1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: Mmmm. Welcome to the State of the Lakers podcast. I 2 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: hope everybody had a great weekend. I Roger, how did 3 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: how did your weekend go? Let's start there. Actually it 4 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: was really good. I went to, um, six Flags Magic Mountain. 5 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've heard of that, but um, 6 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: it's like a roller coaster theme park, a bunch of 7 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: like thrill lot throw rides and stuff like that that 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: when lost my voice on Sunday, So I'm glad, like 9 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: we got a little extra day layover. Do they have 10 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: anything like that? And she's not, like we have like 11 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: six I think we have six Flags in Phoenix, although 12 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: I've never Okay, so you're not a roller coaster really 13 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: person or love roller coasters? Just haven't been my wife, Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, 14 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: so those are fun. Yeah, it's kind of a scam 15 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: to me because like you wait one hour for like 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: a your best bet is like a one minute and 17 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 1: a half ride. So basically like we went on nine 18 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: rides in nine hours, which I mean the day flies 19 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: by a little bit, but nine degree whether you start 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: questioning yourself like this right, Superman is literally thirty seconds long, 21 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: but the weight is about an hour and a half. 22 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: So by the by the end, you're kind of like, 23 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: did I get scammed? You know? So, um, but yeah, 24 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: I went through that. Yeah, I'm not a huge theme 25 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: park guy for that very reason. I like I I 26 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: like to think I'm a nice guy, but I'm not 27 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: a fan of being around people, which I don't like. 28 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: I don't really know how that works, but that's that's 29 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: kind of the way I am. Um. Anyway, but I 30 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: had a basketball heavy weekend. We the men that I 31 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: played in we had a double header on Sunday and 32 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: then we just kind of chilled tou put some golf 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: on Saturday. Is pretty low key anyway. Today, we're gonna 34 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: talk about Game five of the NBA Finals, um really briefly, 35 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: just for about ten fifteen minutes, just kind of because 36 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: I felt like it was almost a continuation of Game 37 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: four in a lot of ways, with exception of the 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: fact that Drew Holiday made more shots than he usually does, uh, 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: and Chris Paul was a little bit better. His numbers 40 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: I thought were a little better than he actually was. 41 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: But then we're gonna talk a little bit about how 42 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: what what this Bucks victory means for the Lakers and 43 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: their team building strategy. Um and and just whether or 44 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,839 Speaker 1: not it should adjust their strategy this summer as they're 45 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: kind of making some moves on the periphery of their 46 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: core players and the roster. And then, last but not least, 47 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: I was not overly active on Twitter, although Raj was 48 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: a witness to the catastrophe that was the Hoopers versus 49 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: basketball players debate that took place in Twitter spaces. I 50 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: have some thoughts on that. Rog has some thoughts on that. 51 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: So we're gonna get to that after we talk about 52 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:50,519 Speaker 1: the game. But let's start. Let's start with the game. 53 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: Um you know, I was super wrong about this series, uh, 54 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: right up until the point where I was very raw wrong, 55 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: if that, if that makes sense, like I was, I 56 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 1: picked the Sons in five. I thought they were the 57 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: more skilled team. I thought they were the more talented team. 58 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: I thought it would manifest over the course of the series. 59 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: Um And in a lot of ways. You know, it 60 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: was close to that. You know, a couple of things 61 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: go differently in Game four, they could have been up 62 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: three one, and then same goes for Game five. But 63 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: it's important when you're wrong, in my opinion, it's it's 64 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: important to try to identify why you were wrong. And 65 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, one of the one of the key reasons 66 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: why I think I was wrong is I've undervalued the 67 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: way that physicality will eventually win the day. And the 68 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: examples that we used to kind of try to talk 69 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: about how maybe shot making and skill we're taking over, 70 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: where teams like Philly losing, in teams like the Lakers losing, 71 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: when the reality was the Lakers lost because Anthony Davis 72 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: got hurt, and the Sixers lost because outside of Joel 73 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: and b didn't have anybody that could create a shot 74 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: for themselves, and in their offense got really, really stagnant 75 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: at the end of those games. So I think we 76 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: overthought that a little bit, and I put a lot 77 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: of emphasis on how the Lakers desperately needed more shot 78 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: making and how they desperately needed more shooting, and and 79 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: I think the Bucks are evidence of the fact that 80 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: that's kind of wrong, because when you get to this 81 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: point and the physicality takes over and the refing takes on, 82 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: this type of you know, these types of tendencies and uh, 83 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: and it just becomes almost like this battle of attrition, 84 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: like whose body is gonna hold up the longest? You 85 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: see guys like Chris Paul wearing down. You know, Devin Booker, 86 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: God bless him, just keeps making shots, but you know 87 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: at some point he's gonna start missing some shots. And 88 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: the thinner players on the Sun seemed to just be 89 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 1: kind of getting run rough, shot over by these the 90 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: like by these big, huge, strong the NFL player looking 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: basketball players that play for the Bucks and and so 92 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: do you think do you think maybe that that maybe 93 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: we jumped the gun a little bit on some of 94 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 1: this stuff having to do with skill and what wins 95 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: in the NBA? Well, first thing, did you bet on 96 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: this last one as well? Or no? I have not 97 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: bet since I law okay, okay, I was wondering, Um, 98 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: I thought, Phoenix, I think this is at least this 99 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: is where I was wrong. I don't know about you. 100 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 1: I did not think Chris Paul would be taken out 101 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: like this. Like I know Drew Holiday is a really defender. 102 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 1: I totally understand that, but like this is the stage 103 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: where the you know, the people who are on that 104 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: list where Chris Paul is, He's a top whatever point guard, 105 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: however you feel about however you feel about his antics, 106 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: all the other ship he does to try to win 107 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: you have to give him his credit. He's a big time, 108 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: all time point guard. This is a stage where you 109 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: show up like it is what it is. I did 110 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 1: not expect him to be played off like this, Like 111 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: there were possessions. I was writing it down. Second quarter, 112 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: Chris Paul comes off the screen, Drew Holidays on his hip, 113 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: takes a tough shot. Missus again comes down, takes a 114 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: tough shot. Next next possession, he goes, stands in the 115 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: corner for like the next three possessions, just absolutely relegated 116 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: to the corner as a corner spacer. That's and Drew 117 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: Holiday wins in that situation. Now it's just Devin Book. 118 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: You're trying to create one on four like it's That's 119 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: the thing where I did not see coming. I did 120 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 1: not see him just struggling like this. His line is 121 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: very um, I don't say fake. But he finished nine 122 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: for fifteen. He hit his last five shots, so he 123 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 1: was basically four for ten when the game was in 124 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: his real balance. Chris Paul made this run. They made 125 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: their run obviously to try to make it close. I 126 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: couldn't believe that that he fouled, honest, Like, this is 127 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: one of the most highest basketball i Q dudes in 128 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: the league, Like he just can't file your honest in 129 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: that situation, you know, and we can debate it, yeah, 130 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: debated dirty player, dirty player or not. But to me, 131 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: that's the change here is Chris Paul being completely taken 132 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: out of this series. Devin book is hitting you know, 133 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: crazy and saint shots. But that's where I was wrong 134 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: at least do you see that as well? Like, I 135 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: think the physicality has gotten to him, right, I didn't 136 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: think it would at this much law at this level, 137 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: Like he's been really taken out. He can't do anything 138 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: that Chris Paul does, even though his thirty six, but 139 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: still like this, I didn't see him getting taken out 140 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: like this. Yeah, So I think that, uh, Chris Paul's 141 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: inability to gain an advantage against Drew Holiday, has he 142 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: actually been the downfall of this series because it kind 143 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 1: of manifests both ways. So I think that that uh, 144 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: a lot of the discourse surrounding Devin Booker and his 145 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: unwillingness to pass that I'm sure you've seen seen some 146 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: of something that's been floating around. I don't think that's 147 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: Devin Booker's fault. I think I think it has to 148 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: do with the defensive scheme of Milwaukee. They are not 149 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: sending help on these isolations and pick and rolls with 150 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: Drew Holiday, with Drew Holiday on on CP three and 151 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: with uh PJ. Tucker on Devin Booker. The reason why 152 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: is CP three literally cannot gain an advantage. He's being 153 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: an inefficient score with Drew Holiday on him, and Devin 154 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: Booker is being a high volume score, like he's getting 155 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: forty points, but it's taking him thirty shots. And so 156 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: from that perspective, I think they're staying home on all 157 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: these shooters, and as a result, they're not getting these 158 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: wide open corner threes that they got against the Lakers 159 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: and that they got against the Clip is that they 160 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: got against the Nuggets, that they got against everybody. They're 161 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: not getting any of those, and so as a result, 162 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: it's like Devin Booker just going off is basically they're 163 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: only offense and until one of them can consistently draw 164 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: a second defender, which I think it would require CP 165 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: three because clearly Buddenholzer's like, I want Devin Booker to 166 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: go off. I'd rather let him have forty and none 167 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: of the other guys get shots. So if the cascading 168 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: effect that you and I always talk about, you know, 169 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: gravity works both ways. You know, you your spot up 170 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: shooters have a form of gravity. If they're knocking everything down, 171 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: they pull guys away from your stars as they're working 172 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: into the paint. But the gravity works in reverse. If 173 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: your stars can consistently generate such an advantage that you 174 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: have to send help, then the gravity sucks everybody in 175 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: and then the shots start coming. So the only way 176 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: that they can go into Milwaukee and win is if 177 00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: Chris Paul starts to cook Drew Holiday in a way 178 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: that starts requiring the Bucks to send help. But what 179 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 1: sign have you seen that would make you think that 180 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: that's going to happen, because again, you it's so easy 181 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: to be like he's old, he's wearing down, Drew's physicality 182 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: is wearing him down. But they have two days off 183 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: before every game, Like like I don't think people realize 184 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: that part, Like two days off before every game. He's 185 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: basically going into these games unless he has an injury. 186 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: He's going into these games as fresh as you're going 187 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 1: to be. In a playoff game like that, that's as 188 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: fresh as you're going to be. He just physically now 189 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: that Drew Holiday is like duned into all of his moves, 190 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: he physically cannot get by him, and he physically cannot 191 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: gain an advantage in the mid range, at the three 192 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: point line. Anywhere he can't get he can't gain the advantage. 193 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 1: It requires almost a defensive breakdown for for him to 194 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: be able to get a look. So I don't know, 195 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: I don't I probably will put money on Milwaukee tonight 196 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: because just strictly from the the pathway of the the 197 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: way this the series is broken down, I don't see 198 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: advantages for the Suns to gain tonight that would allow 199 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: them to hang in front of twenty thousand bucks fans 200 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: that smell the title. Yeah, and and I trust the 201 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: honest as a leader to keep those guys focused. And 202 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: I I I I if I'm a Sun's fan, I'm 203 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: feeling really bleak right now. I'll give Suns fan a 204 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: little bit of hope in a bit. But like you 205 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: mentioned Devin Booker, Um, it's not like his forty is 206 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: Like it's not like he's open because Chris Paul's covered, 207 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Like he's taking tough shots 208 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: coming off the pick and roll, hitting really tough contested twos, 209 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 1: and we we knew Phoenix was a high ball, screening 210 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: heavy team. Like their guards aren't like crazy athletic, they 211 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: don't are really shifty, don't get by you, but they 212 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: Like what Milwaukee has done to me is they've kept 213 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: every screen and roll like a two on two right, 214 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: Like it's not like a it's not five on five, 215 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: it's not a four on five situation. They kept it 216 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: two on two, and that makes it um really tough, 217 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: I guess for Milwaukee, like for Phoenix, Drew and Drew 218 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: and Middleton took forty five shots in game In game five, 219 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: I think five of them were at the rim, So 220 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: like when I just look at those numbers, like those 221 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: are shots you have to kind of live with. Like 222 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,439 Speaker 1: I feel like Drew and Milton both hit really tough, 223 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: kind of contested shots. The place the game changed to 224 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 1: me was the Sounds were up six team Devin Booker 225 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: went off the floor for five minutes. I think they 226 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: changed that to a one point lead when Devin Booker 227 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: came back, Like you that just can't happen, Like you 228 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 1: work so hard to get that kind of lead, you 229 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: can't give it away in five minutes and I think 230 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: that's where they need to fix Chris Paul. If it's 231 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: not going, you have to put Booker back in, Like 232 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: this is do or die. He can't sit six s 233 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: three minutes? Like do you think that's possible? Do you 234 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: think he'll get worn down by doing that? Like he 235 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: played the whole second half and I thought he was fine. 236 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: Like I feel like that six minute break in the 237 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: first step changed the game to me, Like it it 238 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: let Milwaukee come back, You're honest, gotten a rhythm, he 239 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,719 Speaker 1: got to the rim by that time, it was they 240 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 1: were bulldozed over. They went up ten, and that was 241 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: kind of the game. But DC does what do you 242 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: think Devin Booker can go the whole forty eight or 243 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: is that like something Monty can't really do with him 244 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: just because of his workload. I guess on the floor 245 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: he might have to. One of the hard things is 246 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: Milwaukee has done a really nice job of attacking Devon 247 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: Booker to make him work, to try to wear him out. 248 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: In that regard, uh zach Low had Tim leig larn 249 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: Yesterday is actually a really interesting podcast. I appreciate Tim's 250 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: perspective on on everything because he's kind of like one 251 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: of the best, he's one of the better former player 252 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: analysis that we have in the league, because like he oh, 253 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: he's awesome. But but Zack Low brought up the stat 254 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: that I think and I'm I'm like, sure I have 255 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: the stat right, but don't take don't take me at 256 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: face value at this But anyway, uh, In forty minutes 257 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: this series with Devin Booker off the floor, the Sons 258 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: have been outscored by thirty seven points, which is almost 259 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: a point per minute, which is outrageous. That's that's the 260 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: wheels coming off literally. So again, like I said early year, 261 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: to me, this series completely swung on the fact that 262 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: they never had to send any help at Chris Paul. 263 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: Now they should in theory, like if if if the team, 264 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: you know, if if this was a regular season matchup 265 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: against a lesser version of the Son's team, you throw 266 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: a bunch more help at Devin Booker because guys can't 267 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: make shots. But by strategy either letting Devin Booker go 268 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 1: and like you said, it's not it's not your Steph Curry, 269 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving forty points on twenty shots, it's 270 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: forty points on thirty two shots, because almost every shot 271 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: Devin Booker takes is in the midrange. He you know, 272 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: this is something I can't even remember who it was, 273 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: but somebody brought up as a weakness a while back. 274 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: Devin Booker is actually kinda not great as an off 275 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 1: the dribble three point shooter. This is something that Jayson 276 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: Tatum has done a really good job early in his 277 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: career as he's turned a lot of like side step 278 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: and and lateral step step back type of threes into 279 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: his repertoire, so that even though he does take range shots, 280 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 1: he's getting a lot of off the dribble, high quality 281 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: three point shots. That's what Chris Middleton and Paul George 282 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 1: do super well. Um. That's now, mind you, they're a 283 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: little bit taller, But that's something that Devin Booker needs 284 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: to add to his game so that he can be 285 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: more efficient in terms of the amount of damage that 286 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: he's doing per shot attempt. Um. And and that's nitpicking 287 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: because he's been unbelievable in this series, to be clear, 288 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, it's it's really 289 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 1: that simple. If you don't have to send help at 290 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: the stars, then you could stay home on all the shooters, 291 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: none of the role players get going, and you're basically 292 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: begging two small guys to try to beat you. And 293 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: Devin Booker's relatively small compared to stars, about six five 294 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: and and you know, and and that's the thing. This 295 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: is something you and I talked about all the time. Like, 296 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: when Janice puts his head down and goes to the rim, 297 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: you are not stopping him unless you put multiple bodies 298 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: in front of him. So every single possession down the floor, 299 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: Janice is generating some form of of you know, condensing 300 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: of the defense, which is generating high quality shots one 301 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: way or another. There were there were plays at the 302 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: end of that game in game five where it doesn't 303 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: necessarily get attributed to Janice, but it should. There was 304 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: one where, uh, Janice kind of just took a really 305 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: hard dribble to the left, and I think it was 306 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: Devin Booker or might have been CP three whoever was 307 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: guarding Drew Holiday had to take a lunch step into 308 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: the lane to cut off, to cut off your honest 309 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: quick swing to Drew. He closes out like it's it's 310 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: a decent close out, but Drew beats him to the 311 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: baseline and he's on his hip. It's not bad defense 312 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: behind the stretch of the imagination, but Drew gets all 313 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: the way into the paint and kicked it out to 314 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: uh to Chris Middleton, and he ended up knocking down 315 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 1: a three. That is an advantage game play that started 316 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: with Janice drawing a second defender, which then cascaded into 317 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: a wide open three for Chris Middleton and in crunch 318 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: time of of a pivotal playoff game. That's the thing, 319 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: and this is what this is what Lebron and a 320 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: d do to do all the time that we take 321 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: for granted. Like if you let Anthony Davis and Lebron 322 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: play isolation all game the way they let Booker, it's 323 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: forty on twenty shots because they're living at their rim, 324 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: they're absolutely destroying you. Whereas with Devin Booker, it's this 325 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: like heroic, like incredibly difficult shot making, which again brings 326 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: a great deal of value, but it's not the same 327 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: as the physical dominance that absolutely requires you to send 328 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: multiple defenders at and and that to me, has been 329 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: where this series has spun. Like all playoffs against the Lakers, 330 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: against the Nuggets, and against the Clippers, the Sun's got 331 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: all kinds of fantastic three point shots for Crowder and 332 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: for Cam Johnson and for uh, for Michael Bridges. All 333 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: those guys were just getting catch and shoot threes and 334 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: they're not getting any of those. Uh. Zach Low pointed 335 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: out in the pot. I think they've had thirteen corner 336 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: threes total in the whole series in five games. That's 337 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: awful for them. Yeah. I think he's had like almost 338 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: three quarters. That came in Game two, So I think 339 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: they've had like six and like four games or something. 340 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: And again that's all because they don't have to send 341 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,880 Speaker 1: help like and and I heard, and it was great 342 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: to hear, like Zach Low and Tim Legger I think 343 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: talked about it too, talked about how Aden needs to 344 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: be the guy, like he needs to be able, the 345 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: guy that punished inside um. And that's why I keep 346 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: harpening on Aiden, because like he's the one that needs 347 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: to be the inside force and he's just not. He 348 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 1: had twenty and ten last night, Like I didn't even 349 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: know that until you go back and look at the stats. 350 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: Like I think that kind of showed um he wasn't 351 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: really putting his stamp on the game. Like even the 352 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: twenty and ten. Didn't feel like it was dominating, Like 353 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 1: it felt like his shots were just coming. Uh, they 354 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: weren't really like putting pressure on Milwaukee to send extra 355 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: help or anything like that because he played four He 356 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: played five minutes, so it's like it's twenty and ten. 357 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: But on a per thirty six s basis, that's like 358 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: going for sixteen and seven, you know what I mean, 359 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: because he was just out there so long. Yeah, exactly. 360 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: And again, he needs to be a force inside and 361 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: maybe I don't know if that's on the guards. I 362 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: really am not sure, but like he needs to be 363 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 1: better than Duccans, like and they're sending help, but like 364 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: and his kind of reaction time isn't as quick. And 365 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: I don't blame him. He's in his third year in 366 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals, Like this is the most this is 367 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: the top of the top basketball level, so um, and 368 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: he will get better at that. But for them, they 369 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: need him in this series to be a force. I'm 370 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: not sure how many free that he got six free 371 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: throws I think, which again is just in forty two minutes, 372 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: Like that's not enough for a team that's going small 373 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: as much as they did. And also Brook Lopez has 374 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: been a lot better. I feel like like he's not 375 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: getting killed as he was. He's showing higher. And we 376 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: talked about how Bud is like a reactionary puncher. I 377 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: didn't expect them to punch back like this, Like if 378 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: they win tomorrow, that's four straight wins. Like that's that's 379 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: that's gonna be tough for Phoenix to kind of sleep on. 380 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: Like you go up to oh, you should be able 381 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: to take one more like they should go at least seven. Um, 382 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: but Milwaukee looks in total control here. Um they look 383 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: ready that they went down sixteen and didn't blink. It 384 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 1: felt like when I was watching the game, like it 385 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: didn't feel like they got startled, got nervous, continued to 386 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: round their stuff. Um, Chris Paul missed like four straight 387 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: shots and that was they came back. So what we'll 388 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: see and get we'll see tonight, I guess. So last 389 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: topic on this game before we get out of here. 390 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: How does Phoenix go in and win in game six? 391 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 1: Like what has to go right for them? To me? 392 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: Chris Paul has to build on whatever he did um 393 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 1: in game five, like he hit his last five shots. 394 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 1: I thought they were in rhythm. I thought they were 395 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: still kind of tough shots. But it's the shots that 396 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: he gets, like he has to hit those those little 397 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: his little patented um crossover, dribble, mid range pull up, 398 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: those little step back he has to get in any 399 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,640 Speaker 1: kind of rhythm to give Devin Booker some kind of, uh, 400 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: take pressure off him. And now I thought Zachlem made 401 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: a good point. Is I don't know who made this point. 402 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: I don't remember Zachala or not. But Chris Paul is 403 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: getting picked up like full court, coming up the court 404 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: and then trying to run offense like he's dead by 405 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 1: the third quarter, like they got to have other people 406 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: try to bring it up campaign Devin Booker maybe brings 407 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: the ball up. He doesn't get as ball pressured in 408 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: the back court. Something you talk about all the time. 409 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: Having Shrewder bring the ball up saves Lebron's legs. It's 410 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: it's a it's wasted energy to face ball pressure for 411 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: no particular reason exactly. Chris Paul gets turned. They call 412 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: it getting turned right. He gets turned like three or 413 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: four times before he gets to the court, and then 414 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: the shot clocks like at fifteen seconds. Then he calls 415 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 1: up eight and it comes at the screen. Drew is 416 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: on his hip, so it's not like he's getting very 417 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 1: much separation comes off. Aidan's not open, Lopez still stays 418 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: with him, and then it's like Chris Paul trying to 419 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: creator gives it the den Bookers for some hero shot 420 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: and that's where the shots are going. Um Bridges and 421 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: crowded aren't getting looks. So it's basically them too, taking 422 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: fifty percent of the shots from the mid range. That's 423 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: not a winning recipe to me, even if Booker is 424 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: hitting them at the rate he's hitting at. So that's 425 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 1: when they needed to go. What do you think? What 426 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: does Peelings have to do to win this game? Six? 427 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: Real quickly? Did you did you play on small in 428 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: high school at all? I did. I played at this 429 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: little small school in l A. But I played for 430 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 1: like the first two years and then I got transferred 431 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: to another school, so I didn't. Did you ever have 432 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: to do the Turner man drill? You know what I'm 433 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 1: talking about? Many? Yeah? Yeah, So where you like, yeah? Yeah, 434 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: of course where you started the officers baseline and then 435 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: they dribble left and they dribble riding you stay with 436 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: ye It's the most common drill and basketball every single level, 437 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: the high school teams, my my college teams, every single 438 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 1: team that I played on did this drill. And uh, 439 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: it's like they call it turner man five times in 440 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: the length of the floor. You have to try to 441 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 1: turn your man defensively five times. And regardless of whether 442 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,160 Speaker 1: you're the ball handler or the defensive player, that drill 443 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: is completely exhausting. Like I always viewed it's I always 444 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: viewed it as a conditioning drill as much as it 445 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: was a ball handling drill mixed with a you know, 446 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: defensive principles kind of a kind of drill. And you're right, 447 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: like it just it just wears you down. And you know, again, 448 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: there's a huge difference between like, uh, forty minutes playing 449 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: one way and forty minutes playing you know, a different, 450 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: less intense way. Like I'm gonna go play pick up 451 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,880 Speaker 1: this afternoon and I'm probably gonna walk up the floor 452 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: a lot of the possessions and I might play for 453 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: an hour and a half and it's gonna be super 454 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: light and easy. But like if I was playing twenty 455 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: five minutes in a high level competitive game where I 456 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: have much more responsibilities, I'm gonna be completely beaten, exhausted. 457 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: It's it is crazy how much of a difference that 458 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,440 Speaker 1: kind of thing, uh, that kind of thing makes. But anyway, 459 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: as far as getting a win down in down in Milwaukee, 460 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: I think it starts and ends with avoiding the first 461 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: punch if you can somehow whether that first we're gonna 462 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: win the title tonight punch that comes in front of 463 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 1: that home crowd, and then just hang in there long 464 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: enough to where crunch time offense becomes an issue for Milwaukee, 465 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: because all year long the Sons were an extremely good 466 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: clutch team and the Bucks had their issues and crunch time. 467 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: One of the things that's been kind of a revelation 468 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: in this series is how great Chris Middleton has been 469 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: at the end of these games. He's always been a 470 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 1: gifted closer in terms of his ability to create his 471 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: own shot, but in this particular postseason, he's been more consistent. 472 00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: It used to be he was an inconsistent type of 473 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: cloth during these games. He's made gigantic shots in this 474 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: playoff run, including the shot the little turnaround around the 475 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: free throw line that beat the Brooklyn Nets literally in 476 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: overtime of Game seven. This guy in Game four and 477 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: in game five, made big shot after big shot. You 478 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:21,640 Speaker 1: just if if he you know, returns to the mean 479 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: a little bit, so to speak, and Janice is forced 480 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: to make some of those decisions, you might be able 481 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: to steal this game. And again, if you steal this game, 482 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: historically game seven at home, the home team usually wins. 483 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,959 Speaker 1: It's like the percentages in the high seventies, if I 484 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: if I remember correctly, So to me, it's about keeping 485 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: it close to where your advantage can take effect, which 486 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: is in crunch time. As far as how to keep 487 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 1: it close, it's extremely smart and uh um disciplined defense. 488 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: Milwaukee has struggled to score in the half court. They've 489 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: scored well in transition. In the half court, it's been 490 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: very physical, it's been very rudimentary. So if you have 491 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: your principles intact, and you're and you're positioning yourself between 492 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: them and the rim, you'll force them to make shots 493 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: and they might go on a cold stretch. And then 494 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: from there in the half court. Offensively for the Suns, 495 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: you gotta get something out of Chris Paul. If all 496 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: that goes the if those things, if those boxes are checked, 497 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: which is very doable, then it's just about a few 498 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: shots here there at the end of the game, and 499 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: you might be able to steal this one and send 500 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: it back to send it back to Phoenix. Did you 501 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 1: have anything else on this game for uh? Yeah, well, 502 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: I guess like my only thing was, like, I feel 503 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 1: like they overreact a little bit to Holiday, Um and 504 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 1: Midleton once they hit a few jump shots. I thought 505 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: they really kind of closed out hard. I thought, you 506 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 1: can't react to that. You can't take away that and 507 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: Middleton and you're honest at the rim, like you you 508 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: can't do all three and their shooters, Like you have 509 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: to pick something. And I'm going to live with Holiday 510 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: and Middleton trying to hit shots off the dribble through 511 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: the whole game, hopefully that you know, it goes to 512 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: the advantage. But that's that's the only thing I guess 513 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: would say. But Chris Paul asked to be better man, 514 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: Like I expected more from one of my favorite point guards. 515 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: I'm seeing him get dragged through this whole time. Um, 516 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: But yeah, it's it's tough watching him kind of struggle. 517 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: He does some weird stuff, but I feel like he's 518 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: one of the legends, and uh, I thought he would 519 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: get his ring this year, but he hasn't hasn't come 520 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: to part so we'll see. He hasn't been the first 521 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: guy to face a big road game six. It's certainly 522 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: within the realm of possibility that this could be his moment, 523 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: this could be his his shining moment. But it's he's 524 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: gotta go, He's gotta go do it. And for the record, 525 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,120 Speaker 1: I think a lot of the Chris Paul like Chris 526 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: Paul is objectively unlikable because of all the stuff that 527 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: he does. Is something you and I have talked about 528 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: a lot, But I do think some of the criticism 529 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: sent his way has gone a little too far. I mean, 530 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, he has a six 531 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: foot tall point guard and expecting him to go out 532 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: and do what Steph Curry does or Kyrie Irving does 533 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: is just not necessarily fair. Those guys, Kyrie Irving six two, 534 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: step Is six three, they're both more athletic. It's it's 535 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: just it's just difficult, m um. Anyway, Let's let's move 536 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: on to the to the Lakers aspect of this. So 537 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: you and I spoke after Game six against the Suns 538 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 1: when I got back from vacation. We talked about the 539 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: missing shot making on the on the on the Lakers, 540 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,640 Speaker 1: the we we just watched Phoenix, it was like, man, 541 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: McHale Bridges would put the ball on the floor and 542 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,919 Speaker 1: get to the fifteen foot line and he would elevate 543 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: knockdown a shot. And you're like, man, who's doing that 544 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: on the Lakers? Like, who's the guy who can attack 545 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:29,119 Speaker 1: close out in a more complicated way than just shooting 546 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: an open three or ripping through all the way to 547 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 1: the basket and make a you know, make those kind 548 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: of secondary and tertiary you know, counters when they when 549 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: they attacked close out and there was just nobody on 550 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: the roster that could do that. Well, the truth of 551 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,959 Speaker 1: the matter is as Milwaukee's kind of that same type 552 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 1: of team. Like I mean, Chris Middleton is a streaky 553 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,960 Speaker 1: jump shooter who doesn't really try to get into the 554 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: lane much at all. I mean Drew Holiday, I have to, 555 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: you know, eat my words a little bit because I 556 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: said that he's pretty much average at everything. One of 557 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: the revelations Withdrew Holiday in this series is he's actually 558 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: a much better passer than I think we give him 559 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: credit for his ability to create open shots for his 560 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: teammates has been actually pretty amazing. But what Milwaukee is doing, 561 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: for the most part, outside of Chris Middleton's more complicated 562 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: jump shooting, is they're just putting their head down and 563 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: going to the rim because they're the bigger, stronger team. 564 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: It's almost like it's almost like that that like a 565 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: perimeter shack type of mentality where it's just like drive right, 566 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: if they cut you off, skin back left and keep going, 567 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 1: and if they cut you off their skin back right, 568 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: keep like they're just putting their head down and they're 569 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,239 Speaker 1: getting to the rim. And so from that standpoint, you know, 570 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,639 Speaker 1: the Lakers are incredibly well equipped to play that style 571 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 1: of basketball. And I think at the end of the day, 572 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: like we forget that the Lakers kind of man handled 573 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 1: the Suns in Games two and Game three. It looks 574 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: kind of like these Milwaukee wins over over over the Suns, 575 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: and so I think maybe that doesn't mean that the 576 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 1: Lakers shouldn't look for some sort of additional playmaker someone 577 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,199 Speaker 1: allah C. J. McCollum is the guy I've got my 578 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: eyes on. However, you know, if if they can't get anybody, 579 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 1: I don't think it's it's time yet to just pretend 580 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 1: like this is, you know, a team that needs to 581 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 1: be drastically changed because they have a better version in 582 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: my opinion of this Milwaukee formula. You know, I think, 583 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: I you probably this probably isn't the summer to say it, 584 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,439 Speaker 1: but I think Lebron is a better version of the Honest, 585 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: a guy that if you you have to send help 586 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: to the rim or he's just gonna bowl you to 587 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:33,239 Speaker 1: the basket every time except where he's gonna make all 588 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: these correct passes all over the place, and he can 589 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: beat you as a jump shooter off the dribble. And 590 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: then you've got uh, Anthony Davis, who's arguably as physically 591 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: dominant as the Honest, or was capable of being as 592 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: physically dominant as the Honest. So I think, like I think, 593 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, this series has been 594 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: a lesson that there may one day be a time 595 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 1: when skill and shot making can take over the NBA, 596 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: but I don't think it's yet, and and right now 597 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: it still appears to favor the more physically dominant team, 598 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: the one that can thrive in this rock fight environment. Yeah, 599 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: it's always like a Yang and Yang, right, It's always 600 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: like working back and forth Like if you go too 601 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: much in one way, then you're susceptible to being attacked 602 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: in the other way. So that's kind of how I 603 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: see it, man. Like just watching Phoenix, like they swept 604 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: the Denver Nuggets even though you know they were out 605 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: with some people. Um they beat what Portland? And did 606 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: they play port And who did they play? They played? Uh, 607 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: they played Denver and US and it was what they 608 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: play in the West. The Clippers yere up up to 609 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: all on the Clippers, but yeah, we forget man, Like 610 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: the Lakers were up to one shooting from three and 611 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: most of these games beating with the physicality, and you're 612 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: seeing a lot of similar stuff, like their players are 613 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: wearing down. I thought Drake Cowder was Jake Crowder was 614 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: starting to get more down in the Lakers series as well. Um, 615 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 1: but yeah, and when you have Lebron and a d 616 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: that's kind of your baseline level and they're going to 617 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: create open shots. Uh man, they would kill this small lineup. 618 00:29:58,080 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: Like I just think about what they did in Houston 619 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: last year. We forget man. People picked the Rock a 620 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: lot of smart basketball people, Zach Low included. You know, 621 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: I love Zach Low. One of my favorite analysts. He 622 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: picked the Houston Rockers to be the Lakers because that 623 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: style was killing. That was a new style. James Harden, 624 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook, small ball. Um, they had what p J 625 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: Tucker at the five, which is kind of funny with 626 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: set p J. Tucker doing what he's doing now, but 627 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 1: very similar. They ran very similar offense, spread out James 628 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 1: Harden and the honest role a little bit. He's not 629 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: you honest obviously, but just in terms of the heliocentricism 630 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: and um, yeah, then the Lakers obviously said, okay, we're 631 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: gonna do eighty at the five, and I dare you 632 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: to switch every action and they did end up with 633 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: Robert Covington. Um with the other guy. They have the 634 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: guy that kicked out the Bubble Daniel house, you know, 635 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: ending up on a D and it was just laughable. 636 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: A D got whatever he wanted. And then we forget 637 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: against Portland, who they had to start Hassan Whiteside and 638 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: nurkersh together just to match up with the side. So 639 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 1: it's just funny. Look at that, like, that's where I 640 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 1: think I would kind of build on the season. It's 641 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: tough to kind of gauge I think there's things to 642 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: improve and all that, but yeah, physical physicality still wins 643 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: the day. If you can have both, that's the whole point, right, 644 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: you don't have to choose a d and Lebron are 645 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: also skilled like these aren't like seven footers with no 646 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 1: you know, handle or who can't you know, dribble or 647 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: catch the ball or any kind of stuff like that. 648 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: These are highly skilled, also physical players that use both. 649 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: Lebron uses physicality to also supplement the skill, which I 650 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: think is um is best of both worlds, and we're 651 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: seeing is just tear through them and I just can't 652 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 1: imagine what a healthy Lebron would have done. He obviously 653 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: was not himself in that Phoenix series, so um, but yeah, 654 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: I agree with you. I think there's something to build up. Yeah, 655 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: and you know that versatility is key because the story 656 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: of this series is Milwaukee physically dominating them. But at 657 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: the end of the day, at the end of these games, 658 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,239 Speaker 1: it's a lot of surgical stuff from Chris Middleton, a 659 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: lot of you know, really high level shot making over contests, 660 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: you know, off the dribble, uh like tough shot making 661 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: from Chris Middleton. And so that's where the verse atility 662 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: is key, and that's why you know, uh, like, even 663 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 1: even when you watch those those uh Lakers wins over 664 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 1: the Suns, like there was in Game two, it was like, uh, 665 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 1: it was Lebron taking and making really tough off the 666 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: dribble jump shots in the late third quarter, quarter in 667 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 1: early fourth quarter that kind of put them over the top, 668 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: you know, and and you know, in their championship run 669 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: it was like, we're physically dominating you. But there was 670 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: a lot of really high level shot making from Lebron 671 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis, and so having a guy like c 672 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: J McCollum in the mix, just to add even more 673 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: high level shot making to that Laker roster while also 674 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: having the ability to physically dominate teams is definitely intriguing. 675 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: I think I think that that's the kind of move 676 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: that they need to try to make. But yeah, at 677 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: the end of the day, your your core identity needs 678 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: to be something that has proven to work in this 679 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: late round playoff type of environment, and that means you 680 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,959 Speaker 1: need to be able to physically dominate every edition. You 681 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: can't have uh too many, you can't have more than 682 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: basically maybe one finn player on the perimeter. Everybody like 683 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: you can probably get away with a Schroder, but you 684 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: can't get away with like a Schroder and a campaign 685 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: type of guard like that. Those Chris Paul campaign lineups 686 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: are getting destroyed in this Buck series. Um and then 687 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: and then you need to have guys that in the 688 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: half court when things really slow down that can generate 689 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: quality shots in that type of physical uh environment. And 690 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: so the Lakers have that core identity that that that's 691 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: in their core, that's who they are. They've been that 692 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: for two years. And so as long as they keep 693 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: that and make little moves on the property periphery to 694 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 1: add a little bit of versatility here or there, I 695 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: think they're I think they're on the right path. Have 696 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 1: a question for you because like we talked all year 697 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: about the Lakers kind of defensive guards, right, they have 698 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: really good defensive guard play shrewder Case. He is really 699 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: good at lock and trailing chasing guys. Alex Caruso, I 700 00:33:58,120 --> 00:33:59,479 Speaker 1: think I don't know if you would agree as our 701 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: best probably perimeter defender has the size and kind of speed. 702 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: I'm more biased in this. I don't ask you, like 703 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: can Caruso do of what Drew Holiday is kind of 704 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: doing here, Like, is he at that kind of time? 705 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: I don't. It probably doesn't have the talent of True 706 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 1: Holiday or the physicality, but like, do you think he 707 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: can kind of assume a little of that? Because when 708 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 1: I watched Drew like defend like this, it reminds me 709 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,800 Speaker 1: of watching Crusoe. But like I'm more biased, I watched 710 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: a hundred more Laker games any of the team. Do 711 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: you kind of see that or is that like or 712 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 1: is Cruso kind of another tier of defender of True 713 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,799 Speaker 1: Holiday in terms of chasing like a guy like Chris 714 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,240 Speaker 1: Paul and making him work for everything. I think Crusoe 715 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 1: is is near that level. Um. Now, the reason why 716 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say he's at that level is mainly has 717 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: to do with out of respect to Drew Holiday, the 718 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: fact that Drew Holiday does it for forty minutes a 719 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: night every night for the last bit basically a decade um, 720 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:54,839 Speaker 1: whereas Crusoe has been doing it in a limited role. 721 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: He's playing usually you know, between minutes a night and 722 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,800 Speaker 1: doesn't have the same amount of defensive responsibility. Blah blah blah. 723 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: But I think Caruso is an absolute wrecking ball defensively, 724 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,399 Speaker 1: and I think he does it in a similar way 725 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: to Drew Holiday. He does it at the guard position, 726 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 1: as a big, strong player in an environment where physicality 727 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 1: is allowed. He just bumps people off their spots and 728 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: he's really good with his hands. He's good at not fouling. 729 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: It's all the extra effort stuff, never quits on a play, 730 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,399 Speaker 1: all that stuff. I think. I think that in that role, 731 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: that's what you're getting. And for the record, this was 732 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 1: something uh Pete from Laker Film Room brought up in 733 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: a podcast I think it was yesterday, Uh, when he 734 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: was talking about how like sometimes the Lakers would just 735 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: come out with lineups where it was you know, lebron A, 736 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:44,399 Speaker 1: d Andre, Drummond, Kuzma and Caruso and you're like, you're 737 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: you're you're going seven ft seven ft six nine six 738 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 1: nine six five or six six or whatever, and everybody's 739 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: strong and Drew Drew Drew Holiday kind of is that 740 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: for Milwaukee. He's the the ability to have like a 741 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 1: small guy on the floor, but at the same time 742 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: one that doesn't sacrifice your physical identity as a team. 743 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: And that's what Crusoe is. And you know, like you 744 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 1: and I said all year, when push comes to shove 745 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. You can talk about Drummond and whether 746 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: or not he helps to play him. You can talk 747 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 1: about Kuzma, you can talk about, you know, uh which 748 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: guards to play. But at the end of the day, 749 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,879 Speaker 1: it's like when when it when the chips were down, 750 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,920 Speaker 1: it was always going to be Lebron, a D, you know, Caruso, 751 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:32,840 Speaker 1: k CP and either Kuzma or Wesley Matthews, depending on 752 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: who had to go in that night. At the end 753 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: of the day, they were gonna go with just a 754 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:41,400 Speaker 1: really basic, uh defense heavy lineup and have all the 755 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: shot creation go through through Lebron and a D. And 756 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: so you know, at the end of the day, like 757 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:49,879 Speaker 1: like that, all this other stuff doesn't matter as much 758 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 1: as long as your core group can get the job done. 759 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: That's what's happening with with Milwaukee is no matter how 760 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:57,920 Speaker 1: crazy it gets, you fall down by sixteen points in 761 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:00,720 Speaker 1: the first quarter of of of a Crazy Him in Phoenix. 762 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: It's like when we go to Janice and Chris Middleton 763 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: and p J. Tucker and Pat Conaton and Drew Holiday, 764 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: they can't score on us and we're physically bullying them 765 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: on the other end, and so it's just it's at 766 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: the end of the day, it's like, who's your guys, 767 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And Crusoe, regardless of whether 768 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 1: or not he's on the same level of Drew Holiday, 769 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 1: I know that I can count on Crusoe to be 770 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: that guy with that group and be near as impactful 771 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,359 Speaker 1: on the defensive end, which is all you really need 772 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 1: him to be in that lineup. Yeah, yeah, exactly, And 773 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: that's what I was wondering. I think Lakers kind of 774 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 1: simulate what Milwaukee was doing here in terms of chasing 775 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:38,120 Speaker 1: guys over. It just reminds me of their defense, Like 776 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 1: I remember when they had a Crusoe on Dame for 777 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:42,760 Speaker 1: the whole first round pretty much and kind of forced 778 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,840 Speaker 1: Dame to kind of handle a bunch of physicality for 779 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:48,480 Speaker 1: the whole round. Obviously they sent help when they're supposed 780 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:50,280 Speaker 1: to do and all that, but just that's what's reminding 781 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,040 Speaker 1: me of watching Drew just absolutely take Chris Paul out 782 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: on Chris Paul is not Dame, he's not the age 783 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:58,080 Speaker 1: or the scoring throw anymore, but just watching him absolutely 784 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 1: eliminate him. Um, Jevin Booker is getting free as well, 785 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: but just on the switches with Drew it's it's cool 786 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,879 Speaker 1: to watch a defensive masterclass like this, Like I feel 787 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,760 Speaker 1: like that should be louder than the Chris Paul is choking, 788 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,480 Speaker 1: Like that's a very easy kind of narrative put out there, 789 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,000 Speaker 1: but just looking at the basketball of it, it's cool 790 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,600 Speaker 1: to watch you guys step up like this. And this 791 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: is not the first time Drew all they has done this. Um, 792 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: he did this to Damian Lillard and when he was 793 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: in New Orleans as well, Like this is he has 794 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 1: a reputation for this um and CJ. Mccollumn as well 795 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,319 Speaker 1: to a lesser and extet, So like, I feel like 796 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: that should be louder. This is one of the best 797 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: maybe defensive guards that we've seen, instead of just ever yeah, 798 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: instead of just saying Chris Paul chokes, Like that's a 799 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: that I mean, I guess you can say that, but 800 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:40,279 Speaker 1: that's not really the story to me that's happening on 801 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: the court. At least. The story is Drew Holiday is 802 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 1: making a hell for him to get any separation for 803 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:47,840 Speaker 1: a six one to six to guards. So I just 804 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 1: want to ask you that because I think it's interesting. 805 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,759 Speaker 1: The Lake just kind of build off that Crusoe is 806 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:53,840 Speaker 1: a free agent, which makes this even more kind of 807 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 1: fascinating here to to see. Yeah, like Tim Likely said, 808 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 1: Drew Holidays built like a um, built like an NFL 809 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,200 Speaker 1: strong safety is what he said. And you know, in 810 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: Crusoe is two, which is crazy because like I'm I'm 811 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: I'm six six and I way about two thirty, so 812 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:13,040 Speaker 1: I'm pretty strong for a guy my size. But like 813 00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: you look at a picture of Alex Crusoe with his 814 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,160 Speaker 1: shirt off, and you're like, there's another level to this, 815 00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:20,719 Speaker 1: Like like Alex Cruzo probably doesn't weigh quite as much 816 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: as me because I have a bunch of weight in 817 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:26,440 Speaker 1: my legs, but like he's so physically strong and powerful 818 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,919 Speaker 1: in his upper body that you can tell, like when 819 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 1: he there's like little bits of contact that you can 820 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: get away within basketball because the refs don't like to 821 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: blow their whistle all the time. That's kind of like 822 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:39,720 Speaker 1: a policy. They do their jobs, but they would prefer 823 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 1: to not be heavily involved in the game. So like 824 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 1: these little little forearm chucks here, little hands here, that 825 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:49,720 Speaker 1: kind of stuff is allowed. Well, when you're as strong 826 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 1: as Alex Crusoe is, or if you're built like an 827 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 1: NFL strong safety, the way that Drew Holiday is those 828 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:59,080 Speaker 1: little bumps in little chucks completely throw you off balance 829 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 1: and and all of a sudden, like you know, taking 830 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 1: a little turnaround jump shot. Instead of you elevating and 831 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,399 Speaker 1: getting a good clean look at the rim, now you're 832 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 1: like jumping almost at a forty five degree angle because 833 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: you're off balance. And when you're getting into the lane 834 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:14,960 Speaker 1: and you're trying to finish strong at the rim, now 835 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:17,400 Speaker 1: you're fading away from the basket and throwing some crazy 836 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 1: hook shot up because Crusoe or Drew just kind of 837 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: bumped you a little bit and the ref didn't call 838 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:24,560 Speaker 1: it that. That kind of stuff is all part of 839 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 1: that advantage. And you know, and and for for the record, 840 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 1: with the way the game is officiated, when you get 841 00:40:29,239 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 1: into these late rounds, it kind of turns into this 842 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:38,280 Speaker 1: you know, mono imano physical matchup, like who's who's bigger, 843 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:40,480 Speaker 1: who's stronger, who's faster kind of deal. And you know, 844 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: and the Warriors are always pointed to is the skill 845 00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: team that that got over the top of I guess 846 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 1: like we always forget they were a top They were 847 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: top three defense almost every season there in the first 848 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:53,560 Speaker 1: three years that they that they were in the finals, 849 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: and it was like Andrea guadala Is every bit is 850 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:03,000 Speaker 1: is physically imposing, as as as the best big wings 851 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:06,279 Speaker 1: in the league, and Draymond Green was Draymond Green did 852 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,040 Speaker 1: a lot of that to Kevin Love. Like Kevin Love 853 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:09,880 Speaker 1: would post up and he'd turned and face and he 854 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:11,759 Speaker 1: do a little jab step, you do a little like 855 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 1: back down dribble, and Draymond would just a little shove, 856 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:16,560 Speaker 1: a little push here, and he'd be way off balance 857 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:18,160 Speaker 1: and next thing you know, it's like, oh, like I 858 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:20,000 Speaker 1: can't even get a shot off against this guy, you 859 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:22,600 Speaker 1: know what I mean. So the Warriors were a very 860 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: physically imposing team. Then you threw Kevin Durant into the mix. 861 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,239 Speaker 1: Is this like seven foot freak who when he was 862 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 1: trying on defense was like Anthony Davis. Like that kind 863 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: of thing that have made them very physically imposing. They 864 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 1: just also had the high end shot making that came 865 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:40,839 Speaker 1: from Steph Curry and Clay Thompson and Kevin Durant made 866 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:43,279 Speaker 1: them so tough to beat. Um. All right, let's move 867 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 1: on to this this bad Twitter thing. So, as Roger 868 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 1: and I were talking before the show, uh, him and I, 869 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:53,560 Speaker 1: I I basically sat that one out because I was 870 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: pretty annoyed by it and I just didn't want to 871 00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:59,120 Speaker 1: be a part of it. Roger listened to the the 872 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:01,239 Speaker 1: Space a little the Spaces a little bit and heard 873 00:42:01,239 --> 00:42:05,000 Speaker 1: some of this stuff. But this has been this has 874 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 1: been an extremely uh popular topic over basically the last 875 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: like a couple of years, because there was the big 876 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 1: thing with uh, you know, Lebron and his weird pullback 877 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: three point shot and how people talked about how like 878 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:21,799 Speaker 1: this was his go to move and he's killing the 879 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:24,279 Speaker 1: league with this move because he has no bag. And 880 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,560 Speaker 1: then it was the Janice stuff and the Janna's first 881 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: James Harden stuff, and then it was like, oh, who's 882 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:32,239 Speaker 1: on the mount Rushmore of scores? Can we can we 883 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:35,319 Speaker 1: include Lebron James on the Mount Rushmore of scores when 884 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,640 Speaker 1: he doesn't have all these polished moves like some of 885 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:41,200 Speaker 1: these other guys. And and then it you know, climaxed 886 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:44,239 Speaker 1: with this whole thing with Janice in the finals, which 887 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:48,480 Speaker 1: led to uh, perhaps the most ridiculous uh graphic I've 888 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,640 Speaker 1: ever seen in my life. And uh, like you said earlier, 889 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: we're not gonna dunk on on Phillips here. That's not 890 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:56,480 Speaker 1: the point. We want to have an interesting conversation surrounding this. 891 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 1: But the premise was that guys like John stock then 892 00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:03,760 Speaker 1: and Clay Thompson and Janis Antenna Coompo and Tim Duncan 893 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:11,799 Speaker 1: or basketball players but not Hooper's uh, which fundamentally doesn't 894 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:14,040 Speaker 1: make any sense because I would argue that Clay Thompson 895 00:43:14,040 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 1: and Tim Duncan in particular are two and John Sockton 896 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:21,920 Speaker 1: are are They're just incredibly skilled basketball players. Um, they 897 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:25,200 Speaker 1: just didn't do things the way that you know, other 898 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:28,839 Speaker 1: players different archetypes did it. So I guess before before 899 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:30,560 Speaker 1: we get too much further into it, let me just 900 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:32,600 Speaker 1: ask you this, like what was your reaction when you 901 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,800 Speaker 1: saw that graphic? And and what's your kind of macro 902 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:41,480 Speaker 1: worldview on the whole skill versus impact type of discussion. Yeah, 903 00:43:41,719 --> 00:43:44,399 Speaker 1: it's tough because like, obviously I didn't play super high 904 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,680 Speaker 1: level basketball, but anyone who's got into any played, I 905 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:49,920 Speaker 1: don't care where you played, high school, middle school. Like 906 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:53,239 Speaker 1: if you play in open runs in twenty four, like, 907 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:55,759 Speaker 1: you'll meet people who are like trying to, you know, 908 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:59,120 Speaker 1: be professional basketball players in whatever level. Like I remember 909 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:01,000 Speaker 1: I would play and run at twenty four is a 910 00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:03,719 Speaker 1: guy trying to play who's trying to make the G League. Um, 911 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:06,080 Speaker 1: he was trying to make the G League roster, and 912 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:09,279 Speaker 1: he absolutely would kill in those runs like destroy us, 913 00:44:09,680 --> 00:44:11,600 Speaker 1: And I'm like, man, this is the level of dudes 914 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:14,240 Speaker 1: like in the like, if go watch G League games 915 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:16,839 Speaker 1: and watch dudes play like these dudes, it's so hard 916 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:19,680 Speaker 1: to even make that level. And I think just once 917 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:21,719 Speaker 1: you like the the argument is one of the guys 918 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:23,239 Speaker 1: was making if he was Tony was like, once you 919 00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:26,359 Speaker 1: become an All Star, you're automatically a hooper. And for me, 920 00:44:26,440 --> 00:44:29,880 Speaker 1: the levels like once you make the NBA, like like 921 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 1: like I don't believe you can really make the NBA 922 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,239 Speaker 1: without having some sort of love of hoop. I mean 923 00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:38,040 Speaker 1: there are very rare exceptions. Um, Like people use Andrew 924 00:44:38,040 --> 00:44:39,920 Speaker 1: Wiggins as an example of a guy who might not 925 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 1: really love basketball the way he does. But I mean 926 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 1: that's also I don't know Andrew Wiggins, so I don't 927 00:44:45,080 --> 00:44:47,160 Speaker 1: know if he does or doesn't. But like that's my 928 00:44:47,239 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 1: biggest picture with that, Like saying Tim Duncan doesn't love basketball, 929 00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:52,879 Speaker 1: it's such a doesn't I'm sorry, isn't a hooper It's 930 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,200 Speaker 1: just such a weird thing to say Tim Duncan is 931 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:56,960 Speaker 1: the best power forward, Like they even said Tim dunk 932 00:44:57,040 --> 00:44:59,200 Speaker 1: is the best power for whatever. But he's not a hooper. 933 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:01,880 Speaker 1: Well that that that that doesn't really make sense to me. 934 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:03,360 Speaker 1: So let me ask you a question. Does ask a 935 00:45:03,400 --> 00:45:06,279 Speaker 1: question that was asked in that thing? And um, it 936 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:09,000 Speaker 1: really threw me, It really drew me off. Do you 937 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:11,160 Speaker 1: think John Stockton would be able to score in the 938 00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:16,600 Speaker 1: Drew League? Absolutely, there's there's no question. Um. You know, 939 00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:21,680 Speaker 1: I think that, Uh, I think that aesthetics end up 940 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:24,360 Speaker 1: being the driving force behind most of this stuff. People 941 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:27,799 Speaker 1: gravitate towards specific types of basketball players, you know what 942 00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:30,280 Speaker 1: I mean? And um that that's kind of the funny 943 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,920 Speaker 1: part about about me being a Lebron fan, like my 944 00:45:33,600 --> 00:45:36,400 Speaker 1: my my fanhood of Lebron has a lot more to 945 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,239 Speaker 1: do with him getting me interested in basketball, despite the 946 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:42,520 Speaker 1: fact that my family didn't really expose me to basketball, um, 947 00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:43,960 Speaker 1: more than it has to do with me being a 948 00:45:43,960 --> 00:45:46,279 Speaker 1: fan of the type of game that he has, you know. 949 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,200 Speaker 1: Like for me personally, I've always been a score like 950 00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:52,360 Speaker 1: I I play a lot more like a Devin Booker 951 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:54,600 Speaker 1: type of player than I do like a Lebron. I'm 952 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:58,160 Speaker 1: not a great passer. It's actually a weakness in my game. 953 00:45:58,160 --> 00:46:01,200 Speaker 1: I don't see the floor as well as as really 954 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:05,319 Speaker 1: good passers do. Uh in in in the local hoops 955 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 1: scene here, So like when I played with the men's league, 956 00:46:07,560 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 1: I try to find a guy who can be a 957 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:11,919 Speaker 1: more traditional playmaker because it kind of compliments my skill 958 00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 1: set more. And you know, uh, the reality is is 959 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:19,279 Speaker 1: like you've talked to five random guys. You know, two 960 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:22,040 Speaker 1: of them are going to gravitate towards the Kobe archetype 961 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:24,160 Speaker 1: of basketball player, and three of them are going to 962 00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:27,440 Speaker 1: gravitate towards the Lebron archetype of basketball player. People are 963 00:46:27,480 --> 00:46:30,520 Speaker 1: just fans of different styles. I do think that people 964 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:33,680 Speaker 1: highly underestimate how skilled these guys are. Like you guys, 965 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:35,680 Speaker 1: probably you guys probably see me post a lot of 966 00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:39,200 Speaker 1: basketball videos on on on Twitter. I post those basketball 967 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,719 Speaker 1: videos because I'm addicted to the game and because I'm 968 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:44,840 Speaker 1: I know I'm entering this phase. I turned thirty this 969 00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:47,600 Speaker 1: year where I've got like five years here where I 970 00:46:47,640 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 1: can have like a five year stretch where I'm at 971 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:52,479 Speaker 1: my absolute peak as a basketball player. And I really 972 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:54,960 Speaker 1: want to enjoy it, and I really want to maximize it, 973 00:46:55,160 --> 00:46:56,680 Speaker 1: and I really want to have fun with it. But 974 00:46:56,880 --> 00:46:59,840 Speaker 1: let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am nowhere 975 00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:03,439 Speaker 1: year good enough to play in the NBA, not even 976 00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:07,000 Speaker 1: remotely close. That's how good those guys are. You see 977 00:47:07,040 --> 00:47:09,880 Speaker 1: me take every conceivable turnaround jump shot. You see me 978 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,279 Speaker 1: take every conceivable step back jump shot. I have all 979 00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:14,120 Speaker 1: the dribble moves, I have all the stuff that you 980 00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:18,040 Speaker 1: would qualify as a bag and I am nowhere near 981 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:21,680 Speaker 1: even remotely qualified to play in the n b A. 982 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:24,040 Speaker 1: If you put me on the Lakers roster, I would 983 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:26,759 Speaker 1: get man handled in their practices. I am not. I 984 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:30,239 Speaker 1: am not even remotely close to that level. Well, you 985 00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:32,839 Speaker 1: have to understand is like these guys, even the ones 986 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:37,400 Speaker 1: you don't think of as someone who's particularly skilled, they 987 00:47:37,440 --> 00:47:40,879 Speaker 1: they shrink their games down to fit into a role 988 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:45,000 Speaker 1: in the NBA. And that is the key difference there, 989 00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:49,280 Speaker 1: you know, like like like if you Clay Thompson plays 990 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:52,919 Speaker 1: a fundamentally sound, shrunken version of his game to fit 991 00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 1: within a championship concept alongside one of the ten best 992 00:47:56,200 --> 00:48:00,920 Speaker 1: basketball players ever. Clay Thompson takes most the on balanced 993 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:03,319 Speaker 1: jump shots with a really quick release and then he 994 00:48:03,360 --> 00:48:05,319 Speaker 1: adds a little bit of stuff off the move. But 995 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:07,520 Speaker 1: that's about it. If you went and played pick up 996 00:48:07,520 --> 00:48:10,960 Speaker 1: with Clay Thompson, he'd be doing seven dribble step back 997 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:13,000 Speaker 1: threes to his right, seven dribble step back threes to 998 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:14,759 Speaker 1: his left. He'd be doing stuff out of the post. 999 00:48:14,840 --> 00:48:17,520 Speaker 1: He'd be doing stuff everywhere. He's capable of all of that. 1000 00:48:17,920 --> 00:48:20,560 Speaker 1: He shrinks his game to fit within the championship concept. 1001 00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 1: Same thing goes with Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan is the 1002 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:25,680 Speaker 1: epitome of a player who has embraced the fact that 1003 00:48:25,760 --> 00:48:29,080 Speaker 1: a simplified version of his game would lead to championships. 1004 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:31,719 Speaker 1: He didn't need to do the Kevin Garnett crazy fadeaways, 1005 00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:34,320 Speaker 1: he didn't need to do the Anthony Davis multiple dribbles 1006 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:37,279 Speaker 1: between his legs feeding into each shot. He simplified it 1007 00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:39,760 Speaker 1: down to a handful of moves, a little face up banker, 1008 00:48:40,080 --> 00:48:44,280 Speaker 1: little hook shots here, drop steps there. He incredibly simplified 1009 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:46,799 Speaker 1: his game and made it based on power and fundamentals, 1010 00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:50,279 Speaker 1: and nobody could nobody, nobody could mess with him as 1011 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:53,000 Speaker 1: a result of that. And so I think a lot 1012 00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:57,280 Speaker 1: of times people view simplifying the game as a weakness, 1013 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:03,120 Speaker 1: you know, like like uh uh, going with rudimentary, more dependable, 1014 00:49:03,239 --> 00:49:06,880 Speaker 1: fundamental skills as a weakness, when in reality, it is 1015 00:49:06,920 --> 00:49:10,719 Speaker 1: a player making a conscious decision to simplify his game 1016 00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:13,760 Speaker 1: to try to impact winning within within his team concept. 1017 00:49:14,040 --> 00:49:16,840 Speaker 1: There are players out there, guys like Kyrie Irving, you know, 1018 00:49:16,920 --> 00:49:20,680 Speaker 1: guys like Devin Booker, where their physical tools aren't really 1019 00:49:20,719 --> 00:49:25,120 Speaker 1: what they need to be to have a rudimentary basic 1020 00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:29,800 Speaker 1: approach to the game. They have to use smoke in mirrors, 1021 00:49:29,800 --> 00:49:33,120 Speaker 1: they have to use misdirection, they have to use change 1022 00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:36,160 Speaker 1: of pace and counters on top of counters on top 1023 00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:39,000 Speaker 1: of counters to get to their spots because otherwise they 1024 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:41,799 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to get shots off. That that's by necessity, 1025 00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:44,439 Speaker 1: that's completely different. But at the end of the day, 1026 00:49:44,480 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: every single player, their impact on winning is a combination 1027 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:54,160 Speaker 1: of their physical tools, their skill set, and their basketball 1028 00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:56,879 Speaker 1: i Q. And if you're strong and two of those 1029 00:49:56,920 --> 00:49:59,239 Speaker 1: areas in week and one, regardless of what it is, 1030 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:01,840 Speaker 1: you'll be fine. But you've got to be strong in 1031 00:50:01,880 --> 00:50:04,720 Speaker 1: other areas to compensate. If you don't have great physical tools, 1032 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:08,000 Speaker 1: you better be incredibly smart and incredibly skilled. If you 1033 00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:10,600 Speaker 1: don't have a great basketball i Q, you better have 1034 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:12,359 Speaker 1: great physical tools, and you better be able to put 1035 00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:14,560 Speaker 1: the ball in the basket because you're gonna become a 1036 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:18,319 Speaker 1: weaponized score in your offense, and and and so on 1037 00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:20,640 Speaker 1: and so. For Lebron is more like a really great 1038 00:50:20,640 --> 00:50:22,640 Speaker 1: physical tools and really great i Q kind of guy. 1039 00:50:22,640 --> 00:50:25,480 Speaker 1: And he's somewhat weak in the in the skill set area, 1040 00:50:25,600 --> 00:50:28,880 Speaker 1: but he has enough there and he's so good in 1041 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:31,360 Speaker 1: the other two areas that he's maybe the best basketball 1042 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 1: player ever. But at the end of the day, you 1043 00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:35,880 Speaker 1: have to have some combination of those things. And it 1044 00:50:35,920 --> 00:50:37,719 Speaker 1: would be a complete this last thing, I'll say this, 1045 00:50:37,840 --> 00:50:40,560 Speaker 1: it would be a complete waste of your honest's time 1046 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:43,520 Speaker 1: to go into this summer and be like, I am 1047 00:50:43,560 --> 00:50:46,640 Speaker 1: going to try to replicate everything that Devin Booker did 1048 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:49,880 Speaker 1: in that NBA Finals, because it would take him years 1049 00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:52,840 Speaker 1: to develop that skill set, and it would be he 1050 00:50:52,920 --> 00:50:56,240 Speaker 1: doesn't need to get as much separation as Devin Booker. 1051 00:50:56,560 --> 00:50:59,440 Speaker 1: Devin Booker needs to get so much separation to get 1052 00:50:59,480 --> 00:51:01,759 Speaker 1: that shot up. Your honest would be better off taking 1053 00:51:01,800 --> 00:51:05,120 Speaker 1: almost a Tim duncan ESQ approach, working on a handful 1054 00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:10,080 Speaker 1: of really rudimentary uh post moves, midpost moves that he 1055 00:51:10,120 --> 00:51:12,799 Speaker 1: will be able to get off without much separation. That 1056 00:51:12,840 --> 00:51:15,960 Speaker 1: can be really dependable moves for him. And getting caught 1057 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,359 Speaker 1: up in the aesthetics of things just means you don't 1058 00:51:18,400 --> 00:51:21,040 Speaker 1: have your priorities straight and you sure you sure as 1059 00:51:21,040 --> 00:51:23,520 Speaker 1: hell shouldn't be trying to impress the Rashad phillips Is 1060 00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:26,040 Speaker 1: of the world. That's not that that's not gonna help 1061 00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:28,520 Speaker 1: you win basketball games. You need to figure out how 1062 00:51:28,560 --> 00:51:31,319 Speaker 1: you can win within your team concept. Yeah, and I 1063 00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:33,239 Speaker 1: feel like I don't even want to use names like 1064 00:51:33,360 --> 00:51:37,200 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan Clay Thompson, like that's to me should be obvious. 1065 00:51:37,239 --> 00:51:39,960 Speaker 1: You throw Tim Duncan anywhere in the world, he's gonna dominate. 1066 00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:43,160 Speaker 1: You throw Clay Thompson anywhere in the world, you can dominant. 1067 00:51:43,200 --> 00:51:45,279 Speaker 1: But you can even go at the lesser dudes. Like 1068 00:51:45,760 --> 00:51:47,600 Speaker 1: I think there is a conversation that we have there 1069 00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:51,920 Speaker 1: are players who can't translate that street kind of game 1070 00:51:52,040 --> 00:51:54,640 Speaker 1: to the NBA, right, We've we've seen that a lot 1071 00:51:54,680 --> 00:51:57,120 Speaker 1: where players really struggle or even if they do translate, 1072 00:51:57,160 --> 00:52:00,239 Speaker 1: they're not the star that they were because, like if 1073 00:52:00,239 --> 00:52:01,560 Speaker 1: you look in the G League, there's a lot of 1074 00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:05,600 Speaker 1: guys who average in college or whatever, and they can't 1075 00:52:05,640 --> 00:52:08,319 Speaker 1: translate that into a role because in the league, you 1076 00:52:08,320 --> 00:52:12,240 Speaker 1: already have thirty points scores, right, Alex Cruso talks about 1077 00:52:12,280 --> 00:52:14,480 Speaker 1: this a lot um. A lot of guys don't know 1078 00:52:14,560 --> 00:52:16,719 Speaker 1: the role they're applying for. Like they go into the 1079 00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:19,239 Speaker 1: G League and think they're gonna be the score went in. 1080 00:52:19,480 --> 00:52:21,440 Speaker 1: To be honest, every team has a score ready to 1081 00:52:21,440 --> 00:52:24,240 Speaker 1: be looking for guys to do other things, as Cruso 1082 00:52:24,320 --> 00:52:25,920 Speaker 1: if he wants, he can go at any pickup game 1083 00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:28,479 Speaker 1: in the world and go drop thirty five forty because 1084 00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:31,720 Speaker 1: he's Alex Caruso is playing the damn NBA. Those guys 1085 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:34,279 Speaker 1: can do that. Like that's where I'm like, that's where 1086 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:35,839 Speaker 1: it's so tough for me. I think that Tim Duncan 1087 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:38,359 Speaker 1: stuff is obvious, Clay Thompson stuff is obvious. Those guys 1088 00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:40,480 Speaker 1: obviously are lesser in the role. These uses are all 1089 00:52:40,520 --> 00:52:42,959 Speaker 1: stars in the best world in the world, best league 1090 00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:44,799 Speaker 1: in the world. But you go to any guy Quinn Cook, 1091 00:52:44,840 --> 00:52:47,920 Speaker 1: you would dominate like this Hooper basketball kind of conversation. 1092 00:52:48,360 --> 00:52:50,560 Speaker 1: I think it's true there are players who can translate it, 1093 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:53,280 Speaker 1: but I think once you have a long NBA career, 1094 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:55,759 Speaker 1: like Lou Williams is a guy that people think about 1095 00:52:55,760 --> 00:52:58,319 Speaker 1: a lot. Didn't really have to change this game that much, 1096 00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:01,000 Speaker 1: but he's still like you throw Williams and Lou Williams 1097 00:53:01,040 --> 00:53:03,319 Speaker 1: is both a basketball player and hooper to me because 1098 00:53:03,320 --> 00:53:05,800 Speaker 1: he can do both. Like he's obviously had a fifteen 1099 00:53:05,880 --> 00:53:07,960 Speaker 1: year career. You don't get a fifteen year career. You 1100 00:53:07,960 --> 00:53:10,960 Speaker 1: can't play basketball. But he's a guy that used Jamal 1101 00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:13,280 Speaker 1: Crawford as well. Um a guy who's had a fifteen 1102 00:53:13,360 --> 00:53:15,480 Speaker 1: year career as a sixth man. You think coaches are 1103 00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:17,160 Speaker 1: going to play a dude that can't that doesn't know 1104 00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:20,120 Speaker 1: basketball for who's one multiple six man in the Year awards. 1105 00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:23,560 Speaker 1: That that's where it just doesn't compute for me. These 1106 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:27,120 Speaker 1: guys are amazing. Go go to Envy a NBA game 1107 00:53:27,160 --> 00:53:30,400 Speaker 1: and go watch the fifteenth man shoot. He's not gonna miss, 1108 00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:32,879 Speaker 1: like he doesn't do does not miss when you watch 1109 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:34,839 Speaker 1: him in warm up. So it's just it's funny. When 1110 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:36,799 Speaker 1: I see the conversation, I think, I think you're right. 1111 00:53:36,800 --> 00:53:39,000 Speaker 1: We don't get these dudes enough credit for just how 1112 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:41,520 Speaker 1: good they are. There in the one percent of the 1113 00:53:41,560 --> 00:53:44,080 Speaker 1: one percent of the one percent of what they do. 1114 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:46,879 Speaker 1: And um, yeah, that that's kind of where I'm at 1115 00:53:46,880 --> 00:53:49,520 Speaker 1: with this conversation. Yeah, it was like, let's use John 1116 00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:52,040 Speaker 1: Stockton as an example, you know, in the New League. 1117 00:53:52,120 --> 00:53:54,040 Speaker 1: This was one of the things that got brought up. 1118 00:53:54,200 --> 00:53:57,520 Speaker 1: You know. Yeah, Uh, my guess is that John Stockton 1119 00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:00,480 Speaker 1: could face up with some defender in the rear league 1120 00:54:00,520 --> 00:54:03,320 Speaker 1: and do some variation of step backs off the dribble 1121 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:05,960 Speaker 1: shots and make a decent percentage of him off the dribble. 1122 00:54:06,520 --> 00:54:08,480 Speaker 1: But one of the big reasons why he didn't do 1123 00:54:08,560 --> 00:54:11,000 Speaker 1: much of that in the NBA is because in the NBA, 1124 00:54:11,080 --> 00:54:14,520 Speaker 1: going against NBA guard defenders, guys like Gary Payton, he 1125 00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:17,520 Speaker 1: wasn't really able to get those types of shots off, 1126 00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:20,520 Speaker 1: and so he turned his he used screens to get 1127 00:54:20,560 --> 00:54:23,600 Speaker 1: an advantage, you know what I mean. And for the record, 1128 00:54:23,719 --> 00:54:27,560 Speaker 1: there's pride doesn't amount to anything on the scoreboard. Okay, 1129 00:54:27,600 --> 00:54:29,680 Speaker 1: if I'm if I'm in a matchup with a guy 1130 00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:31,719 Speaker 1: like there's a guy here in town, his name is Brian, 1131 00:54:31,719 --> 00:54:33,520 Speaker 1: who is one of the best perimeter defenders that I've 1132 00:54:33,560 --> 00:54:35,680 Speaker 1: ever played against. And I see him every once in 1133 00:54:35,719 --> 00:54:37,759 Speaker 1: a while, and when he comes up against me. I 1134 00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:41,120 Speaker 1: have two options. I can either, out of pride, try 1135 00:54:41,160 --> 00:54:42,880 Speaker 1: to score on the guy, which you know, I can 1136 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:44,640 Speaker 1: usually get to my spot and get to some kind 1137 00:54:44,680 --> 00:54:46,480 Speaker 1: of jump shots. Some days I make them, some days 1138 00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:48,359 Speaker 1: I don't. But at the end of the day, why 1139 00:54:48,400 --> 00:54:50,680 Speaker 1: if I'm trying to win the game, why am I 1140 00:54:50,680 --> 00:54:53,680 Speaker 1: trying to isolate Brian. Why don't I get a screen 1141 00:54:53,760 --> 00:54:56,239 Speaker 1: involved and try to get either working in some sort 1142 00:54:56,239 --> 00:54:58,400 Speaker 1: of screen and roll action or get a different defender 1143 00:54:58,480 --> 00:55:00,400 Speaker 1: on me. Because all I really care about is winning, 1144 00:55:00,719 --> 00:55:03,040 Speaker 1: So why don't I get an advantage somewhere else on 1145 00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:05,640 Speaker 1: the floor. John Stockton would probably go up to the 1146 00:55:05,719 --> 00:55:09,319 Speaker 1: Drew League and think, Okay, I'm going to get into 1147 00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:12,359 Speaker 1: screen and roll with this this random super athletic center 1148 00:55:12,440 --> 00:55:14,080 Speaker 1: that's on my team that I can throw lobs too, 1149 00:55:14,440 --> 00:55:16,600 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna get my defender on my backside instead 1150 00:55:16,600 --> 00:55:19,120 Speaker 1: of playing him in isolation, and I'm gonna either shoot 1151 00:55:19,120 --> 00:55:21,400 Speaker 1: floaters or layups at the rim, or throw passes to 1152 00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:23,640 Speaker 1: the big man or if they rotate out to shooters. 1153 00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:28,720 Speaker 1: Like his approach to the game is is built around 1154 00:55:28,719 --> 00:55:31,919 Speaker 1: this idea that he has a specific skill set and 1155 00:55:32,040 --> 00:55:36,680 Speaker 1: he can make that impact basketball games in this specific way, 1156 00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:39,160 Speaker 1: and that specific way is going to be different than 1157 00:55:39,200 --> 00:55:42,759 Speaker 1: the way Kyrie Irving would use his skill set to 1158 00:55:42,920 --> 00:55:46,000 Speaker 1: impact the game. And and and that preference there turned 1159 00:55:46,040 --> 00:55:49,239 Speaker 1: into this like basketball players versus hoopers thing, which is 1160 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:51,959 Speaker 1: so stupid to me and insulting honestly to what those 1161 00:55:51,960 --> 00:55:54,680 Speaker 1: guys do. And so the real question is is it's 1162 00:55:54,719 --> 00:55:57,880 Speaker 1: like with that spectrum that we talked about with basketball 1163 00:55:57,920 --> 00:56:01,600 Speaker 1: i Q skill set and phizic goal tools, that's how 1164 00:56:01,640 --> 00:56:05,440 Speaker 1: you really identify these players, is you know, like I 1165 00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:09,680 Speaker 1: would say that Janice, even like when we're ranking players 1166 00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:11,920 Speaker 1: at the end of the season, you're gonna have players 1167 00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:14,319 Speaker 1: who who kind of gravitate to his play style, who 1168 00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:16,400 Speaker 1: think he's the best player in the league. You know, me, 1169 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:20,200 Speaker 1: I tend to prioritize, you know, that playmaking, basketball i 1170 00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:22,839 Speaker 1: Q shot making a little bit more than other people do. 1171 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:25,560 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna gravitate problem. I'm probably gonna put him 1172 00:56:25,600 --> 00:56:28,080 Speaker 1: forth behind Steph Katie and Lebron because I think those 1173 00:56:28,080 --> 00:56:30,640 Speaker 1: guys and what they provide in the other areas of 1174 00:56:30,680 --> 00:56:33,400 Speaker 1: the game is a little bit more impactful. But we 1175 00:56:33,440 --> 00:56:36,120 Speaker 1: can argue that all day long. You know what your 1176 00:56:36,200 --> 00:56:39,600 Speaker 1: preferences if you value physical dominance, or if you value 1177 00:56:39,640 --> 00:56:42,680 Speaker 1: shot making, or if you value skill, but none of 1178 00:56:42,719 --> 00:56:46,319 Speaker 1: those is inherently or proven to be better than the other. 1179 00:56:46,680 --> 00:56:50,760 Speaker 1: They're all in uh. Samuis Fondiere from Warriors Twitter always 1180 00:56:50,800 --> 00:56:54,439 Speaker 1: talks about this. Like every star, it just comes down 1181 00:56:54,440 --> 00:56:57,000 Speaker 1: to their supporting cast. Like if you gave Kevin Durant 1182 00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:01,239 Speaker 1: the perfect list of of of co of of role 1183 00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:05,360 Speaker 1: players that matches skill set perfectly, but I put Lebron 1184 00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:08,680 Speaker 1: with a mismatched skill set of role players that doesn't 1185 00:57:08,680 --> 00:57:12,080 Speaker 1: really compliment him super well, Katie's team might win even 1186 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:14,960 Speaker 1: if there's no other stars on either team, and vice versa. 1187 00:57:14,960 --> 00:57:17,520 Speaker 1: Of I give Lebron a boatload of shooters who can defend, 1188 00:57:18,000 --> 00:57:19,720 Speaker 1: and he's just driving and kicking and driving to the 1189 00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:22,120 Speaker 1: basket all day long. But Kevin Durant is playing with 1190 00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:25,520 Speaker 1: a group of players that doesn't necessarily match his skill set. 1191 00:57:26,000 --> 00:57:27,840 Speaker 1: Lebron is gonna win that matchup. At the at the 1192 00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:30,919 Speaker 1: end of the day, you know your individual skill set, 1193 00:57:30,920 --> 00:57:33,320 Speaker 1: and whether or not you win usually has a lot 1194 00:57:33,360 --> 00:57:36,760 Speaker 1: more to do with what's around you than with what 1195 00:57:36,800 --> 00:57:39,680 Speaker 1: you're doing. And I think I think this last couple 1196 00:57:39,760 --> 00:57:41,480 Speaker 1: of years has been such a great example of that 1197 00:57:41,520 --> 00:57:44,840 Speaker 1: because we've seen Kevin Durant lose to Janice, and I 1198 00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:47,880 Speaker 1: think Kevin Durant was a better player. We saw Lebron 1199 00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:50,760 Speaker 1: beat Steph in the playing game, and Lebron wasn't even 1200 00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:53,920 Speaker 1: very good in that game. Steph was out of this world. 1201 00:57:54,400 --> 00:57:58,600 Speaker 1: But the Lakers were more physically imposing and and dialed 1202 00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:02,080 Speaker 1: in defensive team who eventually wore them down and and 1203 00:58:02,160 --> 00:58:04,640 Speaker 1: made some big shots late and they won. Like basketball, 1204 00:58:05,080 --> 00:58:08,080 Speaker 1: we have to get away from this mono imano aspect 1205 00:58:08,080 --> 00:58:10,920 Speaker 1: of basketball because we've come too far in that direction. 1206 00:58:11,360 --> 00:58:13,520 Speaker 1: You know, we we kind of a back and forth, 1207 00:58:13,520 --> 00:58:16,760 Speaker 1: and we've gone too far into over analyzing what one 1208 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:20,360 Speaker 1: guy does when we're watching these games, and it's so 1209 00:58:20,480 --> 00:58:24,000 Speaker 1: obviously dependent on the five man unit and how they 1210 00:58:24,040 --> 00:58:27,480 Speaker 1: compliment each other and how they compliment their star. Because 1211 00:58:27,480 --> 00:58:29,960 Speaker 1: there's a version of this series where Devin Booker looks 1212 00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:34,600 Speaker 1: like the best player because everything compliments him. Maybe he 1213 00:58:34,720 --> 00:58:36,880 Speaker 1: makes another big shot in Game four and they win 1214 00:58:36,960 --> 00:58:39,800 Speaker 1: the series in five. You might have guys sitting here going, 1215 00:58:39,840 --> 00:58:42,240 Speaker 1: Devin Booker is better than you, Honese, you know what 1216 00:58:42,240 --> 00:58:44,200 Speaker 1: I mean? Like that, that's that's kind of the way 1217 00:58:44,200 --> 00:58:47,240 Speaker 1: this discourse goes. And so I I just get frustrated 1218 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:50,360 Speaker 1: with it because I don't think. I don't think from 1219 00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:53,080 Speaker 1: Hooper's to like ra Stoan Phillips is a basketball player, 1220 00:58:53,480 --> 00:58:55,640 Speaker 1: that dude he was that that I retweeted this morning 1221 00:58:55,640 --> 00:58:59,120 Speaker 1: that he's talking to dude's a basketball player. Those two 1222 00:58:59,120 --> 00:59:04,480 Speaker 1: guys should have more respect for what these guys do 1223 00:59:05,360 --> 00:59:08,720 Speaker 1: to build their skill set to fit within a championship concept. 1224 00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:12,440 Speaker 1: And it is so deeply disrespectful for them to to 1225 00:59:12,640 --> 00:59:16,880 Speaker 1: undercut that or to overly simplify that, to overly simplify 1226 00:59:16,960 --> 00:59:19,160 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson into a role player when he's a role 1227 00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:21,960 Speaker 1: player by design and he could go to your favorite 1228 00:59:21,960 --> 00:59:24,160 Speaker 1: team and drop twenty seven to night if he wanted to, 1229 00:59:24,240 --> 00:59:26,160 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And I just think I 1230 00:59:26,200 --> 00:59:29,160 Speaker 1: hope that we can delineate between the uh that kind 1231 00:59:29,200 --> 00:59:32,480 Speaker 1: of type of discourse and real basketball discourse. No for sure, 1232 00:59:32,520 --> 00:59:35,320 Speaker 1: And again, like dunking on that is like that the 1233 00:59:35,400 --> 00:59:37,320 Speaker 1: rim is lowered so low that like I feel like 1234 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:40,480 Speaker 1: it's very easy to to dunk on. But like my 1235 00:59:40,520 --> 00:59:42,680 Speaker 1: only issue was because Kendrick Perkins kind of brought this up. 1236 00:59:42,680 --> 00:59:44,960 Speaker 1: Who I think it's a lot more ship than he should. 1237 00:59:44,960 --> 00:59:46,600 Speaker 1: I think he's good on TV and everything, but like 1238 00:59:46,760 --> 00:59:49,720 Speaker 1: he was talking about his kind of thing of Hooper 1239 00:59:49,840 --> 00:59:52,880 Speaker 1: versus basketball player, was Hooper was a guy who loves 1240 00:59:52,960 --> 00:59:57,280 Speaker 1: to hoop, right, So brought up Kevin Durant, brought up JR. Smith, Um, 1241 00:59:57,360 --> 01:00:00,320 Speaker 1: brought up Jamal Crawford. These guys that go whop in 1242 01:00:00,360 --> 01:00:03,480 Speaker 1: these summer league runs and stuff like that all summer. 1243 01:00:04,360 --> 01:00:07,200 Speaker 1: And to me, just because like you don't have like 1244 01:00:07,320 --> 01:00:09,560 Speaker 1: a dribble pull up, or if you're not on TV 1245 01:00:09,640 --> 01:00:11,920 Speaker 1: all the time, doesn't mean you don't love to go hoop, 1246 01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:14,200 Speaker 1: Like I feel like most of these Obviously there's levels. 1247 01:00:14,240 --> 01:00:16,480 Speaker 1: I don't think everyone loves it the same. But I 1248 01:00:16,520 --> 01:00:19,000 Speaker 1: think when you reach the NBA, like you have to 1249 01:00:19,040 --> 01:00:21,440 Speaker 1: have some sort of love for the game at least 1250 01:00:21,640 --> 01:00:24,560 Speaker 1: because the competition is too high. Like love for the 1251 01:00:24,600 --> 01:00:28,160 Speaker 1: game is a baseline, Like that's a starting point, Like 1252 01:00:28,240 --> 01:00:31,800 Speaker 1: you can't even get to where you were even use 1253 01:00:31,800 --> 01:00:34,080 Speaker 1: an example where like a role player gets too without 1254 01:00:34,120 --> 01:00:36,960 Speaker 1: some kind of love because of the work that it takes. Right, 1255 01:00:37,000 --> 01:00:39,400 Speaker 1: it's a lot of hard work to get to even 1256 01:00:39,440 --> 01:00:41,200 Speaker 1: become a role player in the NBA. Become a three 1257 01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:43,600 Speaker 1: and D wing. The amount of shots you have to 1258 01:00:43,600 --> 01:00:45,960 Speaker 1: take per day, the amount of whatever you have to 1259 01:00:46,000 --> 01:00:48,880 Speaker 1: do to become a role player. That work is so 1260 01:00:48,960 --> 01:00:50,440 Speaker 1: much that, like, I feel like your love for the 1261 01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:52,919 Speaker 1: game has to be at some kind of baseline level. 1262 01:00:53,000 --> 01:00:55,560 Speaker 1: Like for me, I don't hear dribble pull up shots. 1263 01:00:55,840 --> 01:00:57,680 Speaker 1: I know my role. When I play a pickup game, 1264 01:00:57,720 --> 01:00:59,200 Speaker 1: I like to stay in the corner. I like to 1265 01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:02,240 Speaker 1: take catch and shoot. I play defense. I know my role. 1266 01:01:02,320 --> 01:01:04,240 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean I don't love to who but I love 1267 01:01:04,280 --> 01:01:06,280 Speaker 1: to go play runs. Just because I can't hear dribble 1268 01:01:06,280 --> 01:01:08,840 Speaker 1: pull up doesn't mean that I don't love like the game. Like, 1269 01:01:08,880 --> 01:01:11,480 Speaker 1: and that's where I know. They kept saying that hooper 1270 01:01:11,560 --> 01:01:14,919 Speaker 1: versus basketball player isn't you know, there's nothing wrong with either, 1271 01:01:15,040 --> 01:01:18,320 Speaker 1: But like calling Lebron a basketball player and not a 1272 01:01:18,360 --> 01:01:20,840 Speaker 1: hooper just has a negative connotation to it. It just 1273 01:01:21,240 --> 01:01:26,360 Speaker 1: has a yeah, so it's very exactly, but like they 1274 01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:29,080 Speaker 1: kept saying, there's nothing wrong with either. But it's just 1275 01:01:29,280 --> 01:01:33,120 Speaker 1: that's Lebron freaking James, Like, how is he not he's 1276 01:01:33,160 --> 01:01:35,360 Speaker 1: playing basketball at thirty six with all the money in 1277 01:01:35,400 --> 01:01:37,800 Speaker 1: the world, does not need to play could could stop 1278 01:01:37,840 --> 01:01:40,000 Speaker 1: playing tomorrow when I have money for a hundreds of generations, 1279 01:01:40,120 --> 01:01:42,840 Speaker 1: How could that man not love to play basketball? Like 1280 01:01:42,920 --> 01:01:45,480 Speaker 1: that's the That's the part to me which is just 1281 01:01:45,560 --> 01:01:49,200 Speaker 1: so strange about the conversation where it's like that that 1282 01:01:49,240 --> 01:01:51,360 Speaker 1: doesn't make any sense. Like I think there's a legitimate 1283 01:01:51,520 --> 01:01:54,920 Speaker 1: conversation between guys who play a really fundamental role and 1284 01:01:54,960 --> 01:01:57,400 Speaker 1: guys who kill it at the runs and guys who 1285 01:01:57,440 --> 01:02:00,640 Speaker 1: can't translate that to the NBA. I think that's a conversation, 1286 01:02:00,720 --> 01:02:02,920 Speaker 1: like how do we get guys who averaged forty in 1287 01:02:02,920 --> 01:02:05,560 Speaker 1: the Drew League to get into the NBA and make 1288 01:02:05,560 --> 01:02:07,720 Speaker 1: play a role into it. That's a real condo to have. 1289 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:10,480 Speaker 1: This is just I don't know what to do with 1290 01:02:10,520 --> 01:02:13,680 Speaker 1: this conversation, Like this is putting Clay Compson Lebron James, 1291 01:02:13,720 --> 01:02:16,600 Speaker 1: separating them saying they couldn't do what these dudes who 1292 01:02:16,640 --> 01:02:20,880 Speaker 1: are hoopers do is is just false to me. Yeah, agree, 1293 01:02:20,920 --> 01:02:22,680 Speaker 1: And I loved what you said about how people's love 1294 01:02:22,720 --> 01:02:24,720 Speaker 1: of the game can manifest in different ways. I feel 1295 01:02:24,760 --> 01:02:27,760 Speaker 1: the same way about competitiveness. Like people always try to 1296 01:02:27,840 --> 01:02:30,840 Speaker 1: draw this line between Lebron and Kobe and MJ as 1297 01:02:30,880 --> 01:02:35,000 Speaker 1: a competitor, and just because it looks different, like Lebron 1298 01:02:35,080 --> 01:02:37,720 Speaker 1: and m J and Kobe are kind of assholes who 1299 01:02:37,720 --> 01:02:42,400 Speaker 1: are like super mean, muggy, they and and and you know, 1300 01:02:42,440 --> 01:02:46,600 Speaker 1: demonstrative with their with their seeming hatred towards the competition, 1301 01:02:46,640 --> 01:02:50,320 Speaker 1: whereas Lebron is more boisterous and and jovial and happy 1302 01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:52,840 Speaker 1: and and and positive looking. But at the same time, 1303 01:02:52,840 --> 01:02:56,400 Speaker 1: it's like Lebron is freakishly competitive, like he's every bit 1304 01:02:56,440 --> 01:02:59,120 Speaker 1: as competitive as those guys, you know how, like you said, 1305 01:02:59,640 --> 01:03:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, because he's wanted so much like competitive people 1306 01:03:03,160 --> 01:03:06,960 Speaker 1: have people that are that competitive. It's it requires that 1307 01:03:07,360 --> 01:03:10,040 Speaker 1: to achieve a level of success in the NBA and 1308 01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:11,920 Speaker 1: the same and the same goes for for the love 1309 01:03:11,960 --> 01:03:14,640 Speaker 1: of the game. Like you know, uh, I happened to 1310 01:03:14,640 --> 01:03:18,080 Speaker 1: be the type of guy that, like, I love basketball 1311 01:03:18,280 --> 01:03:22,640 Speaker 1: in a way to where I no, no pickup run 1312 01:03:22,920 --> 01:03:27,480 Speaker 1: is beneath me. Like all I've played in pick up 1313 01:03:27,560 --> 01:03:32,280 Speaker 1: games with all NBA players before at the University of Arizona, 1314 01:03:32,280 --> 01:03:34,560 Speaker 1: where I've got you know, seven or eight NBA players 1315 01:03:34,560 --> 01:03:36,560 Speaker 1: in the in the on the court, and I play 1316 01:03:36,560 --> 01:03:39,120 Speaker 1: a certain way and and I'm excited and I'm energetic 1317 01:03:39,160 --> 01:03:41,880 Speaker 1: in that environment. But then I'll go to you know, 1318 01:03:42,080 --> 01:03:43,720 Speaker 1: on a randy Like last night, I went to an 1319 01:03:43,800 --> 01:03:44,960 Speaker 1: l A Fitness. I haven't gone to an l A 1320 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:47,320 Speaker 1: Fitness in in months, and I just popped into an 1321 01:03:47,400 --> 01:03:49,560 Speaker 1: l A Fitness and I was playing against you know, 1322 01:03:50,160 --> 01:03:52,360 Speaker 1: like Mike Dickerson was there, he played in the NBA. 1323 01:03:52,440 --> 01:03:55,520 Speaker 1: But most of the guys there were like dudes who 1324 01:03:55,800 --> 01:03:58,640 Speaker 1: were lifting weights, who walked into the gym and and 1325 01:03:58,800 --> 01:04:01,280 Speaker 1: can barely dribble with their up But I had a 1326 01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:03,640 Speaker 1: lot of fun because I love the game in a 1327 01:04:03,680 --> 01:04:06,000 Speaker 1: way to where that runs not beneath me, like I 1328 01:04:06,440 --> 01:04:10,360 Speaker 1: love I love playing regardless of the setting. And but 1329 01:04:10,400 --> 01:04:13,960 Speaker 1: then you have guys that come out of Tussan. There's 1330 01:04:14,000 --> 01:04:17,440 Speaker 1: a handful of guys Attitusson that have played professionally overseaser 1331 01:04:17,480 --> 01:04:19,920 Speaker 1: in the NBA. And and you know, there's a guy 1332 01:04:20,000 --> 01:04:21,880 Speaker 1: named Bryce Cotton who has played in the played in 1333 01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:24,120 Speaker 1: the NBA. He has been a multiple time m v 1334 01:04:24,200 --> 01:04:27,440 Speaker 1: P of the NBL out in Australia, And like, I 1335 01:04:27,480 --> 01:04:29,800 Speaker 1: never see that guy around and he and he lives 1336 01:04:29,800 --> 01:04:32,640 Speaker 1: here in the offseason because when he comes home, like 1337 01:04:32,720 --> 01:04:36,240 Speaker 1: he just doesn't like playing pick up, so I'll like, 1338 01:04:36,720 --> 01:04:39,240 Speaker 1: he will just go do individual workouts, and I'll see 1339 01:04:39,320 --> 01:04:41,240 Speaker 1: him maybe once every two or three years at a 1340 01:04:41,280 --> 01:04:43,040 Speaker 1: pick up run. But he's not He doesn't really show 1341 01:04:43,120 --> 01:04:45,520 Speaker 1: up much. And and it's not because he doesn't love 1342 01:04:45,560 --> 01:04:47,760 Speaker 1: the game. It's just because that's the way that he 1343 01:04:47,840 --> 01:04:51,840 Speaker 1: chooses to approach the game. He he loves to work individually. 1344 01:04:52,440 --> 01:04:55,400 Speaker 1: He views pick up as beneath him for whatever reason, 1345 01:04:55,560 --> 01:04:58,120 Speaker 1: and and that's the way that he prefers to approach 1346 01:04:58,120 --> 01:05:00,960 Speaker 1: the game. And and everyone is is different. Some people 1347 01:05:01,040 --> 01:05:03,760 Speaker 1: love Some people love basketball but don't like watching the NBA. 1348 01:05:04,520 --> 01:05:07,200 Speaker 1: Some people like I love basketball, I don't like watching 1349 01:05:07,240 --> 01:05:10,560 Speaker 1: college hoops because college hoops is so the level of 1350 01:05:10,600 --> 01:05:14,480 Speaker 1: skill versus the level of defense and athleticism is out 1351 01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:17,840 Speaker 1: of balance. And so everyone is so athletic and so 1352 01:05:17,920 --> 01:05:20,240 Speaker 1: dialed in defensively, but the shot king isn't there. So 1353 01:05:20,280 --> 01:05:22,640 Speaker 1: the games are just boring to me. There's not enough 1354 01:05:22,680 --> 01:05:25,280 Speaker 1: shot making, there's not enough ability to create open shots 1355 01:05:25,280 --> 01:05:27,560 Speaker 1: for teammates. It's kind of jankie to me. So I 1356 01:05:27,600 --> 01:05:30,120 Speaker 1: will watch college shops, but I'm I'm not a huge 1357 01:05:30,200 --> 01:05:31,919 Speaker 1: fan of watching college hoopes. It doesn't mean I don't 1358 01:05:31,920 --> 01:05:34,000 Speaker 1: love basketball. And so yeah, I agree with you. It 1359 01:05:34,080 --> 01:05:38,560 Speaker 1: just it just bothers me everyone, everyone. You know. Uh, 1360 01:05:38,880 --> 01:05:41,200 Speaker 1: this last thing I'll say about it. Pete in his 1361 01:05:41,240 --> 01:05:44,720 Speaker 1: podcast about two weeks ago, he did one where he 1362 01:05:44,760 --> 01:05:48,360 Speaker 1: talked about his his rise in NBA media and how 1363 01:05:48,360 --> 01:05:49,960 Speaker 1: he got to where he was, and same thing for 1364 01:05:50,040 --> 01:05:54,280 Speaker 1: Mike Trudell and and one of the things yeah, awesome show. 1365 01:05:54,560 --> 01:05:56,120 Speaker 1: And one of the things that Pete said was like, 1366 01:05:57,040 --> 01:06:00,640 Speaker 1: you know, I I think it's so important are up 1367 01:06:00,640 --> 01:06:03,360 Speaker 1: and coming people who are trying to succeed in this 1368 01:06:03,400 --> 01:06:08,840 Speaker 1: business two make sure that their individual relationship with basketball 1369 01:06:09,560 --> 01:06:13,880 Speaker 1: is exposed in the show, because it's that your genuine 1370 01:06:13,880 --> 01:06:17,440 Speaker 1: love for basketball, You're genuine relationship with basketball will reflect 1371 01:06:17,880 --> 01:06:22,200 Speaker 1: with more passion then if you had an artificial approach 1372 01:06:22,320 --> 01:06:24,160 Speaker 1: or you were trying to pretend to be something you're not. 1373 01:06:24,680 --> 01:06:26,120 Speaker 1: You know, That's why I think it's so important for 1374 01:06:26,120 --> 01:06:28,479 Speaker 1: you and I as we do this, not to try 1375 01:06:28,520 --> 01:06:31,120 Speaker 1: to become what someone else does. But I'm going to 1376 01:06:31,200 --> 01:06:33,880 Speaker 1: talk about basketball the way I like to talk about basketball, 1377 01:06:34,280 --> 01:06:36,760 Speaker 1: and you're going to do the same, and that will 1378 01:06:36,840 --> 01:06:40,960 Speaker 1: naturally manifest in in a more entertaining product because we're 1379 01:06:40,960 --> 01:06:43,400 Speaker 1: gonna give a shit about what we're saying. And it's 1380 01:06:43,440 --> 01:06:46,640 Speaker 1: not going to be a skip bayless artificial approach to things. 1381 01:06:46,960 --> 01:06:49,560 Speaker 1: It's going to be genuine. And I think I think 1382 01:06:49,600 --> 01:06:51,480 Speaker 1: that it's important to acknowledge that we can all have 1383 01:06:51,520 --> 01:06:53,520 Speaker 1: a different approach in that regard and that it doesn't 1384 01:06:53,560 --> 01:06:56,080 Speaker 1: mean we don't love the game exactly. And I think 1385 01:06:56,160 --> 01:06:57,960 Speaker 1: that's the thing that like I wish more people like 1386 01:06:58,000 --> 01:07:00,080 Speaker 1: because I get d MS as well, and people ask me, 1387 01:07:00,200 --> 01:07:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, like how do you grow on you know, 1388 01:07:02,480 --> 01:07:04,720 Speaker 1: Twitter or whatever, how do you get a base? And 1389 01:07:04,760 --> 01:07:06,960 Speaker 1: I always say, like, you first have to first enjoy 1390 01:07:07,320 --> 01:07:09,440 Speaker 1: what you're like putting out your contact that you put 1391 01:07:09,440 --> 01:07:11,920 Speaker 1: out you should at least enjoy it, um, And then 1392 01:07:12,160 --> 01:07:15,280 Speaker 1: uh go with like be natural with this, shouldn't be 1393 01:07:15,320 --> 01:07:17,640 Speaker 1: for shouldn't be something that you're trying to create out 1394 01:07:17,760 --> 01:07:20,120 Speaker 1: things like you're not trying to be fake. UM. Do 1395 01:07:20,200 --> 01:07:23,000 Speaker 1: stuff that you enjoy and people will naturally gravitate UM 1396 01:07:23,040 --> 01:07:25,200 Speaker 1: to that. And I think one thing that people are 1397 01:07:25,240 --> 01:07:27,880 Speaker 1: uncomfortable with is disagreeing. And I think it's okay we 1398 01:07:27,920 --> 01:07:31,600 Speaker 1: can disagree um as long as you have a stance 1399 01:07:31,600 --> 01:07:33,720 Speaker 1: behind it that you can support. And I have a 1400 01:07:33,800 --> 01:07:36,080 Speaker 1: stance behind it that I can support. We can disagree, 1401 01:07:36,200 --> 01:07:38,520 Speaker 1: like you could see it like, Okay, the game went 1402 01:07:38,560 --> 01:07:39,880 Speaker 1: this way. I actual say the game went that way 1403 01:07:39,920 --> 01:07:42,120 Speaker 1: if our reasonings, that's fine. I think that's the part 1404 01:07:42,160 --> 01:07:45,560 Speaker 1: that people have trouble with this, like disagreeing. Ian would disagree, 1405 01:07:45,600 --> 01:07:47,960 Speaker 1: and then it's okay, like it's fine, it's basketball, it's 1406 01:07:47,960 --> 01:07:49,960 Speaker 1: not you know, when we disagree, we don't have to 1407 01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:52,200 Speaker 1: then move to personal attacks, which I see a lot 1408 01:07:52,360 --> 01:07:54,360 Speaker 1: on the timeline. It's very weird. Two people will be 1409 01:07:54,360 --> 01:07:57,080 Speaker 1: talking about basketball and all of a sudden it becomes personal, 1410 01:07:57,200 --> 01:07:59,800 Speaker 1: like this is basketball. It's supposed to be fun. I 1411 01:08:00,000 --> 01:08:02,360 Speaker 1: think we lose that sometimes it's supposed to be enjoyable. 1412 01:08:02,360 --> 01:08:04,640 Speaker 1: That's the whole point of this, Um, This is all 1413 01:08:04,760 --> 01:08:06,919 Speaker 1: supposed to be an enjoyable thing. So I think that's 1414 01:08:07,160 --> 01:08:09,160 Speaker 1: that's important. I think you're right. We both go into 1415 01:08:09,240 --> 01:08:11,040 Speaker 1: it with our own kind of views, and that's the 1416 01:08:11,040 --> 01:08:13,160 Speaker 1: whole point of this. We all have our own relationship 1417 01:08:13,200 --> 01:08:16,000 Speaker 1: with the game. However, we got to it, UM, and 1418 01:08:16,040 --> 01:08:18,680 Speaker 1: we're passionate about it. And I think that shows UM 1419 01:08:18,680 --> 01:08:20,960 Speaker 1: and all the people on Twitter mostly are have a 1420 01:08:21,000 --> 01:08:23,680 Speaker 1: passion towards it in some way. No matter how they 1421 01:08:23,760 --> 01:08:26,360 Speaker 1: got there. And I think that's something to remember. But yeah, 1422 01:08:26,520 --> 01:08:28,760 Speaker 1: I agree with that, And no matter what you say, 1423 01:08:28,760 --> 01:08:32,040 Speaker 1: someone's going to disagree, you know, like like when you 1424 01:08:32,040 --> 01:08:34,439 Speaker 1: and I do our postseason podcast where we do you know, 1425 01:08:34,760 --> 01:08:37,760 Speaker 1: player rankings and things along those lines, Like you know, 1426 01:08:38,200 --> 01:08:39,280 Speaker 1: you and I are going to put a great deal 1427 01:08:39,280 --> 01:08:41,920 Speaker 1: of thought into it, and we're gonna come up with 1428 01:08:42,000 --> 01:08:46,439 Speaker 1: lists that we believe in, and no matter what someone's 1429 01:08:46,479 --> 01:08:48,280 Speaker 1: gonna think it's insane, Like I'm not gonna put you 1430 01:08:48,320 --> 01:08:50,840 Speaker 1: honest number one, even if he drops forty seven points 1431 01:08:50,880 --> 01:08:52,680 Speaker 1: tonight and wins the game, I'm not gonna put him 1432 01:08:52,720 --> 01:08:54,280 Speaker 1: number one because I just don't think he's the best 1433 01:08:54,280 --> 01:08:57,040 Speaker 1: basketball player in the world. Um, that doesn't mean I 1434 01:08:57,080 --> 01:08:59,160 Speaker 1: disrespect him. I think he's in the top tier of stars. 1435 01:08:59,200 --> 01:09:01,360 Speaker 1: I've been incredibly impressed by what he's done in this 1436 01:09:01,360 --> 01:09:04,240 Speaker 1: playoff run. Like I think he's put a discernible gap 1437 01:09:04,320 --> 01:09:06,840 Speaker 1: between him and someone like James Harden, which is was 1438 01:09:06,920 --> 01:09:09,559 Speaker 1: something that was more of a debate last year. You know, 1439 01:09:10,320 --> 01:09:13,360 Speaker 1: I I but when I when when that comes out, 1440 01:09:13,520 --> 01:09:16,400 Speaker 1: there will be there will likely be somebody in our 1441 01:09:16,400 --> 01:09:19,639 Speaker 1: mention saying means stuff, you know, that's just the natural 1442 01:09:19,680 --> 01:09:22,360 Speaker 1: progression of things, and it's unfortunate because it would be 1443 01:09:22,479 --> 01:09:25,240 Speaker 1: ridiculous if all of us just carried the same opinion 1444 01:09:25,280 --> 01:09:27,599 Speaker 1: on this kind of stuff, you know, Like the group 1445 01:09:27,600 --> 01:09:29,519 Speaker 1: that I always have run ins with his Golden State 1446 01:09:29,560 --> 01:09:32,880 Speaker 1: Warriors Twitter, they are awful to me, like awful, awful, 1447 01:09:32,880 --> 01:09:37,280 Speaker 1: awful to me, And it's hilarious because I'm I think 1448 01:09:37,280 --> 01:09:39,840 Speaker 1: Steph is one of the ten best players ever. I 1449 01:09:39,880 --> 01:09:42,920 Speaker 1: think he has been no lower than the third best 1450 01:09:42,920 --> 01:09:46,440 Speaker 1: player in the league for the last seven years. Um, 1451 01:09:46,520 --> 01:09:50,679 Speaker 1: I'll probably rank him second or third this year despite 1452 01:09:50,680 --> 01:09:54,680 Speaker 1: missing the playoffs, and in general, I think he's one 1453 01:09:54,680 --> 01:09:57,040 Speaker 1: of my favorite players. I love his leadership style, I 1454 01:09:57,120 --> 01:10:00,240 Speaker 1: love Clay Thompson. I value with Draymond Green does I'm 1455 01:10:01,400 --> 01:10:04,040 Speaker 1: Tucson on local, so Steve Kerr is one of my favorites. Like, 1456 01:10:04,360 --> 01:10:07,000 Speaker 1: I am a Warriors fan in a lot of ways, 1457 01:10:07,439 --> 01:10:10,719 Speaker 1: and they're awful, awful, awful to me because I don't 1458 01:10:10,720 --> 01:10:15,040 Speaker 1: put stuff above Lebron And it's just it's just such 1459 01:10:15,040 --> 01:10:20,639 Speaker 1: a ridiculous, uh like phenomenon on basketball Twitter. Yeah, for sure, 1460 01:10:20,840 --> 01:10:24,240 Speaker 1: I'm blocked by like half of Clippers Twitter for some reason. 1461 01:10:24,280 --> 01:10:26,960 Speaker 1: Not a lot of Celtics fans as well. It's fine 1462 01:10:27,000 --> 01:10:29,080 Speaker 1: that I've never interacted with and that's just how it goes, 1463 01:10:29,120 --> 01:10:31,640 Speaker 1: and that's that's okay. But um, yeah, I've try to 1464 01:10:31,680 --> 01:10:34,040 Speaker 1: limit the amount of like quote tweet dunks. Like when 1465 01:10:34,080 --> 01:10:35,800 Speaker 1: I first started, I used to do that a lot, 1466 01:10:35,840 --> 01:10:37,640 Speaker 1: and now I try to at least limit that a 1467 01:10:37,640 --> 01:10:40,200 Speaker 1: little bit to China, not um try to get on 1468 01:10:40,280 --> 01:10:42,240 Speaker 1: people that way. But yeah, that's just how it goes. 1469 01:10:42,240 --> 01:10:45,559 Speaker 1: That's how Twitter is, um, and that's just how we 1470 01:10:45,560 --> 01:10:49,200 Speaker 1: we conversate now. I guess yeah. I I have been 1471 01:10:49,240 --> 01:10:51,680 Speaker 1: trying hard to cut back on that too. And then 1472 01:10:51,720 --> 01:10:54,280 Speaker 1: I and then I tweeted that thing the other day 1473 01:10:54,280 --> 01:10:56,040 Speaker 1: about RCLE and I was like afterwards, I was like, 1474 01:10:56,080 --> 01:10:58,120 Speaker 1: why do I even do this anymore? Like, come on, Jayson, 1475 01:10:58,120 --> 01:11:01,400 Speaker 1: grow up? You turned dirty this year. Uh. Anyway, Uh, 1476 01:11:01,439 --> 01:11:03,080 Speaker 1: that's all we gotta think for today, unless you have 1477 01:11:03,120 --> 01:11:05,880 Speaker 1: anything that you want to add. Alright, thank you, thank 1478 01:11:05,920 --> 01:11:08,160 Speaker 1: you guys so much for tuning in and listening with us. 1479 01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:14,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna release the podcast version here shortly. Um, that 1480 01:11:14,439 --> 01:11:17,040 Speaker 1: episode sixty five that was missing, I tracked it down. 1481 01:11:17,080 --> 01:11:19,360 Speaker 1: You have to search for it individually for whatever reason. 1482 01:11:19,479 --> 01:11:22,040 Speaker 1: But if you just search stated the Lakers episode sixty five, 1483 01:11:22,080 --> 01:11:25,960 Speaker 1: it will pop up. Um. We will be back either 1484 01:11:27,160 --> 01:11:30,879 Speaker 1: tomorrow morning or or Thursday morning, depending and probably Thursday 1485 01:11:30,960 --> 01:11:34,120 Speaker 1: is my guest. UM. But thank you guys as usual 1486 01:11:34,120 --> 01:11:35,680 Speaker 1: for your support. Rojs. I hope you have a good 1487 01:11:35,760 --> 01:11:38,240 Speaker 1: day and I will see you in a couple of days. Thanks. 1488 01:11:38,240 --> 01:11:39,120 Speaker 1: Everyone appreciate it.