1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: The volume. We're back with another week of football, and 2 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: DraftKings Sportsbook is keeping us in on the NFL action 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: with great offers. Every single game day. New customers can 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: bet five dollars and get two hundred dollars instantly in 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: bonus bets. Throw five down on any of this week's 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: epic matchups and walk away an instant winner, and DraftKings 7 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: isn't stopping there. All customers can take advantage of two 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: new offers every single game day this September. Football's more 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: fun when you're in on the action, so download the 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,639 Speaker 1: app now and sign up with code Hoops. 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Happy Thursday, everybody. 28 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: I hopeful if you guys are having a great week so far. 29 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: We are live on AMPS, so if you're watching on 30 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: YouTube or listening on the podcast feeds, don't forget that 31 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: AMP is the very first place that you can get 32 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: these shows. We're continuing our Power Rankings today, covering the 33 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: Cleveland Cavaliers with a full season preview. And then I've 34 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: got two mailback questions, and then I want to kind 35 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: of follow up on my Damian Lillard take from the 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: other day. You guys know the Joe Porta. Get started. 37 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: Subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow me on Twitter at 38 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: Underscore Jason lt don't forget about our podcast feed under 39 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: Hoops tonight, and I need mailback questions, so drop those 40 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: in the YouTube comments for us to hit at the 41 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: end of our shows. All right, let's talk some basketball, 42 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: so really quick before I go up front. I don't 43 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: know how this happened, but they got switched. I had 44 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: the Knicks at fourteen and the Calves at thirteen. That 45 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: should be reversed. I intended for the Knicks to be 46 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: above the Calves, So consider the Calves at fourteenth on 47 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: my list, and consider the Knicks at thirteen. But I 48 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: could care less about the order for all intents and purposes. 49 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: I'd rather just dive into the teams and talk about 50 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: some basketball. So let's do that today. So obviously, the 51 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: Calves had a lot of roster turnover this summer, specifically 52 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: designed to address their biggest roster weakness, which was shooting. 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: But I want to take a second differentiate between what 54 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: was the biggest weakness on paper or in process during 55 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: the regular season versus why they lost to the Knicks, 56 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: because I think they're very different, and I think that 57 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: if you move only to address that big picture flaw 58 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: in weakness, you could overlook the real reason why they 59 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: were losing, and those reasons are reasons that are not 60 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: gonna go away just because you brought in some guys 61 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: that can knock down some threes. Because here's the thing, 62 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: shooting is definitely their biggest weakness in the big in 63 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: the big picture. But that's not why they lost to 64 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: the Knicks. In fact, they made thirty seven percent of 65 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: their catch and shoot threes in that series. That's perfectly fine. 66 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: There were nine playoff teams, nine of the sixteen teams 67 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: that shot worse in their spot up situations. The Cavs 68 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: converted spot up possessions in the Knick series at one 69 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: point two points per possession. That's not just good, that's 70 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: off the charts good. That was the second best mark 71 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: out of any of the sixteen playoff teams last year. 72 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: So hitting open guys and them not being able to 73 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: make shots, that's not why you lost to the Knicks. 74 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: Bringing in Max Struce and George's kneeang as guys that 75 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: can make threes is not going to fix that problem. 76 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: They lost this series in five games. Three of the 77 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: four losses didn't even involve a clutch situation. I mean, 78 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: they couldn't even get it within five points with five 79 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: minutes left. They got smacked. So why why did they 80 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: get smacked? That's the important thing that needs to be 81 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: diagnosed here. I had three main reasons that I put down, 82 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: and I talked about all three of these during the series, 83 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: but I actually went back and watched a bunch of 84 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: the series this morning and they stood out to me again. Now, 85 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: reason number one by far the biggest reason why the 86 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: Knicks kicked the Cavs ass last year, and I bet 87 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: you Cavs fans can probably guess this. They're bigs. Evan 88 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: Mobley and Jared Allen got their ass kicked. Mitchell Robinson 89 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: absolutely obliterated them on the glass. He had twenty nine 90 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: offensive rebounds in five games. To give you an idea, 91 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley and Jared Allen combined between the two of 92 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: them to get already offensive rebounds, so Mitchell Robinson almost 93 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: had as many offensive rebounds by himself. And then, as 94 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: I predicted before the series, Evan Mobley struggled a little 95 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: bit with the physicality of Julius Randall because he's just 96 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: so much bigger than him that he can dislodge him 97 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: when he beats him to spots. Isaiah Hartenstein killed him 98 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: on the glass two. As a team, the Knicks had 99 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: seventy five offensive rebounds in five games. That's unheard of. 100 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 1: That is unbelievably good. But here's the problem. We're just 101 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: talking about the glass here. It actually got worse because 102 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: the Cavs were a excellent pick and roll team in 103 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: the regular season, as we know, we're gonna talk about 104 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: that a lot today, but as we pointed out, when 105 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: they kicked it out to shooters in this series, they 106 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: actually made shots. And you know, part of the kind 107 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: of plot line in that series was like, oh, we 108 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: know the Knicks are gonna ignore Isaacacorro and they're gonna 109 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: ignore Lamar Stevens, and they're gonna force them into taking, 110 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: you know, a tough shots in pick and roll. Right. Well, 111 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: the biggest problem was actually the role men. The Calves 112 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: as a team logged thirty seven roleman possessions in the series, 113 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: and they converted them into just eighteen points. That's zero 114 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: point four to nine points per possession. Here's how bad 115 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: that was. Twelve of the sixteen playoff teams last year 116 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: were over a point per possession in rollman possessions. Minnesota, 117 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: Brooklyn and the Clippers were the only three teams that 118 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: were below a point, and all three of them were 119 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: over zero points seventy five points over three quarters of 120 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: a point. The Calves were less than half of a point. 121 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley by himself had thirteen rollman possessions that he 122 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,119 Speaker 1: converted into one point a free throw. He was zero 123 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: for ten from the field. And this is where the 124 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: actual kind of organization of the team got screwed up, 125 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: because what was happening was is Julius Randall's guarding Evan Mobley. 126 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: You're on a pick and roll with Darius Garland or 127 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell. Julius Randall is showing high to stop the 128 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: pull up jump shot, and so the slip is wide open, 129 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: and they're throwing that pass over the top to Evan Mobley, 130 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: who's catching the ball wide open in the middle of 131 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: the floor. And every single time you've got Jared Allen 132 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: standing there in the dunker spot ready to go up. 133 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: Mitchell Robinson would just hang back and kind of bait 134 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley into come in into him, and then as 135 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: he would jump, he would time it perfectly meet him 136 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: up top and force him into a tough floater over 137 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: the top, which he literally could not make. He too 138 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: frequently missed that lob pass to Jared Allen or couldn't 139 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: figure out a way to bait Mitchell Robinson into committing 140 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: so that he could make that pass, and then when 141 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,559 Speaker 1: they would dig down from the weak side too often 142 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: he missed the kickout pass. So the math from there 143 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: is pretty simple. You can put it together. So if 144 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: you're allowing the other team to show high on ball 145 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: screens but not punishing them on the short roll, like 146 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: literally not ever scoring in the short role, then you're 147 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: gonna get killed and pick and roll offensively right like 148 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: you're you're gonna take what was one of the most 149 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: effective pick and roll offenses in the league in the 150 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: regular season, and it's gonna completely fall apart the way 151 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: it did against the Knicks. And so that was the 152 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: first big reason and by far the biggest reason why 153 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: they lost that series. Their bigs got their ass kicked 154 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: on the offensive glass, and their bigs couldn't do enough 155 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: to be a threat and pick and roll in the 156 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: dunker spot and as a role man. So that's reason 157 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: number one. The other two reasons came down to the guards. 158 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: Both Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell I thought missed too 159 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: many of those kickout opportunities. Donovan Mitchell in particular had 160 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: a rough series in this regard. When I was watching 161 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: the tape this morning, it's crazy how many reads he missed, 162 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: not just like skip passes the shooters, but like he 163 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: straight up missed Jared Allen for dunks a bunch of 164 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: times in that series underneath the basket, and like tried 165 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: to force something up over Mitchell Robinson that he would miss. 166 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: And you know, again, like we talked about, they had 167 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: one point two points per possession and spot up situations. 168 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: That's great, but they didn't get as many of those 169 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: possessions as they should have because the reads weren't being made. 170 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: And part of that's frustration. I really think that it's 171 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: a common thing that basketball players will do. A really 172 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: really good basketball player, when they're frustrated by something that's 173 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: happening around them that's out of their control, they'll respond 174 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: by forcing the issue. And both of them took a 175 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: lot of really tough shots that they probably didn't need 176 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: to take over the course of that series, and so 177 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: offensive process was kind of the second reason and then 178 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: the third reason was the defensive entry points. And a 179 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: lot of people are gonna want to say Cheddy Osmond, 180 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: and don't get me wrong, Cheddy Osmond was an issue. 181 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunston picked on him relentlessly and then whatever was 182 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: you think he played like nineteen minutes a game in 183 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: that series, But it wasn't just him. The reality is 184 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: is that every single time a Cleveland Cavalier ball handler 185 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: looked up and saw Darius Garland on them, their eyes 186 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: lit up. It'd be like, you know, Jalen Brunson seeing 187 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: that he's got Darius Garland on him and immediately taking 188 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: him to work, or you know r J. Barrett would 189 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: catch on the left wing or in the left corner 190 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: and be like, oh shit, Darius Garland's on me. Hard 191 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,839 Speaker 1: ripped through the left easy layup like that. That's an 192 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,440 Speaker 1: entry point that's gonna be a problem when you have 193 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,319 Speaker 1: two small guards, one of which is bad defensively and 194 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: the other is average at best. It's kind of a 195 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,599 Speaker 1: roster alignment issue. And so again, like it's important to 196 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: differentiate between what their big picture issues were in the 197 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: regular season and why they lost to the Knicks. The 198 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 1: reason why they lost to the Knicks had very little 199 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: to do with their role players. It's easy to focus 200 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: on role players because it allows you to avoid big 201 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: picture conversations. Right, And let's look at this Cavs offseason. 202 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: They went and got a bunch of shooting, right, It's 203 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: clear that they view the role players as the reason 204 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: why things went the way they did. And that is 205 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: the easier solution, because it's much harder to sit down 206 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: as a front office and be like, Hey, do you 207 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: know why Evan Mobley had to contend with Mitchell Robinson 208 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 1: every single time he caught on the short role. Oh, 209 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: we're running a two big offense in twenty twenty three. 210 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: And for the record, they have to right now, right 211 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: because Jared Allen is your only guy that can play 212 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: starting center, because Evan Mobley right now is a little 213 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: too thin and not quite ready for that type of 214 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: physical responsibility, right, and Evan Mobley is a limited offensive 215 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: player at this point. Let's just put it straight up. 216 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: So for the record, Evan Mobley was the very worst 217 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: spot up player in the entire NBA last year. There 218 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: were one hundred and eighty two players who attempted at 219 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: least one hundred and fifty spot up possessions. Last year, 220 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley scored zero point six to one points per 221 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: possession in those situations, which was dead last in that group. 222 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: So at a low volume limit one hundred and fifty reps, 223 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 1: almost half the league had that many, one hundred and 224 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: eighty two players, he was dead last. So you can't 225 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: put him in the corner and have Jared Allen run 226 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: screens because you don't have to guard him out there. 227 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: And so as a result, you have to run this 228 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: Jankee system or Evan Mobley set in the ball screens 229 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: and he rolls hard to the rim and Jared Allen 230 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 1: is waiting in the dunker spot and you hope Evan 231 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: Mobley can make plays. Here's the problem. In the regular 232 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: season that works pretty well, but you're run into a 233 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: good playoff defense. And here's the thing. The Knicks were 234 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: not even that good of a defense. I think there 235 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: were nineteenth in defensive rating last year. Now it's about 236 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: matchups because the Cavs are are typically not a good 237 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: spot up team, even though they were in that series. 238 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: And so Tom Thibodeaux is allowed to and able to 239 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: kind of pack the paint in a certain way and yeah, 240 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: maybe there's a matchup they could have caught somewhere along 241 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: the way where they would have fared better in pick 242 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: and roll. But I would argue, if your intention is 243 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: to get out of the Eastern Conference and have a 244 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: chance to win the championship, you're not ever going to 245 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: do that when you've got two guys on the floor 246 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: that are non threats offensively. And I'm again, I'm a 247 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: huge believer in Evan Mobley in the long run. I'm 248 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:41,559 Speaker 1: not trying to sit here and be super critical of 249 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: Evan Moble hes he just finished his second season as 250 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: a pro. But like, now you're starting to see some 251 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: of the imbalances, right because you have this system built 252 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: around two small guards and two bigs. That's the other Like, 253 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: that's another big picture question that you'd have to have. 254 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: Are you gonna sit down in the front office and 255 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 1: be like, is there, uh, is it a good idea 256 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: to have our two best shot creators, the two guys 257 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: we lean on most offensively that we have to play 258 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: together a lot, be two small guards, one of which 259 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: is a bad defender and the other is average at 260 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 1: best and most of the time bad. Like that's that's 261 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: that's a big That's a tough conversation because how do 262 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: those conversations end. Those conversations end with Like, if we 263 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 1: give Evan Mobley the center position, we're not going to 264 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,439 Speaker 1: be as good for a while as Evan Mobley learns 265 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: how to play center in the NBA and has to 266 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: bulk up. Right if we if we address the guard issue, 267 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,359 Speaker 1: then that means we have to trade one of them. 268 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: And like, that's a tough conversation to have. And so 269 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: what ends up happening is instead it's like, hey, well 270 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: let's blame the role players. Let's blame Chetti Osmon and 271 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: Isaac Kora, right, and and so then you go out 272 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: and you get and George' kneeaning and you run it back. 273 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: But what's gonna end up happening is you're gonna be 274 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: in the exact same predicament this summer or this this 275 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: coming summer when you get to April, May June, when 276 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: you have the exact same roster imbalances. Like ideally in 277 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: the modern MBA, you want to have your roster dispersed 278 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: among the three core star archetypes, right, Like you want 279 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: some sort of shot creating guard that can run, pick 280 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: and roll and pick defenses apart. You want some sort 281 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: of like power playmaking forward, and then you want a 282 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: defensive anchor at the center position. And then slotted between 283 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: those three spots, you want versatile like a versatile guard 284 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: and a versatile forward that can defend and can shoot 285 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: and play off the ball. That's ideally how you want 286 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: to orient a team. The only teams that get away 287 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: with not following that structure are teams that have all 288 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: time great offensive unicorns. Like, yeah, if you've got Steph 289 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: Curry or Nikola Jokic, you might be able to get 290 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: away with a little bit of a funky lineup, right, 291 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: Like Jokic is the first the Denver Nuggets are the 292 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: first team to win the title without a dominant defensive 293 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: front court. Yeah, that's true, but they've got Nikola Jokic, 294 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: the potentially the best offensive player of all time when 295 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: it's all said and done. Like that's the potential he has. 296 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: It's like, okay, the Warriors, they they won with small ball. Yeah, 297 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: you're right, but they've got Steph freakin Curry. And again, 298 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are really good players, 299 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: they're not Steph Curry and they're not Nicola Jokich. And 300 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: so when you run into roster and balances and you 301 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: don't have the superhuman offensive production that allows you to 302 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: kind of like mitigate some of those issues, you're gonna 303 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: run into problems you don't have, Like you're your best 304 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: athletic forward is Evan Mobley, who right now is several 305 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: seasons away from being ready offensively to be a perimeter 306 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: player and more than likely in the perfect world operates 307 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: as like a Kevin Garnett esque center for you ideally 308 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: in the long run, right, So that means you need 309 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: a forward. Who's your dynamic forward. You don't have one, 310 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: So you're running two bigs and two small guards, and 311 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: yeah you can JB. Bicker Staff has done an amazing 312 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: job getting these dudes to play hard. We're gona talk 313 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: about their defense in a little bit. They did a 314 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: lot of things really well defensively last year. There's best 315 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: defense in the league. You can fake it in the 316 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: regular season a certain amount. That's been a big theme 317 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: on the show. We just talked about it in the 318 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: Knixt Show yesterday, Like, yeah, you can get away with 319 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: a lot in the regular season. How many times are 320 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: we going to see a Calves, a Knicks or not 321 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: excuse me, Calves, a King's or a Memphis Grizzlies team 322 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: win a shit ton of regular season games and then 323 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: lose to a middle of the pack veteran team. Like 324 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: we've seen this too many times. You can't be swayed 325 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: by regular season results now unless you have a different 326 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: end game in mind. If your goal is to win 327 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: fifty regular season games every year and just be interesting 328 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: while you lose in the first or second round, then 329 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: by all means, this is the way to go. But 330 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:23,719 Speaker 1: if that's the case, then, like why did you trade 331 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 1: for Donovan Mitchell? Then? Because he's on a different timeline. 332 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: He's a little bit older, right Evan Mobley's. By the 333 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: time Evan Mobley enters his prime, Donovan Mitchell could be 334 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 1: thirty and not be the same athlete that he is now. 335 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: So like that's where I struggle to understand, like the 336 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: kind of like big picture direction that this is going 337 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: the big picture discussions are are we oriented properly? And 338 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: the answer to that is probably no. But those conversations 339 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,679 Speaker 1: are really hard to have for Kobe Altman in that 340 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: front office, and so instead they target off ball players, 341 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: which they did and so again for the purpose of 342 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: this preview that we're gonna focus on what they are 343 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: and what they're going to be. But I do think 344 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: it's important to acknowledge that they did not lose because 345 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: of their role players. They lost because the Mitchell Garland 346 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: Allen Mobley quad, whatever you want to call it, that 347 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: foursome is misaligned. On the same basketball team. You've got 348 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: two dominant pick and role players playing the hardest brand 349 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: of pick and roll you can possibly play, which is 350 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: the rim protector sitting right under the rim and doesn't 351 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: even have to play drop coverage like that. That's just 352 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: a really difficult way to play basketball. And they've signed 353 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: up for this for the immediate future. All right, So 354 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: quick little offseason recap. They lost Andy Green, Robin Lopez, 355 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: Roal Metto, Cheti Osman, Lamar Stevens, and Dylan Windler. Again, 356 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: there's lots of roster turnover this year. They added shooting again. 357 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: They were twentieth in the regular season in spot up 358 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: efficiency last year was significant problem. During the regular season. 359 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 1: They went out and got several good shooters. Max Strews, 360 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: he was a light at lights out spot up guy 361 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: last year. One point one to eight points per possession 362 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: on three hundred and fifty reps. Remember that one hundred 363 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: and eighty two players spot up list that I said 364 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: that Evan Mobley was dead last on. Max was thirty 365 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: first on that list, so much higher on that list. 366 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: And if you trim it down to the high volume guys, 367 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: there were sixteen players in the league who got at 368 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: least two hundred excuse me, at least three hundred and 369 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: fifty spot up looks. Max was second on that list. 370 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: So among the high high volume spot up guys, there 371 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: were sixteen of them, he finished second. That's significant, and 372 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 1: I think he's a really good fit Defensively. He's six 373 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: foot five, two hundred and fifteen pounds, he's got good size, 374 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 1: He competes, and he'll help you with the dirty work. 375 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: George Sneeing even more efficient in spot up situations than 376 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: Max Strews one point two zero points per possession. He 377 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: shot sixty two percent in effective field goal percentage on 378 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 1: catch and shoot jumpers seventy one percent when he's unguarded. 379 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: He's one of the few I cannot leave him open 380 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: guys that we have in the league. And what I 381 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: really like about that too, is both of those shooters 382 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: kind of play different positions. Those are you know, Kneang 383 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: kind of slots as a four next to a rim 384 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:07,239 Speaker 1: protecting five, and Max Strews kind of ideally operates as 385 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: a two or a three right, and so that kind 386 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: of makes sense in terms of the alignment. And now 387 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: the Cavs are gonna be able to throw at a 388 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: lineups where they have like, you know, Darius Garland and 389 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: Karris Lavert with Max Strew's, George's Kneeing and Jared Allen, like, 390 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: they're gonna have some flexibility to run lineups like that, 391 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: which they did not last year because they simply did 392 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: not have the shooting. And that's where it gets exciting, 393 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: because now you're talking about legitimately running spread pick and 394 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: roll with three great shooters off the ball that you 395 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: can't leave open, so that Darius Garland has the room 396 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: to really work downhill. Even when they ran one big 397 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: lineups last year, they just didn't have the shooting to 398 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: properly really generate the spacing lanes that they needed. They 399 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: also drafted em many baits baits when the second round 400 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: and so it kind of went under the radar, but 401 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: he played really well at summer League. Very very good shooter. 402 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: He's got a lot of other limitations. He's super super thin. Obviously, 403 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: he's got to learn how to play off the ball. 404 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: He does most of his work on the ball. But 405 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: in the long run, I think he's an interesting option 406 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: as somebody who could potentially be that kind of swing 407 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 1: forward if he learns how to do the dirty work 408 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: and learns how to play off the ball. I don't 409 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: think he's going to play much this year, but he's 410 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: an interesting pickup. They also added Damian Jones, who was 411 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: a decent backup center. I covered him with the Lakers. 412 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: Nothing exceptional there, but he's a fine backup option. Tristan 413 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: Thompson another backup big. He played very sparingly for the 414 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: Lakers at the end of the Nuggets series and had 415 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: some moments, but again just a backup big. Ty Jerome 416 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,959 Speaker 1: a backup ball handler from the Golden State Warriors last year. 417 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: I actually really liked this pickup. He ran one hundred 418 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: and sixty nine picking rolls last year, leading to one 419 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty six points. That was in the eighty 420 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: eighth percentile. He's got a really nice pull up three 421 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: points shot and a really nice floater he's got. He 422 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: made fifty two percent of his floaters last year. Nice 423 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 1: high arc on it can get it over rim protectors. 424 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: I actually think he makes a lot of sense as 425 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: a backup shot creater on this particular team. I'm actually 426 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: shocked he didn't play more than he did for the Warriors, 427 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: but again they were kind of guard heavy, but he 428 00:21:58,040 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: had some moments when Steph was out with injury for 429 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 1: the war Actually like that pick up a lot, and 430 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: I think Cavs fans are gonna like him. So again, 431 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: if we picked the direction that they could go, which 432 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: is fundamentally alter the structure of the team or fix 433 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: the role player shooting issue. Excepting that we chose to 434 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: fix the role player shooting issue, they did a good job. 435 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: They did a good job addressing that issue. I thought 436 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: they picked up some good shooting at good value. I 437 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 1: liked that summer for the Cavs from that standpoint. Depth 438 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 1: chart at guard Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Karris Lavert, and 439 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: Ti Drome. At forward Evan Mobley, Max drew some kind 440 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: of considering him forward here, although he could be technically 441 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: considered a guard. Isaac Accorro georgi' Kniang, Dean Wade, and 442 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: Emny Bates. I actually think Emy Bates has a decent 443 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: chance to make the opening day roster. We'll see the 444 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: bigs Jared Allen, Damien Jones, and Tristan Thompson, and obviously 445 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley is capable of playing some backup big as well. 446 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: On offense, this is a pick and roll team. The 447 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: vast majority of Caves offensive possessions will involve a ball screen. 448 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 1: They ran forty pick and rolls per game last year, 449 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: which was the sixth most in the NBA. They scored 450 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: one point zero four points per possession in pick and 451 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: roll last year, which was seventh most in the NBA. Now, 452 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: you gotta remember that's with all of those misalignment issues 453 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: that I was talking about, which is why I've been 454 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:13,959 Speaker 1: pushing so much for this, because just imagine a universe 455 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: where Donovan Mitchell is able to run you know this 456 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 1: many pick and rolls in true four out one in 457 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: spacing with a good role man like it could be 458 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: really dynamic if that were to happen. The Cavs do 459 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: a much better job than most teams at complicating their 460 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: pick and roll. And remember we talked about this yesterday, 461 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: But complications are just like actions you run to get 462 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: into it pick and roll, or actions that you run 463 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: during pick and roll to keep things busy, right, so 464 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: it occupies defenders and makes the point of attack job harder. 465 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,719 Speaker 1: So they'll run like a dribble handoff flowing into pick 466 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: and rolls or like a pistol action for instance, again 467 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: making those two defensive guards either navigate a switch or 468 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: fight through a screen before they flow into the pick 469 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,159 Speaker 1: and roll. They'll do like they'll run Karis laverdaf of 470 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: a couple of wide pin downs like a double wide screen, 471 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: and then he'll come up and then immediately flow into 472 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: a pick and roll off of the second screener right. 473 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: Or Darius Garland's really good at like this give and 474 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: go thing where he'll kind of dribble up the left 475 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: side of the floor and he'll the Jared Allen or 476 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley will come up to set the screen and 477 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 1: instead of like dribbling into it, he'll like look over 478 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: to the left and like throw a high post entry 479 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 1: and then just sprint off like a dribble handoff. Then 480 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: as soon as he gets a dribble hand off, he'll 481 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: rip back to the left and Evan Wibi will reverse 482 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: the screen and he'll come off towards the left side. 483 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: Like they do a nice job of making it so 484 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: it's not just stagnant dribble to ball up the floor 485 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: and run pick and roll type of offense, And I 486 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: credit JB. Bickerstaff for that, And I really think it's 487 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: one of the biggest areas of for opportunity in offense 488 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: around the NBA is like we've almost become a little 489 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: bit too brute force, especially during the regular season, and 490 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: I'd like to see more teams do that. But the 491 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: Cavs do a really nice job. Donovan Mitchell was awesome 492 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:48,880 Speaker 1: in pick and roll last year, one point one zero 493 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: points per possession. Remember our high volume pick and roll list, 494 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: there are fifteen players in the league who ran at 495 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: least a thousand. Donovan Mitchell came in third on that list, 496 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: so he's one of the best. Darius Garland was a 497 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: level below that, one point zero three points per possession. 498 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: He was eleventh in our high volume pick and roll list. 499 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: Karris Lavert one point zero one points per possession on 500 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: four hundred and seventy one reps. It's basically average attacking 501 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: in ISO. Darius Garland had a rough year zero point 502 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: eighty seven points per possession, but both Donovan Mitchell and 503 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: Karis Lavert were good well over a point per possession. 504 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: They have no post up attack. They scored just three 505 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty points out of the post all season. 506 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 1: That was twenty fifth in the NBA, and they were 507 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: twenty ninth in efficiency out of the post. But the 508 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: real area for opportunity here is trying to avoid the 509 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: two big spacing issues as much as possible, Like, yeah, 510 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: you were eighth in offensive rating last year, and it's 511 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,200 Speaker 1: easy to be like, oh, we're good on offense, but 512 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 1: you were twentieth in clutch offensive ratings. So when the 513 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: game really slowed down at the end of games, you 514 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,239 Speaker 1: couldn't score relative to your peers. And then you got 515 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: to the postseason, he ran into a league average defense 516 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: and couldn't score. So I think it's important to identify 517 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: that ceiling there that needs to be addressed, and I 518 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: think a couple of ways you can address it in 519 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 1: the short term is just staggering out Mobile and Allen 520 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: more like cutting Jared Allen's minutes a little bit and 521 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 1: running more Evan Mobley at the five. I think George 522 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: is kneeing slots really nicely as a four next to him, 523 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: and so you could find more opportunities for one big 524 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,719 Speaker 1: lineups to make things easier. Or you know, here's the thing, 525 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: like you can pay the price with some regular season 526 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: struggles by giving Mobiley more reps at the five, knowing 527 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: he's not gonna do great at it, and maybe you 528 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: pay the price in the regular season, but over the 529 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: course of the season he improves at it, and you 530 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 1: have that as a look when you get to the postseason. 531 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: But really, I don't think they're gonna be able to 532 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: reach their ultimate offensive potential until they reorient themselves on defense. 533 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:39,959 Speaker 1: They were the best defense in the league last year. 534 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: They were the only team in the NBA to allow 535 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: fewer than one hundred and ten points per possessions points 536 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: per one hundred possesions excuse me. They were the sixth 537 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: best paint defense and the fifth best three point defense. 538 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: They allowed just eleven point six made threes per game, 539 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: so one of the few teams in the league that 540 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,159 Speaker 1: did a really nice job of taking away the two 541 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 1: most efficient shots in the game, which is the ram 542 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: and the three point line to JB. Bickerstaff and his 543 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: staff for building a really good modern defense. I don't 544 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: think it's a coincidence that they were the best defense 545 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:08,959 Speaker 1: in the league as a result. One weakness in their 546 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: defense is they were twentieth and rebounding, So not a 547 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: big shock to see why New York caused him so 548 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: many problems there. Most of that's just a couple of things. 549 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: Two small guards. You're going to struggle to secure long 550 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: rebounds with two small guards, and then Evan Mobley just 551 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: being a little thin, something that he'll get better at 552 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: in the long run. And then they do have entry 553 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: points like we talked about in the postseason. Again, it's 554 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: easy to talk about Cheddy Osmond, but wasn't just Chetty Osman. 555 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: And the problem is their best point of attack defender 556 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: last year was Isaac Cacorro, but he was a bad 557 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: spot up player, only zero point nine to seven points 558 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: per possession, and so as a result, when they got 559 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: to the postseason, they only played him fifteen minutes a game, 560 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: and so they had to play a lot more Chetty 561 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 1: Osmen and he did get attacked a lot. But again 562 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: it's not just him, it's Also, it's also the Darius 563 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: Garland issue. Donovan Mitchell doesn't so much get picked on 564 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: because he's a great athlete, but he does struggle just 565 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: in of his overall defensive awareness. I do think Max 566 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: Strus is gonna help here, though, I think Max Strews 567 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: is a better combination of like offensive threat and defensive 568 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 1: capable point of attack defender. Like I think that he's 569 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 1: a better combination of those two things than really anybody 570 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: who played on the wing last year for the Kavs, 571 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: And so I think Max Stus is really gonna help 572 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: them there, but it's still gonna be a fundamental issue 573 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 1: with the ability to attack their guards when they get 574 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 1: to the postseason. So again, like accepting the simple fact 575 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 1: that the Caves front office probably will not move off 576 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: of the Garland Mitchell Mobiley Allen core for at least 577 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: one more season, if not more, that leaves us with 578 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,959 Speaker 1: two harsh truths about the Caves defense, Like Darius Garland 579 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: and Donovan Mitchell have to find a way to hold 580 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: up defensively, and Evan Mobley and Jared Allen have to 581 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: find a way to hold up on the glass. They're 582 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: just going to have to if they're gonna have any 583 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: chance to reach their ultimate potential for this season, I 584 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: expect the Cavs to finish around the four to five 585 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: spot again and to lose in the first round unless 586 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: they catch a really favorable matchup. I really think this 587 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: team has some defense are some playoff flaws that are 588 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 1: going to be difficult to overcome in the short term. 589 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: All right, before we get out of here, I've got 590 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: I want to talk about the Damian Lillard situation for 591 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: just a second, and then we'll take two mail back questions. 592 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: So I've got a lot of backlash today over my 593 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: Damian Lillard position on social media, and I wanted to 594 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: address two counterpoints that I've heard that I don't understand. 595 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: So one of the most common refrains I'll hear when 596 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: I've had this position that I've taken is people will 597 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: say things like he signed a contract, like all they 598 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: owe him is the money that's in the contract. And 599 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: I think there's a couple things that we got to 600 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: separate there. First of all, like this is not this 601 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: is not an employer type of situation where like you 602 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: just like this is a salary that you collect, and 603 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: like the company is choosing to pay you that this 604 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: is a revenue share. The league generates a certain amount 605 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: of revenue and the players get half of it. So like, though, 606 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: I don't look at it as like Portland gave Dame money. 607 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: Dame got his share of the revenue. Portland just happens 608 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: to be the vehicle with which he's enjoying that revenue. 609 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: I don't think. I don't think Portland should get bonus 610 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: points for paying Damian Lillard max contracts when all thirty 611 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: NBA teams would pay him max contracts. Like, I don't 612 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: understand that philosophy. Also, the second side of that is 613 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: like people will say things like, he signed a contract, 614 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: if he wanted to leave, why doesn't he just not 615 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: sign the contract, become a free agent, and then go 616 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 1: sign wherever he wants. And that sounds great on the surface, right, 617 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: that sounds super logical, But it's not that simple because 618 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: Dame wants to leave because he wants an opportunity to 619 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: contend for a championship. How often does a championship team 620 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: have max cap space a team that can win a 621 00:30:55,760 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: championship Almost never. One of the few times it happened 622 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: recently was in twenty sixteen and it literally generated the 623 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: greatest team ever assembled. Who were the teams with cap 624 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: space this summer, the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. 625 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: So yeah, Dame should have gotten out of his contract 626 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: so he can sign with one of the worst teams 627 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: in the league. Cap space is not very valuable anymore 628 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: because stars don't sign in free agency through that method. So, 629 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 1: as a result, if Dame wants to at this phase 630 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,280 Speaker 1: in his career, go to Miami. This is the only way. 631 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: If you are an NBA star and you want to 632 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: go play for one of the ten best teams in 633 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: the league, the only way you can do it is 634 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: sign a long term deal with your team in request 635 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 1: to trade. So again, it sounds great to be like, 636 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 1: don't sign the deal, you could be a free agent. 637 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: You signed up for this, You took away your own freedom. No, 638 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: he just made a decision based on the way the 639 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: league works. He wanted to go to Miami. His only 640 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: way to get there was to stay with Portland and 641 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: request a trade. Like, let's not like, there are takes 642 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: that I appreciate and I understand, but like that one 643 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: I really struggle with. I don't I don't get it. 644 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: Like every star that has changed teams over the last 645 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: five years. It's been through it's been through trades like 646 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: that's just how it's done these days. I wish I 647 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: had a I wish I mean, we can argue about 648 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:29,960 Speaker 1: the system all we want, but this is what the 649 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: system is. The second thing I don't understand is when 650 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: they say they owe it to the fans, and like, again, 651 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to to to to shit on Portland 652 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: fans here. That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm 653 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: trying to point out the dichotomy or the reality of 654 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: the situation. I should say there is a three way 655 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: relationship here. It's not just the I should say it's 656 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: a four way relationship. There's the revenue is being split 657 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: between the players and the and the owners, right, But 658 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: the actual dynamic, the living organ that is the NBA 659 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: has four factions and arguably more, but four main factions. 660 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: You've got the organizations and you've got the players, but 661 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 1: you also have the fans in the media, and all 662 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: four are incredibly important. The media is responsible for marketing 663 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: the league. It's what makes the league digestible. Like that 664 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: they're these these media companies from the big guys at ESPN, 665 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 1: to the smaller media companies like the volume, to the 666 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: individual team specific podcast out there, all of them, all 667 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: down the line, to the beat writers, to to to 668 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: the former players that just talk big picture stuff with 669 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: their buddies in the on a couch somewhere. All of 670 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 1: that helps market the league, which helps everybody. It helps 671 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 1: the owners make money, it helps the players make money, 672 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: it helps members of the media make money. That's that, right. 673 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,240 Speaker 1: Then there's the fans, and their trade off is simple. 674 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: They get a entertainment product and they get to root 675 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: for their team, and we market to them, right. I 676 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 1: shouldn't say we, but the advertisers do, right, So like 677 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 1: that's the trade off. Right. It's like you get to 678 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 1: see this game, but you have to watch these ads, right, 679 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 1: Or if you want to watch your favorite team on 680 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: League Pass, you've got to pay the NBA, right your 681 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: League Pass subscription. But it's all intricately related. So like yeah, 682 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: like like does Portland owe it to the fans to 683 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 1: do what's best for the franchise? Yes, but they also 684 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 1: owe something to day You can pretend that this is 685 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: just a business relationship and oh, you only have to 686 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:38,359 Speaker 1: fulfill the terms of your contract. That's not how it works. 687 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: Any of you guys who listen to the show that 688 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: run your own business in some way, shape or form, 689 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,359 Speaker 1: whether you run a small business in town, whether you've 690 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: got a side hustle, whether you sell real estate, whether 691 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: whether you're an uber driver. I don't care what it 692 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 1: is you do. If you have a ten ninety nine 693 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: and you run your own kind of personal business, how 694 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,439 Speaker 1: you treat people matters. You can pretend it doesn't matter, 695 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 1: but it does. And if you take a guy who 696 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 1: devoted eleven years of his career, they're probably a few 697 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: years more than he should have what like like you 698 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 1: do have to do right by him, and if you 699 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,320 Speaker 1: do wrong by him, that will come back to bite you. 700 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 1: I firmly believe that. And so you've got to appease 701 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: all parties involved. Yes, Portland owes it to their fans, 702 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 1: but they also owe it to their players to take 703 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,400 Speaker 1: care of them. And the other side of that is 704 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:32,799 Speaker 1: I'd be like, where was that sense of obligation from 705 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:35,399 Speaker 1: Portland fans to do what's best for the team when 706 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: the Portland front office was screwing off and wasting the 707 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 1: Dame era like that? That doesn't make any sense to me. 708 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: The one real opinion that I understand, the one that 709 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 1: I've seen that like, I'm like, okay, I see where 710 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: you're coming from. Is when people say, hey, Dame should 711 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: have given them like three teams instead of one team, 712 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: so at least they could pit them against each other 713 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: and get a better offer. Again, that makes sense in 714 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: a vacuum, and I do respect that opinion, But even 715 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: then I'd point out, like, does anybody really have three 716 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:07,399 Speaker 1: that they want or is it one that they want? 717 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: Like if I told you guys you had to you know, 718 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 1: if you're a hooper and you had to you wanted 719 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: to get a new pair of basketball shoes, and you're 720 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: a huge believer in the Kobe's and you can get 721 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 1: a Kobe, or you can get the PGS, or you 722 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,480 Speaker 1: can get the the Kyries, Like and yeah, those are 723 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:27,799 Speaker 1: your top three, but like, which one are you getting? 724 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: If you if you if you have your own choice, 725 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,319 Speaker 1: you're gonna take Kobe's, right, if you're a Kobe fan, 726 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:33,800 Speaker 1: or if you like the Kobe shoes better, Like it 727 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 1: sounds fancy in theory to be like, oh, yeah, here's 728 00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:38,799 Speaker 1: my list of three teams, but like, by the way 729 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:42,200 Speaker 1: I want Miami. Like, sure, I'll go to Toronto, OKC 730 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: or Miami. Cool, But you don't think him and his 731 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:47,799 Speaker 1: agent are still gonna tell the Heat that they want 732 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: he wants to go there first. You don't think Dame's 733 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 1: gonna let those other teams know like, yeah, by the way, 734 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: I prefer Miami. Like again, my criticism of Damian Lillard 735 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:57,239 Speaker 1: is just the overall way he's handled it. I think 736 00:36:57,640 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 1: him and his agent have been way too aggressive behind this. 737 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:02,000 Speaker 1: We get it, bro, you want to go to Miami. 738 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: That's been clear since you made the trade request. No 739 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,799 Speaker 1: one is no one is not clear on what your 740 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:11,120 Speaker 1: intentions are. You want to go to Miami. The way 741 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: you've behaved behind the scenes, it's made you look bad, 742 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:18,520 Speaker 1: there's no doubt. But fundamentally, here, I've got an organization 743 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: that a player has been remarkably loyal to, way more 744 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: loyal than most stars have in this era. Most stars 745 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: in this era would have gotten the year six or 746 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 1: seven in Portland and been like, actually, this isn't really 747 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: working out for me. I would like to go somewhere else. 748 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 1: We've seen that time and time again. Instead, Dame said, no, 749 00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:38,959 Speaker 1: I will try to make this work with you again. 750 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:40,879 Speaker 1: I will try to make this work with you again. 751 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: He gave them much more margin for error than they deserved. 752 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,280 Speaker 1: I think they should do right by him. But like again, 753 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 1: like he signed a contract, he gets half the revenue. 754 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: That's how it works. And the only way you can 755 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: go anywhere in free agency these days in terms of 756 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: a good team is via trade. So like saying that 757 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,360 Speaker 1: a player requesting a trade is dishonoring a contract is 758 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:15,359 Speaker 1: total bullshit. Because you have free agency is not free 759 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: agency anymore. Free agency is I get to pick from 760 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:23,920 Speaker 1: one of like maybe maybe if I'm lucky in a 761 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: good summer, a half dozen teams that have available cap space, 762 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:32,759 Speaker 1: and they probably all suck. So like, don't say he 763 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,160 Speaker 1: should have gone to free agency when free agency doesn't 764 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:40,879 Speaker 1: exist anymore. That's dishonest. But again, I I'm just ready 765 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 1: for this to be over. I thankfully I have the 766 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: Heat pretty high on my list anyway, so we'll get 767 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 1: to them, and hopefully by the time we get their 768 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 1: Dame's already there. Because you know what I want to do. 769 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: I want to talk about basketball, and I want to 770 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: get back to talking about how Damian Lillard with BAM 771 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: Adebayo is a super interesting duo and what Eric Spolscher 772 00:38:57,880 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: can do to bring the best out of him offense 773 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: or defense. Right, Like, that's the kind of stuff that 774 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 1: I want to talk about. But the saga needs to end, 775 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:09,879 Speaker 1: and it's dragging out because Portland's concerned with getting what's 776 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 1: absolutely best for them instead of acknowledging the realities of 777 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:17,359 Speaker 1: their relationship with Damian Lillard over a decade. All Right, 778 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: two mail back questions. First one is from Jacob. If 779 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 1: the Sun's elite jump shooting continued and they somehow beat Denver, 780 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 1: who would you have taken in a Sun's Lakers Western 781 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: Conference Finals and why? The answer to this is pretty simple. 782 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:31,799 Speaker 1: Are we accepting that that elite jump shooting continues into 783 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:35,240 Speaker 1: the next round? Because Yeah, if Devin Booker makes seventy 784 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:37,360 Speaker 1: percent of his pull up jump shots, they're beating everybody, 785 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 1: including the Lakers. But the reality is, like they do 786 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: rely a lot on pull up jump shooting, and they 787 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,440 Speaker 1: didn't have a single player that could actually physically hang 788 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 1: with Lebron and Anthony Davis has kicked DeAndre Ayton's ass 789 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:53,560 Speaker 1: all over the place forever, right, And so as I 790 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:57,359 Speaker 1: look at that if they played like the Suns did. 791 00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 1: For the most part, I think the Lakers win the series. 792 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 1: But yeah, in the world where the Suns continue to 793 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,120 Speaker 1: shoot the lights out, I would have picked the Suns 794 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,280 Speaker 1: to win. That series certainly would have been a lot closer. 795 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:09,000 Speaker 1: I certainly think the Suns would have had a very 796 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:10,360 Speaker 1: good chance to be the Lakers, but I would have 797 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 1: picked the Lakers. Last mail back question. Been watching your 798 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:15,960 Speaker 1: podcast since the twenty twenty two season and really enjoy 799 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:19,440 Speaker 1: the insight you bring. My question is do you believe 800 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:21,239 Speaker 1: you could ever be a GM or a coach at 801 00:40:21,239 --> 00:40:25,360 Speaker 1: the NBA level, and if not, what qualifications do you 802 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:27,879 Speaker 1: think one needs to get such a position. So, first 803 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:31,279 Speaker 1: of all, like, uh, it's in terms of qualifications. Coaching 804 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:33,160 Speaker 1: is a really interesting thing because I remember when I 805 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:34,959 Speaker 1: first got out of when I first got done playing, 806 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,040 Speaker 1: I wanted to coach, And for the record, like I 807 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,960 Speaker 1: love what I do right now, But the one thing 808 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:43,680 Speaker 1: that I would stop doing this for is to coach, 809 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,640 Speaker 1: and only in the NBA because I'm not interested in 810 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:48,000 Speaker 1: doing it at the college level because I don't want 811 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:51,800 Speaker 1: to recruit. But the main reason why it is because 812 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:55,480 Speaker 1: I missed the locker room like I miss the camaraderie, 813 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,920 Speaker 1: I miss the team goal, Like I get a lot 814 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: that with the volume, Like the volume has grown so 815 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 1: much since I've been here, and we've added all these 816 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:08,319 Speaker 1: big names. We added Channon Sharp the other day. That's awesome, right, 817 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 1: Like we've added some big name NFL guys. We added 818 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 1: Daniel Cormier is one of the biggest UFC media members 819 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:17,440 Speaker 1: in the world. We have a huge announcement for an 820 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: NBA guy that we have a partnership with that that's 821 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:22,640 Speaker 1: coming next week that I'm excited for you guys to 822 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:25,520 Speaker 1: hear about. Like I've enjoyed the growth of the volume 823 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:27,320 Speaker 1: and I'm stoked about that. And but like at the 824 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 1: end of the day, this is kind of a solo deal, right, 825 00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:33,080 Speaker 1: Like I work by myself. I have my producer and 826 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: some other producers behind the scene that I work with. 827 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:38,839 Speaker 1: But like in terms of this show, like it's it's 828 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,520 Speaker 1: it's not very much of like the basketball team type 829 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:44,359 Speaker 1: of vibe. And also like the nature of this job 830 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:50,000 Speaker 1: involves criticism, Like I have to talk about basketball players 831 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: not playing particularly well, or a coach doing something that 832 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:56,600 Speaker 1: I disagree with, which doesn't really sit right with me. 833 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,440 Speaker 1: Why because like, who am I to sit here and 834 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:05,479 Speaker 1: criticize Donovan Mitchell, an NBA player, an NBA All Star, 835 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:10,720 Speaker 1: an All NBA player about his you know, missing reads 836 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,840 Speaker 1: and pick and roll. I'm Jason fucking Timpf. I'm sitting 837 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 1: in my guest bedroom in Tucson, Arizona. Like that doesn't 838 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:21,319 Speaker 1: sit right with me, right, Like me talking about Tom 839 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 1: Thibodeaux overhelping on drives, Like Tom Thibodeau is a is 840 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:29,200 Speaker 1: a proven NBA coach, Like who am I to criticize 841 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 1: Tom Thibodeau. But at the end of the day, Like 842 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:34,120 Speaker 1: that's the overly rational way of looking at it. The 843 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:38,800 Speaker 1: reality is, this is sports media and my job is 844 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:42,920 Speaker 1: to give my opinion, and I do. I put in 845 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 1: a lot of work to try to legitimize those opinions, right, 846 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:49,080 Speaker 1: Like you guys know that I'd never say anything on 847 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:52,440 Speaker 1: the show unless I've seen overwhelming evidence that makes me 848 00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 1: feel that way about it, right, So, like that you 849 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:57,480 Speaker 1: got to separate the reality of what this job is 850 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:02,960 Speaker 1: versus what kind of about being an amateur criticizing a professional, right, 851 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,080 Speaker 1: Like Draymond Green talks about this a lot with the 852 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:07,800 Speaker 1: idea of the new media and it's an interesting idea. 853 00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:11,120 Speaker 1: But like I, if I ever get to interview an 854 00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:13,440 Speaker 1: NBA player, which I'm sure it will eventually happen, this 855 00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:15,200 Speaker 1: will be one of the questions I ask, Like, what's 856 00:43:15,239 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 1: it like understanding that the media has a job to do, 857 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:23,520 Speaker 1: but being criticized by non professionals, Like what's that like? 858 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: Because I'm curious because I know if I was a player, 859 00:43:27,120 --> 00:43:29,160 Speaker 1: I'd be like, who the fuck is this guy? You 860 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:30,799 Speaker 1: know what I mean? Like I would be that guy 861 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 1: if I was playing in the NBA. Right, So, Like 862 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: it's a super super interesting dynamic, and that's one of 863 00:43:36,040 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 1: the drawbacks of this job that I don't particularly like. 864 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 1: And so what's beautiful about working for a team is 865 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:45,839 Speaker 1: like it's camaraderie. It's it's part of that ultimate goal. 866 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:50,439 Speaker 1: It's weaponizing my competitiveness towards trying to get the Larry 867 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 1: O'Brien trophy versus doing what I do now, which is 868 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,600 Speaker 1: try to produce a successful NBA show, right, And like, 869 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:00,440 Speaker 1: obviously I'd love to do that. Obviously that would be ideal. 870 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:02,839 Speaker 1: I would never have to be critical of another team 871 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: or coach except for in private, you know, in conversations, right, 872 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:10,640 Speaker 1: Like I wouldn't have to publicly come out and criticize 873 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 1: a player or coach, right, So like that I certainly 874 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:16,359 Speaker 1: would like to do that. That would be the dream, right, 875 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:18,440 Speaker 1: I'd love to work for an NBA team, specifically in 876 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:21,359 Speaker 1: the coaching staff. I'm not as interested in potentially working 877 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:23,080 Speaker 1: in a front office, but I'd be lying if I 878 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:25,560 Speaker 1: said I wouldn't consider it. But the reality is is 879 00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: like the there's a pathway there. There's a pathway to 880 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:31,040 Speaker 1: get to those jobs. And like I remember when I 881 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:33,000 Speaker 1: got out of college, I wanted to coach, and like 882 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:34,920 Speaker 1: when I looked into it, it was like, wait, wait, 883 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 1: I need to go be like a graduate assistant at 884 00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 1: some school and like just do a bunch of like 885 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:47,760 Speaker 1: shitty work for some old dinosaur of a college basketball 886 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:52,040 Speaker 1: coach for fifteen years, just in hopes that maybe I'll 887 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:55,800 Speaker 1: get an assistant gig where I can handle recruiting for 888 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:59,719 Speaker 1: some dude forever before I finally maybe get some chance 889 00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:02,840 Speaker 1: to maybe go coach at some mid major somewhere. And 890 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:05,480 Speaker 1: then at that point, I'm already forty eight years old, 891 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:08,600 Speaker 1: and like, like that path just didn't interest me. It's 892 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:12,279 Speaker 1: basketball coaching is much less of a meritocracy from the 893 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:15,400 Speaker 1: standpoint of like grinding up through the ranks than actual 894 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:19,239 Speaker 1: play actually playing the sport is And in the NBA 895 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:21,360 Speaker 1: it's kind of similar. It's like it's so many former 896 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 1: players that are coaching in different positions, right, and like 897 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, or you can maybe work in a 898 00:45:26,719 --> 00:45:29,960 Speaker 1: film room like Eric Spolshra and grind away and maybe 899 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:33,040 Speaker 1: get that chance. And it's like, obviously I can't do that. 900 00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:35,719 Speaker 1: I can't quit my job here at the volume to 901 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:39,320 Speaker 1: go work a film room somewhere, right, So, like the 902 00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:42,200 Speaker 1: reality is is like the only way it would work 903 00:45:42,320 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: is if somebody just offered me a job, and that's 904 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:47,959 Speaker 1: not going to happen because I'm not qualified, so to speak. 905 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:51,439 Speaker 1: I like, obviously I take very much pride in my work. 906 00:45:51,560 --> 00:45:55,439 Speaker 1: I I hope you guys have seen that in this show, 907 00:45:55,719 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 1: Like how hard I work to make these to take 908 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:04,040 Speaker 1: these positions and to provide this analysis. And like I 909 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,680 Speaker 1: am obviously confident in my abilities. I believe that I 910 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:10,000 Speaker 1: know the game well and I believe that I can 911 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:14,360 Speaker 1: offer something as a basketball mind, but like that's not 912 00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:16,680 Speaker 1: something I can write on a resume, Like at the 913 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:19,120 Speaker 1: end of the day, like They're gonna take some dude 914 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:22,280 Speaker 1: who was, you know, a former player or an assistant 915 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:24,879 Speaker 1: at some other organization before they'd consider me. And I'm 916 00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:26,239 Speaker 1: fine with that, and I'm at peace with that, And like, 917 00:46:26,560 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 1: if I do this for the rest of my life, 918 00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:30,839 Speaker 1: I'd be thrilled, Like how fortunate am I to get 919 00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:32,960 Speaker 1: to talk about the game of basketball every day? Like 920 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:36,680 Speaker 1: I was actually thinking about this. I was talking about 921 00:46:36,719 --> 00:46:39,520 Speaker 1: it with my wife the other night. But like, I 922 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:44,520 Speaker 1: had a really good day on Monday. I well, I 923 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:46,920 Speaker 1: like played in my men's league on Sunday, and then 924 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:48,440 Speaker 1: I came home and then I woke up on Monday 925 00:46:48,440 --> 00:46:50,799 Speaker 1: morning and I trained my high school team, and then 926 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:52,719 Speaker 1: I came home and I did my video on I 927 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:55,440 Speaker 1: think it was the Minnesota Timberwolves that day, and then 928 00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:58,279 Speaker 1: like I did a really good basketball workout, like a 929 00:46:58,320 --> 00:47:01,319 Speaker 1: really good wait session, and then I went and did 930 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:03,719 Speaker 1: a shooting workout, and I told my wife, I'm like, 931 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:09,120 Speaker 1: I feel so blessed that, like I do basketball every day, 932 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:13,440 Speaker 1: like every day in some form or fashion, I am 933 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:16,200 Speaker 1: around the game of basketball, and I feel very fortunate 934 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:18,239 Speaker 1: for that. And so like I don't want to sit 935 00:47:18,280 --> 00:47:20,439 Speaker 1: there and complain about my position, that's not what I'm doing. 936 00:47:20,680 --> 00:47:22,640 Speaker 1: I love what I do, and if I do this forever, 937 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:24,600 Speaker 1: I will be thrilled. But at the end of the day, 938 00:47:24,680 --> 00:47:26,480 Speaker 1: like i'd be lying to you if I said I 939 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 1: wouldn't love the opportunity to be a part of a 940 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:33,360 Speaker 1: team and their journey to trying to win an NBA championship, 941 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:37,000 Speaker 1: I would love to do that one day. And who knows, 942 00:47:37,040 --> 00:47:38,440 Speaker 1: maybe if I ever got to do that, maybe I'd 943 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:40,920 Speaker 1: still get to do this anyway, at least in some capacity. 944 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:43,839 Speaker 1: But very good question. And again like, I don't think 945 00:47:43,880 --> 00:47:45,920 Speaker 1: that'll ever happen, and I think there are a lot 946 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:48,040 Speaker 1: of people that are more qualified than me that deserve it, 947 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:50,319 Speaker 1: and I'm at peace with that. But it is an 948 00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:52,480 Speaker 1: interesting question. All right, guys. That is all I have 949 00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:54,800 Speaker 1: for today is always I sincerely appreciate your support. We 950 00:47:54,880 --> 00:47:57,520 Speaker 1: will be back tomorrow with number twelve and I will 951 00:47:57,520 --> 00:47:59,879 Speaker 1: see you guys then. And for some more male bad questions. 952 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:24,080 Speaker 1: The volume