1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: The volume. The ever its NBA Cup is here and 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: you can win big getting in on the action at 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: DraftKings sports Book, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: Who will win this year We'll find out soon, but 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: there's sure to be rim rattling slams and no look 6 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: passes that bring the crowd to their feet. Get behind 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: your favorite players and the prop bets you can make 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: on DraftKings, the home of NBA player props. Ready to 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: place your first bet? Try betting on something simple like 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: picking a team to win. Go to the Draft Kings 11 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: Sportsbook app and make your pick. The New York Knicks 12 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: are currently the favorite to win the NBA Cup at 13 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: plus four point fifty first time. Here's something special just 14 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: for you. New DraftKings customers can bet five dollars to 15 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if 16 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: your bet wins. Score big with DraftKings Sportsbook, every point counts. 17 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: Download the Draft Kings Sportsbook app and use code hoops 18 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: that's h oops, that's code hoops for new customers to 19 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if 20 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: your bet wins. When you bet just five bucks only 21 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: on DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Gambling problem called one 22 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: eight hundred gam In New York call eight seven seven 23 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: eight hope and why, or text hope and why to 24 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: four six seven three sixty nine. In Connecticut, help us 25 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight 26 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. 27 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and resort 28 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: in Kansas twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by 29 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: jurisdiction void in Ontario. Bet must win to receive reward. 30 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. 31 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKG dot 32 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: co slash b ball. All right, welcome to hoop tonight 33 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: here at the volume Heapy Thursday. Everybody, hope, all you 34 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: guys are having a great week. Got a quick show 35 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: for you guys today. I've got a rant about the 36 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: Lakers off the top. I won't say anymore right now, 37 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: we'll just get right into it. And then at the 38 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: tail end of the show. The Atlanta Hawks won the 39 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: fifth consecutive game on the road in Milwaukee, very impressively. 40 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: Jalen Johnson is playing super well, very interesting team construct 41 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: that's coming together for the Atlanta Hawk, so we're gonna 42 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: do a deep dive on them in the tail end 43 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: of the show. You guys did the trip before we 44 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: get started. Subscribe to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so 45 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: you don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me 46 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: on Twitter at underscore jsonlts. You guys, don't miss you announcements. 47 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: Don't forget about a podcast feed wherever you get your 48 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: podcasts under Hoops Tonight. Don't forget We also have new 49 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook where we're 50 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: releasing content throughout the year. Make sure you guys follow there. 51 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: And the last, but not at least kee dropping mail 52 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: bag questions. I'm recording a mail bag in tomorrow's episode, 53 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: and this video today will be your last chance to 54 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: drop comments questions in the comments so that we can 55 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: hit them in that mail bag. All right, let's talk 56 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 1: some basketball. So at the risk of sounding like an 57 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: absolute fool, because just two days ago I said I 58 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: wasn't ready to admit I was wrong about the Lakers. 59 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: Last night was such an abomination that I don't even 60 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: care about being wrong or looking like a fool. Anybody 61 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: who wants to roast me in the comments go nuts. 62 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: I'm done with the Los Angeles Lakers. This team simply 63 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: does not have the basketball character necessary to compete for 64 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: an NBA championship. There's an illness within this team that 65 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: goes too deep to be fixed, even by a trade 66 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: or a team meeting or any sort of potential remedy. 67 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: I think this team is broken. We're not gonna talk 68 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: about x's and o's. I just shelf that for a bit, 69 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: and let's focus on this concept of basketball character. I 70 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: generally have a lot of grace for teams that go 71 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: through bad stretches in the regular season. The eighty two 72 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: game season is super long, and you can grab just 73 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: about any team in the league and you can find 74 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: a game or two or they look so bad that 75 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: if you just watched that game, you can't even imagine 76 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: that team being good. You can do that with just 77 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: about everybody. I pay more attention to big picker big 78 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: picture trends, right, So, like, are your bad stretches few 79 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: and far between? Do you identify them, do you rectify them? 80 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: Do you snap out of it? That's why I look 81 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: at like like defensive rating in the big picture as 82 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: like more of an indicator of just how dedicated you 83 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: are in a night and night in night out basis 84 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: at playing hard? Right, are you generally reliable? When we 85 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: zoom out from the season, I'm going to be more 86 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: forgiving of a bad stretch. But this is the fourth 87 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: consecutive season under three different coaches that I've seen a 88 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: Laker team completely lose the will to fight. Not for 89 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: a quarter, not for a game, not even for a 90 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: couple of games, but for weeks out of time. This 91 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: Laker team, for four years in a row, has completely 92 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: lost their entire competitive spirit. Con Coward used to say 93 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: this thing on his show where he'd be like, if 94 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: you get divorced once, that's normal. If you get divorced twice, 95 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: you know, you might raise an eyebrow, But if you 96 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: get divorced three times, maybe there's something wrong with you. Right. 97 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: And I had that issue as I was evaluating this 98 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:04,799 Speaker 1: team through the coaching changes. This team also had stretches 99 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: weeks long where they wouldn't compete under Frank Vogel, So 100 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: I thought they just need a new voice. Frank Vogel 101 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: is a good coach, especially a good defensive coach. Yeah, 102 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: he might have some offensive limitations. Whatever, he's a good coach. 103 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: These guys just are tuning him out. Let's try something different. 104 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: But then they did it to Darvin Ham, and I thought, 105 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: it's just because Darvin Ham's a bad coach. He's making 106 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: funky rotation decisions, doesn't seem to be very schematically involved 107 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: with the teams. Kind of just like, come on, guys, 108 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: let's go do just that sort of thing, right. They 109 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: had that three to ten stretch in December where they 110 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: looked completely lifeless. But if you guys remember those guys 111 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: who listened to the show during that time, I was 112 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: talking about how I thought they just were trying to 113 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: get Darvin fired in the middle of the season. Like 114 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: I thought they were like openly protesting in the middle 115 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: of the season. But now they're doing it to JJ Reddick. 116 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: Last night was legitimately the worst effort I've ever seen 117 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: a team give in a serious basketball game at any level. 118 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: It was flat out in Garrison, and it started right away. 119 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: It started in the It started after like the first 120 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: couple minutes of the game. This wasn't like the third 121 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 1: quarter collapse against the Suns or the third quarter collapse 122 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: against the Nuggets that in the first quarter they had 123 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: an extended multi minute stretch with the starters where they 124 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: weren't competing. And it's been going on like this for 125 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: eight games. Ever since the misfree throws against Orlando, they've 126 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: been in this exact same funk, Like, how do you 127 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: get embarrassed the way you got embarrassed in Minnesota in 128 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: the big picture of having lost all the games you've 129 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: lost in the last couple of weeks, and your response 130 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 1: as a competitor is to come out the way you 131 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: did last night. I do not understand it. And so like, 132 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: at a certain point, if you did it to Frank, 133 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: and you did it to Darvin, and you're doing it 134 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: to JJ, then that's just who you are. And that's 135 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 1: the concerning part for me, because what about the Lakers 136 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: organization has been consistent? If in the through lines through 137 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: these four years, Lebron and Ad and Rob Polenka, that's 138 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: pretty much it. Osira's played a little bit in the 139 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: last year Frank Vogel, but like Rob Polinka and Lebron, 140 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: James and Anthony Davis, they are the through lines of 141 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: this issue. That is perpetuated through the last four seasons. 142 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: The two stars just haven't been willing to fight on 143 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: a daily basis in a way that is necessary to 144 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: compete for an NBA championship. And Rob Polinka has been 145 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: blind to that weakness and has made no attempt to 146 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: resolve it over that span. Lebron hasn't attacked a regular 147 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: season from start to finish since the twenty twenty one season. Now, 148 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: I understand it to a certain extent with his age, 149 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: Like I've I watched Lebron attack every game of the 150 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: regular season for well over a decade. That's who he 151 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: was as a basketball player. But in this phase of 152 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: his career, he's not capable or willing to do it. Now, 153 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: you got you can understand it with his age, But 154 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: the material reality is that thirty to forty games a year, 155 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: Lebron's gonna kind of stand around on defense and kind 156 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: of standing around on the defensive glass, just kind of 157 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: tried to pass his way through the game, take jump shots, 158 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: and try to do the bare minimum to win that game. 159 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: That's been the reality now for about three four years. 160 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: And then Anthony Davis, as talented as he is, doesn't 161 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: have natural motor sometimes he looks like the best player 162 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: in the world. Sometimes for long stretches. He was awesome 163 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: for the second half of last year and the playoffs. 164 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: He was awesome to start this year. But then sometimes 165 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: he just doesn't look interested in fighting. He got his 166 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: ass kicked by Bam last night, didn't fight, got his 167 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: ass kicked by Gobaar the previous game, didn't fight. Earlier 168 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: this year, second half against Durkic got his ass kick, 169 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: didn't care. Jared Allen and Cleveland got his ass kick, 170 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: didn't care. Nikole Jokic kicked his ass, didn't care. Jared 171 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: Jackson kicked his ass, didn't care. And it's not just 172 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: the regular season, by the way, I remember being super 173 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: frustrated in the twenty twenty three season in the Western 174 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: Conference finals that Ad didn't seem really to have that 175 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: fight against Jokic as he was kicking his ass. And 176 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: I know it's in there because I literally watched him 177 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: the very next season play to a stalemate with Nikola 178 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 1: Jokich in a first round series. The motor isn't consistent 179 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: for Anthony Davis. It's funny because I even when I 180 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 1: think back to the good old days and like you 181 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: Laker fans that have been following me on Twitter since 182 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: before I started with the volume might remember some of 183 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: this stuff. But in the championship season when they won 184 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty, there was a game about once a 185 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: week where Ad would come out in the first half 186 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: and he'd just kind of be flat, and when he 187 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: was flat, the rest of the team would be engaged. 188 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,679 Speaker 1: Lebron I thought should have won MVP that year was 189 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: the last season he like truly attacked things every single 190 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: day that season in the twenty the year right after 191 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: where the last two times I saw Lebron like really 192 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 1: attack the regular season, but Ady was just kind of 193 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: coasting through the game. And then what would happen is 194 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,079 Speaker 1: every single time in the second half he would just 195 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,719 Speaker 1: kind of get swept up in the competitive energy of 196 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: the team. And Ad was an awesome second half player 197 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: that year, especially in the playoffs. But like now in retrospect, 198 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: looking back at it, it's kind of like a continuation 199 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: of that same personality trade, which is that sometimes Ad 200 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: laces him up and walks out there and just kind 201 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: of doesn't feel like fighting. And this is where Rob 202 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: Polinka has blood on his hands. These characteristics of the 203 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: stars have been pretty clear for a while. The twenty 204 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: twenty and twenty twenty one Lakers just had a lot 205 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: of high motor players to compensate for Alex Crusoe high 206 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: motor two way athlete, Contavious Calledwo Pope, high motor two 207 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: way athlete, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, even having big athletic 208 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: centers like JaVale McGee Dwight Howard in twenty twenty to 209 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: cover for those games that ad wasn't super engaged. But 210 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: when he traded them away, it was abundantly clear that 211 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: the Lakers missed out on that motor immediately. I mean, guys, 212 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: they missed the playoffs the very next season. Even when 213 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: they brought in all of that offense in the Rush 214 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: trade in the middle of the twenty twenty three season. 215 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: You bring in Ruie, you bring in d Lo, and 216 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: there's clearly some upside with all the offensive talent. It 217 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: became abundantly clear in the Nuggets series that they were 218 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: still severely lacking in that high motor athleticism, as the 219 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: Nuggets just ran through and jumped over every one of 220 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: their perimeter players for the entire series. It's been clear 221 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: for a while and rob has still done nothing, and 222 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: now it's probably too late. Last year in April, Lebron 223 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: and AD were both playing at a top ten level 224 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: and we're both engaged pretty consistently, and that roster wasn't 225 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: good enough. So any upside that you gained by waiting 226 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: to maybe get something better in the trade has now 227 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,599 Speaker 1: been lost by the decline of Lebron and the disengagement 228 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: of Anthony Davis, who's playing the worst basketball he's played 229 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: since back in twenty twenty three. But Jason, Lebron and 230 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,839 Speaker 1: AD are clearly just frustrated. They don't believe in this roster. Yeah, 231 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: you're probably right, and that probably plays a little bit 232 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: of a role, especially with Lebron, Like the last time 233 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: Lebron was consistently engaged on a day to day basis 234 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 1: was the last time this roster was good. But I 235 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: even think with that, with Lebron's age and then with 236 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: the stuff we were talking about with ads Motor earlier, 237 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: I even think that necessary isn't necessarily telling the full story, 238 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: and regardless, it doesn't change the material reality. Like we 239 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: talked about earlier, that Lebron and AD are not attacking 240 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 1: the regular season on a day in a day out basis, Now, 241 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: where do we go from here? To be clear, I'm 242 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: not saying this team is bad. The Lakers have won 243 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: forty two of their last sixty eight regular season games, 244 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 1: forty two and twenty six. Bad teams can't do that. 245 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: If we fast forwarded this season and the Lakers were 246 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: forty two and twenty six, they'd be a top four 247 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: seed and everyone would be talking about them as a 248 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: fringe championship contender. I know that they can win, and 249 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 1: they will have more stretches this year where they look good, 250 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: they rack up some wins, and they beat some good teams. 251 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: But I'm completely out on this team as a championship contender. 252 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: I had them ranked eighth coming into the season as 253 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: a team that could potentially make a trade and vault 254 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: into contention. No, no chance. Every champion I've ever watched 255 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: has had a daily pursuit of excellence that drives them. 256 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: When a team like that gets their ass kicked in Minnesota, 257 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: which by the way, is part of just being in 258 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: the Western Conference. When you get your ass kicked on 259 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: the road, you take it personally, You get pissed off, 260 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: and you send a message the next time out and 261 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: even if you lose the next time out, you go 262 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: down fighting, you go down swinging. And the Lakers sent 263 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: a very different message last night. They sent the message 264 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: that they have no interest in fighting, which means they 265 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: have no interest in competing for an NBA championship. So 266 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 1: I'm done with them. They need a dramatic roster turnover 267 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: to bring in the basketball character that is lacking, and 268 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: it's just not possible to do that within one season. 269 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: I think they should trade Lebron and ad start the rebuild. 270 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: Genie Bus needs a fire Rob Pulink and hire somebody 271 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: who actually understands basketball, and they need a fresh start. 272 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: I feel bad for JJ Redick, Like, think about it, 273 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: You're you have like the cushest job in the world 274 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: as a multi millionaire making TV media personality, where he 275 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: works less, is around his family more, and is under 276 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:14,559 Speaker 1: less pressure. And his love for the game of basketball 277 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: causes him to drop all of that and walk into 278 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: that tire fire down in Los Angeles. And he goes 279 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: in there trying to establish a basketball culture. And these 280 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: guys just can't fucking be bothered. They just can't fucking 281 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: be bothered. I feel bad for him. They need to 282 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: they need to completely break this thing down. They need 283 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: to completely reinvest in JJ Reddick in a new front 284 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: office and try to build a quality basketball culture from 285 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: the ground up. Now, one last thing I want to 286 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: get into before we move on to hawksbucks. This concept 287 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: of basketball chemistry, this concept of basketball character. How can that? 288 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: How can what happened to the Lakers be prevented? Basketball 289 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: chemistry is like a delicate balance. There's a lot of 290 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: different things that you need in order to have the 291 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: right type of locker room to win a title. We 292 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: talked earlier about like these checkpoints that you have to 293 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: get through to win an NBA championship. There's these characteristics 294 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: that you see championship teams have that are pretty consistent 295 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: down the line. Mark Titus from Barstool, he came on 296 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: a while back, and remember he presented that idea of 297 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: that basketball is more art than science. And this is 298 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: something that I've always believed in. I remember when I 299 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: read Bill Simmons's basketball book, he referred to it as 300 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: the secret based on something he heard from I believe 301 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: Isaiah Thomas if I remember correctly, and I'm a big 302 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: believer in that concept. There's kind of like a magical 303 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: mix of ingredients that makes the right type of basketball 304 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: personality to drive a team. You need veteran leadership, but 305 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: you also need youthful exuberants. You need high motor guys 306 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: who love the daily process, but you also need even 307 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: keeled guys who never get too high and never get 308 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: too low. You need somebody in there who leads by example. 309 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: You need someone in there who can be vocal when 310 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: the time comes. It's a magical mix of those characteristics. So, 311 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: for instance, if you're building around Lebron James and Anthony Davis, 312 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: and you know Lebron is a dead serious player that 313 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: will always be locked in for the real games, but 314 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: that is not going to bring it for the eighty two. 315 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: And you've got another star who has this apex talent 316 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: but has consistently struggled with motor. What is the obvious 317 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: thing that you need to anchor them with guys who 318 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: love the daily process, athletic motor size size with motor 319 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: that can help you carry things during the regular season, 320 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: so that Lebron and Ad have no choice but to 321 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: get swept up in that energy, just like they did 322 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: in the twenty twenty and twenty twenty one seasons. It's 323 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: a valuable lesson learned in team building from what happens 324 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: to the Lakers in this year. Again, I understand that 325 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: a lot of people are going to be like, dude, 326 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: you are going back on something you were harping on 327 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: pretty heavy for a year. Totally get it. I was. 328 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: I attached my names of this Laker team in a 329 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: lot of way, in a lot of ways, as a 330 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: team that I believed in, as a team that I 331 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: thought had real upside based on the fact that for 332 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: most of twenty twenty four they were good. As I 333 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: talked about. They're forty two and twenty six in their 334 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: last sixty was at sixty eight regular season games. But 335 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: I'm just done what I saw last night. I could 336 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: I could not, I could not believe what I was 337 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: seeing last night, And I can't in my right mind 338 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: sit up here and talk about that team as a 339 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: potential championship contender when they are made up of the 340 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 1: type of stuff that causes what we saw last night. 341 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: And so I'm done with them. Okay, We're gonna cover 342 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: them just like we do any other team. If they 343 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: go on a win streak or whatever, we'll we'll talk 344 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: about them and what they're doing. Well, if it makes 345 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: some big trade, we'll cover them. I'm not gonna stop 346 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: talking about the Lakers entirely, but I'm not. I don't 347 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,199 Speaker 1: consider them to be a championship contender. They're just not. 348 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: That's an unserious basketball team over there, and it starts 349 00:17:48,600 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: with the leadership. Let's talk about a serious basketball team, 350 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 1: or at least a team that's playing some serious basketball 351 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: as of late. So Hawksbucks last night, really fun game. 352 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: Bucks get off to a hot start. The one went 353 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,160 Speaker 1: up double figures a few times in the first half 354 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: or in the first quarter. I should say bench group 355 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: comes in, you know, Gary tren Junior comes in, Bobby 356 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,239 Speaker 1: Portis comes in, and the Hawks start forcing a lot 357 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: of turnovers. They start getting out in transition. Damian Lillard 358 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: had a very uncharacteristically sloppy end to the first quarter. 359 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: He had three consecutive pick six turnovers, meaning like he 360 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: turned the ball over and the Hawks went down and 361 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: scored in the fast break three consecutive times down the floor. 362 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: I can't even remember seeing that at any point with 363 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: another player. Well, I've seen teams do that, but I 364 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: haven't seen an individual player do that in a long time, 365 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: but the Hawks just completely took control of the game 366 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: at that point, and the Bucks tried to battle back 367 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: a few times. A few times they made a few runs. 368 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: They went zone in the third quarter and kind of 369 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: disheveled the Hawks for a little bit and got it 370 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: down to I think they got it down within eight 371 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: or seven, But every single time they did, the Hawks 372 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 1: would just get a couple of stops and a couple 373 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: of transition run outs, and they would get right back 374 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: in control of the game. And some of the stats 375 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: that the Hawks put up in this game were outrageous. 376 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: They had sixty four points in the paint. The Bucks 377 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 1: came in as the eighth ranked paint defense, allowing just 378 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: forty six points per one hundred possessions. The Hawks came 379 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 1: in as the third ranked paint offense fifty four points 380 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: per one hundred possession, so a top five paint offense 381 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: versus a top ten paint defense, and the Hawks just 382 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: dominated that battle, although most of it was in transition. 383 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: They scored sixty four points in the paint. They had 384 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: thirty fast break points the Bucks average allowing thirteen per game, 385 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: so they nearly tripled their fast break point output on average. 386 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: Jalen johnson speed was huge here. He was out racing 387 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: them all night long, getting ahead of the defense on 388 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: leakouts when Milwaukee was in sharp with just like their 389 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: get back responsibilities. And there's even a play in the 390 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: fourth quarter where I think I think it was Giannis 391 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: missed a free throw, one of the Bucks missed free throw, 392 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 1: and Jalen Johnson got the rebound off of a situation 393 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: where the Bucks should have their transition defense set and 394 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: he just literally ran right through everybody and lay the 395 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 1: ballup and it put him up eleven. And that was 396 00:19:58,200 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: kind of like the story of the game. They just 397 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 1: couldn't contain Atlanta's speed in the open court. They had 398 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: twenty one second chance points. They're averaging the Bucks average 399 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: allowing just eleven per game, and they gave up twenty one. 400 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: The Hawks had sixteen offensive reboundsers. By the way, they've 401 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 1: been dominating games on the offensive glass. We'll be talking 402 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: about that in a minute. But they just did a 403 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: great job with their athletes of making things difficult for 404 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: Dame and Giannis on the defensive end as well. Like 405 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: one of the big things I noticed was their bigs, 406 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: particularly at cong Wu, was picking up Dame early in 407 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: pick and roll, like meeting him pretty far out, and 408 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: that was preventing him from turning the corner. I remember, 409 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: Dame is actually really good at like hitting that additional 410 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: hesitation or in and out dribble on the big to 411 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: get past him in high drop coverages and get into 412 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: the paint. And a congu in particular was just doing 413 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: a really nice job containing him. And then Dame was 414 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: trying to throw cross court passes over length and that's 415 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: where he ended up having those turnover issues. And then 416 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: the Hawks just have all sorts of length off the ball. 417 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: But then with that, with all the athleticism, it's just 418 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: waves of bodies at Yani's. Like there was a play 419 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: where like Giannis went at Cappella at the rim, Capella 420 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 1: goes vertic goal forces a miss Jannis, you know how 421 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: he goes. He goes right back up to try to 422 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: get the offensive rebound in comes flying Jalen Johnson. He 423 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: like taps at the ball and it like forces Yann 424 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: still gets it, but he has to like come down 425 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 1: with it. And then when he comes down, Dyson Daniels 426 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: comes flying in and like swipes at the basketball and 427 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: it causes Jannis to kind of lose his rhythm a 428 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: little bit, and he smoked a layup, and it's like 429 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: it's a smoked layup because it's ways of athleticism that 430 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: are making Yiannis feel uncomfortable. It was a really, really 431 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: impressive performance from the Hawks. We will talk more about 432 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: the Bucks here in a minute, but the Hawks have 433 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: won five straight games. Three of those wins were against 434 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: Cleveland and Milwaukee. Two of those Cleveland and Milwaukee wins 435 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: were on the road. They have a one to seventeen 436 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: offensive rating in that span that ranks tenth in the NBA. 437 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: One oh five defensive rating in that span, which ranked 438 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: second first in that span, by the way, is the 439 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: Minnesota Timberwolves, who we're not talking about today, but they 440 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: regain their defensive identity and got a huge win against 441 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: the Clippers last night and they're starting to get their 442 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 1: groove back. We'll be talking about them soon. But the 443 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: Hawks are second defensive rating over this five game span. 444 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: Here's the crazy sting. After getting sixteen offensive rebounds last 445 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: night and out rebounding Milwaukee fifty five to forty, the 446 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: Hawks are grabbing fifty five point two percent of available 447 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: rebounds over this five game streak that ranks one in 448 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: the NBA by a pretty decent margin. And that's really 449 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: the story of this team. They've reconfigured this summer around 450 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: a modern basketball concept that we've been talking about for 451 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 1: a while over the course of the last two years, 452 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: which is the athleticism surrounded by an offensive engine. Right. 453 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 1: This is kind of like very similar concept to what 454 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: the Clippers did with James Harden this summer. Right, But like, 455 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: you keep Trey Young as your primary offensive engine, you 456 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,640 Speaker 1: keep Bogdan mcdonovitch as like your backup shot creator, right, 457 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: and you keep Clint Capella as your defensive anchor and 458 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 1: as Trey Young's pick and roll partner. But the rest 459 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: of the roster is just big athletic dudes who play 460 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: really hard. They turned to Jonte Murray into Dyson Daniels, 461 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: They drafted Zachary Rissasche. They started three rangy athletic perimeter 462 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: players between Trey and Capella by going with Dyson Daniels, 463 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 1: Jalen Johnson, and Zachary Resachet. And it's a wonderful fit. 464 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: All these athletes. They compliment Trey Young so well on 465 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: both ends of the floor. On the offensive end of 466 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: the floor. They run, They just they run and they 467 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: cut NonStop. And Trey Young is a very very gifted passer. 468 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: There's like advanced passing and then there's a kind of 469 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: basic passing. And most of the basic passers in the league, 470 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: they're the guys that they can beat a guy off 471 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: the dribble and get into the lane and see a 472 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: wide open three point shooter on the wing and like 473 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 1: make that kind of read like little basic reads. They're like, oh, 474 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: it's a cleared side of the floor and this guy 475 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: cuts back door and he's open. I can throw a 476 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 1: bounce pass. That sort of thing. The best passers in 477 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: the league are really good at finding like kick ahead passes, 478 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: guys slipping along the baseline, vertical spacing, opportunities that don't 479 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: look open, but if you throw the pass in the 480 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: right way, the athlete can go get it. That sort 481 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 1: of thing. That is a very very good fit alongside 482 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 1: Trey Young. Having tons of athletes that are constantly running, rolling, 483 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: and cutting, it just accentuates his skills so well. And 484 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: then on the defensive end of the floor, those guys 485 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: can cover for his athletic deficiencies and it creates an 486 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 1: easy role for him, like Trey Young threw some important 487 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: closeouts last night, or he's in rotation and he chases 488 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: a guy off the three point line. Trey Young is 489 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: fast if you can make it so that that's more 490 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: or less all he has to do. But he doesn't 491 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 1: have to get a bunch of contested rebounds or get 492 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: his hands dirty on the defensive end of the floor. 493 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 1: He can be at least not that damaging. Right again, 494 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: it's the Eastern Conference version of what we're seeing with 495 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,919 Speaker 1: the Clippers in James Harden. You put James Harden with 496 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: a good pick and roll partner in if you can Zubach, 497 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: and you've got yourself your offensive engine in all these 498 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: rangy athletes that are around him, and all of a sudden, 499 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: the Clippers are a serious team. Jalen Johnson has been 500 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: incredible in his last sixteen games twenty two points, ten rebounds, 501 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: and six assists, fifty four percent from the field, forty 502 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: percent from three to eighty nine percent from the line, 503 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: still doing the majority of his damage in transition and 504 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: as a cutter and as an offensive rebounder in the 505 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: half court, but he is starting to gain some steam 506 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: in ball screens especially with Trey Young and inverted ball screens. 507 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: And again, this is a concept that we've talked a 508 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: lot about. But you can imagine like Trey Young coming 509 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: up to set a screen and he he's got you know, 510 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: aj Green or Andre Jackson on him, and that guy 511 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: just really doesn't want to leave Trey Young because that's 512 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 1: the head of the stake, right, and Jalen Johnson, Let's 513 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 1: say he's being guarded by Torrian Prince. This is the 514 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: play where Jalen Johnson got the huge dunk last night. 515 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: As Trey Young goes to set the screen, he's not 516 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: actually screening, he's slipping out of it. That's a ghost screen, right, 517 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: where you have a guard just set a screen for 518 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: a bigger player and then slip out of it to 519 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: the three point line. In that situation, Andre Jackson's not 520 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: gonna leave him because he's about Trey Young can shoot 521 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 1: and he's slipping out of that screen. But Torrian Prince 522 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 1: is thinking that a screen is coming, so he kind 523 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: of opens up his stance to prepare to chase over 524 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: the top of the screen. Jalen Johnson just hits the 525 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: jets goes right around him. Because again, if Andre Jackson 526 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 1: hedges or catches Jalen Johnson coming off that screen. Now, 527 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: Trey Young is wide open right then, and if you 528 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,120 Speaker 1: switch there issues that come from that as well. Tray 529 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: Young against Torrian Prince is a matchup that you like 530 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: if you're a Hawks fan, right, Jalen Johnson just gets 531 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,200 Speaker 1: right downhill and dunks on everybody. He Again, he's only 532 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: run one hundred and twenty picking rolls this year, and 533 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: he's only generated one hundred and ten points, which really 534 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: isn't that bad at zero point nine to two points 535 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: per possession. But he's been better as of late. In 536 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,120 Speaker 1: his last nineteen pick and rolls, Jalen Johnson has generated 537 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: twenty six points including passes. That's one point thirty seven 538 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 1: points per possession. He's really starting to gain some steam 539 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 1: as an on ball player. And again, like it's just 540 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: once he gets that head of steam downhill, he's such 541 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 1: a good finisher and he's such a good passer in 542 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: those situations and he's just really difficult to deal with. 543 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: He's been outstanding defensively as of late. He's averaging two 544 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,360 Speaker 1: point five stocks per game. I thought he was incredible 545 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: in the Bucks game last night in both on ball 546 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: and off the ball. And I think he's a really 547 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: interesting player in the long run too, because he has 548 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: outstanding touch, which means is if he improves overall with 549 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: his fluidity, he can become a more a more effective 550 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: on ball player. So, for instance, Jalen Johnson is shooting 551 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: just thirty two percent on off the dribble jump shots, 552 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: which is to zero point seven to four points per possession. 553 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: He's also shooting just twenty eight percent on guarded ketch 554 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: and shoot jump shots, but he's shooting fifty three percent 555 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: on unguarded catch and choot jump shots, and he's shooting 556 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: eighty nine percent from the free throw line over his 557 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: last sixteen games. That's like a pretty clear sign that 558 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: he has great touch, like his feel for the basketball 559 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 1: and his natural ability to put the ball in the 560 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: basket is really high. So when he adds the polish, 561 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: when he adds the fluidity, he should be able to 562 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: put the ball in the basket in more diverse ways. 563 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 1: Not to mention, averaging six assists per game over a 564 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: large span like this is a pretty like think about 565 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: how many Fords you've seen over a large portion of 566 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: time that have averaged six assists it's pretty rare. It's 567 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 1: a position in the league where there's typically pretty weak playmaking, 568 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: and he's showing some pretty high level stuff there. So 569 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: I think Jalen Johnson's a really nice foundational type of 570 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: player for the Hawks. And again, like this group has 571 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: got high potential. Like they went into the fourth quarter 572 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: last night and they played this lineup where they put 573 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: in Bogdan mcdonovich for Zachary Rissasche, And so they had 574 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: these athletes, right, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and Clincapella. But 575 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: then they also had these two really high level offensive 576 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: players in Trey Young and Bogdann macdonovich. They went on 577 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 1: a run. That group has played twenty four possessions this 578 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: year and they're plus eight point four net in those possessions. 579 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: And if you interchange any of the other two guys, 580 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: So if it's just Trey, Jalen and Bogdan together, they've 581 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: played seventy five possessions in their plus twelve net per 582 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: one hundred possessions. So here's the thing, Like, no one's 583 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,719 Speaker 1: gonna have delusions of granger here with the Hawks. They 584 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: aren't gonna win multiple playoff series this year. Or anything 585 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: like that their offense won't be good enough. But this 586 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: was a really smart little half rebuild that they did 587 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: around some proven modern basketball concepts, and there's real long 588 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 1: term upside with the development of their athletic wings. Trey 589 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: Young is still just twenty six years old. I really 590 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: like the direction the Atlanta Hawks are going. They were 591 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: fun to watch last night on the Bucks front. Just 592 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: a really sloppy game from them. Bobby Port has played 593 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: an exceptionally damaging first half shift, just incapable of protecting 594 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: the rim. He lost several offensive rebound battles, even ones 595 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: where he had position, and he just somehow lost the 596 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: fight for the ball, several sloppy turnovers and bad shots. 597 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: That was where the game started to go off. The 598 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: rail Rails Dame had those back to back to back 599 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: turnovers and the first quarter again I can't remember even 600 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: seeing that before. Their transition. Defense was abysmal in just 601 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: a basic way, like guys just hugging up to guys 602 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: off ball while Jalen Johnson's running off, running down the floor, dunking, 603 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: basic get back responsibility from the guards above the brake 604 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: not getting back, and just allowing easy passes over the 605 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: top for dunks, like their transition defense was really sloppy. 606 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: Torrian Prince had a really rough game at the point 607 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: of attack, although the whole team kind of struggled to 608 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: guard the ball. I also thought they shot really poorly, 609 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: like Gary Trent and AJ Green and Torrian Prince all 610 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: had like four to five like pretty good looks from 611 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: three in the fourth quarter that they just missed. As 612 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: a matter of fact, Percentergy, they shot six unguarded catch 613 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: and shoot jump shots in the fourth quarter and they 614 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 1: made just one of them. So you kind of just 615 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: scrap that game and just move on from it, especially 616 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: when you generally have been playing pretty well. But here's 617 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: the one thing that's weird about it. The Bucks have 618 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: mostly been beating up on bad teams. They have just 619 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: two wins this year against teams that are five hundred 620 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 1: or better. So I'd like to see the Bucks have 621 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: a sharp effort soon in a win against a good 622 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: team to legitimize some of the improvements they've made as 623 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: of late. All right, guys, that's all I have for today. 624 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: Looking forward to seeing your guys' shit talk in the comments. 625 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: That should be fun. As always, as sincerely appreciate you 626 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: guys for supporting me in suporting the show. Don't forget 627 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: get those mailbag questions in we got our last mail bag, 628 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: I should say, last video for mailback today. We're recording 629 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: one tomorrow again. I appreciate you, guys, and I'll see 630 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: you tomorrow the volume What's Up? Guys? As always, I 631 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: appreciate you for listening to and supporting OOPS tonight. It 632 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: would actually be really helpful for us if you guys 633 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: would take a second and leave a rating and a review. 634 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if 635 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really 636 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: appreciate it.