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In tennessee redline dial 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: one eight hundred eight eight nine nine seven eight nine 27 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: in Tennessee visit www one eight dot one eight hundred 28 00:01:46,040 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: gambler dot net in West Virginia. All right, welcome to 29 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight, presented by Vandal here at the volume. Happy Sunday, everybody. 30 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: I hope all of you guys are having a great 31 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: weekend so far. Today we are beginning the top five 32 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: players in the NBA with number five. You guys know 33 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: the drill before we get started. Subscribe to the volumes 34 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our content. 35 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at Underscore Jason lt S. You 36 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: guys don't miss any show announcements or any other video 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: content that I produced. And the last but not least, 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: if you miss one of these videos in any way 39 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: shape or form, and you can't get back over to 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 1: YouTube to finish them. We do release them on our 41 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: podcast feed feeds in audio form wherever you get your podcasts. 42 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: Under Hoops Tonight, all right, without any further ado, Number 43 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: five Luca don Shits. So the way we're gonna do 44 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: these the last five names in this list is we're 45 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: gonna split this into five sections. We're gonna do strengths 46 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: and weaknesses that we're gonna do greatest hopes essentially the 47 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: best version of their future, greatest fears, the worst version 48 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: of their potential feature, and then biggest what if, the 49 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: biggest moment in their career that could have gone one 50 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: way or another and been markedly different than what ended 51 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,679 Speaker 1: up actually happening. So we're gonna start. I'll just read 52 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: out Luca's averages from this past season and then we'll 53 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: get into his strength. So in this regular season, he 54 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: averaged twenty eight nine and ninety seven percent true shooting. 55 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: That's just becoming status quo for Luca. You can just 56 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: book him for damn your triple double every single year. 57 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: In the postseason, he averaged thirty two, ten and six 58 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 1: on true shot true shooting. His assist numbers went down 59 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: a little bit, but a big part of that is 60 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: the strategy that most teams employed against Luca and the Mavericks, 61 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: which basically involved staying home on shooters and trying to 62 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: make Luca into his score. We will get further into 63 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: that once we get to that point. So let's start 64 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: with the strengths. So obviously, Luca's greatest strength is versatile scoring. 65 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: It's the biggest difference. The biggest thing that separates him 66 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: from a guy like James Harden, who is commonly compared to, 67 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: is the fact that he can succeed on so many 68 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: different spots on the floor. The average two point nine 69 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: restricted area makes one. As you guys know, that's what 70 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: I hope for with big, strong guards is at least 71 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: sev at least two makes per game. This is his 72 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: greatest strength. Here three point five paint non restricted area 73 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: makes on fift. So this is the rest of the 74 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: painted area that's not the restricted area. You guys have 75 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: always heard me talk about the difference, like when we 76 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: talk about three level scoring. Too often we talk about 77 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: finishing at the rim, mid range and three point shooting, 78 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: but we don't talk enough about the short range. These 79 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: are not your classic pull up jumpers at ten to 80 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: fifteen feet. These are not you getting all the way 81 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: to the rim and finishing through contact or whatever. These 82 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: are all the little push shots and hook shots and 83 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: funky little uh like like. Almost every one of these 84 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: shots looks different than the last one, but all the 85 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: little bank shots and floaters and short range things that 86 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: you hit before you get to the rim. This is 87 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,480 Speaker 1: Luca's greatest strength because he's got such a big, strong body, 88 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: and almost every defender that he goes against is at 89 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: a disadvantage with strength, so he likes to methodically work 90 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: you down into the lane. But rather than challenging the 91 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: shot blocker, he'll keep you attached, bump you off of him, 92 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 1: and shoot something off the glass or short floater, hook, push, 93 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: whatever the hell you want to call it inside of 94 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: that like five six seven feet range. And that's what 95 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: allows him to make three point five non restricted area 96 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: paint attempts per game at which is excellent efficiency there. 97 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: It's the one of the most underrated skills in the 98 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,559 Speaker 1: game of basketball. Not enough players work on that specific skill, 99 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,679 Speaker 1: and it's one of the things that is a driving 100 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 1: force behind Luca's mid range excuse me Luca's offensive scoring success. 101 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: So look at average zero point eight mid range makes 102 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: per game on that's not good, although he was better 103 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: in the regular season, he was up at about I 104 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: believe thirty seven percent with about one and a half makes. 105 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: He did attempt nine pull up threes per game in 106 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: this postseason run at thirty six percent. That's pretty solid. 107 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: In twenty one, he attempted ten pull up threes per 108 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: game in the playoffs and shot forty three on him, 109 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: and then in the bubble he took seven per game 110 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: and made of him. So he's a pretty deadly step 111 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: back pull up three point shooter. Obviously, that's the shot 112 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: that we see him take most frequently. If you asked 113 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: me what Lucas signature move is, I would say that 114 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: it's him working the big on the switch hard step 115 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: back dribble. It doesn't really cover a ton of ground. 116 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: It's just a really quick little dribble and he'll take 117 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: a short step to the back that allows him to 118 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: get the separation and needs to shoot. You know, specifically 119 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: with Luca, he's one of my favorite players for young 120 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: basketball players to watch and try to emulate in their 121 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: skill development. People always were asking during the draft process 122 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: when Luca was available in the draft, you know, is 123 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 1: he athletic enough to be able to get separation against 124 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: NBA defenders, And it flat out has not been an issue. 125 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: Even though he's pretty slow footed, he can beat just 126 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: about any defensive wing in the league to get into 127 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: the painted area. How does he do that well? He 128 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: is the master of selling every single element of every 129 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: single part of his move with every bit of his body. 130 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: So if he's going to do, for instance, an in 131 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: and out cross between the legs step back to the 132 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: left on the in and out, he's gonna start by 133 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: facing with his entire body to the right and sell 134 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: it like he's going to the right. But then after that, 135 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: when he does it through the legs dribble, he'll drop 136 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: super low and take a hard step that makes you 137 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: think he's driving to the basket, and then he'll pound 138 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: back out of that into his step back. A lot 139 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: of ball handlers and young basketball players will be able 140 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: to do the moves like you'll be able to do 141 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,559 Speaker 1: a crossover dribble or in an out dribble or between 142 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: the legs dribble. But you're just moving the basketball in 143 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: those directions. You're not actually selling the moves with your 144 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: eyes and with your body language. Right, Kobe was also 145 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: one of the best that I've ever seen at this 146 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: specific skill, and that was what allowed him to age 147 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: so gracefully in the league. But with Luca specifically, it 148 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: just watched watch a highlight video of him beating people 149 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: off the dribble, and you will see the methodical way 150 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: that he sells his moves and that allows him, even 151 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: though he's going up against potentially a Paul George who's 152 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: a much more athletic wing, he's getting separation and getting 153 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: him on his hip. And then again, and this is 154 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: where we talked a lot about strength when we were 155 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: talking about Kawhi Leonard. You know, I told you guys, 156 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: I gave you guys the example of a rip through 157 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: on the wing. So if you catch the ball on 158 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: the wing and you rip through the dude, the defender 159 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: is probably gonna put his hands on you in some way, 160 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: shape or form, and it's probably not going to get called. 161 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: And so then it becomes a strength battle. If the 162 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: defender is stronger, he's probably gonna hold you in your 163 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: spot and contain you off the dribble. But if you're stronger, 164 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: you're gonna rip through all that contact and you're gonna 165 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: get all the way to the rim. That's kind of 166 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,839 Speaker 1: the way it works with Luca. His moves, with the 167 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: way he sells them, might only buy him a little 168 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: bit of space. But when it's not, it's not like 169 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: Luca's crossing people over and they're falling off of the frame. 170 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: That's not what's happened. He's not athletic enough for that. 171 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: But he just gets these little cracks of space. And 172 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: when he gets the little cracks of space, he shoots 173 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: the gap with his big, strong frame and gets you 174 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: attached to his hip. Then once you're attached to his hip, 175 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: he can methodically work you into the lane and get 176 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: into a short range game. Like we talked about earlier, 177 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: it's a very very interesting basketball player to evaluate. And again, 178 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: like I said, young basketball players out there who are 179 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: looking for ways to refine your offensive skill set or 180 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: looking for ways to become more effective with your drible combinations, 181 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: lucas the guy to watch because he makes up for 182 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: his lack of athleticism within an amazing attention to detail 183 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: and his moves a similar like uh, something you guys 184 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: might pick up that our football fans out there. It 185 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: would be like being an outstanding route runner despite not 186 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 1: being a great athlete, but getting open all the time 187 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: because of how skilled skilled you are running routes, selling 188 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: every little fake and and making it so that no 189 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: one knows where you're going until you're already going in 190 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: that direction. Obviously, Luca is an advanced playmaker. You guys 191 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: have heard me talk about this before, but like, I 192 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,359 Speaker 1: only put four guys in the top tiers of playmakers 193 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: in league Lebron, Luca, Nicola, Yokich, and Chris Paul. There's 194 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: a difference between like the basic reads that almost every 195 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: primary ball handler in the league can make and advance reads. UH. 196 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: Basically that involves manipulating the defense. So understanding the way 197 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: the defensive rotations work and being patient to get the 198 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: ball to the necessary spot two key help defenders to 199 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 1: make the rotations they're gonna make so that you can 200 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: hit the openings from there. It's about being on time 201 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: and on target. A lot of passers, particularly bigs that struggle. 202 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: So you're Anthony Davis, is your embiides, You're you know, 203 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: Karl Anthony Townses and stuff. They'll have openings and they 204 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: might even see them, but they're too slow to make 205 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: that read. And then the past is not on time 206 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: and on target. So by the time it actually gets 207 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: to the shooter, the defense has already rotated and the 208 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: opening is taken away. The advanced playmakers, they will manipulate 209 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: you into a rotation they want you to make, and 210 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: then the passes on time and on target hate the 211 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: shooter in the pocket so that he can make the 212 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: shot before the defense can uh can rotate. The other way, 213 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: I would describe it as like it's being reactive versus anticipatory. Right, 214 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: So if you are if you are reacting to an 215 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: opening that you see, then you're kind of a standard 216 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: level playmaker because you're doing something you see an open man, 217 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: you're like, oh ship and you throw on the ball. Right. 218 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: An anticipatory playmaker understands that defensive rotation before it happens. 219 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: He knows if I get to this spot, this man 220 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: will help. That allows you to see it coming before 221 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: it happens, which allows you the leeway to make the 222 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: pass on time and on target. You know, Lebron, at 223 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: these top tier playmakers, you're Chris Paul's your Lebron's your 224 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 1: yoga is and your and your lucas. They are relentless 225 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: with their reads. And there's something very important there. You've 226 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: we talked about this a lot with Jayson Tatum. Catch 227 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: him on the right night, he might be making the reads. 228 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: You catch him on a different night, he's not making 229 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: the reads. And even on his best night, he's gonna 230 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: miss a lot of reads because that's not his strength. Right, 231 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: Those top tier guys, those four guys, and again there's 232 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: only four of them in the entire league in my opinion, 233 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: everyone else is pretty pretty significantly behind them in all 234 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: those little elements of passing that I was talking about. 235 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: They never miss a red like you'll be stunned, like 236 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: you might two or three times a season watch Lebron 237 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: miss a cutter and you'll be like, whoa Lebron missed 238 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: a cutter? That was weird. And for every one time 239 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: you see that, there will be thirty or forty times 240 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: where you won't even see the cutter until the balls 241 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: in his hands and he's finishing at the rim, and 242 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: you're like, whoa Lebron saw something I didn't see? There? 243 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: See the difference there, That relentless playmaking is what causes 244 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: teams to make to try to turn Luca and Lebron 245 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: into scores. They're sitting there thinking, we can't offer help 246 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: because if we do, he burns us every single time. 247 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: That relentless playmaking is what allows guys like Luca and 248 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: Lebron to operate on an island offensively because for the 249 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: for the vast majority of coaches, the strategy they will 250 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 1: attempt to implement is, let's turn these guys into scores 251 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: because then maybe they'll fatigue. And what's made Lebron so 252 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: dominant over the course of his career is he's so 253 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: well conditioned and he's so versatile with his scoring package 254 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: that even that burns you nine times out of ten 255 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: with him when you try to make Lebron a score. Now, 256 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: Luca shows some small signs of fatigue and his shop 257 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: making his things go by, but even he does pretty 258 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: well in that specific situation. Like we talked about earlier, 259 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: Luca's assists dropped to six in this playoff run, and 260 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: a huge part of that was teams like Golden State 261 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: and many others staying home on shooters and trying to 262 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: turn Luca into a score. And then he still went 263 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: off for whatever whatever it was thirty two points per 264 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: game on true shooting, but that that relentless playmaking. It's 265 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: the difference between the guys that make the reads sometimes 266 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: and don't or the guys that make the reads every 267 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: single time, which causes defenses to be hesitant to offer help. 268 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 1: Um Another strength his size and strength to attack mismatches. 269 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: We talked about this earlier. I'm a huge believer in 270 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: mismatch attacking in the playoffs because most teams go to 271 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: switching defenses, and so when you have bigger wings that 272 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: have the ability to use their physicality to get closer 273 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: to the rim, it's higher percentage mismatch attacking than guys 274 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: who attack mismatches by taking off the dribble, jump shots constantly, 275 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: and things along those lines. And the last, but not least, 276 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: his fearlessness. Obviously, you guys saw what he did to 277 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: Phoenix in this In this playoff run, there's almost like 278 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: a sociopathic behavior with Luca where he doesn't just want 279 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: to win, he wants to snatch your heart and utterly 280 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: destroy you. Going fifty seven to twenty seven in the 281 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: first half of Game seven is an example of that. 282 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: Luca wanted to suck any energy out of that arena. 283 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: He wanted to suck the belief out of the team, 284 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: and he understood that if he did so, they would fold. 285 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: And that's what he did. And there were even some 286 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: wins against the Clippers in the previous two playoff runs 287 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: where he had a similar impact against them, albeit uh 288 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: not before they had an opportunity to actually win the series. 289 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: The other one of my other favorite exam bulls of 290 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: this is the way he picks on stars. Now it 291 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: gets overplayed because what ends up happening is people go like, 292 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, look he's picking on Janice or oh 293 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: my gosh, she's picking on Lebron. But it's actually a 294 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: really smart strategy that enough that not enough players attempt 295 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: to implement. Guys like Lebron and Janice are outstanding help defenders. 296 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: Janice is the best help defender in the league obviously, 297 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: so when you leave them in help side, even if 298 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: you've got a good mismatch, if you're attacking that mismatch, 299 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: that Janice factor on the other side of the floor, 300 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: under or in the kind of in the back line 301 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: spot defensively can can dissuade you from getting to the 302 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: spots that you want to get to So one of 303 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: the things that Luca does, which is again sociopathic but 304 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: kind of genius, is he'll call up Janice or call 305 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: up Lebron. I'll give you Honice as an example, because 306 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: I saw this. I did a video on this. But 307 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: he'll call Janice up to guard him, knowing that he's 308 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: not gonna have an easy time scoring on Janice, but 309 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 1: he can get him on his hip and he can 310 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: work him into the lane. And now that cross court 311 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: pass is with a lesser help defender, and if he 312 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: makes that cross court pass, it'll hit the shooter in 313 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: the shooters pocket and he'll get a good look, whereas 314 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: if the roles were reversed, he'd get into that spot easier. 315 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: But it's Janice rotating on that pass to the corner, 316 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: and Janice isn't alien, so he will block that shot 317 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: or dissuade the person from shooting. And the video that 318 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: I did on this specific concept during the season, you 319 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: saw that I showed some picking rolls where he was 320 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: attacking other players and Janice was he racing reads with 321 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: his athleticism, and then he started attacking Janice making the 322 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: same reads and getting open threes because the health defenders 323 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: weren't capable of rotating out soon enough. Alright, his weaknesses. 324 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: He's very deliberate, which could affect his rhythm. This is 325 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: the different excuse me could have affect his teammates rhythm. 326 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: This is like this is like that pound the air 327 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: out of the basketball, slowly dribbled up the court, cross 328 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: at sixteen seconds, get the mismatch you want by seven seconds, 329 00:16:57,800 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: and then you work to the spot you want to get, 330 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: and then maybe you throw a past to a shooter 331 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: with three seconds on the shot clock. Now there is 332 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: a huge benefit to that in the sense that it 333 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: also affects the rhythm of the other team. You know, 334 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: when you strangle the pace of the game like that, 335 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 1: it affects rhythm and flow. And when it when it 336 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: affects that pace and flow of the game, it gets 337 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: other teams out of the rhythm. So teams like Phoenix, 338 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 1: for instance, that a running gun a little bit right, 339 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: although Chris Paul can be methodical when he has the basketball, 340 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: but the team in general actually likes to push the 341 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,919 Speaker 1: basketball a lot. When Lucas strangles the pace, it gets 342 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: them out of their offensive rhythm. That's part of why 343 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: Devin Booker didn't shoot as well as everybody hoped, or 344 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: some of their role players didn't shoot as well as 345 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: everybody hoped. There is a detrimental impact on the other team, 346 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: but it also can have a detrimental impact on your team. 347 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: When you have players that go and stay in the corner, 348 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: don't do anything for twenty two seconds, and then suddenly 349 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: the balls in their hands and they need to shoot, 350 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: it can affect their rhythm as well. He's not great 351 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: in the mid range right now. Now, I think how 352 00:17:57,359 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: good he is in the short range makes up for this, 353 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: but this is an example of an area of improvement 354 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: for him. He was thirty eight percent in the regular 355 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: season in the postseason because he's not a great athlete, 356 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: He's not taking your stereotypical pull up jump shots where 357 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: he's getting to a spot and elevating over the top 358 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: of a defender. I think like a Devin Booker type 359 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: of pull up shot or a Bradley Beal type of 360 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: pull up shot. He's more getting you on his hip 361 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 1: and taking post fades like working you down to ten 362 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: twelve feet and then fading over both shoulders to uh, 363 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: you know, drifting away from the basket. Those are generally 364 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: low percentage shots. I'd like to see him try to 365 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: get a little bit more efficient there. And then the 366 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor, he's literally bad at everything. 367 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: He's one of the worst defensive players in the league 368 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: right now. That's something that he's absolutely going to have 369 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: to polish up. He can't contain on the perimeter and 370 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: isolation situations. He's not good in help. You guys saw 371 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: the Phoenix Suns relentlessly attack him in pick and roll. 372 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: That's a huge area for opportunity. Conditioning. Obviously, Luca has 373 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: been coming into camp each year at about two sixty 374 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: pounds and working his way back down to to thirty 375 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: by the end of the season. That's a huge part 376 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: of something that's a huge part of the factors that 377 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: are causing him to be a bad defensive player. It 378 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: could lead to injuries and things along those lines. And 379 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: then also, like when we talk about shot making and 380 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: teams making Luca score, his stamina in that regard his 381 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: ability to hold up over seven games as a guy 382 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: who has to do a lot of isolation scoring. That's 383 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: another area where his conditioning um UH is a factor, 384 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: and I'd like to see him eventually adopt the level 385 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: of care for his body that the all time great 386 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: athletes in the NBA have, because that will be the 387 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: difference between him being a top five player like he 388 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: already is and potentially being the best player in the 389 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: league greatest hopes. So, Luca, I think is is fastly 390 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: becoming one of my favorite players. Like I talked earlier, 391 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: I his the the the specific attention to detail with 392 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: his dribble combinations and the way that he gets to 393 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: his spot. I think his spots. I think it's such 394 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:06,120 Speaker 1: a good model for for young basketball players to to follow, 395 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: and so he just has. And then obviously the sociopath behavior, 396 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: the insanity with which he attacks winning basketball games, that 397 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: is always going to be a thing that that draws 398 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: me to him. Um. But I think there's a version 399 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: of this story with Luca where he could be amount 400 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: Rushmore type of player. He's kind of like an evolutionary 401 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: Lebron on offense. He'll never be Lebron on the defensive 402 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: end of the floor. That goes without saying he just 403 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: simply does not have the physical tools. However, if you 404 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 1: remember Lebron at his absolute peak, it was this relentless, 405 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: conditioned like limitless source of energy physical offensive onslaught. There 406 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: was not a player on the floor that could guard 407 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: him in one on one situations, and you were perpetually 408 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,360 Speaker 1: stuck in the pick your poison type of situation. You're 409 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 1: either leaving Lebron on an island, in which case he's 410 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: going to score thirty five points a game in the 411 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: playoffs and do it efficiently, or you're gonna help off 412 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: of him and he's gonna pick you apart. Finding shooters 413 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 1: in average twelve thirteen assist per game. That was the 414 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: onslaught of Lebron, and it came with this great level 415 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: of efficiency because he wasn't doing it with your Kevin 416 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 1: Durant tough shot profile, You're Kyrie Irving tough shot profile. 417 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: He was doing it by getting to the basket at will. 418 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: And then even the jump shots that he was taking, 419 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: players were playing off of him because of his physical onslaught, 420 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: So most of his jump shots are straight up and down, 421 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: balanced in rhythm jump shots. So there's a great deal 422 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: of efficiency that came with Lebron's onslaught. The way, the 423 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 1: best way that I would describe it is its surgical 424 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: half court precision. He sees this defense in front of him, 425 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: an elite playoff level defense. That playoff level defense has 426 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: a game plan, whether that's taking away the shooters and 427 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: letting Lebron score or sending the kitchens inc at Lebron 428 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 1: and turning him into a passer, regardless of what which 429 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: one of those strategies the team adopts, or all the 430 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: intricate details of it, specific pick and roll coverages, where 431 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: the help is coming from on the floor, which players 432 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: they're helping off off of, so on and so forth. 433 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: Regardless of what that is, Lebron is gonna figure it 434 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: out and surgically dissected. Luca has that potential couple of 435 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: specific things, conditioning getting to the point where he can 436 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: do that over the course of four playoff rounds right, 437 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:34,439 Speaker 1: getting more efficient with his shot making. He's not close 438 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 1: to the level of efficiency that Lebron was at his 439 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: peak in the playoffs. If he could figure those specific 440 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: things out, he's capable of reaching that goal. We call 441 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: this greatest hopes. This is a realistic hope he can 442 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: get there, but in only the only way he's going 443 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: to actually get there. Those If he can do those 444 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: things and become a serviceable defensive player, like I said earlier, 445 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: he does nothing well on the defensive end. Right now, 446 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: It's like it's a legitimate problem. He's got good size. 447 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: So in theory, you guys who are listening, you probably 448 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,880 Speaker 1: guess what I'm gonna say here. What kind of defensive 449 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: player can he be? He can be a good positional 450 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: defender if he learns the appropriate amount of ground to give, 451 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: knowing that he doesn't have the foot speed, but he 452 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: has the size to contest shots. He will get better 453 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: at dribble contain Teams will be able to shoot over 454 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: the top of him off the dribble because you'll have 455 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: to give ground. But he'll at least be able to 456 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: contain ball handlers a little better if he gives ground 457 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,479 Speaker 1: and becomes a better positional defender. Help defense is all 458 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: about understanding your scheme and just knowing where to be, 459 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: knowing when to help, knowing when not to help, knowing 460 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: where you're supposed to go if the defense gets into rotation. 461 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: Those are little things that he can pick up just 462 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: just by giving it, just by giving a ship, just 463 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: by putting in the requisite effort. But if he can 464 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: become a serviceable defensive player, and if he can become 465 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,919 Speaker 1: more efficient with his scoring and obviously the conditioning that 466 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: it would require to do both of those things. He 467 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: has the ability to become an evolutionary Lebron and offense. 468 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: I said this yesterday on Twitter, and I believe it. 469 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: I think Lebron, him and Steph are the two greatest 470 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: offensive engines of all time. So if Luca can enter 471 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 1: that conversation, that automatically puts him in a position where 472 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: he can be a type of player that ends up 473 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: on the Mount Rushmore basketball players at the end of 474 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: the day um greatest fears. So the player that Luca 475 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 1: is most frequently compared to is James Harden. Now there's 476 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: some truth to that in the sense that Harden and 477 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:36,959 Speaker 1: Luca kind of represent the caricature of heliocentric basketball. Like 478 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 1: there are a lot of helio centric players out there, 479 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: like Lebron could be helliocentric, right, like Dame's helio centric, 480 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: John Morant helio centric, a lot of helio centric players. 481 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 1: It's kind of just the style, and honestly, it's the 482 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: best way to go these days with how spaced out 483 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: the floor is. But Harden and Luca kind of take 484 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: that to an extreme, particularly with how long they will 485 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: dribble the basketball. Both Harden and Luca will take sometimes 486 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: twenty dribbles on a possession to get to the spot 487 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: that they want to get to. That obviously, like we 488 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 1: talked about earlier, can effect rhythm and things along those lines, 489 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: but there are some some key differences between the two. 490 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,159 Speaker 1: Harden does not have versatility and offensive approach. He pretty 491 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: much starts from the same spot on the floor every 492 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: single time either the left wing or the right wing 493 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: goes with a live dribble. He's either gonna go isolation 494 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: or pick and roll, but everything's off the dribble. If 495 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: he can get to a three point shot, he's gonna 496 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 1: take it, and if you play up on him, he's 497 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: gonna try to go all the way to the rim 498 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 1: and then obviously he will make reads out of that. 499 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: He does not have the methodical nature of Luca to 500 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: work two different spots on the floor that are closer 501 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: excuse me, closer to the rim. This is what allows 502 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: Luca's efficiency to go up in the playoffs, while James 503 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: Harden's efficiency historically goes down in the playoffs when you 504 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: rely strictly on step back three's and finishing at the rim, 505 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: and the defense is shut down the rim, and now 506 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: guys are pressing up on your step back three, your 507 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: efficiency will tank. It's all also just really difficult to 508 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 1: make step back three's as your sole offensive. You know, 509 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: go to move, You're just gonna be in fishent in 510 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: that sense. James Harden has a massive decline in his 511 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: step back jump shooting from the regular season to the postseason. 512 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: When Luca is getting to the short range and like 513 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: we said earlier, attempting seven shots per game in the 514 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: paint outside of the restricted area, he can make fifty 515 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 1: of those because he's big and strong, and he's getting 516 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 1: two spots on the floor where he feels comfortable. Now, 517 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: one of the things that's been interesting with James Harden 518 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 1: is some of you guys have noticed in some of 519 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 1: the pickup game footage that's been floating around this summer, 520 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 1: you can tell James Harden is making a concerted effort 521 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: to try to work out of the post more high posts, 522 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: like fifteen ft away from the basket, and then primarily 523 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: as a face up player, he's not really turning his 524 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: back to the basket more. But I'm excited to see 525 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: that that shows that James Harden is at least trying 526 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: to add some of that versatility that Luca has. Will 527 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: see if he ever actually gets to the point where 528 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 1: he can use it in NBA games. So, by the way, guys, 529 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: that's the pathway. If you want to add something to 530 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 1: your game, there's three step pathway. Figure out how to 531 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:57,640 Speaker 1: do it by yourself. Like if you want to add 532 00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: a post up fade away to your game, figure out 533 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: how to do it by yourself in the gym to 534 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: the point where you feel like you can make it consistently. 535 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: Then start testing it against defenders and practice situations. If 536 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: you're a college player, if you're just a kid playing 537 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 1: for fun, see if you can do it in pickup games. 538 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: Then when it becomes uh, when it gets to a 539 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: point where you can comfortably do it in pick up games, 540 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,719 Speaker 1: that's when you can start implementing it in actual game situations. 541 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: If you're playing in college or something along those lines. 542 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: There's kind of a pathway to doing that, and it's 543 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: good to see hard and trying to work along those paths. 544 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: That path but that specific offensive versatility is the key 545 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: difference between James Harden and Luca don Chech. But where 546 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: the hardened ball. Is a legitimate fear for Luca is 547 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: his physical conditioning, not taking care of his body, and 548 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: what he does on the defensive end of the floor. 549 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: Here we are near the not near the end, but 550 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: over a decade into James Harden's career, and he has 551 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 1: never figured out the defensive end of the floor. His 552 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,479 Speaker 1: best season was in two thousand and eighteen and he 553 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: was okay like that that That never was something that 554 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: he figured out. And here we are at age thirty 555 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: two and he's coming off back to back reasons where 556 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: his physical health has been declining as a result of 557 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: him not taking care of his body. So that's gonna 558 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 1: be another opportunity for Luca to separate himself from the 559 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: Harden camp if you can figure out the defensive end 560 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: of the floor and figure out how to take care 561 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: of his body. But right now, that is a legitimate 562 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: fear for Luca with his potential trajectory and the difference 563 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: between him being a top five player of all time 564 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 1: in something way worse than that is that specific crossroad. 565 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: And then lastly, his conditioning could lead to injury problems 566 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: if he's not comfortable, if he's not careful, you know, obviously, 567 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: when you're carrying an extra thirty pounds and you're making 568 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: the same moves that you make when you weigh to 569 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: thirty instead of to sixty, all it takes is a 570 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: wrong step and it could be a torn a c 571 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: l or killes or something along those lines. Knocking would 572 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: you don't want to see anything like that, But conditioning, 573 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: keeping yourself in supreme physical condition is the best way 574 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: to avoid injuries. The biggest one if of Luca's career. 575 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: Do you guys remember when Janice was kind of on 576 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: the fence in Milwaukee. He had a bunch of weird 577 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: quotes talking about how, like how he liked in Milwaukee, 578 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: but he might, you know, like it somewhere else to 579 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 1: One day and there was some noise about a potential 580 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: partnership between Luca Danshi in Janice in Dallas should he 581 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: ever decide to leave Milwaukee. As a matter of fact, 582 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: that was kind of where all the noise was pointing 583 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: at the time, and then Janice ended up re upping 584 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: with Milwaukee ended up being a great decision. He ended 585 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: up winning an NBA championship shortly after. But we should 586 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: all be thanking our lucky stars that Janice did not 587 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: end up in Dallas alongside Luca, because if he did, 588 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: they would have won all the basketball games. I talk 589 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: a lot on this show about complimentary skill sets. You know, 590 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: when we look at star partnerships, we don't factor in 591 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: enough the way that they can cover for each other's 592 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: strength and weaknesses. Like I talked about all the time, 593 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: a basketball team has a bunch of responsibilities that have 594 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: to be fulfilled by the five man unit. You know, 595 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: there is he finishing a lot of times that's a 596 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: three level score, or a big man who can finish 597 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: around the room and shoot a little bit like a cat, 598 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: Carl Towns or Anthony Davis. Right, and then you need 599 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: you know, guys that are great at getting guys into spots, playmakers, 600 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,479 Speaker 1: game managers, things along those lines, role players who can 601 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 1: attack closeouts, right and and and then obviously all the 602 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: defensive responsibilities on the floor. Well, what's Luca's greatest weakness 603 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: His inability to impact the game with his physical tools 604 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: On the defensive end of the floor. Janice is the 605 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: best defensive player in all of basketball. Also, Luca simple, 606 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: be honest, and in recent years has been more active 607 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: as a ball handler. But He's had a ton of 608 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: success as the screener and ball screen actions lately. Can 609 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: you imagine Janice running ball screens with Luca and what 610 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: he could do off of the attention that Luca Garner's 611 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: there and with his ability to pass the basketball. Then 612 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: we go look over at j honest, what's Janice's specific 613 00:30:54,760 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: weakness half court surgery, the ability to decipher top tier 614 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: playoff defenses in the half court, particularly as a shot maker. 615 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: I was actually very impressed by Janice's passing ability in 616 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: this playoff run. Janice is obviously ahead in this list, 617 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 1: and we will get into that when we get to him, 618 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: But his specific weakness is the ability to consistently knock 619 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: down shots over the top of defenses that packed the 620 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 1: paint on him. Chris Middleton kind of helps him in 621 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: that regard, but that's Luca. That's arguably Luca's great as skill. 622 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 1: So the two of them compliment each other so well 623 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: that that would have just been a disaster for the 624 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: rest of the league Luca and Janice playing together. So again, 625 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: we should be thankful that Jannis ended up re upping 626 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: with Milwaukee. But a very interesting what if in the 627 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: early phases of Luca donche career is what would have 628 00:31:43,440 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: happened had Janice ended up in Dallas. The volume