Tim Legler

I think if I had to call out one surprise, it would be Denver going out as early as they did.

I think also...

You know, they dealt with injuries.

Boston being home already is a surprise to me, but again, they had a pretty critical injury, and that series flipped on its head in a way that I didn't really see coming when Joel Embiid returned to that lineup, and that really was the difference in the Boston-Philly series.

So I think that we're sitting here...

You know, in the early stages of the second round, and we don't have Boston or Denver still playing.

I guess that would be my biggest surprise.

Well, yeah, that's for sure.

I mean, look, you've got a team, and I have a lot of respect for Phoenix and what they did this year, and I think in a lot of ways...

they turned around the way they are perceived as an organization.

They had these underachieving years by acquiring a bunch of top-tier names and talent.

It did not come to fruition.

They went through three coaches in three years, two of which won a championship and lasted one year in Phoenix after.

After that, so now they've flipped their perception, which is great, but they're not on par, clearly, with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

They sweep that series, which I think a lot of people expected to happen.

Now you get a Lakers team without Luka Doncic, and an Austin Reeves that's coming back after missing a bunch of time, who's clearly not at his best, not in the rhythm that he would need to be in against this elite defense with so much depth, really an unstoppable defense.

offensive force and Shea Gilgis-Alexander setting the table for them on the other end.

You're right.

They are not going to be challenged to a great extent in the first couple of rounds, and I think they will be significantly challenged going forward.

And look, we'll see what the Lakers have for them when they go back home, but the bottom line is this.