1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: The volume, blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: octane world of sports. Vice Sports brings an exciting and 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: diverse range of programming that goes beyond the game. From 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: action pack live events to gripping behind the scenes documentaries, 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: to hard hitting investigative pieces and in depth profiles of athletes, coaches, teams. 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Vice Sports captures the raw energy, drama, and passion that 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: makes sports truly unforgettable. Catch live events and other exclusive 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: sports programs only on Vice Tv. Go to vicetv dot 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: com to find your cable channel. 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: The NBA eighty two game grind is done. Now the 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 2: real fun begins. The NBA Playoffs are here and it's 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments, and 13 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 2: jaw dropping plays. I can't wait. If you're looking to 14 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: make the playoffs even more exciting, DraftKings Sportsbook has you 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA 16 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: from the playing games all the way through to the finals. 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: Now's the time to back your favorite players and teams 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: as they chase glory. All season long. DraftKings has been 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: the go to spot for NBA player props, and that 20 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 2: does not stop now. Want to make your playoff experience 21 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: even more intense, try placing a bet on your favorite 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 2: player's performance. Well they drop thirty points, forty or more, 23 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 2: it's your call. Ready to place your first bet? Download 24 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 2: the DraftKings sports Book Gap. Now lock in your bets. 25 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: Let's make this playoff run unforgettable. Here's something special for 26 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 2: first timers. New DraftKings customers. Bet five dollars to get 27 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 2: two hundred dollars in bonus bets. Instantly make it a 28 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: playoff run to remember. With DraftKings, download the DraftKings Sportsbook 29 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: Gap and use code hoops. That's h oops. That's code 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: hoops for new customers to get two hundred dollars in 31 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 2: bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. 32 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: The Crown is yours. Gambling problem called Way one hundred 33 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight hope 34 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: and why, or text hope and Why to four six 35 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: seven three six nine. In Connecticut, help us available for 36 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: problem gambling Call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven 37 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: seven seven seven or visit CCPG. Do please play responsibly 38 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas twenty 39 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 2: one plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction, Void and Ontario. 40 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: New customers only bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty 41 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 2: eight hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, 42 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: see dkang dot co slash audio. All right, welcome to 43 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: hips tonight. You're at the volume. Happy Sunday, everybody. Hope 44 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: all you guys are having a great weekend. Schedule is 45 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 2: a little weird today because I'm going with calling Coward 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 2: later tonight, so we are not covering pacers Calves in 47 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: today's show. We're gonna be covering that tomorrow mornings. Keep 48 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: an eye on the feed for that. In today's show, 49 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 2: we're just hitting Denver versus OKC. I viewed this game 50 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: and the game later this evening as games where whoever 51 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 2: wins is most likely going to win the series. The 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 2: Thunder could either tie it, take it back to OKC 53 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: for a best of three with all the momentum, especially 54 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 2: after having basically choked away two of the games, and 55 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,839 Speaker 2: be in a commanding position to win. Or Denver could 56 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: go up three to one and put themselves in a 57 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 2: position where it's extremely difficult to lose three games in 58 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: a row, and same thing goes for Calves Pacers. Calves 59 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 2: get a win tonight, it's two to two, going back 60 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: to Cleveland, totally different series. Pacers get a win Tonight's 61 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,959 Speaker 2: three to one, feels like they're in control. And round 62 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: one of these two big games today goes to the 63 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City thunder down eight in the early fourth quarter 64 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: off of a Peyton Watson hook shot and they just 65 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: methodically walk down the Denver Nuggets to get a huge 66 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 2: win to save their season and send them back to 67 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: oklahom City. You guys are the Joe before we get started. 68 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the Hoops and I YouTube channels. You don't 69 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: miss any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter 70 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: at underscore JSNLTS. You guys don't miss sho announcements. Don't 71 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 2: forget about a podcast feet where we get your podcast 72 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: on or Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if we 73 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: leave a rating and a review on that front. Jackson's 74 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 2: doing great work on our social media feeds Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 75 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: make sure you guys follow us there more content throughout 76 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: the season, and then keep dropping mailbag questions into the 77 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 2: YouTube comments. Since we only have one game today, we'll 78 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 2: probably do a solid fifteen minutes or so of questions 79 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: from the chat at the tail end of the show, 80 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: So make sure you guys get your questions in there. 81 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: And then when we finish up here today, we will 82 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: be going over to watch playback for our typical after show. 83 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,919 Speaker 2: It's more informal. We take callers, we watch some film, 84 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: we'll have some fun over there. Probably a little shorter 85 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: because I gotta be ready for Collins. We'll probably only 86 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 2: go for about a half hour today, but head over 87 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 2: to Playback's playback dot tv slash Hoops tonight when we 88 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 2: are done. You can also find that link in the 89 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: description of this video. All right, let's talk some basketball. 90 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: So this was a weird game in the sense that 91 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: with Denver playing as much zone as they did, both 92 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 2: Shay and j Dubb had really rough games, taking bad 93 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 2: shots against the zone, forcing things early. The two of 94 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 2: them I thought were pretty awful on offense throughout this game. 95 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: Both of them made defensive plays at various points in 96 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: the game, but I thought both of them really struggled 97 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: against the zone. And so what I want to talk 98 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 2: about here for a few minutes is specifically how Oklahoma 99 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: City broke the zone, because that was basically how they 100 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 2: won this game. In the late third quarter, they started 101 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 2: to hit some of their catch and shoot threes against 102 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 2: the zone. You could see that rhythm build and then 103 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: suddenly they were a runaway freight train. In that fourth quarter, 104 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: ended up scoring twenty nine points, their most productive offensive 105 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 2: quarter of this particular game. And really, what a two 106 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 2: three zone is designed to do is to break your rhythm. 107 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 2: We talked about this concept after the Calves Pacers game, 108 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 2: if you guys remember, because the Calves utilized a three 109 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 2: two zone in that series, and three to two zone 110 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: does a very good job of guarding the three point line. 111 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: Has some vulnerabilities on the back line simply because there 112 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: are two players that are responsible for both the paint 113 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: and the corners and in many cases also coming up 114 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 2: a little bit to the elbows. And so with that 115 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: being the case, there's just not as much manpower accommodating 116 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 2: the back line with the two three zone fundamentally different. 117 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: You've got a guy who's just pretty much sitting back 118 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 2: there in Nikola Jokic, and the four guys around them 119 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 2: are you know, syncing in and jutting back out, but 120 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: they're they're in a position where four guys are covering 121 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: all that space on the three point line, and so 122 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 2: there are open threes that are available against the zone. 123 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: But one of the things that can be a problem 124 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: against the zone is when you just start taking the 125 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 2: first decent looking three that you get your eyes on, 126 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 2: and what happens there is it will disrupt the rhythm 127 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 2: of your offense, and all of a sudden, your possessions 128 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: are quick and they don't really have any flow to them, 129 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 2: and a missed three can be kind of disheartening as 130 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 2: you head back down the other way. And I thought 131 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 2: Ja Billis did an awesome job kind of breaking this 132 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: down on the broadcast. But one of the things that 133 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: the Thunder started to do a much better job of 134 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: in the late third quarter was just getting some natural 135 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,679 Speaker 2: rhythm within their two three zone attack, so essentially getting 136 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: the ball from side to side. They would like screen 137 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 2: the top, swing screen the top, drive into the gap, 138 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 2: swing to the wing, then like backscreen for somebody, swing 139 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 2: swing back to the opposite side of the floor. The 140 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 2: ball was popping around and they were able to generate 141 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: some natural rhythm from a zone possession that is typically 142 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: not there the way you would see it in a 143 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: man possession, and a man possession, you run the same 144 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: actions you've been running all season. It's the same reads 145 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: that you've been seeing all season. There are only three 146 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: or four different types of coverages that you're gonna see, 147 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: and you kind of know what to expect in all 148 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: those situations. Against a zone, it's very different. You have 149 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 2: to find a way to be comfortable. And this is 150 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 2: where I have to shout out Oklahoma City's bench guys, 151 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: because they desperately needed somebody to start knocking down shots 152 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: there in that second half, and Aaron Wiggins in Kason 153 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 2: Wallace in that late third quarter got the lid off 154 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 2: of the rim, and that ended up being enough for 155 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: the entire team to just kind of relax a little 156 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: bit and start making some plays. Between Kason, Aaron Wiggins, 157 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: and Alex Crusoe, those guys hit eight threes in fourteen attempts, 158 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: and every single one of them was vitally important for 159 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: this Thunder team. And then you know, as bad as 160 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: Jade and Shae were for the majority of this game, 161 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 2: they each made some big plays in that fourth quarter stretch. 162 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: J Dub had a nice ball screen against the zone 163 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 2: where he got into the middle of the paint and 164 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: threw a lob to Hartenstein. That was the play where 165 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: Payton Watson tried to block him and he got the 166 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: and one. J Dubb had a nice driving layup off 167 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: the left wing. Late Shay had a driving layup. There 168 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 2: was a fun sequence where the lead was at three 169 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: off of a thunder bucket. Mark Dagenal calls a time out. 170 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: Comes out of the time out with a ton of 171 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: backcourt ball pressure forces a five second out of bounds call. 172 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 2: Ball goes back to OKC. They inbound to Shae, and 173 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 2: Shae just goes right to his right shoulder, fade away 174 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 2: and finally gets one to go over his right shoulder. 175 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: That pushes the lead to five. And at that point, 176 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 2: like the entire psychology, the game shifted so heavily towards OKC, 177 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 2: it felt like it was beyond Denver's grasp. So for 178 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 2: as bad as those guys were offensively, they did make 179 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 2: a couple of big late in the game, and they 180 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 2: needed every single one of them. But I want to 181 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 2: highlight the defense because obviously, if you hold a team 182 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: to eight points in the opening quarter, as we had 183 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 2: the lowest scoring first quarter in NBA, playoff history, or 184 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: at least tied for it, but then also holding them 185 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: to eighteen in the fourth quarter after giving up that 186 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: thirty three point third quarter. And there's several different elements 187 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: that I want to zoom in on. First of all, 188 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: Keason Wallace, I thought did an amazing job on Jamal 189 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 2: Murray in the first half. In particular, he didn't get 190 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 2: as much of an opportunity to work on him in 191 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: the third quarter run when Denver's offense started to get going. 192 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 2: But in that first half, he was downright disruptive to Jamal, 193 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: especially in that first quarter as Oklahoma City built their 194 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 2: initial lead, and then all like every opportunity that he had, 195 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 2: he just did a little bit better job navigating screens. 196 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 2: I thought Jamal was able to get a little bit 197 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: more separation from Lou on some of those screening actions 198 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: than he was from Kaison. Keison's just so good at 199 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 2: navigating those screen situations. And then this is where I 200 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: want to turn to Isaiah Hartens, because you know, there 201 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 2: are many reasons why the Thunder went after Isaiah Hartenstein. 202 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 2: He kind of landed into a specific gap in their 203 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 2: payroll where their younger players weren't going to have to 204 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 2: get paid for a few years, so they could afford 205 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 2: to throw a bunch of money at a starting caliber 206 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 2: NBA center that was going to cost a lot, but 207 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 2: not have to worry about it handcuffing their ability to 208 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 2: build a roster around their stars in the future. And 209 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 2: the actual utility of Hartenstein was the ability to play 210 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: a two big look with chet Holmgren at the four. 211 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: But I bet you if you got into the year 212 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 2: of that front office, they would tell you it was 213 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: mostly about the Jokich matchup. And here's the thing. We're 214 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 2: going to talk about yokicch in a bigger picture context 215 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: because I think Jokic is kind of fumbling the bag 216 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 2: here a little bit. But Isaiah Hartenstein's doing a really 217 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 2: good job. There's a couple of key things. Did you 218 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 2: guys notice on some of those jab step sequences that 219 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: Jokich is putting on him, he's not going for the 220 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 2: jab step and he's sitting on that right shoulder, so 221 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: basically he's opening up his stance and conceding the drive 222 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 2: because he knows he has all sorts of help on 223 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 2: the back line, and he's just getting his left foot 224 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 2: almost like up where Jokic's right foot is to the 225 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: point where he's just sitting on that right shoulder, so 226 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 2: Jokic can't get the separation on his jab step to 227 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 2: try to get a clean look from three. He's just 228 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 2: driving to the left right into the teeth of the defense. 229 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 2: And the other thing too, is like Jokic will go 230 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 2: to his left hand with his short range shot making, 231 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 2: but as Isaiah's riding that right shoulder all the way 232 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: into the lane, it's having a substantial effect disrupting Yokic's 233 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: short range shot making. He's having to power through Hartenstein 234 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 2: with that right shoulder just to get to that little 235 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 2: floater that hook shot somewhere in the lane and a 236 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 2: hard and Stein's just doing a great jobs. It's again, 237 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 2: part of it is Nikola Jokic and him just going 238 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: through one of the most bizarre shooting slumps I've seen 239 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 2: from him in a very long time. He's not even 240 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 2: making free throws right now. But at the very least, 241 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: Isaiah's doing the job of making life more difficult on 242 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 2: Nikola Jokic and then all of the guys around that 243 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 2: making plays. Alex Kruz I think is has been particularly 244 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 2: important for them on the defensive rebounding. This was another 245 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: thing that j Billis called out in the broadcast that 246 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 2: I thought was really smart. Jay's doing a great job, 247 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 2: by the way, coming over from college basketball, completely agenda 248 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 2: free and just doing some high quality NBA analysis. But 249 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 2: he was talking about Alex Cruso's tap out rebounds, and 250 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,359 Speaker 2: you know, when you get into these offensive rebounding situations, 251 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 2: Jokic is like leaning on a person, and the upside 252 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 2: of him leaning on a person is he can, you know, 253 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 2: shove that person down and create a rebounding angle. But 254 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 2: it makes it so that Jokic can't really jump, and 255 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 2: so in those situations they call it crackdown rebound. It's 256 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: super important for the guys on the outside to come 257 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 2: flying in and to tap at the ball to prevent 258 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 2: it from falling into the offensive rebounder's hands when he's 259 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 2: got great position like that. I thought Alex Cruso had 260 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 2: several of those sequences where he came flying in and 261 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 2: knocked the ball away. He had like all these like 262 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 2: just little tiny plays that made a huge difference, Like oh, 263 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 2: big transition sequence, the Nuggets are on a run, Jamal 264 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 2: Murray goes for behind the back drib just reaches in 265 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 2: there and pokes it out or like did a similar 266 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 2: thing to Russell Westbrook forcing a turnover earlier in the game. 267 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: There's just a lot of like activity down the roster 268 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 2: as they just kind of play Denver into a lot 269 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: of their mistakes. Like the whole thing with Oklahoma City 270 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 2: is like you guys see it. There was a possession 271 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 2: where Aaron Gordon was dribbling up the right wing and 272 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 2: he ended up drawing a foul. But like you could see, 273 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: like whenever there's a big guy for Denver dribbling up 274 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 2: the floor, you literally just see all the OKAC guards 275 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: just swarm them because their whole style is predicated on 276 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: just forcing you to make mistakes by rushing you and 277 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 2: getting you to not be disciplined with your decision making 278 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: and like you're protecting the ball and finding passing angles 279 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 2: when you're just trying to get into your offense, Like, oh, 280 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 2: you're sloppy here, we're gonna take the ball away. You're 281 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 2: sloppy there, We're gonna cause a problem. Michael Porter Junior 282 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 2: wide open on a baseline cut late and gets set 283 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 2: up right in front of the basket. But he's just 284 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 2: rushing because of how Oklahoma City's defense can speed you up. 285 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 2: And I think like in a lot of ways, like 286 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: we can talk all we want about Oklahoma City's offense, 287 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: and I think most of the criticism of Oklahoma City's 288 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 2: offense that you've seen throughout the year has been kind 289 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 2: of proven correct in a lot of ways in this series. 290 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 2: But their defense is one of the greats. And you know, 291 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: I was talking with Jackson before we got on on 292 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 2: the live here, there was there was like a dynamic 293 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: at play in Game one where it felt like Denver 294 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: was physically dominating them. I've shared some clips in the 295 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: film session of Jokics just like literally like a man 296 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 2: amongst boys on the back line, just getting every single 297 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 2: rebound that he wanted. And they did twenty one offensive 298 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: rebounds in Game one to just thirteen for Oklahoma City. 299 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 2: But as we go down the line after that Game two, 300 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City held up better. They held Denver to just 301 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 2: thirteen offensive rebounds, and then in Game three and in 302 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 2: Game four they actually out rebounded Denver on the offensive 303 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,359 Speaker 2: glass eighteen to five, and offensive rebounds in Game three 304 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 2: and then once again today out rebounding Denver fifty five 305 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 2: to forty nine overall, fifteen to twelve on the offensive glass. 306 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 2: And I think there's several dynamics there because it's not 307 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: it's ball pursuit. Because again we talked about those crackdown rebounds. 308 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: There's a lot of opportunities where the ball's coming long 309 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: off the rim and Okay, see's just faster to the ball, 310 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 2: and then also just Okay sees pressure and they're athleticism. 311 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: It wears you down. And for all to talk about 312 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 2: Denver's home court advantage and the way it can wear 313 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 2: people down like Oklahoma City's athleticism wears you down, and 314 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 2: you can literally see Denver losing some of the physical 315 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 2: battles that they typically win because they're just overwhelmed by 316 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 2: the intensity and the physicality that Oklahoma City brings to 317 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 2: the table on the Denver front. I want to kind 318 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 2: of focus on Nikole Jokicic for a minute, because you know, 319 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: we can nitpick certain things like Russell Westbrook had a 320 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 2: really rough night tonight. He was minus twenty and twenty 321 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 2: seven minutes. That's brutal. Two for nine from three, two 322 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 2: for twelve overall, missed a airball a wide open three 323 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 2: in the left corner that could have given them a 324 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 2: lead late in the game. Just didn't bring that offensive 325 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: pop that he brought earlier in the series. You could 326 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: talk about, you know, Jamal Murray not being as reliable 327 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: as a shot maker as you need. You can talk 328 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 2: about Michael Porter Junior going one for seven Ohver five 329 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: from three. I thought he missed a couple of key 330 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 2: rebounds where he just was sloppy with the ball in 331 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 2: case On Wallace would just come in and knocked the 332 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 2: ball away from it. We talked about him smoking that 333 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 2: wide open layup opportunity and transition. Here's the thing, though, 334 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 2: when I look at those guys, they're not an advantageous 335 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 2: situation against Oklahoma City. When we talk about Oklahoma City 336 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: and their roster, they're flat out better than Denver. They're like, 337 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 2: flat out better in terms of just talent than Denver. 338 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: They are way more athletic. I don't like Jamal Murray's 339 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: getting hounded by Alex Crusoe and Lou Dort the entire series. 340 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 2: Like Russell Westbrook is not dealing with the same athletic 341 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: advantages he has in other matchups. Michael Porter Junior in 342 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 2: general has struggled against peak level athletes like I don't 343 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:06,199 Speaker 2: view those guys as capable of solving this problem. But 344 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: I think Nikole Jokic is the best basketball player in 345 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 2: the world, and I hold him to an extremely high 346 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 2: standard as a result of that, and he does have 347 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 2: favorable matchups. I think Isaiah Hardenstein's a good defender, and 348 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 2: I think he's done a good job on Jokich. But 349 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 2: he's still getting to all the same types of little 350 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: bits of short range and long range shot making that 351 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 2: he's had access to over the course of his entire 352 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: prime here, and he's just missing everything. He's missing all 353 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 2: of his threes, he's missing all of his mid range 354 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 2: shot making. That little jab step mid range face up 355 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 2: jump shot that Hartenstein's been given him all series. He 356 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: just literally can't make it. He's not making any of 357 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 2: his like somber shuffle shots or any of his turnarounds 358 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 2: over either shoulder out of the post. He's even if 359 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 2: he on floaters when he gets into that range here, 360 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 2: he's missing layups right at the front of the rim. 361 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 2: His shot making has been absolutely brutal. Seven for twenty 362 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 2: two today he goes in Game three. In Game three's 363 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 2: eight for twenty five and then I think he was 364 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: six for sixteen in Game two, if I remember correctly, 365 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 2: I'm pulling it up real quick. And then he goes 366 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 2: six for sixteen in Game two. This is three games 367 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 2: in a row where Yokic's shot making is just not there. 368 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 2: I was talking with Jackson before we went live. It 369 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 2: actually reminds me this series, and the series isn't over, obviously, 370 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: but it reminds me a lot of the Cleveland Golden 371 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 2: State Series in twenty fifteen, where now it's different because 372 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 2: for Cleveland it was because of injuries. For Oklahoma City, 373 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 2: it's because they're just, you know, one of the more 374 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: talented rosters in the league. But there's a clear talent gap, 375 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 2: right But Lebron at that phase in his career. You know, 376 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 2: I know Steph fans are inclined to disagree, but I 377 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 2: thought Lebron was clearly the best player in the series. 378 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 2: I think Jokich is clearly the best player in this series. 379 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,400 Speaker 2: And I thought it was gettible. When I go back 380 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 2: and I think about twenty fifteen, I thought it was gettable. 381 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 2: But the thing is is that that one season, that 382 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 2: twenty fifteen season, was the one time in that stretch 383 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 2: from like twenty twelve to twenty twenty when Lebron was 384 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 2: the best player in the world, where he just couldn't shoot. 385 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 2: That was the year Lebron couldn't shoot. And I feel like, 386 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 2: if you literally just take twenty sixteen Lebron and put 387 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 2: him in that series, they win the championship. But it 388 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 2: was like kind of just a missed opportunity. Lebron is 389 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: still the best player, and he's still you know, because 390 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: Steph was struggling his ass off in that series too, 391 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 2: But he's still the best player, and he's still making 392 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: all these plays, and he's still doing all these good things, 393 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 2: but just that little bit of shot making wasn't there, 394 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 2: and it was just the difference between them closing that 395 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 2: deal in them not closing that deal. And that's literally 396 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 2: how I feel about Nicole Jokic in this series. Oklahoma 397 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 2: City's better, They're substantially favored, they should be favored because 398 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 2: of the talent advantage, but here we are, Oklahoma City's 399 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 2: struggling a little bit under the pressure and intensity of 400 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,479 Speaker 2: the moment, just like Golden State did in that final series, 401 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 2: and Nikole Jokic has the ability to snatch this series. 402 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: It's sitting there right in front of him and he 403 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 2: can't make a shot, and it's just weird. It's just 404 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 2: weird to be in this kind of situation again where 405 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 2: it just feels like you've got the best player in 406 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 2: the world just kind of missing such a vitally important 407 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 2: part of his game, and it kind of feels like 408 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 2: the difference, Like I don't know about you, guys, I 409 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 2: feel like the difference between Denver being up, not just 410 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 2: up three to one, but having won easily in game 411 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 2: three and Game four is just Jokic making shots and 412 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 2: he can't make shots, and that's it. Like I've heard 413 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 2: people talking about Shaye and Jadub and Shane jdab are 414 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 2: bad today. Here's the thing, guys, I've I've never used 415 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: the phrase shade shakeyos Alexander's best player in the world, don't. 416 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 2: I don't think Shae's that level of player. I think 417 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 2: Jokic is better than him. I hold him to a 418 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 2: different standard. I view Jokic as a guy who's rapidly 419 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 2: ascending the all time great players in NBA history list. 420 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 2: I'm holding him to a different standard. And I feel 421 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 2: like this was a series Denver could have won and 422 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 2: Jokic's inability to make anything outside of the paint, or 423 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 2: really anything outside of three feet in front of the 424 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 2: basket has been such a huge difference in their ability 425 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 2: to contend in these games. And now it feels really tough, like, 426 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 2: I don't know, the athleticism is really starting to wear 427 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,959 Speaker 2: on Denver, and I just don't feel confident in their 428 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 2: ability to go win a game again in Oklahoma City, 429 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: especially when you really zoom out from this series, and 430 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 2: it's felt, it's felt like Oklahoma City has been in 431 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 2: control for the most part outside of these clutch situations. 432 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,959 Speaker 2: And here we were in another clutch situation tonight and 433 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 2: Yokic couldn't make a shot, and Shay and j Dubb 434 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 2: made shots, and of role players made shots, and here 435 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City is tying the series. So I think Oklahoma 436 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 2: City should be a substantial favorite. Now, while we're taking questions, 437 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 2: we'll look at DraftKings and see how the ads the 438 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 2: odds have moved. But I would assume Oklahoma City is 439 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 2: like minus five hundred to win the series or somewhere 440 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 2: in that department. Now, let's do a good fifteen to 441 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 2: twenty minutes of questions and then we'll head over to playback. 442 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 3: Let's do it. 443 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: Let's do it. 444 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 3: First, question about Jokic has often to struck Yokitch's zero 445 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 3: touch right now? Are you seeing anything that could explain that? 446 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 3: Is he hurt? How does he just lose his touch, 447 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 3: especially from such close arrange something you've talked about him 448 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,959 Speaker 3: and almost being up until this point sort of slump 449 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 3: proof because of how many shots he gets so close. 450 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: To By the way, Oklahoma City's minus five point fifty 451 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 2: to win the series now and they're crazy according to DraftKings. 452 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 3: Jeez. 453 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 2: So you know, Jackson, I'm sure you'll agree with me 454 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 2: on this. But like any of you guys out there 455 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:27,919 Speaker 2: that play a good amount of basketball, know that, like 456 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: shooting is a fickle thing in general, you can pretty 457 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 2: much even the greatest shooters of all time, you can 458 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 2: go into their game logs and you can find three 459 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 2: four game long stretches where they can't make a shot. 460 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 2: And the reason why is because it's like the best 461 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 2: shooters in the world miss more than half of their shots. 462 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 2: So if you're gonna miss more than half your shots, 463 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 2: it's like you can do everything right and it's probably 464 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: not gonna go in. And so that ends up leading 465 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 2: to like kind of a mental dynamic. The big one 466 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 2: I'm seeing is Yokich is long on everything, Like everything's 467 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 2: all off the heel of the rim, and so his 468 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: touch is just off right now. I think he's in 469 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 2: his head about it. It gets to the point where, 470 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:08,959 Speaker 2: like when I saw him missing those free throws and 471 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 2: like literally missing like his easy little like touch shots 472 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 2: right three four, five feet in front of the rim. 473 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 2: To me, I just think he's got like I think 474 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 2: it's like in Yip's territory, Like he just has lost 475 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: confidence in his ability to knock down shots and it's 476 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,200 Speaker 2: become a huge problem. 477 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's really bizarre to watch. I can't. I 478 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 3: mean the free throws, it's everything. He really cannot all 479 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 3: three levels. He is struggling to make shots, and I 480 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 3: have not I cannot remember seeing the time that he's 481 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 3: struggled so consistently. It's very bizarre to watch. 482 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm gonna try to I'm gonna try to slash 483 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 2: Synergy's updated to shot making numbers, and I'll let you 484 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 2: guys know once I see him. 485 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 3: All right. Next question, do you feel like Sga and 486 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 3: Jokic are dropping their best in the world status. I 487 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 3: feel like, considering how they're both struggling to score so 488 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 3: much right now, that Yiannis has a real argument at 489 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 3: the moment. 490 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 2: Janna hasn't won a playoff series since twenty twenty two, 491 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 2: so I don't think anyone's gonna be moving honest up 492 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 2: up the list. Here's the thing. I still think Jokic 493 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 2: has been very good in this series in every way 494 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 2: other than shot making, He's He's been a little bit 495 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 2: sloppy with the basketball. He's had some turnovers, but he 496 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 2: wasn't as bad today as he was in Game three. 497 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 2: In Game two, But like Jokic actually has played phenomenally 498 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 2: well defensively in this series. I want to give him 499 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 2: some credit for that. I to me, there isn't a 500 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: There isn't a player out there who's clearly playing at 501 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 2: a level higher than what I've seen Jokic be at 502 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 2: in the past. It's just Jokic right now is underachieving 503 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 2: to his relative ceiling. But I think I don't know 504 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 2: about you, Jackson. I still think he's the best player 505 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 2: in the world, don't you. 506 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:42,719 Speaker 3: I do too. And I also think that maybe I'm 507 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 3: giving too much leeway to the superstar, but there's a 508 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 3: lot of supersiars. Yeah, that's a good point because the 509 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 3: physical the physicality in the playoffs is I think pretty 510 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 3: inarguably a level up from the past years of the playoffs, 511 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 3: obviously from the regular season, and I think even definitely 512 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 3: compared to the last couple of years of the playoffs. 513 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 3: Which isn't an excuse to let say all they can 514 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 3: just play bad, but it's it's fair to point out 515 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 3: that Tatum is shooting poorly, Sga is shooting poorly, yok 516 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,239 Speaker 3: is shooting poorly. Steph has had some good games, he's 517 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 3: also had some really bad shooting performances. A lot of 518 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 3: stars are shooting the ball poorly. 519 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 2: Well, And the thing that's specifically frustrating about it with 520 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 2: Yokich is, like we've talked about this specific concept before. 521 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 2: Like I one of the reasons why I've gravitated towards bigger, 522 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 2: stronger power players in the postseason over the years is 523 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 2: because of the fact that they have a certain resilience 524 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: in rock fights. But the problem is is, like Yokich's superpower, 525 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 2: which is the ability to like oh, I can battle 526 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 2: to close to the rim, where variance isn't an issue. 527 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: He's shooting it, like he's literally not making anything right 528 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 2: at the front of the rim. So like it's it's 529 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 2: I don't necessarily it's it's really hard for me to 530 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 2: process this because it's just so unusual compared to the 531 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 2: rest of his career. But like this is supposed to 532 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 2: be the one type of basketball that Jokic is impervious to, 533 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 2: unlike the other stars in the league. And so that's 534 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 2: where it's discouraging. Like even Giannis over the years has 535 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 2: struggled as like a half court surgeon in rock fight environments, 536 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 2: but like Jokic hasn't, and like this is just the 537 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 2: first substantial stretch where he has. And so I want 538 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 2: to again, I want to give Okay seek credit. They're 539 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 2: doing a great job swarming him. Hartenstein's doing a good job. 540 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 2: But I think a good chunk of this is just 541 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 2: jokicch is just playing well below his capability. 542 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, speaking of playing below's capability, another question SGA with 543 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 3: another bad shooting game in the playoffs, can we hold 544 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 3: him to the same standard that we hold players like 545 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 3: Jason Tatum to. 546 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 2: I here's the thing with with Shay, Like, once again, 547 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 2: like I you know, I have my feelings about who 548 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 2: Shay is and what he's capable of. But Shay to 549 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 2: me is kind of still in this like phase of 550 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 2: player ranking where I don't it's all theoretically because it 551 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 2: hasn't come to fruition in the playoff stage. But like 552 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 2: the this is absolutely fair, and we've I mean we've 553 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 2: been I don't know about you. Like Jackson, we've been 554 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 2: criticizing him through this entire series. I feel like he's 555 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 2: pretty consistently at the end of these games kind of 556 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 2: resulted to high ISOs. I thought he made some better 557 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 2: plays against the zone in the final fifteen minutes or 558 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 2: so of this game. The big thing that he's running 559 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 2: into is like there'll be these sequences where like Denver 560 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 2: will get going and they'll hit a couple shots in 561 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 2: a row, and he'll just come down and take a 562 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 2: contested fifteen footer and it'll brick, and then it'll be 563 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: like it'll just feel like a punch to the gut 564 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 2: for Okayse's offense. And then in that late third quarter stretch, 565 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 2: like he straight up like for like seven straight minutes 566 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 2: of game clocks just like wouldn't shoot, Like he just 567 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:35,919 Speaker 2: he just was dribbling the ball at the floor and 568 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 2: just throwing swing passes. And so it's like, Okay, the 569 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 2: no one's saying that you shouldn't shoot at all against 570 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,439 Speaker 2: the zone. We're just saying that you need to function 571 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 2: as like the thing that gets the zone moving. And 572 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 2: so once once him and Jay Dubb started actually looking 573 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 2: to get the ball into the middle of the floor 574 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 2: to pass instead of get the ball into the middle 575 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 2: of the floor to shoot, they started to have the 576 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 2: ball pop around some more and have some of those 577 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:00,919 Speaker 2: better sequences. But the other thing, too, is like, you 578 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 2: want to let the series play out, like there's a 579 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 2: you know, they still got to win two more games 580 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 2: and we'll see how Shaye looks at that point, and 581 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 2: there's more series in the future for them. But this 582 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 2: is the first playoff run in Shaye's entire career where 583 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 2: they are legitimately the championship favorites and all the pressure 584 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: is on them, and so far through the seven games 585 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 2: or eight games, he hasn't been very good. But there's 586 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:28,880 Speaker 2: still plenty of basketball left for him to figure it out. 587 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 2: And here they are there two two, they still have 588 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 2: a very good chance to win the series. And so similarly, 589 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 2: with Jason Tatum, like he deserves criticism for the way 590 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 2: that he played during the two games as they drop 591 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 2: down oh two, but the opportunity is still in front 592 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 2: of him to cl out of this, and all we're 593 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: gonna do is just cover it game to game. Shay's 594 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 2: been pretty bad. I thought he was pretty bad again tonight. 595 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 2: I thought he made a couple of huge plays late 596 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 2: in this game, which we're gonna credit when it happens, 597 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 2: and if he breaks out and starts playing amazing, we'll 598 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 2: then start discussing it in that context. But we're all 599 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 2: just taking this game to game or we're writing this 600 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 2: story as goes. 601 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's sort of the nature. The challenging nature of 602 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 3: the playoffs is how easy it is to overreact from 603 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 3: game to game. Basis like, you're so right that this 604 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 3: series feels like one that is going to go seven. 605 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 3: It certainly, I mean it's guaranteed to go six. It 606 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 3: feels like it's going to go seven, which means we 607 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,320 Speaker 3: are barely over half half of the games played. So 608 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 3: one of these two stars who's been struggling, Yoka your Sgay, 609 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 3: maybe we end up with, you know, four consecutive rock 610 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 3: fights to end the series. It's possible, but I would 611 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 3: assume that one of the two superstars is going to 612 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 3: elevate their play and start making some shots, and we'll 613 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 3: be we'll have to rewrite the way where whichever guy 614 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 3: it ends up being, we're gonna have to rewrite the 615 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 3: story in real time. 616 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Like it's the My whole thing is, like just 617 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 2: be consistent with it. Like I think where we go 618 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 2: go into some dangerous territories when you criticize a guy 619 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 2: when he sucks and then don't bring it up at 620 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 2: all when he plays well or vice versa, and like 621 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: that's the thing, Like I I have routinely come on 622 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 2: the show and said that I personally have never watched 623 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 2: an offensive basketball player that generates offense easier than Nicoliokich, 624 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: Like I I think he's the best offensive player I've 625 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 2: ever watched. He's stunk it up the last three games 626 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 2: and it's been a problem. Like Denver scored eighty seven 627 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 2: points today, Like that's not good enough for a guy 628 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 2: that I considered to be the best offensive player that 629 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 2: I've ever seen. And so like that, that's really my 630 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 2: whole thing that I'll try to do is just try 631 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 2: to be as consistent as possible and try very hard 632 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 2: to not let you know my personal biases get in 633 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 2: the way, even though they naturally will to a certain extent. 634 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 3: Next question, we'll take a couple more. How does Jalen 635 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 3: Williams get out of his slump? It feels like when 636 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 3: he's playing his best, nobody in the West can compete 637 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 3: with the Thunder. I don't even know if he's on 638 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 3: that big of a slump. He had a pretty decent 639 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 3: game last ye Yeah he was. 640 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 2: He was amazing in Game three outside of overtime, really, 641 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 2: and I don't even blame him for going off the 642 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 2: rails and regulation because Shay just kind of looked him 643 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: off and co opted those final couple possessions. But like 644 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 2: as far as as far as today goes like it 645 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 2: was like a steady die at a zone, let me 646 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 2: actually pull up the numbers. I bet you, I bet you. 647 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 2: They ran zone fifty possessions today. But it just zone 648 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 2: is It is such a different responsibility to zone shifts, 649 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 2: the responsibility almost entirely to catch and shoot playing a 650 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 2: players and not they ran forty five possessions of zone today, 651 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: forty five possessions and Denver got or Oklahoma City got 652 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 2: just zero point seven to eight points per possession. But 653 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,719 Speaker 2: it really just comes down to, like those those guys 654 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 2: at the point of attack, just getting the ball moving, 655 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 2: whereas in man demand situations it's very much about like 656 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 2: setting people up for like play finishing situations and looking 657 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 2: to score. But like, if you try to score on 658 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 2: the ball against the zone, you're gonna have problems. But okay, see, 659 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 2: to their credit ten possessions of zone in the fourth quarter, 660 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 2: they did get one point per possession in the fourth quarter, 661 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 2: so they did slowly start to figure it out over 662 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 2: the course of the game. 663 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 3: Let's do one more one more question and then we'll 664 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 3: go play back. Prenthese is not just about okay, see, 665 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 3: what is the best scheme throughout the NBA that you 666 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 3: have seen at guarding Jokic in his career? And if 667 00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 3: and if you had to make a plan for a 668 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 3: single their game, a game seven against Nikola Jokic, how 669 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 3: would you try? 670 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 2: And so I think Okohama City has shown a really 671 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 2: strong example of how a too big look can work. 672 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 2: And if Denver were to have won this series, which 673 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 2: I don't think they will anymore, I think Minnesota would 674 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 2: have similar capability to do this, and they've shown it 675 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 2: over the years. But the problem is is when you 676 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 2: put a smaller forward, So like let's talk like with 677 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 2: the Lakers series, it was always Ruby Hachimura someone like that, Right, 678 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 2: If you put a Ruby Hachimura on Nikola Jokic and 679 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 2: you have Anthony Davis behind him, you have the rim 680 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 2: protection piece. But it's just so easy for Jokic to 681 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 2: get to his short range shot making against Ruey because 682 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 2: he's so much bigger than Ruey, and so what he 683 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 2: can do is he can just kind of bump Ruy 684 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 2: and get to like little short seven foot shots over 685 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 2: both shoulders and he's gonna make them sixty five percent 686 00:32:56,040 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 2: of the time. The uniqueness of the Chet Hartenstein partnership 687 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 2: is Chet provides the vertical length that you get from 688 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 2: a center on the back line, but Isaiah Hartenstein provides 689 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 2: the trunky like strength that you get from a center, 690 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 2: And so it's basically like a literal two center. Look 691 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 2: where instead of it being Ruy that's funneling you into 692 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 2: Anthony Davis, it's Isaiah Hartenstein playing Jokic's right hand, so 693 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 2: basically forcing him to drive. So Jokic can't even get 694 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 2: to higher quality short range looks, and they're funneling him 695 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 2: into Chet who's got the length on the back line. 696 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 2: And so I think they just kind of uniquely have 697 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 2: the personnel to put a big, strong player on Jokic 698 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 2: that is not you know, six' nine but is rather seven, 699 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 2: feet but then also having real length behind, him and 700 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 2: then they're swarming and closing out really. Well BUT i 701 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 2: still Think jokic should be able to solve This hartenstein 702 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 2: problem and he needs to just do a better, job 703 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 2: and most of it just comes down to his jump 704 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 2: shots not going in at. All, NOW i do think 705 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 2: that's like the that is specifically different is Just hartenstein 706 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: being so big but also having a center behind. Him all, right, 707 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:08,720 Speaker 2: guys that's all we have for today on the YouTube. 708 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 2: Live as, always as sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting 709 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 2: me and supporting the. Show we're gonna go over to 710 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 2: playback and hang out for a little. BIT i will 711 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,800 Speaker 2: see you guys there. Again that's playback DOT tv Slash hoops. 712 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 2: Tonight what's up. Guys as, ALWAYS i appreciate you for 713 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 2: listening to and Supporting oops. Tonight it would actually be 714 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 2: really helpful for us if you guys would take a 715 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 2: second and leave a rating and a. Review as, ALWAYS 716 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 2: i appreciate you guys supporting, us but if you could 717 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 2: take a minute to do, THAT i really appreciate. 718 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 3: It the volume