1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: The volume. We're this close to crowning a new NBA champ, 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: and with the action heating up on the court, it's 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: even hotter. At DraftKings sports Book, an official sports betting 4 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: partner of the NBA. There's only so many games left, 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: and Draftking Sportsbook has you covered with same game parlays, 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: live betting odds, boosts in so much more. Don't miss 7 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: out or you'll have to wait until next NBA season 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: to place your bets. It's super easy for first timers 9 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: to get started. Try betting on something simple like picking 10 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: a team to win. 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Well, the Dallas Mavericks 41 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: have gone up three to zero on the Minnesota Timberwolves 42 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: in a game that kind of felt just like every 43 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: other game in this series has felt to this. 44 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: Point, some few different factors. 45 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: Dallas shoots a little bit better, Anthony Everigs plays a 46 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: little bit better, but the same basic dynamic takes place, 47 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:37,839 Speaker 1: and Dallas pulls away late and crunch time, he gets 48 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: a win to go up three to zer. We're gonna 49 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: break it down from the perspective of both teams. You 50 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: guys said the drop before we get started. Subscribed to 51 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 1: the Hoops and I YouTube channels. You don't miss any 52 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore JSNLTS. 53 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: You guys, don't miss you announcements. Don't forget about a 54 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops Tonight, 55 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: and they keep dropping mailback questions in the YouTube comments 56 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: so we can keep hitting them throughout the rest of 57 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: the postseason. All right, let's talk some basketball. So this 58 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: series is actually a kind of reminds me a little 59 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: bit of some of those Lakers Nugget series where it 60 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: just feels like no matter how hard Minnesota plays, no 61 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: matter how hard the Lakers play, the same base issues 62 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: rise to the surface eventually at some point over the 63 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: course of the game, and they all seem to end 64 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: the exact same way, and it's like Minnesota just scrounging 65 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: all these different ways to stay in the game. 66 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: But when it push, when push comes. 67 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: To shove, Dallas is just a much better half court team. 68 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: And when they get into these slow down situations, when 69 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: they get stuck into the half court and it becomes 70 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: about execution, Dallas is just better. Did anybody think when 71 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: it was one o four, one oh four that Minnesota 72 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: was gonna win that game? Of all of the close 73 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: playoff series, and I'm not talking about these Boston ones 74 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: where they're playing against mostly bad or injured teams. Like 75 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: among the relatively evenly matched series, this one has felt 76 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: the most inevitable to me by far, because the basic 77 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: issues that plague Minnesota and the advantages that that Dallas has, 78 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: they are not things that Minnesota can counter. It would 79 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: require just bizarre shot making in order to lift Minnesota 80 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: over the top in these slow down half court environments, 81 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: and it's just unlikely. It's not that it's impossible, it's 82 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: just highly unlikely, and it's certainly unlikely given the fact 83 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,239 Speaker 1: that they now have to do it four consecutive times 84 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: after tonight Tonight. According to Cleaning the Glass, Dallas gets 85 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: one hundred and twenty points per one hundred half court plays. 86 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: Minnesota gets one oh two point three, So that's an 87 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: eighteen point per one hundred play gap. Game two is 88 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 1: one hundred to ninety six point seven in favor of Dallas. 89 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: Game one one oh three point three to eighty three 90 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,679 Speaker 1: point five in favor of Dallas, yet again a twenty 91 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: point gap. It has been a chasm between these two 92 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: teams in terms of actually executing against a set and 93 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: loaded up defense. I shared some of the ISO stats 94 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: for you guys after Game two, but they're like shocking. 95 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: When the teams take a shot out of ISO. Game 96 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: one one point six to zero point five points per 97 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: possession in favor of Dallas. Game two, one point five 98 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: to zero point three points per possession in favor of Dallas. 99 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: One point two to one point zero. Tonight in favor 100 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: of Dallas in Game three. So Minnesota finally had their 101 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: best ISO game of the series in terms of shooting 102 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: out of ISO, and it was beneath where Dallas has 103 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: been in all three games. And that really is wherever 104 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: where this all comes down to. Jaden McDaniels is incapable 105 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: of making Luka Dancich feel uncomfortable, whereas Karl Anthony Towns 106 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: and Anthony Edwards both look completely and totally flummixed from 107 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: the time it was one oh four, one oh four. 108 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: On the very next possession for Dallas, they go down 109 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: the floor, we have a huge defensive breakdown from Ant. 110 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: He's on the weak side, PJ Washington's in the corner, 111 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: and I want to say, Kyrie Irving was on the 112 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: left wing, and Luca's dribbling the ball at the top 113 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: of the key and Ant inexplicably for no particular reason 114 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: and just sinks all the way down underneath the basket. 115 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: Luca just throws a simple swing pass to Kyrie, extra 116 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: pass to PJ. Washington in the corner, and he knocks 117 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: down the three. 118 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: Again. 119 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: This is where it comes down to half court decision making. 120 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: That was the possession where Luca just got rid of 121 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: the ball. Why, Because he is a half court surgeon. 122 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: He's looking at what the defense is doing, finding where 123 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,359 Speaker 1: his advantage is and picking it apart. There is a slow, 124 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,919 Speaker 1: methodical approach to Luca, which is what makes him one 125 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: of the best, if not the best, perimeter half court 126 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: surgeon in the league. You don't need to do anything 127 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: difficult if you're gonna make that stupid mistake and sink 128 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 1: into the lane and leave a shooter open, especially on PJ. Washington, 129 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: who from above the break has struggled but has burned 130 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: you in the corner for threes in this series. He 131 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: did it in Game one. That was one of the 132 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: biggest shots of the game. There after that Jada McDaniel's 133 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: turnover along the baseline, But from there after Dallas went 134 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: up one o seven to one oh four. Kyrie and 135 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: Luca hit three pull up mid range jump shots, tough 136 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: contested over the top jump shots, and the Timberwolves did 137 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: not make a single field goal until Anthony Edwards got 138 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: a lay up in garbage time when they were already 139 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: down eleven. That's the game, that's all it is. They go, 140 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: Minnesota goes down, Ant comes off a ball screen. Derek 141 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: Jones is in his face. There's a big up high. 142 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: There's swing passes available, but Aunt either it's just a 143 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: little bit slow to make the read or can't get 144 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: the pass on time on target, or Dallas just rotates 145 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: and chase them off the line. Minnesota does have a 146 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: weakness in terms of converting spot up possessions. That's been 147 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: an issue all season long. They were a good catch 148 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: and shoot team, but they weren't a good like after 149 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: you chase them off the line type of team. That 150 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: was an issue again all season long. There's random co 151 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: opted possessions where Karl Anthony Towns just takes a pull 152 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: up three, even though he was zero for six from 153 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: three to that point. There's a random possession that just 154 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: gets run through Mike Conley late. This was a team 155 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: that was a bad half court execution team all season long. 156 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: They had a one oh four offensive rating in crunch 157 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: time when the score was within five with less than 158 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: five minutes left. This has been an issue all season long. 159 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: On the other end of the floor, Kyrie Irving and 160 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: Luka Doncic comfortable getting to their It doesn't matter if 161 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: you have your best perimeter defender on Luca, He's just 162 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: comfortable there. He loves that matchup. Had Jada McDaniel so frustrated. 163 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: He was just committing silly fowls all night as well, 164 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: And like what was crazy is Jaden got really good 165 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 1: contests on both of those last two the fadeaway towards 166 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: the middle of the floor and then the fadeaway on 167 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: the right side on the right elbow, great contests. It 168 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: just doesn't matter. Those are shots that Luca works on 169 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: and again, like he just doesn't The big thing I 170 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: talk about all the time with fadaway jump shooting, you 171 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: want to disrupt the base. You're trying to disrupt the 172 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: legs so they don't get the lift that they need 173 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: to knock down the shot. Lou Dort was able to 174 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: bother Luca more there than Jada McDaniel's. Its right, And 175 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: like that, honestly, if there's something to look back as 176 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: we go, look back at this series as a whole, 177 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 1: and like how favored Minnesota was. Minnesota was, like I 178 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: want to say, they were like a minus one ninety 179 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: favorite going into the series. A lot of people picked them. 180 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: I picked them myself. Coming into the series. I saw tweet, 181 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: I had a tweet that somebody put I want to 182 00:08:58,000 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: say it was in a mail bag, might have been 183 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: in a mailbag, It might even just spend a YouTube comment. 184 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: But somebody said something really fascinating. They just said, this 185 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: series is a great reminder that every single matchup should 186 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 1: be approached in a vacuum. And I thought that was 187 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: super profound, because this is such an interesting example of 188 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: like you watch Minnesota just beat the living shit out 189 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: of a super team and with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal 190 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: and Devin Booker and like literally just manhandle him for 191 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: four straight games and get him out here quickly. Then 192 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: you see them like eliminate the defending champion and the 193 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: team that has the player that most people think is 194 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: the best player in the world at this point, and 195 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: like goes toe to toe with him and they win, right, 196 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 1: And then you come into this series and all of 197 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: a sudden they look completely incapable of dealing with the 198 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: Dallas problem. And again, that's where it comes down to 199 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: the matchup elements, right, Like, in the same way that 200 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: in the same way that Minnesota is constructed to beat 201 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 1: a team like Denver because they have long defenders like 202 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards and Jae mcdanie to put on Jamal Murray, 203 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: who all of a sudden looks small when he gets 204 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: a defender on his backside in ball screens, or the 205 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: size on the front line with Karl Anthony Towns and 206 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 1: Nas Red, you know, banging bodies with Luka Doncic and 207 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert hunting on the back line. All of that 208 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: stuff was excellent for that specific matchup. But then you 209 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: get into this matchup and it's the exact same kind 210 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: of thing in favor of Dallas. Like Jaden McDaniels and 211 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards on Luka doncicch they're just too small. If 212 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: he puts them in jail, he can comfortably operate in 213 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: the middle of the floor and protect the basketball and 214 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: manipulate the rim protector in the low man until he 215 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: finds whatever opening he wants to attack rim protection versus 216 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokic and Yusuf Nurkicic just could not 217 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: protect the rim. It was just going right around and 218 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: through those guys all series long. He's attempting over seven 219 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: shots in the restricted area per game in the Denver series. 220 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 1: Right like now you put him against some real athletic 221 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: rim protection. Suddenly this is a young twenty two year 222 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: old downhill athlete that's going up against other young athletic bigs, 223 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, he looks like he's struggling there, right, 224 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,079 Speaker 1: Luca and Rudy Gobert, Right, Like, Luca's just done a 225 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: really good job of taking one of the strengths of 226 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: Minnesota's defense, their ability to protect the rim. He has 227 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: just manipulated the hell out of Go Bear all series long. 228 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: He just has had no idea where to go. Guess 229 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: the ball handler, guess the role man, whatever it is. 230 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: He's been lost. And then even just Derek Jones Junior 231 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: as an on ball defender against Anthony Edwards. Anthony Edwards 232 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: is a top tier perimeter athlete, like the best perimater 233 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: athlete we've seen in the league since Dwayne Wade as 234 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: a primary ball handler. And here's the thing. KCP couldn't 235 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: hang with that. The Bradley Beal couldn't hang with that. 236 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: Roy O'Neil couldn't hang with that. But Derek Jones Junior, 237 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: Go look up some tape of him playing in collegeen 238 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: in high school. Go look at his best dunks as 239 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: a pro in the NBA. Watched him in the way 240 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: he moves around on the basketball court. He is a 241 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: Tier one NBA athlete and the dude is playing by 242 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: the way, he's on a veteran minimum contract this year. 243 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: It's going to be one of the biggest wrinkles for 244 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: Dallas into this offseason because if I'm not mistaken, if 245 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: I know the CBA properly, I don't think they're gonna 246 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: be able to offer him more than their their mid 247 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 1: level exception. Right, So we'll see if they can keep him. 248 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: But he's playing at the level of a player deserves 249 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: to make about fifteen million a year because he's been 250 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 1: one of the best perimeter defenders in this postseason run. 251 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: And so that's the thing is like Dallas just is 252 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: constructed at the point of attack and at the rim 253 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: on their defensive side of things and on the offensive 254 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: side of things, with the perfect complimentary corner three point 255 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: shooters and vertical spacers for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving 256 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: and Lucas size to deal with some of the length 257 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 1: that Minnesota has on the perimeter. It's just a nightmare 258 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: matchup and it's something that it's something that Minnesota can't 259 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: hang with and so I find that really fascinating. Going 260 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: back to that tweeter, that comment that I received, Like, 261 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: that's a big lesson that I've learned in this postseason run, 262 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: is like, don't get caught up in the momentum of 263 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: any individual team, because momentum is only as strong as 264 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: whatever your advantages are in the next series. It's really 265 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: that simple, and we got to keep that in mind 266 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: when we get to the NBA Finals. I'm not making 267 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: any NBA Finals pick today. Both series are three to zero, 268 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: so God knows we're gonna be able to take our 269 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: sweet time working through series preview content and I plan 270 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 1: on going crazy. We're gonna go through the regular season games, 271 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: We're gonna do deep dive film study, We're gonna do 272 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: it all to get prepared for that series. But we 273 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: got to keep that in mind for the finals. It 274 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: doesn't matter how hot Boston is or how hot Dallas is. 275 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: It's gonna come down to the matchups. How does this 276 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: guy fair against this guy, How does this scheme fair 277 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: against this player's strengths and weaknesses. That is going to 278 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: be what determines the NBA Finals when we get there, 279 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: one of the things I thought was super fascinating in 280 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: this particular game, and I thought was a great example 281 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: of the dynamic that I taught talked about after game 282 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: one and two. If you guys remember I tweeted out 283 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: during Game two and I talked about after the game, 284 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: no matter what had happened in that game, even if 285 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: Naserit had hit his shot or if Luca had missed his, 286 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: I would have picked Dallas to win the series. I 287 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: thought that the half court dynamic that I just explained 288 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: at nauseum there for a minute, I thought that dynamic 289 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,199 Speaker 1: wasn't going away, and I didn't think that that was 290 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: something Minnesota could solve. And I also thought the gap 291 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: was much wider than it looked, even though both of 292 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: those games came down to a couple of crunch time 293 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: shots from Luka Doncic, I thought Dallas dramatically outplayed Minnesota 294 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: and every single phase of the game except for jump shooting. 295 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: I read the jump shooting numbers in the last show, 296 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: but like massive gaps and jump shot performance in both games, 297 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: and that honestly masked and hid just how big of 298 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: a chasm there was between these two teams in terms 299 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: of half court execution. So what's fascinating about that is 300 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: Minnesota actually played a lot better tonight in a lot 301 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: of different ways. They made one adjustment. They put Mike 302 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: Connelly on on Kyrie Irving to try to save Ant's legs. 303 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: I didn't like that strategy simply because Ant is a 304 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: pretty bad off ball defender, and that ended up burning 305 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: them late in the game when he was on PJ. 306 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: Washington. 307 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: We'll get into that in a little bit more detail 308 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: when we talk about Aunt, but that it did have 309 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: some upside in that Aunt had just a little bit 310 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: more energy to continue to attack the rim downhill and 311 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: certainly looked more aggressive in this game than he has 312 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: all series to this point. They won the rebounding battle, 313 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: they got killed on the glass the first two games. 314 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: They won the turnover battle. They protected the paint way better. 315 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: They got demolished in the paint in the first two games. 316 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: It was they allowed fifty four points in game two, 317 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: sixty two points in game three. They held Dallas to 318 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: just forty points in the paint in this game. Specifically, 319 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: from our film session, if you guys remember the film 320 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: session I did yesterday, I talked a lot about Karl 321 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: Anthony Towns and the other guys nas reading Karl Anthony 322 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: Towns mostly as low men being way too preoccupied with 323 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: corner three point shooting and leaving dunkers open. And again, 324 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: like Dallas shot fifty percent from three tonight, Guess how 325 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: much fifty percent from three ranks on a points per 326 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: possession basis, It's one point five. Guess how much a 327 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: wide open unk is worth two points every single damn time. 328 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: If you have your screen defender up at the level 329 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: of the screen and the roller gets behind him and 330 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: you don't tag him, it's a seven foot athlete going downhill. 331 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: He's gonna dunk it every single time. There's no variants there. 332 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: That's just a bucket. And they just did a much 333 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: better job tonight tagging the roller and making those kickout 334 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: passes to the corner. But it didn't matter. It didn't 335 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: matter because Dallas finally had some of the jump shooting 336 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: flip their way. As they shoot fifty percent from three, 337 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: they go fourteen for twenty eight overall. As a team. 338 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 2: PJ. 339 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: Washington and Derek Jones Junior were five for nine from 340 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: the three point line. Josh Green came in and hit 341 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: a big one it just the shooting swung back towards Dallas, 342 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: and so it didn't even matter that Minnesota did some 343 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: things better, because again, once we peel back the layers 344 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: here underneath the shooting variants, Dallas was out playing Minnesota 345 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: by a wide margin. So even when Minnesota managed to 346 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: close the gap a little bit, Dallas got a little 347 00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: bit of shooting support and they get their most convincing 348 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: win of the series to this point. I even thought 349 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: Aunt had a much better offensive game. I know the 350 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: numbers don't really show it, but I thought he attacked 351 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: in a much smarter way in this game. A lot 352 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: of Iso drives like I talked about in her film sessions, 353 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: like forget about the ball screen, just beat your man 354 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 1: off the dribble and make kickout Raids. Did a really 355 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: nice job with that. Generated a lot of quality shots tonight. 356 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: I think he had eight assists, had his most aggressive 357 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: downhill finish of the series to this point. They cleared 358 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: the side for him, ran him off of a little 359 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: iverson cut, which is basically just you cut from one 360 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: side of the floor to the other. There's usually a 361 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: screen around the elbow to try to get a little 362 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: bit of separation. And then you just looked to attack 363 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: off the catch. It's an action that Alan Iverson used 364 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: to use a lot when he was with the Sixers. 365 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: But they ran that on a cleared side of the floor, 366 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: and I think it was Josh Green was on him. 367 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: He was chasing over the top, so when Aunt caught, 368 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: he just quick ripped towards the baseline, got good separation. 369 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: Gafford was just a step late, and Aunt just absolutely 370 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: jammed on him right. Lots of really good stuff from 371 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: Minnesota that they didn't do in the first two games, 372 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: but it just didn't matter because they were lucky to 373 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: even be in those games with as poorly as they 374 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,479 Speaker 1: were playing. Some of the variants went the other way, 375 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 1: and then Dallas ended up getting the win tonight. So 376 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: like you know, makeup, make up, make no mistake, Like 377 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: there's no sort of of of adjustment that Minnesota can make. 378 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: There's no sort of shooting result that can hide the 379 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: fact that Dallas is just a better half court team 380 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: than Minnesota. And no matter what happens, even if Minnesota 381 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: comes out just plays a really tough defensive game, they're 382 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,719 Speaker 1: probably gonna end up in a game that's about one 383 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: hundred to one hundred ish with about five minutes left, 384 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: and it's gonna be the same damn problem, and and 385 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: Kat don't know what to do. Luca and Kyrie know 386 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: exactly what to do, and that's the bottom line. Like 387 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: Luca is a top tier superstar who's playing like the 388 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 1: best player in the world, Anthony Edwards is a guy 389 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: that has that potential. But at twenty two years old, 390 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: it's obvious, especially after this series in a different matchup, 391 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: that he needs considerably more time to get to that point. 392 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 1: Because again, like one of the things we talk about, 393 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: like versatility is the is the hallmark of a top 394 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: tier superstar, being able to succeed against different coverages, being 395 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: able to succeed against different types of players, and ant 396 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: he showed through two matchups that he's capable of playing 397 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: at that level, but he was he could not keep 398 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 1: up that level of play against a different matchup that 399 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: targeted and exposed some more of his weaknesses. Whereas here 400 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: we are with Luca and he's had some struggles in 401 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: this postseason run, but he's he was able to get 402 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: through those struggles and now he's in a more favorable 403 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,719 Speaker 1: matchup and he's barbecuing these guys, and it's a huge problem. 404 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: Kyrie playing his best playoff basketball since he was hooping 405 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: in the finals alongside Lebron James like again, like just 406 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: a perfect role for him once again. Came in in 407 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: that fourth quarter stretch just started poortne Khill, Alexander Walker. 408 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 2: He looked helpless out there. 409 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 1: And the flailing he was doing to try to get 410 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,959 Speaker 1: contests on Kyrie IRV and it just was having absolutely 411 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: no success. 412 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 2: Like it's just you know, they were. 413 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: Talking about them as the best offensive backcourt in the 414 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,199 Speaker 1: history of the NBA. I need to look at that 415 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: over the summer and really consider all of the other options, 416 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: but they're sure as hell playing at it like that 417 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: right now. Last guy wanted to shout out Daniel Gafford. 418 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: He gets a lot of slander from MAVs fans, surprisingly, 419 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: at least from what I've noticed, and I think it's 420 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: just like it's because Lively is better than him, and 421 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: I get that, and Lively probably is better than him, 422 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: but Gafford brings a lot to the table in terms 423 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: of his athleticism and strength, and I thought he made 424 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 1: several huge plays down the stretch of this game, protecting 425 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: the rim and rolling hard to the rim in ball 426 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: screens and like he just has that timing down and 427 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: pick and roll with Luca. It was cool to see 428 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 1: him have that moment after he kind of struggled. If 429 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: you guys remember when Lively went down, he was not 430 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: good in that third quarter stretch and it got a 431 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: little ugly. You could tell he was a little frustrated, 432 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: and honestly like having him to have that moment where 433 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: he got to kind of scream and yell and kind 434 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: of celebrate a little bit that I thought was a 435 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: really cool moment for Daniel Gafford, a big bounce back 436 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: fourth quarter from him. The Derek Lively news looks like 437 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: he's sprained his neck. That was a nasty hit that 438 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: he took on that knee from Karl Anthony Towns. Here's 439 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 1: the thing, it's bad news, but you can absolutely win 440 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 1: the series without him, and if you win on Tuesday, 441 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: you'll get eight full days off before the NBA Finals. 442 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 1: So like, if something like this had to happen, it's 443 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: not the worst timing in the world. But hopefully Derek 444 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: Lively is okay and there's not anything more serious going 445 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 1: on before we get out of here. I want to 446 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about Anthony Edwards. I feel like 447 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: we've learned a lot about him in this playoff run. 448 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: For instance, like if you don't have a top tier 449 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: athlete on the perimeter and you can't protect the rim, 450 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: forget about it. He's just gonna kill you. He's gonna 451 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 1: cut you to pieces, right, But I think the weaknesses 452 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,239 Speaker 1: have been made clear in this particular round. And then 453 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: a little bit towards the end of the Denver Series one, 454 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: he struggles to pick up hard a loaded up defense, 455 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: So like when you throw consistent doubles at him, are 456 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 1: consistent in ball screens, he doesn't really know how to 457 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: attack that yet, and so it'll take work for him 458 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: to kind of learn how to be more methodical in 459 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: those situations to find the kill pass, meaning the pass 460 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: that beats the coverage, not the pass that just gets 461 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: rid of the basketball. Specifically in ball screens, when he 462 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: faces that high drop with the low tag, that means 463 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: defending three on two essentially schematically, when it comes over 464 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: the screen, the defender chases him. The screen defender's waiting 465 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: for him right when he gets off the screen, and 466 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,880 Speaker 1: even when Go Bear rolls, they have a third defender 467 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 1: tagging and so they're fully loaded up on him in 468 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: those situations. That's the same coverage Minnesota has used in 469 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: large portions of the series against Luca. What you have 470 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: to do is do what Luca did. Come over the 471 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: top of the screen, put the defender in jail, get 472 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: him trapped on your backside. As go bear rolls, the 473 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: screen defender will kind of roll back with him. You 474 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 1: methodically work downhill, and then you have a three on two. 475 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:55,719 Speaker 1: The three on two is your ability to make that 476 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: mid range shot, the little floater as the defender's trapped 477 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: on your backside, the role man going downhill, and the 478 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: shooter in the corner. It is a three on two 479 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 1: because you have the screen defender in front of you 480 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: and you have the low man, and you are basically 481 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: manipulating those two. If they stay glued to the roller 482 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: into the a week side shooter, that's when you got 483 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: to take that little floater in the lane right, or 484 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: do what Luca does and sometimes yank a pullback dribble 485 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: as the guy's chasing behind you so that he gets 486 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 1: back in front, and then shoot a little mid range 487 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: jump shot right. Or if they come up to you 488 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 1: and tag the roller, it's the skip pass. If they 489 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: come up to you and they don't tag the roller, 490 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: it's the lob pass. It's all those little reads working 491 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 1: more methodically in ball screens that Ant's going to have 492 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: to get a lot better at over the years. Secondly, 493 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: passes on time and on target. How many times in 494 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: this series have you seen Aunt make the right read, 495 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,919 Speaker 1: but the pass is like a like a little bit 496 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,360 Speaker 1: off target or like a high lob, so the defense 497 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: can rotate again when you One of the things that 498 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: lucas amazing at is that pass is always hitting the 499 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: shooter right in the shooting pocket. So like, even if 500 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: you're actually set up to rotate, there's just less time 501 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:04,360 Speaker 1: for you to get out there because the shooter can 502 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: go right up with it off of the catch. If 503 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: you throw that pass off target, he has another couple 504 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: of seconds while you're gathering and getting into your shooting 505 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: pocket to get and close out and chase you off 506 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: of the line. So like being more diligent and deliberate 507 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: about making sure those passes get there on target. And 508 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: then lastly, on the defensive end of the floor, I 509 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: thought he's been mostly bad outside of some specific responsibilities 510 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: some on an Island Iso defense. I thought he did 511 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: a really good job funneling on Jamal Murray in the 512 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: second half of Game seven against Denver. But like a 513 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: lot of his screen navigation has been bad in all 514 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 1: serieses all series. Excuse me and his off ball awareness 515 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 1: in particular, just anytime he's not like actively engaged on 516 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: the ball, he tends to relax, get out of a 517 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: defensive stance and kind of just meander into the lane. 518 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: He got burned in a big way tonight on that 519 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: with the PJ. Washington corner three and so like in general, 520 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: those are all things that are going to take time. 521 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 1: The defense stuff, it comes down to two things for me, 522 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: scar tissue. What I refer to that as is like 523 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: you need to lose and have it be painful so 524 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 1: that you realize just how important it is to be 525 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: so locked in on the defensive end of the floor. 526 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: Like I think this will hurt Ant to be eliminated 527 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: in the conference finals and to play very. 528 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 2: Poorly doing so. He's gonna understand. 529 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure that a lot of his mistakes have been 530 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: called out in film sessions or that he's been made 531 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: aware in some way, shape or form, he's going to 532 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: look back at that and be like, man, like I 533 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 1: let my team down. I got to get better in 534 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 1: that way. Maybe it'll require him losing a few more times. 535 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: Maybe when he's twenty five years old, he'll lose a 536 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 1: big conference finals series, and then finally he'll be like, 537 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 1: I have to get better at these specific things. The 538 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: second piece of it is conditioning. You can tell that 539 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: that's an area where Aunt tries to save energy right now. 540 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: And look, I get it when it's an old guy. 541 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 1: I get it when you're in your mid to late 542 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: thirties and you're trying to conserve energy. But all of 543 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: the all time grates, all of the all time greats, 544 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: Kobe Lebron, Michael Jordan, those are literally the three best 545 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: perimitive players in the history of the league. 546 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 2: In my opinion. 547 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 1: All three of those guys had runs where they made 548 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: all defense year after year, and they did it because 549 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: they did it while being the primary offensive initiator for 550 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: their team. That is a level that he has to 551 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: get at. Get two if he wants to be regarded 552 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: on the same level of those guys all time. He 553 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: has to be willing and capable physically of committing himself 554 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: to both ends of the floor. I still feel very 555 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: strongly that there is a player in there that can 556 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: reach the level that Luca and Nicole Yokich are on 557 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 1: right now, I think, and has that potential. He's just 558 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: gonna need more time. And this is very valuable experience 559 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 1: playing against a really bad matchup for him Like this, 560 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 1: this goes a long way towards towards him him, like 561 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: learning about what it's like when you get to these 562 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: stages again, Like he's gonna know forever now that no 563 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: matter what happens, no matter how good he looks in 564 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: one round, no matter how good of a regular season 565 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 1: he has, He's gonna know eventually, I'm going to run 566 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: into sometime over a four round stretch. I'm going to 567 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: run into a team that has an athlete on the 568 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 1: perimeter that can kind of hang with me and rim 569 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: protection to funnel me into. How am I going to 570 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: solve that problem? That is the problem that every single 571 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: great player has to solve, right, Kobe had to learn 572 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:26,479 Speaker 1: how to manipulate defenses with the past Lebron James, like 573 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: the two thousand and seven Spurs and the two thousand 574 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 1: and eight Celtics, both really sagged off of him and 575 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: packed the paint and he had to learn how to 576 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 1: consistently knock down jump shots. That became a problem again 577 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,159 Speaker 1: in twenty eleven as well, as they've played a lot 578 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: of two big lineups and the paint was packed against Dallas. 579 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 1: A lot of his post footwork and bullyball game had 580 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: to be refined. He had to encounter teams that exposed 581 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: his weaknesses and humiliated him for him to learn how 582 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: to polish up those specific weaknesses. These are all part 583 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 1: of the journey, right and so like I'm still a 584 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: big believer in Aunt, my opinion on it and his 585 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:05,880 Speaker 1: potential has changed zero over the course of this series. However, 586 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: I think that Dallas has revealed that he has a 587 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: little bit longer to go to get to that point 588 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: than maybe we thought after that Denver series. All right, guys, 589 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: that is all I have for tonight. As always, I 590 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting the show. We're going 591 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,479 Speaker 1: to be back tomorrow morning with a little film session 592 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: on this particular game, probably a mail bag as well. 593 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:25,640 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, I've been doing the mailbags 594 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:27,959 Speaker 1: from Twitter. Why don't you guys drop the mailbag questions 595 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:30,880 Speaker 1: in this video and I'll use this particular videos comments 596 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: to do the mail bag tomorrow. 597 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 2: I will see you guys. Then the volume