NBA Today | Zion, Pelicans ready for test against NBA’s best after successful road trip – Wind

NBA Today | Zion, Pelicans ready for test against NBA’s best after successful road trip – Wind

Champs they notched their 50th win of the season to regain sole possession of first place after a win over the Blazers Michael Malone said I don’t know how many teams you can say across the NBA are playing better than the Denver Nuggets right now we’re going to ignore

The third person C but Brian are there any the Celtics but they’re two and0 against the Celtics this year and this game that you refence right here yic and Murray sat didn’t even need them to win on the road and that is why I think the

Answer might be no next up the Pelicans Zion Williamson scored 36 on 13 to 14 shooting and win over the Pistons perk his field goal percentage has improved each month this year is this the best version of Zion we have seen yet hell yeah and it’s not even close

He’s been the most dominant player in the league in the paint using that strength his athleticism and his skill to get to the rim I love what Zion has been doing here I love what the Pelicans has been doing well let’s shift over to another big man who’s been balling

Damonte sabonis the Gonzaga product posted his 53rd consecutive double double over the weekend oh all right well try tying Kevin Love here the longest streak since the merger Brian does the bonus deserve as perk says to make all NBA yeah he’s going to make all NBA I don’t think this streak is getting

Enough attention 53 consecutive double doubles it’s the most sense the merger and he’s two more he’s going to tie the most since Elvin Hayes in 7374 beep all right last stop the Rockets they got their eighth straight win on Saturday thanks to another monster game from Jaylen Green Houston

However will be without bars Smith Jr tonight after he and Chris D remember they were both suspended for throwing punches so perk does this team look like they will be backing down anytime soon hell no they’re coached by eeme udoka and their guy leading the charge

Is Dylan Brooks this team is not going anywhere and they have a promising young star in Jaylen green who has elevated his game since sh goon went down well look at this the Rockets are the hottest team in the west winning eight straight games nine of their last 10 overall

They’ve really turned it up in March winning 10 games this much month which has helped them in their push for the playin Houston won 10 games total between the months of January and February we have less than three weeks Mr windhorse left to the regular season

Here but it’s getting a little bit windy in here I know all eyes are on Houston but you are forecasting potentially something else America God I love America okay we got a big thing going on this week out in Sacramento believe it or not a baseball Series that’s two

Games Mavericks at Kings this to me could decide that all important six seed in the Western Conference these two teams are essentially tied right now now Dallas does play at Utah tonight I’m going to give it to them don’t tell so that means look right here this is the

Most important mikica remaining strength of schedule look how much of an advantage the Mavericks have so these two games that are being played in Sacramento this week in my mind if they split them and they go out and they’re still tied with the Kings they have the advantage even though they’re down here

They have the advantage in the remaining schedule I like the Mavericks to win the six seed if they can split this week and if they take them both they’re in great shape if the Kings take them both they could have the edge cuz I think the suns

Are going to take some losses on the way in as you’ve been talking about for right the the most difficult one of the most difficult remaining strengths of schedule the Phoenix Suns but let’s check in with the Great and Powerful perk who do you see getting the sixth seed

Kendrick I got the Dallas Mavericks and Luca I trust I’m telling you outside of yic he’s the most dangerous player in the Western Conference we see what Kyrie irvan has been doing as a robin playing alongside him this team has been consistent Sacramento has been up and

Down since the allstar break well all season long Phoenix also has been struggling to find identity so if I had to put my cards in the one what hat or on the table I’m going with uh the Dallas Mavs I’m going whatever hat the Dallas Mavericks hat that’s on the table

That’s where Kendrick workin is placing his cards I understand that you way I love that windy watch I do too good I don’t like perk over my shoulder if you want powerful to you all right this is something that I wasn’t expecting to have to talk about at this

Point in the season which is the LA Clippers in trouble in the standings and they are after losing yesterday they have really put themselves up against it against the New Orleans Pelicans as they’re about to go on an East Coast Road Trip they have really struggled since the All-Star break they have

Completely lost their Mojo they were pretty much Untouchable Malika for like two months we really thought they might even get the the one seed now they are barely barely hanging on to the four as they head east and if you look you can see how the Pelicans have made up this

Ground it’s it’s not been anything that we could expect look at this record against teams over 500 since the break 1 and8 look at the ground that the Pelicans have made up I mean that is crazy and the Pelicans are going without Brandon Ingram and are still in great

Position to catch the Clippers and look it’s not so much about whether you get four or five I believe the Clippers can win a road playoff game but they set themselves up now potentially they have to play Denver in the second round even if they beat the Pelicans in the first

Round and I don’t even think they can get in the top three that’s almost closed right now so really struggling for the Clippers they have got to get out of this funk and defensively they’ve just not been the same team it was not that long ago that we were talking about

The top four seeds in the west really being a lock the Thunder the Denver Nuggets the Timberwolves and the Clippers in some way shape or form and now that isn’t necessarily the case but it does look like we’re well on our way to seeing the Clippers and the p an

Match up in the first round here do you think Kendrick Perkins that home court is going to dictate who has the advantage in this series I do I do especially when you’re looking at a young group like the New Orleans Pelicans because we I stand on

This and this is facts role players play better at home so when you have a young group like that role players are going to hit shots role players are going to feed off the energy of the crowd and dive and go for 50-50 balls and go for

Offensive rebounds and when you look at this New Orleans teams new orle Pelicans team Zion Williamson just him alone he feeds off the energy of that crowd and you get a a guy that’s already full of confidence right now playing at the crib it will definitely be a disappointment

For the Clippers if they let the Pelicans get the homec court advantages why I got them as my sleepers are coming out of the Western Conference talking about the Pelicans so those are our forecasts coming out of the West right now but we do need to check in on the

East because the Celtics they’ve officially clinched the one seed in the Easter Conference but you still have your eye on Boston why let’s keep an eye for the next week on Drew holiday for two reasons number one he’s dealing with an arm injury right now he got hit last

Week he’s missed a few games out again tonight it’ll be his fifth straight not super worried about that he says he’s getting better but the one thing I want to talk about is starting one week from today April 1st he can sign a contract extension for the Celtics and I think

Malika there is interest on both sides to get this done before the playoffs now he has an option for next season for $39 million he could sign starting on Monday four years and 21221 I don’t think it will be either I think what’s most likely is he will not

Use that often he will not use that option he will take a new contract that lowers that number and stretches it out they traded and extended Chris EPS porzingis they traded and I think are going to try to extend Dereck white this summer The the Celtics have extended

Jaylen Brown they’re going to try it and probably get extended on Jason Tatum this summer they extended pton Pritchard Malika they like this team they want to lock it in and I think that they will try to do the but true holiday in the very near future but this is an

Expensive team Brian yes when you’re looking at Jason Tatum signing the largest contract in MBA history three bills eclipsing that that was signed by his teammate Jaylen Brown we’re talking about a whole lot of cash year Kendrick so Boston’s the clear-cut favorite they just are Jason Tatum told me this is the

Best roster that he has ever played with including that 2022 finals team but the question is is this version of the Celtics if they fall short yet again should they run it back or should they consider some changes I feel like I’ve been in this position for the last two years and my

Answer is not going to change right they have all the pieces that they need if this group fall short like this is a complete failure it’s Championship AB bust and it’s it’s this way for the Boston Celtics in my opinion and no other team in the NBA and when you think

About Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum it’s almost going to get to the point that if they complete the mission like even if you’re with GRC and Brad Brad Stevens you got to start having doubt at some point if they don’t complete the mission with all the success that these young

Guys have had in the past if they don’t get it done this year with this roster and these pieces that they added with Drew holiday uh christop Pingas this is a problem I think they’re going to I mean they they don’t have very many options I think this they’re locked into

This roster for next season no matter or what after that let’s see but they may have a championship by then well and if they do you know then all bets are off then absolutely you’re going to run it back hey Kendrick we got a lot to get to

In the final 20 minutes of our show I have a question though what do you think Zach Edy Donovan kingan Victor wanyama or Luca donic we’re going to have the answers a little this or that on the other side of this Break first Blood you have been defeated an ally has been defeated to each your tower has been destroyed our base is under attack bring back the gold standard mightest wave an ally has been defeated an enemy has been defeated double kill over here pardon me and my bulging muscles this needs the mightest

Touch not to self golden armor is your team has destroyed a tower screen you have defeated an enemy ultimate bring back the gold standard get over here come closer you have defeated an [Applause] enemy you’re stuck to each other how you like Golden Screen does anyone else feel that

Draft our base is under attack deated for for got fore speech you eternally death boom First Blood an ally has been defeated an enemy has been defeated your tower has been destroyed No Escape it out you have been defeated an enemy has been defeated an ally has been defeated ultimate

You have defeated an enemy how was like fire it well you have been defeated it’s shut down our base is under attack an enemy has been defeated your team has destroyed a tower enemy Ultimate Enemy onslaught an enemy has been defeated you have been defeated enemy double kill our base is under attack

Executed you have been defeated an enemy has been Bas is under attack an enemy has been defeated It’s Chase

NBA Today | Zion Williamson, Pelicans ready for test against NBA’s best after successful road trip – Wind