#thisleague UNCUT

On the latest #thisleague UNCUT, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein react to two Sunday classics -- Sixers/Celtics and Suns/Nuggets -- in which Philadelphia and Phoenix saved their seasons with clutch wins that enabled both to avoid a 3-1 series deficit. The guys also debate the likelihood of a Nikola Jokic suspension for Game 5 back in Denver ... then we take you inside Chris' one-on-one interview with...

Chris Haynes and Marc Stein connect for some instant Game 2 reaction after the Warriors even their second-round series with the Lakers in which they also assess the rest of the playoffs, then move on to tackle the news that Milwaukee has parted ways with championship-winning coach Mike Budenholzer ... and what that means next not only for the Bucks but the other teams (Toronto and Detroit) that al...

The only place for Chris Haynes and Marc Stein to start on the latest episode of #thisleague UNCUT: The best playoff game of James Harden's life. The guys discuss Harden's 45 points in a huge Game 1 win for Philly without the injured Joel Embiid, reflect on a historically bad two sports days in Boston, examine a playoff field that has more lower seeds than we're used to see this time of year and n...

What is next for the Bucks and under-fire coach Mike Budenholzer after their stunning first-round exit? What is next for the Clippers after finishing the season without Kawhi Leonard or Paul George? Chris Haynes and Marc Stein tackle those questions AND catch up with Grizzlies legend Zach Randolph before Memphis' Game 6 in LA against the Lakers on Friday night.  See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

In his latest #thisleague UNCUT soliloquy, Marc Stein reiterates his long-held contention that Jimmy Butler never gets sufficient praise for his production.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Haynes and Marc Stein open the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT with the usual helpings of playoff talk, focusing on Kings/Warriors and Suns/Clippers as well as the latest on Kawhi Leonard. They also speak at length about Damian Lillard's unexpected courtside appearance in Brooklyn and what it REALLY meant. As a bonus, Haynes and Stein chat with 17-year-old Dink Pate, who is poised to bec...

Even with injuries that sidelined both Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo on Wednesday night and major front office news in the nation's capital AND lots more going on, there was only one place for Haynes and Stein to train their focus for the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT: All things Draymond Green. All the ins and outs of Green's suspension Game 3 against Sacramento, his many highs and un...

Our first pod of the playoffs has inside stories on Pat Bev, Ty Lue and Nicolas Batum, updates on the Milwaukee/Miami series and a lengthy look at the Clippers/Suns series from a number of angles. But Haynes and Stein also manage to weave in some unforeseen tales about Chris wearing a white suit on South Beach, Marc's high school graduation cruise and the state of Chris' game. In short: There's a...

On the latest #thisleague UNCUT, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein reflect on the play-in games we've seen so far, look ahead to the first-round matchups we already know and mostly discuss the various teams feeling the pressure to build around their stars like Portland (Damian Lillard) and Dallas (Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving) ... and in New Orleans' case get the star (Zion Williamson) on the floor. The...

In Part 2 of our conversation with Golden State's Draymond Green, Draymond discusses his leadership approach this season, goes in-depth on his practice floor clash with Jordan Poole and the aftermath, addresses his long-term future with the Warriors and helps us break down the Western Conference playoffs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two rookie podcasters meet a veteran podcaster when Chris Haynes and Marc Stein host Golden State's Draymond Green on #thisleague UNCUT. In Part 1 of their conversation, Draymond dishes on why this has been the hardest of Golden State's four title defenses, goes in-depth on his own mindset on D and the Warriors' struggles at the defensive end on the road this season and shares detailed insight on...

Until the next time Chris Haynes and Marc Stein connect for the usual serving of #thisleague UNCUT, Marc has an essay that focuses on Kevin Durant and the unprecedented nature of the Suns trying to win a championship after trading Durant at midseason ... with some ranting about a deflating final week of the regular season thrown in.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entering the final week of the regular season, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein dig into the hottest news items in their notebooks in the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT. They share insights on the NBA's new labor deal and proceed from there to Kyrie Irving's future in Dallas, Stephen Curry's suggested MVP vote and then the latest from the coaching carousel regarding Toronto's Nick Nurse and San An...

Fresh off Sacramento clinching its first playoff spot since 2005-06, Kings head coach Mike Brown joins Haynes and Stein for a wide-ranging and candid convo that explains the approach he brought into this new job, some of the challenges involved in trying to change a culture, jobs he didn't get before landing Sacramento's, Xs-and-Os insights to explain some of the success De'Aaron Fox and Domantas...

On the latest episode of #thisleague UNCUT, Marc Stein tells Chris Haynes that he thinks we already know the 10 teams that will occupy the top 10 spots in the final West standings ... because Stein contends that the Mavericks will not be able to rally from their two consecutive losses to Charlotte to even make the play-in round. From there the guys go deep on the Mavericks' nightmarish weekend, Lu...

On the latest episode of #thisleague UNCUT, after Chris Haynes' arrival for their latest recording was delayed slightly by a one-on-one chat he had to finish up with a Knicks star, Chris joined Marc Stein to discuss all the latest major injury news in the West surrounding Paul George, LeBron James and Zion Williamson and how injuries have affected the strange-looking West standings. They also natu...

What can you expect from the latest episode of #thisleague UNCUT? Ifyou want injury updates on LeBron James and Anthony Davis that you can't get anywhere else ... and more rants about the uncharacteristic mediocrity that pervades the Western Conference ... and Chris Haynes' insistence that Mike Brown should be a UNANIMOUS Coach of the Year selection ... and Marc Stein's (let's call it  untradition...

The latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT covers lots of ground, from our reaction to the NBA's Ja Morant sanctions to a breakdown of the very crowded All-NBA landscape for guards to our review of Damian Lillard's latest podcast comments to JJ Redick -- as well as what he said to this very podcast about a month ago. As a bonus, at Chris Haynes' behest, we also addressed some listener complaints afte...

On the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT, Marc Stein rants against the uncharacteristic  mediocrity throughout the Western Conference that, essentially 70 games into season, has begun to set him off. Chris Haynes isn't quite as down on the West as Stein ... maybe because he just connected with Kings coach Mike Brown and star guard De'Aaron Fox for an inside look at Sacramento's Cinderella season...

On the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein get together to talk about Joel Embiid's postgame interview with Chris from Tuesday night on TNT, how Embiid seems almost resigned to losing the MVP race to Nikola Jokic again, how both Haynes and Stein believe the race is NOT over, how they both approach MVP voting philosophically ... plus an extended discussion about James H...

After profuse apologies from Marc Stein for a travel schedule that delayed the dropping of this podcast by one day, Stein and his pod partner Chris Haynes finally do connect to discuss the Ja Morant situation in Memphis from numerous angles, share their takeaways from Sunday's Phoenix/Dallas showdown, wander unexpectedly into the secrets of sideline reporting and ultimately assess Stein's claim th...

On a very busy edition of #thisleague UNCUT, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein discuss Kevin Durant's impressive debut as a Sun, how Phoenix will cope with the continuity edge possessed by title contenders like Boston, Milwaukee and Denver, Stephen Curry's looming return from injury in Golden State, LOTS on Russell Westbrook's early days in Clipperland, LOTS more on what LeBron James' foot injury means...

Episode 11 is best described is a freestylin' edition of #thisleague UNCUT. Chris Haynes and Marc Stein reflect on a slew of memorable games that have taken place since the NBA returned from the All-Star break ... but they do so in the midst of Damian Lillard's 71-point eruption against Houston. So brace yourself for some live play-by-play and excited reactions from Chris, amid talk about the King...

In episode 10, Chris Haynes and Marc Stein begin recapping NBA All-Star weekend. Chris was in Utah for All-Star weekend and shares stories about a $10,000 poker tournament and parties involving the games biggest stars. Later, they react to the Atlanta Hawks parting ways with Nate McMillan and then they discuss the role Hawks star PG Trae Young plays. Chris and Marc finish up examining the NBA buyo...

NBA All-Star Damian Lillard joins Chris Haynes and Marc Stein on this episode of #thisleague UNCUT. Dame explains why he's not surprised by his exceptional level of play this season and then he shares his perspective on the Gary Payton II trade. He also takes us inside a conversation he had with Kevin Garnett about his future with Portland and then he talks about his experience going from a young...