1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, old Coo to hoops tonight, you're 2 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: at the volume. Happy Thursday, everybody. Hope all of you 3 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: guys are having an incredible week. We have a jam 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: pack show for you guys today. Off the top, we 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: got news yesterday that Joannison Tenancupo and the Bucks are 6 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: potentially looking towards the future for both sides. Gonna have 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: a little bit of a takeaway from the Pistons game 8 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,959 Speaker 1: last night, as well as my thoughts on the Giannis 9 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: trade saga and what that might potentially look like, some 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: of the potential issues that could happen, especially if Jannis 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: ends up going somewhere like in the Western Conference. After that, 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: the Dallas Mavericks got their third consecutive win against the 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: Miami Heat yesterday, fueled by the return of Anthony Davis 14 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: and an awakening of their offense. A lot of interesting 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: stuff that I want to get into, some internal development 16 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: two with Ryan Emhart finding a role as well as 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: Cooper Flag finding success as a short range shot maker. 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: After that, the tail end of the show today, the 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: San Antonio Spurs won their seventh time and nine games 20 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: without Victor Webbin Yama on the road. On the tail 21 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: end of a back to back in Orlando against the Magic. 22 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: Kind of a bizarre sequence late in the game, but 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: I want to dig into what has been driving that 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: success for the San Antonio Spurs. You guys are the 25 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: drip before we get started. To subscribe to the Hoops 26 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: and I YouTube channels, you don't miss any more of 27 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore json lt 28 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: so you guys don't miss show announcements. Don't forget about 29 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast owner Hoops Tonight. 30 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: It's also super helpful for you theve a rating in 31 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: a review. On that front, Jackson's doing incredible work on 32 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 33 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: Make sure you guys follow us there for more content 34 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: throughout the season and the last but not least, if 35 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: you want to get questions into our mail bags. We 36 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: have our first mail bag in a couple weeks coming tomorrow, 37 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: so if you want to get questions in there, go 38 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: to our full episodes on YouTube. Write in the comments 39 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: mail bag coll In ret your question. We'll get to 40 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: them on Fridays throughout the rest of the season. Also playback. 41 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: We're back on our playback streams Tonight with the Lakers 42 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: on the road in Toronto against the Raptor should be 43 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: an interesting one because Luka Doncic is going to be 44 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 1: out for personal reasons, so an opportunity to see Lebron 45 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: James get an opportunity to have the ball in his 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: hands more as he tries to find his rhythm. So 47 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: come hang out again playback dot tv. Excuse me, yeah, 48 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: playback playback dot Tv. Slash Hoops tonight is where we'll 49 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: be tonight at four thirty pm Pacific time. All right, 50 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So the Bucks actually got a 51 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: really nice win last night at home against the Detroit Pistons. 52 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: Giannis went down with a calf injury early and the 53 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: Pistons jumped them. They went up eighteen in the first quarter, 54 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 1: but they just battled back. Ryan Rollins was great again. 55 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: Kevin Porter Junior has been awesome since he came back, 56 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: and they found themselves down by five with two minutes 57 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: left and ended up stealing that game. Kevin Porter Junior 58 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: made a beautiful offhand skip pass driving down the right 59 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: lane line to aj Green in the left corner, who 60 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: ended up hitting a catch and shoot three. There then 61 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: on the other end of the floor, Ryan Rowlins made 62 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: a beautiful defensive play in his own look that they had. 63 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: He was kind of like sitting down fronting Jalen Duran 64 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: at the top of the key, making it so that 65 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: he could defend against the ball screen there and any 66 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: sort of high post entry, and he was kind of 67 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: squatting down and then when the skip pass was made, 68 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: he just jumped up and elevated with those long arms 69 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: and got the deal. He ended up going down to 70 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: the other end and missing a layup, but on the 71 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: play he engaged Jalen Duran at the rim, which opened 72 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: up a little area around the basket for Jericho Sims 73 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: to make the first of his two massive rebounding plays 74 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: at the end of this game, cleans up the Rolins, 75 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: miskits An and one, so the three from aj Green 76 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: and the and one from Jericho Simms ends up putting 77 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: the Bucks up by one and then down on the 78 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: other end of the floor of the Bucks got three 79 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: straight stops to win the game. The first was Ryan 80 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: Rollins getting some great ball pressure on Kay Cunningham and 81 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: forcing him into a turnover. He lost the control of 82 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: the ball ended up going way into the backcourt turned 83 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: it over. After that was a miss Karros lavert three 84 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: off the left wing, where Jericho Simms got his second 85 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: big rebound. Him and Bobby Ports combined for a great 86 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: box out on Jalen Durham. We all know how good 87 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: of an offensive rebound er he is, and Jericho just 88 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: jumped up and grabbed that rebound. Big play. And then 89 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: the third one was Ryan Rollins one on one against 90 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: Kaid at the top of the key, forced him into 91 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: a really tough step back three that he airballed, and 92 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: the Bucks ended up getting a win. Very nice win actually, 93 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: But unfortunately we're not going to be focusing on this 94 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: version of the Bucks as much in that game from 95 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: last night, but more about the news that Giannis and 96 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: the Bucks are looking towards the future for both sides. Now, 97 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: one thing I want to be clear about up front, 98 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: I actually do think things have been a little better 99 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: than they've looked on the surface. If you look at 100 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: the record for the Bucks, they've been a game over 101 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 1: five hundred with Giannis in the lineup. The Giannis Ryan Rawlins, 102 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: aj Green trio in six hundred and twenty nine possessions 103 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: this year has a plus ten NET rating. They've had 104 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: some really nice wins. There's like a dynamic with Rowlins 105 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: and and their two way ability to Ryan run some action, knockdown, 106 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: catch and shoot threes, but really guard aj Green and 107 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: really aj Green really guard and knockdown threes, and then 108 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: Yanis obviously with his rim pressure. But ultimately, the league 109 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: is just too talented and this team just doesn't have 110 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: much of a shot. Most of that success that they've 111 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: had this season has come from the herculean efforts of 112 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: Yannis shooting a career high sixty four percent from the 113 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: field and forty four percent from three. So ultimately it 114 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: is in the best interests of both parties to move on. 115 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: You want Yanis to go somewhere he can really compete. 116 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: He's in some rare company in that top tier superstars 117 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: with him, Jokic, Shay and Luca, and all four of 118 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: those dudes are playing insanely high level basketball this year. 119 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: But the other three guys are all surrounded by substantially 120 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 1: more talent than Yannis is surrounded by right now in Milwaukee, 121 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: and for the Bucks to capitalize on the highest amount 122 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: of value that Yanis has as a trade piece, it's 123 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: kind of right now or never in a lot of 124 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: ways as he enters into this phase of his career 125 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: getting closer to his mid thirties, and the Bucks do 126 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: have some exciting pieces, like I know some Bucks fans 127 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: don't like Ryan Rollins, but I think he's a real player. 128 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: I think he's gonna be an awesome two way guard 129 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: in this league for a long time. I'm surprised that 130 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: there's even debates surrounding that. I think Rollins is awesome. 131 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: They might even be able to flip some of these 132 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: other older vets into something at this point, like a 133 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 1: Miles Turner, a Bobby Portis. They've got some exciting other 134 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: young players. I think aj Green is one of the 135 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: better role player guards in the league if he can 136 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: be the fifth best player in your lineup. And one 137 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: of the things too that's beneficial to Milwaukee here is 138 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: Sham's has reported that Giannis is pretty open minded about 139 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: where he's willing to end up. So there's no demand, 140 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: right There's no like a send me to the Knicks 141 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: or send me to the Lakers. And as we look 142 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: at those two teams, like the Knicks just can't really 143 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: put together too much of a package for him, they 144 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: blew most of their draft capital in the McHale Bridges move, 145 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: and if I'm the Bucks, I have no interest in 146 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: taking Karl Anthony Towns back right, So, like I don't 147 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: see the Knicks as too much of a threat here, 148 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: the Lakers can actually put together a decent package thanks 149 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: to the rise of Austin Reeves, who I think has 150 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: been clearly one of the fifteen best players in the 151 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: league to start this season. It's not to say he's 152 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: going to stay there, but he's certainly encroached in on 153 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: that like top twenty top twenty five range and is 154 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: one of the higher level offensive players in the league. 155 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: He's been one of the best pick and role players 156 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: in the league this year, and he's really well rounded 157 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: in the margins, Like he's not like the zach Lavine 158 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: types that are going to lose shooters and miss box outs, 159 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: you know, twelve times a game and end up hurting 160 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: his team and undercutting his offensive success. Like, Austin's a 161 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: really good player. But ultimately, the Lakers can only include 162 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: one first round pick and some swaps, so you know, 163 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: in that first round pick would be tied to a 164 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: team led by Luca and in the scenario Yiannis as well, 165 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: so it's unlikely to be a high lottery pick. So yeah, 166 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: I think Austin would be a really nice piece. I 167 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: actually think Austin would fit really well alongside Ryan Rollins 168 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: since Ryan's such a good athlete. But you know, it 169 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: just doesn't seem like it's possible with the types of 170 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: other draft packages attached to young players, good young players 171 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: that other teams around the league could offer, and Brian 172 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: Windhor said as much yesterday, basically said Janis would have 173 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: to demand the Lakers in order to get the Lakers, 174 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: and as we mentioned earlier, it appears Janis is not 175 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: making those sorts of demands. Also kind of like side note, 176 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: I don't love the Luca Yanis fit as much as 177 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: some other people do. To be clear, I'm not dumb 178 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: like I take it into heartbeat just for the talent play. 179 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: He'd obviously make the Lakers better. But I always when 180 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: I'm looking at superstar duos, I always get a little 181 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: bit nervous when they can be guarded by similar defenders. 182 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: Who would you put on Luca a big, athletic, strong 183 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: forward that can kind of handle his size and physicality. 184 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 1: Who would you put on Yannis, big athletic, strong forward 185 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: who can kind of handle his size in physicality, which 186 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: means it would likely end in a lot of switching 187 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: when those two would run two man games together, and 188 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: when you run superstars together and they can't play two 189 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: man game, then it just becomes a more difficult dynamic 190 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: to make them fit. To be clear, Luca and Giannis 191 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: would find a way to win a lot of games. 192 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: I just don't love that fit as naturally as I 193 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: like some other fits that I've looked at around the league. 194 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: I like teams. I like duos where they're being guarded 195 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: by different types of defenders so that they're unlikely to switch, 196 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: or if they do, they're giving themselves up a compromising advantage. Right, 197 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: So that opens the field up, and there are a 198 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: lot of interesting options. San Antonio is one of the 199 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: obvious ones. They could include one of their blue Chippers, 200 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: like they could include a Steph Castle or a Dylan 201 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: Harper and a bunch of draft compensation. They've got picks 202 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: that they can include. That's going to beat the hell 203 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: out of any offer from the Lakers or from the Knicks. Right, 204 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: Giannis and Wemby would be frightening together. I also love 205 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: them as a counter to what Oklahoma City does. Those 206 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: two guys would be able to basically completely shut off 207 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: the rim to OKAC, which turns them into almost entirely 208 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: a jump shooting team, and San Antonio, even if they 209 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: made that sort of deal, would still have enough size 210 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: and athleticism at the guards spot to at least make 211 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 1: life tougher on Shay if the jumper was all that 212 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: he had available to him. I think it would be 213 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,559 Speaker 1: a really a really interesting kind of like styles make 214 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: Fights type of matchup to see a Wembi Janis led 215 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: team versus Oklahoma City. But ultimately, I think it'd be 216 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: really bad for the league if Jannis went to the West. 217 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: All three of the other top tier superstars in the 218 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: NBA are already in the West. So yeah, speaking strictly 219 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: about basketball, I'd love to see Jannis in San Antonio. 220 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: I think it'd be so much fun, and Oklahoma City 221 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: San Antonio playoff series would be a movie. I just 222 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: think it's in the best interest of the NBA for 223 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: him to stay in the East Somewhere. You don't want 224 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: a situation where you have all four of your top 225 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: tier contenders Oklahoma City Houston, Denver, and San Antonio all 226 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: in one conference. I don't think that's necessarily good for 227 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: the league. Atlanta was a team I brought up this summer. 228 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:55,959 Speaker 1: I've talked about how I view Trey and Giannis as 229 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: a much better basketball fit than Dame and Giannis because 230 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: Tre is so much better as a passer, specifically as 231 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: a lob passer and as a pocket passer. So I 232 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: think the two of them would be much much better, 233 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: much more dynamic on offense than a Dame and Giannis 234 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: type of duo. The tricky thing here is that Jalen 235 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: Johnson has to be a centerpiece in that type of deal. 236 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: Like they have the first round picks to give up, 237 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: but if they're going to compete with some of these 238 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: other offers that are going to be on the table, 239 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: they'd have to include a blue chip piece, right Like 240 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: if a deal with the Lakers is giving you Austin Reeves, 241 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: if a deal with San Antonio is giving you a 242 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: Steph Castle or Dylan Harper, if a deal with Orlando's 243 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: giving you someone like Pala Bonco or something like that, 244 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: like you're getting an awesome player and draft picks or 245 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,719 Speaker 1: draft pick in the case of the Lakers if you 246 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: make one of those types of deals. So if you're 247 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: going to get in on this action as Atlanta, you 248 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: got to include Jalen Johnson. And Jalen Johnson's averaging twenty 249 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: three points, ten rebounds, and seven assists on sixty four 250 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: percent shooting this year looks to be a legit budding 251 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: star and has been. Those numbers don't even do a 252 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: justice to how good he's been in the last couple 253 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: of weeks. So it's just extremely high risk, high reward 254 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: for a team like Atlanta. Like, there's a version where 255 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: you do that deal as the Hawks and Trey and 256 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 1: Giannis surrounded by a bunch of high level role players 257 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: just wrecks the Eastern Conference and suddenly you're in the 258 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: NBA Finals, right, But there's also a version of that 259 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: story where Trey Young gets hurt. You got hurt already 260 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: this year, and maybe he gets hurt again. You lose 261 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: in the first round, or you make the finals, but 262 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: you end up getting beaten badly by Oklahoma City and 263 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: suddenly you have like an aging Yiannis and Trey and 264 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: your fans are all pissed off because Jalen Johnson is 265 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: hanging thirty point triple doubles in a Milwaukee Bucks jersey. Right, 266 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: So it's just like a really high risk, high reward 267 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: decision for Atlanta now because it's different with Jalen Johnson. 268 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: It was easier when Jalen Johnson was a little bit 269 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: more of an unknown commodity, like he was this summer 270 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: coming off of an injury. Orlando's a really interesting talent play. 271 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: They have a bunch of massive salaries, so they could 272 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: get there pretty quickly in a variety of different ways. 273 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: I wonder if they'd be willing to include Palo in 274 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: a deal like that. They play the same position and 275 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: with Palo, like he's a star that's shown potential to 276 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: be awesome but also potential to be disappointing as his 277 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: kind of like floor game and like playmaking ability can 278 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: leave a lot to be desired, and he just settles 279 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: for so many of these like tough made range jumpers 280 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: that he just doesn't make it a super high clip. 281 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: But there's also a version of that where Paalo could 282 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: be awesome. Like I think if I'm Milwaukee, I'd be like, 283 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: you know, that's a legit, blue chip type of talent 284 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: to get back and he's still technically on his rookie contract, 285 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: although he's got an extension that kicks in next season. 286 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 1: But then you look at it. If you're a Land though, 287 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: and you're like, okay, you're led by Giannis and Franz, 288 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: they'd have some similar issues with spacing and shooting. But 289 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: if I'm a Magic, if I'm in the Magic front officer, 290 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: if i am a Magic fan, don't overthink it. Like 291 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: Giannis is way better at basketball than Paalo on both 292 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: ends of the floor, there's real two man game potential. 293 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: Not necessarily with Franz, that fit would be clunky, same 294 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: kind of dynamic we were talking about with Luca right, Like, 295 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: you're guarding both of those guys with big, strong forwards, 296 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: you're likely going to be doing switching there. But there's 297 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: real two man game potential with Giannis and Desmond Bane. 298 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: We've seen a lot of different actions that the Bucks 299 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: run with Giannis inverted with him on the ball, with 300 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: like aj Green coming to screen and getting out of it, 301 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: or if you have Giannis screening for a Desmond Bane. 302 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: There's a lot of different potential there for Giannis in 303 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: the pocket or for Desmond to easily get downhill as 304 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: teams are hesitant to offer help there, right, So, like 305 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: I think, even though it'd still be a little bit 306 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: clunky on offense, there's there's still plenty of upside there 307 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: with Yiannis. And then on the defensive end, you think 308 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: Orlando's defense is good, now go ahead and add in 309 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: Giannis like as a as a back line weapon and 310 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: help side and as a defensive rebounder like, they'd be 311 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: frighteningly good. On defense. They'd win ugly. A lot of 312 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: their games would be ugly, but they'd win a lot 313 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: of games in overnight, even if they did include a 314 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: Palo they'd overnight become the prohibitive favorite in the Eastern Conference. 315 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: So overall, if I was speaking purely about basketball and 316 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: what I want to see, I'd say San Antonio. They're 317 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: just such a fun option to compete with Oklahoma City, 318 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: and they present a hilarious basketball problem for most teams 319 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: with him and wemb together. But if I had to 320 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: pick my overall preferred option, I'd say Orlando. Just because 321 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: of my desire to keep Gianness in the East so 322 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: that the league has more balance, I'd rather have a 323 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: legit top tier contender coming out of the East and 324 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: one of those contenders coming out of the West. So 325 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: we have a great NBA Finals than four top tier 326 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: contenders to all be out in the Western Conference, because 327 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: ultimately Giannis is that good. Wherever he goes, he's going 328 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: to be on a top tier contender, especially if these 329 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: teams we mentioned that actually have the ability to compete. 330 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: After the trade, we'll keep digging into Gianas stuff as 331 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: we get more information about what teams are making offers, 332 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: and we'll start to talk about the fit and what 333 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: it might look like as we get more information on 334 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: that front. Today's show is brought to you by our 335 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: new presenting sponsor, hard Rock Bet Big News. Hard Rock 336 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: Bet is now live in Michigan. Sign up today in 337 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: place your first five dollars sports bet. If it wins, 338 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: you get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets 339 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: on top of your winnings, and if you're into more 340 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: casino games, new customers can get up to one thousand 341 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: dollars back in casino bonus. If you're not up money 342 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: after your first twenty four hours playing slots, win money 343 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: or get a casino bonus back, plus you get two 344 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: hundred bonus spins winnings paid in cash. Want to see 345 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: what everyone else is betting on tonight, top picks or 346 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: parlays across any sport, The hard rock Bet app literally 347 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: shows you. It's another reason to download the app just 348 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: for the info. Tap discover and you can see trending 349 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: picks and parlays at any time. Hard Rock Bet offers 350 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: new promos daily plus big legendary rewards drops every Thursday 351 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: like gifts under the Tree, So whenever you're listening, just 352 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: open up the app and check out what you got 353 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 1: waiting for you. Download a hard rock Bet app and 354 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: make your first deposit payable in bonus bets, not a 355 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. In Florida, 356 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: offered by Seminal hard Rock Digital LLC. In all other states. 357 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: Must be twenty one plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, 358 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and 359 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida called one eight 360 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: three to three play wise In Indiana, if you or 361 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, 362 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: call one eight hundred and nine with it gambling problem 363 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: called one eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, 364 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: or Virginia. Sports Welcome Offer is payable in bonus bets, 365 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: not a cash offer. Casino offer issued as non withdrawable 366 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: site credits. Ten plus dollars deposit required for two hundred 367 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: bonus spins for Huff and more Puff only up to 368 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: one thousand dollars back in casino bonus if player has 369 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,880 Speaker 1: net loss on slots after first twenty four hours. Casino 370 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,719 Speaker 1: bonus credit has a one x wage requirement. Offered by 371 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: Seminal hard Rock Digital LLC. Must be twenty one plus 372 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: and physically present in Michigan to play. Terms and conditions apply. 373 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: Concerned about gambling called one eight hundred gambler. The Dallas 374 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: Mavericks have won three games in a row, fueled by 375 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: the return of Anthony Davis in the awakening of the 376 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: Mavericks offense. The game right before the three game winning 377 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: streak two is that game in Los Angeles against the 378 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: Lakers where they actually looked pretty good. They held a 379 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: fourth quarter lead in that game before losing control of 380 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: it late and it's just been awesome to watch Anthony 381 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: Davis back on the court. He's been a frustrating player 382 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: for me to root for over the years as a 383 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: guy who roots for the Lakers, right because I'm just 384 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: so sick of the exact same damn thing happening every 385 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: year where he comes into camp overweight, seemingly by design 386 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 1: if you listen to him explain it. But then NBA 387 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 1: basketball is hard, and especially hard when you're carrying extra weight, 388 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: so he would inevitably end up getting some sort of 389 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: wear and tear injury that knocks him out for a while, 390 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: And that happened again this season, and every season kind 391 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: of becomes a race for ad like can he get 392 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: in shape before his body breaks down? And he did 393 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: the same thing in Los Angeles seemingly every year, And 394 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 1: for the record, there were years where that worked out, 395 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: like twenty twenty three similarly got injured in the middle, 396 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: but he managed to get in shape and maintain his 397 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: body enough to finish the playoff run, and he had 398 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: a really nice playoff run where he went to the 399 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: Western Conference finals before getting his butt kicked by Jokic. 400 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: But twenty twenty four, and I think part of this 401 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 1: was he played so deep into the summer with the 402 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: Western Conference finals, they had a shorter offseason, came into 403 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four and played seventy six games, and when 404 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: he made it to the Denver Series in the first round, 405 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: he was awesome in the Denver series, very different than 406 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: how he played in the twenty twenty three series. Like 407 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: he was pretty much bar for bar right there with 408 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: Jokic in that twenty twenty four first round series. And 409 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: so Ad is very much a rhythm player. He needs 410 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: to be healthy and stay on the court for a 411 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: long time so that he's in shape, so that he 412 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: can flash his upside, and that the flip side of 413 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: that dynamic, when he loses control of his conditioning and 414 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,120 Speaker 1: starts to suffer nagging injuries because his body can't hold up, 415 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 1: that's where it can be, you know, frustrating in the 416 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: other direction. And we've seen, you know, obviously the worst 417 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: side of that spectrum since he went to Dallas. But 418 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: every time you actually see healthy on the floor, Anthony Davis, 419 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: his talent is undeniable. And the crazy thing for MAVs 420 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: fans I would say, is like I still don't think 421 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: he's close to full rhythm right now, he's still a 422 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 1: bit slow footed. You saw in the Miami game last 423 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: night he had a couple of jumpers that he airballed 424 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: that were like two or three feet short of the rim. 425 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: That's a lift and conditioning thing that will eventually come around. 426 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: But even this version of AD that's still working his 427 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: way into shape is an all NBA level contributor on 428 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: both ends of the floor. And it was really fun, 429 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: especially in the in the Denver and Miami games, to 430 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: watch the different ways that Ad dominated. Like against Denver, 431 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: for instance, like Yo get straight up, did not want 432 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: to post him up, you know where AD carrying some 433 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: extra weight probably helps him, but that ended up being 434 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: a big problem for Denver down the stretch of that 435 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: game because Jamal Murray wasn't able to finish the game, 436 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:10,679 Speaker 1: so the MAVs were able to force a bunch of 437 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: jump shots from guys like Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones 438 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: late in the game, and Jokic wasn't going into the 439 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 1: post against Ad at all, and so AD was able 440 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: to defend more like traditional two man game sequences where 441 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 1: he's dropping towards the basket. Got some really good contests 442 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: at the rim. He had a huge one late in 443 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: the game where he forced Bruce Brown into a miss 444 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: right at the basket, and then on offense, he like 445 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: killed Jokic in that game in a bunch of ways. 446 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: Jokic was giving him space for jump shots and he 447 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: ended up making five jump shots in that game, either 448 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: spotting up or facing up in ISO, and he killed 449 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 1: Jokic on the offensive glass. Whenever Jokic helped on drives, 450 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: he had three putbacks where like Yokic would step over 451 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,959 Speaker 1: to help and or Ad would just come in from 452 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: behind and like dunk it in on a put back. 453 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: The exact opposite of that dynamic is how he dominated 454 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 1: the Miami heat and there on the defensive and in 455 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 1: that particular game last night, like that dance that I'm 456 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: talking about, that like where Jokic is like, okay, do 457 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: I help on this drive, but then give Ad the 458 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: offensive rebound. That is a critical dance that biggs make 459 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: in drop coverage situations and in help situations when they're 460 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: just helping out the basket. So a lot in the 461 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: Miami game because there's fewer ball screens, right, but do 462 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: you go for the block and potentially leave your assignment 463 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 1: free for an offensive rebound, or do you stay back 464 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: and let the ball handler get a shot off so 465 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: that you can secure the defensive rebound. And one of 466 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: the tricky things with driving layups is it's not variance 467 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,959 Speaker 1: in the way that jump shooting is jump shooting. It's like, Okay, 468 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 1: this guy is going to get the shot up and 469 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,120 Speaker 1: it's going to go in some percentage of the time, right, 470 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 1: and the contest is going to make a mild difference. 471 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 1: Like you know, some open shooters might shoot forty five 472 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: percent when they're wide open, in thirty eight percent when 473 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: they're guarded, or thirty eight percent when they're wide open 474 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: and thirty two percent when they're guarded, right, Like, there's 475 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 1: a little bit of a difference between contest and no 476 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: contests when it comes to jump shooting. Layups are very different, right, Like, 477 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: if a guy beats you clean off the dribble and 478 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: goes right to the front of the rim, he's making 479 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: the layup every time, Like, call it ninety five percent 480 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: of the time he's gonna make the layup. But if 481 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 1: you have a guy on your hip and it's a 482 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: contested layup, that percentage plummets down to like fifty to 483 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: fifty at best for most NBA players. So like a 484 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: contest on the layup is way more is way more 485 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 1: likely to cause a dramatic shift in the shot results. 486 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: So that's the dance that the big guys have to make. 487 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 1: Do I need to go over and help because he's 488 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: going to make the layup? Or is he highly likely 489 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: to miss anyway? And I'm actually better used as a 490 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,719 Speaker 1: rebounder here staying back. That's the dance that Jokic was 491 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: botching in the Denver game where Ad kept getting dunks 492 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: over the top of him. Against Miami, AD had a 493 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: ton of similar reads to make, like Miami doesn't run 494 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: very many ball screens, although it's worth mentioning they ran 495 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: a little bit more than usual against Dallas, trying to 496 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: attack their biggs. But he found themselves in a He 497 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 1: found himself in a lot of situations where heat players 498 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: were driving at him and he had to make a decision. 499 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: And the MAVs defenders all night were doing a great 500 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: job staying attached to the basketball. One of the subplots 501 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: at the end of that game was Naji Marshall, who 502 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: was doing a great job on Tyler Harrow and Tyler 503 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: the hero, I should say, and Tyler kind of didn't 504 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: want the basketball in his hands late in that game 505 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: because of the job that Naji Marshall was doing. And 506 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: Ad is just so good at that particular dance. He's 507 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: one of the best that I've seen at that specific 508 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: dynamic of when to help versus when to stay home. 509 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,479 Speaker 1: And he had sixteen defensive rebounds in that game, and 510 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: many of them were sequences where he made really smart 511 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 1: defensive raids at the rim to not go for a 512 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 1: block because he saw that his perimeter defenders were chesting 513 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: up with a drive and probably going to force into 514 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 1: some misses. Right then, on the offensive end against Miami, 515 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: Ad dominated in a very different way. Like it only 516 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: had seventeen points, but he was consistent drawing second defenders 517 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: in the post. And this was a game, you know, 518 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: an Ad can be a little tricky handling double teams. 519 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: It's been an inconsistent thing for him in his life. 520 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: But that last night, in particular, I thought he did 521 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 1: a great job posting on that left block, especially down 522 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: the stretch, and making that skip pass, particularly to the 523 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: opposite wing, and then the MAVs were able to get 524 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: into their driving kick from it, and they got some 525 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: really good looks out of that, and Miami actually actually 526 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: ended up letting him work one on one on a 527 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: key possession late and he just turned over his right 528 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 1: shoulder over Tyler Hero hit that little bank shot. So 529 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: like different kind of dominance from Anthony Davis. And I 530 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: know it's been a rough year for MAVs fans and 531 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: it's not much consolation to see Anthony Davis playing well 532 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: with this few wins coming, you know, to this point 533 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: in the season. But it's just a casual reminder that 534 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis is a bona fide star. Like in back 535 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: to back games he outplayed Nicola jokicch and bam Adebayo. 536 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: There's not many players in the league that can do that. 537 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: He's still one of the best defensive players in the league, 538 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 1: and he's still a very good offensive weapon in his 539 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: own way. But of course, Anthony Davis is not the 540 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: only reason that the MAVs are on a three game 541 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: win streak. They also have a one to nineteen offensive 542 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 1: rating in their last three games. They're scoring the ball 543 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: better than they have all season, and that's helping them 544 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: close these games out. There are three players in particular 545 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: that I want to shout out here, and firstus Cooper Flag, 546 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: who's riding his first consistent stretch of high level offensive 547 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: play as a pro. In fact, he's the youngest player 548 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 1: in NBA history to log three consecutive twenty point games. 549 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: And it's being driven by two things. Cutting down on 550 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: his three point attempts and driving the hell out of 551 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: the basketball as a result of that. And then the 552 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: second piece of it is focusing on shorter range shot making. 553 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: When it comes to his jump shot, the drives have 554 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: been super impressive. He's attacking downhill out of spot ups 555 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: with like these quick jab steps or quick ripthrough moves, 556 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: and he's beating his man consistently. It's a way that 557 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: he's spacing the floor without necessarily hitting threes, as his 558 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: three point attempts have gone about half his season average 559 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: over the course of the last three games, and in 560 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: each case he just kind of gets that shoulder into 561 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: you and he can finish with his left hand in 562 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: his right hand, and he's just a force to be 563 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 1: reckoned with as an athlete going downhill. Too big, too skilled, 564 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: and too mobile. And then with the short range shot making, 565 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: it's about minimizing variants right, finding an easier shot for 566 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 1: him to make that takes advantage of his size. Kate A. 567 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: Cooper is shooting only twenty eight percent on jump shots 568 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,439 Speaker 1: outside of seventeen feet this year, twenty eight percent on 569 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: mid rangers outside of seventeen feet, and twenty eight percent 570 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: from three budd He's shooting forty six percent inside of 571 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: seventeen feet and that's fueled by this recent run. He's 572 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: eight out of eleven in this three game span on 573 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: jump shots inside of seventeen feet. It's a much easier 574 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: shot for him that he can get to there, and 575 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: he's hitting it at a high clip. And it's not 576 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: just jump shooting either, like he's been hitting these little 577 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: short bank shots and these little floaters. And you guys 578 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: know how big of a fan I am of short 579 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: range shot making because I think it just can be 580 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: so much more reliable night tonight than distance shot making, 581 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: and in late game situations, it can be a reliable 582 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: thing to go to. Last thing with Cooper. I think 583 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: the rise of Ryan Nemhart has simplified his role a bit. 584 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: He's constantly looking to attack now off of the catch 585 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:11,959 Speaker 1: when he gets a chance, either in a spot up 586 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: situation and in action. He's attacking really hard, and I 587 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: think a big part of that is because he doesn't 588 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: have as much ball handling responsibility that he's had at 589 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: other points in the season, so he doesn't have to 590 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: pay so much attention to like making reads and managing 591 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: the flow of the game. He's just in attack mode 592 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: right now and it's working really well for him. Secondly, 593 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:36,479 Speaker 1: is the aforementioned rise of Ryan Nemhart, just the spitting 594 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: image of his brother as a high level pick and 595 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: role player, hitting little drop covered shots in the mid range, 596 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,959 Speaker 1: beating bigs and forwards and switches with nasty dribble combinations 597 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: into mid rangers. In the Denver game, he hit a 598 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: couple of super tough layups on hard drives to the basket, 599 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,479 Speaker 1: some impressive rim finishing from him. And then the passing 600 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: ability is real, just making those reads in action, hitting 601 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: the pocket and pick and roll, making that skip pass. 602 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: He had this pass to Klay Thompson in the corner 603 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: in the Miami game where he was kind of way 604 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: up at the top and Clay was open in the corner, 605 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: and he hit him with the pass right in the 606 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: top of his shooting pockets. So that Clay was able 607 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: to catch into like a no dip that like classic 608 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: Clay no dip three that he hit. It was a 609 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: big shot in that game too. I've talked a lot 610 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 1: over the years about how your value as a basketball 611 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: player is unique to your basketball team and what they need, 612 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: and this team has needed a ball handler that can 613 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: both score and make reads. I thought it would be 614 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: de Lo, but it just hasn't worked out with del 615 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: this season. Although to his credit, Delo actually had a 616 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: nice game against Miami yesterday, hit some big shots. They 617 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: tried Brandon Williams for a while that was more bad 618 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 1: than good. Ryan has done the best job filling that 619 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: role and it's been a big part of this offensive 620 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: explosion from this team. He's had forty three points and 621 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: twenty three assists in his last two games with only 622 00:29:54,720 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 1: one turnover in only six missed shots. That's pretty remarkable stuff, 623 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,719 Speaker 1: and the play type data is super impressive. He's now 624 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: up to sixty eight pick and rolls this year, including 625 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: passes eighty three points generated one point two to two 626 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: points per possession. That's excellent. Big part of that is 627 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: his own personal shooting. He's shooting fifteen for twenty in 628 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: pick and roll as the ball handler, thirteen for eighteen 629 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: from two and two for two from three, and then 630 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: he's beating switches. He's had seventeen ISOs this season including passes, 631 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: eighteen points generated on ten shot attempts. He's made four 632 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 1: and drew a foul in one, so he's scored on 633 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: half of his own shot attempts in ISO. And then 634 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: he's generated a couple of buckets on kickouts and one 635 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: on a drop off, so he's been good in ISO 636 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: as well. And then lastly, Klay Thompson, the beef with 637 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: John Morant appears to have awakened a competitive side in 638 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: Clay that is leading to some vintage basketball from him. 639 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: And since the start of that Memphis game so was 640 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: six games sample size seventeen points per game from Clay, 641 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: forty eight percent on nine to three point attempts per game, 642 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: hitting a lot of big shots too. And he's just 643 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: becoming an all two important release out for this Mavericks 644 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: offense in terms of kickouts because he can take it and 645 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 1: make contested catch and shoot threes as well as the 646 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: wide open ones. It's not too late for Dallas to 647 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: work their way in the mix here. They're only one 648 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 1: and a half games back in the nine seed, three 649 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: and a half games back of Golden State in the 650 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: eight seed. And this is not fake basketball. This is 651 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: a legit top five defense that added a legit two 652 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: way superstar in Anthony Davis that is capable of out 653 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: playing some of the best players in the league at 654 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: his position. And you have two blossoming young players in 655 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: Ryan Emphart and Cooper Flag with some really good role 656 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: players around him too, by the way, and like PJ. Washington, 657 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: he turned his ankle about a week ago. Him and 658 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: Derek Lively are out right now like they're going to be, 659 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: you know, a very talented basketball team when they're healthy, 660 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: kind of like we expected coming into the season. They 661 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:50,240 Speaker 1: just needed a ball handler to pop, and they needed 662 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,960 Speaker 1: Cooper to find his footing. And that's what's happening with 663 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: Ryan and Cooper right now. And just a tiny little 664 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: bit of light in the darkness for MAVs fans. And 665 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: the play of Anthony Davis is super encouraging regardless of 666 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 1: what happens, because he's either going to help you in 667 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: a MAVs jersey or he's going to massively inflate his 668 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: trade value and help you build around Cooper for the future. 669 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: All right, before we get out of here today. Briefly 670 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: on the Spurs. The Spurs won their seventh time and 671 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: nine games without Wemby last night, a crazy game against 672 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: the Magic. They controlled it throughout for the most part 673 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: until things got weird late. Franz didn't take a three 674 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: all night and then hit a big one, a pull 675 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 1: up on the right wing, and then Jeremy Sohan ends 676 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: up missing two free throws, and then Franz gets fouled 677 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: on a three and makes all three of them, and 678 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: suddenly the game is tied. But darreon Fox ended up 679 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: drawing a foul and a drive on Jonathan Isaac kind 680 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: of got into his body. It was kind of a 681 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: weird play. I ended up getting challenged and upheld, but 682 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: it was blocked clean up top, which made it a 683 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: little bit tricky. But there was some body contact down 684 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: low before the shot attempt that ended up getting upheld. 685 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: So dearon Fox goes down and makes both free throws. 686 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,719 Speaker 1: Orlando runs a really nice inbound sequence where Franz Wagner 687 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: gets like an inside seal, beautiful in entry pass gets 688 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: a wide open layup but Luke Cornett makes this unbelievable 689 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: defensive rotation off of like pretty far on the right wing, 690 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: just comes flying in and swats it out of bounds, 691 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 1: and the Spurs end up getting a huge win, and 692 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: Dearn Fox was amazing again and he continues to be 693 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: the story again. Ultimately, why they're winning, why they're seven 694 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: to two in this span, is they have a one 695 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 1: to nineteen point four offensive rating, and they're winning these 696 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: games because Dearon Fox is consistently compromising the defense off 697 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: the top twenty seven points and seven assists per game 698 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 1: on forty nine percent from the field in forty one 699 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 1: percent from three in this span, eight free throw attempts 700 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: per game two, getting the defenders out of position and 701 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: getting to the line, and it's just that steady, you know. 702 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: I kind of bought in with Darren Fox with this 703 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: after that playoff series. Was it in twenty twenty three 704 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 1: against the Warriors where they were the twos? I think 705 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: I can't remember. I think it was the two seed, yeah, 706 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,959 Speaker 1: and they might have been the three seed. I think 707 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: it was a six to three series. Whatever it was. 708 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,280 Speaker 1: The Kings had the home court advantage and the Warriors 709 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: ended up beating them because Steph Curry goes for fifty 710 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: in Game seven. But the two kind of things that 711 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: stood out to me on the Kings front in that 712 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: series were like Darren Fox and Malik Monk as well, 713 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,359 Speaker 1: but let's focus on Darren Fox here. Deren Fox could 714 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: like legitimately break down defenses. To me, that's like the 715 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: fundamental part of every great offense. It's one of the 716 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:31,399 Speaker 1: big things that I'm concerned about as a Laker fan 717 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: going into tonight in Toronto. I just like their chances 718 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 1: a lot better if you have Luca as a guy 719 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 1: that can break the defense at the start, Right, Do 720 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: you have something that one of your players can do 721 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,920 Speaker 1: that's extremely difficult to manage defensively that is going to 722 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 1: cause them to either collapse or put two on the ball, 723 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 1: anything that could generate easier openings for your team, right, 724 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: And for me with Darren Fox, it's that combination, that 725 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 1: balance of his legit dribble penetration like he's just getting 726 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 1: by guys whenever he wants to, but also counterbalancing it 727 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 1: with the jump shooting. That's going to be what draws 728 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: the attention that unlocks an underrated part of dearon Fox's game. 729 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 1: We talked a little bit about this the other day 730 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: in the Power Rankings show, but darn Fox is sneaky, 731 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: one of the better like cross court kickout passers in 732 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 1: the league, which is getting them into their drive and kick. 733 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:22,400 Speaker 1: And then just a bunch of these other young players 734 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 1: are playing well, like Devin Vessell is shooting forty four 735 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 1: percent on six three point attempts per game during this span, 736 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: straight up won the Denver Nuggets game with his aggressive 737 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:34,720 Speaker 1: catch and shoot shooting. Keldon Johnson has been a monster 738 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,440 Speaker 1: attacking the basket. He's averaging sixteen points per game on 739 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,839 Speaker 1: sixty one percent from the field. Dylan Harper has been 740 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: playing really well. It's good to see him back. He 741 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 1: had a big drive in the Memphis game out of 742 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,839 Speaker 1: the right corner. Just kind of looked like one of those, 743 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,399 Speaker 1: like one of those plays that you look at when 744 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:51,840 Speaker 1: you're looking at a young player in his star potential. 745 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: You look at like specific types of plays where he 746 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,879 Speaker 1: looks kind of unguardable, and he had this play out 747 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 1: of the right corner where he through to his left hand, 748 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:03,800 Speaker 1: got that tiny bit of an angle and then like 749 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: kind of hooked the dude with his right elbow and 750 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: got in for that left handed layup, and it's like, oh, 751 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 1: like that's going to be physically difficult for any defender 752 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: in the league to deal with. That could be a 753 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: foundational trait that could turn Dylan Harper into a superstar 754 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:20,399 Speaker 1: one day, and that's the potential that he has, right 755 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: But like, you just have this darn Fox breaking the 756 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: defense at the point of attack, all their young guards 757 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:29,439 Speaker 1: and wings playing well, Luke Hornett's back and playing super well. 758 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: This is just a really good basketball team and they're 759 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,840 Speaker 1: way better than I gave him credit for in the preseason. 760 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 1: I talked about this a little bit in the Power 761 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: Rankings episode, and we're going to get into it in 762 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: more detail when we do my Predictions episode where we 763 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:42,840 Speaker 1: kind of go back over some of the predictions I 764 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: made this offseason. But you know, in addition to the 765 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 1: Clippers one that we were talking about yesterday, this is 766 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,360 Speaker 1: one that I was flat out wrong about. I was 767 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 1: talking about how I didn't think the Spurs had enough 768 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 1: good basketball players, like really good two way basketball players 769 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 1: to compete nightly in the Western Conference with some of 770 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: the other super talent rosters that were up in the league, 771 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: and I was just wrong about that. They have a 772 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: lot of guys who are playing some of the best 773 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,280 Speaker 1: basketball of their careers. Darren Fox has literally been playing 774 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,720 Speaker 1: some of the best basketball of his career during this stretch. 775 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: Devin Vessel has been a revelation in this recent stretch. 776 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: Keldon Johnson kind of looked like a guy who was 777 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 1: going to be the odd man out in recent seasons. 778 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: He's been incredible this year. Dylan Harper right away as 779 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: a rookie being a legit contributor. Luke Cornett is a 780 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,920 Speaker 1: bona fide rotation piece at the center position. This is 781 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 1: just a really good basketball team. And as far as 782 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: the Giannis thing goes, again, like I said it off 783 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 1: the top, as a basketball fan, I really want to 784 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: see Honis in San Antonio. But then for the health 785 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: of the league, I think it's best if he stays 786 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 1: out East. But if you're San Antonio, who cares about 787 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 1: all that, I think they should make the push for Giannis. 788 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: They have a couple of salaries that they could make 789 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,280 Speaker 1: it work with, and the draft picks Jannis and Wenby 790 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 1: would be a frightening duo together. You could still maintain 791 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 1: the level of role player talent around them, you need 792 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:01,120 Speaker 1: to be successful. I think they should certainly try for 793 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 1: your honest maybe they don't get them, but I think 794 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 1: they should certainly make that attempt. All right, guys, It's 795 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: all I have for today is always a sincerely appreciate 796 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 1: you guys for supporting us, in supporting the show, Don't 797 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: forget Playback tonight at four thirty pm Pacific time for 798 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,319 Speaker 1: Lakers at Raptors. Tomorrow morning, we'll have a little bit 799 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:19,319 Speaker 1: of game reaction as well as a mailbag, and then 800 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: Friday night once again Lakers Celtics at four pm Pacific 801 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:26,880 Speaker 1: time on playback again. I appreciate you, guys, and I 802 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:28,160 Speaker 1: will see you later tonight