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In Tennessee redline dial 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: one eight hundred eight eight nine nine seven eight nine 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: in Tennessee, visit www one dot one eight hundred gambler 28 00:01:46,440 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: dot net in West Virginia. All right, welcome to Lakers Tonight, 29 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: presented by Fan Duel here at the Volume. I am 30 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: Jason Tim Happy Sunday, everybody. I hope you all had 31 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: a great weekend. Lots of really interesting basketball to get 32 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: to today. We're gonna break down the Lakers game in 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: its entirety. After that, we're going to get into that 34 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: crazy intense game between Phoenix and Philly that got a 35 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: little out of hand late but had some interesting stuff 36 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: going on. James Harden had another really really bad night. 37 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: We're going to dive into that a little bit. And 38 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: then for those of you guys who stick around for 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: the end, we're gonna talk about the Timberwolves getting get 40 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: enough another opportunity to try to prove to us that 41 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: they are the real deal, and struggling against the Boston Celtics. 42 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: And then at the end, I want to talk a 43 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: little bit about the standings. We have some couple of 44 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: really really interesting standing situations at the top of the 45 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: Eastern Conference and at the bottom of the Western Conference 46 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: that will be extremely important to watch over the course 47 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: of the next couple of weeks. But let's start with 48 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers. I understand that it there's a desire to 49 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: to paint one picture about this game. You know, blown 50 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: twenty point lead at halftime, and while on the surface 51 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: that looks really ugly, and I do get that, I 52 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: don't want to undersell that at all by any stretch 53 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: of the imagination. I think that people have to understand 54 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: that these types of games are almost always a war 55 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: that's not about one battle. There's ups and downs, and 56 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: they're usually swings in momentum one way or another. And 57 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: the New Orleans Pelicans have a lot of advantages over 58 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Lakers because of the injuries to Anthony Davis, 59 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: because of things like Dwight Howard. Suddenly you know this 60 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: is he whatever he was in he's not that anymore. 61 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: He used to be a guy that the Lakers could 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: depend on every single night to be a pretty darned 63 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: dominant backup center. Not that guy anymore. Even when he 64 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: has days off like this, he just looks really slow. 65 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: There was a hilarious play in the first half where 66 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: I believe when you actually wasn't the second half when 67 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: you Gabriel through a push ahead pass to Dwight Howard 68 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: and you see Dwight like try to hit the jets 69 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: to try to catch up to the ball, and you're like, 70 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,559 Speaker 1: oh man, he just looks like he's one season too 71 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: long in the NBA. When you look at down the 72 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: roster some of the personnel shortcomings of the Lakers, it's 73 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: inevitable that they're gonna have long extended stretches where things 74 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 1: go poorly. And today was exacerbated by the fact that 75 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook, even though he had a good first half, 76 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: started to struggle in the second half, and then a 77 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: lot of those athleticism advantages started to wear the Lakers down. 78 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: In the first half, Lebron comes out game busters. We're 79 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 1: gonna talk about him in a second. Another good, not 80 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: even good, amazing Lebron game. That is something that we 81 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: should take as a positive with this team moving forward. 82 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: But the Lakers also battled and a lot of the 83 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: physicality areas of the game. To start, the Lakers out 84 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: rebounded the Pelicans in the first half. They that was 85 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,119 Speaker 1: an example of effort that's coming in with a feel 86 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: of intensity and an understanding that uh uh, there was 87 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: in the beginning of the game when everything was going 88 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: in the lakers favor. You saw the Pelicans didn't shoot 89 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: the three ball particularly great to start the game. Lebron's 90 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: making thirty footers contested off the catch. There's a lot 91 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: going on in the early parts of that game that 92 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: was advantageous to what the Lakers were doing, and so 93 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: you knew over the course of the game there was 94 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: gonna be a point where that turned on them a 95 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,119 Speaker 1: little bit. And in the second half, all of a sudden, 96 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: a lot of those rebounding issues went towards the Pelicans way. 97 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: And when you look at the roster down the line, 98 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: there's an athleticism advantage there that's kind of insane. You've 99 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: got like, especially towards the end of the game. You 100 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: notice this. This is something I talked about a lot 101 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: with the Boston Celtics. So when the Celtics are running 102 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: out their lineup with Marcus Smart, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown, 103 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 1: Al Horford, Robert Williams or or or whoever it is 104 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: that they have out there, there's not really a weak 105 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: point for you to attack. Everyone's tall, everyone's fastone's athletic. 106 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: You have to have something that you can go to. Uh, 107 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: you have to have somebody that you can attack, and 108 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: there's just it's just hard to find an option. And 109 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: you saw with the Lakers tonight at the end of 110 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: that game, brandon Ingram had great options. He's like, let 111 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: me attack Austin Reeves here along the left wing on 112 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: a big possession and I'm gonna just shoot over the top. Okay, 113 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: next possession down, I got Molik Monk on a switch. 114 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: I'm eyeballing him at the free throw line. I'm facing up. 115 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: I like my chances in that scenario if I'm brandon Ingram. 116 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: But on the other end of the floor, the athleticism 117 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 1: advantages that the Lakers are going to aren't as great. 118 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: They're running out there with the lineup with Brandon Ingram 119 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: and Herb Jones and Trey Murphy all on the floor 120 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: at the same time. When you've got three dudes that 121 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: are between six eight and six ten was super long 122 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: arms that run really fast, and they've got Valanciunists underneath 123 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: the basket doing so well as like a back line defender. 124 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: It's just tough. And there's again they have somebody you 125 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: an attack, right, it's C Jim McCollum. You've got this 126 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: guy and C Jim McCollum that you can attack. But 127 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: that's the one guy in the lineup, and the overall 128 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: lineup has so much length that it's too hard for 129 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: them to It's too hard for them to find easy opportunities. 130 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: You know. That's why I was talking about the difference 131 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: between Jason Tatum and Kevin Durant matchup and how for 132 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum, he's attacking easy matchups, but Kevin Durant's coming 133 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: down and he's attacking difficult matchups. Even though Tatum is 134 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: not as good as Kevin Durant, that matchup advantage is 135 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: something that will manifest in that head to head matchup. 136 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: Same for night with lebron In Brandon Ingram. Lebron James 137 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: didn't even have a chance. D uh. Lebron James didn't 138 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: even have a chance at the end of the game 139 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: to attack matchups because they threw a ton of length 140 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: at him and at the end of the game ended 141 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: up being a lot of the Leak Monk and a 142 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: lot of Russell Westbrook. That was the example of that 143 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: defense and the their ability to make the Lakers do 144 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: something they didn't want to do, while on the other 145 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: end of the floor, the Lakers were giving good matchups 146 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: to the Pelicans to attack. That would That's always an 147 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: interesting phenomenon in these games. It's not it's not just 148 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: did your star make shots and did their star make shots? 149 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: A lot of it's who are they attacking? Are they 150 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: getting one on one opportunity? So you'll notice on those 151 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: late possessions with brandon Ingram and Malik Monk or brandon 152 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: Ingram on the Leak Monk, or brandon Ingram and Austin Reeves, 153 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers did not send help. The Lakers did not 154 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: dig in and double team and try to force someone 155 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: else to beat them. They let a very good offensive 156 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: player operate on an island against shorter defensive players, and 157 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: no matter how hard they try, it's gonna be an issue. 158 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: I was a little concerned with that at the end 159 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: of the game. I would have preferred to see the 160 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: Lakers at least do something to try to get Lebron 161 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: on CJ mccollumn. I know it's hard because if you 162 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: run ball screens sometimes they'll trap. But there are other 163 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: ways to work around that. You can set off ball 164 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: screens to try to get a switch. You can move 165 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 1: the ball in transition to try to get the ball 166 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: quickly so that you're not walking into a set defense. 167 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: There are a couple of different things that I wish 168 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: I would have seen the Lakers do better. But in 169 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: that second half, you saw all those advantages that New 170 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 1: Orleans had kind of come to roost, and a lot 171 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 1: of the disadvantages from the Lakers come to roost. Right 172 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: Like the Lakers are not a very athletic team, that 173 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: started to hurt them. Russell Westbrook has been playing well. 174 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 1: I had him in my notes as a major positive 175 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: after that first half because of that little flurry he 176 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: went on in the second quarter. That's just like vintage 177 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: Russ And but as we know this season, you are 178 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: what the whole season says you are not what just 179 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: one little short stretch of basketball is. And in a 180 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: little short stretch of basketball, Russ was really good. But 181 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: for the vast majority of the season he's been bad, 182 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: and he wasn't very good in that uh, in that 183 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: second half. I can't look at that as some sort 184 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: of outlier performance. That's kind of what you're getting with 185 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,719 Speaker 1: Russ this season. So if if the old Lakers manifest, 186 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: meaning you know, it's all Lebron on offense, Malik Monk 187 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: and Taylor Horton, Tucker, Yeah they can make plays, but 188 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: they're also volatile and they're gonna do silly things like 189 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: steak takes, stupid show spots, and and make mistakes and 190 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: things along those lines. I get I totally. I totally 191 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: understand why things went the way they did. So I'm 192 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: not gonna be as much of a doomsday sayer in 193 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: this case. Now when we're looking at the standings and 194 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about this, uh with the Eastern Conference 195 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: as well. But as we get down the stretch here, 196 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: the Pelicans, the Spurs, and the Lakers are all kind 197 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: of buying within there. This could go either way here 198 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: down the stretch, and so there's a lot at stake here. 199 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 1: So for starters, the Spurs are only a half game 200 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: back of the Lakers now. So if the Spurs are 201 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: a half game back of the Lakers, with the Lakers 202 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: upcoming schedule, they gotta play Denver, they gotta play Phoenix. 203 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: There there there's a bunch of tough games just in 204 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: this next week. There's a chance before Anthony Davis gets back, 205 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: that the Lakers actually slip out of the playoff picture entirely. 206 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: And that's tricky. I don't know what to make of that. 207 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: That's gonna be That's gonna be something where you're gonna 208 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: have a lot of pressure down the stretch. If Anthony 209 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: Davis comes back and the Lakers have like five games 210 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: left and they have to go four and one or 211 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,239 Speaker 1: three and two or whatever to get into the postseason, 212 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: that adds a whole other element there. So obviously today hurts. 213 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: But there's one gigantic footnote. The Pelicans announced the other 214 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: day that Zion Williamson is out for the season. Zion 215 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: Williamson is not coming back. There are no reinforcements there. 216 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: What you see with the Pelicans is what you get, 217 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: and They're gonna be tough to beat at home, which 218 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: is why this stretch in the standings is so important. 219 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: This game was important because any chance the Lakers have 220 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: to get to nine instead of ten is the difference 221 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: between making those young athletes from New Orleans come two 222 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: Staples or to the Crypto dot Com Arena and win 223 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: a huge road, single elimination playoff game. That's a different 224 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: deal than you going to New Orleans where young players 225 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: especially feed off the crowd, or athletes especially feed off 226 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: the crowd, and that becomes a really dangerous environment in 227 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: a game that you can very much lose. So that 228 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: that that's what makes this so important down the stretch. 229 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: But again, the Pels are not adding anybody, and the 230 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: Lakers are adding Anthony Davis to this. That's a huge reinforcement. Now, 231 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: we were talking about how over the course of that game, 232 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: advantages for the Pelicans took over right and it ended 233 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 1: up swinging the game massively. Russ declined at the same 234 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: time as a lot of the Lakers athletes declined, and 235 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: Brandon Ingram started making shots and c. J. McCollum started 236 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: making shots. Next thing you know, you blow a twenty 237 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: point lead. That happens. But how does that same progressive fatigue, 238 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,719 Speaker 1: how does that same wearing down, How do those advantages 239 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: materialize if Anthony freaking Davis is on the court. For instance, 240 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: the Pelicans, until the last few minutes of the game, 241 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: when they were getting the ball out of Lebron's hands, 242 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: they couldn't do anything with Lebron James. There was a 243 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: lot of talk this week about herb Jones and his athleticism, 244 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: whether or not to be able to bother Lebron. We 245 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: have an answer, no, it does not. On at thirty 246 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 1: nine again and it was seemingly getting to whatever shot 247 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: he wanted. Okay, so we're not worried about any specific 248 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: athleticism matchup with Lebron Anthony Davis. It's gonna be the 249 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: exact same thing Anthony Davis has taking taken these traditional 250 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: plotting centers, guys like Jonas Valentunas. He's eating guys like 251 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: that for lunch for years. Okay. So that's another example 252 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: of where when this matchup, they play the Pelicans again 253 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: later this week, I believe on Friday, and let's say 254 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 1: they play him again in the plane that the next 255 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: time these teams face each other, there's gonna be a 256 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: whole different physical dynamic. And this is where that dying, 257 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: that that concept of slotting becomes so important. As soon 258 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 1: as Anthony Davis gets plugged into the Dwight Howard role 259 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: where Dwight Howard was playing tonight, especially in a bigger quantity, 260 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: because he's gonna play like thirty five minutes. Right as 261 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: soon as you slide Anthony Davis there, that takes Dwight 262 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: and either kicks him out of the rotation or puts 263 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 1: him in a very tiny backup center role. So now 264 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: you took a ad player who is actively hurting, who's 265 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: actively hurting the situation. You're taking that guy and getting 266 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: him out of the lineup. That's a huge plus. Now 267 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: I'm now taking Lebron out of having to play center 268 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: for massive minutes over the course of the game, and 269 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: I'm getting him into a role where he's playing center 270 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: in small mint you know, maybe in fifteen minutes, and 271 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: to where when he's in that situation, he can really 272 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: devote his energy to the defensive end of the floor 273 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: because he doesn't have to stress out about having to 274 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: do it for thirty minutes. And then he'll still have 275 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: those opportunities in the open floor to do everything that 276 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: he's been doing so successfully offensively. Now you take when 277 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: you in Gabriel instead of when you in Gabriel having 278 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: to basically be your athleticism on the back line. Now 279 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: he's alongside Anthony Davis. Now that Anthony that that athleticism 280 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: instead of him trying to jump over Jonas Valentunas, Anthony 281 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: Davis is eating up Jonas Salentunas. And when you Gabriel 282 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: is now trying to jump over forwards and other players 283 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: that are not way bigger and way stronger than him. 284 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: That's what the concept of slotting is, and that's what's 285 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: so important about it. You have to have people that 286 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: are in their proper roles. And right now, with Anthony 287 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: Davis out, everyone's batting outside of their outside of what 288 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: they're capable of, and it's causing it's causing a slotting 289 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: issue for them. Right now, Anthony Davis is coming back. 290 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: It'll make that matchup more interesting for those of you 291 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: who are just joining us. This is Lakers Tonight, presented 292 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: by FanDuel. Here. At the volume, we were just talking 293 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: about the uh um. We were just talking about the 294 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: Lakers situation in the standings. I wanted to talk about 295 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: Lebron for a second because this is getting absolutely crazy. 296 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: So we talked about this right after he decided to 297 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: sit out the Filly game, about how he needed ammunition 298 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: for a stretch run, how he needed to recharge the 299 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: tank to recharge the batteries refuel for this stretch run. 300 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: He got a nice little six day stretch here to 301 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: get his legs ready this, like I talked about, these 302 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: are wars like this game tonight, there's up and down, 303 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: long forty eight minute battle. Well, it's gonna get even 304 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: crazier here down the stretch with even tougher opponents and 305 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: with even higher stakes first fighting and jockeying for position 306 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: in the standings and then potentially a playing game. But 307 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: what is exciting is he looks physically ready for it. 308 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: There were several stretches in this game where when things 309 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: were teetering, when Lebron was able to hit the gas 310 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: physically to start to get stuff around the basket. He 311 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: was one of the big advantages. Like I talked about 312 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: the the Pelicans have an awesome athletic front court of wings. Right, 313 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: you have herd Jones, her Jones, you have Trey Murphy, 314 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: you have Brandon Ingram, all these lanky six eight to 315 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: six ten guys that are athletes, but none of them 316 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: are strong. There's there's a huge difference between the wing 317 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: and the NBA that's like a Jay Crowder p J. 318 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: Tucker hold their own with like a really low center 319 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: of gravity and a ton of strength to fight you 320 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: off of positions. Those kind of guys can wear guy 321 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: like Lebron out over the course of a series with physicality. 322 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,920 Speaker 1: It's gonna be the opposite as he's going against these 323 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: thin wings, He's going to have the advantage to shove 324 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: them around and when it gets to a big pivotal moment, 325 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: even if it'll be completely exhausting in a playing game 326 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: against New Orleans, Lebron is going to be able to 327 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: bully his way to whatever he wants, which is a 328 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: huge weapon that they can go to it like a 329 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: you know, you know, push this button in case of 330 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: emergency type of offensive option for the Lakers to be 331 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,719 Speaker 1: able to manufacture offense in those really really uh like 332 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: high stakes, a single elimination type of environment. The rusting 333 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: is what in Bonus site played well for a little bit. 334 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 1: All you have to do there was this one kind 335 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: of sketchy little making. He was making over half his 336 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: threes in that stretch. I think he shot total from 337 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: three over the course of that three game span from 338 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: jump shot the course that three game span, and actually 339 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: it was the vast majority of his field goals made. 340 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: I think he had like four field goals made in 341 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: a three game stretch. Of them were jumps. Russ is 342 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: not at shooter, just wasn't making shots to make things tough. 343 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 1: It was the reality of that situation was he was 344 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: making shots he doesn't usually make, that was spreading things 345 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: out for him and making things easier for him. Inevitably 346 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: he was going to aggress. Well, here you go. He 347 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: made some jump shots in the first half, but they're 348 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: in the second half. He was struggling, and over confidence 349 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: got the best when he took the really dumb, bad 350 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: three out of a trip threat on the right wing 351 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 1: that didn't make any sense. That's the thing that scares 352 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: me with Russ is the when you when we consider 353 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: the good stretches of Russ text to be these games 354 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 1: where he makes jump shots and we all look at 355 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: each other, even in that locker room, and go, hey, 356 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: this is what we need this is what Russ is doing. Well, 357 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: this is what we've got to defeat into. Let Russ cook. 358 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: This is the way he's gonna play. Okay, well, that 359 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: actually doesn't work really well in the long run. And 360 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: a large sample size and a large sample size, he's 361 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 1: not going to make those jump shots. And a large 362 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: sample size, he's gonna fade in and out of games defensively. 363 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: In a large sample size, he's gonna struggle to finish 364 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: over length and athleticism around the basket. And so that's 365 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: where I get concerned. And then guess what Anthony Davis 366 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: is coming back, probably this week. Russ is gonna get 367 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: shrunk back down into a smaller role again offensively, and 368 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: we'll see how that affects his rhythm. You know. That's 369 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: why you know, there was a lot of Russ optimism 370 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: over the course of this last week. Let's not get 371 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: ahead of ourselves. A lot of that was made jump shots. 372 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: A lot of that was Anthony Davis being out, a 373 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: lot of that was him having an easier offensive role, 374 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: more space to operate. Things along those lines. I'm still concerned, 375 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: but at the end of the day, and it it is 376 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 1: the last thing I'll say about the Lakers. This is 377 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: a process. I told you guys when they had this 378 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: good stretch last week. The only way that this works 379 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: out is if they treat this next three weeks like 380 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: a training camp. They have to steadily get better. Frank 381 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: Vogel just said in the postgame pressure a press or, 382 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: time is running out for us, and he's correct. This 383 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 1: team does not have a ton of time to get 384 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: from where they're at to where they need to be 385 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: with their habits and all of the details of their identity. 386 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: By the time the season starts, they're running out of time. 387 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: They just have to continue make incremental to continuing continue 388 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: to make incremental improvements, because this thing doesn't happen overnight. 389 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: If I took your men's league team and we were like, hey, 390 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: we're gonna learn a five on five defense, and I 391 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: was gonna have you guys do these rotations and these 392 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: double teams and things like that, there's no chance in hell, 393 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: even if you study the playbook inside and out, that 394 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: you would be able to do it tomorrow. You have 395 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: to build habits. You have to. If you are a 396 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 1: bad defensive team in the n b A and you 397 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: want to establish a solid defensive identity. It can take 398 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: games and games and games and practices and practices and 399 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: practices to establish all of that. That's what they have 400 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: to do. They looked a little better for ended stretches tonight. 401 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: Their defense in the first half was excellent. That's a 402 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: longer stretch of good defense than they've had in a 403 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: long time, so that's a positive. But they have to 404 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: continue to build on that over the course of the 405 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: next couple of weeks. All right, let's move on to 406 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: the Sixers and the Suns. So this is a game 407 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: that I'm really really excited to dive into the film tomorrow. 408 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: Every time I see these straight up like battles of 409 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: Titans in the NBA and the regular season, there's always 410 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: all these little details that you can get into when 411 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 1: you dive into the film the next day. Like I'm 412 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: really excited to look closer at the embed eight and matchup. 413 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,919 Speaker 1: I'm really excited to look closer at how the Sun's 414 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: attacked James Harden on the defensive end of the floor, 415 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: specifically Chris Paul and pick and roll. Those are little details. 416 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: Will probably have a video coming out about that tomorrow. 417 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: But one of the most interesting things to me about 418 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: this game has to do with a glaring flaw in 419 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: Philly struggling at this point in his career to be 420 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: the same James Harden that he was in two thousand 421 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 1: eighteen with Hugh Houston. He's two for eleven again tonight 422 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: he had fourteen and seven and nine, which as a 423 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: stat line doesn't seem horrible, right, only two turnovers, you're 424 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: getting nine assists. Like, technically he's in a playmaking role. 425 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: But guys, when we're talking about the top of the East, 426 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: when we're comparing Philly to Milwaukee with Janice and all 427 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: the defending champion pedigree, when we're talking about Brooklyn and 428 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: everything that they've got cooking. They destroyed Miami yesterday. That's 429 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: a game that we're not gonna get to tonight, that 430 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 1: I'll get to later this week. That's the Brooklyn's got 431 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 1: something cooking right now. Okay, and then Miami's in a 432 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: down slump right now, but they're not gonna be an 433 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: easy out. Boston looks freaking incredible. So in order for 434 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: Philly to have a chance, James Harden has to be 435 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: a superstar. James Harden has to be the James Harden 436 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 1: from Houston in two thousand and eighteen. That's how good 437 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: he has to be, and he simply has not been. 438 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: I've talked about a lot on this show. What is 439 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: so important with James Harden is his ability to beat 440 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: people off the dribble and get all the way to 441 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 1: the basket. Everything else in his game depends on it. 442 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,360 Speaker 1: If he has you off balance getting to the basket, 443 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: that's what allows him to get sufficient separation on his 444 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: step back so that he can go straight up and down, 445 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: have good balance and knock that shot down him. Getting 446 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: straight line drives to the basket is what opens up 447 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: all of his high end playmaking game. That's how he 448 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: gets his fifteen sixteen assists nights when he's living in 449 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: the paint. That's what gets him to the foul line. 450 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 1: That's how he ends up with those thirty thirty five 451 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: point point totals is getting to the foul line, getting 452 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: to the basket. Everything is predicated on that. But for 453 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: whatever reason, and again, Phoenix is a very good defensive 454 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:42,879 Speaker 1: team with a lot of length, but they have some 455 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: guys you can attack. They have guys like Lander Shaman 456 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: and Devin Booker and Campaign and even Chris Paul with 457 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: the size advantage. There are guys on that team that 458 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: you can attack and James Harden just is not capable 459 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: of breaking them down. That's an issue. That's something that 460 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: scares me for that team for a playoffs here, Like 461 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: I always say, when you're talking about the next level, 462 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: the top tier teams, which are the guys you're gonna 463 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: play in the second round of the playoffs on and 464 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: if you struggle in the regular season, you might face 465 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: them early see see the Lakers. But when you're facing 466 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: those high end defensive teams, you have to have somebody 467 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: who can warp the defense. If you let five good 468 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: defensive players stay home and you play one on one 469 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,880 Speaker 1: all game long, you're gonna get your butt kicked. That's 470 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: like what's going on with the Celtics. You have to 471 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: have somebody who can get that first defensive rotation, that 472 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,719 Speaker 1: first team, that help side, because the only way you're 473 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 1: gonna succeed against those types of defenses is by getting 474 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: them in rotation. And if James Harden can't beat people 475 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 1: at the point of attack, if James Harden can't do 476 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: his thing up on the top of the key to 477 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: break down the defense, they are going to struggle to 478 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: score against Milwaukee. They're going to struggle to score against Brooklyn, 479 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: They're gonna struggle to score gainst Miami, and they're say, 480 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 1: sure as hell, are going to struggle to score against Boston. 481 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: That's a huge issue. If it's a hamstring issue, then 482 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 1: maybe it gets better over the course of the next 483 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 1: couple of weeks and he can get into a peak 484 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: physical condition and restore this by the postseason. If not, 485 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: if this is a decline, if this is what the 486 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 1: new James Harden is, then Philly can't win this thing. 487 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: They simply don't have enough perimeter talent. The irony is 488 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: Chris Paul still looks amazing. Nineteen points and fourteen assists 489 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: against tonight, only one turnover, nine for fifteen from the field. 490 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 1: It's wild because after the Houston Rockets experience, I bet 491 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,119 Speaker 1: you if you gave a bunch of truth serum to 492 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: James Harden, he would have telled you so long, Chris Paul, 493 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: get rust in here. He's the younger, better version of you. 494 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: You can go right off into the sunset with the 495 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,880 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City thunder. Fast forward a couple of years. Here 496 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: we are in two Chris Paul's arguably the better player. 497 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: He's taken way better care of his body ever since 498 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,200 Speaker 1: a hamstring injury in two thousand eighteen. Allegedly, Chris Paul's 499 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: gone vegan. That's been a huge part of his recent 500 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: physical kind of renaissance. Chris Paul is a testament to 501 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: maximizing this phase of his career, while James Harden is 502 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: a testament to minimizing this phase of his career, and 503 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: as a result, a significantly better player in James Harden 504 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: is arguably below Chris Paul is a basketball player right now, 505 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: which is absolutely insane. One last note on the Phoenix Suns. 506 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: Devin Booker talked about him a lot over the course 507 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: of the m v P rais. I don't think he's 508 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: the m v P. I don't think Booker, Morant or 509 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: Tatum can be the MVP because how good their teams 510 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: are overall, they're just better players, having better seasons, having 511 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: nearly as much success with less talent around them at 512 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: the top. That's why I don't think they're in the running. 513 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: That said, Devin Booker is playing unbelievable basketball right now. 514 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: He's starting to look like a bona fide top ten 515 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: ish player in the NBA. He's putting himself with Moran 516 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: and Tatum in that conversation for being right around the 517 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,640 Speaker 1: ninth tenth best player in the league. In his last 518 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: twelve games, he's averaging thirty one points per game on 519 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:13,400 Speaker 1: sixty five point four true shooting. Just unbelievable stuff from 520 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: Devin Booker. A huge part of this is him developing 521 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: as a three point shooter. That was always one of 522 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: his weakness is relative to the rest of his games. Obviously, 523 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: a dominant mid range score has all sorts of crafty 524 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,239 Speaker 1: finishes around the basket, but he's become so dynamic from 525 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,440 Speaker 1: the three point line that he's getting comfortable shots everywhere 526 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 1: on the floor. Devin Booker is amazing again. I still 527 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:35,919 Speaker 1: think the Phoenix Suns are the favorite to win the 528 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: title at this point, all right, moving on to the 529 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: Wolves and the Celtics. So once again, the Minnesota timber 530 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: Wolves lose to a team that's at full strength, that 531 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: did this a video about this yesterday. In their previous 532 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 1: twenty six games since January, the Timberwolves were nineteen and seven. 533 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: That was the third best win percentage in the entire 534 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: NBA over that span. They were third in offense sixth 535 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: in defense. A huge part of that was what they 536 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: were doing in transition. They lead the league in pace 537 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: over that span, their second in the league and fast 538 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: break points per games per games. So they're getting stops 539 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: and they're getting out in transition and running and they 540 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: finally got a signature win. They beat all these good teams, 541 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: but there was always one of the best players on 542 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: the other team sitting out for whatever reason. Well, they 543 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,360 Speaker 1: finally got a chance to beat a team at full 544 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: strength in the Dallas Mavericks the other day, and they 545 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: did so. They controlled the game throughout and they gotta win. 546 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,360 Speaker 1: Problem is, Dallas is a good team. Boston is a 547 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: great team, and they absolutely utterly dominated them. What have 548 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,719 Speaker 1: I been telling you, guys is my biggest fear with 549 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,199 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's their guard play well. Any Anthony 550 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,479 Speaker 1: Edwards played well tonight. Kudos to him. He showed up 551 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: athletically against the very athletic team. He rose to that occasion. 552 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell four points on six shots tonight. It's just 553 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: they're not gonna be able to get enough out of 554 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: their back court, in my opinion, to consistently break out, 555 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: breakdown these top tier defenses. I wanted to talk about 556 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: just how dominant the Boston Celtics had been in March, 557 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: so they completely they uh the month of March. March 558 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: starts with them dominating the Hawks at home. Then they 559 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 1: play the Grizzlies at home, beat him by thirteen, dominant win. 560 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 1: Then they play the Celtics at home and win. That's 561 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: the game where Tatum out plays Kevin Durant. Then they 562 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: go into the into Charlotte and dominate the Hornets. Then 563 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: they come home and blow out the Pistons. Then they 564 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: lose that really close game to the Dallas Mavericks at home. OK, 565 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: did a video breakdown of the game, really really close game. 566 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: At the end, they were double teaming Jayson Tatum all 567 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 1: over the floor. Tatum, Uh, their teammates just missed some shots. 568 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 1: Tatum actually got a couple of decent looks and he 569 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: missed those as well. Whatever, they lost a close game 570 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: to the Mavericks. Then they go right back to beating 571 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: the crap out of everybody. They beat the Warriors by two, 572 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: Then they beat the Kings on the road by twenty nine. 573 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: Then they went into Denver blew out the Nuggets by twenty. 574 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: Then they gotta win on the road in Oklahoma City 575 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: against the thunder Then they utterly demolished the Utah Jazz 576 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: by twenty eight the other night on national television. And 577 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:03,479 Speaker 1: then today they take that Timberwolves team that again has 578 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: been the third best winning percentage in the entire NBA 579 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: over the course of the last two months and beat 580 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: the ship out of him and beat him by twenty two. 581 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: I keep telling talking to you guys about how they 582 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: were winning all these games. When I did our first 583 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: power rankings and I had the Celtics that close to 584 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: the top, I told you guys that Jalen Brown and 585 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum weren't even shooting well. And in the time 586 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: from that power rankings to the next one, Jayson Tatum 587 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: got hot and they were bowling everybody out. Well, guess what, 588 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: Jalen Brown last five games twenty eight point four points 589 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: per game from the field from three from the line 590 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,479 Speaker 1: on five point four three point attempts per game. So 591 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: now Jalen Brown's cooking too, and they're kicking everybody's ass. 592 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: This is gonna it's gonna be really really interesting to 593 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: see what happens here in this post season because there's 594 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: this other element here too that I think people look over. 595 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: This team has a ship ton of playoff experience. Jason 596 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: Tatum has gone toe to toe with Lebron James in 597 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: Game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals and was making 598 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: big plays in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brown has been 599 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: in a million playoff games over the course of this span. 600 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: Al Horford has been in a bunch of big playoff games. 601 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: Marcus Smart has been in a bunch of big playoff games. 602 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: This team has a ton of of of of pedigree 603 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: in that department, and everything that's telling everything that this 604 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: season is telling us, is that they should very well 605 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: could be the favorite. Now. I don't think they have 606 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: nearly as much offensive talent as a team like Phoenix does. 607 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: So I have to go with the team like Phoenix 608 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: when I'm picking the NBA champion, because I think they're 609 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: a little bit more versatile. I think they have a 610 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: few more punches, a couple a couple more directions they 611 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: can go. So I'm leaning towards Phoenix as my favorite, 612 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: But every single day Boston just inches a little bit closer, 613 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: and I'm there's this question I keep having, is there 614 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: a chance that We're going to look back at this 615 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: thing in the middle of June and go like, man, 616 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: how do we not know the Celtics. We're just gonna 617 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 1: run over everybody. They have the best defense in the league. 618 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:03,479 Speaker 1: Nobody can score on them in the half court when 619 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: they get set, and then on offense, they've got these 620 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: two big versall forwards that can attack mismatches all game long. 621 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: Look at that down the stretch of that game you 622 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: saw you saw, or in the first half of that game, 623 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: especially late second quarter, you saw Jalen Brown just picking 624 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: on these small Minnesota guards. That's the advantage that they have. 625 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: They have these their offensive players are big and can 626 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: rely on physicality in those environments as well. Boston looks 627 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,960 Speaker 1: incredibly good really quickly. Before we get out of here tonight, 628 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: I just wanted to, uh, just talk about that race 629 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: at the top of the East because I think it's 630 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: important over the next couple of weeks for on a 631 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: couple of different fronts. So as you can see Boston 632 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 1: as the one seed at this exact moment in time, 633 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: Miami's right there, Milwaukee's right there, Philadelphia is right there. 634 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: They're all within half game of each other. So it's 635 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,719 Speaker 1: it's essentially could go either way here down the stretch. 636 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: Boston has the third toughest remaining scheduled by opponent winning percentage. 637 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: The Bucks have the seventh toughest remaining schedule, my Amy 638 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: has the nineteenth toughest remaining schedule, and Philly has the 639 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: second easiest remaining schedule. Now for Boston, that just doesn't 640 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: seem to matter. They're beating anybody anyway, everybody anyway. So 641 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: Boston I would probably make the favorite to get the 642 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: one seed. But keep an eye on Philly because I 643 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: talked about in my video that I did on Saturday 644 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: that are on on Friday, that the m v P 645 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: was kind of up for grabs there for Johannice. If 646 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 1: the Bucks could get the one seed. But the Bucks 647 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: have a tough schedule remaining, and they lost again yesterday. 648 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: They are struggling to to uh a Drew Holiday was 649 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 1: out for that game, of course, but which has been 650 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: an issue this entire season. But the Bucks have a chance, 651 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: but they have a tough schedule. Look at Philly if 652 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: they if they have an easy schedule here down the 653 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: stretch and they just clean house on those games, you 654 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: could see Philly get the one seed, which is important 655 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: for a couple of different reasons. The same case I 656 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: made for Janice for m v P getting the one 657 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: seed also applies for Joel Embiid. So if the Sixers 658 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,719 Speaker 1: can eat out enough wins over this easy schedule down 659 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: the stretch and they get the one seed, I could 660 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: see a very strong case for Joel MVP Joe Joel 661 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 1: Embiid for m v P. And then home court advantage. 662 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: I talked all the time about how these playoffs series 663 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: is are decided by the smallest of margins, and one 664 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: mismatch here, one guy gets hurt, here, one role player 665 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: goes down there, one pivotal game on a home floor 666 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: versus on the road could be the difference between one 667 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: team advancing and another team advancing. And obviously this is 668 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: second round home court advantage on on at stake here. 669 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 1: If Philly finishes first, they get home court in the 670 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 1: second round and in the conference finals. If they finished fourth, 671 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 1: which is where they're currently sitting now, they have to 672 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: go on the road to Boston in the second round. 673 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: Now they have to play potentially the Milwaukee Bucks. With 674 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,439 Speaker 1: Milwaukee having Game five and seven at home. That gets 675 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 1: a lot tougher, so just keep an eye on that 676 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: down the stretch. Could go either way, and I think 677 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: it's really relevant for both the end VP race and 678 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 1: for home court advantage over the playoff run. All right, guys, 679 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: that is all I have for tonight. I sincerely apologize 680 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 1: for the technical difficulties there at the beginning. We'll get 681 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: it all sorted out and edited for you guys later today. 682 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: We will be back on Tuesday for the next Laker game. 683 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: We'll be going right after the final buzzer then. As always, 684 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 1: I sincerely appreciate your guys support, and we'll see you 685 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:34,360 Speaker 1: guys in a couple of days. Volume