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I hope all 33 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: of you guys are having a great week so far. 34 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: Quick show, we're gonna be hitting two games from last night, 35 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: the return of Kevin Durant so the Phoenix Suns in 36 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: a big win over red hot Minnesota Timberwolves team. Then 37 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about the Los Angeles Lakers getting revenge 38 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: on the Chicago Bulls, and then we're gonna go into 39 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: a game from the previous night, the red hot Pelicans, 40 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: winners of five in a row, going into Golden State 41 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: getting up to a twenty point lead, but then, once again, 42 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: as has been a recurring theme throughout this season, the 43 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: Golden State Warriors somehow managed to get red hot in 44 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: the second half themselves and come back to win that game. 45 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, I'm gonna give some 46 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: thoughts on the latest straw poll, which has Janis' Lee 47 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: way behind Jokichen Embiid down the stretch here of the 48 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: MVP race. You guys know the drill before we get started. 49 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: Subscribed to the Volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any 50 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at Underscore 51 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: Jason lts. You guys don't miss any show announcements. And if, 52 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, you guys miss one of these shows 53 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: and you can't get back over to YouTube to finish, 54 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: don't forget. You can find them wherever you get your podcasts. 55 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: Under Hoops tonight, All right, let's talk some basketball. So 56 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant's reward for getting back onto the basketball court 57 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: is he has to go up against one of the 58 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: best perimeter defenders in the league this season, mister Jaden McDaniels, 59 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: someone that I've had so much fun watching this year. 60 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: There's been a lot of talk of his offensive development 61 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: and there's definitely some potential there. But make no mistake, 62 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: Jade McDaniels has been one of the very best unball 63 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: perimeter defenders this year, especially guarding and giving issues to 64 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: NBA superstars. The local broadcast was referring to him to 65 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: him as the seat belt last night, and I think 66 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: he's just served and earned that nickname. It was it 67 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: was a very tough matchup for Kevin Durant his first 68 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: game back, and he ended up having a very uncharacteristic 69 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: poor shooting night. You know what's interesting with KD is 70 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: so many of the players that I followed in my 71 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: time cover in the Game of basketball are rhythm players, 72 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: and so when they come back from an extended absence, 73 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: you almost expect them to struggle for three or four 74 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: games as they try to work their way back into 75 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: the flow and speed of NBA games. Lebron James, my 76 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: personal favorite player, is someone like that, and even in 77 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: his first matchup with the Chicago Bulls, even though he 78 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: did a lot of good things, like you could tell 79 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: the handle wasn't quite there. You could tell the shot 80 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: wasn't quite there. That's pretty common, but interesting, interestingly enough, 81 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant's never been that type of guy. He's the 82 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: guy that can miss an extended period of time, and 83 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, he just naturally catches his rhythm the 84 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: minute he steps back onto the court. Most famously, you 85 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: guys might remember in the twenty nineteen finals, before his 86 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: Achilles tear, he had like eleven points in the first 87 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: quarter of that game and looked locked in with his 88 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: handle and his jump shot. It's just kind of one 89 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: of his unique superpowers. But Jade McDaniel's testament to him, 90 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: managed to throw off that trend. It was kind of 91 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: an interesting combination of super aggressive and physical ball pressure 92 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: which forced Kadie not only on his drives to attack 93 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: the rim. But Katie, I've always talked about, is one 94 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: of the best players in the league get working off 95 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: the ball as a scorer. So like he'll kind of 96 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: work his man down to the block and kind of 97 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: give him a little shove and then come down like 98 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: a wide pin down, which is just an off ball 99 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: screen and catch at like fifteen feet and go to work. 100 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: But Jaden was doing such a good job of staying 101 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: attached to him on all those actions as well as 102 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: well as his ball screens that he was forcing him 103 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: to curl around those, because it's kind of like you're 104 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: making reads as the as the off ball player, Right, 105 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: I come off of that screen. If he's trailing behind 106 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: me and I got space, I'm catching it. I'm shooting. 107 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: But if he's trailing behind me and he's close to me, 108 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: I want to keep him on that screen as long 109 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: as possible. So I'm going to curl around the screen 110 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: to give myself more opportunity and give my screen or 111 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: more opportunity to flip the angle to try to stop 112 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: him at some point as he's chasing me. Right, But 113 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: if you can stay attached, then you have the opportunity 114 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: to apply back pressure. And Jade McDaniels has super long arms, 115 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: and he was giving Katie issues as he would curl 116 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: around those offball actions and get into the lane to 117 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: try to rise up in that little ten fifteen foot area. 118 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: Jaden was able to give him some issues with back pressure, 119 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: just pressuring from behind and forcing him to change his release. 120 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: You know, Kevin Durant, for as good as he is 121 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: at everything else, I think he's made massive strides as 122 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: a playmaker. He's having one of his better defensive seasons 123 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: of his career. Obviously when it comes up, pull up 124 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: shooting and playmaking and pick and roll is at the 125 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: absolute peak of his game. But if there's one thing 126 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: in Kevin Durant's game that you can be a little 127 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: nitpicky about, he does not like to attack the rim. 128 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: Compared to most of the big superstar wings that we 129 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: have in the league, he does not apply rim pressure, 130 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: and so when he's coming off of those curls and stuff, 131 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: he's not looking to go all the way the rim. 132 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: He's looking to pull up. That's where he's most comfortable. 133 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 1: Even in the short short range like seven eight, nine 134 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: to ten feet, he's looking to rise up and shoot 135 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: a jump shot. So that buys Jaden McDaniels an opportunity 136 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: to get back into the play in a way that 137 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: he might not be able to if Katie kept his 138 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: downhill aggression to go towards the rim. But he did. 139 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: He had a lot of success against Katie in this game. 140 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: He started just two for eleven from the field, finished 141 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: just five for eighteen. Most of Katie's success in this 142 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: game actually came kind of in their ball screen system. 143 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: They had some success popping him to the top of 144 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: the key. You know, classic case of he sets a 145 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: ball screen and the dude who's guarding on the ball 146 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: is trying to fight back into the play. But you know, 147 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: Devin Booker or Chris Paul, whoever it is, is going 148 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: downhill soever's guarded Katie's man is having to kind of 149 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: contain them in the paint, and Katie pops out to 150 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: the three point line. That's where that's open there. You 151 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: can really only guard that by switching, which is something 152 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: Minnesota wasn't doing, and so he got some good looks 153 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: there and I think he had two threes in this game. 154 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: That was where he kind of had the most success. 155 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: And you know, honestly, to Jane McDaniel's credit, I thought, Kate, 156 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: you know, Katie is such a good decision maker, and 157 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: this was an uncharacteristically bad game for Katie from the 158 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: standpoint of making decisions. When he would get the ball 159 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: into his spots rather than moving it, he was kind 160 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: of forcing it a little a bit. And I think 161 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: I think Katie is so it's so unusual for him 162 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: to have games like this that I think he handled 163 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: it a little bit poorly. He's not your typical score 164 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: that goes like hot night off night, hot night off night, 165 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,559 Speaker 1: like he is. He runs red hot all the time. 166 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: His bad nights, he'll go ten for twenty two, you 167 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: know what I mean. So he's so like relentlessly and 168 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: consistently efficient that I think I think that specific game 169 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: kind of threw him off a little bit. I would 170 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: just crumple it up and throw it out. I wouldn't 171 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: be surprised if we don't see a bad shooting game 172 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: like that from Katie the rest of the season, even 173 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: through the playoffs. Chris Paul, interestingly enough, because you know, 174 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: this is the thing with Minnesota. Anthony Edwards is going 175 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: to take an assignment, Jade McDaniels is going to take 176 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: an assignment, and those two guys are going to struggle. 177 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: Devin Booker most of his success came against Minnesota's bench groups. 178 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: Jade McDaniels obviously did his job. They kind of took 179 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: those two guys not out of the equation, but severely 180 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: limited them. But Chris Paul was the one who found 181 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: himself coming off of those ball screens open a lot 182 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: and he hit a lot of shots. I think he 183 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: was seven for fifteen in this game. He was the 184 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: one who kind of found himself in the situations where 185 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: he was able to score this physicality though, because like Aunton, 186 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: Jaden really brought the physicality from the opening tip. And 187 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: it kind of came back to bite Minnesota because in 188 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: that third quarter they picked up a bunch of fouls 189 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: early and then they were in the penalty the whole 190 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 1: third quarter. Phoenix ended up shooting thirteen free throws in 191 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: the quarter. That's how they turned a ten point deficit 192 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: to a seven point lead in that quarter. For the game, 193 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: they had a twenty seven to twelve free throw advantage. 194 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: I wonder if Devin Booker and Monty Williams went to 195 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: the presser after and argued about how they got unfair 196 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: treatment in a positive way. Sorry, no shade necessarily towards 197 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:57,599 Speaker 1: the Phoenix suns. I just you guys, just know I 198 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: hate when people complained about officiating. It's like one of 199 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: my big pet peeves, my biggest concern with Phoenix. A 200 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: few times that I've watched them, this is the fourth 201 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: game we've seen them with KD. They're a little thin. 202 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: You can push them around physicality. We saw that a 203 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: little bit, and then they're not going to win the 204 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: rim pressure battle. And I'm not talking about points in 205 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: the paint necessarily, because points in the paint is a 206 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: product of a bunch of different things. Like, for instance, 207 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: the Warriors are not a team that drives to the 208 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: basket really ever, but they do get a lot of 209 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: paint points by virtue of attention that they're guards garner 210 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: away from the rim, pulling everything, pulling all the bigs out, 211 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 1: which actually creates open opportunities for guys like Draymond and 212 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: Kevon Looney's slipping to the rim right. Well, when it 213 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: comes to actual driving rim pressure, I look at that 214 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: as a different type of thing that doesn't necessarily manifest 215 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: in points in the paint. Often it actually manifests in 216 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 1: higher quality three point shots because when you drive the 217 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: ball to the rim relentlessly, you collapse the defense. That's 218 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: when you get those really high quality stand still, squared up, balanced, 219 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: easy catch and shoot threes on the week side of 220 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: the floor when you've sucked in those help defenders. And 221 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: you know the thing is is, you know, before Kad came, 222 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: the Suns were a heavy pull up jump shooting team. 223 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: They were twenty nine or excuse me second in the 224 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: NBA and pull up jump shots attempted per game, and 225 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: then they added Kad to the roster, who's one of 226 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: the most you know, prolific pull up jump shooters in 227 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: the league. And so the problem is is it's kind 228 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: of similar to the Brooklyn thing. They just rely heavily 229 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: on guys knocking down tough, contested pull up jump shots 230 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: and when they go in, everyone's gonna be helpless. And 231 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: to be honest, it has worked really well since Katie 232 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: started playing with the Suns. But the reality is is 233 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: in the postseason there will be Knights when that doesn't work. 234 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: And where are your wide open catch and shoot threes. 235 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: Where are your driving layups and free throw free throw 236 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: attempts that you're gonna get from that rim pressure. Who's 237 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: gonna be the guy that does that for Phoenix Because 238 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: Kevin's driving to pull up, but Devin Booker's driving to 239 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: pull up, and Chris Paul's driving to pull up. And 240 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: I think that something to keep an eye on in 241 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: this postseason run. But that said, early returns Kevin Durant, 242 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: Devin Booker, Chris Paul and DeAndre Eton lineups are plus 243 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: twenty nine point eight points per one hundred possessions in 244 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty four possessions. Again, super small sample size, 245 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: only four games, but four now and whooping everybody's asked 246 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: when those four guys are on the floor. That was 247 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: a big part of why I talked about how terrified 248 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: I am of this Phoenix Suns team, especially in the 249 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,319 Speaker 1: long run. The later they get into the postseason, they're 250 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: going to figure out the specific lineups and guys that 251 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: they can plug in that make it work well enough 252 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: that the longer this postseason run goes, the scarier Phoenix gets. 253 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: But next year, forget about it, Like those guys are 254 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: gonna be insane, especially if they can bolster with just 255 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: one or two good you know, higher level defensive players 256 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: with like the mid level exception and maybe a trade 257 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: here there one last note of Minnesota. I love that 258 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: team so much. I know I've talked about this a 259 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: lot on that show, but that combination of perimeter defense 260 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: and downhill force from Anthony Edwards with Rudy Gobert protecting 261 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: the back line is super interesting to me, and I've 262 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: but that said, like I there's obviously a ceiling on 263 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: this for right now. They just continually, game after game 264 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: run into issues in the late portions of the game, 265 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: like late third, late fourth, because of the fact that 266 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: they just can't score in the half courts. There's just 267 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: not enough offensive skill on the floor when you have 268 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert, when you have Kyle Anderson, when you have 269 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: Jade McDaniels, and Jay McDaniels has had some scoring nights 270 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: he has, but against elite set half court defenses, he 271 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: is a below average offensive player. So is Kyle Anderson, 272 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: so is Rudy Gobert. That's just a lot on Mike 273 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: Conley and Anthony Edwards to create shots or Karl Anthony 274 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: Towns if he's out there. And when you go with 275 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: Karl Anthony Towns, you either have to go with two bigs, 276 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: which then messes up your transition defense and messes up 277 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: your ability to cover ground in rotation because you're too slow, 278 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: or you take Gobert off the flour and put Cadet 279 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: center and then your defense falls to parts falls apart. 280 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: So they definitely have to figure out those pieces on 281 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: the margin, like I was talking about, But that fundamental 282 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: core of Anthony Edwards, Jade McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert continues 283 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 1: to be one of the most exciting young cores in 284 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: the league in my opinion. Let's move on to Lakers Bulls. 285 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: So what did I say after the last Lakers Bulls game. 286 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: I said that I said that there was a super 287 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: unaggressive Anthony Davis, which is super uncharacteristic. He had great 288 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 1: matchups all game long, only took eight shots. I said 289 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: that Chicago shot making was off the charts. They were, 290 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: you know, the worst team in the league and making 291 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: three point shots in a game. They were averaging like 292 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: ten Maye threes a game, which was literally dead last 293 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: in the league, and they made like fourteen against the 294 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: Lakers and shot almost fifty percent in the Sunday game. 295 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: So there was some shot making stuff that was off 296 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: the charts for Chicago. And then they the guards. The 297 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: Laker guards, as they've done since the deadline, really struggled 298 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,119 Speaker 1: with Chicago's ball pressure and they had a million turnovers 299 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: in that Sunday game. They were able to flip the 300 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: script in all three of those areas in this game, 301 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: and I predicted that they would go into Chicago and 302 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: win by double digits on Wednesday, and thankfully the Lakers 303 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: made me look smart. That could have gone south with 304 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: some of those bench lineups that we saw, which we're 305 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: gonna get to La Fans. I do want to spend 306 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: some time talking about those all bench groups, but let's 307 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about the those specific reversals of 308 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: fortune there. So, first of all, the Lakers did just 309 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: bring a better defensive effort on Sunday. They could not 310 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: contain the basketball to save their lives. There was just 311 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: NonStop downhill pressure from guys like Zach Levine and Kobe 312 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: White and even Demarta rozen to a certain extent in 313 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: this game from the opening tip. They just did a 314 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: much better job of containing the basketball. And again, like 315 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers play guy actually had a little statement that 316 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: I thought kind of colored this concept in a really 317 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: good way. He called it leveling out the ball handlers. 318 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: But I've talked about this before, but when a straight 319 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: line drive occurs, like when he just absolutely toasts the 320 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: perimeter defender and he's downhill with force, it takes hard help, 321 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: like guys have to fly into the lane to stop. 322 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: That compromises your defense because guys don't even know which 323 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: guy should help because it's such a compromising drive. Now 324 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: there's open shooters, you kick to the shooter. Now that 325 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: guy's driving, and it just becomes an absolute nightmare. But 326 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: if instead of a straight line drive, you level that 327 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 1: drive out so instead of him going directly to the basket, 328 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: he's fighting past your shoulder and he's taken like a 329 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: banana route kind of wide, that is what makes it 330 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: so that he never gets that true downhill acceleration. And 331 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: it makes it so your help defenders can dig from 332 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: the perimeter and just kind of lungeon and stick a 333 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: hand out, but stay with their man as opposed to 334 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: having to abandon their man to help in the paint. 335 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: That all of a sudden makes it so that those 336 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: kickout passes aren't nearly as open. Maybe a shooter has 337 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: to relocate, or you have to throw a looping pass. 338 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: Now that's an easier close out. It just prevents your 339 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: defense from going into those compromising rotation situations. And in 340 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: this game, just fundamentally from the start, they just did 341 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: a much better job of containing all their ball handlers, 342 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: which lowered the quality of Chicago's three point looks and 343 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: lowered the quality of the pull up shots the guys 344 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: like Zach Levine into Marda Rosen goot. Just like that, 345 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: Chicago started to look like Chicago again. They shot, you know, 346 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: in the twenties from three. They only made nine of 347 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: them in the game to de rose In and Levine, 348 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: They're off. The dribble shop making went down a level 349 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: from where it was on Sunday. They were able to 350 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: flip that script now on the other end of the floor, 351 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: you know it was. It's a really smart adjustment because 352 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: you know, there's no reason to go against ball pressure 353 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: for no reason at all, Like, like you don't get 354 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: bonus points by giving the ball to your point guard 355 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: and having him bring it up against an on ball defender. 356 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: You just have to get the ball across half court 357 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: right and most importantly, that's just unnecessary fatigue. I see 358 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: this all the time, and when I'm playing here in town, 359 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: like a lot of teams will try to put like 360 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: smaller guards on me to try to pressure the basketball, 361 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: and it's like, yeah, I could bring it up, but 362 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: why would why Like what matter of pride is that? 363 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: For Like, I'll typically just find the player on my 364 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: team that's being guarded by the worst on ball defender 365 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: or the laziest guy, and I'll be like, hey, bring 366 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: the ball up, and then I'll run down and if 367 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: this little guy is gonna be on me, I'm gonna 368 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: post him up and then I'm just going to demand 369 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: the basketball and then I'll be able to use my 370 00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: physical advantages against him without having to try to drip 371 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: in front of him for no reason at all. Even 372 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: if I'm capable of that, it's just a waste of 373 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: effort and it opens up risk that's unnecessary. What did 374 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: the Lakers do from the opening tip of this game? 375 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: Instead of having Austin Reeves and bring the ball up 376 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: against Patrick Beverley or D'Angelo Russell bring the ball up 377 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: against ball pressure, instead of even having Lebron bring the 378 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: ball up against Alex Caruso, who's a great ball pressure guard, 379 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: they just threw the ball to Anthony Davis, and Anthony 380 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,680 Speaker 1: Davis brought the ball to flour And where was Vussovich. 381 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,880 Speaker 1: Russovich is never guarding guys full court. He's sitting all 382 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 1: the way back in the paint. So they didn't even 383 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: have to worry about Chicago's ball pressure because ad was 384 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 1: just bringing the ball up the floor. And then from 385 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: the opening tip, it was clear that their intention was 386 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: to run through the post with Lebron James and Anthony Davis, 387 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: which is the way that this team should be run. 388 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: And they would have won by forty in this game 389 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: if they didn't get away from it for several stretches, 390 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 1: which we'll get two in a minute. But they ran 391 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: up to the wing, they inbounded the ball or made 392 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: the post entry to Lebron James, and Lebron would go 393 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 1: to work on Alex Cruso and he was either drawing 394 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: double teams to get the team into rotation from wide 395 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: open threes, or he was getting to the rim, and 396 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: then they'd flip that and they'd run the same thing 397 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: through Anthony Davis, and they butchered Chicago in the post. 398 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: In this game. They had twenty post ups for twenty 399 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: two points in shooting possessions and countless more opportunities where 400 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: they put Chicago in rotation and were able to play 401 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: driving kick basketball out of that, compared to Chicago who 402 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: had just six post ups for just four points. So 403 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: that was a big swing factor in this game. So 404 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: the Lakers ended up going up big early and then 405 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: almost immediately Chicago brought. I think they went on like 406 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: a twenty seven to five run spanning the late first 407 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: early second quarters. And the big problem there was, not 408 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: only did Darvin Ham not stagger Lebron James and Anthony 409 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: Davis properly. So you had this stretch to end the 410 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: first quarter, We're both Lebron and Ad are off the floor, 411 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: which is inexplicable. But I didn't think that was nearly 412 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: as bad as the staggering of the rest of the group. 413 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 1: So think of it like this, who were the five 414 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: best players on the Lakers. I would argue it's Lebron James, 415 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves, Deangela Russell, and Dennis Schroeder. I 416 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: think those are the five best overall players on the Lakers, 417 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: especially when it comes to offensive initiation. That bench group 418 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: that Darvin Ham went with not just ending the ending 419 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: the first quarter, but even in the early second it 420 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: was just Dennis Schroeder with a bunch of guys or 421 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: be like Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder was just some 422 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: guys like off the bench. And the problem there is 423 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: when you this is why staggering is so important. I 424 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: talk a lot about the responsibilities on a basketball court 425 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: that a five man unit has to fill. There's ball 426 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: handling responsibilities, there's off ball spacing responsibilities, there is rim 427 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: like lob threat responsibilities, there's guys who can cut and screen. 428 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: That that's all on the offensive end, but then on 429 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: the defensive end, there's like rim protection, perimeter defense, wing defense, 430 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: all those lock and trail, all those different things, right, 431 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: and so role players thrive at certain things right, Like 432 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: role players can guard, role players can lock and trail. 433 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 1: Role players can knock down spot up shots. Role players 434 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: can you know, they can cut to the basket or 435 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: set a good screen, But what they can't do is 436 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: consistently create high quality shots. And so what's so when 437 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: you have five guys like that, there's never a reason 438 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: to have four of them on the bench and just 439 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: one out there. All you're doing there is you're making 440 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: it so that fewer of the important responsibilities are filled. 441 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 1: So all of a sudden, small roles that role players 442 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: can thrive in become big roles that role players are 443 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: destined to fail in. I talk about this concept all 444 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: the time on this show. When you create small achievable roles, 445 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: role players will knock them out of the park. When 446 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: you ask them to do more than what they're good at, 447 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: they will trip and stumble and fall over themselves because 448 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: that's not what they're meant to do on a basketball court. 449 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: And so if you stagger properly, you should always have 450 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: at least two of those five guys on the floor 451 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: at any given moment. If it's Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroeder, 452 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: that's enough shot creation and rim protection and on ball 453 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: defense to make it so that the other three guys 454 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:56,959 Speaker 1: have small responsibilities that they can succeed in. Take Anthony 455 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: Davis off that floor all of a sudden on defense, 456 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: Chicago can really key in on Dennis Schroeder on those 457 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: ball screens. Now you've got four guys that are needing 458 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: to create offense that aren't offensive creators, and that's when 459 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: you see things start to fall apart. And so I 460 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: just disagreed with that specific staggering concept from Darvin Ham 461 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: about too often he kept too many of his best 462 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: players off the floor, and that was a huge part 463 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: of how the starters were so dominant in this game. 464 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: But the bench groups in both the first half and 465 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: the second half allowed the lead to shrink several times. 466 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: That said, every single time the Lakers were able to 467 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: respond and close the deal. Lebron was amazing to start 468 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, Anthony Davis was amazing to end the 469 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: fourth quarter. Deans La Russell made some plays to the 470 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: Lakers look fantastic. The other example where where you'll see 471 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 1: this that Denver Yoka's MVP case thing where everyone's like, oh, 472 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: there's so much better when Yoka is on the floor 473 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 1: versus when he's off. A big part of that is 474 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: they don't stagger. They basically do line shifts. They have 475 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: a full starter group and they have a full bench group, 476 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: and so of course their full bench group goes out 477 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: there with you know, Reggie Jackson and Jeff Green and 478 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 1: Zeke Naji and Christian Brown, and they lose because there's 479 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: just a bunch of guys that aren't capable of that. 480 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: Whereas if you staggered it more, then you'd have more 481 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: lineups that had one of Jamal Murray or Nikola Yokis 482 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,159 Speaker 1: or Michael Porter Jr. In with some of those bench guys. 483 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: Then all of a sudden, those role players would have 484 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: smaller roles and they'd have a better chance of succeeding, 485 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: but instead they don't and what we end up having 486 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: and it's it's I'm not saying it's intentional for the 487 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: MVP case, but sometimes it feels like that because as 488 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: a result, you've got these ridiculous plus minus numbers for 489 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: the Denver starters and then awful plus minus numbers for 490 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: the Denver bench, which inflates the feeling of value when 491 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 1: really what it is is just really bad strategy from 492 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 1: Mike Malone, like you need to find a way to 493 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: give your bench unit's a chance by sacrificing something from 494 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:51,679 Speaker 1: that starting group. An easy way to do it from 495 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: the Lakers perspective, for instance, is like start with the 496 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,719 Speaker 1: Angelo Russell, Osta Reeves, Lebron, Jared Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis, 497 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: and then about six minute into the game, like right 498 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: at that first time out, take D'Angel Russell out and 499 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: Lebron and bringing Malik Beasley or bringing Dennis Schroeder and 500 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: bringing Ruey Hatchmura, and then you go with this group 501 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: that has Anthony Davis and Austin Reeves and Dennis Schroeder. 502 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: That group's got a good chance. They go for several minutes, 503 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis checks out at the nine minute mark. Then 504 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: you bring Lebron back in right, like if you stagger it, Like, yeah, 505 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: you're not gonna have those amazing plus minus numbers with 506 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: your starters just playing twenty minutes a night and kicking 507 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: everyone's ass. But you'll have success in every phase of 508 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: the game. And then it helps with rhythm. When you 509 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: have five really good players in one lineup, you're gonna 510 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,479 Speaker 1: have like you're gonna have even in a dominant like 511 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: that first shift for the Lakers. I think D'Angel Russell's 512 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: he had like one layup in kind of like in 513 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: a semi transition possession, and then he shot a catch 514 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 1: and shoot three on the left wing that he missed, 515 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: but that was it. Like so Dangel Russell kind of 516 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: got squeezed out of that lineup in the first shift. 517 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: Now he had his moments later on, but he got 518 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,160 Speaker 1: squeezed out of that line up in the first shift. 519 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: That's gonna happen in almost every shift because there's five guys, 520 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: they can't all have the basketball, right And so by 521 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,959 Speaker 1: staggering more, you give D'Angel Russell more minutes with Lebron 522 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: off the floor, or more minutes without Austin Reeves or 523 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: without or without Anthony Davis. In those groups, he has 524 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: more opportunity to be more aggressive, which helps him get 525 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 1: his rhythm. That's why you stagger. You stagger so you 526 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: give everybody the best opportunity not only to succeed in 527 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: all phases of the game, but to have more opportunities 528 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: to be aggressive. I thought Lebron played a really good 529 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: all around game so far. The Lakers. I had the numbers. 530 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: I tweeted them out yesterday, so I might be misremembering this, 531 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: but I believe they're two games now. The Lakers are 532 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: plus twenty seven when Lebron James is on the floor 533 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: and minus twenty six when he's off the floor. Now, again, 534 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 1: some of that is that staggering thing we were talking about, 535 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 1: but also I think Lebron's played well. He's playing straight 536 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: up old man style. He did have two really nice 537 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 1: hard drives to the rim there the second half, a 538 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: crossover move on Patrick or on I think it was 539 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: on Patrick Williams, but he had a really nice crossover 540 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: mover ut it leap. He had another one where he 541 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 1: got downhill and someone shoved him in the back. He 542 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: didn't get a call but everything else with savvy stuff, 543 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 1: scoring out of the post, cutting the basket. He was 544 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: active on the offensive glass in this game. He had 545 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: a really nifty kind of coming along the baseline, offensive 546 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: rebound put back. He just just savvy old man. Game 547 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: got to twenty five points. But then Anthony Davis finally 548 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: brought the aggression that he didn't bring on Sunday. Again. 549 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: I was very critical of him on Sunday because he 550 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: had he had the best matchups all game long, but 551 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: while the guards were struggling with the ball pressure guards 552 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: for Chicago and Lebron, James wasn't quite himself. Although I 553 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: thought he actually played okay in the Sunday game as well, 554 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: this game, Anthony Davis brought the aggression and guess what, 555 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 1: nobody can guard him? Thirty eight and ten with four assists, 556 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: two blocks. You know, That's why it gets so critical 557 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: of Anthony Davis, like like, there's no excuse for taking 558 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: eight shots in a must win game when we all 559 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: know what happens when you take twenty shots against the 560 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 1: same team, like it. It was an inexcusable performance on Sunday, 561 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: especially under the circumstances. That's why I get so frustrated 562 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis from time to time. The last thing 563 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk about with the Lakers is this 564 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: idea of running through their guards versus their bigs. One 565 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: of the big things that I thought really caused issues 566 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: in this Chicago game, this one last night, where Chicago 567 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: is able to shrink the lead. I thought a big 568 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: driving force behind that was just the simple fact that 569 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: too often guards are looking for their own shot versus 570 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: trying to get the ball to Anthony Davis and Lebron. 571 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: It made sense when Lebron was out because Anthony Davis 572 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: can be inconsistent as an on ball creator. So like 573 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: some nights you throw it to him and at works, 574 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: some nights you don't, And so getting him into pick 575 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: and roll is another way to keep him involved in 576 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,119 Speaker 1: the offense. Right But with Lebron out there, there's so 577 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: much shot creation just out of the post with Lebron, 578 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: James and Anthony Davis, that like, those two guys need 579 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: to be the focal point of the offense, and way 580 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: too often they get away from that and run things 581 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: through the guards. And the guards are good players, but 582 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: they're at their best when they operate with an advantage 583 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 1: and when they're attacking set defenses in the half court, 584 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: they're not superstars, and so they're going to be inconsistent, 585 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: whereas Lebron James and Anthony Davis will be more consistent. 586 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: That's why you've got to continue to run the offense 587 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: through them. I disagreed with that. From a strategic standpoint, 588 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: Lakers control their destiny now. They're tied in the lost 589 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: column with Minnesota. They play them on Friday, So if 590 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: they win that game, they won't have the tiebreaker with Minnesota, 591 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: but they'll be one game up on them, and they'll 592 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: control their destiny effectively down the stretch of the season. 593 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: But give them a great chance to end up with 594 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: at least the seventh seed. The seventh seed, to me, 595 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: is like the goal for the Lakers, because I think 596 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: the Lakers can beat Denver, but I don't I wouldn't 597 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: want to face them in the first round. So getting 598 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: that seventh seed gives you a home game against probably 599 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: Minnesota and the Plan, and if you win that game, 600 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: then you get to play Memphis, which is a matchup 601 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: I really like for the Lakers because they thrive in 602 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: the paint, and the Lakers have Anthony Davis, which is 603 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: just fundamentally going to disrupt what Memphis likes to do. 604 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: And they have a lot of shooters that Lakers can 605 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: ignore and clogged the paint, which is Darvin Hamm's favorite 606 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: defensive strategy. I really like the Memphis matchup for the Lakers. 607 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: Got to get to the seven seed. To do that, 608 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: gotta beat Minnesota on Friday in order to accomplish that. 609 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 1: It'll be a really interesting matchup. It's going to be 610 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, so the crowd's going to be crazy. Minnesota's 611 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: gonna see it is like, if we win this, we 612 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: effectively get the seventh seed, because then they'll be a 613 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: game up on the Lakers, and they have the tiebreakers, 614 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: so it's effectively a two game lead at that point. 615 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: So at that it's just vitally important that the Lakers 616 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: win that game, and it's vitally important that the Wolves 617 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 1: win that game, which should make it an Altimer. And 618 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: we are going to be covering that game on Saturday morning, 619 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: by the way, with the rest of the Thursday and 620 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 1: Fridays late. All right, quickly, before we get out of here, 621 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: let's talk some Warriors Pelicans. I'm not gonna spend too 622 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 1: long on this game. I did do another interview with 623 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: the guys at at the game in San Francisco. You 624 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: can find that on their YouTube channel. Yesterday. The Warriors 625 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: really struggled with New Orleans length in this game. It's 626 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: funny because I talked about the different types of defenders. 627 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: We get obsessed with wings a lot, but there's like 628 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: point of attack defenders, and then there's like skinny wings, 629 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:06,959 Speaker 1: and then there's power wings. I've been talking a lot 630 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: about this concept, but like what's interesting is when you 631 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 1: have too many skinny lanky wings, sometimes you can really 632 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: struggle to defend on the perimeter because skinny lanky wings 633 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: really struggle to navigate ball screens and off ball screens. 634 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: They're they're big targets and fighting through screens as a 635 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:25,719 Speaker 1: game of physicality, you need to be strong, you need 636 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: to be active with your hands. It's like swim moves. 637 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 1: It's like being a defensive end. You're trying to fight 638 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: past that left tackle, and it's a very physical game 639 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: to get over those ball screens and off ball screens. 640 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: So really skinny thin players who are also big targets 641 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: for screens, they typically struggle to get around screens but 642 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 1: they're amazing in passing lanes and when they stick their 643 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: arms up, if you're not paying attention, you can throw 644 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: the ball away. And the Warriors were just straight up 645 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: ridiculously sloppy with the basketball in the first half. I 646 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: think they had fourteen turnovers in the first half. Is 647 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: a big part of how they got down by twenty 648 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: points in this game. I was frustrated watching it because 649 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: I'm sitting there thinking, like, man, if they can just 650 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: take care of the basketball, they're gonna be fine, because 651 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: Steph is getting open all the time, Like like, whether 652 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: it was c J mccon, whether it was IRB Jones, 653 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: whether it was Trey Murphy, whether it was Brandon Ingram, 654 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: whoever it was that was getting switched onto Steph. They 655 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: were they were slow with their switches getting out on 656 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: Steff and then he was running them through the ringer 657 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,719 Speaker 1: on these screens and getting wide open looks compared to 658 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: what Steph usually gets right, And so I was like, 659 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: if they could just take care of the basketball, things 660 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: will be fine. And they ended up finally taking care 661 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: of the basketball in the second half. They had just 662 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: five turnovers. There were a couple of big plays in 663 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: the early third quarter that I thought ignited them. Dante 664 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: DiVincenzo on a step missed three on the right wing, 665 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: another wide open shot. Again, if you just go look 666 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: at Stef's shots in this game, you just got great looks. 667 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: But Dante gets a dunk and Stave mean. Gundy actually 668 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: had a really interesting take on the broadcast after that 669 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: that you guys might remember. He basically said, you know, 670 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: everyone talks and people be like, come on, guys, let's 671 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: get going. They'll get in a huddle to scream at 672 00:31:58,040 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: each other to do all those things. But he's like, 673 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: nothing inspires a team like making a play that gives 674 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: your team a boost that will then become a momentum 675 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: that translates through the rest of the roster. And I 676 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: under agree, like, sometimes whether it's a momentum, like sometimes 677 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: it's just like your best player getting downhill and dunking 678 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 1: on somebody is a good way to just kind of 679 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: like bring a certain level of confidence to the rest 680 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 1: of the roster. But role players making hustle plays as 681 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: another big part of that. Like steph misses a three, 682 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: that's a negative play. Long threes. Long miss threes typically 683 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: lead to runouts for dunks or transition plays. Nope, someone 684 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: forgot to box out Dante DiVincenzo, his relentless offensive rebounding 685 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: effort which he's brought all season long. He gets a 686 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: tip dunk, it ignites the Warriors. I thought kevn Looney 687 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: also in that third quarter, just attacking the offensive glass 688 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: inspired the Warriors to pick things up defensively. Then they 689 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: started to get stops, Steph Curry started to finally get 690 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: going again. Just look at Steph Curry's makes in this game, 691 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: just constantly getting guys like IRB Jones caught on screens 692 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: because they're too big, they're too lanky, and it's just 693 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: a great example of how you need more defensive versatility. 694 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: Like it doesn't matter if you have Herb Jones, Trey 695 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: Murphy and brandon Ingram, if CJ. McCollum is out there 696 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: and you don't actually have a guy who specializes in 697 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: point of attack defense. Ideally, what you'd want is you 698 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 1: want Herb Jones on a wing, and you'd want brandon 699 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: Ingram on someone like like you'd want Herb Jones, brandon 700 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: Ingram and Trey Murphy on your Andrew Wiggins. And you're 701 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 1: Dante DiVincenzo and you're Clay Thompson because they're less quick 702 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 1: with the basketball in terms of onball creation or flying 703 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: off of screens. And then you have a bulldog, someone 704 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,920 Speaker 1: who is shorter, better center of gravity, that's lower to 705 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: the ground, stronger, who can fight like hell through screens. 706 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: That's the kind of guy you want on Steph Curry. 707 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: And so it's just a classic example of like when 708 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: you're building a defensive roster. Yeah, wings might be the 709 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: most valuable, but you can't just have wings. You've got 710 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: to have guys that can guard on the perimeter. They 711 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: couldn't do that to see j McCollum, he'd get barbecued. 712 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: So they ended up going with Herb Joe, and he 713 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: struggled to navigate screens. There's your problem. You've got to 714 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: have somebody out there that specializes in guarding on the 715 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:10,240 Speaker 1: perimeter against guards navigating through screens. But the Warriors completely 716 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 1: dominated the second half and they won comfortably. Jordan Poole 717 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: had another good game. He's in a good groove right now. 718 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: Jonathan Cominga, I thought, I've played another really nice game, 719 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: kind of slotting into that Andrew Wiggins role, and I 720 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: think they have a good chance to end up with 721 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: the five seed. It's funny because I said this on 722 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: the radio yesterday, but there's kind of like two ways 723 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: to look at this. Like there's the undeniable question mark, 724 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:30,799 Speaker 1: which is like, hey, if they don't have Wiggins, can 725 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: they beat the best teams in the league, And genuinely, 726 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: right now, I don't think so, and I would imagine 727 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 1: most Warriors fans would agree, But like, if you're gonna 728 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: beat the best of the best in this league, you're 729 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,240 Speaker 1: gonna need your second best player, and so Andrew Wiggins 730 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: is kind of this big question mark. But I'm very 731 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:47,880 Speaker 1: positive as it pertains to where they land in the 732 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: standings right now. The Clippers have a tough schedule here 733 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,239 Speaker 1: down the stretch and they're only a game back. The 734 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 1: Warriors are only in a game back of them. So 735 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 1: I think there's a good chance that the Warriors end 736 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:00,080 Speaker 1: up with the five seed, and I think they're comfortable 737 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 1: in good position for the sixth seed. But I think 738 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: the five seeds there for the taking, and I actually 739 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 1: really like their matchup with Phoenix, So for the Suns, 740 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,439 Speaker 1: for the Warrior's sake, I think trying to get into 741 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: that matchup with Phoenix in that five four is your 742 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:16,839 Speaker 1: best possible spot. You're one of the biggest factors there 743 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 1: is just what I was talking about, Like the Suns 744 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: have awful point of attack defense. That's a great way 745 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 1: to get Steph Curry and Clay Thompson good looks with 746 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 1: the way that their system is because who cares about 747 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant protecting the rim? Who cares about demandre and 748 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 1: protecting the rim? It's really just about can Stephan, Clay 749 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: and those guys shake free of their guards, which I 750 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: think they're going to be able to do, all right. 751 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: Last note before we get out of your Hoannis on 752 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 1: the straw pole. So Tim Bontemp's released a straw pole, 753 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 1: and basically it's got a slight edge to Mbid right now, 754 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:47,239 Speaker 1: very slight. I want to say, it's like by two 755 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: aggregate points and yokag is in second, but then there's 756 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 1: a big gap before you get down at Jannis, and 757 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,919 Speaker 1: I just think this is insane because who's the best 758 00:35:55,960 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: player in the league. Yannis clearly right, better defensive player 759 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 1: than both Embiid and Yokichum. Who's the best offensive player 760 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: from that group? Yeah, slight nod the Yokis probably, but 761 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: then like like Embiad and Yannis are right there with him, 762 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,280 Speaker 1: who's got the best team in the league? The Bucks 763 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 1: by far. They're what two and a half games up 764 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: on or two games two and a half games up 765 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: on the field in that first first place, first overall seed. 766 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: The Bucks have won seventy five percent of their games 767 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 1: when Yannis plays, The Nuggets of only won seventy two 768 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: percent of their games when Yokis plays, and the Sixers 769 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:30,440 Speaker 1: have only won sixty six percent of their games when 770 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: Embiad plays. I just to me, it's so clearly honest, 771 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: like it's close, but it's the honest. He's better than 772 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 1: the other two guys both at basketball and with the 773 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: um um playoff resume, right Like he's got that championship pedigree. 774 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,359 Speaker 1: We know his game translates to the postseason better than 775 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: the other two guys to do, and he's just done 776 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 1: more within this season the impact winning. I just it's 777 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 1: to me, the voters are overthinking this. They've been overthinking 778 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,720 Speaker 1: it for decades, but this is especially agree just example 779 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 1: that like Embiad's case is based purely on narrative, he 780 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,080 Speaker 1: clearly has the worst case of the three. In my opinion, 781 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: Nickel Yokich, it's based entirely on advanced metrics and inflated 782 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: on off numbers that are perpetuated by Mike Malone's rotations. 783 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 1: Jannis is just a better player, and I'm not going 784 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,720 Speaker 1: to punish him just because the Bucks are a little 785 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: bit better of a team that float the situation better 786 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 1: when Yannis is off the floor. All right, guys, that's 787 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:26,879 Speaker 1: all I have for today. We're gonna be back later 788 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: tonight Live with Colin Coward after the final buzzer of 789 00:37:29,719 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: Celtics Bucks. Keep an eye on Twitter feed. I'll let 790 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: you guys know when that shows about to start. As always, 791 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys, and I'll see you later tonight.