on the board

Erie offen good there Crooks down low you have defeated an enemy nothing personal Stanford up two on the other end Addie Brown a three Brook Demitri it’s your turn and we need it if for Stanford and we get it if for Stanford shout out to Stanford Steve

NBA TODAY | ‘It’s all hands on deck’ – Bradley Beal on Suns’ race for a playoff spot, March Madness