1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, Aldwit to him said, I here 2 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: at the volume. Happy twoesday everybody. Hope all of you 3 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: guys are having a great week so far. Just a 4 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: quick show for you guys today, we're gonna do instant 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: reactions to three games from last night. As the Detroit 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: Pistons get a huge win on the road against the 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: Charlie Hornets, we have a huge fight that I want 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: to talk a little bit about that happened in the 9 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: third quarter of that game that's likely going to lead 10 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: to several lengthy suspensions. The Calves come back down again 11 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: double digits in the second half to win their second 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: game with James Harden on the road in Denver against 13 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: the Nuggets. And then at the tail end of the show, 14 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: Lakers thunder in the evening slate a demonstration of the 15 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: gap and talent down the roster between those two teams. 16 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: So three game breakdowns. You guys know the joke. Before 17 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: we get started, subscribe Toroops Tonight YouTube channels. You don't 18 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: miss any more of our videos. Make sure you like 19 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: this video and then turn on our post notification so 20 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: that you guys can help our channel grow. And then 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: last not at least if you want to get mailbag 22 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: questions into our mail bags, drop them in the comments 23 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: underneath their full episodes on YouTube, and we'll get to 24 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: them weekly throughout the remainder of the season. All right, 25 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So Pistons Hornets turned on a 26 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: huge Pistons run that spanned from the end of the 27 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: second quarter to the start of the third quarter, so 28 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: thirty eight to fourteen run classic Pistons. During that run, 29 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: their defense was incredible. Charlotte is a very good offense, 30 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: and they generated a lot of good shots in this 31 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 1: game for over various stretches of it. But during this 32 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: stretch of the game, they were able to tighten the 33 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: screws at the point of attack and in their rotations, 34 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: especially around the rim. I thought they're kind of like 35 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: gapping in help rotations at the rim, like shrinking the 36 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,919 Speaker 1: floor and making those kickout reads look a little tighter 37 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: and a little more high risk than they actually were. 38 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: I thought that did a good job of just kind 39 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: of stifling especially LaMelo Ball. LaMelo really struggled during that run, 40 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: spanning the end of the second quarter into the early 41 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: third quarter. Again, they held the Hornet to just fourteen 42 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: points in that eleven and a half minute stretch. Then 43 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: on the other end of the floor, Like Jalen Durt 44 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: only had fifteen points in this game, but he did 45 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: most of his damage during the first chunk of that 46 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: run just with his inside positioning. Did a little bit 47 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: of ISO work on some drives as well, but just 48 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: was bullying the Hornets underneath the basket until obviously he 49 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: gets removed from the game for the fight. We'll talk 50 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: about that in a little bit. And then Caid in 51 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: that like kind of as we got into the third 52 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: quarter portion of it. Caid was just especially in that 53 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 1: middle third quarter, just did a ton of damage going 54 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: towards the rim, just doing that thing that he always does, 55 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: just relentlessly attacking the rim, getting high percentage shots close 56 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: to the basket. That just created the distance that Detroit 57 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 1: was able to ride to the finish line. I think 58 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,239 Speaker 1: they went up by as much as sixteen during that stretch, 59 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: and the Hornets battled back admirably. Their offense generated countless 60 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: wide open threes in that fourth quarter. There were four 61 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,239 Speaker 1: wide open catch and shoot looks for Brandon Miller and 62 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: Konk Nipple just in the final minutes of that game. 63 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: That all claimed, so it could have been a very 64 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: different result if those guys hit those shots. They generated 65 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: nineteen wide open catch and shoot threes in this game, 66 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: which is an insane number, which is a credit to 67 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: their offense and what they can generate. They hit over 68 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: forty percent of them. They just missed four in a 69 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: row to end it, and that ended up kind of 70 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: being the difference in the game. Now, obviously there's some 71 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: context there. Detroit was down their whole center rotation. Obviously 72 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: Musadiabatte was out as well, so a little bit different 73 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: in terms of the health of the help dynamic at 74 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: the rim. But I still think that that concept for 75 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: Charlotte is something that is real to build around. I'm 76 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: going to talk about this concept even more when we 77 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: get to Cleveland, but just the idea of running action 78 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: with a high level shot creator, a roleman who can 79 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: do whatever the role man needs to do in terms 80 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: of being able to screen slip and then you know 81 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: whether it's making floaters, making short roll reads, making dunks 82 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: on vertical spacing situations, finishing in traffic, all that kind 83 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: of stuff. When you have that two man game foundation 84 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: and you can truly space the floor like all those 85 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: wide open looks that Brandon Miller and Konk Nipple got 86 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: at the end of the game. They came out of 87 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: the concept of them too, being situated on the weak 88 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: side while LaMelo Ball is running action. It just makes 89 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: it so that, like, if you want to tag rollers, 90 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: they're gonna have to give up an open shot, right, Like, 91 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: if you want to help on a LaMelo Ball drive, 92 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to give up an open shot, and 93 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: not just to anybody, but to a really high level shooter. 94 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: This is a team in the Hornets that's been top 95 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: three in three pointers made and three pointers of and 96 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: three point percentage during the nine game winning streak. So, like, 97 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: you know, in a lot of ways, it was kind 98 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,679 Speaker 1: of what you would expect from this type of fun 99 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: matchup between two up and coming young teams that are 100 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: very different types of teams and that are at two 101 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: very different stages of their development, right Like the Pistons 102 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: are further along. They also have, you know, more veteran 103 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: presences on board with guys like Tobias Harrison Duncan. Robinson 104 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: Duncan was also fantastic stick in this game. Tobias ended 105 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,239 Speaker 1: up hitting a huge shot that kind of helped ice 106 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: the game late, Like you just have a further along 107 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: more even more physically developed, like all like Caid's big 108 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 1: and strong now, Jalen Duran's big and strong now. So 109 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: they're just further along. They were able to play a 110 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,799 Speaker 1: longer stretch of dominant basketball there in that late second 111 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: early third quarter run, and they dominated using the identity 112 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: they've built all season, a lot of defense to transition sequences. 113 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: They had a lot of points off of Hornet's turnovers 114 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: in this game, mauling you in the paint. They had 115 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: a sixty to twenty six points in the paint advantage 116 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: in this game. That's a margin they always win by 117 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: like something like crazy, like fourteen to fifteen points a game, 118 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: but won it by thirty six or thirty four points 119 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: in that game in Charlotte, fourteen offensive rebounds, and then 120 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: Kate Cunningham just being relentless on the attack on the 121 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: dribble drive. So like that's what you'd expect. They're further 122 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: along both physically and in roster development, more veterans on board, 123 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: they have a longer identity that they've built throughout the 124 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: entire season. You expect them to be able to go 125 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: and get a win like that on the road, and 126 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: they did. The Hornets they're early in their development and 127 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: they're a very different type of team, but they still 128 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: have enormous upside, and we saw that upside get flashed 129 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: through the game stretches of good defense. They've been an 130 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: excellent defense in this nine game winning sure. You think 131 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: they were fifth if I remember correctly in defensive rating 132 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: over that nine game span. Their offense can constantly generate 133 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: good looks for a variety of shooters and all of 134 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: that dynamic in terms of the constant threat of you know, 135 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: having three four shooters on the floor at all times 136 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: creates these help dynamics and screening actions that can open 137 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: up lanes for their bigs to crash the offensive glass. 138 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: And they got eleven offensive rebounds last night. And it's 139 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: a very athletic Detroit Pistons team. So in that way, 140 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: it was a game that lived up to the hype 141 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: and was a really fun showcase for both teams. I 142 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: recorded a mail bag episode yesterday that's airing later this 143 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: week where someone asked me about this horny stretch and 144 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: whether or not I believe in it, and I do. 145 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: I was not super high on the Hornets coming into 146 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: the season. I looked at them as a team that 147 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: was like a solid two three years away from being 148 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: kind of more serious in that Eastern Conference, just because 149 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: of how young they were and how flawed they were. 150 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: At least in my impression of the team to start 151 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: the year, I was wrong about that. They're way ahead 152 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: of schedule. They might make the playoffs this year. I 153 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: think they're almost certainly going to be like a legitimate 154 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: playoff team in the Knicks next year. I get into 155 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: it in a lot more detail in that mail back episode, 156 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: but I thought that was a fun showcase for Charlotte 157 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: last night, and then a demonstration from the Pistons of 158 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: why they've been the most impressive team in the regular 159 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: season this year, something we talked about yesterday, as they've 160 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: been ten and four this season against teams that are 161 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: in the top ten in point differential, and twenty eight 162 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: of the thirty teams have lost at least eight games 163 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: against teams that are top ten in point differential. There's 164 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: one team that's won lost seven. The Pistons have only 165 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: lost four. They've consistently in these big, high profile games, 166 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: and Charlotte doesn't necessarily fit that bill in terms of 167 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: their big picture record, a big picture metrics, but a 168 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: red hot team, one of the best teams in the 169 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: league that's been beaten a lot of really good teams 170 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: in this stretch, and Detroit went in there and kind 171 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: of handled them. Right now, as we talk about the fight, 172 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: I have very complicated feelings about this sort of thing, 173 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: and I'm sure some people are not gonna like my 174 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: answer here, but this is just my kind of perspective 175 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: on this sort of thing. I generally think fighting is stupid, 176 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: but I also think that it's more complicated. It's complicated 177 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: because of the emotion of the situation. I do have 178 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: a great deal of sympathy for the emotion of these 179 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: types of moments. When your competitive motor is running really hot, 180 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: it unlocks a part of every human being that is 181 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: borderline primal, right Like, there's an energy that flows through 182 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: you that is very, very different than when you're in 183 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: a relaxed state. It's that fight or flight response, right like, 184 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,679 Speaker 1: you're in a very keyed up fight type of response. 185 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: Only have a dark side that comes out of me 186 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,079 Speaker 1: sometimes on the basketball court, not so much as I've 187 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: gotten older, I've had better control over it as I 188 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 1: get into my mid thirties now compared to when I 189 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: was in my mid twenties, but still to this day. 190 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: Every once in a while, like someone will challenge me 191 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 1: on the court in a way that's either verbally or physically, 192 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 1: and I I just see red and I start being 193 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: a complete asshole. And I have a lot of these 194 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: moments where sometimes I'll be sitting at home later feeling 195 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: really bad about the way I acted or the way 196 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: I treated somebody. The only point I'm trying to make 197 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: here is that, like I do believe, it's a lot 198 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: easier said than done then, like when it comes to 199 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: keeping your emotions in check in these highly competitive environments. 200 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: One of my favorite random examples of this is the 201 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: Richard Sherman interview, and I think it was the NFC 202 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: Championship game when he got that big deflection on the 203 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: fade route to Michael Crabtree in the right corner of 204 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: the end zone. A lot of people who don't know 205 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: any better were upset at him for the way he 206 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: acted on national television in that interview. Anybody who's actually 207 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time in highly compitive environments knew 208 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: exactly what was going on there. You stuck a microphone 209 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: in that dude's face mere seconds after one of the 210 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: biggest competitive victories of his life when him and Michael 211 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 1: had been john at each other, So he was in 212 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 1: a shit talking mood. If you wait ten minutes in 213 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: interview him after he's cooled off, he's going to behave 214 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: completely differently. The point being there is this, when you're 215 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: in that competitive, keyed up type of situation, it is 216 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: a lot easier said than done to control your emotions, 217 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: and there is a deep, primal part of you that 218 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: comes out a fight or flight response that is very 219 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: different than your relaxed state. And this Hornet's Pistons game 220 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: is an even more exaggerated version of that idea, like 221 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: Diabat's reaction for example, when Musa flew off the handle 222 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 1: like that. Jalen Deurn was bullying the hell out of 223 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: the Hornets front line for like ten straight minutes leading 224 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: into that, So there's always already like a physical, keyed 225 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: up response where you're fighting back against that bully ball attack. 226 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 1: Then when they face up and they go face to 227 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: face with each other, Jalen Duran straight up grabs him 228 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: by the face and shoves him. That's wildly disrespectful to 229 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: do to somebody. So I'm not surprised at all that 230 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: Musa saw red and wanted to fly off the handle 231 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: like that. Again, like I said, I very much sympathize 232 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: with the emotion of the situation. The main thing that 233 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: I want to get to here is the idea of 234 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: understanding what you have to lose. There's this idea that 235 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: great power comes with great responsibility. Right. Being an NBA 236 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: player is the modern version of great power. Right. You're 237 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: a multimillionaire, you're a celebrity, you live a life that 238 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: is a dream compared to the majority of the humans 239 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: in the world, but it comes with great responsibility. You 240 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: represent the NBA, and the NBA expects a lot from 241 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: its players in terms of behavior. You're also a part 242 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: of a team, and your team has goals, goals that 243 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: are far greater than the goals of the individual. And 244 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: so one of the things that comes with being an 245 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 1: NBA player is you can't allow your emotions to just 246 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: dictate your actions with impunity. In other words, you have 247 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: a lot to lose, even on the low end. For 248 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: a team like the Hornets, that may or may not 249 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: make the playoffs this year, you had just won nine 250 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: games in a row. You're really building towards something special. 251 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: As I mentioned, we're gonna go do a deep dive 252 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: on the Hornets in the mail Bag episode. I think 253 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: it's coming out tomorrow. In that mail Bag I talked 254 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: about how I do believe in these guys. I do 255 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: think that the Conkainipple, Brandon Miller, Mussa Diabate Corps is 256 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: an excellent foundation and that they're gonna be and in 257 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: the mixed playoff team sooner than later. I'm not even 258 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: really like there are times that I've watched the Hornets 259 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,439 Speaker 1: during this stretch from like man LaMelo balls shot creation 260 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: in conjunction with this shooting is what's making this work 261 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. I'm not the biggest LaMelo 262 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: ball fan, but I'm not ready to give up on 263 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: him in this court either. I am buying Hornet stock 264 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: in a way that I didn't think I would this year. 265 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: What if Musa has to go miss five ten games 266 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: right now? It's a smaller version of Steaks, It's a 267 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: smaller wrench, but it's a wrench thrown into the development 268 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: of this team. Nonetheless, and again, I know it's easier 269 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: said than done, but what Musa needs to do there 270 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: is when Jalen Duran does that, give him a shove 271 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: in the chest something that will never end in the suspension. 272 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: Just give him a shove, tell him to fuck off, 273 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: and then let the league handle the face shove, send 274 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,559 Speaker 1: a tape to the league. Let the league handle it. 275 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: I know it's an imperfect solution, but it's the one 276 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: that keeps Musa on the court with his team, which 277 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: is important when you have these team wide goals and 278 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: when you're building real momentum to what could be a 279 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: special era of for in its basketball. And again, the 280 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: stakes do get higher at the Isaiah Stewart situation. Now, 281 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: Isaiah Stewart is a very important rotation player for the 282 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: Pistons and we will likely not see him again for 283 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: a long time because he had a similar incident where 284 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,559 Speaker 1: he flew off the handle with the Lebron James Inadvertnelle 285 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: both it and here's the thing again, I sympathize with 286 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: the emotion. I understand why Isaiah Stewart wanted to stick 287 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: up for his teammates as they've done for him in 288 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: the past, but I would imagine if you went up 289 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: to Jalen Dirt and you know, you went up to 290 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: me and you asked him, You're like, would you rather 291 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: have Isaiah Stewart come flying in to settle the score 292 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: and have your back? Or would you rather have Stu 293 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: hangback because of his history and avoid the suspension that 294 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: would inevitably follow from something like that. Because the Pistons 295 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: have bigger goals, because the Pistons are building towards something special, 296 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: I could immortalize these Pistons guys in basketball history. We 297 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: all know what Jalen Duran would say. He'd be like, Stu, 298 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: I'm good, hang back. I fucked up. I pushed him 299 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: in the face. I'm gone already, you hang back. We 300 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: got bigger things that we're trying to accomplish though. In short, 301 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: it's just not worth it. It's not worth it to 302 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: give in to your emotions in those situations. And just 303 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: like I said earlier, the stakes keep getting higher. Draymond 304 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: Green missed an NBA Finals game and possibly could have 305 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: cost his team a championship because of his inability to 306 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: control his emotions. I know it's easier said than done, 307 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: as I've said several times, but every young basketball player 308 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: has to find a way to control their emotions when 309 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: they're running hot competitively. If you're playing in college, like 310 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: let's say you have a college scholarship and you fly 311 00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: off the handle in a game and you punch some 312 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: that could dramatically affect your future. You could lose your scholarship. 313 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: It could change the trajectory of your entire life. In 314 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: other words, like I said earlier, you have a lot 315 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: to lose and it's not worth it, and so that 316 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: requires more self control, even if it is easier said 317 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: than done. Hopefully, for all of these guys who got 318 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: suspended from this fight, they'll learn a lesson and not 319 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: make those mistakes in the future. Today's show is brought 320 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: to you by presenting sponsor hard Rock Bet, the official 321 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: sportsbook partner of the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. 322 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: Thank you not Ball. 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Concerned about 346 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: gambling in Florida called one eight three to three play 347 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: wise in Indiana. If you or someone you know has 348 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: a gambling problem and wants help, call one eight hundred 349 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: and nine with it gambling problem, called one eight hundred 350 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, 351 00:17:55,400 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: or Virginia. All Right, Moving on to calvs. Nuggets, second 352 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: game with James Harden, second game with the double digit 353 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: second half comeback win. The Cavs closed this game with 354 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: a Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jared Allen lineup that had 355 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,360 Speaker 1: Sam Merrill and Jalen Tyson off the ball, So essentially, 356 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: two excellent shot creators that can both play off the 357 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: ball because they're both great catch and shoot players, an 358 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 1: excellent screen and role partner in Allen, and two dudes 359 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: who have literally made over forty five percent of their 360 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: threes this year. There was a sequence where James Harden 361 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: kind of drove through the middle of the lane and 362 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: he throws like a no look where he's kind of 363 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: like looking at Donovan Mitchell in the right corner, but 364 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: he ends up throwing across his body to Jalen Tyson 365 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: at the top of the key. And if you watch 366 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell in the right corner. He starts celebrating, like 367 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: fist pumping, celebrating right when the pass was made because 368 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: he knows damn well that Jalen Tyson's gonna knock that 369 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: shot down. Both of those guys on wide open catch 370 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: and shoot threes are shooting obscene percentages this year. Aut paper, 371 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: it sounds impossible to guard. Right two deadly knockdown shooters, 372 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: two shot creators that are both excellent in pick and 373 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: roll and excellent as catch and shoot three point shooters, 374 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: and the screen and roll partner and Allen. It sounds 375 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 1: impossible to guard and it is in reality as well. 376 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 1: In the last nine minutes of clutch basketball. Over these 377 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 1: two games in Sacramento and Denver, the calves of log 378 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: day one forty offensive rating. It gets even tougher for 379 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: a team like Denver, for example. We talked about this 380 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 1: in the power rankings yesterday. You know, there's a lot 381 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: of like hoopli like oh, like you guys want to 382 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: know why the Nuggets were above five hundred without Jokic 383 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 1: and now they're suddenly two and four with Yokich. It's 384 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: not because Jokic is bad for the team or anything. 385 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: Like that. It's because he fundamentally changes the way they 386 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: have to play defense. The team got used to playing 387 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 1: defense as Shertain style. When Jonas and Jokic were both out. 388 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 1: There was a lot more switching, a lot more athleticism 389 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: on the floor. It was a very different defensive scheme. 390 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: It was less reliant on help and recover, more reliant 391 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: on individual defense in one on one because you were 392 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: doing so much switching right in these particular looks. With 393 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: Jokic on the floor, they've had to run a lot 394 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: of zone. They've had to run a lot of high 395 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: drop right and let's take high drop for example. So 396 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: if I am bringing Jokic up to the level and 397 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: pick and roll, that requires a lot in the form 398 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: of backside rotation. So that's been difficult for the Nuggets 399 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: to adjust to anyway, irrespective of the situation that the 400 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: Calves present, the Nuggets are really defending poor Lison's Jokic 401 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: came back because they have to get back into a 402 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: very different groove defensively that is very much more a 403 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,679 Speaker 1: help and rotate style of defense rather than a switch 404 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: and contain style of defense. And so the Nuggets been 405 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: struggling with that Anyway, now you add this problem that 406 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 1: the calves present, right, So like, if Jokic has to 407 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: come up to the level, what is the next stage 408 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: in that defensive sequence, right, it's a tag of the roller. 409 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: And if you don't like there is a player where 410 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:58,120 Speaker 1: Jared Allen caught a you know, so James Harden's coming 411 00:20:58,160 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: right off the top of the keys, getting too his 412 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: right hand. Jared Allen does a good job not only 413 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 1: laying the screen, but he lingers for just a second 414 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: to kind of create a larger pocket pass window. He 415 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: holds his screen for an extra second and then he rolls. 416 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: James Harden hits him on the bounce. There's no tag, 417 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: so he just goes right downhill. There was a tag, 418 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 1: I think it was late and he ends up I 419 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: think he ended up trying a foul on that play 420 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: from ever correct, but it gets two easy points out 421 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: of it. You have to tag the roller if you're 422 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: late on the tag Jared Allen's scoring, or if you 423 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: don't tag Jared Allen scoring. If you do tag, there's 424 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: four dudes on the floor off of Jared Allen, including 425 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: the ball handler, who are all over forty percent on 426 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,640 Speaker 1: catch and shoot. Three so like it's one of these 427 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 1: situations where they're difficult to guard under normal circumstances, but 428 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 1: because of the way the Nuggets play defense with Nikola Jokic, 429 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: it's borderline impossible. And so there was a tough shot 430 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,360 Speaker 1: and there James Harden hit a ridiculous step back three 431 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 1: on the left wing one way he probably got fouled 432 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: that ended up tying the game. But every other bucket 433 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: was easy, easy finishes and fouls for Jared Allen on rolls, 434 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: a layup for Donovan Mitchell on this nasty spin move 435 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: in semi transition, driving down the right side of the floor. 436 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 1: The move was tough, but once he got past him, 437 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: there's nobody help him because of all that shooting on 438 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,919 Speaker 1: the floor. Wide open layup, wide open threes for Jalen Tyson. 439 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: He had two wide open ones, one on the right 440 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: wing or one right at the top of the key 441 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: down the stretch. Those are all really easy shots that 442 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: are built from that dynamic of having two really high 443 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: level shot creators, a pick and roll threat as a 444 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: screener that's one of the best in the league, and 445 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: then literally two dudes who make damn near half of 446 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: their catch and shoot threes. That's just extremely difficult to guard. 447 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: And it's one of the big reasons why I'm so 448 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: high on this Cavs team, and I want to credit 449 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 1: the Cavs defense down the stretch. In this game too, 450 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: James Harden made some key defensive rotations late in the game. 451 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: He had one where he forced Tim Hardaway junior. Tim 452 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 1: Hardaway had one of those classic kind of like screen 453 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: slip sequences with Jokic off the top with Jamal Murray 454 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: coming off, and so Jokic dumps it over the top 455 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: and Harden made a really nice on time rotation, got there, 456 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: got a good contest. Tim Hardaway just hit a contested floater. 457 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: Shout out to him, it's tough shot. And he had 458 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:09,719 Speaker 1: another one where he forced a turnover on Jokich Jokic 459 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: post up. They're running that like classic kind of post 460 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: entry two man game with Murray and Jokic off of 461 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: the left wing and left block, and Jokic goes to 462 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: spin over his left shoulder. Harden sees it coming, rotates, 463 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: gets there in time, feet set and as Jokic tries 464 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: to step through, it's no foul because Harden is standing still. 465 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: He throws his arms into Harden and ends up turning 466 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: the basketball over his huge pivotal stop late in the game. Like, 467 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: one of the things with James Harden to keep an 468 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: eye on is that specific kind of thing as it 469 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: pertains to this team and their potential, because James Harden 470 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: is a much better one on one player defensively than 471 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,360 Speaker 1: he gets credit for. He has been awesome guarding one 472 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: on ones this year. It was one of the big 473 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: upside things that I talked about in the Trade Reaction pod. 474 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: Compared to a guy like Darius Garland who was just 475 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: getting brutalized in one on ones this year, James is 476 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: better one on one defender. But James can be an undisciplined, 477 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: unfocused off ball defender. He can miss rotations, he can 478 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: be laid on rotations, he can miss box outs, he 479 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: can lose shooters, he can get back cut, all of 480 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. And so James being attentive like 481 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: that on defense and being on time with his rotations 482 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: and just being in the right spot in the defensive 483 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: scheme is the pathway to him becoming a functional quality 484 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: defender in the best version of this team. I think 485 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: they're gonna need Evan Mobley, like they have not defended 486 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: well really in the big picture since since James Harden 487 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,159 Speaker 1: joined the team in the two games. But I do 488 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 1: think that Evan Mobley's gonna help a lot with that 489 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: when he gets back. And to their credit, they have 490 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 1: a one toh five defensive rating and crunch time last 491 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: night against that awesome Nuggets offense, I thought that was 492 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: a good impressive stretch of defense, some really impressive things. 493 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: There was a as a team, I thought they defended 494 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray really well. They forced him into some tough 495 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: contested shots that he missed. There was this blitz from 496 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: Keon Ellis and Jared Allen where they forced a turnover 497 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: on Jamal Murray just with excellent ball pressure where he 498 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: tried to get the pass off to Yonis kind of 499 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: slipping out of the screen, but they just got such 500 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: great pressure they got a deflection that led out to 501 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: a runout the other way. I'm just I'm buying all 502 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: sorts of Calvestock right now. You guys will see in 503 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,959 Speaker 1: my contender rankings with koc that come out. I think 504 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,400 Speaker 1: on Thursday this week I have him in my as 505 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: my favorite to win in the Eastern Conference. Now after 506 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: the trades, I looked at it as very jumbled up, 507 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: but I looked at the Knicks as my slight favorite 508 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: before the deadline. I think the addition of Keon Ellis, 509 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: Dennis Schroeder, and James Harden vault the Calves above every 510 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: other team in that group. It's all very close. Like 511 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: you know, obviously we're looking at Detroit, New York, Boston 512 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: and Cleveland as the main ones. Toronto's kind of like 513 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 1: hanging on to the bottom end of that group there, 514 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: but like they're all still very bunched up. But to me, 515 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: these moves and especially seeing it kind of like come 516 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: to fruition and just the type of basketball scene from 517 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: them in the last couple of days, I think I 518 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: put the Calves at the top of that group, and 519 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: they're the team that I have and in that group, 520 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 1: the one team in that group that I have as 521 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 1: a top tier contender in our contender rankings that come 522 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 1: out later this week. It's really a simple I think 523 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 1: when you add Evan Mobley to the mix, there will 524 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: be a combination of shot creation, high level role man play, 525 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: off ball shooting, perimeter defense, and rim protection. A combination 526 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: of those five things that is sort of unrivaled in 527 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: the East. They're not a perfect team. I'm still a 528 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: little worried about their frontline getting pushed around in certain 529 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: types of series. You know, big physical front lines. But 530 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: of all the top teams in the East, and all 531 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,360 Speaker 1: of them are flawed to a certain extent, I think 532 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,920 Speaker 1: this is the most complete team. And I'm just really 533 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: believing and buying in on this calvs. Group as we 534 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 1: had down the stretch of this season last game for today, 535 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,199 Speaker 1: Lakers Thunder not overly surprised by the result here. I 536 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: think the Thunder without Shay are just a better basketball 537 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 1: team than the Lakers without Luca. That's not exactly a 538 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: bold take. When you factor in just overall offense and 539 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 1: defensive talent, the Thunder are the most talented roster in 540 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 1: the league when they're fully healthy, and if you take 541 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: Shay off and you take Luca off, you find out 542 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: pretty quickly that the Lakers have a flawed roster by comparison. 543 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: And it's a little closer than it would look on 544 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: paper for this type of game, just strictly looking at 545 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 1: this matchup in the regular season, simply because the Thunder 546 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 1: offense completely falls apart without Shay. Their offense straight up 547 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: can't score without Shaye relative to when he's on the floor. 548 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 1: The Lakers, as a counter example, have only been two 549 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,439 Speaker 1: point six points worse per one hundred possessions when Luca's 550 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 1: off the floor this year because they still have high 551 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: level shot creators and they get better defensively by about 552 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:39,639 Speaker 1: two point four points. And so even though the offense 553 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 1: is a little better with Luca, it's just not as 554 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: big of a gap because you have Austin and Lebron, 555 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: these two super high level shot creators. So in a 556 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 1: game like this, the Lakers are still capable of replicating 557 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: some of what they do on offense, and they're more 558 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: or less the same, if not a slightly better defensive 559 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: team the Thunder. Without Shay, they usually have a hard 560 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: time scoring. And so that's why even though these rosters 561 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,159 Speaker 1: after their stars tilt heavily towards the Thunder, it was 562 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: a competitive game because the Lakers, you know, they have 563 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 1: more resilience on offense without their superstar because of the 564 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: way their roster is built. But even when we apply 565 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: that context, Okay, so he just has better basketball players, 566 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,400 Speaker 1: And I thought it was on display throughout the game 567 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 1: there's so many individual examples of that difference. So like, 568 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: for instance, like you look at the scrappiness of the Bigs, 569 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: DeAndre Ayton has the ball straight up taken away from 570 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: him twice down the stretch because he's just completely unprepared 571 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: for the scrappiness of this environment. He has an offensive rebound, 572 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,719 Speaker 1: gets stripped, has a defensive rebound gets stripped underneath the basket, 573 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: and it leads to a dunk. Chet. As a counter example, 574 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: the Lakers in a switching group end up leaving Lebron 575 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: James on an island out on the perimeter. That puts 576 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: Marcus Smart in a situation where he's got to scrap 577 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: with Chet Holmgren. Same dynamic. Right, Ayton got out scrapped 578 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: by guards. Right here, you have Chet matched up with 579 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: an even scrappier guard right in Marcus Smart, one of 580 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: the scrappiest guards of all time, and Chet just beats 581 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: him to the ball and gets a dunk. So like 582 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: in the scrap, Chet's better at scrapping than DeAndre, in 583 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: addition to being a better defensive player. Got some huge 584 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: stops down the stretch, including a big isostop on Marcus 585 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: Smart driving down the lane. But Chet's just a way 586 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: better basketball player than DeAndre and that's not a surprise there, right, 587 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: Guys like Alex Crusoe and Lou Dort and jay Lynn 588 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 1: Williams hitting threes while Jake Laaravia and Jared Vanderbilt are 589 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: clanking from the corners like that's not a surprise. The 590 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: Thunder have better shooting talent. The Thunder are fifteenth and 591 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: catch and shoot three point percentage this year. The Lakers 592 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: are twenty fifth. The Thunder were twelve for twenty six 593 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: on catch and shoot threes last night, the Lakers were 594 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: seven for twenty three. That's in line with what you 595 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: would expect from the talent available on these rosters. Even 596 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 1: the perimeter physicality stuff like Cason Wallace, Chet, Holmerun and 597 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 1: Jalen Williams all were able to go right at Austin 598 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: Reeves late in the game for easy twos. Austin defended 599 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 1: every single one of those plays pretty well, kept his 600 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: body in front, was competing physically, but he's just giving 601 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 1: up an athletic advantage against all three of those guys. 602 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: That's an advantage that Oklahoma City has that would not 603 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: go away even if the Stars were available, even just 604 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City forcing fifteen turnovers and scoring twenty three points 605 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: on them. Cason Wallace, by the way, menace in this game, 606 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: just hounding Austin Reeves up and down the floor, getting 607 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: those big late strips on DeAndre eight and as well. 608 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: Lebron talked about it after the game. There's just a 609 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: simple difference between these two teams. One's a championship contender 610 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: and one is not. He plainly stated that last night. 611 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: There are levels to hoop in the NBA. The Lakers 612 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: every time they run into this level seemed to get exposed. 613 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 1: So for example, in this eight and four stretch, where 614 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: they've been top ten in offense and defense. During the 615 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: eight and three they were top ten in offense and defense. 616 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how last night's numbers affected that, but 617 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: during the stretch where they've been playing their best backasketball 618 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: the season, they're eight and four. They're zero to three 619 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: in that stretch against teams that are in the top 620 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: ten and point differential according to Cleaning Glass, just five 621 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: and eleven this season against teams that are in the 622 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,479 Speaker 1: top ten and point differential. The following teams have all 623 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: been better by win percentage against teams in the top 624 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: ten and point differential, the Clippers, the Blazers, the Jazz, 625 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 1: the Hawks, and the Hornets. All five of those teams 626 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: are below five hundred in the big picture, but they 627 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: have performed better this season against the best teams in 628 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: the league. So like, this is just kind of what 629 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: it is. Now. The counter that you would hear from 630 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: some people is like, hey, well, what about if the 631 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: Lakers get all their stars healthy? And again, what I 632 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: would say in that specific context is like, is there 633 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: a chance that the Lakers will compete better against the 634 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: teams that are in the top ten and point differential 635 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: if they have all their stars healthy? Yeah, of course 636 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: there will. I don't think that that's too far of 637 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: a bridge to cross, so to speak. But even in 638 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: that context, it's one thing to be better than the Clippers, Blazers, Jazz, Hawks, 639 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: and and it's another thing to actually be ready to 640 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: compete nightly against the best teams in the NBA. And 641 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,959 Speaker 1: I just think this Lakers team is miles away from that. 642 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: Several of the thunder players I wanted to shout out 643 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: Alex Caruso. I thought his off the dribble shot creation 644 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: in this game was huge he's sneaky, been really good 645 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: at it all year. When called upon, He's run forty 646 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: pick and rolls, which is super low volume, but he's 647 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: generated forty five points including passes, so well over a 648 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: point for possession. He just hit a variety of pull 649 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: up jumpers and driving layups and made some passing reads 650 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: that just felt like found money in a game like 651 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: this where you only have one of your primary dribble 652 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: drive guys healthy. The Isaiah Joe first half hot streak, 653 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: I thought that was a huge part of that first 654 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: bit of separation that Oklahoma City built in the game. 655 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 1: Cason Wallace in those pick sixes out at half court. 656 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: Those are huge momentum plays. Jalen Williams the you know 657 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: Jaylynn Williams coming off the bench. It's always tough for 658 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: me to differentiate between those two and I'm verbalizing their names. 659 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: But he's been amazing all year in all sorts of 660 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 1: ways for this team, just kind of you know, obviously, 661 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: he was big during the Hertenstein injury, being another big 662 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: body for them off the bench. He's just a big, 663 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: smart defender who's always in the right place at the 664 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: right time, and he continues to just hit timely threes 665 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: for this team. Hit some huge ones in the fourth 666 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: quarter last night. I thought Jared McCain's first shift was awesome. 667 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: Just came in aggressive looking for a shot, which is 668 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: what the team needs from him right now with all 669 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: of the injuries. And then Chet just huge defensive stands 670 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: down at the rim late in the game in addition 671 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: to that big offensive rebound put back late. You have 672 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: to play really solid team basketball when you're down your superstar, 673 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: and the Thunder did that and they got a big win. 674 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 1: And then lastly, just Jaylen Williams. Jaylen Williams, good to 675 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: see him back last night, held up physically, which is 676 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: good news. I was a little worried that they were 677 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: bringing him back too quick for a soft tissue injury 678 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: when he's so important to the final version of this team. 679 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: But he looked great last night, had some big, big 680 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: buckets late in the game when this team needed him late. 681 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 1: Just an awesome performance from a team that I believe 682 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: is going to win the championship this year in Oklahoma City. Thunder. 683 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: All right, guys, that's all I have for today is 684 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: always I Sally appreciate you guys for supporting us and 685 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: supporting the show. We'll be back tomorrow with a mailbag. 686 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: This the schedule the rest of this week is a 687 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:08,799 Speaker 1: little funky, could have a This is my last like 688 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: little break before the home stretch. And so I've got 689 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: a buddy coming in town today and we're going to 690 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: do some skiing over the next few days. So I've 691 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 1: got a mail bag coming out tomorrow. Today I'm recording 692 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 1: contender rankings with KOC that's going to air on Thursday, 693 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: and then we'll be back on Monday with our normal 694 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 1: power rankings Again. As always, I appreciate you guys, and 695 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:26,240 Speaker 1: I will see you tomorrow