1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, Well, good to Hoops Tonight. You're 2 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: at the volume heavy Wednesday. Everybody up. All of you 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: guys are having a great week. We are continuing our 4 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: top ten in our player rankings today with number nine 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson. We're gonna be doing a deep dive on 6 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 1: Jalen what he does for this New York Knicks team. 7 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: At the tail end of the show today, Denzel Washington 8 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: came out and was pretty critical of the current state 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: of sports media, and as you guys know, it followed 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: me over the years. I'm bullish on the current state 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: of sports media. I think it's been a better situation 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: than we've ever had before, and so I have some 13 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: comments on that as well. At the tail end of 14 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: the show, you guys know the joke before we started. 15 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: Subscribe to Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so you don't miss 16 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter, underscore 17 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: JCNLT so you guysn't missho announcements. Don't forget about our 18 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: podcast feed where you get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. 19 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: It's also super helpful if you leave a rating and 20 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: a review on that front. Jackson is doing incredible work 21 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 22 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: Make sure you guys follow us there for content throughout 23 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: the remainder of the season. And last but not least, if 24 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: you disagree with any of these rankings in any way, 25 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: shape or form, please go in the YouTube comments here 26 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: right mail bag with a colon and then explain just 27 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: in an elevator pitch why you disagree with the ranking, 28 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: make a basketball case, and then on Fridays throughout the 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: remainder of this list. We have plenty of time about 30 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: another month or so over the course of this offseason 31 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: where we'll be covering these guys. Drop your arguments and 32 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: we'll get to them in our Friday mail bags throughout 33 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: the remainder of this series. All right, let's talk some basketball. 34 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: So for Jalen Brunson at number nine, this is his 35 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: first appearance in the top ten since we started doing 36 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,279 Speaker 1: this Hoops Tonight Top twenty five list, which I believe 37 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: this is our fourth time doing it if I remember correctly. 38 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: Last year in review, for Jalen Brunson, sixty five games played, 39 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: basically played in every game outside of a stretch late 40 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: in the season after he sprained his ankle in a 41 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: game against the Los Angeles Slikers, in a game where 42 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: he was playing the best, some of the best basketball 43 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: of his career in that stretch and was just absolutely 44 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: torching the Lakers before he suffered that ankle injury. His 45 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: averages this season twenty six points per game, three rebounds, 46 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: and seven assists one stock per game on zero point 47 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: nine steals per game. His percentages, he was forty nine 48 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: percent from the field, thirty eight percent from three to 49 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: eighty two percent from the line, a career high six 50 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: point nine free throw attempts per game, fifty five percent 51 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: in effective field goal percentage that's just field goal percentage 52 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: weighted for threes, and then sixty one percent in true shooting. 53 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: This was the first time in his career where he 54 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: averaged over twenty points per game and over sixty percent 55 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: true shooting, and that led to an award heavy season 56 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: for Brunson. He finished tenth in MVP voting, He made 57 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: the All Star team for the second consecutive year. He 58 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: was selected second team All NBA, and he won the 59 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: Clutch Player of the Year award. We're going to be 60 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: talking a lot Jalen Brunson as a clutch player in 61 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: today's show. He followed that up with a super impressive 62 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: playoff run. He averaged twenty nine points, three rebounds, and 63 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: seven assists. His efficiency took a small hit down to 64 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: fifty eight percent. That's still very respectable for playoff scoring, 65 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: and that's just a very impressive stat line any way 66 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: you try to slice it. Similar to Donovan Mitchell, Jalen 67 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: Brunson has established himself now after multiple years, as one 68 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: of the statistical monsters of the NBA playoffs. In his 69 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: three playoff runs since joining the Knicks, that's forty two games, 70 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson has averaged thirty points, four rebounds, and seven 71 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: assists per game on fifty seven percent true shooting. Again, 72 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: one of the statistical monsters of the NBA playoffs. Let's 73 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: start here with Jalen Brunson. Why do I have him 74 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: ranked ahead of a guy like Donovan Mitchell, for example, 75 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: or even some of the younger stars further down on 76 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: the list, guys like Cade Cunningham. It comes down to 77 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: exactly why I picked the Knicks to beat the Pistons 78 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: in that playoff series last year. If you guys remember 79 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: I predicted that it would be a tougher series, but 80 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: I predicted that the Knicks would end up winning because 81 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: of Jalen Brunson and his ability to be the superior 82 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: game manager. This was the exact same reason why I 83 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: picked Jalen Brunson and the Knicks to beat the Cleveland 84 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: Cavaliers a few years back, because I believed in Jalen 85 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: Brunson as a superior game manager. This is a concept 86 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: that we've talked about a lot over the course of 87 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: the last six months. The idea that in basketball games, 88 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: your job as a point guard or as a primary 89 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: initiator is not just to get to your thirty points, 90 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: but to generate a ton of shots, sometimes fifty sixty 91 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: seventy shots for your entire team for entire games. And 92 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 1: that's not just points and assists either. Sometimes that's just 93 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: creating an initial advantage that gets drove and kicked a 94 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: few times into some sort of easy shot that may 95 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: not manifest as an a This's this for a guy 96 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: like Jalen Broun Center for your primary shot creator, but 97 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: that is going to be berthed out of the initial 98 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: advantage that he creates. You generate that first closeout that 99 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: guy drives, it generates an even better spot up opportunity. 100 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: That guy drives it, maybe hits a cutter, maybe hits 101 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: a wide open shooter to end the sequence. The guy 102 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: who isn't going to get any credit for that is 103 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: the guy who's generated that first advantage when the reality 104 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: is that second guy may not be as good at 105 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: making an advantage without that first closeout coming out of him. 106 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: And that's why that role of shot creation is so valuable. 107 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,239 Speaker 1: Just a simple stat to kind of demonstrate this relative 108 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: to a guy like Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson passed out 109 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: of pick and roll almost nine hundred times this year. 110 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: It was the fourth most in the entire NBA. For perspective, 111 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell did so five hundred and seventeen times. So 112 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: there's a huge gap and the just the embracing of 113 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: simple advantages. You know, there are some things that I 114 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: think the Knicks need to improve on as a team 115 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: on offense, I think they have another level they can 116 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: get to with their personnel, especially in the playoffs. Like 117 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: the Knicks were fifth in offensive rating in the regular 118 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: season this year, but their offense took a pretty substantial 119 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: dip in the postseason. They went down to it was 120 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: like right under one hundred and thirteen in offensive rating, 121 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: if I remember correctly. And part of the reason for 122 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: that is like there wasn't enough variety added in around 123 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson, so Jalen would wear down at times. I 124 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: didn't think that Tom Tabadeau did enough of a job 125 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: investing throughout the season on trying to come up with 126 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: more reliable ways to initiate offense. Take for example, like 127 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: Ogn and Obi posting up. They ran about one hundred 128 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 1: Ogn and Ob post ups in the regular season, and 129 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: that was an action that I wanted them to explore 130 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: more in the postseason. But when you only ran it 131 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: like a little over once a game in the regular season, 132 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: it's not established enough to be something that you can 133 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: really depend on. And if you maybe run two hundred 134 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: post ups for Ogn and Obi in the regular season, 135 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: or more actions where maybe an action that gets Og 136 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: and O become downhill off of some sort of designed 137 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: play to get him involved, or a three man action 138 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: with bridges and Anenobe and cat involved, something that has 139 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: Brunson where he can have about like ten to fifteen 140 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: more possessions a game where he can just go stand 141 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: in the corner instead of having to face ball pressure 142 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: and create that initial advantage that could just prevent him 143 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: from wearing down. And I did actually think that Brunson 144 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: wore down a little bit over the tail end of 145 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: that playoff run by Game six against Indiana. He looked 146 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: like at themhard, kind of had him in cuffs, And 147 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: a big part of that is just that he was 148 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: so worn down at that point in the postseason. I 149 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: don't blame that on Brunson. I think Brunson has done 150 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: a really nice job as a game manager at you know, 151 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: kind of embracing the easy stuff that's available throughout games. 152 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about that more in a minute, 153 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: But overall, I think that if you invest more in 154 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: the regular season, I think this is going to be 155 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: a big part of Mike Brown's job there. If you 156 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: invest more in the regular season in establishing stuff so 157 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: that it can become more reliable in the postseason, so 158 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: that you have some more diversity, it'll prevent you from 159 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: kind of tanking as an offense the way that they did. 160 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: And again, it's not all ogn Andobi post ups, but 161 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: it's just finding, you know, three or four other ways 162 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: to initiate your offense, but actually running them hundreds and 163 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: hundreds of times in the regular season so that they 164 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: feel second nature. One of the things that I've noticed 165 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: over the course of my first several years covering the 166 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: NBA is that, like when you get into the postseason, 167 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: a lot of the cute shit that you do in 168 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: the regular season kind of stops working when you get 169 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: to the postseason. Because if you if you run something 170 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: fifty seventy five times, it can create some highlights and 171 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: make an interesting talking point in a team specific podcast. 172 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: But if it's not something that they're running hundreds of times, 173 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: it's not going to be something that they count on 174 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 1: that they can rely on when they get to the postseason. 175 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: And I do think that this Knicks roster has the 176 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: type of, you know, aggregate ball handling talent to add 177 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: a little bit more of that diversity, even just again 178 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: something simple like not having Brunson face as much ball 179 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: pressure as he faces over the course of games, just 180 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: getting them into more situations where they can get the 181 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: offense started in other ways. But compared to many of 182 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: his small guard peers, I think Brunson is just better 183 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: at being a point guard, like managing the flow of 184 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: games and running a team while also hitting the absurd 185 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: scoring tunnels. The title totals excuse me, and again it's 186 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: worth mentioning that the Knicks had the fifth best offense 187 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 1: in the NBA last year in the regular season. Despite 188 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: some of those issues that I talked about earlier. The 189 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: beautiful thing about Brunson's game management was his ability to 190 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: strangle the game as it progressed further into it. So, 191 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: for example, Jalen Brunson is a guy that we view 192 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: as one of the best clutch players in the NBA 193 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: Win's Clutch Player of the Year Award this year. We're 194 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: gonna go over some of the numbers later, but it's 195 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: not like Jalen Brunson was coming out the gates in 196 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: first quarters and playing the same way. He was easing 197 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: his way into games, taking advantage of more of those 198 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: easy available reads throughout the first three quarters, letting the 199 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: game kind of flow, and then he would hit the 200 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: Jets down the stretch because he knew it was more 201 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: realistic and more achievable for him to do it in 202 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: a shorter burst, hyper efficiently to push his team over 203 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: the top than it would be for him to try 204 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: to strangle games from start to finish. So, for example, 205 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 1: these are Jalen Brunson's usage rates from quarter to quarter 206 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: throughout the game. In the first quarter twenty seven point 207 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: eight percent. In the second quarter, twenty seven point seven 208 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,079 Speaker 1: percent in the third quarter, twenty six point eight percent 209 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter, is usage rate would skyrocket to 210 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: thirty four percent. This is the This is a perfect 211 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: example of what I'm talking about when I say understanding 212 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: the flow of basketball games. Jalen Brunson is one of 213 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: the most surgical half court scorers that we have in 214 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: our league. But he cannot just come out and play 215 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: like that from the jump. He invests in the simple 216 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: decision making throughout the first three quarters. Then he hits 217 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,839 Speaker 1: the Jets down the stretch and delivers the knockout punch. 218 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: That's why he won Clutch Player of the Year award. 219 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: He won. Excuse me, he made fifty two clutch field 220 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: goals this year in the regular season that led the 221 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: entire NBA. He shot fifty two percent on those clutch shots. 222 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: He had twenty eight assists to just eight turnovers in 223 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: clutch situations, and the Knicks as a team had a 224 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: nineteen to twelve record in clutch games, which was the 225 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: fifth best win percentage in clutch situations in the entire NBA, 226 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: and then extended into the playoffs for once again, Brunson 227 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: was a monster down the stretch of games. He made 228 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: seventeen clutch shots, which led the playoff field, and his 229 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: team went seven to four in clutch playoff games, which 230 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: was the fourth best clutch win percentage of any playoff team. 231 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: So let's now dive into Now we've gone over a 232 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: bunch of the numbers, let's dive into the specifics of 233 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson's skill set and how it manifests in various 234 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,199 Speaker 1: play types throughout the Knicks offense. So, first of all, 235 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: he was an elite high volume pick and roll player. 236 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: Last year, he ran sixteen hundred and thirty seven pick 237 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: and roles including passes, generating seventeen hundred and seventy two points. 238 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,680 Speaker 1: That was one point zero eight points per possession, which 239 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: is well above average. Out of the thirteen players to 240 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: run at least a thousand pick and rolls last year, 241 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: you ain'd sixth on that list, so firmly in that 242 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: group of high volume, high efficiency pick and roll shot 243 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: creators in the NBA started with excellent shot making. And 244 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: again this is this is Brunson's calling card. Like if 245 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: he was this and being a you know, a Luka 246 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 1: Doncic level passer, he'd be one of the top three 247 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: or four players in the game. But he is absolutely 248 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: one of the very best scores and shot makers in 249 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: the NBA. He starts with pull up three. So in 250 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: pick and roll we kind of work through a progression, right, 251 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: like if the guy dies on the screen, or if 252 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: you can get him set up on the screen a 253 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: certain way to get separation, there's a pull up three 254 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: to be had there. If he chases you over the 255 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: top and you get good screen on him, there's mid 256 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: range scoring, right, there's pull up midi's, there's floaters, things 257 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: along those lines. If the guy stays attached in funnels 258 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: you towards the basket, there's closer range floaters, there's layups, 259 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: and then of course, as the defense rea you, there's 260 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: the playmaking piece out of it. That is the progression 261 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: of pick and roll, starting with pull up threes, super 262 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: high volume, one hundred and forty six of them in 263 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: Pick and Roll last year. So this is strictly threes, 264 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: pulling up out of pick and roll thirty eight percent, 265 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 1: which is awesome. That's an incredible number. Watch the tape. 266 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: He's just really good at setting up his man for 267 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: screens ree screens before on the first screen, just again 268 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: hiding like he's gonna go one way, setting up his 269 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: body and his face. We're gonna talk a lot about 270 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: his ball handling fakes later, but like him setting up 271 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: his man like he's gonna go one way and then 272 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: coming back the other way. Or if he plans on 273 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: coming off of a screen this way, he might make 274 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: an aggressive move that way to try to get the 275 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: defender to cut him off that way, which then puts 276 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: him in trail positions so that he can catch him 277 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: on the screen. It's an art form getting your defender 278 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: set up for the screen. It's every bit as important 279 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: as the screener's job. You've got to get the defender 280 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: into position where it's very easy to screen him. And 281 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: so he would use that to get that initial separation, 282 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: and he'd shoot thirty eight percent from three then deadly 283 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: mid to short range scoring. He was fifty two percent 284 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 1: on jump shots inside of seventeen feet, and he was 285 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 1: fifty two percent on floaters all on over two hundred 286 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: attempts in each category. That really, if you're asking, how 287 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: is it that Jalen Brunson is such an effective crunch 288 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: time score, it's that. It's we talk about this NonStop. 289 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: It's been one of the main talking points we've used 290 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: with respect to guys like Jokic, Shake Gildas, Alexander, Kevin Durant. 291 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: If you have a shot that you can get to, 292 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: a perimeter shot, meaning even if they pack the paint, 293 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: you can still get to it, and if you can 294 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: make it more than half the time, that is what 295 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: drives elite crunch time scoring. And Jalen Brunson with the 296 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: floater and with the jumper inside of seventeen feet was 297 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: a healthy chunk over fifty percent on massive volume. That 298 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: there's only a handful of guys in the entire league 299 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: that can do that. Jalen Brunson's one of them. That's 300 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: what makes him such reliable crunch time score. Then for 301 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: a small guard, he's excellent at making layups. He was 302 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: sixty percent this year on two hundred and seventy five 303 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: layup attempts. That's a truly very impressive number for a 304 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: small guard. And then Lastly, he has a gift for 305 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: getting defenders out of position in drawing fouls. He uses 306 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: a lot of what I would consider to be non 307 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: basketball plays, low gathers, awkward shooting angles, awkward driving angles, 308 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: things along those lines. But I'm gonna say what I 309 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: always say about this sort of thing. I hate that shit, 310 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: even on the team I root for. I hate when 311 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: Luca does it. I hate when Austin Reeves does it. 312 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: I think it's bad for the game. Ideally, within the 313 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: next five to ten years, non basketball plays would be 314 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: legislated out. But my beef with it centers around the NBA, 315 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: not on the players. It's the NBA and their inability 316 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: to stop rewarding players for it. As far as I'm concerned, 317 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: the players are just competitors and they're looking for every 318 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: single competitive edge they can get, and if the refs 319 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: are going to give them points for doing these things, 320 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: they're gonna view it as an opportunity to score more points, 321 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: which is gonna give them an opportunity to win basketball game. 322 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: So I don't blame the players for it. I hate it. 323 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: I don't think it's fun to watch. They are inconsistencies 324 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: there that drive me crazy. But I don't blame the players, 325 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: I blame the league. The playmaking stuff with Brunson is 326 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: mostly just about reacting to what the defense is giving him. 327 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: I watch a bunch of Brunson pick and roll tape 328 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: this morning, and there's very little of what we would 329 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: consider to be highlight material. Like he'll throw the occasional 330 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: no look back door pass to a guy as he 331 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: looks off a help defender and hits a cutter, or 332 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: he'll whip a cross court pass every once in a while. 333 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: But you're not gonna see, you know, when you watch 334 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: some of the higher level playmakers in our game, the 335 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: two top tier playmakers, you're not gonna see five or 336 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: six of these like beautiful anticipatory passers per game. Like 337 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: he's more of a reactionary passer than he is an 338 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: anticipatory passer. That said, he's a very good reactionary passer. 339 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: He doesn't turn the ball over much for a guy 340 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,719 Speaker 1: who uses the ball as much as he does, and 341 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: he's good at taking easy reads when they're available, which 342 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: again is what game management is. That's all being a 343 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: point guard is, fundamentally at an extraordinary level. It's that 344 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: anticipatory passing, but at a fundamental level, it's just about 345 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: taking what the defense gives you, over and over and 346 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,919 Speaker 1: over again. If he sees a guy digging down to 347 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: the nail, he'll throw a swing pass to the opposite wing. 348 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 1: If the screen defender sticks to him in a ball 349 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: screen with Cat, he'll pitch it back to Kat in 350 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: the pick and pop. If he gets into the lane 351 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: and Og Andnobi's man steps in to help, he's gonna 352 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,479 Speaker 1: swing it out to the corner to Og so that 353 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: he can attack. That level of playmaking is plenty to 354 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: make Jalen Brunson one of the best pick and roll 355 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: players in the league because he's such a gifted scorer. 356 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: He's one of the very best scorers in the NBA, 357 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: and he's got enough of that playmaking ability to make 358 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 1: him one of the best pick and roll players in 359 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 1: the NBA. The only area where Brunson and the Knicks 360 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: as a team really struggled the rivalries, the marching bands, 361 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: the upsets. Saturday's just got way more fun. College football 362 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: is back. Think you know the game. 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Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. 387 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,679 Speaker 1: For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkang dot co. 388 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 1: Slash audio with Brunson in Pick and Roll was with blitzes. 389 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: There were eight players in the NBA who faced at 390 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: least fifty blitzes last year, according to Synergy. In Brunson's 391 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: blitzes generated just zero point six y eight point possession, 392 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: which was far and away the worst mark on that list. 393 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: He was a little sped up in those situations, He 394 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: was a little turnover prone. He turned the ball over 395 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: about eighteen percent of the time in those situations, and 396 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: Brunson kind of just struggled to get the ball out 397 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: to the right guy with enough accuracy so that he 398 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: can beat the defense. Like a lot of times, like 399 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: a deflected pass or a pass that's a little off 400 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: target will force the guy who has to go get 401 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: it to like lunge or take steps away from the 402 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 1: attack zone to go get the ball. Which then just 403 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: gives the defense time to recover. And so as a team, 404 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: the Knicks just weren't very good at handling that, but 405 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,360 Speaker 1: Brunson in particular struggled a little bit. It's not terribly 406 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: uncommon to see some smaller players struggle with blitzes just 407 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: because of all the length that they have to deal with. 408 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: You're gonna see a lot of the bigger players handle 409 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: it better. I always want like Kevin Duran often would 410 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: be able to just outreach everybody over the top and 411 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: just dump it off to the role man. Luca is 412 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: really good at that as well. It's just kind of 413 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: tough for smaller guards in that situation. Brunson was excellent 414 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: one on one situations last year well, four hundred and 415 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: twenty three ISOs and post ups four hundred and fifty 416 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: nine points. That's one point zero nine points per possession, 417 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: which is elite. Jalen Brunson has a truly remarkable gift 418 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 1: for getting defenders out of position and forgetting separation on 419 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: dribble drives. It's a combination of a couple of different things. One, 420 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: he is very good in terms of his start stop quickness. 421 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: We're gonna talk a lot about you know, I've talked 422 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: a lot about over the course of the last several years, 423 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: the idea of like when it comes to guys like Luca, 424 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: I think Shake Guil just Alexander kind of falls into 425 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: this mix. To Jalen Brunson, guys they have like one 426 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: defining athletic trait, right Like for Luca, it's that he's big. 427 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: He's just so big as a ball handler that if 428 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: he gets any angle on you, you're just done because he 429 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: can just use that shoulder to shield you off. Shake 430 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: Guild is Alexander. It's these like weird long steps that 431 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: he can make. He has like really strong hamstrings, and 432 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: he can just when he makes that first that he 433 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: covers so much ground and it just kind of makes 434 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: them really difficult to deal with athletically in that way. 435 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson, it starts stop quickness. He does have a 436 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: quick first step. That's the foundational trade. But none of 437 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: those three guys are what we would consider to be 438 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 1: like top tier athletes, right Like Shake Gilles, Alexander is 439 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: far from an Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic is far from 440 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: a Lebron James and Jalen Brunson is far from a 441 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: Derek Rose, But all three of those guys are profoundly 442 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: impactful one on one players. Why is that It's because 443 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: at their core they are incredibly fundamentally sound. These are 444 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: the kinds of guys that actually makes the most sense 445 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: for you to watch as a young basketball player and 446 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:51,360 Speaker 1: to try to emulate. For Shake Gil just Alexander, it's 447 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: dribbling through contact and the ability to relentlessly chain together 448 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: counter moves. We've talked about this, like every move is 449 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,120 Speaker 1: connected to a counter So a lot of times, even 450 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 1: if you slide your feet right and you get in 451 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 1: front of Shay, he's just going the other way and 452 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:06,479 Speaker 1: you gotta get in front of him again, and then 453 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: he's gonna go the other way and he's gonna He's 454 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,400 Speaker 1: just he's so good at chaining together dribble combinations that 455 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: like it's kind of just a perpetual motion that's impossible 456 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,360 Speaker 1: to stay in front of. You. Look at a guy 457 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: like Luca. I think Luca and Jalen Brunson both kind 458 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: of fit this mold where it's the incredible change of 459 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: pace and the selling of moves. All change of paces 460 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,400 Speaker 1: is come to a complete stop and freeze the defender, 461 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: then hit the jets. If you can change pace, you 462 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: can get defenders to freeze. And if you can get 463 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: defenders to freeze, you have an opportunity to beat them 464 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: to a spot on offense. And then the second piece 465 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,719 Speaker 1: of it is that selling of every single part of 466 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,199 Speaker 1: every single move. Jalen Brunson. I was watching, you know, 467 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: I was watching a ton of film of him this morning. 468 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: It's amazing how many simple moves he'll use. He's not 469 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: These guys aren't gonna do Kyrie Irving wicked ball handling. 470 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: What they are gonna do is a very simple move, 471 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: very well executed. Jalen Brunson will hit really hard in 472 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: and out dribbles. He'll be sitting in that left hand 473 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: and it's an in and out dribble where on the 474 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: in and out when he turns his head, his hips, 475 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: his shoulders, his eyes, everything is facing towards the left 476 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: and then he brings it across. It's a very simple move. 477 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: But if you sell it with your body and you 478 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: sell it with your eyes, it's gonna work. If I'm 479 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: staring right at you and I just go like that, 480 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 1: if I just do an in and out dribble, it 481 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: ain't gonna work. You're not gonna buy into that fake, right. 482 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter if I do the most wicked side 483 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: to side crossover of all time if I don't sell 484 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: the move. Jalen Brunson's awesome at this one too. He'll 485 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:42,399 Speaker 1: sit with the ball high in his left hand and 486 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: then he'll just cross over. It's like just a little 487 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: snatch cross and he can cause a lot of problems 488 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 1: in ball screens with that. When he sets up like 489 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,959 Speaker 1: he's gonna go to a ball screen, waits for the 490 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: defender to get into position to chase over the top, 491 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: and then he'll whip it across right as the defender 492 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: buys into it. It's simple, it's fundamental. There's not a 493 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: whole lot of like you know, jaw dropping highlight reel 494 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: material there in terms of ball handling, but it's damn effective. 495 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: And it's because of that simple, fundamental approach to change 496 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: of pace into selling every single part of your moves 497 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: and then from there and again, lastly, I just want 498 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: to say, like that's why young players need to emulate them, Like, 499 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 1: regardless of what level you're trying to play, if you're 500 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: trying to play in high school, if you're trying to 501 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: play in college, you're trying to play in the pros, 502 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: relative to whatever level of natural ability you have. These 503 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: are guys that are not considered to be top tier athletes, 504 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: that are consistently making top tier athletes look stupid with 505 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: what they can do on offense. These are things that 506 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: all of you can learn. These are things where like 507 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: if you're trying to just play point guard on your 508 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: high school team and you're five eight and you're not 509 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: overly quick, if you emphasize these fundamental things and skill development, 510 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: even you can barbecue good athletes at the high school level. 511 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: It's a little tougher as you go up and you 512 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: need to have some trait that separates you in some way, 513 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: shape or form. But at the at any level, and 514 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: a mediocre athlete can be a damn effect a damned 515 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 1: defective offensive player just by breeding these kind of fundamental 516 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:23,680 Speaker 1: approaches to your ball handling and footwork. From there, it's 517 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: really the versatility of finishing moves. For Jalen, he isn't 518 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: just like a like most small guards are like forward 519 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: facing jump shooters, so they're gonna, you know, shoot out 520 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: of a high hesitation. They might hit an in and 521 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: out dribble. They might hit a side step one way 522 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: or the other, but there's kind of like all forward 523 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: facing moves. Right. One of the things that makes Jalen 524 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: Brunson a really impactful shot maker is he can shoot 525 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: over both shoulders, Like he can get into your body 526 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: and bump you and then fade over his right shoulder 527 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: or fade over his left shoulder. Most small guards can't 528 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,120 Speaker 1: do that. He can take you down to the post. 529 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson can score out of the post. That's something 530 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: that a lot of smaller guards won't look to do. 531 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: He can shoot turnarounds. He can occasionally go to a 532 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: little hook shot out of there that he can make. 533 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: There is a diversity of shot making ability in and out, 534 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: going right, in and out, going left side step, going 535 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: right side step, going left, hard step back, turn around 536 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: over his right shoulder, turn around over his left shoulder, 537 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: one legged, fade away, hook shot over his right shoulder. 538 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: He's got all of that in the bag, and so 539 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 1: that allows him to kind of pick and choose the 540 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: appropriate finishing move for the separation that he gets and 541 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: for the type of defender that he's going after. And 542 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: that kind of gives him just the versatility to be 543 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: a super, super impactful scorer in this league. In a 544 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: lot of ways, even though their games look different, Jalen 545 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: Brunson reminds me of the Damian Lillard of this era. 546 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: Clearly not one of the top tier stars in the league, 547 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: but firmly in that second tier. A guy who has 548 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: established himself as one of the best scorers in basketball, 549 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 1: one of the best clutch players in basketball, and with 550 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 1: enough development as a playmaker to be an excellent game manager. 551 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: A guy who could clearly lead a championship offense if 552 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: surrounded by enough talent. But I actually think Brunson has 553 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: won additional leg up on a guy like a Damian 554 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: Lillard in his era. To be clear, no one's gonna 555 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: get up here and try to say that Jalen Brunson 556 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: is a good defender and he cannot also be lazy 557 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: sometimes in the regular season, which especially in the context 558 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 1: of Karl Anthony Towns, can be damaging to a team's defense. 559 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: But I do think that Jalen Brunson is the kind 560 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: of guy that you can build a functional playoff defense 561 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: around with the right personnel, And I do think that's 562 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 1: a separator for him compared to many of the other 563 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: small guards in NBA history, even a guy like Damian Lillard. 564 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 1: As I've talked about a lot on this show, there 565 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: are two different types of bad defenders. Guys who struggle 566 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: physically in guys who struggle mentally. Now, if you're both, 567 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: you're dead on arrival. But if you struggle physically, there's 568 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: a certain amount of like I can prepare for that, 569 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: I can game plan around your physical limitations. But mistake 570 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: making breaks a game plan. Mistake making I can't prepare for. 571 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: How do I plan If what I tell you to 572 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: do in the game plan, I can't count on you 573 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: to do. Jalen Brunson's gonna give up layups and slips 574 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: on hedges sometimes when he's throwing a hedge, and yeah, 575 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 1: when he's lazy. Sometimes he won't sprint fast enough out 576 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: of a rotation. And sometimes those sorts of things can 577 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: cause issues. But in a big spot, in a big 578 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: playoff game, I feel like Jalen Brunson will at least 579 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: stick to the game plan and do his job. That 580 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: to me is the bare minimum of what you have 581 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: to be to be able to build a functional playoff defense. 582 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: Around somebody. Take like a guy like Karl Anthony Towns's 583 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 1: account example, a guy who's very prone to mental mistakes, 584 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: even a guy like Carol Town's on the twenty twenty 585 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: four Timberwolves an elite defense, Their defense posted a one 586 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: twenty defensive rating in that playoff run when Gobert was 587 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: off the floor and kat was on. Now, just that 588 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: was with elite perimeter defenders next to him Jad McDaniels 589 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: and Kyle Anderson, Nakil, Alexander Walker and Anthony Edwards. We 590 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 1: were he was surrounded and anchored by elite athletes on 591 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: the perimeter, and they could not get stops in the postseason. 592 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: You can't build a functional defensive scheme around a defender 593 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: who's prone to too many mental mistakes. Jalen Brunston can 594 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: be lazy sometimes, especially in the regular season, and he 595 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 1: certainly has his physical limitations, but he competes and he 596 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: will execute his part of the game plan and which 597 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: I think makes him at least a higher floor defender 598 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: than many of his small guard peers in recent eras. 599 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: And again, like I'm not trying to say that Jalen's 600 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: a good defender. I'm just saying he's a more functional 601 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: playoff defender than many of his peers. In recent years, 602 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunton has become one of the best offensive players 603 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: in the game today. He's an elite scorer who becomes 604 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: absolutely deadly in crunch time. He's a willing passer and 605 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: game manager, and with enough of an attention to detail 606 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: to at least make him workable on the defensive end 607 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: of the floor. So he comes in at number nine 608 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: on this year's list. All right, before we get out 609 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: of here today, Denzel Washington had a hell of a 610 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: quote the other day, went on I can't remember which 611 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: show he went on, as something on ESPN. He said, 612 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: everyone everybody's got an opinion. In fact, we live in 613 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: a world of opinionaires. They're all on the shows, a 614 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 1: bunch of the guys a couple that have played, but 615 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 1: most of them who haven't, who have an opinion about 616 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 1: what something should be when they haven't done it. Those 617 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: who can do, those who can't talk about those who can, 618 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: those who have know what they're talking about. Those who 619 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 1: haven't don't period. That's how I feel about that. This 620 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: is one of my biggest pet peeves about the way 621 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: athletes in particular act when it comes to the media. Obviously, 622 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: Denzel is not an athlete, but this is a take 623 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: that we've seen many athletes pair over the years. First 624 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 1: and foremost, I despise the gatekeeping element of this. I 625 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 1: love basketball so much and the game has been very 626 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 1: good to me. It paid for my college, It helped 627 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: me see much of the United States at a young age. 628 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 1: It helped me to enjoy some of the greatest experiences 629 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: of my life. Like I, every once in a while, 630 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: you just sit down and reminisce and I think about, like, 631 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: you know, maybe a huge dunk that I had in 632 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: a big spot, or a clutch shot that I hit, 633 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: or you know, a hot streak where I could miss 634 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: for a little while. You think about those moments, and 635 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: there are literally some of the coolest moments of my life. 636 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: I think about, you know, when you get a big 637 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: dunk on the road, like a real dunk that shocks 638 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: everybody and you hear that sound go through the arena's. 639 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: I could never describe it to you, guys. It's just 640 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: one of the coolest feelings that you could ever experience 641 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: as a human. And I think about it all the time. 642 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: I miss it. I miss playing in those environments and 643 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: getting to experience those things. The game of basketball has 644 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 1: been very, very good to me. But I'm not selfish 645 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,239 Speaker 1: enough or closed minded enough to think that I'm the 646 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 1: only guy who loves basketball or girl who loves basketball 647 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: out there, or that you have to have played the 648 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: game to love basketball. That makes no sense. I'm super lucky. 649 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: I was born into a six to six frame. I've 650 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: got a six to ten wingspan and a good amount 651 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: of natural athletic ability. I also worked very hard, and 652 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: I'm proud of the player that I've become over the years, 653 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: especially as an adult. But I also know that I'm 654 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: very lucky. There are people out there who love the 655 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: game every bit as much as I do, but that 656 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 1: didn't get the opportunity to pursue it the way that 657 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: I did. Who am I to say that that person 658 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 1: isn't allowed to love the game, or to watch the game, 659 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: or to study the game, or to talk about the game, 660 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: or to write about the game. I have learned so 661 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:39,720 Speaker 1: much over the years from people who have never played 662 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:45,280 Speaker 1: the game. In many cases, for those people, their love 663 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: of the game in the absence of being able to 664 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 1: play it manifests in what it takes to pour their 665 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: heart and soul into the study of the game. It's 666 00:34:55,560 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: all about perspective. Everyone has unique perspective. Yes, a current 667 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: or former NBA player can provide a certain perspective on 668 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: the game that we could never provide. Even a guy 669 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: like me who played but didn't play at the NBA level, 670 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: I can't provide some of the perspective that current or 671 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: former NBA players can provide. But we each have our 672 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 1: own unique angle, and that angle manifests out of our 673 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: love for the game. Mine will include some references to 674 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: my playing experience, but guys, like if you ask me, 675 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 1: my playing experience is actually a very small portion of 676 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 1: what I would think this show kind of comes out of. 677 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: I think it mostly comes out of a love for 678 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 1: the game and studying the game. I know a hell 679 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,399 Speaker 1: of a lot more about basketball now than I did 680 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: the last time I suit it up in a college 681 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:56,879 Speaker 1: basketball uniform. Maybe there's a man or a woman out 682 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: there who provides unique analytical perspective that comes from a 683 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 1: high level understanding of advanced statistics. There are lots of 684 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,760 Speaker 1: guys out there, lots of girls out there that haven't played, 685 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: but make us all smarter about the game. Maybe there's 686 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 1: a man or a woman out there who's excellent with 687 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 1: advanced schematics. I look at guys like cranzeus mc basketball 688 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:24,320 Speaker 1: covers the Lakers does an incredibly good job of giving 689 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 1: us a detailed understanding of actions, encounters on both ends 690 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: of the floor or half court hoops. He's a college 691 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: coach who will post entire playbooks of NBA teams for 692 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:41,120 Speaker 1: us to study. That's an immense value. There are men 693 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: and women who provide excellent basketball perspective on fundamentals and 694 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: can explain complicated things on a granular level for fans. 695 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: I think Pete Zais covers the Lakers as an example 696 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: of this type of guy. I learned so much about 697 00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:01,359 Speaker 1: how modern NBA fundamentals work from Pete. Zach Lowe on 698 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: a national scale as an example of this kind of guy. 699 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: There are men and women who do an excellent job 700 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 1: covering the league from the standpoint of reporting. Mark Stein 701 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 1: is an incredible example. I highly recommend all of you 702 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: guys subscribe to Mark Stein's substack. It's an excellent way 703 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:20,799 Speaker 1: to just get kind of like a regular newsletter where 704 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: you can stay up to speed on what's happening around 705 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 1: the NBA. It's not just disrespectful or inappropriate to discount 706 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: these people just because they haven't played in the NBA. 707 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: It's also frankly stupid. You're an idiot if you don't 708 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,799 Speaker 1: think someone like Kaitlyn Cooper, who does a phenomenal job 709 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 1: covering the Indiana Pacers, You're an idiot. If you don't 710 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: think Kaitlyn Cooper can teach you something about NBA basketball, 711 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: you are limiting your own ability to learn at that point. 712 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,799 Speaker 1: And frankly, while there are many current and former NBA 713 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 1: players who are doing great work, I want to emphasize 714 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: that there are many who do great work, there are 715 00:38:02,120 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 1: also many current and former players who are doing shitty work, 716 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 1: doing very little prep and just getting on camera and 717 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:15,719 Speaker 1: talking shit. Literally everything that Denzel was criticizing I've seen 718 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: professional athletes do in the media. Yeah, Jason, but what 719 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:24,760 Speaker 1: about the talking heads? Even those people carry great value. 720 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: In my opinion, Bill Simmons is one of the great 721 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:31,640 Speaker 1: storytellers who covers the NBA. I don't agree with everything 722 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:35,479 Speaker 1: Bill says, but he's so important to the NBA media 723 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:38,840 Speaker 1: landscape with his ability to add like historical aura to 724 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 1: each season. He brings like a certain drama element that 725 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 1: I think is actually important. It's part of like how 726 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 1: we all fell in love with the game as kids. 727 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 1: You know, it's funny you get to be older and 728 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: you focus on that stuff a little less, But like 729 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: that is the stuff that gets you to romanticize basketball, 730 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,439 Speaker 1: to romanticize the NBA and love it so much when 731 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:05,919 Speaker 1: you're younger. That's important. Colin Coward his ability to tie 732 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 1: things to day to day life in a way that 733 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,719 Speaker 1: we can all relate to. Still to this day, I 734 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:13,240 Speaker 1: regularly a few times a week listen to Colin Coward's 735 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:16,960 Speaker 1: opening monologue on The Herd. It's easy to listen to. 736 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:19,520 Speaker 1: I can relate it to my everyday life, and you 737 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 1: can just feel his passion and love for it pouring 738 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 1: out of it. These people don't put up big numbers 739 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: by accident. They capture people's attention with their perspective that 740 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:37,759 Speaker 1: flows out of their love for what they do. So 741 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 1: I totally disagree with Denzel's perspective here. I think sports 742 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: media is in a better place than ever before. It's 743 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:50,120 Speaker 1: more of a meritocracy than ever before. Any single one 744 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:54,880 Speaker 1: of you who has valuable perspective, can buy inexpensive equipment, 745 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,120 Speaker 1: record content, post a YouTube or to social media, and 746 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 1: if you capture pe pople's attention, you'll get a natural 747 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 1: push from the algorithm, and you will build an audience, 748 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:09,759 Speaker 1: and you will have success that has made it so 749 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,280 Speaker 1: that there is more to choose from than ever before. 750 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,200 Speaker 1: For instance, Stephen A. Smith is not my cup of tea. 751 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,760 Speaker 1: I have a remarkable respect for him as a talent. 752 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:26,760 Speaker 1: I think he's a legend, but I don't personally enjoy 753 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:30,600 Speaker 1: his content. I don't have to watch Stephen A. Smith 754 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:35,920 Speaker 1: like I literally don't ever have to watch him. If 755 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 1: I don't want to, I can pick whatever I want. 756 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: If you're in the mood for deeply analytical content, it's 757 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: out there. If you're in the mood for something analytical 758 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 1: but more easily digestible, it's out there. If you're into storytelling, 759 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:59,240 Speaker 1: it's out there. If you're into the historian element, the drama, 760 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 1: the intro, it's out there. The reporting it's out there. 761 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: And guess what, if you want to listen to a 762 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 1: former player who can offer their unique perspective from having 763 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:12,120 Speaker 1: played in the NBA, you can find that out there too. 764 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:18,840 Speaker 1: So let's stop gatekeeping basketball, and let's stop gatekeeping whatever 765 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:21,840 Speaker 1: sport it is you love. I don't own the rights 766 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:26,479 Speaker 1: to love basketball. Neither does Kevin Durant, Neither does Draymond Green, 767 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 1: neither does Kaitlin Cooper or Zach Low. If you love 768 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 1: it and you put in the work and you have 769 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,759 Speaker 1: something of value to offer, I encourage all of that 770 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:41,200 Speaker 1: from flooding our marketplace. The more there is, the better 771 00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:44,320 Speaker 1: it is for all of us. You all have every 772 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 1: right to love the game, and if you love it 773 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 1: enough to want to talk about it, you should go 774 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:53,280 Speaker 1: after it. And I think attempts to stifle those folks, 775 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 1: or belittle those folks, or gatekeep those folks is incredibly 776 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:00,080 Speaker 1: lame to me. All Right, guys, that's all I have 777 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 1: for today. As always, as sincerely appreciate you guys for 778 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,520 Speaker 1: supporting me and supporting the show. We will be back 779 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:06,560 Speaker 1: on Friday with our next mailbag. I will see you 780 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 1: guys day