1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: The Volume. All right, welcome to tonight here at the Volume. 2 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: Happy Friday, everybody. I hope all of you guys are 3 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: having a great week so far. We are live on AMP, 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: so if you're watching on YouTube or listening on the 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: podcast feeds, don't forget that AMP is the very first 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: place that you guys can get these shows. Getting down 7 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: to the nitty gritty of our top twenty five players 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: of the last twenty five years today with number two 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan, and then I've got two mail bag questions 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: for the end of the show as well. You guys 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: know the jow before we get started. Subscribe to the 12 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 13 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore JSNLTS. You guys don't 14 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: miss anyhow announcements. And for whatever reason you miss one 15 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: of these videos and you can't get back over to 16 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: YouTube to finish, don't forget you can find them wherever 17 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. Under Hoops Tonight also need mail 18 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: back questions for tomorrow as well as moving into the future. 19 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: We're gonna continue that into next week and bear with 20 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: me today. I'm still dealing with some some stuff with 21 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: my voice so struggling a little bit there. All right, 22 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. Number two, Tim Duncan zaccholades, five 23 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: time NBA champion, best player on five championship teams. Now 24 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: in twenty fourteen, he wasn't the same top tier superstar 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: that he was in the earlier part of his career. 26 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: But I still believe he was the best and most 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: important player on that Spurs team. But at that point, 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: Tony Parker was basically right underneath him and kind of 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: at the same level. Right, But when you think of 30 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 1: Duncan as the defensive full crum of the team as well, 31 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: especially the role he played in soling down those heat 32 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: teams over those two years with his rim protection, I 33 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: still think he was the best player on that team. 34 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: Ten time First Team All NBA, that's second most in 35 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: NBA history. Fifteen times All NBA overall. That's tied with 36 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: Kobe and Kareem for second most all time. Fifteen All 37 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: Defense selections most all time. We're gonna get to that 38 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: in a minute. Two regular season MVPs in two thousand 39 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: and two and two thousand and three, three NBA Finals 40 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: MVPs in nineteen ninety nine, two thousand and three and 41 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: two thousand and five. His two thousand and seven season 42 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: should have one finals MVP as well, not as egregious 43 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: as the ones that we saw in twenty fourteen. In 44 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, which we're going to role players, right, because 45 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: Tony Parker was considered one of the folkrums of that team. 46 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: But I thought that Tony Parker kind of got the 47 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: benefit of box score watching again because he put up 48 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: big numbers against the Cavs. But I thought Tim Duncan 49 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: was far and away the best player on the two 50 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: thousand and seven Spurs and deserved Finals MVP that year 51 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: as well. We've gone into that in the past, But basically, 52 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: to me, finals MVP should be more representative of the 53 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: best player on the team rather than who played the 54 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: best in that two week period. It just doesn't make 55 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: any sense to me personally. Tim duncans claim to fame 56 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 1: he's the greatest power forward to ever touch a basketball court. 57 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: We're gonna dive into it on both ends of the 58 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: four starts. On the defensive end, he was the very 59 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: best rim protector in the league during his era. He 60 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: averaged at least two blocks per game for ten consecutive 61 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: seasons starting right when he was a rookie, so he 62 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: came in the league and immediately put up a decade 63 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: straight of at least two blocks per game. He finished 64 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 1: his career averaging two point two blocks per game, and 65 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: then he averaged two blocks a game again as a 66 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: thirty eight year old in twenty fifteen, which is crazy 67 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: when you factor in that was in the more spread 68 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: out and higher pace NBA in the time that this 69 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: list covers, which again goes from nineteen ninety nine to 70 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three. Tim Duncan leads everyone in blocks by 71 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: a mile. He has twenty eight hundred and fourteen blocks 72 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: in that span. Second place is Dwight Howard with twenty 73 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty eight, so almost six hundred more 74 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: blocks than anybody else during the time period of this list, 75 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: and his fifteen all defense selections is the most in 76 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: NBA history and it's probably an unbreakable record. KG and 77 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: Kobe are in second place with twelve, but at this 78 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: point it's hard to even imagine a potential player getting 79 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: that many. Maybe Victor Womenyama can come in and do it, 80 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: but at fifteen all t defense elections may very well 81 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: end up being a record that stands the test of time. 82 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: He's one of the very best defensive players in NBA history, 83 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: and him being able to anchor that spurs defense kept 84 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: them consistently relevant basically from nineteen ninety nine all the 85 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: way through to two thousand and sixteen. It's as impressive 86 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: a or twenty fifteen, excuse me, as as impressive a 87 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: streak of consistency and longevity that you'll find in the NBA. Now. 88 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: On offense, there was a very specific reason that they 89 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: called Tim Duncan the Big Fundamental. There wasn't anything particularly 90 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: exciting about it. Tim Duncan post up. It wasn't, you know, 91 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: extravagant footwork, It wasn't extravagant shot making, but it still 92 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: worked every single time. It started with his size and strength. 93 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: It was six feet eleven. He weighed over two hundred 94 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: and fifteen pounds, so other post defenders had two hundred 95 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: and fifty pounds excuse me. Other post defenders did not 96 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,480 Speaker 1: have any luck pushing him off of his spot. It 97 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: was very difficult to disrupt his BA. Remember, when it 98 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: comes to postplay, disrupting the base is arguably the most 99 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: important thing. These big guys are working on. These shots 100 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: over the top and in post offense. They're used to contests. 101 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: Contests barely bother them. But if you can push them 102 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: off their base, it disrupts their lift, it disrupts their 103 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: energy transfer. They don't get to their release the way 104 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: they want to, and that's where you can force missus 105 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: and Tim Duncan was an incredibly sturdy player at his 106 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: six ' eleven two hundred and fifty pounds. His foundational 107 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: skill was his right handed hook shot. He had the 108 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: best hook shot in the league during the two thousands. 109 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: It was jokic Esk. He made it damn near two 110 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: out of three times. Now, it's tough to find tracking 111 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: data for this because Synergy didn't start tracking hook shots 112 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: until two thousand and seven, which was more towards the 113 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 1: end of Tim Duncan's prime. But even at that point 114 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: he was still the best hookshooter in the league. He 115 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: led the leagues in hook shots. He led the league 116 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: in hook shots made in two thousand and seven and 117 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: made sixty five percent of them. He led the league 118 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: and hooks made again in two thousand and eight. He 119 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: was second place in two thousand and nine. So now 120 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: from there there was a little bit of a decline 121 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: as he entered into that second phase of his late 122 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 1: prime right, but he was the very best player in 123 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: the league at making that right handed hook shot. Now, 124 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't out of complicated footwork like Nikola Jokich is 125 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: kind of more of an extravagant footwork type of player. 126 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: With Tim Duncan, it was very simple. From that right block, 127 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: he would dribble with his left hand, drop towards the 128 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: baseline and make that hook shot along the baseline. From 129 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: the left block, he would make that drop step towards 130 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: the middle of the lane and shoot that right handed 131 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: hook in the lane. That was the vast majority of 132 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: his hook shots. He would occasionally mix in something more 133 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: complicated right like occasionally from the left block he'd come 134 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: across with a sweeping right handed hook off of one foot. 135 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: Occasionally from the left block he'd do a rip through 136 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: to the baseline and then spin back towards the middle 137 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 1: and make a right handed hook, but those were somewhat rare. 138 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: For the most part, it was just pretty standard drop 139 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: step hook shots over his left shoulder, either towards the 140 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: baseline or towards the middle, depending on which block he 141 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: was on. It's kind of like I talked about Nikola 142 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: Yokich all the time. There's a simplicity to that hook 143 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: shot like Yokic makes it at damn near seventy percent, 144 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: and that just fundamentally causes problems for the defense. They 145 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: have to either accept a points per shot around one 146 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: point three, or they can send drastic measures like send 147 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: multiple defenders right, which then brings the passing into the equation. 148 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: And that was the thing with Duncan. It wasn't anything 149 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: exceptional looking, but in terms of effectiveness, it could be 150 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: downright damaging to a defense. 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He had a really 178 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: nice face up bank shot, particularly from the left block. 179 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: When he would get pushed further away from the basket, 180 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: he would turn in face and he had a little 181 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: bank shot there. Also, his counter to his right handed 182 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: hook shot was a right handed fade away over his 183 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: right shoulder. When he was further away from the basket, 184 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: it looked more like a jump shot. When he was 185 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 1: closer to the basket, it looked more like that shaquill 186 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 1: O'Neal like kind of one handed push shot, turnaround jump 187 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: shot thing. But that was kind of his counter. But again, 188 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: he liked to try to get to his hook shot 189 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: if he could. Now, one of the most important parts 190 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: of the Spurs offense was cutting off of the post. 191 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 1: You may have heard this referred to as a Spurs 192 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: cut by you know, one of your coaches growing up, 193 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: or something along those lines. But basically, Duncan would catch 194 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: the ball. Let's just envision Duncan catching the ball about 195 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: ten feet away from the basket, or anywhere from ten 196 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: feet away from the basket to the high post, because 197 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: would play from the high post sum as well and 198 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: catching and just holding with his back to the basket. Now, 199 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: the person who makes the post entry from the right wing, 200 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 1: let's call it Tony Parker. He makes the post entry 201 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 1: from the right wing. Duncan catches from there. The Spurs 202 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: were really good about cutting off of the post, so 203 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: Tony would basically fake a cut towards the middle and 204 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: then cut off of Tim Duncan on the baseline side 205 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: off of his left hand. Now just imagine Tony Parker's defender, 206 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 1: here's Duncan, Here's Tony Parker. Tony Parker's defenders right in 207 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: the middle, and so as he cuts off, Tim Duncan 208 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: has an opportunity to set a screen there. One of 209 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 1: the things he would do is he would establish his 210 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: left foot as a pivot foot, and then as Tony 211 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: Parker's cutting, he would pivot back this way with his 212 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: right foot, effectively shutting the door on that defender, and 213 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: then Tony would find an opening on the backside. And 214 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan was really good at after he kind of pivoted, 215 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: just throwing that over the top pass to a mana 216 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: Ginobili or to a Tony Parker as he's cutting off 217 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: of the post. One of the reasons why it's so 218 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: important to cut off the post is it makes it 219 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: harder to double team. So if you make a pass 220 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: from the right wing into the post on the right 221 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: block and Timmy's there and you just stand there. Then 222 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: we have that same dynamic right Timmy Tony defender in 223 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: the middle. That defender is in a really easy position 224 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: to be able to dig down and cause problems for 225 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan and still be in a position to close 226 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: out to Tony Parker once you cut through, and the 227 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: defense and your offensive the other three offensive players kind 228 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: of rotate around when that happens. It makes it harder 229 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: to double team because the defender that's supposed to double 230 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: is coming from another spot on the floor and is 231 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: more interested in chasing his shooter to where he's going 232 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: before he can get into a double right that was 233 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: you know, moving and cutting off of the post is 234 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: vital for post up spacing. You've seen a kind of 235 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: an inverted version of this with the Warriors in recent 236 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: years of split cuts right, and it's less about actually 237 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: trying to score out of the post than it is 238 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: taking advantage of that spacing dynam that defender in between 239 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: the guy in the post and the guard. It makes 240 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: it really hard to see the ball behind you while 241 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: tracking the shooter in front of you. And then the 242 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: Warriors just add screening actions off of the post, so 243 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: like instead of using the post up player as the screener, 244 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: they'll bring a second player over and they'll screen across 245 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: and try to find a shot or vice versa, and 246 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: then the guy who sets the screen will slip to 247 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: the basket. That's how the Warriors do it. But there 248 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: it's really hard to guard screening actions out of the post, 249 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: and the Spurs did it more using the post up 250 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: as the threat. The Warriors do it more using the 251 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,319 Speaker 1: shooters as the threat. But the fundamental concept of having 252 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 1: to identify man and ball and when they're on opposite 253 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: sides of you, which makes it hard to see, is 254 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: what makes it so hard to guard. But to make 255 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: a long story short, that combination of the Spurs movement 256 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: and cutting, Tim Duncan's passing and his unstoppable post moves 257 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: made him an incredible anchor for the Spurs on the 258 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: offensive end. We already talked about how he was an 259 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: incredible anchor on the defensive end, and that's how the 260 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: Spurs won. To make it simple, they were consistently great 261 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: on both ends of the floor year in and year 262 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: out from nineteen ninety nine to twenty fifteen. So as 263 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: a result, were they as dominant as some of the 264 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 1: other teams, or they as dominant as the Lakers. No, 265 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: were they as dominant as the Lakers again in the 266 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: late twenty ten tens. No, were they as dominant as 267 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: the Minumi Heat. No, they never won two championships in 268 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: a row. But they were always there and that's the key. 269 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: When things broke up, broke right, excuse me, they would 270 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: end up on top. And that's the value of longevity 271 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 1: and consistency. It's like, there's odds at play, right, Like 272 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: winning money on the slot machine is not easy, but 273 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: if I give you a million chances at it and 274 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 1: it doesn't cost you anything, you're gonna eventually win. And 275 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: that's kind of the thing. Like the Spurs were just 276 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 1: always there and so when things broke right, they would win. 277 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: That's why they never won two in a row, but 278 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: that is why they won five. The last thing I 279 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: wanted to hit here was Tim Duncan's leadership compaired him 280 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: a lot on this show to Steph Curry. Obviously they're 281 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: very different players, but in terms of consistency within the organization, 282 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: a complete lack of ego, only caring about winning and 283 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: keeping an even keel emotionally, not getting down when things 284 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: are bad, not getting too high when things are good. 285 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: Steph Curry's the best player in the NBA at that 286 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: right now. That was Tim Duncan, though in his era 287 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: he was as stoic as it got, as unexpressive as 288 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: it got, but he was dependable and consistent, and as 289 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: a result, he was able to maintain organizational consistency over 290 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: a decade and a half, which directly led to their success. 291 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: His crowning achievement. It's tough to pick just one for 292 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan, but I'm gonna go with the two thousand 293 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: and three season, he averaged twenty three points, thirteen rebounds, 294 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: and four assists with three blocks per game. He made 295 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: First Team All NBA, made First Team All Defense, won 296 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: regular season MVP, then went up to twenty five fifteen 297 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: to five with three point three blocks per game. In 298 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: the playoffs, he dropped thirty seven and sixteen on the 299 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: Lakers in the Western Conference SEMIS to knock out Kobe 300 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: and Shack. This was back in the Twin Towers era 301 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: and they were using Shack to guard David Robinson, and 302 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: so Tim Duncan just absolutely abused Robert Orri in that 303 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: series and put up thirty seven and sixteen to win 304 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: that series. In advance, they end up winning over the 305 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals. Tim ties it 306 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: off with his second Finals MVP. Hard to put together 307 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: a more dominant season from start to finish than that. 308 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: The biggest what if of Tim Duncan's career. I'm gonna 309 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: go with the Ray Allen shot in the corner of 310 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: Game six of the twenty thirteen NBA Finals. Now, I'm 311 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: just kind of set the stage here. One of the 312 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: best indicators, in my opinion, of an NBA player's greatness 313 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: is how well he performs against his peers. It's really 314 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: hard to gauge across position. I mean, we've run into 315 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: this problem with Lebron and Steph. It's like it's hard 316 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: to argue their basketball skill sets because they're so different. 317 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: Like obviously, Steph's perimeter gravity in his three point shooting 318 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: and his shot value is so much higher than what 319 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: Lebron does from the perimeter. But Lebron's downhill dominance and 320 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: his incessant rim pressure and his passing ability, what he 321 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: can do defensively and as a rebounder is something that 322 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: Steph can't touch, right, and so like you're arguing apples 323 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: and oranges, and it really is just about personal preference, right, 324 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: But when you start to look positioned to position like 325 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: you can you can look directly at the way Steph 326 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: Curry has performed compared to Russell Westbrook, or compared to 327 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: Chris Paul, or compared to Damian Lillard, some of his 328 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: peers in the league. They play the same position, they 329 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: do a lot of the same things, and Steph's just 330 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: better at all those things. Right, So that's that's kind 331 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: of position to position in the way that those comparisons 332 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: can actually help us see the greatness of a player. Well, 333 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: let's look at the twenty thirteen twenty fourteen NBA finals. 334 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: Like Chris Bosh was one of the best power forwards 335 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: in the league at the time. Not only that he 336 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: was in the heart of his prime, he was twenty 337 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: eight years old at the most athletic version of himself 338 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: who had the experience to understand he had already won 339 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,199 Speaker 1: a championship and had two deep playoff runs at that 340 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: point in his career. Tim Duncan was thirty six and 341 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: had a bad knee and whooped his ass like absolutely 342 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: cooked Chris Bosh on both ends of the floor in 343 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: those two NBA Finals series, just threw him around like 344 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: a rag doll. But as we look at a particular game, 345 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: it's game six of the twenty thirteen NBA Finals. The 346 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: Spurs are up three games to two on the road 347 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: in Miami. Right, Miami's feeling a good amount of pressure, 348 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: but they're obviously gonna come out desperate. They've lost a 349 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: game six at home to lose an NBA Final series 350 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: before in twenty eleven, Right, so it's a tough game 351 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: to win. Tim Duncan goes throwback. Timmy drops thirty and 352 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: seventeen in Game six, has them in position to win, 353 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: but a miss Kawhi Leonard free throw, a Mismaan wher 354 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: Genobli free throw, and a maid Lebron James three and 355 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: a made Ray Allen three send it to ot where 356 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: they end up winning. Then he almost does it again 357 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: in game seven. He had twenty four and twelve. In 358 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: Game seven, he had an easy hook shot in the 359 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: middle of the floor at the end that could have 360 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: tied it that he smoked. That's the one where Tim 361 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: Duncan got super mad at himself and slapped the floor 362 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: if you guys remember, Obviously, I'm sure it felt great 363 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: for him to come back and win the title the 364 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: following season, But man, he everged eighteen and ten in 365 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: that playoff run, which is pretty standard. Tim Duncan dominant 366 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: numbers thirty and seventeen and what would have been a 367 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: closeout game to win the trophy, that would have been 368 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: a hell of a feather for him to add to 369 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: his cap. It's kind of tied it all together. Look, 370 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan wasn't the most exciting player in NBA history. 371 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: It's hard for me even to sit down and break 372 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:35,919 Speaker 1: down his skill set because I was more of a 373 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: perimeter player, right and so like as a kid, I 374 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 1: wasn't watching Duncan trying to learn how to play right. Like. 375 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: I appreciated how good he was, but he wasn't one 376 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: of the players that you love to talk about or 377 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: love to watch right. But make no mistake, he was 378 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: one of the most dominant players at his position in 379 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:56,719 Speaker 1: NBA history. In his consistent greatness in leadership led to 380 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: his franchise consistently being relevant for far fifteen years, which 381 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: led to them having the opportunity to win five NBA championships. 382 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: It is hard to ignore those results. So I have 383 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan as the second best player of the last 384 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: twenty five years. All right, two mailback questions before we 385 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: get out of here. This is from Freeman. What is 386 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: your honest analysis on Victor Webbin Yama and what would 387 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: your prediction be for his performances this season? For example? 388 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: Do you agree with Draymond and others who said he 389 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: will struggle with strength, etc. So Draymond's right, and a 390 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: lot of people are right. He's going to struggle with 391 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: strength stuff. I think he also is going to get 392 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: exposed a little bit in that first season, is needing 393 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: to go up a level as a jump shooter. He's 394 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: not a perfect basketball player. He's one of the most 395 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: interesting prospects in NBA history, but obviously it has more 396 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: to do with what he's capable of than what he 397 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: is right now. I'm not expecting him to come in 398 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: and be an All Star. I'm not expecting him to 399 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: come in and lead the San Antonio Spurs to the playoffs. 400 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: But he has elite skills right off the bat. He's 401 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: already more skilled than most bigs in the NBA. That's 402 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: a great foundation right, He's already going to be one 403 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: of the five best rim protectors in the NBA, right so, 404 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: right off the bat. That makes him a very good 405 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: role player, and especially at that specific position, which is important, 406 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,479 Speaker 1: excuse me, which is important for his ability to anchor 407 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: a defense in the NBA. Having a defensive anchor is 408 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: one of the most important elements to constructing an NBA team. 409 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: I expect him to immediately make the Spurs better. I'd 410 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,959 Speaker 1: expect him to average somewhere around seventeen points and ten 411 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: rebounds a game. I expect him to average two to 412 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: two and a half blocks per game, potentially even more. 413 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: Wouldn't be surprised if he led the league's in league 414 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,360 Speaker 1: in blocks right away. He's going to be at least 415 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: in the conversation to make an all defense team, that'll 416 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: one hundred percent come down to the statistical performance, because 417 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: I think if he puts up, you know, three blocks 418 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 1: per game, I think it could happen. Here's the reality. 419 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: Regardless of how good or polished he is, he is 420 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: a freak in terms of his length and mobility In 421 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: the NBA. That's just a fact, and so NBA players 422 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: will struggle to adjust to what it's like to play 423 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: against Victor webbin Yama, and they're not gonna see him 424 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: every single night. They're gonna see him on a random 425 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: Tuesday in the regular season, and so they won't have 426 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: time to get used to it, right like they're over 427 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: a playoff series. You might be able to figure out 428 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: some of his quirks defensively, but in the regular season, 429 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: I expect him to be pretty damn impactful. All Right, 430 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: One last mail back question. How much emphasis do you 431 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: put on repeats? You spoke about journeys and sacrifices. How 432 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: much credit do you think you should give to those 433 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: who repeat or threepeat? So here's the deal. I don't 434 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: necessarily think it should earn bonus points in these discussions, because, 435 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,719 Speaker 1: in my opinion, a championship is a championship is a championship. 436 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 1: Like if you win four of them in an eight 437 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: year span by going win loss, win loss, win loss 438 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 1: win loss, versus going loss loss, win, win, win, win 439 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: lost loss like, that doesn't matter to me at all. 440 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 1: It's four championships as four championships. But there is an 441 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 1: interesting element to winning an NBA championship. After winning an 442 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: NBA championship one, it's there's a luck element. Like it's 443 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: really hard. You know, a lot of things have to 444 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: go right for you to win a championship. I talked 445 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: about this in the stapt video. But like every championship 446 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: team catches a break, right, Like even as you look 447 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: at this year's Nuggets team, like they didn't have to 448 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: face Milwaukee or Boston, the two best teams out East, 449 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: because of a ankle injury to Jason Tatum and some 450 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: overall dysfunction with the Celtics, and with the Bucks, you 451 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 1: had the Yannis injury, right, and so you get to 452 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 1: face a lesser Miami Heat team. You also caught the 453 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: Lakers and the Suns in kind of transition seasons, right, Like, 454 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers and Suns both got significantly deeper on the margins. 455 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,719 Speaker 1: This summer might be a little bit harder next year, right, 456 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: those that's the break that the Nuggets cost you go 457 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: into last season, and the break that the Warriors caught 458 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: by once again getting to face the Dallas Mavericks and 459 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: their limited roster in the Western Conference Finals versus a 460 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: more talented Phoenix Suns team because they all caught COVID 461 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: and they all crumbled under Luca's personality, right, like these 462 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,360 Speaker 1: are just examples, or the Warriors caught Denver Nuggets team 463 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 1: in the first round that didn't have two of their 464 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: top four players. You go back to twenty twenty one, 465 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 1: and he gets to Giannis gets to face Paul George 466 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: in the conference finals as the best player on his 467 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: team in the lone star and gets to face or 468 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: excuse me, I'm sorry, I butchered that he gets to 469 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 1: face the Atlanta Hawks and Trey Young in the conference 470 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: finals on one end, and then in the on the 471 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: other end of the bracket, you have a team where 472 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: the best player on the team on the team is 473 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: Devin Booker, who's not a top ten player in the league. 474 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: So in your conference finals and NBA Finals, you didn't 475 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: have to play a single top ten player. That's a 476 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: pretty big break, right. Going to twenty twenty, you got 477 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: a older, aging superstar who got to take a few 478 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: months off before the playoffs. He got to play a 479 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: playoff run that did not include Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, 480 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: the other two best players in the league at the time, 481 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: because they were both on their couches for various reasons. Right, 482 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: KD was hurt Steph Curry was hurt, right, So that's 483 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: a break, right, that doesn't take away the championship. Lebron 484 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: still had to go through a lot of really good teams. 485 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: So did Giannis, so did Steph, so did Nikole Jokic. 486 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: I'm not undercutting them, but the point is is you 487 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: catch breaks when you win an NBA Championship. The twenty 488 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: nineteen Raptors got to play their NBA Finals series against 489 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 1: a Warriors team that lost Kevin Durant. The ty eighteen 490 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: Warriors got pushed up against the wall by the Rockets 491 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 1: and then Chris Paul gets hurt. Right, twenty seventeen Warriors, 492 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: obviously they would have won no matter what, but they 493 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: were down, down big in Game one against San Antonio 494 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 1: before before Kawhi Leonard Sprains's ankle. Twenty sixteen you have 495 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: the Draymond Green suspension in Game five of the NBA Finals. 496 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: You know, twenty fifteen you have Kyrie Irving and Kevin 497 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: Love getting hurt. Like I could go on and on 498 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,959 Speaker 1: and on and on, but the reality is is you 499 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: have to catch breaks to win an NBA championship, and 500 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: so catching breaks two years in a row hard to do, 501 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: and That's why I don't necessarily attribute you repeats or 502 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: three peats as extra credit. They are impressive because it's 503 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 1: a motivational thing. All of the other twenty nine teams 504 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 1: are more motivated than you because you're currently sitting on 505 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: the mountain top. It's a fatigue thing. You played a 506 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: really long playoff run the previous year. There are definitely 507 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: things you have to overcome. But generally speaking, as we 508 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: go back through NBA history, the teams that repeat were 509 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: freakishly talented. The last team that repeated was the most 510 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: talented roster in NBA history, the Golden State Warriors. The 511 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: team before that was by far the most talented team 512 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: in that era, the Miami Heat with Dwayne Way, Chris 513 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: Bosh and Lebron James. The team before that was a 514 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers with Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum. 515 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,879 Speaker 1: Right like, that was a really talented basketball team. Before that, 516 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: we have the Kobe Shack Lakers. Before that, we have 517 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,919 Speaker 1: the MJ. Pippin' Bulls. Before that, we have Hakim Olajuan 518 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: right who was the best player in the league at 519 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: the time not named Michael Jordan, who was retired before that, 520 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan. Again, you guys get at the point, you know, 521 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: so like you're gonna have to be a pretty damn 522 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,199 Speaker 1: talented team to repeat, especially in the modern era with 523 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: how much talent there is in the league. So it's 524 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: an impressive accomplishment, but impressive in a different way. And 525 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: generally speaking, I'm not going to factor that in as 526 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: any sort of, you know, differentiator between players, because in 527 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 1: my opinion, a championship is a championship is a championship, 528 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: regardless of when or how you won it. All right, guys, 529 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: that is all I have for today is always I 530 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting the show. One last 531 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: guy tomorrow, mister Lebron James, my favorite player in NBA history. 532 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: I'm very very excited to put that video together for 533 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: you guys. And then next week we're gonna get started 534 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: with our season previews for the top twenty teams in 535 00:26:39,440 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: the NBA. How so, you guys Tomorrow the volume