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We are live on and don't 29 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: forget if you're watching on YouTube for the podcast feeds 30 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: there anywhere else. That amp is the very first place 31 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: that you guys can get these shows, these postgame uh 32 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: instant reactions. Today we're gonna be talking about that another 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: crazy Lakers game, because that's just the way all of 34 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: them are this season. Uh. That entire organization is kind 35 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: of sloppy from the top down, So you're gonna get 36 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: a lot of sloppy basketball because process usually leads to 37 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: results that you deserve with that type of process. We're 38 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: also going to talk just a tiny bit about the 39 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: Warriors recent windstreak. I'm not gonna dive too long into 40 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: it because provided all their starters play, we're gonna be 41 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: hitting them tomorrow when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves. And 42 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: then I've been holding off for too long, guys, I 43 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: have a solid I have a lot of thoughts about 44 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: officiating in the NBA that I'm going to be saving 45 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: for the end of the show. Before we get started. 46 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: You guys have heard me talking about game Time, the 47 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: fastest growing ticketing app in the US. 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Download game time today, last minute tickets, 66 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: lowest price guaranteed. Okay, like I said, another wild Lakers game, Um, 67 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers had no idea how to guard. Jalen Brunson 68 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: absolutely towards them all game long. A couple of the 69 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: specific things that Jalen Brunson did that I thought were 70 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: super interesting for young guards to pay attention to. He 71 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: started with the head of steam, started his attack either 72 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: in semi transition or would back away to get a 73 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: head of steam before he go into these pick and rolls. 74 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: It puts the defender in a situation where they're on 75 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: their heels. It makes it so they can't be aggressive 76 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: towards the basketball. And then another thing he did is 77 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: he did a really nice job of flipping screen angles. 78 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: So uh, in the modern n b A, when you're 79 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: a guard and you have to defend all these pull 80 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: up jumpsters, you gotta chase guys over the top of screens, 81 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: and what ends up happening is you have to prep 82 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: for that by taking specific steps or positioning yourself to 83 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 1: get over that screen. Jalen Brunson did a real good 84 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: job of waiting for his defender to get out of 85 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: balance or to get prepped for the screen just to 86 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: go the other way, and was getting all sorts of 87 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: downhill penetration. Anthony Davis is still not moving the way 88 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: that he did before his injury, so they were having 89 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: a nightmare of a time trying to contain Jalen brunts 90 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: and then if they happened to get over the top 91 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: of the screen and stay stay with Jalen. He does 92 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 1: such a good job of putting you in jail, trapping 93 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: you on his shoulder, and just kind of work into 94 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: his spots and then using that physicality to quickly get 95 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: a little bit of separation to take his little floaters 96 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: and pop shots. Julius Randall was given Ruby Hatcher Mura 97 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: a nightmare of a time with his foul grifting. And 98 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk a lot about that leader in the show, 99 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: because I have a huge bone to pick with where 100 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: the NBA has been going in recent weeks and really 101 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 1: for the last several seasons, as it pertains to foul drifting. 102 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: But Julius keeping that left hand off the basketball, gathering 103 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: with his right hand, looping Ruby's arm with his left 104 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: hand to then put it on the basketball and try 105 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: to shoot, was getting a bunch of foul calls like that. 106 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: I think he shot double digit free throws if I 107 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,119 Speaker 1: remember correctly. And the Lakers are having a bunch of trouble, 108 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: especially in the lineups when Uh with Lebron and Russ 109 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: were excuse me, when Lebron and Anthony Davis were both 110 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: off the floor. But this is a must win game 111 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: for the Lakers because of their predicament in the standings. 112 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: They brought good effort for the most part. And we 113 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: were sitting at one fourteen, one oh eight, Lebron hitting 114 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: a pull up three at the top of the key, 115 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: Lakers in great shape, and you think the game is 116 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: over and we had to overtime, and so how do 117 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: you blow a six point lead in just a couple 118 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:10,119 Speaker 1: of minutes. Well, Lebron goes down the floor and uh 119 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: and and hits the three. But I'm out of the 120 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: time out the Knicks, they run a quick set for 121 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson, a bunch of quick interchanges. He gets downhill, 122 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: he makes a layup. Then Lebron goes down takes another 123 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: pull up jump shot on Julius Randall misses this one. 124 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: The Lakers get an offensive rebound and it's right in 125 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: front of Ruey hot Chamura and he looks back to 126 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: check on Emmanuel quickly before he secures the basketball, and 127 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: basically volleyball sets it out of bounds. Um. So the 128 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: Nicks get the ball back, they force a miss, and 129 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: Ruey hot Chamura again another big time mistake is guarding 130 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: Isaiah Hartenstein in the left corner and forgets to box 131 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: out Um. You know, I think Ruey should inevitably in 132 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: the long run be in the Lakers closing lineup. But 133 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: the Lakers, you know, when we're talking closing lineups, and 134 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk a little bit more about that later, 135 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: it's not just about skill set. It's not just about like, hey, 136 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: can you knock down an open shot or can you 137 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: guard this guy in ISO? Late games are all about execution, 138 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: and that means that you can't make mistakes. And so 139 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: one of the things Ruey's gonna have to watch out 140 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: for is they're gonna go back on tape and they're 141 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: gonna see that offensive rebound and they're gonna be like 142 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: the next time route uh. Darvin Ham's trying to put 143 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: together a closing line up. He's gonna be thinking to himself, 144 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: Can I trust Ruey to box out? Can I trust 145 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: Ruey to make that extra defensive rotation? Can I trust 146 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: him to do these little things that I need in 147 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: that closing group? And kind of a little bit of 148 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: a rough end of this game between that fumble and 149 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: that miss box out of basically a four point swing 150 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: depending on what the Lakers get out of that offensive rebound. 151 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: But on that offensive rebound gets tapped around, ends up 152 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: in Jalen Brunson's hands. He finds Quentin Grimes run into 153 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: the basket for a layup. Now it's a two point game. 154 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook runs a picking pop with Lebron. Lebron gets 155 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: a wide open three, and he misses it, because that's 156 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: how it goes sometimes. And then Jalen Brunson once again 157 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: and pick and roll gets down hill and makes a 158 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: little pop shot and we're talking hide and then you 159 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,559 Speaker 1: know we're in We're in Madison Square Garden, clocks ticking down. 160 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: Lebron's got the ball, at the top of the key, 161 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: very similar to the situation with the Celtics, and we 162 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: get into the foul call, this time the right foul call, 163 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: and his fate would have it, it goes against the Lakers. 164 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: Lebron hits Anthony Davis with a little pocket pass in 165 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: the lane. But the problem is is the Lakers consistently 166 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: in that closing group have not had enough shooting. It's 167 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: a big part of why I think the Lakers need 168 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: to get a shooter at the deadline because in that 169 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: closing group, there's a lot of Russell Westbrook, there's a 170 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: lot of Dennis Schroeder, there's a lot of There's been 171 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: a lot of Troy Brown Junior throughout this season, and 172 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: those guys just aren't reliable spot up shooters. So what 173 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: can Jalen Brunson do when he's guarding a non shooter 174 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: in the left corner and Lebron and Anthony Davis are 175 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: running pick and roll. He can abandon his man established 176 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: position in front of the charge circle and take that 177 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: charge on Anthony Davis as a third defender, which Anthony, 178 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: it was, has no chance to see because his eyes 179 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: are turned back towards Lebron being ready for the pocket pass, 180 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: and that's how we ended up going to OT. Although 181 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 1: Lebron and Anthony Davis did some nice defensive work on 182 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: Julius Randall before the buzzer in o t Laker landslide. 183 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: They opened up with that set play for Lebron where 184 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: they run a bunch of basically uh disguised actions off 185 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: the ball, but Lebron's basically just deep ceiling Julius Randall 186 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: under the basket rust throws a really nice feed over 187 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: the top. Russ has been an absolute abject disaster and 188 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: clutch time all season long, but this was one of 189 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: his best clutch games. That overtime period was one of 190 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: his best clutch periods, albeit with the ball in his hands. 191 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: A whole lot to get into. We'll get to that later, 192 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: but he had a really nice play on the left 193 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 1: wing later in OT where he attacked the clothes out 194 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 1: on the pass from Lebron and made a really nice 195 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: drop off pass to Anthony Davis. And then he had 196 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: another play where he ice swed and drove to the 197 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: basket and through like a hook pass to Anthony Davis 198 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: under the basket for a dunk, and then he hits 199 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: effectively the dagger that pull up bank shop. So what 200 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: do we get a must win game for the Lakers 201 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: who came in at twenty three and twenty eight, three 202 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 1: and a half games back of that six seed that 203 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: I think most teams are targeting to get out of 204 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: the play in on the road against the playoff team 205 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: in the Eastern Conference, and the Lakers got it done. 206 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: So tip of the cap to them. There's a lot 207 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: to get into in terms of negatives with the Lakers 208 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: that I'm going to here in just a minute, but 209 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: I want to start with the positive of saying it 210 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: was a must win game and a tough environment against 211 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: a good basketball team, not a great basketball team, but 212 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: a good basketball team on their home floor, and the 213 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: Lakers gotta win. Um. So I want to frame all 214 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: of that with that's all that matters, that they gotta win. 215 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: But in order for the Lakers to accomplish the things 216 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,599 Speaker 1: that they need to accomplish, they're going to need to 217 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: play very good basketball down the stretch of this season. 218 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,079 Speaker 1: Lakers are now three games back of Dallas for the 219 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: six seed, and there's a bunch of teams in that 220 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 1: whole log gym. Right once you get after Sacramento, there's 221 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: a little bit of a drop off, and you've got 222 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: Golden State, and you've got Utah, and you've got the Pelicans, 223 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: and you've got you know, the Clippers and the Lakers 224 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: and the Thunder and every and the Blazers and everybody 225 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: that's in that mess, right, and so it's really easy 226 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: to get discouraged and to look at it and be like, hey, 227 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: you know, not only are we three games back, but 228 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: we have to outperform all of these teams are that 229 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: are in front. But to be clear, and this is 230 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: the very specific reason why I want to talk Warriors 231 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: for just a second here in a little bit, the Warriors, 232 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,679 Speaker 1: in the Lakers in particular, have a distinct advantage over 233 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 1: the other teams in that set. The Lakers are much 234 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: more talented when healthy than all of those other teams. 235 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: They've been above five hundred ever since they're to intend 236 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: start significantly, I think like three games about five hundred, 237 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: or four games about five hundred, despite Lebron missing the 238 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: first chunk of those games and Anthony Davis missing the 239 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: significant chunk of those games. When they are whole, when 240 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: they have everybody, they are much more talented than the Jazz. 241 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: You know, they're much more talented in the Blazers, you know, 242 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: so they're gonna have They're much more talented to the Pelicans, 243 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: even with everybody out with injuries. So they're going to 244 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: have an opportunity to gain ground. And when everybody picks 245 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: up that urgency, they're gonna have the players to back 246 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: it up. And that's a big reason why I haven't 247 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: been out on the Lakers yet. A lot of their 248 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: issues have been associated with injuries. Whereas when you're looking 249 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: at like the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's like, this is just 250 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: super clunky. Why do they have two centers? You know, 251 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell is um mess. You know, Anthony Edwards is 252 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: a downhill guard and they're playing him in poor spacing schemes. 253 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: And they're really only good when they have one center 254 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: on the floor, especially when it's like Nasri who can 255 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: really shoot. There's a lot of like clunky stuff there, 256 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: and even when you put it all together, it's not 257 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: as much talent right there that there. It's hard to 258 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: like they will have to OutKick their coverage, so to speak, 259 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: in order to be the person the team that wins 260 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: this race down the stretch. And so I want to 261 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: be clear that things do look on what precarious. But 262 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers have the horses, and a lot of teams 263 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: don't have the horses. That's why you can't write them off, 264 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: um completely. But before we move on from the Lakers, 265 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: I want to talk about Darvin Ham for a second, 266 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: because margin for error here is going to be key. 267 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: The Lakers do have more horses than those teams, but 268 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: they don't have more horses than the top teams in 269 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: the league, who also have a good amount of star 270 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: power and deeper benches with more talent with the role 271 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: players behind them. So what that means is that the 272 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: Lakers can't afford to go seventeen and twelve. They gotta 273 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,599 Speaker 1: go like twenty and nine. You know, They've got to 274 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: be not just good, they have to be great down 275 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: the stretch of this and the difference between those two 276 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: outcomes it's not very large. And so they can't afford 277 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: to leave points on the table. They can't afford to 278 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,839 Speaker 1: uh to to engage in self sabotage. And there's one 279 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: guy in particular that I haven't talked a lot about 280 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: this season, um, and it's been I've been trying to 281 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: familiarize myself with him, and also he's been dealt bad 282 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: hand of cards with the rotation. Players have been available 283 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: no forwards for the first chunk of the season and 284 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: then Lebron and Anthony Davis missing time. But I've been 285 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: I've been waiting for the team to get healthy to 286 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 1: really take a look at Darvin Ham, because when you 287 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: have a team that has all the pieces together, it's 288 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: vitally important that you consistently play your best players together 289 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: as much as possible, and that you stagger people appropriately 290 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: so that you have conducive lineups during all the phases 291 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: of the game. And Darvin has not done a good 292 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: job of that as of late. There are three things 293 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: in particular that I want to hit on with Darvin Ham. One, 294 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook should never ever play with Lebron James and 295 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis at the same time or by himself. Now. 296 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: I understood early in the season, when everything was going 297 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: wrong and Anthony Davis is out or Lebron is out, 298 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: that you have to stagger and you need Russ out 299 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: there by himself with a bunch of random NBA players 300 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: trying to win those minutes. But that is no longer 301 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: the case, the team is healthy now and Russell Westbrook 302 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: by himself in lineups. This season, those lineups have been 303 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: getting obliterated and over nine possessions Russ on the floor. 304 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: Without Lebron and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are getting outscored 305 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: by seventeen points per one possessions. That is a complete 306 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: abject disaster. And those lineups got rolled again tonight. Now, 307 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: if you put Anthony Davison Russ together, they're about minus 308 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: one point per one hundred possessions, much more palatable with 309 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: everyone available. It's violently important to stagger the players in 310 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: a way that actually is beneficial to the guys that 311 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: are on the floor. Lebron can carry lineups by himself. 312 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: Russ can't. So the way that I would structure the 313 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: rotation is that start Lebron, James and Anthony Davis, and 314 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: then from there it's pretty simple. Pole Lebron round halfway 315 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: through the first quarter, bringing Russ, then Russ and Anthony 316 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: Davis run the end of the first quarter. When the 317 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: first quarter ends, bring out Anthony Davis. Put in Lebron, 318 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: then Lebron and Russ can run for a little bit. 319 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: Then midway through the second quarter, you pull Russ and 320 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 1: you close things with Lebron James and Anthony Davis. That way, 321 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: you never have a moment on the floor with even 322 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: just one of them on the floor. But if you 323 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: absolutely have to because a minute, restrictions or whatever it is, 324 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: leave one of them on the floor. It can't be Russ, 325 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: not when the team is healthy, not when those lineups 326 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: have been getting obliterated NonStop. By putting him out there 327 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis, you give them a higher defensive floor, 328 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: which allows you larger margin for air on the offensive 329 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: end of the floor. Second, Russ with the closing group 330 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: after winning tonight. The Lakers are nine and thirteen and 331 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: games when Russ closes, but there are four no when 332 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: he doesn't. And this goes back to that original point 333 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: about never playing Russell Westbrook alongside Lebron James and Anthony 334 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: ad Us. Why because the things that Russ does well 335 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: don't actually contribute or or go well alongside the things 336 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: that Lebron James and Anthony Davis do well. He is 337 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: an on ball player who excels at pushing the pace, 338 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: punishing smaller, weaker defensive guards in the middle portions of games. 339 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: When things are loose. But in late game situations, you 340 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: have two options with Russ. You can give him the 341 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: basketball and just hope for the best, which tonight it worked, 342 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: but that has not been the usual outcome. Usually it's 343 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: been like what you saw against Boston. The inability to 344 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: knock down spot up threes or make plays off the ball, 345 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: and the poor decision making on ball, like trying to 346 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: isolate Al Horford or trying to isolate Nick Claxton, or 347 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: trying to isolate Joel Embiide when he doesn't have an 348 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: advantage against those guys, and because he's not good off 349 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: the basketball, you're better off going with a player that 350 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: excels doing role player things, because that's what he does 351 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: his entire NBA career. We have seen it time and 352 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 1: time again, and again we went to ot but in 353 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:20,479 Speaker 1: regulation it wasn't good with Russ offensive rebound Lebron James 354 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: cutting down the center of the lane wide open for 355 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: a dunk, Russ looks him off and takes a pull 356 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 1: up off the dribble three on the right wing, when 357 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: he is one of the worst pull up shooters in 358 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: the entire NBA at volume this year. With twelve seconds 359 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: on the shot clock that's up here. That's a complete 360 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: lack of self awareness. And even in a small sample size, 361 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: it might work against the Knicks one time, but against 362 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: the good teams, especially when you get to the postseason, 363 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: you will lose. And the reason why I'm bringing these 364 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: specific things up is because, again, the margin for air 365 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: shrinks more and more as we approach the end of 366 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: the season for the Lakers, specifically as it pertains to 367 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: their playoff chase and where they are in the standings. 368 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,360 Speaker 1: And then when you get to the postseason, let's say 369 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: you get this succeed, that means you might draw up 370 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,640 Speaker 1: the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs. 371 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: If you play Sacramento Kings in the first round of 372 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: the playoffs, they're gonna have home court advantage. So if 373 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: it's Game five and the series is tied at two 374 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: and you're on the road in Sacramento, if Darvin Ham 375 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: plays Russ, based on what we've seen this season, it 376 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: will go poorly. And the gap between the Lakers. If 377 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: let's say the Lakers are this much better than the 378 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: Kings when they're healthy, and I don't know, I think 379 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: they're more than that. But let's say they're this much 380 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: better than the Kings when they're healthy. A couple of 381 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: poor decisions, as it pertains to the rotation or the 382 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: closing group, can be the difference between you winning the 383 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: series in six or you losing the series in six. 384 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: The further you make get into the season, the margin 385 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: for air shrinks more and more. And then the last 386 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: thing with Darvin ham is just Dennis and Pat um. 387 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: He's been obsessed with playing Dennis a shooter and Patrick 388 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: Beverley together, these two really small ball pressure guards. And 389 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: the main reason why he loves ball pressure Darvin hamm 390 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: loves being disruptive. He thinks it sparks transition opportunities with 391 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: the way that they get deflections and steels and things 392 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: like that. But the problem is is it makes them 393 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: too small in the aggregate. In an NBA game, if 394 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: you play two players that are basically six ft tall, 395 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: you're giving up a lot of size on the floor. 396 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,440 Speaker 1: And we have seen over twelve hundred possessions this year 397 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: of Dennis and Pat together and their minus six per 398 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: one possessions in those minutes. And these are things where 399 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: we're seeing clear evidence throughout this season that clearly demonstrate 400 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: that one thing should be done, and Darvin is going 401 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: another way. And that's what makes That's why I've been 402 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: discouraged specifically with Darvin Hamm's performance as of late, as 403 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: the team has been getting healthy and if they're not. 404 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: Like I talk a lot about the Lakers as a 405 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: potential championship contender, I am at the point now to 406 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 1: be clear, I do not consider the Lakers to be 407 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: a championship contender unless they trade Russ at the deadline, 408 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: because Darvin ham has too much faith in him and 409 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,159 Speaker 1: when the time comes, when the chips are down in 410 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: the pivotal moments of the NBA playoffs, I do not 411 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: trust Darvin Ham to play the right closing groups, to 412 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: play the right lineups. And the only way to save 413 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: Darvin Ham from himself is to trade Russell Westbrook and 414 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 1: literally take the option out entirely from Darvin Ham's decision making. 415 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: All right, there's my little Lakers soapbox for you guys. 416 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: Really quickly on the Warriors, and again, why I brought 417 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: this up is is because I think the Warriors in 418 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: in a similar position, obviously just in a much more competent, 419 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 1: much more talented position. But they just got a quality 420 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 1: road win in Oklahoma City last night for the third 421 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: straight win. UH. They're starting to put some stuff together 422 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 1: as they're getting healthy and getting into rhythm. UH. Staff 423 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: was incredible last night, got super hot in the first 424 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: quarter and then made the dagger late in the fourth quarter. 425 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: He's averaging thirty in this two game stretch during this 426 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: wind streak from the field, from three, from the line. 427 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: Why do I think that's important. He's starting to move better. 428 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: And even when he was putting up numbers before that, 429 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 1: he just looked like a guy who wasn't in basketball 430 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: shape yet. You're starting to see Steph put a bunch 431 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: of games together. Now that rhythm is starting to click. 432 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: Now he's starting to play more like an m v P. 433 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: But lots of Warriors are playing well. Jordan Pool has 434 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: been fantastic in this little stretch. Tied Jerome and Downto 435 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: di Vincenzo are still giving you a great deal of 436 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: backup ball handling, reliable backup ball handling and scoring. Jonathan 437 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: Cominga is the big guy I want to talk about tonight. 438 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: He's been He's been my he was my biggest misread 439 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: on Golden State this summer. As we were talking about 440 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: how with I never never was worried about James Wiseman 441 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: because I knew when pushed came to shove at the 442 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: end of the season, the Warriors would be going down 443 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: with Kavan Looney and Draymond green Um. But they lost 444 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: Gary Payton the second who was one of the most 445 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: important players in the playoff run, and they lost um 446 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: Otto Porter Jr. And so I was really concerned about 447 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: how they would feel that specific position. And I thought that, uh, 448 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: you see a little bit of you know, Dante DiVincenzo 449 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: filling into that Gary Payton the second role, and I 450 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: think he's done well. But the auto Porter junior spot 451 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 1: has been the one that they've struggled to fill, at 452 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: least for the most part of this season. And I 453 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,640 Speaker 1: thought it'd be Moses Smoodie, a little bit more reliable 454 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: as a shooter, a little bit smarter basketball cute making decisions. 455 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: Although compared to what Steve Kirk expects out of that position, 456 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: it hasn't been good because that's been a big part 457 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: of why Moody has been in and out of the lineup. 458 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: But I thought he was the guy that was closest 459 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: to being you know, eighty two games away from being 460 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: a dependable bench playoff player. And I could not have 461 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: been more wrong because I thought Jonathan Comingo was too 462 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 1: raw and too limited offensively to be able to fill 463 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: into that spot. And he's been literally fantastic. He's already 464 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: one of Golden State's best defensive players. They're using him 465 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 1: a lot like that. Um. You know, I've talked a 466 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 1: lot about the difference between like that versatile scoring wing 467 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 1: that's a little bit thinner, bit more quick, uh, and 468 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: then that like big forward that's more of like a 469 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 1: dirty work guy like and I used examples like Aaron 470 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: Gordon or Jared Vanderbilt, And ironically enough, Jared Vanderbilt has 471 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: been mentioned a lot in Golden State trade rumors uh 472 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: um as of late. But the way I look at it, 473 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: like them slotting Cominga into essentially like a a modern 474 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: version of a big man and turning him into like 475 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: a vertical spacer that cuts out of the week side corner. 476 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: And when gold Golden States running there four on threes 477 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: and unleashing him on ball as a primary defender. It 478 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: has been, you know, honestly, a really really uh you know, 479 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:46,399 Speaker 1: underrated move from Steve Kerr to take a player that 480 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: is very flawed and young, but has a couple of 481 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: other worldly natural gifts with his athleticism, in finding him 482 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: a role on the team where he can point and shoot. 483 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: Jonathan cominga at the things he's good at, while not 484 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: asking him to do the things that he struggles at 485 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: um But ironically, they've been able to throw it down 486 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: to the post to him every once in a while 487 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: and he can make a play. He's been shooting the 488 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: three ball really well as of late, him excelling and 489 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: and kind of taking that leap into that dependable modern 490 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: forward in the NBA has got a long way to 491 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: fixing some of the issues that Golden State has on 492 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: the bench. And now it's not as vitally important that 493 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: they find somebody, although I do believe that they will 494 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 1: be aggressive at the deadline. But this is the chance 495 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: for Golden State to make a run. And this is 496 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: why I brought them in here, because you know, Golden 497 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: State in particular, they're a little thin. Their biggest weaknesses depth. Ironically, 498 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: the Lakers, it's not so much about depth because they 499 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: have a lot of guys that aren't even in the 500 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:51,679 Speaker 1: rotation that are good NBA players, like Wayne and Gabriel 501 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 1: has been one of the best Lakers. He's out of 502 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: the rotation. You know, the Warriors don't really have uh 503 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: that type of depth, But there's so much better on 504 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: the top end, you know, one through six than the 505 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: Lakers are, and so in in particular for the Warriors, 506 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: I think it's more important for them to claw and 507 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: fight for seeding. The more they can play at home, 508 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 1: the better. The lesser opponents they can play in the 509 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 1: early rounds the better. And the reason why is they 510 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: fatigue will affect that team in a way that some 511 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: of the other teams around the league it won't. But 512 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: make no mistake, we're setting up for the stretch run. 513 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: You got all those teams I'm talking about. You got Portland' 514 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: you got Okay see, you got the Lakers, you got 515 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: the Clippers, you got the Timberwolves, you got the Pelicans, 516 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: you got the Sons, you got the Warriors. Got all 517 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: these guys in this group, and they're all gonna be 518 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 1: like having the same conversations in the locker room about 519 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 1: how to have to hit the Jets. But the Warriors 520 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: have the personnel still to this point, after all this time, 521 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: after all this negativity, after all of the bad stuff 522 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 1: with the Warriors during the season. Their top five guys 523 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: come on Looney Draymond Grey, and Andrew Wiggins. Stephen Clay 524 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: are by far still the best lineup in the NBA 525 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: to pay to play at least two hundred minutes. Their 526 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: outscoring teams by almost twenty points per one hundred possessions. 527 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: So when they hit the jets the way everyone else does, 528 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 1: they have a level they can get to that the 529 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: other teams cannot. And so that's why I never wrote 530 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: them off. The more they struggled, That's why I never 531 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: gave up on them as my championship favorite. I expect 532 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: the Warriors to go and run here over the course 533 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: the next couple of weeks. All right, I just want 534 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,919 Speaker 1: to take a few minutes to talk a little bit 535 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 1: about officiating, because this is something that's been driving crazy 536 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: as of late. It's been kind of a big storyline 537 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: in light of the Lebron James foul at the end 538 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: of the Boston Celtics game. But really, to me, it's 539 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: it's a larger problem at the direction the game is heading, 540 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: and I want to I want to throw a couple 541 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: of disclaimers out up front UM officials are necessary evil 542 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: you absolutely have to have them, so we have to appreciate, 543 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: you know, the position that they're in, but also that 544 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: job is incredibly difficult. I don't have a lot of 545 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: refereeing experiences, but the one one of the few times 546 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: that I've been a ref and a basketball game was 547 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: for an alumni UM. It was like a teachers versus 548 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 1: students game. When I was playing in college at a 549 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: c U and the campus pastor like cussed me out 550 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: in the game. I was the only ref officiating by 551 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: myself a game with ten people running around in a 552 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: casual pickup game, and I was getting cussed out for 553 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: missing calls because I opted to just basically step back 554 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: and not calling anything unless it was egregious. Point being, 555 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: I get that it's really hard. I get that everyone's 556 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: you know, is screaming at you and yelling at you 557 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: the whole time. I want to say that upfront that 558 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: I understand the difficulty of the position. But to me, 559 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: the role that the official plays in a basketball game 560 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 1: is to manage the basketball game in a way that 561 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 1: accentuates the players. What their job is not to do 562 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: is to just simply enforce rules. Because as It's the 563 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: case with everything in life. If you go by the book, 564 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: you leave no room for discretion. If you leave no 565 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: room for discretion, things slipped through the cracks and a 566 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: lot of people get treated unfairly. I think it's important 567 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: to have discretion, and in my opinion, the referees job 568 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: is to be unnoticeable, and instead what we're having is 569 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: the actual game itself, the actual basketball players playing basketball 570 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: in a way that caters to what the refs are doing. 571 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 1: And for the reason why I'm so specifically passionate about 572 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: this is I love this game so much and they 573 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: are ruining it. When Julius Randall dribbles that Ruey hat 574 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: Samura and gathers with this right hand is a left 575 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: handed player, and keeps his shooting hand off the basketball 576 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: to loop Ruby's arm and to grab the basketball and 577 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: then go up into the shots for the sole purpose 578 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: to drop out. That is not a basketball play. When 579 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, you know, falls down on a turnaround fade 580 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: away when no one touches him, you don't do that 581 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: when you go play at l A fitness when Joel 582 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 1: Empiad does it, you don't do that when you play 583 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: in your Men's league. You play basketball, and this game 584 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: in particular tonight was a slog of foul grift ing 585 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: from everybody on the floor. Jalen Brunson coming over the 586 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: top of the screen, defender is right on his hip, 587 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 1: just literally falls down to the right and just throws 588 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 1: something up and gets a whistle. He does that because 589 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: they blow the whistle. If you stop blowing the whistle. 590 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: When Julie Randall does grifty stuff, Julius Randall will stop 591 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: doing grifty stuff if you don't blow the whistle. When 592 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunston tries to flop and draw foul, he will 593 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: stop trying to flop and draw fouls. When you stop 594 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: giving calls to Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid every time 595 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 1: they fall down, they will stop falling down every single 596 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: time they take a shot, even when nobody touches them. 597 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: They do it because it works. And that's the problem 598 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: with where officials are in the NBA right now. They 599 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: officiate in a way that it's up here for the players, 600 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: and as they are playing the game, they are hunting 601 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: opportunities to manipulate the officials, and that becomes the vibe 602 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 1: of the basketball game. How many of you watching that 603 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: Knick's Lakers games tonight were annoyed when every other trip 604 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: down the floor we were seeing somebody go to the 605 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: free throw line over some sort of garbage, non basketball play. 606 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 1: You know. I was talking to a friend of mine, 607 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: Ben DAWs to do uh that's done a bunch of 608 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: deep dive articles and things like that, interviews with NBA officials, 609 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: and him and I have talked a lot about this 610 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: because he's on the other side of of this debate 611 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: and we go back and forth about it. And he 612 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 1: told me about this thing called the case book. So 613 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: there's the rule book, and then the officials use something 614 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: called the case book. And the case book is essentially 615 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: their subjectivity outlined, you know, a year to year, their 616 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: points of emphasis, the things that they tweak about the 617 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: rule book. And that's what's so frustrating about this. The 618 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: officials take it so seriously as it pertains to their 619 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: job enforcing rules, that they are missing the fact that 620 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:38,960 Speaker 1: that's not why they're there. If it was possible to 621 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: not have officials, they wouldn't be there. The game is 622 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: about the players, and the game is basketball. When it 623 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 1: becomes about the refs and the play doesn't resemble basketball. 624 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: We've lost the plot. And the NBA already has a 625 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: problem with the lack of urgency in the regular season 626 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: because you know, stars are sitting every other night. No 627 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: one cares because twenty teams get into the playoffs at 628 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:09,080 Speaker 1: a thirty. There is absolutely no urgency already, and that 629 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: hurts the NBA. If you add in a bad television 630 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 1: product driven by poor officiating, it only conserves to further 631 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: that issue. And they've said all the right things, Oh, 632 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna work on stopping non basketball moves, Well that 633 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: went out the window. What was that two years ago? 634 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: Like a show on this game tonight on both ends. 635 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: And again, I'm just I'm annoyed and I'm passionate about 636 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: it because this is my favorite thing in the world 637 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: and I'm watching it suck and it's just it's just 638 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: really annoying. Um. But yeah, I'm off my soapbox. Alright, guys, 639 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 1: that is all I have for tonight. We're gonna come 640 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: back tomorrow night. We have we have net Celtics UM 641 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: and then Warriors Timberwolves, depending on what happens with the 642 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: with the starters, because the Warriors have a back to 643 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: back play the Nuggets on Thursday night. Uh, whether or 644 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: not we covered that on Thursday night remains to be seen. 645 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: A lot of stuff has to go a certain way, 646 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 1: but as always, I appreciate you guys to support and 647 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: I'll see you tomorrow night. It's something right around the 648 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: same time the volume