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In tennessee 31 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: redline dial one eight hundred eight eight nine nine seven 32 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: eight nine in Tennessee. Visit www one dot one eight 33 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: hundred gambler dot net in West Virginia. All right, welcome 34 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: to Hoops Tonight, presented by fan Duel here at the volume. 35 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: Happy Tuesday, everybody. I hope all of you guys are 36 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: having a great week so far. Well in our top 37 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: NBA players list, we have made it all the way 38 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: to number three. I've had a great time doing this 39 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: so far. I've done lists in the past, but I've 40 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: never taken this type of painstaking time and detail to 41 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: do it, and I've had so much fun doing so, 42 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: getting into film, getting into numbers, reminiscing all of that 43 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: fun stuff. And you know, there's a lot of people 44 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: piste off about people being too high or too low, 45 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: even with the same players, which I suppose I'll take 46 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: as a compliment. If I have you guys equally piss 47 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: stoff both directions, I think that means that the list 48 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: is at least okay to this point. The big one 49 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: that all of you guys have been complaining about is 50 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: Yokich down at number seven. Again. I tried to explain this. 51 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: I value perimeter players more than I do bigs for 52 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: a bunch of different reasons. I don't need to lay 53 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: that out again. It was in the video. The main 54 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,079 Speaker 1: thing I tell you guys, too, is what I told 55 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: you way back at the beginning, before we even started this, 56 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: we had twenty nine players that I considered for the 57 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: top twenty five, and I can't remember exactly who the 58 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 1: four that didn't make it was. I think it was 59 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: Chris Paul, Trey Young, Brad Beale, and somebody else. I 60 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: can't remember who the fourth was. But the reality is is, 61 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: like I told you, guys, the gap between twenty nine, 62 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: let's call him, let's call him Trey Young. The gap 63 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: between Trey Young and Jimmy Butler at number nine is 64 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: not that big of a gap. In the gap between 65 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: number seven Nicola Yokich and number two Steph Curry is 66 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: not that big of gap. May seem like a huge 67 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: number difference, but that has a lot more to do 68 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: with the how just the sheer amount of talent in 69 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: the league. Then it has to do with me trying 70 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: to diminish what Yoki is capable of. That was never 71 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: the case. I'm a huge fan of Yoki's. To me, 72 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: that's just a basketball philosophy thing, and me having him 73 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: at seven has more to do with the players above 74 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: him and how much respect I have for them than 75 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,679 Speaker 1: it does for me trying to lower him. That said, 76 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: there's no version of this story where I could do 77 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: a list like this and not piss some people off. 78 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: It's just kind of part of the journey. Today we're 79 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: gonna be doing number three. You guys know the drill 80 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: before we get started. Follow me on Twitter. I underscore 81 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: Jason lt S. You guys, don't miss any show announcements. 82 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: Subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any 83 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: more videos. And if for whatever reason, you miss one 84 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: of these and you can't get back to YouTube to 85 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: finish it, we do release them in audio form wherever 86 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts under Hoops Tonight. So number three 87 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: and this is the dead giveaway because you guys will 88 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: know the rest of the list because you know, I 89 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: have Janice at number one, but number three I have 90 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant. Now, Kevin Durant has been one of my 91 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: favorite players forever. He's the player that I resonate with 92 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: the most, even though Lebron James is my favorite player. 93 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: Who's the one who got me to fall in love 94 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: with the game of basketball. I grew up in a 95 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: football and baseball household. We didn't even have basketball on 96 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,119 Speaker 1: the TV. I happened to find Lebron James right around 97 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: two thousand and six, and that's what got me to 98 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: fall in love with the game of basketball and become 99 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: the level of fan and nerd of the game that 100 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: I am now. And obviously it led to me playing 101 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: the game and getting my school paid for and getting 102 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of money professionally and things along those lines. 103 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: That's where it all originated. But since I've gotten you 104 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: know this, into the game of basketball, particularly the NBA, 105 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant has been the player that I resonate with 106 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: the most. You know why, because that dude loves basketball 107 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: more than anything else in the entire world. Now, I 108 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: would have to put it too, because I can't get 109 00:05:55,839 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: in trouble with my wife that said basketball means everything 110 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: to me. Even in my pursuit of trying to do 111 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,679 Speaker 1: this for a living, I gave up a very good 112 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: job that I had worked very hard to earn, like 113 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: a good solid living that I could have worked for 114 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: the rest of my life, and I got I'd left 115 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: because I wanted to do this because I love this 116 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: game so much and I wanted to be working in 117 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: this game for as long as I can, as long 118 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: as I'm alive on this earth. And I get that 119 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: same level of love. I won't even say that because 120 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: I feel like that's disrespectful to k D. But Katie's 121 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: love for basketball resonates with me, and that's and that's 122 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: always going to be what draws me to him. And 123 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: then the second thing is his authenticity, and like this 124 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: is where all of you guys, I shouldn't say all 125 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: of you guys, so many of you guys hate Kevin 126 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: Durant or harbor hate for Kevin Durant. I think there's 127 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: two reasons that drive that. One, you're really upset because 128 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: he went to the Warriors, which I get that. But 129 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: the big thing that I pushed back on there is 130 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: every single player that's playing in the NBA right now 131 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: wants to play on a really at basketball team. They 132 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: all do. The only ones who haven't left their teams 133 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: are the ones that their current situation is actually really 134 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: good and there probably isn't a better option for them 135 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: out there. But guess what, when Lebron James went to Miami, 136 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: he wasn't expecting it to be as hard as it was. 137 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: He wasn't expecting to have to scratch and claw in 138 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve and in two thousand thirteen, to win, 139 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: to lose in two thousand eleven, in two thousand fourteen, 140 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: he thought it was gonna be easy. Just watch his 141 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: presser when he got to Miami. When he went to Cleveland, 142 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: he didn't go there to go home. I mean sure 143 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: that was part of it, But he went there because 144 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving was there and he thought he could flip 145 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love. That's why he went to Cleveland. 146 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: When he left Cleveland and went to l A, it 147 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: was because he believed he could get at least Anthony Davis, 148 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: and maybe Anthony Davis and Paul George or Kawhi Leonard. 149 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: Everyone's following the basketball situation. Why does Kauai want to 150 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: play with Paul George for a team like the Clippers 151 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: that's extremely well run and has a ton of talent? 152 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: Why is that we all know the case. Why do 153 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: you think it was so important for Janice to try 154 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: to pressure the Milwaukee front office to trade the house 155 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: for Drew Holiday so that he could have talent. Everybody 156 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: wants to play with talent. Let's not pretend like that's 157 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: a k D thing. That's not a k D thing. 158 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: That's in everybody thing. And at his core, Kevin Duran 159 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: just wants to play good basketball and he will try 160 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: to pursue those sorts of things. That's the driving force 161 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: behind this trade request right now. He doesn't like his 162 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: basketball situation and so he's looking for something better. And 163 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: so many people are so mad that he went to 164 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: Golden State. You know what I think he thought. I 165 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: think he was like, Man, I'm here with Russell Westbrook 166 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: and all of these role players, and the game is 167 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: just hard for me right now. There's no spacing. Russ 168 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: is a tough player to play with. Man, look at 169 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: those guys in Golden State. They're moving around, They're playing 170 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: beautiful basketball. I want to play beautiful basketball too. That's 171 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: what I think drove it. I don't think it was 172 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: anything more complicated than that. And look, a lot of 173 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 1: you are just gonna hate him for that forever, and 174 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: I get that. I'm not going to make your decisions 175 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: for you, but I'm just trying to explain that I 176 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: think it's just a very human thing and that it's 177 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: driven by a love for the game. And then, like 178 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: I said earlier, his authenticity. Okay, So Kevin Durant talks 179 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: to people on Twitter, so do a lot of you guys. 180 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: So because he has money or because he's very good 181 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: at basketball, he's not allowed to do the thing that 182 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: so many of you guys do. We all use social 183 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: media in different ways. It doesn't make us more or 184 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,959 Speaker 1: less of a of a human being. It's just it's 185 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: just our own personal experience with the tools that we 186 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 1: have at our disposal. That's Kevin Durant being Kevin Durant. 187 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: I don't know why so many people hate him for that. 188 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: It's it's it's genuinely confusing to me. And so now 189 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: that we've got that out of the way, all of 190 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: the non basketball, all of that stuff, and I can 191 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: explain to you guys why I have always been a 192 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: fan of Kevin Durant. Now we can get into the basketball. So, 193 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: just like we did with all of the other yeos, 194 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna be doing strengths, weaknesses, biggest hopes, biggest fears, 195 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: biggest what if. So in the regular season this year, 196 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant average thirty points on with seven rebounds and 197 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: six assists on sixty true shooting. That's outstanding. That's unbelievably good. 198 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: In the postseason again, four games, four game sweep at 199 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,599 Speaker 1: the hands of the Boston Celtics, which I thought was 200 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: the best defense in the field last year, one of 201 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: the best defenses of all time. He averaged twenty six, 202 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: six and six, and his true shooting percentage dropped all 203 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: the way from sixty three to We are going to 204 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: get further into that later in the show, because there 205 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: is some There is some context there, and I do 206 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: believe that those numbers are a little bit overplayed, But 207 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: just in general, before we get into these strengths, I'm 208 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: never going to completely change my opinion on a player 209 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: over one playoff series, especially when they've got over a 210 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: decade of evidence. You know, so many of you guys 211 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: complained yes or day when I had Lebron for so 212 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: many of you complained, like he missed the playoffs last year, 213 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: he doesn't won a playoff series in two years. You 214 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: want to know why I don't care about that guy. 215 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: That guy's the same reason why I didn't care when 216 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: Steph missed the playoffs two years in a row. One 217 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: of the consistent themes you're gonna pick up from me 218 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: is that winning is the ultimate goal, but it is 219 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: a team accomplishment. I'm not interested in Kevin Durant versus 220 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: Lebron James. I'm interested in the Brooklyn Nets versus the 221 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers. I might take time to appreciate the 222 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: individual matchup and all of the elements there, but the 223 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: end result is a team achievement. That's why Steph Curry 224 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: can miss the playoffs two years in a row and 225 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: then win a championship unassailably with his best teammate being 226 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: Andrew Wiggins because of the organ the organism of that 227 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: team and the way it came together. They changed the 228 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: types of role players they had, the ones that were 229 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,839 Speaker 1: better fits Wiggins obviously, elevating Clay Thompson getting back and 230 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: getting healthy, Draymond Green getting back and getting healthy. All 231 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: of those things came together and the team was better, 232 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: and then Steph was able to put them over the 233 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 1: top into winning a championship. And Lebron James has had 234 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: a bad season last year, and he had a couple 235 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: of at a rough season health wise the year before. 236 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: If the Lakers can pull off a nice trade and 237 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: have a good training camp and implement a good offense, 238 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: they'll be right back in the mix. And the same 239 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: goes for Kevin Durant. You guys who all took a 240 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: big old, all of you guys who put him down, 241 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: all of you guys who put him down when he 242 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 1: got swept by the Celtics, might find yourselves in a 243 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: predicament if he gets traded to the Celtics and your 244 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: team is facing him in a playoff series this year, 245 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: and suddenly he's way better than all of your guys, 246 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 1: And now all that ship you talked is irrelevant because 247 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: he's busting your ass on national television. That's why I'm 248 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 1: always saying with these kinds of things, be careful with 249 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: victory laps over one bad matchup or one bad week 250 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: of basketball. That's one week of basketball. You're gonna rewrite 251 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant's entire career over one week of basketball. Come on, guys, 252 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: like that, that's just that's ridiculous. All right, let's let's 253 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: get into the strengths. So Katie's the best scorer alive 254 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: and he's a top three score ever, I I'd probably 255 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: take MJ and Kobe over him. I'm not looking at 256 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: that as a numbers thing. I'm looking at that as 257 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: a skill set thing. Obviously numbers do matter there, but 258 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: skill set matters as well. And there's a bunch of 259 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: different Like there are a lot of like really dynamic 260 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: scores in terms of production that don't really manifest um 261 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: in the type of versatility of skill set. For instance, 262 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: Lebron and Steph are two of the most effective and 263 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: efficient scores, ever, but Lebron does almost all of his 264 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: damage at the rim, and Steph does almost all of 265 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: his damage on the perimeter. So, like when I'm talking 266 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: about scores, I value versatility. That's just my take on it. 267 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: Steph fans, Lebron fans. If you guys think they're the 268 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: best scores, go nuts man. Tell everybody about that. Um So, 269 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: Katie average one point set then restricted area makes per 270 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: game this year again over the percentage threshold that I 271 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: look for for a big wing, which is seventy. But 272 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,679 Speaker 1: his relatively low volume one point seven restricted area makes 273 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,079 Speaker 1: is pretty low. We'll get to that more when we 274 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: get to his weaknesses. Two point six restricted excuse me, 275 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: outside of the restricted area makes, but that are inside 276 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: the paint. That's really good. That's pretty close to what 277 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: Luca does. This is where Katie's the best player in 278 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: the world right now. Four point one mid range makes 279 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: at fifty, there's just nobody in the league who's close. 280 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: He's the best midrange shooter. It's him, and then a 281 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: big gap and then everyone else. His numbers don't even 282 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: make sense. Everyone else we look at it just doesn't. 283 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: It's hard to even wrap our brains around, he's the 284 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: best midrange player in the league. Then he averaged two 285 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: point one made threes this year at thirty eight percent. 286 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: So not a brandon ingram DeMar de Rosen esque player 287 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: who can thrive in the mid range but cannot score 288 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: from the perimeter. He has the full three level effect. 289 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: K He took six hundred and twenty nine pull up 290 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: jumpers this year and made three hundred and seven of them. 291 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: That's a Katie pull up jumper resulted in one point 292 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: zero seven points per possession, which would be a better 293 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: offensive rating than the Blazers, the Pistons, the Magic and 294 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: the Thunder this year. So literally, a Katie pull up jumper, 295 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: which is like a rescue possession. Like a pull up 296 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: jumpers are generally considered an offensive player settling. So when 297 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: Katie settles for a pull up jump shot, either in 298 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: the middle of the clock or to save a possession 299 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: at the end, he's more efficient there than entire NBA 300 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: teams four of them. He was more efficient this year 301 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: on pull up jumpers than Steph Curry. Albeit Steff had 302 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: a really downshooting year, and I would expect him to 303 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: flip the script on that this coming year because Steph 304 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: is the best pull up jump shooter in the league. 305 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: Typically um very low volume on post ups. He's doing 306 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: it right on twice a game, which is not enough 307 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: to put him up with the more volumes post up 308 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: players in the league. But he scores on fifty of 309 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: him and gets one point one three points per possession, 310 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: which is outstanding. So obviously, as he gets older and 311 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: he can't move his feet as well, you'd like to 312 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: see him kind of lean on that a little bit 313 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: more because he's a very good post player. He had 314 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: two hundred eighty eight isolation possessions this year and scored 315 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: a hundred and forty four times. So he scores on 316 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: If you throw the ball to Kevin and say go 317 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: to work in isolation, he's gonna score half the time. 318 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: And that resulted in three sixteen points. Just Katie isolations 319 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: would have had the twenty three best offensive rating in 320 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: the league this year. Just he is the best scorer 321 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: in basketball. It's it's crazy to me now what I 322 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: wanted to get into. There's two specific concepts as it 323 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: pertains to Katie's scoring that I wanted to kind of 324 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: dive a little bit deeper in here. And the first 325 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: one is one that I did a video on. I 326 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: can't remember what it was. I think it was back 327 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: in March. I will retweet this out, So go to 328 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: my Twitter page and scroll down and you'll see a 329 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: retweet of this specific but I did a full video 330 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: breakdown of the way that Katie works hard for easy shots. 331 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 1: So the biggest difference between Kobe Bryant and Katie, for instance, 332 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: I talked about this yesterday with Lebron. But Kobe Bryant, 333 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 1: I think is the best shot maker in the history 334 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: of basketball. That's improvisational basketball, that's incredibly difficult shots where 335 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 1: you can't even find a video of one that resembles 336 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: that earlier in your career. Everyone's kind of unique. All 337 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: of them are ridiculous. All of them have a degree 338 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: of difficulty that supersedes what you could even imagine a 339 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: player attempting in a pickup game, let alone an NBA game. 340 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: That's what Kobe did for that was that was his 341 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: bread and butter. Kevin Durant, what I've always appreciated about 342 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 1: him is he's got that stuff. He can make difficult shots. 343 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: He is a very good shot maker, but he also 344 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 1: puts in a lot of work to get easy shots 345 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 1: in the flow of the offense to help supplement his efficiency. 346 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: He does this by moving without the basketball, which we've 347 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: talked about a lot with Steph and we'll get way 348 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: deeper into when we get to Steph here later in 349 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: the list, but essentially keeping your defender engaged and taking 350 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: advantage of little openings where your defender stops paying attention, 351 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: you can get an easy shot moving without the basketball, 352 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: fighting for position. Katie is very tall, right, so he 353 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: can shoot over the top of defenders. So he doesn't 354 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: have to do that from ft. If he's fighting for position, 355 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: to catch the ball at ten ft like the semi circle, 356 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: and he can quick turn and shoot over the top. 357 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 1: That's a much higher percentage shot. You don't do that 358 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 1: by dribbling down to ten feet. You do that by 359 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: giving the ball up, fighting for position and demanding the 360 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,959 Speaker 1: basketball and making a quick move. The thing in this 361 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: video that I'm gonna tweet out to show you guys, 362 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 1: the thing that he does best without the basketball is 363 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: setting his man up for screens. This is a concept 364 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: I've never talked about on this show before, but it's 365 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: a very nerdy basketball concept that we can spend a 366 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: minute on here. But basically, you know, if you're defending 367 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: a player who's coming off of screens, you do what's 368 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: called a lock and trail. So if I'm coming, if 369 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: my man is gonna be coming this way off a 370 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: screen in a straight line, and the screener is gonna 371 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: be setting right here, and I'm coming this way off 372 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: the screen, I want to position myself as the defender 373 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 1: directly behind him so I can follow him over the screen. 374 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:15,159 Speaker 1: That's the best way if I stay close. That's what 375 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 1: they call locking and trailing. If you stay locked to 376 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: his backside and you're trailing him around the screen, it's 377 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: impossible to get screened because the screener would have to 378 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 1: somehow jam his way in between the two of you 379 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: as you're passing by. Really good lock and trail defenders 380 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: will stay attached to shooters and force them to curl 381 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: over the top of the screen typically or deny the 382 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: basketball entirely. What Katie does extremely well is setting up 383 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: his man for a screen. So let's say he's in 384 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: the left corner and the balls at the top of 385 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: the key, and he wants to come off of a 386 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 1: pin down to catch the ball around eighteen feet and 387 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,679 Speaker 1: to shoot a jump shot off the catch. What he 388 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: will do is he will work his man down from 389 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: the corner all the way to the block. Now, because 390 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: Katie does fight for position often over the course of 391 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: the game post up position, the defender will typically have 392 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: to fight his way to stay behind Katie between Katie 393 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: in the basket. If he doesn't, then he's just cutting 394 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: right to the rim. You're throwing a lob and he's 395 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: catching that thing and he's dunking it. So he fights 396 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: his way down to the block. Now the defender can't 397 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: get into trail position. He has to get into post 398 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: defense position to protect Katie from getting all the way 399 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: to the rip. Now instead of being behind his line 400 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: off the screen, he's on the side of that line. 401 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,959 Speaker 1: Then what he'll do is he'll wait for the defender 402 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: to get set in his screen, and when he's ready 403 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: to go, he'll just give him a little shove, just 404 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: a little shove that won't get an offensive foul. And 405 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: now not only is the defender out of position because 406 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: he's not in lock and trail position, now, he's also 407 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: a step behind because Katie pushed him a little bit. 408 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: He'll come flying off that screen he'll catch at eighteen feet, 409 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: He'll be wide open, and he's gonna make that shot 410 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: damn near two thirds of the time. And that's one 411 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: of the things I've always appreciated about k D. That's 412 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: not a highlight play, that's not gonna show up in 413 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: a hoop mixtape, but that's a damn that's a very 414 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: reliable two points. And he did it by doing something 415 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 1: that kind of is overlooked a lot in basketball development, 416 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: and it's learning how to use screens properly and make 417 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 1: it so that the pin down screen that you're trying 418 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: to use is effective, rather than the defender getting into 419 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: lock and trail position and all of a sudden, you're 420 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: not open. You know. I I tweeted about this a 421 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: couple of days ago as it pertained to Katie compared 422 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: to some of his other scores. Like one of the 423 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: scores that everyone throws out as a competitor to Katie 424 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 1: all time is James Harden, And he has some statistical 425 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: stretches of basketball. You know, we're talking, yeah, ten twenty 426 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,439 Speaker 1: games at a time where the averages forty plus points, 427 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: Like that's insane, right, statistically, Yeah, Hardens in those conversations 428 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: But one of the big reasons why I've appreciated the 429 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: Katie archetype over the Heart and archetype is scoring in 430 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: the flow. James Harden will bring the ball up the 431 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: floor and dribble twenty times to get to whatever offensive 432 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: move he wants to get to. Katie will almost never 433 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: do that. There is a predictability to his offense. Everything 434 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: he does is quick. It's a quick decision, and he's 435 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 1: efficient with his time and with his ball handling. Why 436 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: does that matter? If you're the teammate of a score 437 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: and he's dribbling the air out of the basketball, it 438 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: disrupts your rhythm and it makes it difficult for you 439 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: to know what to do. But if your scorer that 440 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: you're playing with makes quick decisions, doesn't over dribble the basketball. 441 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 1: If he has an opening, he takes it. If he doesn't, 442 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: he moves it and tries to get the ball back 443 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: somewhere else on the floor. That sort of thing keeps 444 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: things in motion. Now you're not standing and watching the 445 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: whole time. Katie's gonna make a move and he's gonna shoot. 446 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: If he doesn't, he'll move the ball and you'll be 447 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 1: moving again. And that might happen to three times in 448 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: one shot clock before somebody ends up scoring. The offense 449 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: stays in a flow. The only the only time I've 450 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: ever seen Katie disrupt flow is a little bit with 451 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors in two thousand eighteen. But that's 452 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: literally because the Golden State wars are the most motion 453 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: heavy offense that we have in this league right now. 454 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: So even normal flowing offense looks slow compared to what 455 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: Golden State typically does. But that predictability to help his 456 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: teammates the quick decisions, so that people know where. People 457 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: can become more anticipatory and reactive if they can react 458 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: to what Kevin Durant's doing. All of that amounts to 459 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,719 Speaker 1: scoring in the flow of the offense. That's what allows 460 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant to average thirty points a game for a 461 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: season without it appearing like he's hogging the basketball, without 462 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: it appearing like he's gunning as a score even though 463 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: his field goal attempts are up there, even though his 464 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: efficiency in scoring is up there, It manifests in a 465 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: way that doesn't disrupt the team. That's why, you know, 466 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: one of the most common things that was said after 467 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 1: Katie went to Golden states. You hear things like, you know, 468 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: Katie's the best plug in play superstar in the league. 469 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: That's probably true. You can plug Katie into any defensive 470 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: system and he's gonna be productive. And you can plug 471 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: him into any offensive system and he's gonna be productive. 472 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: Whereas some of the guys like Staff and Lebron and Luca, 473 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,239 Speaker 1: their play styles are so unique and so different from 474 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: what other players in the league do that you kind 475 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 1: of have to cater the offense around what they do. 476 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: Doesn't diminish what they do because those Lebron and Steph 477 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: for two of the top six players of all time 478 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 1: to the top six to ten players of all time 479 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: depending on who you ask, right, So I'm not diminishing 480 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: them at all. It's just a different archetype of player. 481 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: Katie is a very plug in play style. The last 482 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: thing I wanted to say about Katie's offensive you know, 483 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: scoring ability, skill set and stuff is this is where 484 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 1: his love of the game manifests. We talked earlier in 485 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: the show about Katie's love for the game, how that 486 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: resonates with me. His love for the game is what 487 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: gives him the patients and the you know, the willingness 488 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: to spend endless hours in the gym tightening up these things. 489 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 1: You know, Kate. One of the things that Katie always 490 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: talks about is doing reps at game speed. This is 491 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: something I talked about all the time with young players. 492 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 1: If you're were gonna pull up jump shooting and you're 493 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: doing it at a slow pace, and then you get 494 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: into the game and the pace picks up, you're gonna 495 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:00,640 Speaker 1: miss your pull up jump shots. It's just a fact. 496 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: You need to practice at a pace that mimics what 497 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: the game does, because if you don't, you will have 498 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: an adjustment period in the game that will cause you 499 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 1: to have problems and you'll have a lot of bad 500 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: shooting nuts. It's hard in an empty gym to come 501 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: flying off a screen like you're in an NBA game 502 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: and rise up and shoot not just once, but maybe 503 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty times over the course of a 504 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: good half hour hour session. That's not easy to do. 505 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: It takes love for the game. It takes a passion 506 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: and a willingness to put in that kind of work 507 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: to do that. And and I've always thought that that's 508 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: the coolest part of the Katie dynamic. He's what would 509 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: happen if the ultimate love for the game of basketball 510 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: met with the ultimate set of natural abilities, And that's 511 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: kind of what it's manifested as So Katie isn't above 512 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: average playmaker, which is good compared a lot of the 513 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: wings around the league that can struggle with that. Specifically, 514 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: this is something that really came on in the late 515 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: half of his career. We talked about this earlier when 516 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: we were talking about brandon ingram. In the first eight 517 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: seasons of his career, he only broke five assists once. 518 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: In the last six seasons of his career, he broke 519 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: five assists five times. And he's starting to get the 520 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: higher level reads, which we've broken down many times in 521 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 1: other videos in this series, so I won't go into 522 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: it again. He did have a rough series against the 523 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 1: Celtics as a playmaker. We will get in. I think 524 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:23,439 Speaker 1: he had twenty five assists and twenty one turnovers. We'll 525 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: get a little bit further into that when we get 526 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: into the weaknesses specifically as a passer. The thing that's 527 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: impressed me the most with Kevin Durant lately is his 528 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: ability to navigate traps. So, like we talked about earlier, 529 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant is outstanding at navigating screens. That goes double 530 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: for ball screens. So he does the same thing in 531 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: a ball screen situation, using the dribble to get the 532 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: defender on his side so that he can bait him 533 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: into running into the ball screen and get separation as 534 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 1: he comes off. Okay. Obviously, is a very good pull 535 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: up jump shooter like we talked about earlier. That can 536 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: be problematic for defenses and pick and roll scenarios, so 537 00:26:57,920 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: the big has to come up and in many cases 538 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 1: they just straight up trap and it or it'll be 539 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 1: like a trap. When the the wing is chasing Kevin 540 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: Durant over the screen and the big has to be 541 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: up at the level of the screen, it's effectively a trap. 542 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: And Kevin Durant's size is what allows him to navigate 543 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: traps so well. There's a lot of guards like Steph Curry, 544 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: for instance, has struggled with turnovers in his career navigating traps. 545 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:23,200 Speaker 1: Even though he is good at navigating traps, turnovers manifest 546 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: because of his lack of size. Kevin Durant is ridiculously 547 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: good at navigating traps because he's so tall he can 548 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: just reach over the top and drop it off to 549 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,120 Speaker 1: the big man slipping to the basket. He's also gotten 550 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: really good at kind of starting high, getting defenders to 551 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: come high, and then throwing a bounced pass into the pocket. 552 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: His ability to navigate traps has made the Kevin Durant 553 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: pick and roll a very deadly action. Um Kevin Durant 554 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: has ridiculous physical tools like He's basically is like Anthony 555 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: Davis on the defensive end in terms of what his 556 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: frame and mobility can accomplish. What this means is that 557 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: even though he's been in his career a pretty subpar 558 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: defensive effort guy, he still has above average defensive impact 559 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: even though he doesn't really give that much effort on 560 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: the defensive end of the floor consistently in his career. 561 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: Testament to just a ridiculous set of physical uh tools 562 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 1: that he has, rim protection has been the most impactful 563 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: defensive thing that he can do. This manifested a lot 564 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: in two thousand seventeen when he was in Golden State 565 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 1: and the year prior in two thousand sixteen in Oklahoma City, 566 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: when Kevin Durin's on the back line and he's helping 567 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 1: around the rim and he's actually dialed in and really trying. 568 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,439 Speaker 1: He can be Anthony Davis esk with his ability to 569 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: affect shots around the rim Alright, moving on to his weaknesses. 570 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: So Katie's thin, so he's mildly susceptible to physical defense. 571 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: Usually this manifest is like a bad game rather than 572 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: a bad series. So think like p J. Tucker and 573 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: the Bucks two years ago, where it's like a couple 574 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: of the games in that series, PJ really bothered him 575 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 1: with his physicality. But then it's not like it was 576 00:28:57,840 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: something he couldn't figure out, because then he'd like pe 577 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: a on fire the next game, right, and still came 578 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: this close to stealing that series. But it has affected 579 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 1: him and he has had some bad series over the years. 580 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: He had a really bad one against the Memphis Grizzlies 581 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: almost a decade ago, struggled with his efficiency towards the 582 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 1: end of that two thousand and sixteen collapse against Golden State, 583 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: and then this year against Boston he struggled a lot 584 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: against their relentless physicality. That's just something that's going to 585 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: happen with his with how fain he is. But his 586 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: physical tools also manifest manifest in other positive ways, like 587 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: His height and wingspan is what allows him to be 588 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: so deadly, pulling up and shooting over the top of 589 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: defenders that simply can't bother him with the contest um. 590 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: This is probably the Kevin One of Kevin Durant's biggest 591 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: weaknesses that we don't talk about enough. He doesn't apply 592 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: much rim pressure, so, like we talked about earlier, he 593 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: only finishes one point seven restricted area makes per game. 594 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: Jan and Lebron are getting about five additional makes in 595 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: the restricted area than Kevin Durant in every single game. 596 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: Like we talked about in the Lebron video, there's a 597 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: ton of positive impa act that comes from rim pressure. 598 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: I won't go into those things again because I just 599 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: broke them down in the last video, But in the 600 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: Lebron video, if you watch, you'll see me talk about 601 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: rim pressure. Rim pressure has a bunch of cascading positive 602 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: effects on an offense a lot of times that don't 603 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: even manifest on the box score. In the box score 604 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: for the player who's applying the rim pressure, So I 605 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: think that's another side effective. How thin he is, He's 606 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: just not the type of player that is physically imposing 607 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: going to the basket. Time and time again, it's a 608 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: little bit easier for teams to handle him in that 609 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: specific way. UM inconsistent defensive effort. I've talked about this before, 610 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: but like you know, Kevin Durant, with his set of 611 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: physical tools, could be a perennial all defense guy. He 612 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: just hasn't never He hasn't really consistently cared enough in 613 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: that specific area to have consistent impact there. We will 614 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: get deeper into that when we get into the biggest 615 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: what if of his career. UM his playmaking deficiencies. And 616 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: I'm not talking deficiencies relative to the rest the league, 617 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 1: because I do believe that Kevin Duranson above average playmaker, 618 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: but he does have some playmaking deficiencies compared to Luca 619 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: and Lebron and Nicola Yokitch and some of the other 620 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: guys that are at the top of the league. It's 621 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: typically not a problem, but it did become a problem 622 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: in this Celtics series when is jumper stopped falling. So, 623 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: like we talked about earlier, during the regular season, he 624 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: was about fifty on pull up jump shots I think 625 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: on huge volume. That went way down against Boston. His 626 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: pull up jumper left him pretty much in that series, 627 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: and even Kevin Duran himself was perplexed by it. He 628 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: didn't even necessarily have an answer for why things were 629 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: going that way. I would argue what typically happens in 630 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: a series like that that that is that grueling physically, 631 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: it tends to wear on legs and pull up jump 632 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: shooting has a lot to do with lift um. Your 633 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: ability to get lift is what allows you to get 634 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: separation from the defender and to have the the amount 635 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: of legs in the shot to where you're not out 636 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: of control with your wrist when you're flicking the shot forward. 637 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: I think it was a combination of that physicality and 638 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: defensive pressure from Boston that just caused Kevin Durant to 639 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: lose his legs a little bit and it caused his 640 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: jump shot uh to leave him. You know, that series 641 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: was interesting because, like I talked about, there's so much 642 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: focus on Kevin Durant and Kyrie struggles, and they did struggle. 643 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: They they'll be the first to tell you that. But 644 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: the reality is is that team in that series managed 645 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: about nine seven points per one half court possessions against Boston, 646 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: which is better than any other team did against Boston. 647 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: They did lose that series on the defensive end of 648 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: the floor, and they did lose that series in the margins. However, 649 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: what I will say though, is seven points per half 650 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: court possession is significantly below what they were getting in 651 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: the regular season. Brooklyn is not a team that's gonna 652 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 1: beat you in a grindout series. There a team that's 653 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: typically going to have a really high powered offense and 654 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: kind of outscore you in a lot of different ways. 655 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: So when Kevin Durant's pull up jumper started to fail him, 656 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: he wasn't able to make the high advance like the 657 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 1: highly advanced reads that you see from the Lucas and 658 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: the Lebrons and the Yes of the world that disswaded 659 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: defenses from being as aggressive sending attention to Kevin Durant. 660 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: He could have loosened things up on himself and made 661 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 1: it a little bit easier for him to get separation. 662 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, if I'm Kevin Durant, 663 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 1: what I'm looking at that situation like is give me 664 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:23,959 Speaker 1: that same series again. I'm gonna make those shots this 665 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 1: time and will be in better shape. And he's not wrong. 666 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 1: But in the Celtics series, when his jumper failed him. 667 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: His playmaking was not there to to fill that gap, 668 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 1: and he had damn near as many turnovers as assists, 669 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 1: and that's not good enough when you're considered one of 670 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,240 Speaker 1: the best players in the world. Again, bad series. I'm 671 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:44,800 Speaker 1: not going to rewrite Kevin Durant's basketball career over one 672 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: week of basketball, but we also have to acknowledge that 673 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: bad week of basketball, and then last weakness for Kevin 674 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: Durant his health. He's averaged only thirty games played per 675 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: season over the last three seasons. Now it remains to 676 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 1: be if those were blips or trends, and we're going 677 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:03,720 Speaker 1: to find out over the course of the next couple 678 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: of seasons. But just like I helpd Kauai down on 679 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,479 Speaker 1: the list because of his available availability, I would argue 680 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: Lebron's down on this list because of availability. These are 681 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,800 Speaker 1: real things. Joel Embid's availability is an issue. We're factoring 682 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 1: that in and these discussions. And Kevin Durant on any 683 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: given night might be the best player in the world. 684 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: But one of the big reasons why I'm not going 685 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 1: to include him in that discussion. I don't think any 686 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,399 Speaker 1: players in that discussion other than you honest this year. 687 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 1: But the reason why he's not firmly in that discussion 688 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:34,440 Speaker 1: is I'm not sure you can count on Katie to 689 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: be available, and some of that age, some of that, 690 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: some of his injury history, some of it might be flukey, 691 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: and we're going to find out over the course of 692 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: the next couple of years. Biggest hopes. You know, I 693 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: I defend k D so much in large part because 694 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,359 Speaker 1: of all of the negative energy sent his way. It's 695 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 1: kind of like me trying to balance that out little bit, 696 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. I want Katie to win 697 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: a championship as the undisputed best player on a team, 698 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: just to kill all these stupid as narratives, because regardless 699 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:15,719 Speaker 1: of how you feel about Katie and look, I think 700 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 1: Lebron and Steph were better in this decade. For the record, 701 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: even as a big Katie fan as myself, I think 702 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: Lebron and Steph were better. I also think Katie is 703 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: almost underrated at this point because of Lebron and Steph 704 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: fans and their insistence I'm trying to diminish every accomplishment 705 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 1: he's had in his career, and I hate that. I 706 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: hate that for him, and so I hope he gets 707 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: that title just so he can throw all of you 708 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,240 Speaker 1: guys the big middle finger, the ones that have been 709 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:46,200 Speaker 1: really disrespectful to him. And over the course of his career. 710 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 1: You're right, he went to the best team in the 711 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:51,720 Speaker 1: league in two thousand seventeen and he won two titles 712 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: that were easier than a lot of the titles in 713 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: NBA history. That's a fact. Here's the other fact that 714 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:00,359 Speaker 1: doesn't diminish how damn good he is at the game 715 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 1: of basketball. Like, like, all those strengths that I laid out, 716 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,320 Speaker 1: those aren't team results things. Those are just basketball skills. 717 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 1: What he does with the basketball is undeniable, and we 718 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: use team results and whatever our neuroses are to try 719 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,799 Speaker 1: to diminish that, and I don't necessarily think that's fair. 720 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 1: And then the last I hope he gets that championship 721 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 1: just to kind of kill that narrative. And then secondly, 722 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:30,719 Speaker 1: I hope he finds a good, consistent basketball situation to 723 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: finish his career. I think he left Golden State, like 724 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: we've talked about a lot in the past, because he 725 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,239 Speaker 1: wanted to kind of be up that wanted to kind 726 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:39,959 Speaker 1: of build his own thing rather than be a part 727 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: of something else, and obviously that backfired in Brooklyn, but 728 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: I I do want that for him, and I hope 729 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: that whether that's Boston or whether that's somewhere else, And 730 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:54,160 Speaker 1: I don't think he cares anymore who originated the situation. 731 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: I just want Katie to find a good basketball situation 732 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: where he can be happy, and he could stay there 733 00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: for the next five years and finishes, uh excuse me, 734 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: finish his career in peace, playing the game of basketball. 735 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: Biggest fears, My biggest fear of Katie kind of piggybacking 736 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 1: off of what happened in the Biggest Hopes segment is 737 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 1: that his titles in Golden State end up being his 738 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: only titles, because if that happens, I think there you know, 739 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 1: there will be honest people who have honest conversations about 740 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: Katie's career, but there's gonna be a loud group of idiots, 741 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: a very loud group that are going to cling to 742 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,920 Speaker 1: that narrative that Katie's a loser who piggybacked off of 743 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 1: the Warriors for two titles. And I'm scared for his 744 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: sake that if things don't break right for him over 745 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 1: the course of the next few years that that becomes 746 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: the narrative. And you know, we talked about this earlier 747 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: in the show, so I won't go too much longer 748 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: on it. But the truth of the matter is is 749 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: so many things have to go right for you to 750 00:37:55,560 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 1: win a championship. When I look through every championship in 751 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 1: recent memory, there's good luck along the way. It's just 752 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:07,719 Speaker 1: part of the deal. Steph one in two thousand fifteen, 753 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 1: in large part because of a lot of injury luck 754 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:12,320 Speaker 1: along the way, including the second and third best players 755 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:15,120 Speaker 1: in the Cleveland Cavaliers getting hurt. The Calves one in 756 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 1: two thousand sixteen, in large part because Steph Curry was 757 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: playing on a bad minisket on a torn partially torn 758 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:23,839 Speaker 1: m c L or spraying m c L, whatever it was, 759 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,520 Speaker 1: and Andrew Boget was hurt and Draymond Green got suspended. 760 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:30,279 Speaker 1: There was advantages there, and then the stroke of luck 761 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: with the c b A that the Warriors were able 762 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:35,759 Speaker 1: to sign Kevin Durant will help them win in two 763 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: thousand seventeen. In two thousand eighteen, Chris Paul's hamstring. You know, 764 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 1: in two thousand nineteen, Kevin Durant gets hurt. Clay Thompson 765 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: gets hurt in two thousand twenty, Kevin Durant and Steph 766 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 1: Curry are at home on their couches. Like guys, it 767 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: takes so many things going your way to win a championship. 768 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: You need to have a good roster that comes together, 769 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: which typically requires a combination of competence and luck. You 770 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:04,880 Speaker 1: need health, You need guys to stay healthy over the 771 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: course of the season. You need to catch the right matchups. 772 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 1: And then there's even shot results stuff. You don't think 773 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: the Rockets are sitting there going like man, if we 774 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 1: don't make miss three in a row, we win the 775 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:19,240 Speaker 1: title in two thousand eighteen. You don't think the Warriors 776 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,920 Speaker 1: go man. If Katie and or excuse me, if Stephen 777 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: and Clay didn't go so ice cold in two thousands sixteen, 778 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 1: we'd have the greatest team of all time, seventy three 779 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: wins in a championship. Shot result is a big thing. 780 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving stepping back over Steph Curry. That's not a 781 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 1: hundred percent shot it went in, but there's roughly a 782 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:38,279 Speaker 1: coin flip or better chance that it doesn't go in. 783 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 1: You need to get lucky, and so my my, my 784 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,000 Speaker 1: fear is is that that luck doesn't manifest for Kadi 785 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,319 Speaker 1: over the course of these Latin this last portion of 786 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 1: his career, and then people run with the story and 787 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:55,439 Speaker 1: that's really unfortunate. But the winner does get to tell 788 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,880 Speaker 1: the story, and so I hope for Katie's steak that 789 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: he gets a win so that he can tell that 790 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,839 Speaker 1: story all right. Lastly, biggest one if of Katie's career. 791 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:07,880 Speaker 1: So a lot of people are gonna say the two 792 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:10,840 Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen Western Conference Finals. I agree there. Obviously, 793 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:14,280 Speaker 1: if he shoots better and if Russell Westbrook doesn't implode 794 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 1: the way he did in Game six, they win that series. 795 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:18,919 Speaker 1: They have a very good chance to beating the Calves 796 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: in the two thousand sixteen finals, although I view that 797 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 1: is more of a coin flip, and if regardless of 798 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:26,840 Speaker 1: what happens there, he's not leaving the Thunder in all likelihood. 799 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:28,360 Speaker 1: If he makes it to the finals that year, that 800 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 1: could completely change the trajectory of the second half of 801 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:36,360 Speaker 1: his career. And then the big one for me, embracing defense. 802 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 1: You know, all of the best players of all time, 803 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 1: even if they were reluctant to do so earlier in 804 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:49,719 Speaker 1: their careers, became consistent year in and year out devoted 805 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 1: defensive players, even just in the league right now, if 806 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:54,719 Speaker 1: we go from the top of the league, it's like 807 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:57,520 Speaker 1: Janice is I think the best defensive player in all 808 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:00,200 Speaker 1: of basketball. Lebron James had a horrible deef ends of 809 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:03,520 Speaker 1: season last year, but every one of his four championships 810 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:07,320 Speaker 1: he was an outstanding defensive player. Steph Curry, although he 811 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 1: lacks the physical tools to be an impact defensive player, 812 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 1: has maximized his defensive skill set by his defensive impact 813 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:18,439 Speaker 1: by putting as much time and effort and focus into 814 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,160 Speaker 1: that side of the floor to at least make it 815 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: so he's no longer negative and now he's actually a 816 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: slight positive on the defensive end of the floor. And 817 00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: we can go on and on and on, but most 818 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,320 Speaker 1: of the all time great players have made that commitment 819 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: to the defensive end of the four. Katie did for 820 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,319 Speaker 1: about two years, did in two thousands sixteen, and did it, 821 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:36,239 Speaker 1: and he did it in two thousand and seventeen, and 822 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 1: then in the big playoff games. He will turn it 823 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:41,000 Speaker 1: on from time to time. And when he does so, 824 00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 1: it's frightening because like I said before, he has something 825 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:45,440 Speaker 1: that he has the same set of physical tools defensively 826 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,400 Speaker 1: that a guy like Anthony Davis has. But the reality 827 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:50,279 Speaker 1: is is that for the most part in his career, 828 00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:53,560 Speaker 1: he's left a lot to be desired there. And one 829 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,080 Speaker 1: of my long staining theories is that if k d 830 00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:00,839 Speaker 1: had embraced that earlier in his career and done consistently, 831 00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 1: I think he would have been the goat because the 832 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:09,239 Speaker 1: team results would have followed, and he's so damn good 833 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:13,800 Speaker 1: offensively that that would have just been the one last 834 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:17,520 Speaker 1: trump card with his physical tools to put his leanning 835 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:20,919 Speaker 1: impact over that threshold to the point where nobody would 836 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: have would have been able to do anything with the guy. 837 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: Kind of like what you're watching with honest right now, 838 00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 1: Janice is this unstoppable offensive force, and he's the best 839 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:34,719 Speaker 1: defensive player in basketball. Katie would have been a top 840 00:42:34,719 --> 00:42:36,879 Speaker 1: two or three defensive player in all of basketball every 841 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,000 Speaker 1: year if he tried, and if that was the case 842 00:42:40,120 --> 00:42:43,439 Speaker 1: in combination with what he does offensively, I do believe 843 00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:45,880 Speaker 1: you would have had a more impactful basketball career. I 844 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:47,600 Speaker 1: think he would have been, like I said, the best 845 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:49,840 Speaker 1: basketball player to ever play the game. It is what 846 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:52,440 Speaker 1: it is. Players are who they are and Katie has 847 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: had a monstrously successful career in spite of that, but 848 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:57,720 Speaker 1: it's just been one of my long standing theories with Katie, 849 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:02,120 Speaker 1: like I do believe that his offensive talent in conjunction 850 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:05,960 Speaker 1: with his defensive capability is that of the greatest basketball 851 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: player that I've seen. The volume