1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: The volume When it comes to college basketball in March Mania, 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: one thing is for sure. Nothing's for sure. Upsets, buzzer beaters, 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: Cinderella is advancing top seeds, going home early. It's all 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: gonna happen. Bet the unexpected, every upset, every day with 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: Draft Kings Sportsbook. With live betting, exclusive content, promos, and parlays, 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: Draft Kings is the ultimate college basketball destination for March. 7 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: Ready to make your first bet, check out the matchups, 8 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: and pick a team to win. It's that simple. 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Remember, if 36 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: you want to get questions into the mail bag, go 37 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: into our full episodes type mail bag in the comments 38 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: with a call in. That's the thing, and I look 39 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: at as an indicator of a mail back question, write 40 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: your comment in there or your question in there, and 41 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: then we'll get to them, typically on Fridays throughout the season. 42 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: I've just been doing a lot of traveling in March, 43 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: so we've been on a funky schedule. But after the 44 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: next two weeks, I finally am done traveling for the 45 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: rest of the season and we'll get back into our 46 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: kind of Friday schedule from there. That's how you guys 47 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: can drop questions. You guys, ote the joke before we 48 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 1: get started. Subscribe to the Hoops to Not YouTube channel 49 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: so you don't miss any more of our videos. Follow 50 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Underscore JSNLTC. You guys don't miss you announcement, 51 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: So forget about a podcast feed wherever you gets your 52 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: podcast on our Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if 53 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: you leave a rating and a review on that front. 54 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,959 Speaker 1: We also have brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, 55 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: and Facebook. We're releasing content throughout the year. Make sure 56 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 1: you guys follow us there in the last not least. 57 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: Like I mentioned earlier, keep dropping mailback questions in the 58 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: YouTube comments. All right, let's talk some basketball. First question, Hello, 59 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: and thank you for the amazing content every week. My 60 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: question is about the new Warriors with Jimmy Butler. After 61 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: the All Star Break, the Warriors had the second easiest 62 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: remaining schedule in the league. So our thirteen to one 63 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: in the games with Jimmy is it a bit inflated 64 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: and not an accurate depiction of their team. So I 65 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: think a couple of different things are true. Like, I 66 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: think it's okay to acknowledge that the Warriors have had 67 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: an easy schedule while also not overthinking what this team 68 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: is actually capable of doing. They've been an elite defense 69 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: all year. Their offense has been the issue in this stretch. 70 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: Steph is playing by far the best offense he's played 71 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: all year, and Jimmy Butler has helped unlock a bunch 72 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: of different dimensions to the offense that weren't there in 73 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: the past. So like, on the one hand, like, do 74 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: I know for sure how good Golden State is compared 75 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: to the best teams in the league. No, I don't. 76 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: I Also, I'm not sure we're gonna find out until 77 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: we get to the playoffs. They've got five games left 78 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: against the upper tier in the Western Conference. They've got 79 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: two against Denver, one against Monday night. We're covering that 80 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: game live. This mail bag is being recorded on Monday, 81 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: so you guys will already know the result by then. 82 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: But there's one more against Denver, a game against the Lakers, 83 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: a game against the Rockets, and a game against the Grizzlies. 84 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: Those will be. 85 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: Opportunities for us to learn more. But like again, like 86 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: the teams that I view as the as the primary 87 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: barriers for any team's success in this league are the 88 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: Thunder out West and the Calves and Celtics out East, 89 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: and we're just not going to get to see it. 90 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: But at the same time, again, even though some of 91 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: that is being left up to you know, hypothesis from us, 92 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: there's a huge part of it that's like, let's not 93 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: overthink it. The Warriors have beat the Thunder twice this year. 94 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: They've beat the Celtics this year. In those games, it 95 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: was a combination of elite defense and Steph rising to 96 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: the occasion and everybody playing well off of it, and 97 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: so like, while there is a good amount of hypothesis here, 98 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: I think it's my personal hypothesis would be that that 99 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: team is one of the top tier teams in the 100 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: Western Conference. Like I think they're at least on the 101 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: same level as Denver and the Lakers, and probably closer 102 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: to the Thunder than we're willing to admit. At a 103 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: certain point, you just don't want to overthink it elite defense, 104 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Like, I don't need to do 105 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: a ton of second guessing whether or not that team 106 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: is capable of doing damage in the Western Conference. Next question, 107 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm a firm believer that the twenty twenty one Lakers 108 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: would have repeated if Lebron and ad were healthy. What 109 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: do you think? Also, you have the best basketball content 110 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: out there keeping up. Thank you so much for the 111 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: kind words. So I think so, hey, really is this simple? Like, 112 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: do you think that the twenty twenty one Milwaukee Bucks 113 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: or the twenty twenty one Phoenix Suns, or the Atlanta 114 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: Hawks or the Clippers of that Kawhi Leonard those were 115 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: literally the final four teams that year as all of 116 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: the elite teams that were great in the previous year 117 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: broke down from all of the extra wear and tear 118 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: that they took on from the bubble, And so like 119 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: they're legitimate champions. The twenty twenty one Milwaukee Bucks, I 120 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: never want to go back and try to try to 121 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: take away credit or anything like that. But who do 122 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: I think was the best team that year? I think 123 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: it was the Lakers because right before Solomon Hill dived 124 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: dove into Lebron's leg, he was playing like one of 125 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: the best players in the league when they were. When 126 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: Lebron was injured, Ad was injured and the team was 127 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: out of rhythm, they still took a two to one 128 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: lead on the Phoenix Suns before Ad pulled his scroin muscle. 129 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: So yeah, I think they probably would have repeated. But again, 130 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: everyone that year that played in that playoff run broke down, 131 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 1: like everyone broke down, and so at a certain point, 132 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: like even if they beat the Suns team they could 133 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: have broken down in a later series. It just would 134 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: have been really difficult to turn around and win a 135 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: championship after what happened in that bubble season? Are the 136 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets still contenders? Based on the recent performances against 137 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 1: good teams? Yoki seems to be playing well, but his 138 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: counterparts are having a lot of issues, be it with 139 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 1: injuries or finishing plays. Thank you, Jason for your awesome insight. 140 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate it. So I'm having a really, 141 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: really hard time making a read on this Denver Nuggets 142 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 1: team because, on the one hand, it's abundantly clear as 143 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 1: you're watching them that they're leaving a lot in reserve, 144 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: Like it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you 145 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: that they're capable of beating the Washington Wizards or winning 146 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: comfortably against an Austin Reeves led Lakers team that's missing 147 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: four of their five starters. The tricky thing is they 148 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: are practicing playing bad basketball. They are using these games 149 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: in the regular season to play a brand of basketball 150 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: that will get them beat. And so on one hand, 151 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: I look at it like Nikole Jokic tons of continuity. 152 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: We have seen these guys play better defense in the past. 153 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: What if they get to April and it's like Jokic 154 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: starts defending better in ball screens and being more active 155 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: with his hands. Aaron Gordon's there, unhealthy and doing a 156 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: really nice job as a lone man cleaning things up. 157 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: Christian Brown, Peyton Watson are out there as wrecking balls. 158 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: They're just doing their job, and suddenly it comes together. 159 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: Yokics plays like the best player in the world. The 160 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: offense continues to look super smooth as they have all 161 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: that continuity. I'm not gonna sit here and say that's 162 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: not a potential outcome, if, of course it is. But 163 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: NBA history tells us that when you practice playing bad 164 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: basketball in the regular season, like being a bottom ten 165 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: defense the way that the Denver Nuggets are, NBA history 166 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: tells us that team gets beat. So like, I don't 167 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: know what to make of it, and like I see 168 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets fans getting frustrated, I don't blame them like this, 169 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: this roster already has its shortcomings. So if there was 170 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: an opportunity for you, for you to win the title, 171 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: it would be by practicing playing the sharpest and best 172 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: possible basketball that you can play. So, like, everything in 173 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: my brain is screaming, this Denver team can't do it 174 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: because they're just missing these basic checkpoints on the way. 175 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: But there's always a part of like my basketball heart 176 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: that says, don't write off Jokic, Murray, Michael Porter Junior, 177 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: and Aaron Gordon in a playoff series. So to do 178 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: with that bit of information, which you will next question 179 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 1: who is better? A lot of like little nitty gritty 180 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: Lakers Warriors questions, like a head to head Lakers Warriors 181 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: questions today, which I think are fascinating. Who is better 182 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves or Brandon Pajemski. They're very different types of players. 183 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: So for instance, like Austin Reeves just averaged thirty one, 184 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: seven and seven over his last three games, Brandon Pajemski 185 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: is not capable of that. So, like, there's no doubt 186 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: that Austin is a substantially better offensive player. But Brandon 187 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: Pajemski has turned into a very reliable guard defender in 188 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: this league who's been doing a really nice job pressuring 189 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: the ball and playing a very important role in the 190 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: Warriors defensive scheme. And he's also been a productive cog 191 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 1: in the offensive system as kind of like a second 192 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: side action guy and like a connective playmaker. 193 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 2: Right. 194 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: So to put that into a more concise statement, I 195 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: would say that Austin is better than Pods in my opinion, 196 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: But the gap smaller than the. 197 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: Statistical performance would lead you to believe. 198 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: Have you noticed any difference in Luca's ability to beat 199 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: people off the ball? Is it just me or has 200 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: he struggled a bit more in that department? And are 201 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: you concerned about it? I'm not concerned about that at 202 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: all whatsoever. Uh, Luca had a move against KD in 203 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: the early first quarter yesterday. It was the one that 204 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: put them up twenty to nine, where he chained together 205 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: like a aggressive move to the left, a counter moved 206 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: to the right, and then a pullback dribble and like 207 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: stopped on a dime on the pullback dribble. Like it 208 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: literally looked like someone hit like pause and rewind instantaneously, 209 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: like he was moving forward and suddenly he was moving backwards. 210 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: It was very similar to the movie hit Rudy Gobert 211 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: with in the Western Conference Finals game winner in Game two, 212 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: And on that move, I was like, oh, like, Luca's 213 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: really starting to get his legs back underneath him. 214 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 2: Now. 215 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: He did have a pretty bad ankle sprain yesterday and 216 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: who knows what that means for his mobility and the 217 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: big picture. But honestly, to take to go even deeper 218 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: to the root of your question, do I have concern 219 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: about Luca's ability to beat people off the ball even 220 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: when he was in terrible shape in the early Lakers games. 221 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: He's just so big and strong, and he's just so 222 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: good at getting defenders to lean the wrong way. With 223 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: his fakes that even when he was out of shape, 224 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: he was rumbling his way downhill towards the rim. Like 225 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: Luca's ability to get the ball into the paint is 226 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: such an incredible asset in one of the most underrated 227 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: parts of his game because it's super resilient. It's a 228 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: trait that works against just about everybody in just about 229 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: every scheme except for a blitz, which now you're playing 230 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: four on three out of anyway. Thanks question, how do 231 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: you perceive Steph Curry's two finals that he won with 232 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant on the roster. Seems to me the larger 233 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: NBA fan base and analysts write them off because Steph 234 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 1: didn't win Finals MVP, although he played at an extremely 235 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: high level. How did they factor into his legacy? In 236 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: your view? This is a super complex and loaded question. 237 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody cares necessarily that he didn't win 238 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: Finals MVP. I've seen like some lowbrow stuff, like just 239 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: like trolls kind of focusing on that sort of thing. 240 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: I do think that there's some reality to the basic 241 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: fact that every NBA championship has a different level of 242 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: resonence with people. This goes like, let's just go back 243 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: through through recent NBA history, Like, there's not a lot 244 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: of people that are profoundly moved by the twenty twenty 245 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: four Celtics, who have five players who catch over thirty 246 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: million dollars a year on the open market, beating the 247 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: Pacers and the injury ravaged Pacers and the injury ravaged 248 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: Calves along the way to winning a title against a 249 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 1: good Western Conference team, but a team, a Western Conference 250 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: team that nobody thought was the best Western Conference team 251 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: last year. 252 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 2: Like that title still a title. 253 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: They're not gonna get a lot of casual fans that 254 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: are like, oh, my goodness, this is the most impressive 255 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: thing anyone's ever done. Same sort of thing goes with 256 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: the Denver Nuggets if you look through like they were 257 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: considered one of the better teams in the league, but 258 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: they faced a lot of like semi limited teams along 259 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: the way, and then they didn't have to face the 260 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: team out of the Eastern Conference that everybody feared, which 261 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: was the Boston Celtics or the Milwaukee Bucks. And so 262 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: it has a certain amount of like do just a 263 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: little bit of a weird kind of like public perception 264 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: of that title. Twenty twenty two when Steph Curry beat 265 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: that Celtics team and that team didn't have a secondary star. Like, 266 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: of all of the championships Steph won, that is by 267 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: far the most resident. That is the championship that when 268 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: you look back, like that's the one that's unassailable. That's 269 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: the one that even the people that don't like Steph 270 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: that much are like, holy shit, that was crazy, Like 271 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: down two to one on the road in Boston, hitting 272 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: all those crazy, insane shots he did to drop a 273 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: forty piece to win the title, like that was crazy, right, 274 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: Like even I could say the same thing in reverse 275 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: about Lebron, Like Lebron's twenty twenty title when he won 276 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis, that title is the least resonant of 277 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: the four that Lebron won. If you go back to 278 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, that was Lebron's title. That was similar to 279 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: the Steph one in twenty twenty three, where it's like, 280 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,359 Speaker 1: that's unassailable, you can't shit on that. That is the accomplishment, 281 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: that is the defining moment of Lebron's career. That twenty 282 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: twenty titles still championship, it still counts in the leisure 283 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: but it's not the one that's going to resonate for 284 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: the length of time that we talk about Lebron James 285 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: the way that that twenty sixteen title does, or the 286 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: twenty thirteen when they're down three to two in the 287 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: finals and they have to go to seven games in 288 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, those resonate 289 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: differently with Steph as you look back to the twenty 290 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: seventeen finals. Here's the simplest way that I could put 291 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: it to you, guys. In twenty seventeen, before the season 292 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: and in twenty eighteen, before the season, the Warriors were 293 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: so favored over the field that before the season started, 294 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: so in early October, the sports books had them as 295 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: a negative odds favorite to win the title, meaning if 296 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: you bet a dollar in October for the Warriors to 297 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: win the title, you were gonna win less than a dollar. 298 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: That is how clearly more talented that team was than 299 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: anyone else in the league. Doesn't mean they're not champions, 300 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: doesn't mean those titles don't count, but yeah, like think 301 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: about what think about a bet you've placed recently on 302 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: DraftKings where you received negative odds, and like, think about 303 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,119 Speaker 1: how you expected that team to win, or you expected 304 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: that player to hit those points, rebounds, assists, score a touchdown, 305 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: whatever it was, you expected it with the negative odds. 306 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: That's how everyone felt about those Warriors teams before we 307 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: even started playing basketball. So at a certain point, I 308 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: do think it's worth at least acknowledging that those titles 309 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: carry a different level of weight in the court of 310 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: public opinion. But it doesn't change the fact that at 311 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: the time I still believed Steph was one of the 312 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: greatest players in NBA history, who was more than good 313 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: enough to be the best player in a champmpionship team, 314 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: thus a champion and should be respected as such. So 315 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: on and so forth for KD, Like to me, I 316 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: didn't need to see KD go to the Warriors in 317 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen to know that he could be a champion. 318 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: He was playing with Russell Westbrook, who was like, you know, 319 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: like a kind of a hectic basketball player that made 320 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: a lot of big mistakes in big spots, and his 321 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: team didn't have a lot of offensive talent around him. Was 322 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: a very big, bruising type of team. I'm not trying 323 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: to say that, you know, KD doesn't share some blame 324 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: for the failures of the thunder beforehand. But I knew 325 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: in twenty fourteen that KD was good enough to be 326 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: a champion and thus a championship level player. He just 327 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: hadn't done it yet. And so like, like that's the thing. 328 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: It shouldn't take us seeing Steph in twenty twenty four 329 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: or twenty twenty two winning a title against long odds 330 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: for us to acknowledge that he's a champion. It shouldn't 331 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: take Lebron winning a title in twenty sixteen against long 332 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: odds for us to acknowledge that he's a champion type 333 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: that type of all time great. But it's just kind 334 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: of of unfortunately the way that it works in the 335 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: court of public opinion. To put it simply, just like 336 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: anytime you watch anybody do everything or anything, the degree 337 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: of difficulty matters and how impressed you are. I watched 338 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: John Mayer once at the Sphere play an entire two 339 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: shows missing his index finger on his fretting hand, and 340 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: that was far more impressive than anything I've ever seen 341 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: him do because of the degree of difficulty it is. 342 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: It is just a natural part of the way that 343 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,959 Speaker 1: we process information. So yeah, like to me, they were 344 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: champions at championships. To me, they you know, kind of 345 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 1: add to the story of Steph Curry's career. But like 346 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: when someone asks me to explain to them, tell me 347 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: about Steph Curry twenty years from now. Tell me about 348 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: Steph Curry, Tell me about why he was as good 349 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 1: as he was, tell me about his greatest accomplishments. I'm 350 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 1: probably not going to talk a ton about twenty seventeen 351 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen because there was very little in the 352 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: way of adversity in those seasons. Like I've said this 353 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 1: before on the record, everyone says, oh, if Chris Paul 354 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: didn't get hurt, they might have lost in twenty eighteen. 355 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 2: I don't feel that way. I think that the Warriors. 356 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: And must win games in Game six and Game seven 357 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: would have got it done. I think that lineup that 358 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: Steph kd Klay Thompson at the peak of his powers, 359 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: Draymond Green, best defensive player in the league, Andre Gudala 360 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: is still good and mobile at that point, that was 361 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: the best five man lineup that has ever been constructed 362 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 1: on a normal basketball team, not counting like All Star 363 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: teams or Team USA. And so that certainly is going 364 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: to play a role in their. 365 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 2: Ability to win a championship. 366 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: Who do you think would win in a playoff series 367 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: with the Lakers versus Warriors? Like I said, I had 368 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: a couple questions this year about specifically about Lakers versus Warriors, 369 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: or this mailbag specifically about Lakers versus Warriors. Who do 370 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: you think would win a playoff series Lakers with Warriors 371 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: with a healthy Lebron and why I think the Lakers 372 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: would win this series. There are two reasons why, in 373 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: particular that I think the Lakers would do really well 374 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: in this particular matchup. As we saw in the Boston game, 375 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: and as I've talked about extensively, this is a Lakers 376 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: defense that has been the number one defense in the 377 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: NBA for a long time, and one of the reasons 378 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: why has been JJ Redick's game planning. They have been very, 379 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: very good at finding the guys on the floor that 380 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,239 Speaker 1: they can help off of, in using those guys as 381 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: roamers and rotators, and targeting all their defensive attention against 382 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 1: the skilled offensive players on the floor. Boston was uniquely 383 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: equipped to truly space. The Lakers out enforce Austin and 384 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: Luca at a guard in space and they had some issues. 385 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: And I still am concerned about the Lakers in a 386 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: Celtics particular matchup against the Warriors again. And there have 387 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: been nights when we had a night the other day 388 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: where against the Kings where Draymond Green and Gary Payton 389 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: went you know, seven for eleven from three, and like 390 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 1: they might have a game like that or two in 391 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: a series against the Lakers where it ends up going 392 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,719 Speaker 1: the other way. But like the Lakers have the personnel 393 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: to help the Warriors, excuse me, have the personnel that 394 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers can help off of. And in that context, 395 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: the Lakers have literally been the best defense in basketball 396 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: for a while. So like they have the ability to 397 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 1: guard Golden State in a certain way that they can 398 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: struggle against a team like Boston for instance. And then 399 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: on the other end of the floor, you're talking about 400 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: two giant matchup attacking forwards and Lebron James and Luka 401 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: Doncic that are consistently going to have two or three 402 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: guys on the floor that they can attack. There's just 403 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: a lot of perimeter, a lack of perimeter size with 404 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: Golden State that Lebron and Luca will take advantage of 405 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: and it's like, Okay, well what if we just put 406 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: Draymond on Luca and we put Jimmy Butler on Lebron. Okay, 407 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: you have zero size on the back line. Now, who's 408 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: gonna guard Ruy? Hatchro Mura, Who's gonna guard Austin Reeves? 409 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: Like it turn into a situation where the Lakers just 410 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: have matchup advantages all over the floor in that particular matchup. 411 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: And while yes, Steph is a problem and the Lakers 412 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: don't have a good guard defender on the roster, they 413 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: have the tools to because of Golden State's non shooters 414 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 1: on the floor, to consistently keep Steph in a crowd, 415 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: Whereas the Lakers can put together lineups with Austin Ruy, 416 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: Dorian Finney Smith, Lebron, and Luca where you literally cannot 417 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,959 Speaker 1: help off of anybody. And Lebron and Luke are going 418 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: to get to take their pick on which matchups they. 419 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: Want to attack. 420 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: Like, I am tempted to pick the Lakers to win 421 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: the West if they're healthy. That's how high I view 422 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: that team when they're actually put together when they're healthy. 423 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: I'm not one hundred percent sure about that yet. I'm 424 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: waiting until we get closer to the playoffs to make 425 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: my final take on that front. But like, I'm pretty 426 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: high on this Lakers team. I think they're going to 427 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,880 Speaker 1: be really, really good. Like Okasee and Boston are really 428 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: the two teams that I'm particularly worried about there, So 429 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: I would pick them against the Warriors in a playoff series. 430 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: Next question, why can't the Mavericks just stop? It's embarrassing 431 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 1: talking about the Patrick Dumont interview that was released the 432 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: other day. So the Patrick Dumont interview, you guys saw 433 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: that when he gave that long spiel. There's a bunch 434 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: of really problematic stuff in that interview. There's one where 435 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 1: he was like, yeah, I have you running the MAVs 436 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: as like a family operation. It's something I do with 437 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: my wife and kids. Immediately I'm like, boom, you're setting 438 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: yourself up for failure because it's like like that, I've 439 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: seen this. This happens a lot more in the NBA 440 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: than you think. This is why it's so ridiculous that 441 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: everyone's hyper critical of Lebron forgetting his kid a end 442 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: of the bench spot on the Los Angeles Lakers. Is like, 443 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: there are many franchises around the league that are rampant 444 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: with nepotism, like rampant with it. There are front offices 445 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: that I won't get into it, but there are multiple 446 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: front offices where it's like a known commodity around the 447 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: league that they let incompetent people make decisions because they're 448 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: related to the owners. Like it is, it is a 449 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: problem around the entire league. But when I saw that 450 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: from Patrick Demona, I was like, dude, like, you're not 451 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: supposed to say the quiet part out loud, Like I 452 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: let my wife and kids and my mother in law 453 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: make these big picture decisions about our basketball team. That's 454 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: just foolishness. Let basketball experts who have dedicated their life 455 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: to understanding the game of basketball make your basketball decisions. 456 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: If you're not interested in doing that, you're not a 457 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: serious team. The second piece of it was that long 458 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: drawn out expression of why they traded Luca, And there 459 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: wasn't a ton of substance offered in there, But one 460 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: of the big things that he kept harping on was 461 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: the idea that they weren't close. You know, we felt 462 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: like we weren't close in the finals, and then we 463 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: get into the regular season and all these other teams 464 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: are better and blah blah, blah blah. And the part 465 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,159 Speaker 1: that bothered me about that is, you guys, remember how 466 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: I was talking about the Mavericks in the early part 467 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: of the season. I viewed them as the most talented 468 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 1: roster in the Western Conference overall when Luca was healthy, 469 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,440 Speaker 1: Like when I looked at that roster as a roster 470 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 1: that can cause some serious problems when Luca was healthy, 471 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: they were competitive all year without Luca. And so it's 472 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: one of those things where like any take he had, 473 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: as it pertains to oh, the rest of the league 474 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: got better. You added Klay Thompson, you added Naji Marshall, 475 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 1: you brought in a bunch of ball handling. You addressed 476 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: some specific problems that you had last year. 477 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 2: PJ. 478 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: Washington was shooting better on above the break threes after 479 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: being terrible on him last year in the postseason, Like 480 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 1: a lot of specific things were tilting towards this is 481 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:37,120 Speaker 1: gonna work when Luca comes back. And so like, here's 482 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: the thing, there is no case for trading Luca the 483 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 1: way they did. So what these people need to do 484 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: is get the hell out of the media and just go. 485 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: If you have some ulterior motive, whether it's moving the 486 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: team to a different city, or maybe you just hate 487 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: Lucas as a personal beef. Whatever the issue is, stop 488 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: talking about it because when you talk about it, you 489 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: guys just sound like imbeciles, every single one of you. 490 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 2: There's no good take. 491 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: There's no rationale that holds up for shipping off a 492 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: twenty five year old prospect who's already one of the 493 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 1: greatest players in the history of the league in that 494 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: span of his career and who continued to trend forward. 495 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: It was completely acidine. There's no way around it. And honestly, 496 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: I just feel really bad for MAVs fans, and I'm 497 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: with you, guys. Why can't the Mavericks just stop? I agree, 498 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: they need to just stop. What's done is done. Stop 499 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: the media tour. You don't sound savvy explaining to everybody 500 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: how you run your team and why you got rid 501 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: of Luca. You look like an imbecile. Last question before 502 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 1: we get out of here, when did you start experiencing 503 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 1: growth spurts and how painful was it if it was. 504 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: I grew a ton in high school. I was five 505 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: foot ten as a freshman, and between my freshman year 506 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: and my junior year, I skyrocketed up to six point 507 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,439 Speaker 1: four or excuse me, six foot four, and then I 508 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: got up to sixty six as a senior, and it 509 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:02,239 Speaker 1: immediately manifested in like creaky joints. I like literally used 510 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,399 Speaker 1: to run around like Bambi when I was in high school. 511 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 2: It was crazy. 512 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: Famously, when I was a senior, I had a breakaway 513 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: dunk against the worst team and like I was terrible 514 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: high school basketball player. I was a super late bloomer. 515 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: And we played against this team in Tucson that was 516 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: one of the lesser high schools in town. So I 517 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 1: finally got an opportunity to play because it was one 518 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: of the worst players on the team. And at six 519 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: foot six, I had a breakaway and I went up 520 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: to like go dunk it, and like my knee like buckled, 521 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: and I just threw the ball into the bottom of 522 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: the rim, and thank god I didn't fall over. But 523 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,479 Speaker 1: like it was about one of the most embarrassing things 524 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:38,959 Speaker 1: that I that I can remember in my time as 525 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: a basketball player, and it was because I just grew 526 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: way too fast in such a short period of time. 527 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: There was a good amount of pain in that phase. 528 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: And like I also had really bad acne when I 529 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 1: was in high school, and I actually went on acutane. 530 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,159 Speaker 1: And if any of you guys have ever done any 531 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: research on accutane, it like literally dries out your joints, 532 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 1: so like in addition to the growth spurt stuff, I 533 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: also like my joints weren't properly lubricated because of me 534 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: using acutane, and so I was just in pain literally 535 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: all the time. But it was funny because I ended 536 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 1: up like growing into my body as soon as I 537 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: got to like nineteen twenty years old, and at that 538 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: point I became like freaky athletic, like I had like 539 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,159 Speaker 1: about a forty inth vertical and I remember it was 540 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: so funny. I had a buddy of mine who came 541 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 1: to one of my Juco games and he, you know, 542 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: he just happened to stop by. He's like, hey, man, 543 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: I want to come check out your game. He came 544 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: to sat up in the bleachers in the corner by himself, 545 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: and we rode to the game together because we lived 546 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: in Tucson together at the time. And I had a 547 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: breakaway dunk, like a steal and a breakaway and and 548 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: I just like literally just did like a backscratcher, like 549 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: touch the ball on my shoulder blades and like chucked 550 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: it through the rim as hard as I could. And 551 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:46,239 Speaker 1: we were in the car on the way home, and 552 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: my buddy's like looking at me, and he's like, were 553 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 1: you thinking about the Desert View game when you had 554 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 1: that fast break? And I was like, yeah, I was 555 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,239 Speaker 1: thinking about the Desert View game because it was like 556 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: every time i'd get a breakaway, I would just think 557 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: about this like horrible embarrassing moment that I had when 558 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: I was in high schoo But yeah, I just I 559 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: was a late bloomer in general, and I grew a 560 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: ton in those couple of years, and so I just 561 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: couldn't move. And then what ended up happening is I 562 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: just kind of grew into my body and then suddenly 563 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: I can move, and it ended up being like a 564 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,479 Speaker 1: strength attribute for me when I was playing basketball in college. 565 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: All right, guys, It's all I have for today is 566 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: always to sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and 567 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: supporting the show, the volume. 568 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 2: What's up guys? 569 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,440 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 570 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us, 571 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second and leave a 572 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys 573 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: supporting us, but if you could take a minute to 574 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: do that, I'd really appreciate it.