1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: The volume all right, Olkan hoops today, you're at the 2 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 1: volume heavy Wednesday, everybody. I hope all the guys are 3 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: having a great week on a Jampacks show for you guys. Today, 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna hit a couple of games from last night, 5 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: as Lebron James makes his debut against the Utah Jazz. 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: It was a little sloppy for about two and a 7 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: half quarters. We'll dig into the reasons why, but we 8 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: had a Luca explosion down the third quarter and a 9 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: Lebron and Austin explosion to start the fourth quarter that 10 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: blew that game open as the Lakers got a blowout 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: win against the Utah Jazz. After that, the Orlando Magic, 12 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: after starting just one and four this season, are seven 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: and three in their last ten after logging a big 14 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: win at home last night against a red hot Warriors 15 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: team that had just won three games in a row, 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: overcoming sixty seven combined points from Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry. 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: A lot of encouraging signs coming from the Orlando Magic 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: offense that we'll be digging digging into there. 19 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 2: Also. 20 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: Thirdly, today it will hit this after the Lakers segment, 21 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: but I saw a take going around on Twitter yesterday 22 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: from Bill Simmons regarding the idea that the Draymond suspension 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: in Game five of the twenty sixteen NBA Finals is 24 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: the biggest sliding doors moment in recent NBA history. I 25 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: want to dig into several reasons why that is not 26 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: the case. So lots of stuff to get into today. 27 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: You guys know the Joe before we get started. Subscribe 28 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: to Hoops and Out YouTube channels. You don't miss any 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: JSNLT so you guys don't miss show announcements. Don't forget 31 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: about our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under 32 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if you leave a 33 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: rating and a review on that front. Jackson's doing incredible 34 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 35 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there for 36 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: more content throughout the season. In the last, but not least, 37 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: if you guys want to get mail bag questions into 38 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: our Friday mail bag this week, make sure you drop 39 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: them in our full episodes on YouTube. Right mail bag colon, 40 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: drop your question, We'll get to them on Fridays. The 41 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: remainder of the season. Our next playback stream will be 42 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: Friday night for the Denver Nuggets on the road against 43 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: the Houston Rockets. A matchup between what I think are 44 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: currently the second and third best teams in the NBA. 45 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: Gonna be really fun one to dig in to. Hope 46 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: you guys will come hang out with us on Friday night. 47 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball, so ugly basketball between 48 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: the Lakers and the Jazz for about two and a 49 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: half quarters, and here I want to shout out Will 50 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: Hardy and the Utah Jazz. They ran a lot of 51 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: organized offense last night, meaning they got the ball at 52 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: the floor and they didn't just attack matchups or try 53 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: to play one on one. They ran a lot of screening, action, interchanges, 54 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: ball and player movement, and they looked great in doing so. 55 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: I was sincerely impressed as a team as how they 56 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: sprinted in and out of their cuts, how they sprinted 57 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: it in out of their screens, How they always seem 58 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: to like identify when the Lakers would make a mistake 59 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: and hit that gap with a pass or with a 60 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: quick drive or something along those lines. They played really 61 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: good basketball, and the Lakers struggled to guard their screening action. 62 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: One of the issues they were having early in the 63 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: game was giving up easy threes on soft switches. This 64 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: was an issue that we talked about a lot last 65 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: year with the Lakers, where essentially, you have a screen 66 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: and the guy who's guarding the screener is going to 67 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: switch on to the person coming off the screen right, 68 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: But if you're standing back instead of meeting that offensive 69 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 1: player with physicality or ball pressure on the other side 70 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: of the screen, they can settle into some easy threes there. 71 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: And they gave up several easy threes early in the 72 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: game that allowed some of Utah's perimeter players to get 73 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: into rhythm. Keante George in particular got going with his 74 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: pull up jump shot and as a result, he started 75 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: to hit some more of the contested ones. Later in 76 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: the game. Lori Markinen did a ton of damage to 77 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: them as a team. The Jazz did a ton of 78 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: damage to them, giving up slips out of layup, so 79 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: like they would run up in screen and then as 80 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: soon as they hit the defender that would inflict the switch. 81 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: But as soon as that switch would happen, that defender 82 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: would then be on the top side, so then he 83 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: would just slip to the basket and the Jazz would 84 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: hit that guy for a layup. There were also several 85 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: examples of them just botching switches. They lost Lori market 86 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: In in a ghost screen three in the second half 87 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: where he just ran up the screen and then slipped 88 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: out of it. Both guys lingered with the ball, easy 89 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: three for Lori market and a lot of just like mistakes, 90 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: a lot of defensive breakdowns for the Lakers as the 91 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: Jazz were running all of their action. However, about halfway 92 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: through the third quarter, they cleaned that up. They were 93 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: able to start getting stops and they were able to 94 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: pull away from there with the strength of their offense. 95 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, it is actually a crazy stat. 96 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: The Lakers conceded twenty seven points to the Jazz on cuts, handoffs, 97 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: and off ball screening actions in the first three quarters 98 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: of the game. They gave up zero on all three 99 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: of those categories in the fourth quarter when they blew 100 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: the game open. And I talked about this during the stream. 101 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: Those of you guys were hanging out with us on 102 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: playback last night. They let their shooters like Sabe m 103 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: Kailou and Kante George in particular, get a rhythm with 104 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: open shots early in the game, but from and they 105 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: are like there's a lot of tough shot making, like 106 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: Cante George hit some really tough mid range jump shots 107 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,239 Speaker 1: off the bounce. Lorii Marken had had some tough buckets 108 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: where he was like fighting through physicality and finishing at 109 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: the rim. I talked about this on the stream last night, 110 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: but that was never gonna be what would beat. 111 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: The Lakers last night. 112 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: It would be a combination of that plus giving up 113 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: a bunch of easy layups and wide open threes through 114 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: defensive breakdowns that could potentially cost you a game like that. 115 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,559 Speaker 1: It's a simple concept. You don't beat teams one hundred 116 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: and forty to zero. That's not how basketball works. You're 117 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: gonna give up some points. These players are too good. 118 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: They're gonna make plays. The key is you limit the 119 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: easy ones, make them live on the hard ones, and 120 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: you're probably gonna get enough stops to win the game. 121 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: And by the way, the Lakers completely shut off all 122 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: the easy stuff during that second half run. There was 123 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: a forty three to nineteen run. It basically started on 124 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: this bizarre play where Luca tried to kind of dribble 125 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: through a triple team going up the court and a 126 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: Kyle Anderson came from by swiped the ball away from 127 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: Luca and it got called for a foul. Luca went 128 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: down in a heap, but Luca was flopping, so they 129 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: go to the replay. Will Hardy two really smart challenges 130 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: got one on a clean strip of Lebron in the 131 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: first half, and they got this one on Luca in 132 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: the middle third quarter. Both challenges successful. It gets overturned, 133 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: but it like seemingly woke Luca up, because from that 134 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: moment forward from the challenge, it was eighty eight to 135 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: eighty seven, the Jazz had a lead. From that moment 136 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: forward to end the third quarter, Luca goes on this 137 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: crazy run where he's being super physically aggressive towards the basket, 138 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: starts generating great shots every single time down the Lakers 139 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: engaged defensively at that point, they flip it into a 140 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 1: little bit of a run and then Austin and Lebron 141 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: came in to start the fourth quarter and just completely 142 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: blew the game open. But again, that's a thirteen point 143 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: five minute stretch there from when the from when Luca 144 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: got that overturned challenge all the way to the middle 145 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: of the fourth quarter when the Lakers went up by 146 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: twenty three points. There is a forty three to nineteen run, 147 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: forty three to nineteen spanning the end of the third 148 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: in the first half of the fourth quarter, a little 149 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: over a quarter right thirteen and a half minutes, and 150 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: they allowed just nineteen points. Ultimately, it's their defense, and 151 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about this a little bit more later 152 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: on in the segment, but the Lakers have been very 153 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: much a short burst timely go on a run type 154 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: of defense rather than a large sample every possession type 155 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: of defense, and it's helping them win games. They shut 156 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: down the Jazz for thirteen and a half minutes, they 157 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: blow the game open with their offense. Do it by 158 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: shutting down those defensive breakdowns, the simple easy stuff they 159 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: were conceding by making mistakes and screening actions. Forced Utah 160 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: to live on tough shots. Yeah, there's some tough ones 161 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: in there. Caante hit like a ridiculous off the dribble 162 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: jump shot on the left base line over Austin Reeves. Again, 163 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: that's not how you're gonna lose a game like that. 164 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: You're gonna lose it by giving up easy layups and 165 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: threes right. That Austin and Lebron lineup that was super 166 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: deadly over the years previous to this exploded again last night. 167 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: They played twenty one possessions without Luca against the Jazz 168 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: last night. Cleaning the Glass clocked them at a one 169 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: to sixty two offensive rating in those twenty one possessions 170 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: in a one to oh five defensive rating, a plus 171 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: fifty seven net pace in that small sample with Luca 172 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: or with Lebron and Austin on the floor with Luca off, 173 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: they blew the game open and the Lakers improved to 174 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: eleven and four. This is what we got to talk about. 175 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 2: Lebron. 176 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: I thought he did just a wonderful job of inserting 177 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:38,599 Speaker 1: himself into the flow of things without disrupting the existing rhythm. 178 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: This was clearly demonstrated in the usage percentages if you looked. 179 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: So obviously comically small sample, but in last night's game, 180 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: the usage rate came out to Luca at thirty six percent. 181 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: That's right around where you want him in the mid thirties, right, 182 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: Austin at twenty eight percent, right in the high twenties, 183 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: right where you want him, and Lebron down at like 184 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: fourteen and a half percent. Lebron did not come in 185 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: and co op the offense, especially in the first half. 186 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: He played almost entirely off the ball. There were a 187 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: handful of post ups. Lebron did a lot of work 188 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: in the post in this game, and then he was aggressive, 189 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: especially as a playmaker in that early fourth quarter stretch, 190 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: running action and making reads. But for the most part 191 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: in the game, he did not try to force his 192 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: way into the action. He very much played as a 193 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: satellite player and that allowed Luca and Austin to maintain 194 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: their rhythm. Austin got twenty six points, Luca got thirty 195 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: seven points. Neither of those two guys looked disrupted at all. 196 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: Lebron made a concerted effort to play through them, especially 197 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: in that first half, making quick swing passes in the 198 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: first half is a lot of like just a couple 199 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,719 Speaker 1: of transition pushes here, you know, attacking a close out 200 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: with a three point shot off the dribble or something 201 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: like that. Very little in the way of like self creation. 202 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: A few post ups, but that was it. He was 203 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: very much allowing the team to play their existing kind 204 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: of rhythm and flow on offense, and this is where 205 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: the situation is very different than what happened last year. 206 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: If you guys remember what happened last year in February, 207 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: both Anthony Davis and Luca were injured at the time 208 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 1: of the trade, right, And so as a result of that, 209 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: Lebron and Austin kind of had their own thing going on. 210 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: When Luca eventually decided to come back, and Lebron at 211 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: that point was playing at a top three, top four 212 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: level in the NBA. He was averaging damn near a 213 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: thirty point triple double in that sixteen game span. There 214 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: kind of surrounding the trade deadline on both ends, right, 215 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: So like they had their own thing going and it 216 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: was very difficult because then you're trying to implement Luca, 217 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: who by any measure, is very much an on ball 218 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: player that you need to put the ball in his hands. 219 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: I don't mean that as an insult. He's literally one 220 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: of the very best on ball players that I've ever seen. 221 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: Like you need to give him the basketball, right, But 222 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: it was a little bit more complicated. It did disrupt 223 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: some of their offensive rhythm. They toasted a couple of 224 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: games against bad teams early in that stretch, against Utah 225 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: and against Charlotte, and it was like a lot of 226 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: just the clunkiness of having an existing rhythm for Lebron 227 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: and who was playing like literally better than the like 228 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: than the vast majority of stars in the NBA at 229 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: that point in time, and trying to incorporate this very 230 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: much on ball type of player. Lebron in many ways, 231 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: versatility is his strength. He's been referred to as one 232 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: of the great Swiss army knives in NBA history, right, 233 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: So like for Lebron in this situation where Luca and 234 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: Austin already have such great rhythm, for Lebron to be like, oh, 235 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: you want me to play as like a guy that 236 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: operates off the ball, as like a screener, cutter, spot 237 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: up player, transition weapon, the occasional post up as a 238 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: second side creator alongside units that are featuring Austin or 239 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: featuring Luca. Like that is right up Lebron's alley. That 240 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: fits his skill set perfectly. According to Synergy, he ran 241 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: just just twelve self created possessions all game, six pick 242 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: and rolls, two ISOs, and four post ups, and he 243 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: was surgically efficient. He generated fifteen points on them, one 244 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: point twenty five points per possession, but it was very 245 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: picky about when he decided to be aggressive, especially when 246 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: all three stars were on the floor. He basically played 247 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: entirely through Luca and Austin. I just thought he did 248 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: an excellent job of letting the game come to him 249 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: and easing his way into the offense without disrupting things. 250 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: Then he has this unbelievable fourth quarter stretch where he 251 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: just picks the Jazz apart with his passing. He finished 252 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: the game with twelve assists. And one of the things 253 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: that stood out to me in a big way last 254 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: night was a casual reminder of just how good of 255 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: a read and react player Lebron is, because every single 256 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: time he did anything with the basketball, the team just 257 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: utah just reacted to him by sending multiple defenders, and 258 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: he just made simple reads. Like he's posting up on 259 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: the left block and he spins off and throws a 260 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: lob to deandraon a identical play mirror image play to 261 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: that Luca Lobb to Jackson that happened about a week prior. 262 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 1: I can't remember who they were playing, but it was 263 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: a very similar type of play. A lot of teams 264 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: when they're dealing with a really difficult player to guard 265 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: in the post. What they'll do is they'll play the 266 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: high side with the on ball defender, meaning take away 267 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: the middle, so they'll essentially try to force the player 268 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 1: to spin to the baseline, where they then offer help 269 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: off of the dunker spot because most guys in that 270 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: situation aren't you know, high IQ enough anticipatory passers to 271 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: be able to identify the read in that situation, and 272 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: they'll just dribble into a mess and turn it over 273 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: or just have to bail out and throw some bad 274 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: kickout pass to guy thirty five feet from the rim, 275 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: not Luca and Lebron on the Luca lob de Jackson, 276 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: he's spun off of that high side wall off to 277 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: try to force him towards the baseline. Knew the big 278 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: man was stepping over immediately through the lob to Jackson, 279 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: and he dunked it. Lebron had an identical play to 280 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: DeAndre Ayton in this game where he's posting on the 281 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: left block, spins baseline. Kevin Love immediately steps over as 282 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: part of that coverage to help outside the block, essentially 283 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: almost like strongside zoning, coming over as Lebron spins and 284 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: Lebron just immediately throws the lob to Deandreon and dunks it. 285 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: These are reads. Lebron is just making reads, which is 286 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: what he is. One of the things he's better than 287 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: most players in the entire NBA at like, Oh, he's 288 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: posting up on the right block and DeAndre Ayton's standing 289 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: wide open around the semi circle. He just throws it 290 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: to him. He makes a little short jump shot. That's 291 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: a simple read. 292 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 2: Okay. 293 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: He's attacking middle off of an offensive rebound and Jake 294 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: Laavia is being helped off of on the right wing. 295 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: Easy kick out to Jake Lavia, knock down a three. 296 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 2: Oh. 297 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: He runs like a little ball screen with aighton that 298 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: the Jazz are icing and funneling him towards the sideline. 299 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: He attacks down along the sideline to the baseline. Both 300 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: defenders kind of congregate around Lebron. 301 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: Easy little no. 302 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: Look drop off to eighton another little soft dunk from 303 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: Aytan Oh. He's posting on the right block in the 304 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: second half and Keyante George is ball watching, so Jake 305 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: Laravia can cut along the baseline. Lebron just hit him. 306 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: Jake Loravia dunks it. It's all just simple reads. Out 307 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: of action, and when you have the type of aggregate 308 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: ball handling, playmaking and finishing talent that the Lakers have, 309 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: there's just a lot of opportunities like that that you 310 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: need high level playmakers to play to pay off. And 311 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: adding Lebron to the mix is is just gonna make 312 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: life so much easier. 313 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 2: There. 314 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: Another big element that Lebron brought brought to the Lakers 315 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: last night was just his transition attack. This is something 316 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers don't really have. They'll get out and transition 317 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: with timely push aheads and stuff like that, but what 318 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: they don't have is just like a freaky downhill transition athlete, 319 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: and Lebron brings that. He was hitting these gaps whenever 320 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: he'd see him with these aggressive drives and he either 321 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: draw fall ory, generate an open look on a kickout 322 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: pass in the second half, a lot of playmaking and 323 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: transition where he get the ball up the floor and 324 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: all the guys would react to him and he'd drop 325 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: it off to DeAndre Ayton for a trailing dunk, or 326 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: he drop it off to Austin for a trailing layup. 327 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: Just ultimately, Lebron at his core is just an extremely 328 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: high level read and react player that can dribble, shoot 329 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: and pass, and so he ties everything together for the 330 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: Lakers on that end of the floor while also providing 331 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: his own pop with those transition attacks, with the second 332 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: side creation on the units when one of Luca or 333 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: Austin are on the floor, which those are units that 334 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: those guys used to have to carry by themselves. Now 335 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: Lebron brings the second side creation element there and once 336 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: again did it all without disrupting Luca in Austin's rhythm. 337 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: The Lakers logged a offensive rating of one hundred and 338 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: thirty four last night when Lebron James was on the floor. 339 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: That was the best out of all of the Big 340 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: Three for the Lakers, and it's because he's the ultimate 341 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: connective piece for an already elite offense. Now, looking at 342 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: the defense, I don't want to blame Lebron here solely 343 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: because the whole team was bad on that end for 344 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: two and a half quarters. And like for instance, it 345 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 1: was one of Luca's worst defensive games of the season. 346 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: He was getting cooked in screening actions, making mistakes. He 347 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: was really struggling with Fiema Kailu as a spot at players. 348 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: He got him with a couple of jab steps, one 349 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: for a three, one for a driving lefty dunk. But 350 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: Lebron also wasn't great on defense in that stretch of 351 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: the game. He looked like he was a step late 352 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 1: on both his defensive reads and in his defensive rotations, 353 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: like actually like the just a little bit slow getting 354 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: over mentally, but also a little slow getting over physically. 355 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: There were three plays in the game where he made 356 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: low man rotations and was just a step slow and 357 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: didn't get a block, but was like there as someone 358 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: else was laying the ball up. But again, the whole team, 359 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 1: including Luca and Lebron, they all locked in when they 360 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: needed to in that stretch spanning that forty three to 361 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: nineteen run, spanning the end of the third in the 362 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: early fourth quarter, and all of them were able to 363 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: kind of get the stops that they needed. And ultimately, 364 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 1: I think Lebron's going to get that stuff back when 365 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: he gets his conditioning. Those physical rotations will be a 366 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: little faster when the speed of the game, when he 367 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 1: catches up to that mentally, he'll be a little bit 368 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: faster making some of those reads. Ultimately, I think Lebron's 369 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,199 Speaker 1: going to be able to help this team defensively a 370 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: lot in the big picture, even though the entire team 371 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: wasn't good last night. 372 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 2: For the most part, this team. 373 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: To this point in the season, at eleven and fourth 374 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 1: or fifteen games, it's been very much like a we 375 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: look bad on defense for the long stretches, but then 376 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: we lock in for short bursts and we go on 377 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: runs that win games type of defense. That's been the 378 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: type of team that they've been, and they've that's shown 379 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: in the metrics because they've had stretches where they've looked 380 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: really bad on defense, but then they're seventeenth in defensive 381 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: rating to start the season on a pretty tough schedule, 382 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: and they've had stretches where they've been very good on 383 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 1: defense against very good offenses like that was a Milwaukee 384 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: team that's been causing a lot of problems this year 385 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 1: for teams just pressuring the rim and kicking out the 386 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: shooters and the Lakers basically shut them down. They've had 387 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: timely defense, and that, to me is that track that 388 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: we've talked about it. The goal for this team needs 389 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: to be twenty twenty three Denver Nuggets be one of 390 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: the top two or three offenses in the league, while 391 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 1: being somewhere around the twelfth to fifteenth best defense the 392 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: league that can block in and be a timely good 393 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: defense that goes on runs, that is a high IQ defense, 394 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: that is schematically strong, that is strong game planning from 395 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: their staff. That's the pathway for the Lakers to get 396 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: to where they want to go on the defensive end 397 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: of the floor. I still think they need some extra help. 398 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: Ultimately. 399 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: I think this team needs a starting caliber three, somebody 400 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: that's a combination of all the best traits of Marcus Smart, 401 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: Jake Laavia, and Ruey Hatchamura. Big like Ruy, and athletic, 402 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: really smart and high IQ as a read and react 403 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 1: player like Marcus, but some more of the off the 404 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: dribble polish that you get from Jake Laavia. If you 405 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: combine all of those things, that's the type of player 406 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:41,200 Speaker 1: that I think can move the Lakers into some more 407 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:42,959 Speaker 1: serious conversations. 408 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 2: Overall. 409 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: With Lebrono to kind of tie this off again, I 410 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,640 Speaker 1: just thought he did a wonderful job inserting himself into 411 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: the offense without disrupting the existing rhythm, which showed in 412 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: how efficient they were on offense when he was on 413 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: the floor and He's just an incredibly versatile basketball player 414 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: who was built to step in and address a bunch 415 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 1: of specific needs for this Lakers group. It remains absolutely 416 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: baffling to me that anybody couldn't understand how Lebron would 417 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: obviously help this team. I went on Twitter last night 418 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 1: for like five minutes after the game. I was eating 419 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 1: a late dinner after the stream, and I saw a 420 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: bunch of tweets from people like blaming Lebron for how 421 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: bad they looked in the first two and a half quarters, 422 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: and like, I literally was like, oh my god, this 423 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: this Lebron derangement syndrome is alive and well, Like, it 424 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: was just very clearly that the entire Lakers team looked 425 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: lackadaisical against a Utah Jazz team that they didn't show 426 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: up with the appropriate respect for, and Lebron was certainly 427 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: not the center of their issues on either end of 428 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: the floor during those two and a half quarters. Like, 429 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: so many people are overthinking this, so many people are 430 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,719 Speaker 1: Like I literally saw tweet saying Lebron was marginalizing Austin 431 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: when Austin had a twenty eight percent usage percentage and 432 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: Lebron had a fourteen percent usage percentage and was clearly 433 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: deferring to those guys throughout the games. Way too many 434 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: people are overthinking this. You're gonna see a ton of 435 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: negativity surrounding Lebron over the next couple of weeks, especially 436 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: if the Lakers drop a game or two, which is like, 437 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: I don't know what fucking happens in the NBA regular season. 438 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: It just it is what it is. You got to 439 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: just ignore those people. Lebron is going to help this team. 440 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: It's not gonna be perfect. It's not gonna be a smooth, 441 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: linear ascent to the top of the league. It will 442 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: be clunky. Sometimes they will drop some games, but in 443 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: the big picture, he is a massive ceiling razor for 444 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: this group, especially once they get the continuity that they 445 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: need for them to all kind of settle into their 446 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: appropriate roles. A couple other quick shout outs for the Lakers. 447 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:40,959 Speaker 1: I thought DeAndre Ayton and Jackson Hayes were both fantastic 448 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: in this game. They combined for twenty eight points and 449 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: seventeen rebounds between the two of them, six offensive rebounds. 450 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: Both Ayton and Jackson had some huge offensive rebound put 451 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: backs in the second half. Both of them did lots 452 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: of damage on the roll, like oh, Lebron calls for 453 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: a quick late late clock ball screen from Jackson and 454 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: Yorkic shows too high, oh boom, easy little pass in 455 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: the pocket Jackson's dunking it down the lane, or like 456 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: DeAndre Eyton rolling to the foul line and hitting little 457 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: short jump shots off of Luka Doncics. Ball screens just 458 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 1: like the two of them have been wonderful to start 459 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: this season. I think getting DeAndre Ayton has motivated Jackson 460 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: to add some muscle and to add some proficiency in 461 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: some key areas, namely his short role passing and just 462 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: the amount of muscle that he's put on that's allowed 463 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: him to be more physical underneath the basket, but also 464 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: defending without fouling, which was such a big issue for 465 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 1: Jackson in previous seasons. Like it's a rising tide that 466 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: floats all boats, you get more good basketball players in 467 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 1: the situation where rotation minutes get harder to come by. 468 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 1: It motivates everyone to play better basketball. Jake Laaravia had 469 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: a really nice bounce back game after looking kind of 470 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: out of rhythm on the road trip, played really well 471 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 1: off of Lebron in that fourth quarter run. Last note 472 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: on the Lakers before we get out of here. A 473 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: lot of people were upset about Ruy starting. I didn't 474 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: have any problem with it. Again, like it makes with 475 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: the defensive scheme they were using. They were primarily switching, 476 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: and if you're gonna switch, that allows the opponent to 477 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: get rid of the primary point of attack defender basically 478 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: whenever they want to. So a primary point of attack 479 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 1: defender has less value in a switching defensive scheme. And 480 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: so with that being the case, a guy like Marcus 481 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: has less value with that group, and all of a sudden, 482 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: Rui's offensive game becomes a bigger value. Now, did the 483 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: starters play well last night? 484 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: No? 485 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: But sometimes, like people Galaxy brain this stuff, sometimes a 486 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: group of basketball players plays bad basketball, and that doesn't 487 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: mean that that group of basketball players isn't capable of 488 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: playing good basketball. The answer is just play better basketball. 489 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: That group is going to work. They just need to 490 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,719 Speaker 1: attack games better than they did against the Utah Jazz 491 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: on League Pass on a Tuesday in November. Everybody relax. 492 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: Does that mean Rui's going to start? In the big picture? 493 00:23:58,119 --> 00:23:58,639 Speaker 2: Who knows? 494 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: Maybe they end up shifting to Mark because at some point, 495 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: maybe they end up running some more drop coverage with 496 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: Marcus and DeAndre and we'll see in the big picture. 497 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: But I think starting RUI is a completely defensible decision. 498 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: Like you can get a little bit deeper into some 499 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 1: of the stuff, Like Okay, like Gabe Vincent ended up 500 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: playing a substantial role. I didn't think Gabe was bad 501 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,919 Speaker 1: last night. Did he botch some switches and have some 502 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,160 Speaker 1: mistakes on the defensive end? Yeah, what are you gonna 503 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: get mad at Gabe for when everybody on the team 504 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 1: was doing it? Hit a couple of threes, had a 505 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: really nice relocation three off of a side step off 506 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: of a Lebron kickout in the second half. Like they're like, 507 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: I didn't really have any problem with how the rotation 508 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: shook out last night. Just ultimately, would I like to 509 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: see a guy like Dalton play over Gabe? Maybe maybe, 510 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 1: But like now we're arguing about the eighth and ninth 511 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: man on the team, Like at a certain point, I 512 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: think people are kind of over analyzing what JJ Reddick 513 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: is doing with the rotation. I thought starting RUI was 514 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: a completely defensible decision. The rotation played well last night. 515 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: They ask when Gabe was on the floor last night. 516 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: It was one of their better units. Like, ultimately, I 517 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: was really happy with how things came together. They came 518 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: out against a bad team and looked sloppy for two 519 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 1: and a half quarters. Then they locked in and looked 520 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: fucking awesome for fourteen minutes and blew out a team 521 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 1: and showed a lot of the upside of the things 522 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: we've been looking at with this team all season. Today's 523 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: show is brought to you by our new presenting sponsor, 524 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: hard Rock Bet. It's our favorite time of year between 525 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 1: the NBA and college there's basketball on every night, and 526 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: every night is a shot to score a major bucket 527 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: on hard Rock Bet, your home for hoops action all 528 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: season long. Sign up today and you could score one 529 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. 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Download the 544 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: hard Rock Bet app and make your first deposit payable 545 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: and bonus bets not a cash offer offered by the 546 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: Seminole Tribe of Florida. In Florida, offered by Seminal hard 547 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: Rock Digital LLC. In all other states. Must be twenty 548 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: one plus and physically president in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, 549 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and 550 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 1: conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call one eight 551 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: three to three play Wise. In Indiana, if you or 552 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 1: someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, 553 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: call one eight hundred and nine with it. Gambling problem 554 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,719 Speaker 1: called one eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, 555 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: or Virginia. All right, before we move on to the 556 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: next game. While we're on the subject of Lebron, I 557 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: saw a clip from the Bill Simmons podcast, and he 558 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: was basically talking about how the biggest sliding doors moment 559 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 1: in NBA history is basically the Draymond Green ejection after 560 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: Game five of the twenty sixteen Finals, because it would 561 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 1: have led to KD go into Boston in all likelihood, 562 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: and then Lebron doesn't win a title in Cleveland and 563 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: all of these other different kind of trickle down effects. 564 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: And there's two big reasons why I very much disagree 565 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,360 Speaker 1: with this. First of all, I don't think that Draymond's 566 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: suspension is the reason why Cleveland won the title in two. 567 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: I don't think that if Golden State wins the title 568 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen, that that automatically win means they win 569 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen in twenty eighteen, So let's dig into 570 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: this a little bit. First of all, again, I think 571 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: people completely forget how much Cleveland dominated the tail end 572 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 1: of the twenty sixteen NBA Finals. Over the last five 573 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: games of the series, the Calves led for the vast 574 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: majority of the time that the game of like of 575 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,719 Speaker 1: game clock time, the Calves led the vast majority of it. 576 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: They had a plus eleven net rating over the last 577 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: five games. We see a plus eleven net rating with 578 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 1: a team like Oklahoma City in the regular season, and 579 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 1: we start calling them one of the all time great 580 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: basketball teams. That's what the Calves were doing to the 581 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: Warriors over the final five games of that series. They 582 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: had basically figured out how to guard them. Tristan Thompson 583 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: and his ability to switch on to Steph in different 584 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: ball screens was shutting down a lot of their pet 585 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: screening actions. They were being very physical with Steph off 586 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: the ball and wearing him down. Over the final five 587 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 1: games of the series, the Warriors had just a one 588 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: oh four point five offensive rating. The Calves had figured 589 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: out how to guard them, and the vast majority of 590 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: all that happened with Draymond on the floor. So, like, 591 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: I just think it's completely insane to insinuate that the 592 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: Calves automatically would have lost Game five if Draymon had played. 593 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: Maybe the Warriors win. Sure, it's certainly possible. Maybe a 594 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: lot of things happen in NBA history, but it was very, 595 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: very far from a sure thing. I just very much 596 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: disagree with the idea that the entire twenty sixteen Finals 597 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: hinged on the Draymond suspension, and like, it gets really 598 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: lame when you start to dig into it, like Kevin 599 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: Love missed Game two of that series with a concussion. 600 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: You never hear about that. The Calves literally blew out 601 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: the Warriors in Game six with a healthy Draymond, Like 602 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: beat the shit out of them. They controlled the majority 603 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: of the second half of Game seven. They took like 604 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: a seven or eight point lead in the middle of 605 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: the third quarter off of a Kyrie trailing transition three 606 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: on the left wing. In the fourth quarter. The Calves 607 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: got much better shots in that game. Like the Calves 608 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: missed a bunch of easy ones right at the basket. 609 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: This is the only reason they needed a Kyrie Irving 610 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: step back three to close it out late. Ron missed 611 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: a point blank range little left shoulder hook. Kevin Love 612 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: missed a left shoulder hook. Lebron had a left handed 613 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: layup where he got Steph on a switch, beat him 614 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: off the dribble and was right there, and Andre Gudala 615 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: came over and hit him on the wrist and didn't 616 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: get called for it, and Lebron missed a layup. 617 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 2: It's literally a play like the. 618 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: Calves were getting great shots right at the front of 619 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: the rim in a super ugly rock fight game, and 620 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: the Warriors on the other end were bricking bad jump shots. 621 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: Like the Calves got better shots and they won the game. 622 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: They controlled, like completely controlled the final five games of 623 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: that series. I just very much disagree with the idea 624 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: that if game five, if Draymond doesn't punch Lebron in 625 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: the nuts, that they're going on to win that series. 626 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: The only reason it went as long as it did 627 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 1: is because the Warriors did jump them in the first 628 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: two games of the series, and that just makes it 629 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: really hard to come back because you got to win 630 00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 1: four games out of five. 631 00:30:58,440 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 2: But guess what the Calves did. 632 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: They won four games out of five, and you know what, 633 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: three of those wins were with Draymond playing. So I 634 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: just I disagree with that specific idea. Also, like if 635 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant goes to the Celtics, the Warriors aren't massive 636 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: favorites to win the following two years they probably do resign. 637 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: Harrison Barnes twenty seventeen in twenty eighteen are possibly the 638 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: very best basketball that Lebron ever played. Kyrie probably doesn't 639 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: request a trade in that situation. So, like, I find 640 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 1: it very hard to believe that that Golden State ends 641 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: up going you know, four and oh in that stretch, 642 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: if Kevin Durant doesn't go to the Warriors, like in 643 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: all likelihood, like it probably ends somewhere around two and two, 644 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: two titles for Lebron, two titles for Steph. But no, 645 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant goes to the Warriors and they become unbeatable 646 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: and they end up winning three of the one. So again, 647 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: I don't really disagree with either. I don't really agree 648 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: with either side of that that that take. Like, I 649 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: think the Calves outplayed the Warriors substantially over the final 650 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: five to sevenths of the NBA Finals, And if Kevin 651 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 1: Durant doesn't go to the Warriors, Lebron at least gets 652 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: one title in that four year stretch. So like, I 653 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: don't really view that as a sliding doors moment. Like, 654 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 1: to me, the clear sliding doors moment is the Harden 655 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: trade in twenty twelve, like if you get the hard 656 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: In trade all of a sudden, like the mid twenty 657 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: tens were completely dominated by the Caves and Warriors. They 658 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: faced each other in the finals four years in a row. 659 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: If Harden stays in Oklahoma City, they are firmly in 660 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: that mix, maybe even better than both of those teams. 661 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: There's a version of that where the Thunder end up 662 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: getting two championships. To me, Stephan Lebron, they're stamped for life. 663 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: They each won titles after what happened in those situations, 664 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: they each have four of them. They're now two of 665 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: the five best basketball players ever. And because of the 666 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: sliding ars moment of the Harden trade, the Thunder flame out, 667 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant goes to the Warriors, and now he stamped 668 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: for life with a couple of championships. So to me, 669 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 1: the biggest sliding doors moment is pretty obviously the Harden trade. 670 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: And frankly, I very much disagree with the idea that 671 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: the Cavs only beat the Warriors in twenty sixteen because 672 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: of the Draymond Green suspension. 673 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 2: All right, let's move on to Warriors magic. 674 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 1: So the Warriors took their last lead in this game 675 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: with about five minutes left in the first quarter. The 676 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: Magic essentially controlled this one throughout. It was one of 677 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: those games where like the lead kept hovering in that 678 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: five to fifteen range, Like the Warriors would make a 679 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: run and cut it down to like five, and then 680 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 1: the Magic would make a couple of plays and stiff 681 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: arm them, and then the Warriors would come back and 682 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: cut it to five, and then the Magic would stiff 683 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: arm them. It just kind of hovered in that range, 684 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: and then the Magic ended up winning by eight. I 685 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: thought this particular game essentially came down to two things. One, 686 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 1: the Magic got much better production down the roster after 687 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: their stars. Anthony Black tortured the Warriors for twenty one 688 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: points in this one. Everything was at the rim, and 689 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: this has been a consistent theme for the Warriors this season. 690 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: Some of these bigger, stronger downhill athletes can do some 691 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: damage to them attacking the basket. Franz did a ton 692 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: of damage in this game, getting close to the rim 693 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 1: and going through and over smaller Warriors players, and Anthony 694 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: Black was no exception. He scored through Draymond at the 695 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:21,319 Speaker 1: rim a few times through Jimmy at the rim. He 696 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:24,320 Speaker 1: got a big one late where Buddy Hill botched a switch. 697 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: And we'll talk about Buddy Hild later because he definitely 698 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: was not good, especially in the second half last night. 699 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: But he got a big baseline dunk, just kind of 700 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: blowing through Buddy Hild's left shoulder for along the baseline. 701 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 1: He did a bunch of damage in transition, got a 702 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 1: couple of big transition dunks in the second half, one 703 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 1: where he caught Moses Moody sleeping and not getting back 704 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 1: to the rim, a nasty little right left like tomahawk 705 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: along the baseline. Anthony's had a nice week, by the way. 706 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:51,280 Speaker 1: He's averaged fifteen points per game on fifty five percent 707 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: from the field over his last four games. Tristan de 708 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: Silva had fifteen hit some big threes early in the game. 709 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: His three point shooting has been a godsend for this 710 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: Orlando Magic team as of La and then the Magic 711 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: Biggs did a lot of damage. The size disparity was 712 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 1: screaming off the screen last night. Wendell Carter Junior had 713 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: seventeen points and twelve rebounds. Just killed the Warriors inside. 714 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: Just looked like a man amongst boys down there, like 715 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: grabbing offensive rebounds over Smalls when the Warriors would get 716 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:18,839 Speaker 1: up in rotation inside catches against Warriors guards, when they'd 717 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 1: end up in rotation, he'd either just go up and score, 718 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,400 Speaker 1: he'd go up and draw a foul. I thought Goga 719 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,240 Speaker 1: Bitadze kind of kicked Horford's ass in the bench groups. 720 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 1: I had a block on him, was getting behind him 721 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 1: on rolls, had a nice coore tot screen that set 722 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,479 Speaker 1: up an easy layup. Like I thought, Goga just played 723 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: a lot better than Al Horford did. Tys Jones only 724 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: had eight points, but on only three shots, and every 725 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 1: one of them was important. Hit a couple of big threes, 726 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 1: including like a deep like twenty eight footer from the 727 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:45,439 Speaker 1: top of the key that busted a Warrior's zone look. 728 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: He had a floater out of an ice coverage on 729 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: the left side of the floor. And then for the 730 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:54,279 Speaker 1: Warriors it was basically just steph for Jimmy or bust like. 731 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,720 Speaker 1: Those two guys had sixty seven points on thirty nine shots. 732 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 1: Moses Moody, Brandon Pajem's buddy Heeled, Quinton Post and Al 733 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:08,239 Speaker 1: Horford combined for twenty four points total on twenty six shots. 734 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,680 Speaker 1: So Anthony Black almost by himself managed to match the 735 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 1: production of half of the Golden State Warriors rotation. It 736 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 1: was an outclassing down the roster from the deeper bench 737 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: players of the or I should say everybody after the 738 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,800 Speaker 1: stars of Orlando compared to the Warriors. But the second 739 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: piece of it, and the second reason why I thought 740 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: Orlando won this game, was the margins. The magic seemingly 741 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 1: paid off every single mistake the Warriors made last night. 742 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: If they turned it over, Orlando ran out and got 743 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: it easy to someone fell asleep in transition, they'd get 744 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 1: behind him and get a dunk. Oh you don't pick 745 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: up Anthony Black. Boom, one handed hammer going down the lane. Oh, 746 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: Moses Moody doesn't stop the rim in transition, Boom, Anthony 747 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:54,760 Speaker 1: Black along the baseline, a tomahawk dunk off of two feet. 748 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:57,920 Speaker 1: Like if they missed a box out or like left 749 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:00,400 Speaker 1: a guard on Wendell Carter Jr. They were getting an 750 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 1: offensive rebound and they'd either get a foul or they'd 751 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:06,280 Speaker 1: get a bucket. Orlando had a fourteen to eight advantage 752 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: and second chance points in a twenty eight to sixteen 753 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:10,120 Speaker 1: advantage in. 754 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 2: Fast break points. 755 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: That's basically the difference in the game, and it's one 756 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: of those things where, like, you know, Steph and Jimmy 757 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: can do a lot to make up for what happened 758 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: down the bench. Like, yeah, the deep rotation guys for 759 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:24,880 Speaker 1: the Warriors didn't play well, but Steph and Jimmy were 760 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 1: so good that they still had every chance to win 761 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 1: that game. But every single time they cut it close, 762 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,880 Speaker 1: they would make a mistake. They'd have a turnover, they'd 763 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: miss a rotation on defense, Buddy Heal would get lost 764 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:37,719 Speaker 1: and lose Anthony Black on a baseline drive, they give 765 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:42,239 Speaker 1: up an offensive rebound. Orlando consistently made Golden State pay 766 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,319 Speaker 1: for every mistake they made in this game. Orlando's now 767 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: won seven out of ten. This was a trend that 768 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:50,319 Speaker 1: started before Pallo got hurt and has now continued without him. 769 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:53,759 Speaker 1: Their sixth in defense in that ten game span after 770 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 1: a rough start to the season, fifth in rebounding, thirteenth 771 00:37:57,760 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: in offense over the last ten games. And I want 772 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 1: to zoo in on this concept for a minute, because 773 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm seeing some real growth there starts in transition, and 774 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 1: this is fueled by their defense. Again, they got off 775 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 1: to a rough defensive start to the season, but because 776 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:11,359 Speaker 1: they've been better on defense as of late, they've been 777 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 1: able to get out and transition more. They had thirty 778 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:18,399 Speaker 1: seven points total in transition according to Synergy last night. 779 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: They've been averaging thirty transition points per game over their 780 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:25,400 Speaker 1: last five games. That has bumped their season average up 781 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,840 Speaker 1: to twenty eight and moved them to the sixth best 782 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 1: transition offense in the league to start the year by volume, 783 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: And again that's fueled by their defense. And then in 784 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 1: the half court, they're moving the ball really well. In 785 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: their one and four start, only fifty three point six 786 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,720 Speaker 1: percent Orlando's made field goals were assisted. That ranked twenty 787 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,240 Speaker 1: seventh in the league. That was during that horribly ugly 788 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,879 Speaker 1: offensive stretch that I was complaining about every single time 789 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 1: I came on the show. But in the seven and 790 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 1: three stretch since then, they're assisting sixty five percent of 791 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:59,200 Speaker 1: their made field goals, which ranks twelfth in the NBA. 792 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:00,799 Speaker 1: And you're seeing a lot more of those like tic 793 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: tac toe sequences, the stuff that leads to great looks 794 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 1: like running a bayin ball screen where you bring the 795 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:07,959 Speaker 1: second defender to the level that ends into a short 796 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: roll pass that ends up getting skipped to the corner 797 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:13,839 Speaker 1: for a wide open three higher level driving kick sequences 798 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:15,719 Speaker 1: a lot some of the stuff we've been talking about 799 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 1: with Toronto, because they do have some Like Desmond Bane 800 00:39:19,719 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 1: adds an aggregate playmaking talent to this group because of 801 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: his ability to dribble, shoot and pass. And when they 802 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: have these lineups to have like Anthony Black and Desmond 803 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: Bane and Franz Wagner on the floor, like there's some 804 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: offensive skill there and they're able to like make some 805 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:36,879 Speaker 1: of these higher level dribble pass shoot sequences that can 806 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: get some really good looks. Desmond Bain's broken out of 807 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: his early season slump that he was in. Franz is 808 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:46,480 Speaker 1: averaging twenty three points per game in this ten game stretch. 809 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: Tristan da Silva is now hitting forty three percent of 810 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:52,560 Speaker 1: his threes on five attempts per game over five attempts 811 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,880 Speaker 1: per game in this ten game stretch, Like the Magic 812 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: are showing some real signs of life, starting to play 813 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:02,480 Speaker 1: some serious good B basketball down there in Orlando. And again, 814 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:05,680 Speaker 1: like I don't I think this started before Palo left, 815 00:40:05,719 --> 00:40:07,839 Speaker 1: So this is not like a oh now that Palo's gone, 816 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 1: Like as a team, they're just starting to play a 817 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:12,760 Speaker 1: lot better basketball in the offensive end of the floor, 818 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: recapturing their defense and rebounding identity, recapturing their transition identity, 819 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: and getting a lot more done on that end. 820 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:21,120 Speaker 2: Of the floor. 821 00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:24,360 Speaker 1: On the Warriors front, again, some of their personnel limitations 822 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 1: were on display in this game, Like they looked really 823 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,439 Speaker 1: small at several points, especially around the rim, like Al 824 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 1: Horford looking kind of old and slow to start the 825 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 1: season has made their center rotation look like it's lacking. Also, 826 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:39,240 Speaker 1: like guarding these bigger downhill athletes. 827 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:39,839 Speaker 2: We've seen that. 828 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: We saw this be an issue in the Portland game 829 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:45,960 Speaker 1: earlier this year, like we saw this be an issue 830 00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:50,719 Speaker 1: in the in the Milwaukee game, Like trying to deal 831 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,719 Speaker 1: with Ryan Rolins like these some of these bigger athletes 832 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:56,359 Speaker 1: when they start attacking downhill, they can cause a lot 833 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:59,040 Speaker 1: of problems. And Anthony Black and Franz Wagner in particular, 834 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 1: they looked really comfortable getting downhill and getting to their 835 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: spots with ease. Obviously some frustrating inconsistency on offense with 836 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,600 Speaker 1: their role players that's hurting them. Like Moses Moody got 837 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 1: some really clean looks out of the corner that didn't 838 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: go down. Brandon Pajemski missed some easy ones. 839 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 2: He smoked. 840 00:41:15,640 --> 00:41:18,880 Speaker 1: He like straight up smoked a wide open right handed 841 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:22,640 Speaker 1: layup in this game, and like that hurt them, especially 842 00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:25,440 Speaker 1: in the context of how well Orlando's death played. But 843 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 1: I don't want to focus too much on that, because 844 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 1: ultimately it came down to mistakes. Like whatever downsides you 845 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: got down the bench, he got sixty seven points out 846 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:35,279 Speaker 1: of your stars, which gave you a chance to win 847 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:38,600 Speaker 1: the game. But just too many turnovers, too many bad 848 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:43,479 Speaker 1: transition defense possessions, too many offensive rebounds, especially in key 849 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 1: portions of the game, that stopped their runs. Like they'd 850 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:48,719 Speaker 1: cut it to five and then they'd make a couple 851 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 1: of mistakes and to'd be back to nine and ten. 852 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,360 Speaker 1: Buddy Healed stuck out like a sore thumb in this respect, 853 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: especially in the second half, Like he had a really 854 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:58,000 Speaker 1: bad turnover where he left his feet in the middle 855 00:41:58,040 --> 00:41:59,480 Speaker 1: of the floor and ended up throwing the ball right 856 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:01,880 Speaker 1: to Anthony Black. But it was mostly on the defensive end, 857 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 1: like kind of overreacting to screening actions and getting out 858 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:07,200 Speaker 1: of position and then giving up slips or giving up 859 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: cuts or giving up drives. He had a bad one 860 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,600 Speaker 1: against Anthony Black where he gave up a dunk. Warriors 861 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:14,120 Speaker 1: cut it to five, and then Steph is getting ready 862 00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:15,920 Speaker 1: to switch out to the perimeter, and for some reason, 863 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 1: Buddy Heel decided he should stunt that direction. Anthony Black 864 00:42:19,840 --> 00:42:21,680 Speaker 1: is standing in the corner and he's like, I'm open, 865 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 1: gets the ball just racks baseline. Buddy's out of position. 866 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:26,279 Speaker 1: He just blows through his shoulder and gets a two 867 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:29,680 Speaker 1: handed dunk along the baseline. That's a critical mistake that 868 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:31,920 Speaker 1: instead of getting a stop and going down and cutting 869 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 1: the lead to three or two, now it's back up 870 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:36,400 Speaker 1: to seven and you've lost some of that momentum. And 871 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:39,600 Speaker 1: so like, it's really hard to win on the road 872 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 1: against good teams like Orlando's really good, like we talked 873 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 1: about on playback last weekend. The Eastern Conference at the 874 00:42:46,719 --> 00:42:49,160 Speaker 1: top has been very good this year. Against the West, 875 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:51,800 Speaker 1: you've got to bring your a game against them or 876 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 1: you're gonna get beat. And I just thought the Warriors 877 00:42:53,600 --> 00:42:56,080 Speaker 1: made way too many mistakes, and it's hard to win 878 00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:57,759 Speaker 1: on the road against good teams when you make that 879 00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 1: many mistakes. No rest for the weary though for the Warriors. 880 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:02,960 Speaker 1: They're back on the road again tonight in Miami, although 881 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:04,719 Speaker 1: I'll be curious to see if the Warriors even play 882 00:43:04,719 --> 00:43:07,000 Speaker 1: their vets in that game tail end of the road trip. 883 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:11,040 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be surprised if they maybe consider benching guys 884 00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:13,279 Speaker 1: and getting some rest. But we'll see they play tonight. 885 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: I believe at four thirty Pacific time or four Pacific time, 886 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,120 Speaker 1: we'll end up seeing if they have a response for 887 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:22,320 Speaker 1: that Miami Heat team that also can be very feisty. 888 00:43:22,719 --> 00:43:24,400 Speaker 1: All right, guys, it's all I have for today. As always, 889 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 1: sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting us and supporting the show. 890 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:29,960 Speaker 1: We'll be back tomorrow morning with reactions to tonight's games. 891 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:30,920 Speaker 2: I will see you guys then,