Coach Reeve's Next Masterclass

On today's episode, we break down Olivia Miles' historic rookie explosion as the first-place Minnesota Lynx extend their winning streak. We discuss Cheryl Reeve's tactical masterclass in keeping Minnesota dominant even during Napheesa Collier's absence, before shifting gears to a wild NBA final where the Knicks have stunned the Spurs by grabbing a commanding 2-0 series lead heading into MSG. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Welcome to Love and Basketball, a Timberlink fancast. I'm Matt.

SPEAKER_02 0:29

And I'm Marissa, and we're a married couple and longtime fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Every week we break down the games, spill the off-court tea, and share our takes. This is our weekly catch up, and you're invited.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Back, friends.

SPEAKER_03 0:45

On today's episode, we'll discuss how the Minnesota Lynx are doing after 11 games of the WNBA season, and we'll share some highlights amongst the Lynx players and former players.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

And finally, we'll talk a little bit about the NBA finals.

SPEAKER_03 0:59

Well, before we get started, we should acknowledge the fact that we're recording from a new space.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Yes, yes, new studio.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

Matt has updated his office. It looks so good. Yeah. And we it it posed some technology issues. Kind of.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

I mean, just resetting of everything.

SPEAKER_03 1:17

And so hopefully it's at our age, we don't want to reset.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

No.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

Fewer resets work best.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Correct, correct.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

Um, we were the podcast uh couple that didn't have our mic, my mic plugged in for a few episodes.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

Right, right. And and we were just getting the audio from my mic. Whatever.

SPEAKER_03 1:35

So we were brave to switch things up. But the space looks great. If anyone is a friend, come on over and check it out. Matt's been working really hard. It's pretty, there's cards everywhere. Yeah. And it looks really good. Oh, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Yes, it feels comfortable. Um, so today we get to really spend the majority of the time on our surprise of the year, the Minnesota Lynx.

SPEAKER_03 2:01

And it's a surprise because we lost five of our best players, and um some people weren't I mean, us included, didn't know if Olivia Miles would. We we thought we needed a big.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yes, we didn't have any bigs.

SPEAKER_03 2:16

We lost our bigs. Well, we had Natasha Howard, but we didn't really know her. We weren't a big leader.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Well, and also if you compare Natasha Howard versus the centers that she has to match up against, she's not as big. She's quite lean. Yeah. Yeah. So um, so it's been it's been wonderful to watch. It's been so much fun. I love how people like at the uh gathering last night where they're like, so what are you gonna do now that uh the Timberwolves season is over? It's like, what are you talking about?

SPEAKER_03 2:41

This is so much more fun. I mean, I shouldn't I mean it's apples to oranges, that's what we're learning. You can't really compare the two. However, watching the Lynx has been so much fun, such a delight.

SPEAKER_01 2:52

It really has been fun. So, a little highlight for those that aren't paying close enough attention. Yeah. So the Minnesota Lynx are the top of the standings in the W at 9 and 2, followed by a host of pla uh teams with seven wins. Um, but you know, we have at least a game and a half above everybody in the league right now, which is crazy to me.

SPEAKER_03 3:14

Crazy. We've won seven in a row, and I think most people are attributing that to our coaching.

SPEAKER_04 3:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:20

Um, Cheryl Reeve is they're comparing her to she's the Popovich of the W.

SPEAKER_04 3:26

Right.

SPEAKER_03 3:27

Um, and it's really impressive to I mean, we really like our Timberwolves coach a lot. Of course. We we talk about him um positively a lot. However, there's a different echelon of of coaches that Popovich and Cheryl Reeve are in, and it's very fun to be fans of the team that everyone's talking about, like, oh my gosh, the things she can do with you know, we lost our five, five of our best players, and two of our best players are injured. Our very best player is injured, yeah. One of the best players is in the Who's injured, so the MVP type player. So, um, and we didn't draft a big. We we kind of people were kind of confused on why we drafted Olivia Miles, but man, has it paid off. It's been so fun to watch.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

It's a pleasure to watch. So some highlights in terms of how we're doing this. I just did some team team lead stuff. So our rookie point guard is leading the team in on points per game at 17.2. Now, what's interesting, there's also two other players, Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, that are also averaging seven just under that it's but at 17 points.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

I think Natasha Howard's also averaging, or I think she's actually our leading scorer right now, Natasha.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

ESPN had that Miles as the leading scorer. And then if um you know when it comes to rebounds, you have uh Natasha Howard leading the league and rebound or leading the team in rebounds. Miles, um, of course, is leading the team with assists at 6.4. Steals McBride at almost two, and then Mia Coffee.

SPEAKER_03 5:04

She's been really fun.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

She's been awesome. Her three-point shooting is incredible, and she's leading the team in blocks. So um just just really great. And I kind of wanted to point out um that, and we're just gonna include um fee and this, like what what we've been missing, but um fee and Dorca. Dorca is our center that won, you know, won MVP in the Euroleague um in the offseason of the W. So really great year for her. But in terms of stats that are are missing or have been missing and that will be coming back here soon, you know, you had uh Nefisa scoring about almost 23 points a game. Um, you know, what what else is there there?

SPEAKER_03 5:46

Um 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. So that's what we're missing.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Yeah, that's what's coming back to the team here in this month.

SPEAKER_03 5:58

This month's supposed to be this month. She's week to week, um, but expected to return in June. We are at the beginning, almost middle of June. We expect her to be back soon.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Yes, and um what I what's really nice is that okay, let's say let's compare it to the Timberwolves. So when Ant goes down for two weeks towards the end of the season, um, and then comes like we were playing, we we we figured out a way to win without it. We did, that was fun. But the difference is is when he count came back, it was like we had to reset the way we were before he was injured, um, and and everything had to kind of go back to the way it was.

SPEAKER_03 6:37

Or figure out how to utilize IO more or kind of change what we were doing.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Right. But in this case, Fee's the type of player that she's so well-rounded. I mean, she's a great rebounder, she's a great scorer, she's a great passer, she's great on defense, and none of it is like selfish play. Like, I love Ant, but he has to have the ball on his hand, and he kind of takes the the everything away from everyone else unless he's feeding it. Fee's not that way. So I just I just fit I picture now. Obviously, this is just you know speculation, but I'm picturing her fitting into this winning team so much better than your typical superstar that like it's like, oh, we gotta reset and figure out how to play with our superstar back. That's not how this is gonna be.

SPEAKER_03 7:24

Absolutely. She's and she's not gonna take away from what's already working so well, right? Which is really the Olivia Natasha pick and roll situation. Um, I wish the Timberwolves could find a way to do that with such efficiency and just there, those two are.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Would it be nice to have Olivia Miles on the Timberwolves?

SPEAKER_03 7:44

Seriously. I mean, I know she would be quite tiny on the a lot of people have said what's the Olivia Miles version of Olivia Miles in the MBA, and I think that's is what we need. Yeah. And can we get Cheryl as a consultant behind the Timberwolves just because she has her intelligence, her it's so high. And then you bring on our assistant coaches, which are all champ, you know, former champions under Cheryl, played for her. Um, I read that this is that Olivia is the first true, pure point guard that the Lynx have had since Lindsay Whalen. That's incredible. And now Lindsay Whalen is her like coach. Um, so that's pretty cool. And to see Courtney thrive in the shooting guard role has been really fun. You know, she's scoring a ton and doing really well too.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

So yeah, her mid-range is insane. And and now she gets to highlight that, I think, even more shooting that mid-range.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

Yeah. And I don't know, I guess I was projecting a little bit, but I wondered if Courtney might feel a little bit of maybe feel threatened by this really young, really good point guard. It feels like they have really good chemistry and that Courtney's just building her up and like, thank goodness I have there's someone here to to to play this role and that I don't have to. And she's performing really well. It's not like like sometimes when a star comes in, you know, it you can see other players, their play suffers, and hers has not. She scored 30 points yesterday. Um, she's just regularly scoring very high.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yeah, and and I I love how I heard um re coach Reeve talk about how um she doesn't coach Olivia Miles on how to pass. Yes. Um she doesn't coach her passing or her, you know, how she sees the court or hey, look for this. She she really trusts Miles to just do her thing, and then she's you know inserting her leadership in other areas, but specifically the passing is not something that um she she tries to even come close to coaching her on because it's just so innate, um, you know, who she is.

SPEAKER_03 10:00

They both lift each other up, which is really I don't know, it's just such a respectful way to talk about each other. Um, the way Cheryl talks about um Olivia, but also Olivia, you know, talks about Cheryl that way. And we wondered at the beginning of the season if part of the reason people didn't re-sign in Minnesota was because of Coach Reve in terms of her high expectations. And you know, Courtney even alluded to this during her half-game interview, halftime interview where she talked about, yeah, I'm gonna hear about this during you know, in the locker room during halftime. I do think she's really tough. But Olivia has spoken to like really just the positive acts, you know, aspects of of Cheryl. And I think if you play well, you know, she's not as tough.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

Well, I and I think that I think that goes back to the the pop, um, the the Popovich comparison again. I mean, he would get on his players for making stupid mistakes, yeah. And he expected excellence, and Cheryl expects excellence, yeah. And she doesn't care really where you were before or what your role was before in this system. This is how we do it, and maybe that's you know, maybe some players don't want that, and that's okay. Maybe, you know, but what she ends up doing is getting the most out of the players that are willing to be coached like that. Yeah, and then there's also, you know, same on the same Poplovich train, so they have these intense, this intense coach, but these strong relationships with this players, uh like like like Tim Duncan, or you know, you go to the club.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

They'll live in San Antonio for the rest of their lives.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

And and but then they're also off the court advocates. They're also they're well spoken. Yeah, well, and no, I mean like society. Oh, like they're activists in terms of pushing the envelope, they they use their podium really well, they're obviously well-spoken individuals with like the utmost respect. I love to hear both of them comment on on their teams, on you know what's going on. Like it's it's it's it's really cool how they can lead both of them. So I love the comparison between the two.

SPEAKER_03 12:09

I think it's such a compliment to both of them.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 12:12

Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

What's up next?

SPEAKER_03 12:16

So the resurgence of Natasha Howard. You and I were not big Lynx fans when she was on the Lynx prior. We were like, yeah, we were casual. We didn't know she played with the Lynx before. We're embarrassed about it now. Like thanks for your patience with us. Getting up to speed. We're every game, we're getting up to speed. It's gonna take this whole, I think by the end of this season, we will be in a much better spot than where we are now. But um, it's been fun. People, you know, other the league is talking about the resurgence of her because she's having such a good start to the season. Um, so she is a two-time all-star. She's um been so, so, so good in the past, but uh she's being so much better now in the links than she was last year with the fever.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:00

Um, you know, some people are saying she's like saving the savior of the team, like she's so good. Um, and we just need that inside presence because we don't have Navisa, we don't have Dorka. Um our rookie Shikova.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Yeah, you got it.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Is you know out for the season with the ACL. So we really need her, but also she's really good.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Yeah, so um her footwork is is is mesmerizing, which what she can do, you know, down low is really great.

SPEAKER_03 13:31

Yep. Um, and she anchors both ends of the floor. She's good on offense, good on defense. Um, we did sign Tierra McCowan. Um, this was since Jacoba went out. We've signed her. Um, she's six foot seven, also a center. We haven't seen her play a ton.

SPEAKER_01 13:48

I've watched her quite like when she's in, and she's she's kind of I don't know, she kind of looks like um she's figuring things out. Like she's kind of figuring out how to move her body within this system. Like it's so much, it's so much less like I don't know, smooth, and I mean she's kind of flopping around like kind of like our puppy. Yeah, yeah, like our puppy. Just like in lots of foul trouble. Um, so I don't know her history, but um, she's getting worked into our culture here and and but she gets pulled pretty quickly because Cheryl's like, okay, that's enough of that.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

Right. We had a really so we played the storm yesterday, which we'll talk about more in a little bit because that was a big reunion for us. Um but we had a really bad first quarter. We scored 16 points to their like 29. Um, and then we did get up, but in and I think at halftime we were up by three, but the the Seattle Storm are not good. They're not having a good season so far. They're very young. Three wins. We it's like we were expected to dominate. Sorry. Um, but it was that second unit, some of our bench players that actually really got us into the game. We ended up winning by 20 after being down by so much. Um, so we do have bench play. It's not just our, it's not an Olivia, Natasha, it's not only, but I mean, real our our starters are what's been so fun and exciting, but our bench is stepping up too, yeah, which really just speaks to our coaching staff, how they develop players, right?

SPEAKER_01 15:22

And again, getting the most out of every single like squeezing every bit of talent out of them and and having them grow from there.

SPEAKER_03 15:29

And we've talked about how we don't remember Kayla McBride playing this much defense last year. I'm sure she did, maybe, you know. But like with um just having a less deep team right now, I feel like she's become a more well-rounded player. Like everyone just seems to be really stepping up. Um, do you want to do the quote that Olivia talked about?

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Um can you why why don't you why don't you grab it there?

SPEAKER_03 15:55

So she said the ego less nature of our team, the everybody eats kind of mindset. She said we all just love to get involved, get touches. We know we're really hard to guard when we swing the ball from side to side, when everyone is touching the ball at any given moment.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Um yeah, yeah, it's really fun to watch. It's just really good basketball.

SPEAKER_03 16:15

And it it reminds me of um, you know, I don't know that I felt that this that way this year, but there are times when the Timberwolves would get down and I'm like, but it'll be fine because we're gonna come back. Um there were moments this year that I did feel that way, but I feel that way like I was like, oh, we're losing to the the storm, it'll be fine. Um, mostly because you just know that we're gonna lock in with our defense and um good passing eventually, and and so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

So tell us why was uh you know, yeah, why was the reunion uh with the storm?

SPEAKER_03 16:49

So two games before this we played the storm, um, Natisha Howard was in town because she's on the Natisha Heidemann. Oh, this is my issue.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Yeah, yeah, Natasha and Natisha, yes, but Sbud Bud.

SPEAKER_03 17:03

The stud buds plural. Um Natisha was in town to play with the Seattle Storm, but she came and sat courtside for the game before that game, and that was really fun to see her on the court, and like people were so excited to see her, but then we actually played her um yesterday, and they the links did a really nice tribute video.

SPEAKER_01 17:25

And then like a two-minute ovation for afterwards. I mean, there's some real love here.

SPEAKER_03 17:33

Um and then the love kind of stopped because after that first half when we didn't play great, yeah, you know, the um the journalist asked Courtney, like, you know, how fun is it to play your, you know, your twin and your BFF? And she was really set on the fact that that we weren't playing very well. And she's like, I'm gonna hear about this um in the locker room. Um, and then uh Courtney ended up scoring 30 points. We ended up winning by 20. She scored directly on Natisha. Um, and I think Natisha played fairly well, but it's it's a hard matchup, you know. So, but it was so fun to have her back, and um, I think they got to have like a good solid few days in the in the city together, which is so much different than the NBA.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

Um when I heard that she came early, I started thinking like who else from the did the whole team come early? Because normally you travel with your team on everyone, but it's different, they don't play as many games.

SPEAKER_03 18:33

That's why you have a little bit more time. And I saw them doing like TikTok dances and stuff together. So I'm like, clearly, and I we went to the Mall of America on Friday, yeah, and I was like, like, keep your eyes open for the stead buds. I was like, sure they were gonna be there, but yeah, no such luck.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

It it was yeah, they're they're adorable to see, and they still have you know so much love for each other, and yeah, even on the court they were like smiling, uh Neticia like scored, and everyone was just kind of you know, it they were proud of her even in-game like type stuff. It was it was pretty funny.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

I I'm assuming this is related that Cheryl was wearing a pink, hot pink uh suit coat and Courtney was wearing hot pink shoes. Yeah, I'm assuming it's related, but I don't know for sure. Um there is a Natisha Heideman fan and a dog, an emotional support dog, that comes to the games. And he was or he or she was wearing their Heideman jersey, which was pretty cute.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

So well, in kind of like to put it all, you know, wrap it up on the on the on the links portion here. I think that we can be really excited. Like we have every reason to be excited to see what happens when Fee comes back and and see what we can do.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

Um do you have a favorite player right now?

SPEAKER_01 19:49

I mean, Olivia is my favorite player outside of Fee right now because she just reminds me of all of the really fun point guards that I used to watch growing up. I mean, like like Jason Williams, White Chocolate, like the the people that made like fun basketball plays that you were never expecting. She can whip the ball around so fast, and she it it looks like she's yeah, it's just so much fun to watch. I love watching basketball like that. So um uh yeah, she's probably my favorite, but I have like I mean, there's so many people right now that I could, you know, highlight. How about you?

SPEAKER_03 20:26

Yeah, I think going into this season, I was like, well, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams are our two that are not injured that are coming back, and they're still like so high up there for me. I love them both so much. Probably uh a little bit more Kayla. Um, she loves the city and she is putting down some roots here, has a lot of like friends here. Um, I love Courtney too, obviously. But it's been so fun for me to just, you know, your expect my expectations were that those would be my favorites, and now I'm like, no, it's Olivia and Natasha Howard or have been the most fun to watch. And so I'm I really love watching them. I also will give a runner-up to um Minnesotan Necopi. She has really fun. There's been several games where her threes put us over the edge.

SPEAKER_01 21:13

She's shooting a career best of three-point, um, three-point shooting.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Especially at the beginning. I think at the beginning we were around 500 at one point, and I was like, oh, we're gonna be like a 500 team. That's okay. But she would be the one that would kind of her threes would take us over the edge. Yeah, we've won seven games in a row.

SPEAKER_01 21:30

Yeah, but I mean we were two and two at that point. Yeah, and we haven't yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 21:36

We've played some good teams, and we have some upcoming games.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Um real quick on on Nea Coffee. I hope that and and I it seems like she is the type of person that will be able to handle this really well because of like her history in the W, and I mean she's a veteran and everything. I kind of feel for her because Phi's gonna be stepping into her her minutes and her starting role and all of that kind of stuff. Which I'm obviously Niakafi doesn't think that she's gonna start over in a FISA collier. Like that's not it. But at the same time, she's playing so well, and I don't want to lose that edge. True because um, yeah, she's she's her rebounding, her fight out there has just been great. So hopefully, you know, that's one thing I'm not concerned about that, but I'll be watching for to see how that transition works for her moving to the bench when that happens.

SPEAKER_03 22:22

Yeah, and I think it'd be good for us, you know. We are really trying to get to know the whole team, yes, but we're gonna really be paying attention to some of the names we didn't mention on this episode. And um Caldwell. Caldwell and um um our new player. Oh, what is her name? Oh, it'll come to me. Ola. Oh, it's like that's like the the nickname. Gotcha. So we'll pay attention to some of those other players and kind of share some highlights from them just because I feel like we need to go a little deeper, but yeah, it's still learning. Um yeah, do we want to do a little bit of a NBA update?

SPEAKER_01 23:05

A little NBA finals update. So as most of you would know, um, you know, we've got the Spurs versus the Knicks, and the series started in San Antonio, and uh the Knicks put a tube in both games and won. They are now up 2-0 over the Spurs and heading back to Madison Square Garden, where it is going to be nuts. It's going to be a zoo.

SPEAKER_03 23:32

I have um unexpectedly felt like I wanted the Spurs to win. Yeah. Um I love Kat. I'm so happy for Kat. Cat has really been shining and gotten a lot of good press and a lot of good attention. Um, I don't know, all the things that you we just said about Popovich and Spurs culture make you really respect them as an organization. And I feel like New York just like kind of comes in and they dominate, even in San Antonio. There's such a presence there. The fans are there and they're getting all of the attention media-wise because it's New York and it is crazy. And you know how cool to be in New York right now with all that love. Like, it is literally people are high on excitement for the Knicks.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

Yeah, and they haven't won a finals in almost 50 years.

SPEAKER_03 24:22

Yes, good for them. I'm not trying to take away from them, but also like you know, Jordan McLaughlin is a former Timberwolf. He plays um on the bench for the Spurs, you know, kind of junk minutes, but he's not even six foot tall. And um his family is so excited that he's in the finals. It's just like a little heartbreaking to be on, you know, when I like when you just like human, like the people on that team that are like, this isn't very fun to have them come in here and be loud. And yeah. So yeah, and I just thought after we played them that I would be rooting for Kat and the Knicks, but sometimes I can't, I'm confused by why I'm like, I'll go, aww, when like they miss a shot. And I'm like, why am I sad for them? Yeah. And I have to like, you know, reflect on my feelings a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Yeah, and I I would say that the team is different than the fans, you know what I mean? Like there are um, there's not the entitlement necessarily from like players like Kat or OG Ananobi or Mikhail Briggs.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Jalen Brunson a little?

SPEAKER_01 25:25

Well, Jalen Brunson and his dad are you know in a different category.

SPEAKER_03 25:29

Did you it makes me like it drives me a little crazy when he goes crazy when he has his clutch play? I don't like that. I'm like, oh great. Did you see what happened when um Jalen Brunson and De'Aaron Fox um went face to face? Who who said you're not that tough? De'Aaron?

SPEAKER_01 25:44

No. Jalen? Rick Brunson, Jalen Brunson's dad.

SPEAKER_03 25:50

Said that to De'Aaron Fox?

SPEAKER_01 25:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

But you're not that tough?

SPEAKER_01 25:53

Yeah, so here's let me paint this picture. And for anyone that has been to an AAU basketball game, you've seen this happen before.

SPEAKER_04 26:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 26:03

So they get into a little scuffle, the two point guards, and they're in front of the Spurs bench. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, assistant coach and dad, Rick Brunson, runs all the way down the court and is in the on the Spurs bench with them, yelling at like them and telling them they're not that tough, and basically pulling an AAU dad moment. It was so embarrassing. I've heard like I was listening to ESPN radio yesterday with a bunch of football players that were talking about it, and they were laughing hysterically and how pathetic it was that he did that.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

It did, you're that's a really good analogy.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

Yeah, it's just it was it was really it was really dumb. And I'm looking back, I'm sure Jalen's like, Dad, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_03 26:51

Right. Um, this is embarrassing me, Dad.

SPEAKER_01 26:53

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 26:53

And that's the core dad.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

Again, another AAU moment.

SPEAKER_03 26:56

Yeah. So so I think we have to talk a little bit about Kat, and you know, he's been talking a lot about his mom after the wins, and he's really felt her, you know, she died during COVID. He lost eight family members, seven or eight family members during COVID. It was just the most traumatic experience for Kat, and very close with his mom. Mom and dad still married, they were very close, like at every game, and his dad's been at every game, you know, since she passed, but it's it was a very hard time for Kat. And so he's been talking a lot about feeling her presence in there and um her presence really impacting his play positively, and he's been getting a lot of positive press about it. And well, I'm happy for him. Like I think Minnesota fans are are happy and a little bit sad.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

Yeah, I mean, they're I mean, we want we wish that it could have, you know, gone that far, you know, with us with us. Um there are reasons why he couldn't and all of that, which is fine. But um, what he's done in the postseason um is has been remarkable. And towards like the last half or last quarter of the season, too, they they changed the way that they use Kat and they stopped um pretending that he was just a low post guy and you know, dump it down to him and he can pass out. He's literally running the offense from the top of the key now, passing the ball, and he's he's his overall basketball IQ is being used, which is really refreshing. Um, if you stop the series right now, this is crazy to think, but if you stop the series right now and this the Knicks win, Carl Anthony Towns would be the MVP of the case.

SPEAKER_03 28:30

That is crazy, especially because it wasn't that long ago that on this podcast we were talking, we were feeling bad for Kat and all the negative press he was getting for how bad he was playing for the Knicks.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

I mean, they wanted to trade him like multiple times this season.

SPEAKER_03 28:41

It's so frustrating how we have like it's a little bit like that with Julius Randle, too. I mean, let's be honest. We were I don't know that we were ever singing his praises, but there were times the first half of the year when Coach Finch and analysts were singing.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Before the trade deadline, he was having a good season. So I wanted to trade him on the trade deadline.

SPEAKER_03 29:01

Yeah, just saying we would have gotten more value than we will now.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

We'll see. Yeah. Um, but anyway, I'm really I'm I'm happy for Kat. I I I don't look at it with sour grapes at all. I don't think that though our team could have been constructed like the Knicks um in terms of payroll and all that kind of stuff. And so there's just things getting in the way, and um we needed to make the move.

SPEAKER_03 29:24

And relationally, there's nothing bad there. Kat didn't want to be traded, he wasn't trying to be traded. That was a total surprise to him, and he still has like a lot of love for our organization and our players and our fans in our state and our city, so um, there's no negative, you know.

SPEAKER_01 29:40

And the other way around too. I mean, I know he was surprised by it, but it was handled differently than other trades in the past. Right.

SPEAKER_03 29:47

The fans didn't want it necessarily either, so we're not like get rid of him. We're like right now, like there's a lot of negativity towards Julius Randle. I you know, I don't think when he comes back, if he ever gets traded and then comes back, there will be that same there just wouldn't be that same love. So happy for Kat.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

Um So what's what's up next for for the Lynx?

SPEAKER_03 30:09

All right, so we play on Tuesday the Dallas Wings again. Remember the last time we played them, we were the underdogs. We ended up beating them by four, and their coach went into the locker room with them and told them they were playing selfish basketball.

SPEAKER_04 30:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:24

Um, and that's when we weren't, I think we were that's when we were at 500 or right around, maybe even less. Yeah. Um, so that'll be interesting to see how we do, you know. Again, again, we have Jess Shepherd on that team, we have um Alana Smith on that team, and then obviously Paige Beckers and Hazy Fudd, and that's a just that's a loaded, it feels like there's a lot writing on when we play the wings. Um, and then I think honestly, just like the coach, you can't the it the coaching is where we have we win with the coaching. Um then on Saturday we play the Aces for the first time, they're champions. They have Asia Wilson who's the MVP.

SPEAKER_01 31:05

So both both the Aces and the Dallas Wings, they are you know the handful of I think four or five teams that are at seven wins. So they're right behind us in like one and a half or two games now.

SPEAKER_03 31:15

So we could be right there with them if we don't um continue to win. And then Monday we play the fire at Target Center, and I'm really excited. My friend Elizabeth and I are going to that game. That's so much fun. Um, so I there's a chance that Visa could be playing. I think it's a you know she's not even practicing yet, so probably not.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

But she is dancing out there after.

SPEAKER_03 31:37

She is dancing, she's not in a boot, she's definitely moving like she's close already.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

I thought she was cleared to um do is she cleared to practice? I don't know, I thought so, but maybe okay.

SPEAKER_03 31:47

So that's more than a week away, so it would be fun to see her. I don't know, even just to suit up would be nice. But she wears really cute clothes too. Um, but I'm excited to go to this will be my first game of the season, and I bought Owen asked for a Lynx t-shirt. He doesn't like it, so I'm gonna wear that. There we go.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

I'm excited.

SPEAKER_03 32:08

You got your fit already. I got my fit ready. Um, yeah, I'm just excited to continue to watch basketball this summer. It's it's been fun, especially like at weird times. Yeah. The NBA is so like it's like 7 p.m. every single game, and we're like, what time is the links on? One. What time are the links on? Five. It's like, oh, this is fun and exciting. So join us if you haven't started watching. Join us. Yeah, um, it's really so much fun to watch.

SPEAKER_01 32:37

And and where can you find them?

SPEAKER_03 32:39

Victory Plus, just add that to your Roku or Apple TV. Um, it's free and smart television. And occasionally they're on Prime or also on regular TV. Um, but if you get Victory Plus, you won't be disappointed. And it's free.

SPEAKER_04 32:55

Victory Plus is free. Yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

I love it.

SPEAKER_04 32:58

All right. Thanks for joining us. Yeah.