1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, Well, good to Hoops to night. 2 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: Here at the volume heavy Wednesday, everybody, hope all you 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: guys are having an incredible week. Got a jam pack 4 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: show for you guys today. We're hitting three teams. The 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: Minnesota Timberwolves got a big win against the Miami Heat 6 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: last night. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who are six and three 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: in their last nine games against a brutal schedule, got 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: a big come from behind win against the Indiana Pacers 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: last night. Darius Garland looked fantastic. I want to dive 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: into them a little bit. Then the Lakers four and 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: five since Christmas Day. I want to talk about what's 12 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: been driving their defensive turnaround. You guys know the drip. 13 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: Before we get started. To subscribe to the Hoops Tonight 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 1: Make sure you like this video. That helps us a lot. 16 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, if you want to 17 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: get mail bag questions in, I'm recording Friday's mail Bag tomorrow, 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,319 Speaker 1: so this will be your last chance. This video will 19 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: be your last chance to get mail bag question in 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: before this Friday's mail Bag. All right, let's talk some basketball. 21 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: So the Timberwolves got their third consecutive win last night, 22 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: two of which were against the Miami Heat. Really bad 23 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: matchup for Miami again. Miami's offense is predicated on beating 24 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: you up the floor, and then when you get into 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: the half court against them, they're looking to hunt week matchups, 26 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: and the Timberwolves just don't really have many great matchups 27 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 1: to attack. Like in the starting group, there's just really 28 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: nobody for them to go after, and they did okay. 29 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: At the start of the game. Norton Powell came out 30 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: and hit a couple of pretty tough deep threes, and 31 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: they botched a kind of help side rotation. They gave 32 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: up a dunk to Kelll where there was a bam 33 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: at a bio player where he kind of drove right 34 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: at Rudy Gobert and made a nifty, little left handed layup. 35 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: So they had caught some rhythm early in the game 36 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: as they took an early lead, but that dynamic disappeared 37 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: to start the second half. Miami's starters just couldn't score 38 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: in that shift, and then against the bench groups, the 39 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: two main guys you're looking to go out are Mike 40 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: Conley and nas Reed, but both of them have actually 41 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: been pretty good in their ISO defense this year, and 42 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: Miami didn't have much better success trying to attack those 43 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,919 Speaker 1: two guys. There's a little and one that Tyler Harrow 44 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: got against Mike Conley kind of backpedaling. I think Wiggins 45 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: ended up scoring once on nasried, but they didn't do 46 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: very much damage there. And I want to credit Jalen 47 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: Clark too, like we're going to talk more about him 48 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: in a minute, because I think he's been one of 49 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: the key reasons why the Wolve's been better in their 50 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: bench defense, especially when Rudy Gobert's off the floor. But 51 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: I thought he did a great job against Norman Powell 52 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: in this game. After Norman came out basically red hot, 53 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: he had eight points in the first couple of minutes. 54 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: I thought Jalen kind of took him out of rhythm, 55 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: made him uncomfortable, had him kind of flailing on some 56 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: of his shots, and just in general was able to 57 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 1: just cool off a super hot score. And Miami ended 58 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: up finishing that game with just a seventy nine offensive 59 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: rating in the half court compared to ninety nine for 60 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: the Wolves, So just a complete mismatch offensively. When they 61 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: got into the half court and then on the other 62 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: end of the floor. Ant was able to consistently get 63 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: into his pull up three versus Miami's drop looks, especially 64 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: in the first half, did some really nice bully ball work, 65 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: and all night long, Minnesota was fantastic in transition off 66 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,399 Speaker 1: of Miami misses. They had twenty eight transition points last night. Typically, 67 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: Minnesota has been this season of kind of a middle 68 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: of the pack, slightly above average transition offense. They're twenty 69 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: seven transition points per game in their last seven games. 70 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: They're starting to gain some steam in terms of how 71 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: often they're getting out into the open floor. That is 72 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: fueled by what has been the most consistent stretch of 73 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: Minnesota defense this year. So since November twenty ninth, so 74 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: about you know, roughly a six week span, five and 75 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: a half ish weeks, the Wolves are fourteen and five. 76 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: That is the second best record in the league in 77 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: that span. The only team has been better in that 78 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: span is Boston and that was the team that the 79 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: Timberwolves beat to start this fourteen and five streak. And 80 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: it's been their defense that has carried them so up 81 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: until that point, they had been ninth in defensive rating, 82 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: and it was kind of this weird mixed bag of data. 83 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: They were awesome when Rudy Gobert was on the floor, 84 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: and like straight up awful and Rudy Gobert was off 85 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: the floor defensively, and they are fourth in defensive ratings 86 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: since November twenty ninth in this nineteen game span, and 87 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: a big part of it has been those bench groups 88 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: in particular have been better. We'll talk about that in 89 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: a minute. I've talked about this before, but I kind 90 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: of view the Timberwolves as more or less the Philadelphia 91 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: Eagles of the NBA. They can be inconsistent with their effort, 92 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: and if you catch them on the wrong night on 93 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: national television, they'll put up a stinker on defense and 94 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: you'll be like, man, is this kind of a bad team? 95 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: And that kind of reminds me of Philly when you 96 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: watch them. They'll have games where they can't move the 97 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: ball at all on offense and it's, you know, it's 98 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: just a lack of that same physicality we grow to 99 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: expect from the Philadelphia Eagles, right, And then they'll have 100 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: a different game where you watch them and they're just 101 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: bullying people on the front on both ends. Of the ball, 102 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: and they look like the best team in the NFL, 103 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: right And that's just kind of what reminds me of Minnesota, 104 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: because when they turn up their level of athleticism and 105 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: physicality on defense and even on offense, I'd argue with 106 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: in terms of their ability to drive the basketball er 107 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: to get out in transition, they become one of the 108 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: more frightening teams in the NBA. Again, when it comes 109 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: to the defensive end, there have been two main drivers 110 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: with that success in the last five and a half 111 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: weeks or so. One is Rudy Gobert, and Rudy has 112 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: been absolutely fantastic all season on that end of the floor. 113 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: He had a fun sequence last night where he blocked 114 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: Norman Powell on a drive where Dante de Vincenzo got 115 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: kind of back cut, and then Bam Andebaio tried to 116 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 1: go at him in a post up on the very 117 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: next possession, and he just completely swallowed it up and 118 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: swatted him. All night long, he was forcing those ISO 119 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: attacks from Minnesota's against Minnesota's weakers, weaker defenders to turn 120 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: into more like pull up floaters and pull up jump 121 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: shots rather than shots all the way at the rim 122 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 1: that's gonna dramatically lower percentage. My friend Tony Jones, who 123 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: covers the NBA for The Athletic, he tweeted yesterday that 124 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: he thinks Rudy should win Defensive Player of the Year 125 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: this year, and I wholeheartedly agree. I have watched a 126 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: lot of guys this year, and I don't think I've 127 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: seen a more consistently impactful defender than Rudy Gobert has 128 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: been for the Timberwolves this year. I was also kind 129 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: of messaging back and forth with a Wolves stand buddy 130 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: of mine last night, and he was joking to me 131 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: that Rudy has gone from ass to just terrible on 132 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: offense and that has really helped the team. And that 133 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: has been true. He's just a little bit better in 134 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: all these key areas. Again, still not the best finisher 135 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: in traffic. Still a guy that'll drop some passes that 136 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: he usually makes or catches, or that normally a good 137 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: big will catch. He's been bad at the free throw 138 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: line this year, but there's been a lot of little 139 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: things that he's better at, Like he's shooting the highest 140 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: field goal percentage of his career. He's logging a positive 141 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: assist to turnover ratio and consecutive seasons for the first 142 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: time in his career, and he's getting one point two 143 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: to seven points per roleman possession, which is pretty far 144 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: and away the best he's been as a Timberwolf. So 145 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: he's just been fantastic. He's arguably been their most valuable 146 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: player this year. He hasn't been their best plus minus guy. 147 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: That's been Ante DiVincenzo. But I'd argue, like when he 148 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: comes off the floor, there's just a floor that drops 149 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: out for this team defensively that is very different than 150 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: what they look like when he's on the floor. I 151 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: just think he's been fantastic. The second driver of this 152 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: recent defensive surge has been the go beart off groups, 153 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: mainly the groups led by nas Read and Julius Randall. 154 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: Those groups to start the season were putrid. They had 155 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: a one to twenty three defensive rating and well, obviously 156 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: Gobert being off the floor as a factor there. I've 157 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: talked about this a lot, but like there's they should 158 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: have been better defensively in those groups, they had enough 159 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: athletes on the floor. Now since November twenty ninth, that 160 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: same duo defensively has gone from that one to twenty 161 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: three defensive rating to a one thirteen, so a big 162 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: ten point drop off over the last nineteen games. And 163 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: I want to credit Chris Finch a little bit here 164 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: because one of the main drivers of that shift has 165 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: been tweaking the rotation a bit, like he's moved more 166 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: of Jalen Clark's minutes to the Julius Randall nos Reed groups, 167 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: and he's just so much better at containing the ball. 168 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: I talked earlier about the job he did against Norman 169 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: Powell when he's on the floor alongside Julius Randall and 170 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: nas Reed. That's really kind of the secret sauce that 171 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: makes that lineup work defensively. They had an eighty defensive 172 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: rating last night, and there's been a giant chasm this 173 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: year in the defensive data when it's nos Reed and 174 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: Julius Randall without Jalen Clark versus non Reed, nos Reed 175 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: and Julius Randall with Jalen Clark. Just what I think 176 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: is a little slight tweak that just gives again, when 177 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: you're talking about back line defenders, the easiest way to 178 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: support back line defenders is to contain the ball better. 179 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: I think the Timberwolf seem is awesome and has been 180 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: absurdly good in this six week stretch, thirty one points 181 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: per game on fifty three percent from the field and 182 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: forty two percent from three to two point four stocks 183 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: per game. The crazy thing is, as a team, they 184 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: still haven't even really shot the ball very well, Like 185 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: they're nineteenth and three point percentage over this span, and 186 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: this is a team that typically shoots the three ball 187 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: really well. A couple guys have cooled off. Julius Randle 188 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: hasn't shot it as well. Jaden McDaniels hasn't shot it 189 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: as well. Like I think there's shoot it better as 190 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: time goes on, as we get deeper into the season 191 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: as well. I'm just a big believer in the Wolves. 192 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: I think they're a complete basketball team. We've talked about 193 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: this a lot this season, but there are two things 194 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: that you kind of have to have in terms of 195 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: overall roster traits if you want to compete in the 196 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: modern NBA at the highest levels, and it's athleticism and shooting, 197 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: and the Wolves have that in spades. And then when 198 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: Rudy go Bear's on the floor, he lifts their defense 199 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: to a truly elite level. He gives them kind of 200 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: an ace in the hole against a team like Oklahoma 201 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: City who can struggle against rim protection. And they have 202 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: that combination of size in ball handling on the perimeter 203 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: that I think is so valuable when you get to 204 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: the postseason. Having big ball handlers that can break the 205 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: defense down and then combining that with shooting. That's how 206 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: you're going to generate quality shots against some of these 207 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,839 Speaker 1: teams that are throwing out five or six quick little 208 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: guards that can get up underneath you and guard the ball. 209 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: You got to have size in ball handling in combination 210 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: with shooting, and that's what Minnesota has. I'm just I'm 211 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: getting very close to including them in my top two 212 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: of contenders. I've talked about this, but we do our 213 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: contender rankings about once a month. We just did one 214 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: last week on Fridays or another, you know, three four 215 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: weeks away. But if they can keep this up through January, 216 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be putting them into that top tier of contenders. 217 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 1: I just think this is a really, really good basketball team. 218 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 1: Today's show is brought to you by presenting sponsor hard 219 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: Rock Bet, the official sportsbook partner of the Miami Heat 220 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: and the Orlando Magic. 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Concerned about 246 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: gambling in Florida, call one eight three to three play wise. 247 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 1: In Indiana, if you were someone you know has a 248 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: gambling problem and wants help, call one eight hundred and 249 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: nine with it gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler 250 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 1: in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia. 251 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: Moving on to the Cleveland Cavaliers got a very important 252 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: road win last night in Indianapolis. Without Donovan Mitchell. They 253 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: trailed by double digits going into the fourth quarter, but 254 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: Evan Mobl sparked this awesome early fourth quarter run that 255 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 1: got the Calves back into the game. Some really high 256 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: level offense from Evan, Who's had a little bit of 257 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: a disappointing offensive season this year, but he had a 258 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: tough left shoulder fade against the shot clock that kind 259 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: of saved their first possession. TJ McConnell got a strip 260 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: that kind of broke the play down and ended up 261 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: getting worked back just right at the end of the clock. 262 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: Craig Porter ends up dumping it into Evan Mobley. He 263 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: just hits a really tough little left shoulder fade away. 264 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:28,719 Speaker 1: Then he started running that inverted ball screen, the one 265 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of become Evan Mobley's kind of go to 266 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: action when he's leading the offense. He ran one with 267 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: Jalen Tyson where Jalen Tyson slipped the screen and Mobley 268 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: just hit him in the pocket for a layup. Then 269 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: another one with Sam Merrill, where again teams don't really 270 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: like to leave Sam right, so they stayed home on 271 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: Sam and that allowed Mobley to turn the corner. He 272 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: got downhill and threw down a nasty left handed dunk 273 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: and one at the rim. Then they get a couple 274 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: of buckets from Darius Garland, kind of a back cut 275 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: and transition off the top, and then Jared Allen gets 276 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: a big steal on a high post entry runs out 277 00:12:57,679 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: and dunks it. All of a sudden the Caves at 278 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: a one point lead. They he turned a double digit 279 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 1: deficit into a CALVS lead in all of about four 280 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: minutes to start the fourth quarter, and then down the stretch, 281 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: Darius Carlin just spamming ball screens with a variety guys, 282 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: a little bit of mobily, a little bit of Allen 283 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: scored in every which way against Indiana's drop coverage. He 284 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: had a deep pull up three or what would have 285 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: been a three, but he had a toe on the line, 286 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: a mid range pull up, a floater, a driving scoop shot, 287 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,239 Speaker 1: hitting the pocket for a layup. Just he looks fantastic. 288 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 1: They just ran the offense entirely through him. And you know, 289 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: the big thing that I always look at with Darius 290 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: is just whether or not he's getting like real like 291 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: straight line drives versus kind of like banana flat out, 292 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: flattened out drives. And when Darius is at his best, 293 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: he knife's through the defense like a hot knife through butter. 294 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: Like literally, he'll just slash down the lane. Defenses react 295 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: to him, and if he doesn't react or if they 296 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: don't react, he's getting those floaters, he's getting those layups, 297 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: and if they do, he's just making the right pass 298 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: every time. That's when Darius Garland's like really in his 299 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: groove as Darius Garland, right. And I just thought that 300 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: he looked like that guy down the stretch again. Last time. 301 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: We're gonna talk about him a minute, because he's played 302 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: in fourteen straight games, really starting to build a little 303 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: bit of rhythm. And then I have to shout out 304 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 1: Greig Porter here for a couple of massive plays that 305 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: he made down the stretch. There was this kind of 306 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: scrum a loose ball on an offensive rebound where he 307 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: got down on the ground and dug out the rebound 308 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: and then ended up passing it to Jared Allen. Jared 309 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: Allen got a layup. It was one of those players 310 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: where it looked like Indiana was about to go the 311 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: other way. Next thing you know, Jared Allen's laying the 312 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: ball up is kind of a huge swing play. Then 313 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: he blocked Andrew ne emhard on the layup. Never heard, 314 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: kind of went at Garland and kind of stepped through 315 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: and got all the way to the rim. Craig Porter 316 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: just came flying in and swatted it off the glass. 317 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: Just a couple of huge sequences that helped close that game. 318 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: I talked on the day after Christmas, if you guys 319 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: remember about how even though they lost that game, I 320 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: was starting to see some signs of life from the Cave, 321 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: signs of like that two way energy and pop that 322 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: they had in last year's regular season, where you know, 323 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: they're not the best defensive team in the world, but 324 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: like they fly around and they do all the right things, 325 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: they compete, they're really trying to be great on that 326 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: end of the floor, and then honestly, just a truly 327 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: elite offense when they're operating at that level, right, And 328 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: I was just starting to see just a little bit 329 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: of that view, Like I forget about the record, forget 330 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: about the net ratings, forget about anything involving the large 331 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: sample stuff. Just what I saw on Christmas looked like 332 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: last year's Calves in a lot of ways. And so 333 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: they're six and three in their last nine games. That 334 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: may not sound super impressive, but it's been a brutal 335 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: stretch of schedule. They've played Detroit, Denver, Phoenix, San Antonio, Houston, 336 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: and New York all in that span. They went three 337 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: and three in those games, and honestly, they easily could 338 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: have been five and one, Like They easily could have 339 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: won the Knicks game. We talked about it, like Tyler 340 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: Kolloch and Jalen Brunson hit four incredibly difficult threes at 341 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: the end of that game, where one or two of 342 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: those miss and Cleveland's the winner, right, So like that 343 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: could have easily gone the other way. The Pistons game 344 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: was a little tricky because they were down by thirteen 345 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter, but they led this massive comeback 346 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: and they were right there. They could have easily won 347 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: that game. Donovan Mitchell kind of botched an ISO against 348 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: Isaiah Stewart where he tripped on a spin move and 349 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: then he had this easy, easy floater right in front 350 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: of the rim that he missed. And then I thought 351 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hunter made a couple of brutal mistakes at the 352 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: end of the Pistons game. He had this really late 353 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: rotation against Isaiah Stewart. We're gonna talk about this example 354 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: in a minute, but like, when you're late on a rotation, 355 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: you're gonna give up layups and fouls. When you're on 356 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: time on a rotation, you're going to force him to 357 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: make a pass. And DeAndre fell asleep for just a second. 358 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: Was late tagging Isaiah Stewart. Isaiah Stewart got an easy 359 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: layup and then he had a missed box out on 360 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: Javontay Green. A player shot came up out of the 361 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: right corner. If I remember correctly, I think it was 362 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: another I can't remember who was taking the shot, but 363 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: someone took a shot out of the right corner, and 364 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hunter is just standing under the basket like this, 365 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: and Javontay Green just comes running in and gets an 366 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: easy little tap and put back that ended up being 367 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: basically the play that sealed the game. And it's like, 368 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: I'm not the biggest DeAndre Hunter guy. He's kind of 369 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: entering into that Karl Anthony Towns territory for me as 370 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: like a very mistake prone defender that just makes him 371 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: really difficult to play in a big spot. I think 372 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: he's where you really start to feel the loss of 373 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: Max Struce, Like if Max could come in and take 374 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: a bunch of those minutes, I think it would help. 375 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: I think it's also worth mentioning no Jared Allen in 376 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: that Pistons game either, But anyway, the point is they've 377 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 1: been right there in all of these games, and they 378 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: very easily couple things go differently. They could have been 379 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 1: eight and one in that nine game stretch against a 380 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: ridiculous stretch of opponents if just a few plays go 381 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: the other way. But I want to dig in the 382 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 1: offense for a little bit. They posted a one eighteen 383 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: offensive rating in that nine game stretch. Again, that doesn't 384 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: seem insane, but when you factor in the degree of 385 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: difficulty of their opponents, I think that's impressive. And where 386 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: it gets really exciting for kas fan Iskavs Fans is 387 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: the Darius Garland piece. Darius is playing every night now. 388 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: He's played in fourteen consecutive games, first time doing that 389 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: since last season. That's allowed him to build up a 390 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: level of conditioning and rhythm that we haven't seen yet 391 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 1: this year. And so in that span and that fourteen games, 392 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:03,880 Speaker 1: he's averaging twenty point seven assists, fifty nine percent tru shooting. 393 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: And again, the biggest piece that stands out to me 394 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: is just his mobility, the ability to lean on him 395 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: the way they did in a close game against Indy 396 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: last night without Donovan Mitchell against a bunch of like, 397 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: say what you want about Indiana center rotation. They've got 398 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: a lot of guards who can defend and they're getting 399 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: up in him. And again, just the types of drives 400 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: he was getting, the level of comfort he was showing 401 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 1: getting wherever he wanted in that two man game to 402 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: get a quality look for himself or for a teammate. 403 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 1: That's the again, like I'm always looking with Darius. If 404 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: he's getting flattened a bit, you know that means his 405 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 1: foot's not right or that he doesn't quite have his conditioning. 406 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: But when he's like knifing past guys with like straight 407 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: line drives that catastrophically break the defense because everyone collapses 408 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: or they ends up getting some super easy shot for himself, 409 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: that's always the sign that Darius Garland is right. I 410 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: just think he looks great physically, and I think that's 411 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: a great sign for the Cavs as a potential playoff threat. 412 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: Messed up season in a lot of ways for the Cavs. 413 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: Like obviously the injuries have been a nightmare. I really 414 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: thought Lonzo Ball would work better for them, Like I 415 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,119 Speaker 1: was a big believer in that before the season. I 416 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: thought he was a great fit. I thought he'd be 417 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: able to drive more of that transition attack off of 418 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: what they did defensively, I thought he brought like an 419 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: off ball scoring element that would be useful, but he 420 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: just hasn't been able to make shots. And like he's 421 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: been getting them up. He's his three point attempts, it's 422 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 1: like something like seven and a half or eight per 423 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: thirty six minutes. Like he's getting them up and he's 424 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: shooting twenty six percent on them. He just hasn't really 425 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: been able to knock down threes consistently like he did 426 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: the couple of years before his injury. And again, some 427 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: of these wings have panned out pretty well, like Jalen 428 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: Tyson has been a bright spot as like an athlete 429 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: who can shoot. Sam Merrill has been one of their 430 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: best plus minus guys this year. There's a lot of 431 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hunter. He's getting, you know, almost thirty minutes a game, 432 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: and I just don't think he's very good. Maybe that's 433 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: what it'll take, you know, like Max Stru's coming back 434 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 1: and taking a bunch of those DeAndre Hunter minutes, or 435 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: you know, Lonzo Ball. You know, at this point, I'm 436 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: not even sure if he should be in the rotation, 437 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,199 Speaker 1: but having somebody off the bench that just pops this 438 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: it feels to me like the Calves are right on 439 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: the precipice of going on a real run up the standings, 440 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:13,400 Speaker 1: but it just feels to me like they need one 441 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: more push, one more little influx of talent in the rotation, 442 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: like one guy popping that hasn't played well to start 443 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: the year, or getting a Max Druce back. We got 444 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: to report that Max is gonna miss a couple more weeks. 445 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: On the one hand, it's like bummer, But on the 446 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: other hand, it's like, if he's the guy that ties 447 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: all this off, like it's worth it to wait for 448 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: him to be one hundred percent healthy. Right. I wish 449 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: the Calves could have a little bit more information on 450 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: that front before the deadline because it might color their 451 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: strategy when they get to that point, But it is 452 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: what it is. At this point. When you dig into 453 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: the data, there's almost no sample of the core four 454 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: guys Garland, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen playing together. They've got 455 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,959 Speaker 1: about two hundred possessions this season, but they've been fantastic 456 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: when those guys have been available. You can even kind 457 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 1: of reduce it down to Alan and Mobley together. When 458 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: Alan and Mobley are together, they've been awesome on both ends. 459 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: Of the floor this year, and a big part of 460 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,719 Speaker 1: that is just they are the defensive foundation, right, Like 461 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: having those two guys together is what gives them the 462 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 1: best chance to raise the floor to where it needs 463 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: to be for their offensive talent to carry them over 464 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: the top. But like again, I feel like they're close, 465 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: Like they've already built some real momentum. I think the 466 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: real run, they just need one more guy to pop, 467 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: one more piece to come back, one more little influx 468 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: of talent to kind of get them over the top. 469 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: All right, before we get out of here today, let's 470 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: talk a little bit Los Angeles Lakers. They got the 471 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: third straight win last night in a late a very 472 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: light phase of their schedule. Since Christmas, they've played four 473 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: of their five games. They've gone four to one, and 474 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: they've played four bad teams and they beat them all, 475 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: and they've played one really good team and got their 476 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 1: ass kicked, kind of staying in line with what they've 477 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: done this season. We'll talk about that in a minute, 478 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: but they're actually entering into a very light phase of 479 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 1: their schedule. This Spur game tonight is like they're only 480 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: above five hundred opponent for a couple of weeks. So 481 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: they've got some chance to kind of clean some things 482 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: up and work on some things tactically while also gaining 483 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: some ground in the standings. And it's funny, I was 484 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: thinking about it when I watched them last night. The 485 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: Lakers kind of have a formula for beating bad teams. 486 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: They kind of just dick around for two and a 487 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: half quarters and then usually right when Luca leaves the 488 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: game in the late third quarter, Lebron will lead this 489 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 1: unit in the late third and early fourth that like 490 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: starts to build that initial margin, and then Luca will 491 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: come back in the middle fourth and just slam the 492 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: door shut. And they've just done this over and over 493 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: again this year, and before Lebron, it was Austin that 494 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: would lead those late third, early fourth. It's like they'll 495 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 1: dick around, and then that final quarter and a half 496 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: they'll just get super focused and play really good basketball 497 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,719 Speaker 1: for like, you know, twelve fifteen minutes and they'll put 498 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: an opponent away. It works for them against bad teams, 499 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: and that's kind of been like the situation like they're 500 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,160 Speaker 1: seven and eight this year versus teams that are five 501 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: hundred or better, and they're sixteen and three against teams 502 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: that are below five hundred, so that's kind of fit 503 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: their identity all season. Since the Christmas Day catastrophe. The 504 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,439 Speaker 1: biggest thing that I've noticed is that they've cleaned up 505 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: some stuff on defense and on the glass, and it's 506 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: been a combination of a couple of things. One, Jj 507 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: Reddick has balanced out the rotation a little bit. He's 508 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: moved Marcus Martin Jake Lavia into the starting lineup. Obviously, 509 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves being out has given him another opportunity to 510 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: do that, but it was starting to look pretty heavily 511 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: like with Ruey healthy, you needed to get him out 512 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: of there. At least getting those guys into the lineup 513 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: has provided better balance between their starting lineup and their 514 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: bench groups to have more defensive talent on the floor, 515 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: on the floor at all times, so like instead of 516 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: it being like all offense in the starting group and 517 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: then all defense with the bench group, it's a little 518 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: bit more balanced, which is allowing them to be better 519 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: possession of possession on that end of the floor. Look, 520 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: Jake Larravi has been fantastic in the last week. He's 521 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: finally starting to hit some of his catch and shoot threes. 522 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 1: Marcus shot the ball really well last night. He's been 523 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: great as of late. The Lakers have posted in those 524 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: five games one twelve defensive rating, and they've been very 525 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: good on the glass. They've been grabbing a little over 526 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: fifty one percent of available rebounds, and they've been good 527 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: both on the offensive glass and on the defensive glass. 528 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, Yes, the competition was weak, so I'm 529 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: not looking at wins and losses yere. I'm specifically looking at, 530 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: you know, the details of what I'm seeing on tape, Like, 531 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers have the fourth best record in the entire 532 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,120 Speaker 1: NBA this morning, which blows my mind considering how bad 533 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: they've looked for the last few weeks. Like, it doesn't 534 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: even make sense to me that they have the fourth 535 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: best record in the NBA. Now, as we talked about that, 536 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: the splits there between how they've performed against good teams 537 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: and bad teams are pretty dramatic. That's a big part 538 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: of why I view them as a third tier contender 539 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 1: and not something higher than that. But it was abundantly 540 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 1: clear after Christmas that they had to get better, Like 541 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: no one's gonna jump on their bandwagon in terms of 542 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 1: whether or not they're a contender until they start racking 543 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: up wins against good teams. They got a chance tonight 544 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: against san Antonio. But no matter what, they just had 545 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: to get better in some key areas, Like they were 546 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: not just bad on defense, they were basement bad there 547 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: for a while, like bottom three in the entire NBA. 548 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 1: And there's this idea that like, oh, they're bad because 549 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: they're unathletic, and of course that's part of it, and 550 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: Rob Polinka deserves criticisms for that. God knows, I've provided 551 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: that criticism, right, But to be that bad, it's got 552 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: to be that deadly combination of unathletic, sloppy and poor 553 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: effort and energy, meaning your bodies aren't able to move 554 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: that fast, you're always in the wrong spots, and there's 555 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: an effort and energy piece that's making you look even 556 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: more on athletic than you actually are. Those three things 557 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: have come together to make this team such an awful defense. 558 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 1: So how do you address that, right? How do you 559 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: rectify the situation? Well, there's an athleticism piece. Slight rotation 560 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,199 Speaker 1: two weeks keep more athleticism on the floor than you 561 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: had before. So like, for instance, Jared Vanderbilt was completely 562 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: out of the rotation. He's been playing twenty four minutes 563 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: per game over the last nine games. A bunch of 564 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves minutes have gone to Marcus Martin, Jake Glavia, 565 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: guys who are bigger, better defenders. Right, So there is 566 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 1: an increasing the amount of athleticism that's been available on 567 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: the floor in any given lineup than what you had beforehand. 568 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: That could also be addressed at the trade deadline here 569 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: in about a month, right. But that's the first piece 570 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 1: of it, like try to put more of your athletes 571 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: on the floor than what you originally had. The second 572 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: piece of it energy and effort. Lebron was abysmally bad 573 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 1: on defense and on the glass on Christmas Day. Luca 574 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: in particular had been playing some of his worst defense 575 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 1: of his career in the previous month. They needed those 576 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 1: two guys to be better. The energy and effort piece 577 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: that comes from the leaders and works its way down. 578 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: They got lead by example. They got to set the 579 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: expectation for what they want everyone beneath them to do. 580 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 1: Sometimes a good, embarrassing loss like the one on Christmas 581 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: will be the kick in the ass you need to 582 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: help you on that front. Last year, there's a very 583 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 1: similar type of loss in Miami where they just got 584 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 1: absolutely the got absolutely destroyed on the road in Miami. 585 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: And it was after that that Lebron in particular started 586 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: actually defending in a way he had not been defending 587 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,400 Speaker 1: before then, and it kind of helped spark the team. 588 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: And I saw Lebron last year in the spring play 589 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: some of the better defense of the later phase of 590 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: his career. So, like the athleticism piece, you treat it 591 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 1: by tweaking the rotation to get more of those guys 592 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 1: on the floor and more of your lineups. The effort 593 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: piece that had to come from the leaders, and at 594 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,119 Speaker 1: the very least, regardless of the level of competition they've played, 595 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: those guys have played harder in the last few games 596 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: and that has trickled down. But the largest piece of 597 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: it by far is the organization piece. Just by being 598 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: in the right spots, that goes a long way towards 599 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: at least tilting a team's shot profile, like your opponent's 600 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: shot profile, towards what the game plan is trying to 601 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: give up. When coaches put together a game plan, let's 602 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: say for a guy like Zion last night or John 603 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: Morant in the first Memphis game, or Jared Jackson. It's 604 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: not like the coaches are sitting there expecting you to 605 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: keep those guys in front, one on one all game long. 606 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,439 Speaker 1: That's ridiculous that I'd be ridiculous to expect there's a 607 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: plan for dribble penetration. There's a plan for every action 608 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: a team likes to run. Hey, Like, if they run 609 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 1: two man game off the top, here's what we're doing. Hey, 610 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: if they run three man game, like if they run 611 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: a double drag or like a stack, pick and roll 612 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: or a horn set or something like that, Like, here's 613 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 1: what we're doing against horns. Here's what we're doing against stack. 614 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: Here's what we're doing against double drag. They have a 615 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: plan for every single one of those situations. That's all 616 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: in the game plan. That's what the coaches are putting 617 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: together every single one of these games. I'd put it 618 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: very simply, This is the biggest piece of it, even 619 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: more than the athleticism on your roster. Like, yeah, you're 620 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: not going to be a top five defense unless you 621 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: have a bunch of great defenders. But and the Lakers 622 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: don't have a bunch of great defenders, and they're never 623 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: going to even after the trade deadline, right, So that's 624 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: not going to happen. But it's not about being top five. 625 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: It's about not being bottom five, just by simply being 626 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: in the right spots, like running back in transition with 627 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,719 Speaker 1: good transition defense principles. Stop the ball, stop the basket, 628 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 1: make sure you have a floor balance. So like if 629 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: Luca's driving down the lane line with eight and rolling 630 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: with them, someone's got to wheel up out of the corner. 631 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: So you have someone as you have two defenders above 632 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: the break, above the foul line after the shot goes up, 633 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: like sprinting back instead of jogging back, stopping ball and 634 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: stopping baskets, so at least you're giving up a three 635 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: point shot instead of a layup getting matched up when 636 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: you do get back in transition, there's you know, gameplay 637 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: and discipline on the ball. So like guarding actions the 638 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: right way, we talked about that earlier. All the different 639 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: actions you can that you might have to guard over 640 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: the course of a game. In ISO situations, funneling drives 641 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: the right certain players you need to take away pull 642 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 1: up threes and force them to drive. That's part of 643 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: the game plan going under on other players when you 644 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: don't want them. That's gonna be a big one tonight. 645 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: There's gonna be a lot of Spurs players that the 646 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: Lakers are gonna have to go under against unless they switch, 647 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: depending on which personnel they have on the floor right 648 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: flattening out drives. So when you are getting drived by, 649 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: are you going to compete and make the dude at 650 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: least kind of banana off to the side a little bit, 651 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: or are you gonna let him slash right past you? Like? 652 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: These are all details game plan discipline off the ball, 653 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: like always being on schedule and your help side rotations 654 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: against drives. We talked about this with DeAndre Hunter earlier. 655 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: If you're late, probably a foul, probably a layup. If 656 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: you're on time, if you're there, hands ups, feet set, 657 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: chances are that dude's gonna have to make a kickout 658 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: pass on those kickouts, hard closeouts on the Lasers, short 659 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: closeouts on the IFFI shooters, you know, passing lane close 660 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,719 Speaker 1: outs or stunting at guys that don't necessarily want to shoot. 661 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: All those little details go a long way. Boxing out, 662 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: crashing from the wing to game rebound when they're there 663 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: is a guy boxing out. Just by doing those things, 664 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: you will be at the very least a middle of 665 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: the pack defense, even with a lack of athleticism. And 666 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: that's just the super disappointing part of their slump. It 667 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 1: wasn't just that they were on athletic it was like 668 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: we kind of knew that going into the season. It's disappointing. Again, 669 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: like we talked about Rob Pulink. It deserves criticism for that, 670 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: but it was that, in combination with them being sloppy 671 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: and not playing hard that made them stick out like 672 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: a sore thumb in a very embarrassing way on Christmas Day. 673 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: Last thing I want to point out I always key 674 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: key in on the Stars, and the biggest reason for 675 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: that is because I tend to think they are the 676 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: ones that have the ability to rectify the situation by 677 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 1: virtue we talked about, so like the Lakers doing all 678 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: the details on defense, they've been better with that stuff 679 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: in the last five games, but the Stars have also 680 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: been better in the last five games. And I tend 681 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: to think all these things are intricately really so, if 682 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: your stars come out from the opening tip and in 683 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: addition to playing hard on defense and doing their jobs, 684 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: they create quality shots, they avoid turnovers, They bring a 685 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: level of like just confidence to the game that kind 686 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: of trickles down all of a sudden, all your teammates 687 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:20,720 Speaker 1: feel like they have a chance to win. And when 688 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: they feel like they have a chance to win, it 689 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: makes them more likely to do their job on a 690 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: possession of possession basis, you've got to believe in what 691 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 1: you're trying to to accomplish. And in a lot of 692 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: these games against the good teams they've played, Lebron's been bad, 693 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: Luke has been bad, Austin's been bad. It's clear that 694 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: they've been bad from the opening tip. They look visibly 695 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: uncomfortable and unable to break the defense down, and so 696 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: that trickles down and all of a sudden, it's like, 697 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: man like, our captains don't have it tonight, Maybe we're 698 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: not winning this game right. Having your stars play better again, 699 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: they are the guys who are best equipped to rectify 700 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:57,040 Speaker 1: the situation. Since Christmas, Lebron and Luca fifty eight twelve 701 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: and fifteen, ridiculous production for those two guys. Lebron is 702 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: shooting fifty eight percent from the field since Christmas. It's 703 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: been crazy to see him kind of start to build 704 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 1: that momentum back towards the player he was before his 705 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: injury last season. He's looking fantastic. Lakers fans should be 706 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 1: very excited about that. Luca has still been missing a 707 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: lot of shots and turning the ball over a lot 708 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: like in this span, is still over five turnovers per game. 709 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: His efficiency is still relatively low, but I think in 710 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 1: the last two second halves, so the second half of 711 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: the Sunday Memphis game in the second half of the 712 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: Pells game last night were two of the better halves 713 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: he's played in the last month. Thirty one points and 714 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: seven assists in those two halves, but he's been far 715 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: more efficient six for nine on threes. Remember we've talked 716 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: about this a lot of his step back threes when 717 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: they don't go in, they turn into transition opportunities because 718 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: he doesn't get back very well. Like him making those threes, 719 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: or at least not missing as many is a big 720 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: part of it. And then taking care of the basketball. 721 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: So only four turnovers in those two halves, only three 722 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 1: missed threes, So that's seven total in two halves of 723 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 1: basketball where he's also providing all of this offensive pop 724 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: that's the thing with Luca, it's not been his production. 725 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: His production has been pretty steady. It's been the missed 726 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 1: shots and turnovers, and when he limits those, that's when 727 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: he starts to look more like the top tier superstar 728 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 1: that we know he's capable of being. I feel like 729 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 1: Luca's starting to gain some real momentum back towards the 730 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: player that he was at the beginning of the season, 731 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: and that's a really good sign. I had fears after 732 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 1: the Austin Reeves injury. I was like, man, I'm not 733 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:27,879 Speaker 1: sure Luca or Lebron are playing well enough to carry 734 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 1: the team while Austin's out. That's been rectified for me, 735 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 1: Like those two guys. Obviously, the Lakers won't be the 736 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: Lakers until Austin gets back. Austin's just such a valuable 737 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: player for this team. But Lebron and Luca look so 738 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: good right now that it makes me feel better about 739 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: their ability to kind of float things until Austin's able 740 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: to return. All right, guys, it's all I have for today, 741 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 1: as always, to sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting us 742 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,439 Speaker 1: and supporting the show. We'll be back tomorrow with more 743 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: game reaction. I will see you guys. Then