1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: The volume. Hey hoops fans, don't just watch all the 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: NBA playoffs action, be a part of it. With fan Duel, 3 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: an official partner of the NBA. Right now, all new 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: customers get a risk free bet up to a thousand dollars. 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: Just place any bet on the NBA Playoffs and if 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: you don't win, you'll get up to a thousand bucks 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: back in site credit. The app is easy and safe 8 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: to use, you get your winnings fast, and there's tons 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 1: of betting options. My favorite bet from the first round is, 10 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: I think the Sixers are going to lose to the 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: Toronto Raptors. I think it's gonna get ugly for James 12 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: Harden in particular. Download fan Duel, America's number one sports 13 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: book app today using promo code Jason T and place 14 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: your risk free first bet for a chance to take 15 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: home a w on basketball's biggest stage. Remember to use 16 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: promo code Jason T for this amazing offer twenty plus 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: in presidents some like states only first on like Real 18 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: when you wait your own doll your first required issue 19 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,639 Speaker 1: is non with probab site credit that expires fourteen days. 20 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: Receive restriction supplied Sepulton. That sports book maintel dot com 21 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: gambling problem called one hunter tabler faint dole dot com 22 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: slash rg in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, 23 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: Virginia hundred next step or text next step to five 24 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: three four two in Arizona seven eight nine seven seven 25 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: seven seven or visit CCPG dot organ slash chat in 26 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: Connecticut dial one hundred nine with it in Indiana dial 27 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: one eight seven seven seven seven zero stop. In Louisiana 28 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 1: dial one eight seven seven eight Hope and why or 29 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: text hope and why to four six seven, three six 30 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: nine In New York, Tennessee. Red line is one dight 31 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: eight nine nine seven eight nine in Wyoming one hundred 32 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: five to four seven zer zo or is it w 33 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: WPP dot one hundred tiler dot in West Virginia. What's up, everybody? 34 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Hoops Tonight, presented by Fando here at the 35 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: volume breaking down the playing tournament. I'm gonna make my 36 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: picks and talk about the games that I find to 37 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: be most interesting, starting with the Nets at home hosting 38 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, one thing that we have heard 39 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: coming down the pipeline is that the calves are pessimistic 40 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: about whether or not Jared Allen will be able to 41 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: play in the game. When he's working out, he seems 42 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: to only be using his left hand. He's downgraded from 43 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: a really stiff brace to wearing some tape, but it 44 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to be working. So it looks like Jared 45 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: Allen is not gonna play. And that's an issue because 46 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: in a game like this, you have two teams with 47 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: extremely different styles. Like no one expects the Calves and 48 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 1: Darius Garland to be in in like Carriss LeVert to 49 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: be able to out execute offensively the likes of Kevin 50 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: Durant and Kyrie Irving. That's completely unrealistic. But they have 51 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: massive advantages that they bring to the table, especially on 52 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: the on in the paint um. Their ability with their 53 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: size with Lori Marken in at small forward, with Evan 54 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 1: Mobley at the four, and with Jared Allen at the five, 55 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: gives them the ability to hold opponents with those three 56 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: on the floor to a hundred and two points per 57 00:02:55,400 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: one possessions, specifically only forty one point five points per 58 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: one possessions in the paint which would lead the league 59 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: to give you an idea as just some perspective. The 60 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: Miami Heat and totality lead the league in paint points 61 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: allowed at forty two point four, So when they have 62 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: their guys there are a dominant interior defense, they're a 63 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: team that would give the Brooklyn Nets a ton of 64 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: problems on the interior. Another thing that's so important about 65 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: Jared Allen is his ability to punish switches. Part of 66 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: what made Jared Allen suddenly not necessarily worth this full 67 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: contract but way less of an issue at that big 68 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: of a salary number is he can do what Rudy 69 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: Gobert can't when he switches onto a smaller defender and 70 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: you dump the ball into him in the post. He 71 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: is capable of consistently punishing those types of mismatches. So 72 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: I would certainly give the Calves a better chance if 73 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: they had Jared Allen because they would have a big 74 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: advantage that they can bring to the table. But without 75 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: Jared Allen, and it looks like he's not going to play, 76 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: I have a team that has Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, 77 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: a significantly better set of perimeter initiators, and going up 78 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: against Darius Garland and Karras Laverton. I think They're just 79 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: in over their heads in a lot of different ways there. 80 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: I expect the Nets to pack the paint and take 81 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: away as many of those driving opportunities and dump off 82 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: lab opportunities as they can. In the Calves pick and 83 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: roll and force guys to knock down shots, and I 84 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: just don't think that they'll be able to score anywhere 85 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 1: near consistently enough. Another big thing, Let's say that they 86 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: go Evan Mobley. Let's say the Calves go Evan Mobiley 87 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: at center, which I expect them to do for the 88 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: most part during the game, and they funnel everything into 89 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: that and expect Evan Mobley to control the paint. Like 90 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: I've always said, that has a lot more impact on 91 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 1: guys stars in particular, that are obsessively trying to drive 92 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: to the basket. And that's not the way Kyrie and 93 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: k D play. Kyrie and KD are at their most 94 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: comfortable when they're operating in the miss in the mid range, 95 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: in single coverage, making a move against the defender to 96 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: get to a pull up jump shot. Those are their 97 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: bread and butter plays for those two guys. The Calves 98 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: are not a good perimeter defense team. Darius Garland is 99 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: not a great perimeter defender. Lori Markenings got length and size, 100 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: and he can play some good positional defense from time 101 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: to time, but he's not a guy that's great at 102 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: containing in dribble drive scenario. So I expect to see 103 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: a lot of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant just getting 104 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: to their spots and knocking down shots. Also that this 105 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: Calves team relies entirely on Darius Garland for everything that 106 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,559 Speaker 1: they do offensively. This year, they are ten points six 107 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: points better on offense with Garland on the floor than 108 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: with him off. That's something that the Nets will be 109 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: able to game plan around to make up for their 110 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: limited defense, just by devoting all their attention to that 111 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: screen and roll action in forcing guys to make shots 112 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: on the back end. Calves also not a great road 113 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: team this year. They were only nineteen and twenty two. 114 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: One last little interesting note on this game. There's a 115 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: question to be asked about whether or not Brooklyn would 116 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: be best served losing. Now, you guys know how I 117 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: feel about that kind of stuff. I'm a big believer 118 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: in don't toy with the basketball gods. Play the game 119 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: the way it's supposed to be. Played, and if you 120 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: are the best team, things will work out for you. 121 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: I'm I've always been a big believer in that sort 122 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: of thing, so I would not recommend losing. But if 123 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: you are a Nets fan and they happen to lose 124 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 1: to the Calves tomorrow, the advantage there is getting the 125 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: one getting the eight seed and going to play Miami 126 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: in the first round. I know for a fact the 127 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: Nets are going to be favored in that series and 128 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: be the team that they may not be favored, but 129 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: I will be picking the Nets for sure to beat 130 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: the Miami Heat. I do not believe in the Miami 131 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: Heats offense. I I believe that the Brooklyn Nets will 132 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: pick them apart. I saw that happen the last time 133 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: they played each other. The Nets went into Miami and 134 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: utterly destroyed them. So I would pick the Nets in 135 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: that series. Nets Boston that's a little more of a 136 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: toss up with that. With Rob Williams in the picture, 137 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: I would absolutely be picking Boston. Without Rob Williams, it's closer. 138 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: That takes away, like I said, one of those interior 139 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: advantages that you can bring against Brooklyn, But I like that. 140 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: I it's an interesting conundrum because if they do what 141 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: they're supposed to do and they beat Cleveland tomorrow, they 142 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: will face a significantly tougher first round opponent. Then if 143 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: they lose that game and try to make things work 144 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: against in the second playing game to play against Miami, 145 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: So that would be an interesting conundrum. I expect them 146 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: to win and go up against Boston. That's more of 147 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: a coin flip series. Once we get the final results 148 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: of the playing game. There's no games on Thursday, and 149 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: I will do a breakdown of what I expect in 150 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: those first round series is. But let's move on to 151 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: Atlanta and Charlotte. So I like Charlotte better in a 152 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: vacuum as a basketball team. They over the last fifteen 153 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: games of the season war eleven and four, which was 154 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: tied for the best record in basketball, obviously convoluted a 155 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: little bit by the fact that so many of the 156 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: best teams in the league were resting key players in 157 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: preparation for the playoff run, but still nothing to slou chat. 158 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: They were second in offense over that span, which is 159 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: not a surprise. They're a up tempo, high high pace team. 160 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: LaMelo Ball is one of the best, uh I know, 161 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: He's young, I know he's inconsistent. I know he has 162 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: if he shot selections sometimes. He's not a great defensive player, 163 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: which we'll talk about in a little bit, but he's 164 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: already one of the best high pick and role playmakers 165 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: that we have in the league. I love Terry Rosier's game. 166 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: I talked about this a little bit the other day 167 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 1: when we were talking about potential Russell Westbrook swaps very 168 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: good polish in the mid range, very dynamic score from 169 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: the perimeter. And then the one of the most interesting 170 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: elements of this team in their future is Miles Bridges. Uh. 171 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: He kind of coming out of college was this freak athlete. 172 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: I kind of saw him as more of like a 173 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: undersized version of John Collins, a guy you'd use as 174 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: a vertical spacing threat and like screen and roll actions 175 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: and maybe some defensive assignments that he'd be able to 176 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: use his ath loticism in. But he's legitimately turned himself 177 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: into a really good offensive wing player and the result 178 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 1: has been, like I said, what, the second best offense 179 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: in the league over the last fifteen games. I like 180 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: Charlotte individually in this matchup. The tricky thing is home court. 181 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: The Hawks have massively underachieved this year. Very disappointing after 182 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: what was a very impressive run to the conference finals 183 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: last year. But this year there and fourteen at home. 184 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: When you have a factor in a single game elimination format, 185 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 1: how rock is that environment is going to be? It 186 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: makes it a lot more complicated. Uh, it makes it 187 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: a lot more complicated than I would have originally thought. Now, 188 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: the interesting element here is both teams have really bad 189 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: defensive backcourts. So everyone thinks of Trey Young being a 190 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: limited defensive player. And obviously Lou Williams from all the 191 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 1: way back when he was with the Clippers has been 192 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: attacked by really good teams as as frequently as they 193 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: can when he's on the defensive end of the floor. 194 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: But the same problem exists for Charlotte. They play Isaiah 195 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: Thomas as their backup point guard. Now that's a really 196 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: that's arguably the worst defensive player in the entire NBA. 197 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: And then LaMelo Ball. I do believe one day he'll 198 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,719 Speaker 1: become a decent defender in a switching scheme. He's a 199 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: little too tall and slender to successfully chase guys over 200 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 1: the top of screens. He's too easy to screen so 201 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: I think his defensive potential is in more of a 202 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: switching scheme. That said, he right now doesn't have anywhere 203 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: near the attention to detail on that on the end 204 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: of the floor to be a productive player gets back 205 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: cut on all the time, mrs help responsibilities often, and 206 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: then he can give up a lot of dribble penetration 207 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: at the point of attack. So what you have is 208 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: to backcourts. Obviously they're staggered in a lot of different ways, 209 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: but at any given moment, both teams have a really 210 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: really bad perimeter defender on the floor. So so much 211 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: is gonna come out come down to those two guards. 212 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: Trey Young and LaMelo Ball are gonna be really comfortable 213 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: for most of that game, and it's gonna be come 214 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: down to which guy has the best game. My gut 215 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: tells me that Atlanta it could win at home off 216 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: the strength of their home crowd. But I'm picking Charlotte 217 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: by a hair because I believe they're better basketball team 218 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 1: that's playing a little bit better as of late, and 219 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: I think that's going to carry them. All Right, let's 220 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: move on to the Wolves and the Clippers. This one 221 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: is a really tough matchup for me. To gauge based 222 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: on what happened in the regular season, not a lot 223 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: of data. They're from their individual matchups. That's usable. They 224 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: played three times in November and the Clippers won all 225 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: three games, but that's November. Both teams are monumentally different 226 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: at this point, especially the Timberwolves. They're They've been one 227 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: of the better teams in the league over the course 228 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: of the last couple of months, and then in January 229 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: the two teams played in the Wolves had a convincing win, 230 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: but a lot of important players from the Clippers were missing, 231 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: including Paul George, Lucanard, Marcus Morris, and a bunch of others, 232 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: so not much you could take away on that front. 233 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: The interesting wrinkle here is Minnesota is at home there 234 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: twenty six and fifteen at home this season. I've talked 235 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: about this a lot on the show. They are super athletic. 236 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: Everyone thinks of Carl Town's in D'Angelo Russell, but they've 237 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: got a bunch of athleticism on the wings, and those 238 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: guys feed off of the energy of that crowd, which 239 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: carries them on the defensive end of the floor. The 240 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: where this game teeters towards the Clippers in my opinion, 241 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: and the reason why I'm picking the Clippers is one, 242 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: the Clippers know exactly who they are in this type 243 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: of setting. The Clippers have a bunch of huge road 244 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: playoff wins even with this core, even just with Paul George, 245 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: them going on the road to beat Phoenix in Game 246 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: five last year, them going on the road to beat 247 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 1: the Jazz last year in Game five. A lot of 248 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: big playoff wins with that group. They're gonna be comfortable 249 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: in Minnesota in that environment, They're not gonna be scared 250 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 1: away at all. And then, like I've talked about NonStop, 251 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: I don't trust the Wolves guards to make good decisions enough. 252 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: The Clippers are gonna do a lot of switching, especially 253 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: on the perimeter. They'll do drop coverage is when they 254 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: have their traditional centers on the floor. But you're gonna 255 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: see a lot of switching on the perimeter. And there's 256 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: going to be a lot of moments where it's gonna 257 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: be Anthony Edwards or D'Angelo Russell having to make decisions 258 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: against the very good Clippers defense, and I trust Reggie 259 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: Jackson and Paul George to out execute them. And that 260 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: sort of setting so interesting matchup on some levels, home 261 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: court makes it a wrinkled carl Anthony Towns is a 262 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: huge matchup problem. If carl Anthony Towns goes for forty 263 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: and seventeen, yeah, that could swing it. It's certainly close. 264 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: All of these matchups that we're talking today are close, 265 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: except for maybe Brooklyn Cleveland. But I'm leaning towards the 266 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 1: Clippers because of their playoff experience, their modern approach to 267 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 1: the game, and I think their primary decision makers are 268 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: better and more reliable in the setting. Last, but not least, 269 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: the Pelicans and the Spurs. Not gonna talk too much 270 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: about this one. I don't find this matchup particularly interesting 271 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: to very young teams with two interesting stars kind of 272 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: leading the way in Brandon Ingram and then Murray Degonda. 273 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,079 Speaker 1: Murray killed the Spurs the last time or killed the 274 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: Pelicans the last time these two teams played when both 275 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: teams were at full strength, which is shortly after the 276 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 1: trade on February twelve. CJ. McCollum played really well in 277 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: that game as well. He's gonna be that weird veteran 278 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 1: presence in that game that's gonna be the most comfortable. 279 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: I'm leaning towards the Pelicans because of home court. But 280 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: this one's a coin flip to me between two really young, 281 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: talented teams that are kind of just excited to be there, 282 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: and so it'll be an interesting wrinkle. I would lean 283 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: towards the home court in an environment like this where 284 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: Spurs team is super young on the road. So I 285 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: have the Nets over the Calves, the Hornets over the Hawks. 286 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: That means that the Hornets and the Calves will be 287 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: playing for the eight seed. I'm gonna pick the Hornets 288 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: there as well. Once again, Jared Allen being out, I 289 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: just considered to be too big of a of a 290 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: of a of a of a obstacle for the Calves 291 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: to overcome. I'm a huge believer in this Calves corps 292 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: and what they can do going forward, but with Jared 293 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: Allen being out, I just don't think they can get 294 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: it done. So I've got the Nets getting the seven 295 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: seed and the Hornets getting the eight seed. How West 296 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: Clippers over the World Wolves, Pells over the Spurs. That 297 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: means the Wolves will host the Pelicans for the eight seed, 298 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: and I would absolutely pick the Pelicans, or excuse me, 299 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: pick the Wolves in that game at home. I think 300 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: one of the pelicans biggest strengths is all of their 301 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: length and athleticism on the wings. We talked about this 302 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: a lot in their matchups with the Clippers, and the 303 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: Wolves are just athletic enough and young enough at those 304 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: positions to match that effort, especially at home. And then 305 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: it's gonna come down to Karl Anthony Towns trying to uh, 306 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: just trying to overpower that thin interior from the Pelicans, 307 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: and I like them in that matchup. So that's gonna 308 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: end up, in my opinion, with the Nets at the 309 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: seventh seed in the East and the Hornets as the 310 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: eight seed, and out West with the Clippers as the 311 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: seventh seed and with the Timberwolves as the eight seed. 312 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk for just a few minutes about 313 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers because obviously, as is always the case with 314 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: that particular franchise, it's all drama, but in this case, 315 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: it's drama that actually is impacting, in my opinion, the 316 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: end of the season for the NBA. It's impacting who's 317 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: holding the trophy because not often do you have a 318 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: brand as big as the Lakers with players as good 319 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: as Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Effectively kept out of 320 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 1: the running because of the fact that there's so much 321 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: going on above them that is actively disrupting what they're 322 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: trying to accomplish on the court. So I wanted to 323 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: hit on three quick things that were reported over the 324 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: course of the last few days that I think are 325 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: beyond discouraging if you're a Laker fan and you're thinking 326 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: about how this team can be turned around next year. So, 327 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: first of all, as a report for major in war 328 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: Zanowski that he gave on ESPN last night, and he 329 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: specifically came out and said that the Lakers are expecting 330 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: to be patient with their coaching search, wait until after 331 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: this postseason and to see if there's any coach that 332 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: ends up getting let go from one of these playoffs teams, 333 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: to see if there's a better option for them before 334 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: they make that decision. But he also mentioned a couple 335 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: of very specific things. He directly implied that the coaching pool, 336 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: the coaches who would potentially consider the job, are concerned 337 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: about one how much money and years they would be 338 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: willing to offer, and two whether or not there would 339 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: be uh interference or micro management from those coming above. 340 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: Specifically mentioned that many coaching coaches that would be potentially 341 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: considering the job, would never in a million years consider 342 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: it because of what he said was the front office 343 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 1: sitting in on coaches meetings and trying to basically micromanage them, 344 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 1: which is we already knew that. We saw a report 345 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: earlier this year that Kurt Rambis was going in on 346 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: Frank Vogel and telling him things like you need to 347 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 1: play more DeAndre Jordan and so on and so forth. 348 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: I did a video yesterday you can see it on 349 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: my on my Twitter feed where I very briefly was 350 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: just venting about how discouraging it was that Frank Vogel, 351 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: even though he did deserve to be fired, that the 352 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: Lakers botched it the way that they did and let 353 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: that report get out. Now, I've a lot of people, 354 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: you know, anytime a report comes out, you immediately have 355 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: to start playing the game. Who who stands to gain 356 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,959 Speaker 1: the most by doing this? Who? Uh this reporter? Are 357 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: they someone that would report like a source of a source? 358 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: Are they going to report only like a very strong source? Well, 359 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: it came from Adrian Warzanowski, and Adrian Warzanowski is only 360 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 1: going to report something if he gets it directly from 361 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 1: the front office. He doesn't mess around with the source 362 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: of a source and things along those lines someone who 363 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: might not know for sure. That's just his stature in 364 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:26,719 Speaker 1: the business. So I think it's pretty safe to assume 365 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: that it's coming from the front office. Also, they don't 366 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: deserve the benefit of the doubt. This is not a 367 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: really well run team where if something weird happens, you 368 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 1: can go, well, maybe there's some explanation for it. No, 369 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: that's not the case here. The Lakers botched this. They 370 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: reported that Frank was fired before even telling Frank. That's 371 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: remarkably unprofessional. Then the next day they sent all their 372 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: players out to meet the media for a season ending 373 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: press conference without telling any of them or without resolving 374 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:56,959 Speaker 1: the situation with Frank, and basically throwing them out there 375 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: to have to answer those types of questions open ended, 376 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: without any sort of resolution from the front office. That's 377 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: just incredibly incompetent. They are. I said this yesterday. They're 378 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: laughing stock and people pay attention to this. We had 379 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: a report come out from Brad Turner that uh that 380 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: Quinn Snyder of the Jazz was less less interested in 381 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: the job because of the way they treated Frank Vogel, 382 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: and then we have this report for Major and more 383 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: Zanowski that they're worried about her Rambus getting involved. They're 384 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: worried about Genie Bust being cheap with the offer that 385 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: they make, and they have every right to feel that way. Now, 386 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: that doesn't mean it's very possible that the Laker brand 387 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: and the prospect of coaching Lebron and Anthony Davis still 388 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: brings a quality candidate to the table, and I sincerely 389 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: hope that is the case. However, they are doing damage 390 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 1: in that regard. Your they If the Lakers get that guy, 391 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 1: the right guy, it will be in spite of the 392 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: fact that the higher ups of the Lakers are actively 393 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: sabotaging the team, and that's a problem. The other thing 394 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to quick talk about was Lebron. Sam Ammi 395 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 1: of The Athletic reported that Lebron would be very satisfied 396 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: if Mark Jackson became the next head coach of the Lakers. Now, 397 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: Mark Jackson, to me falls into that category I talked about. 398 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: I did a video about which coach the Lakers should 399 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: go after the other day, and I gave you guys 400 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: a kind of a spectrum. Right, there's the young ambitious, 401 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: super smart guy. And then there's like the old established 402 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: kind of lazy because he's already had some success, but 403 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 1: commands the respect of the star players around the league. 404 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: Right well, Mark Jackson and Doc Rivers are very much 405 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: on that side, whereas like you're over on this side, 406 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: you got your like your Kenny Atkinson's your your young 407 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: successful ambitious coaches that maybe a star player wouldn't listen to. 408 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: The Lakers have to find something in the middle there. 409 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: The two guys that I throughout were like Mike D'Antoni 410 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:48,120 Speaker 1: and Quinn Snyder. We're not gonna get into that again, 411 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: but this suggestion from Lebron from Mark Jackson is one 412 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: of the worst possible suggestions. I was terrified when I 413 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: read that report because Mark Jackson is not the guy 414 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: that is going to orient the Lakers off and the 415 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: way it needs to be oriented. Never forget that the 416 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: Warriors offense completely took off after getting rid of Mark Jackson. 417 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: Mark Jackson also has a giant ego. He there's we 418 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: don't have to get into it, but there's a bunch 419 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: of reports about him. He's kind of a weird guy 420 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: in a lot of different ways. I understand that he 421 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: would command some respect from the likes of Lebron and 422 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 1: a D. I just don't think he's capable, in strictly 423 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: in the terms of basketball coaching, to be the right 424 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: guy to get that franchise on track. So I was 425 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: deeply concerned by that. And last on the Lakers front, 426 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook I said many times on the show this 427 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: year that if there was one silver lining and all 428 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: of this with Russ, that this seal this season was 429 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: so humiliating for him that maybe, just maybe it could 430 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: be the thing that humbled him into making some wholesale change. 431 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: It's kind of like what happened to Carmelo Anthony when 432 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: he was kicked out of the kicked off the Rockets 433 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: and out of the league for a little while. It 434 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: humbled Carmelo Anthony in embracing a smaller bench role as 435 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: a guy that would be more of a spot up 436 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: shooter and an occasional matchup attacker and more emphasis on 437 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: the defensive end rather than what he had been doing 438 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: before that, which was very old fashioned Carmelo, give me 439 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,120 Speaker 1: the ball, get out of my way. I was hoping 440 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: that would happen for us, but everything that we heard 441 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: from that press conference yesterday screams Nope, he hasn't learned anything. 442 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: He specifically when he was asked about Lebron James and 443 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis letting Rusty Russ, he was like, yeah, no, 444 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: they didn't actually do that. Then he talked about how 445 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: he thought Frank Vogel had a problem with him, and 446 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: then he came out and said that he never felt 447 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: like he was really given a fair chance this season. 448 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: And it screams to something that I've been talking about 449 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: with Russ all season, which is the lack of personal accountability, 450 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: the inability to look at what's happening and be willing 451 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: to accept the fact that maybe, just maybe you share 452 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: some responsibility for the way things have gone. I released 453 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: another video yes sor you can find out on my 454 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: Twitter feed where I laid out some very specific stats 455 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: involving just how bad Russ was in areas that have 456 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: nothing to do with the coaching staff are the players 457 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: he was playing around. He missed more shots in the 458 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: restricted area, so layups. He missed more layups than anybody 459 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: in the NBA this year by a country mile. There 460 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: were seventy eight players that attempted at least a hundred 461 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: and fifty shots in the paint outside of the restricted area, 462 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: So basically any shot in the paint that's not a layup, 463 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: so push shots, floaters, short jump shots, anything along those lines, 464 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,160 Speaker 1: longer layups, all that kind of stuff. He only made 465 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: thirty four percent of those out of a hundred he attempted, like, uh, 466 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: I can't remember exactly what it was, but almost two. 467 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 1: I think it was one nine, Okay, so only made 468 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: of him. The only player in the entire NBA out 469 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: of that seventy eight player list that was worse was 470 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: r J. Barrett. So that goes to what I've always 471 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 1: been talking about. Russ has absolutely none of the short 472 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: game that NBA guards have these days. You can't make 473 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: a floater, he can't stop short and pull up, he 474 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: can't make scoop shots and other crap. He finishes around 475 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: the basket. Every single one of his peers can. How 476 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: can you blame that on Frank Vogel? How can you 477 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 1: blame that on your basketball situation? That strictly your skill 478 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: set is not at a competent NBA level anymore. He 479 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: attempted a hundred and eighty nine wide open threes this year. 480 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: Wide open meaning defender was at least six ft away 481 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: and he only made sixty of them. That means that 482 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: you are probably the worst wide open jump shooter in 483 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: the NBA at volume. That's on you, man. That's not 484 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: on Frank, that's not on Lebron, that's not on Anthony Davis. 485 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: And so again I've said this a million times. I 486 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: can't wait for this whole thing to be over, and 487 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: I believe it will be very soon. Here in the 488 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: next couple of months, Russ will no longer be a Laker, 489 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: and we can all pretend this whole thing never happened 490 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: or try our best to move on. But what I 491 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: had said earlier this season that I thought that maybe, 492 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: just maybe Russ could learn a lesson from this year 493 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: and translated into something that could transition him into being 494 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: a productive role player in the future. The guy to 495 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: watch is Drew Holiday. That could be you, man, a 496 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: power guard who plays in a tertiary role alongside two stars, 497 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: who embraces all of the dirty work, the defensive responsibilities, 498 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: the rebounding, every little detail involved in winning basketball games. 499 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 1: That could be you, and you could be winning a 500 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 1: championship one day in a key role. But no because 501 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 1: you never blame anybody. You never blame yourself. You blame 502 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: everybody around you for everything that has happened to you. 503 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: And as a result, you're one of the least skilled 504 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: guards in the NBA who's no longer athletic enough to 505 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 1: finish around the basket. And it's causing you serious problems. Man, 506 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: you gotta wake up. I don't know what else to 507 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: tell you, man, but I mean to put a bow 508 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: on this whole thing. We're not gonna talk Lakers for 509 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 1: a while. We're getting into the NBA post season now. 510 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: This is just a reaction to their exit interviews yesterday. 511 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: And the reason why I talk the Lakers is they're 512 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: one of the biggest brands in basketball. This season has 513 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: been an all time catastrophe one will remember for a 514 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: very long time. And you know, I've covered the Lakers 515 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: for the last two years and I'm just gonna be 516 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: an authentic basketball fan. So in this case, it's going 517 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: to result in me talking about the Lakers good amount. Alright, guys, 518 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: that's all I have on the Lakers. As always, I 519 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: appreciate your support and I'll see you guys next time.