Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones Jr. examine why Utah’s stars are playing heavy minutes and if teams that are “tanking” are worth watching . Check out the full conversation on “The Dunker Spot” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Video Transcript
Why did everyone get bored and decide to yell about tanking?
I’m happy we’re seeing Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen still playing at this stage of the season.
You can’t shut them all the way down.
That’s fantastic.
Do you want these guys playing 32 minutes a night with the Utah Jazz record?
Do you want these guys playing heavy minutes at 17 and 37?
I mean, kinda, yeah, at least for, like, Jaren.
Like, you are on a new team, I would like for you to get reps before we eventually, like, shut you down, at the very least.
Gotcha.
So, like, I’m kind of fine with that.
I think, for me, if you are going to sit the guys, then sit the guys.
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If you are going to play the guys, play the guys.
It is kind of weird to, like, we are playing you two-and-a-half quarters, and then you’re just done.
Like, that is kind of odd, and I understand why people are like, “Hey, what’s going on here?”
So, like, I would probably prefer one or the other.
That’s where we were.
That’s why the- everything changed.
Guys weren’t playing, and they said, “Hey, you can’t do that anymore,” and we got away from that.
And now it’s like- Yeah … “Okay, we’ll do this,” and it’s like, “Nope, we don’t like that either.”
Can’t do anything.
I don’t understand, ’cause here’s the thing, that Utah team that didn’t play their guys in the fourth, they were up on Orlando still, late, almost won that game, and then they beat Miami.
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I’m just confused by the passion that’s being displayed here.
I ultimately land on, like, “Hey, just pick one.”
But, like, I also recognize, like, me, you, and others, we’re gonna be watching these games anyway, and so it is easy for me to say, like, “I don’t really care that much about this,” because if I turn on Utah and Jaren is playing, I’m like, “Cool, Jaren is playing.
What does this look like?”
If he’s not playing, “All right, cool, what are we getting from Kyle Filipowski?
What are we getting from Cody Williams?”
Et cetera.
You know what I mean?
Like, for me, it doesn’t matter, but I also have to, like, take the step back and say, like, “Okay, everyone does not engage with basketball the way that I do,” and so I get where the complaints are coming from on that front.
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Man, man- And I think this is more, like- … you’re being, you’re being, you’re being real, you’re being real kind.
They’re not watching those teams- Oh, -let’s be honest.
Well, see, that was gonna lead to my second thought.
They just, uh- They just- No, they just, they just- We’re- … something to be mad about.
You’re not watching the Utah Jazz right now, be honest with me.
You want these teams to win right now?
You go, ’cause if they, if they go on a winning streak, you’re gonna be like, “Well, they won eight games in a row in February and took themselves out of…” It, it’s b- it’s results- -based content, and I don’t enjoy it.