WEBVTT - Playoff Preview 2025 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:04.520 This crowd rises to its being what Barlow slamming it? Oh, 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:09.560 Carl left wing, free ball, perfect pop. 0:00:09.560 --> 0:00:12.920 The block, the shot at the rim, how with the 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:14.680 left hand and of fowl. 0:00:16.160 --> 0:00:18.599 Welcome to Chase Doown Podcast, part of the CAZ Media family. 0:00:18.640 --> 0:00:20.919 I'm your host Justin Rohan. The Chase Doown is presented 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:23.759 by Fubo, the official streaming partner of the Calves. Watch 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:26.400 over three hundred and fifty channels of live sports and TV, 0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:29.800 including FanDuel Sports Network without gable, There's no cost and 0:00:29.840 --> 0:00:33.280 no commitment. Try for free at FuboTV dot com Slash Calves. 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:37.000 We finally have some clarity about who the Cavs first 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:40.880 round opponent is going to be. We've at least eliminated 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:44.680 to really from the mix h The Chicago Bulls lost 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:47.040 to the Miami Heat just before we started recording this. 0:00:47.720 --> 0:00:50.600 Orlando Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks yesterday, so we know 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:53.400 the Caves will be playing one of the Atlanta Hawks 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.200 or the Miami Heat. Joining me today to the attempt 0:00:57.200 --> 0:00:59.360 to break down this first round is my co host 0:00:59.360 --> 0:00:59.960 Carter Rodrigue. 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:01.400 Carter, how are you doing, buddy? 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:03.920 Attempt? It sounds like you're not sure we're going to 0:01:03.960 --> 0:01:04.560 be able to do it. 0:01:05.480 --> 0:01:05.720 You know. 0:01:05.920 --> 0:01:09.360 It's it's honestly the weirdest preview that we've done, because 0:01:09.880 --> 0:01:12.759 going into the playing we knew exactly who we're playing. 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.400 Going into the nixt series, we knew who that they 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:17.920 were going to play. We had a full week, you know, 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:19.720 to break that down. We were able to do the 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:22.759 same thing for the Orlando Magic. This is really the 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:25.479 first time that you know, we're going into a series 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:27.639 and you know, we're going to find out two. 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:29.119 Days before We're going. 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:31.000 To find out two days before Sunday who the Cavs 0:01:31.040 --> 0:01:34.400 are playing. And I'm interested to see what that dynamic 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:35.039 is really like. 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.680 You know, I think you could be guilty of accusing 0:01:38.959 --> 0:01:43.199 Adam Silver of too often listening to podcasters and worrying 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:47.960 about what podcasters want. Talk about an inverted situation, you know, 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:54.120 the monkey paw curly. You might be right there for 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:55.600 everyone but podcasters. 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:56.080 Baby. 0:01:56.200 --> 0:01:59.080 Well, here here's the funny thing, because Richard Jefferson brought 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:02.640 this up on the tonight about how the Miami Heat, 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:04.840 if they do make it through and if they are 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:08.280 able to beat the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, they're basically 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:10.880 going to be on the road eight days coming into 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:13.839 game one of the playoffs. That is quite the disadvantage. 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:16.240 And obviously, you know, if you're going to be the 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:18.959 ten seed in the play in and earn your way 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:22.640 to the playoffs, you should have to climb an uphill 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:25.560 you know, that should be an uphill battle. I'm not 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:28.680 feeling any sympathy for them, but when you talk about 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:33.400 the cows inability to really prepare specifically for one team, 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:35.480 I'm sure now they're going to be in the process 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:37.720 of game planning for both the Hawks and the Heat. 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:41.480 I still think that the lower seed is definitely at 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:42.440 a disadvantage here. 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:47.520 Yeah, no kidding, It's going to be interesting to see. 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:52.480 I mean, I am now. You know, you never know 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:56.480 exactly how you feel about this stuff till the dust settles. 0:02:57.160 --> 0:03:02.320 Sometimes it's like when you're when you're when you're partner 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:05.840 and you are talking about restaurants and you've you've listed 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:08.720 two that you'd be okay with, and then they pick 0:03:08.960 --> 0:03:11.320 one and you go, ah, that's not the one I wanted, 0:03:12.120 --> 0:03:14.440 you know, and you didn't really realize it wasn't the 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:17.720 one you wanted till someone picked the other one. I 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:21.840 kind of feel that way about the Orlando Magic. The 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:24.799 second they stop being available, I was like, I'm kind 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:26.040 of glad I don't have to deal. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:29.079 With that, Okay, So it's basically. 0:03:30.400 --> 0:03:33.280 That's an inverse scenario. I've I recognize that on the 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:37.040 front end as much as I want to, you know, show, Hey, 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:39.800 this is a different situation than it was last year. 0:03:40.000 --> 0:03:42.520 Let's be honest, No, Geelan Suggs, that changes the complexion 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:44.560 of the series. I already know that this is a 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:47.560 better cast team than it was last year. And you know, 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:51.520 no more Wagner like if what's the point of beating 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:53.880 the Orlando Magic in five games if you can't rub 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:55.880 it in most face, like, it's not the same when 0:03:56.040 --> 0:04:00.160 he's on the bench. So I'm more than half be 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:03.520 to see the Boston Celtics go up against the Orlando Magic. 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:05.920 And even if that series goes four or five games, 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:08.480 physically it's probably going to feel like a six game 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:10.800 series because that that is just what it's like to 0:04:10.800 --> 0:04:11.560 play Orlando. 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:14.840 Yeah, I mean, one can hope that, you know, the 0:04:14.880 --> 0:04:18.159 battle of attrition that is the playoffs takes its toll 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:20.279 on the Celtics. Obviously don't want to root for anyone 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:25.200 to get hurt. But you know, it's hard work playing 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.960 those Magic It sucks. They hack more than any other 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.719 team in the league. It's a key part of their identity. 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:36.240 And for a team that has struggled with the injury bug, like, 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:39.120 it's kind of nice to avoid that. 0:04:39.200 --> 0:04:39.400 Now. 0:04:39.560 --> 0:04:43.520 Atlanta is a pretty physical team too, you know, they 0:04:43.680 --> 0:04:46.360 they'll beat you up a little bit. Daniels will get 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:49.560 into the passing lanes. But you know, I do think 0:04:49.640 --> 0:04:52.880 there's still a pretty big difference between that in Orlando 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:57.799 at the end of the day, and you know, there's 0:04:57.839 --> 0:05:02.000 also just more spots on the Atlanta team to attack, 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:07.039 you know. So overall, definitely happy to see Orlando. I 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:10.279 was pretty indifferent. I didn't think Chicago was getting getting 0:05:10.279 --> 0:05:11.000 out of this thing. 0:05:11.279 --> 0:05:12.040 I actually did. 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.440 I thought Chicago had a real chance because when you're 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:17.240 looking at the post All Star Break stretch, they were 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:21.200 almost like March doesn't matter, justin they were seventeen and ten. 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:24.880 They you know, post All Star breaks, number ten offense, 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:28.760 number fourteen defense. You know, they were trending in the 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:32.719 right direction here, and you know, some of it I 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.400 think is, hey, the Miami Heat, they are tough to 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:38.599 kill no matter who is available for them. They always 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:41.000 seem to get one game off of a team in 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:43.560 a playoff series. They always seem to find a way 0:05:43.600 --> 0:05:46.320 to squeeze a little bit more life out of that 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:49.800 towel and find a way to extend their season. So 0:05:50.040 --> 0:05:53.479 I'm not surprised to see them win, But part of 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:56.120 me wondered, hey, you know, there's no Jimmy. 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:56.960 Butler this time around. 0:05:57.080 --> 0:06:00.920 They've kind of had a tiring, tiring season. Are are 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:02.839 they ready to just kind of check out as the 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:05.640 ten seed going into the play And you know, the 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.400 answer that we got tonight is absolutely not. I'm actually 0:06:09.400 --> 0:06:13.160 curious to ask you about this because we've talked about 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:15.240 the play in the last couple of years, and I 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:18.800 think we both have generally been fans of it, as 0:06:18.839 --> 0:06:22.000 your opinion evolved at all, now that we have more 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.840 of a sample size, like I think, coming in, both 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:27.400 of us liked it, and then the Cavs got eliminated 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:29.920 in the play in, and even despite that, I was 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:32.480 still saying, sitting here saying I think this. 0:06:32.360 --> 0:06:34.479 Is a net good for the league. Do you still 0:06:34.560 --> 0:06:36.159 feel that way? I do. 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:43.039 I think this year wasn't maybe the most sterling example 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:47.560 for it just because there was such a difference between 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:53.560 seven through ten and eleven through fifteen in each conference. 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:55.720 Yeah, you know. 0:06:55.880 --> 0:07:03.240 Where where there wasn't you know, you didn't see Toronto 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:06.680 desperately trying to get into the play in. That's one 0:07:06.680 --> 0:07:08.760 of the things I've liked about it is that the middle, 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.640 the lower middle class of the league is less likely 0:07:11.720 --> 0:07:14.960 to tank if they have a couple of postseason games 0:07:14.960 --> 0:07:17.400 of revenue that they might be able to chase. 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:21.360 So you didn't have that, But. 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:23.680 What you did have at West is this, you know, 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:29.000 vicious race from the third seed to the eight seed 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:34.520 trying to desperately avoid it and the other. So if 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:37.480 I thought that it did more, I thought it did 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:41.880 more to help with tanking than lottery of reform. And 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:44.200 I also think what it did was it made it 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:48.160 so there's six playoff spots, not not ten. Everyone's complaining 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:51.120 that there's no ten. I'm saying there's only six. You know, 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:54.080 we have a six and a wild card and that, 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:59.480 and and I think that tension was really really good 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:01.600 out West. So even in a year where I don't 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:04.560 think it was perfect for like selling the play in, 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:08.480 I still think it's a net good. It's It's funny 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:12.280 because I think one this being such a great draft 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:16.240 class probably shifted incentives for some of those lower teams. 0:08:16.400 --> 0:08:18.920 And I also think in the Eastern Conference, if Orlando 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:21.720 was healthier for the majority of the season, all of 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:23.880 a sudden, you have a seventh team and you're going 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:25.560 to have a little bit of a race to avoid 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:28.600 the play in right like Detroit with their forty four 0:08:28.600 --> 0:08:31.120 and thirty eight record, that's the exact same record that 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.199 the Cavs had when they were the eight seed and 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:36.920 lost in the play in right like. Normally that gets 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:40.559 pushed down a little bit further. If Philadelphia was healthier, 0:08:40.679 --> 0:08:43.480 you would have, you know, another team in that mix. 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.680 And honestly, as much as I hate to ever credit 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:50.920 the Toronto Raptors, if that team was healthy and had 0:08:50.920 --> 0:08:54.840 their full roster available to them, you know, Emmanuel quickly, RJ. 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:58.200 Barrett Brandon Ingram. 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:01.400 You're missing the elephant in the room. Philly. I already 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:04.320 said Philly. Oh, you said Philly. Okay, I led with them, 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:06.200 good sir. Oh, actually I led with Orlando. 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.120 Yeah, yeah, I heard Orlando in Toronto. I didn't hear 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:10.000 anything about Philly. 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:10.400 Nah. 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:12.560 I'm pretty sure I had them in there. If not, 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:16.160 that's on me, So thank you to hold this man accountable. 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:18.720 Don't hold me accountable if I'm wrong though, No, it's okay, 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:21.720 But you know, having those extra teams in the mix 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:23.800 would have caused more of that race for six. 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:24.760 And really, the way that. 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:27.640 I look at it is it's more of a punishment 0:09:27.720 --> 0:09:30.360 for seven and eight than it is a reward for 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:33.880 nine and ten. Like, you know, you're really setting up 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:38.320 that you know your season can fall apart in two games, 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:40.679 so you better try like hell to avoid this thing. 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:44.120 And you know it does give Let's say, you know, 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:46.280 EMBIID didn't have to be shut down for the year 0:09:47.640 --> 0:09:49.960 and they could kind of stick around in that nine 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:52.920 tenth spot allows it a good team that just had 0:09:52.960 --> 0:09:55.040 bad injury luck to have a chance to come in. 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:59.079 Obviously that sucks for whoever sitting there in the one seed, 0:09:59.440 --> 0:10:01.760 but it's it's not like we haven't seen those scenarios before. 0:10:01.840 --> 0:10:04.600 So I feel like it's a net positive and in 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:06.840 generally enjoy the games, and I feel like there has 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:09.200 been some really good playing games over over the last 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:11.600 couple of years, and there's also been some really good 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:14.240 game maybe two. It's as bad as some of them 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:17.480 March in April. Basketball can be when there it's teams 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:20.840 in that race, particularly when they're playing against one another, 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:23.119 you can get some really really good basketball. 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:26.679 Yeah, and even like when it's not both teams that 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.320 are participating, but you know, Harrison Barnes hits a game 0:10:29.360 --> 0:10:32.439 winner against Golden State pushes them into the play in 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.200 now they now they have to fight for their lives. 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:39.960 Now they get a very green young Rockets team to 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:41.600 go up against, and it's going to be, you know, 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:45.080 the old age versus beauty type of matchup. And like, 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:48.040 now you get something really interesting based off a game 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:50.000 that in you know, the old days. 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:51.319 Just would be well whatever. 0:10:51.760 --> 0:10:55.360 You know, Like I do think there is a lot 0:10:55.360 --> 0:10:58.320 of net benefit and you know, I think almost you know, 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:00.480 you're really not even seeing the discord us about the 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:03.120 play anymore. I feel like it was just a pretty 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:06.080 universally successful initiative. 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:10.520 No, no, I've seen like the odd bad faith kind 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:12.960 of argument, But in general, I feel like this is 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:17.960 something that you know, as we get more years of 0:11:18.160 --> 0:11:21.760 experience with it, right, as it becomes more and more normalized. 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:25.880 People once something no longer feels new, they stop feeling 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:28.320 the need to pick it apart, and it just gets 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:31.360 accepted as part of the game. And I like that 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:33.200 it's around who do you think? 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:34.880 You know? But before we dive. 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:37.240 Into kind of the strengths of both Atlanta as well 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:40.040 as Miami and how they match up against the Calves, 0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:41.760 how do you think that game is going to play 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:42.439 out on Friday? 0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:47.199 You know, I'm just going to pick Miami. I think 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:52.760 they're a healthier team. I think they're a more you know, 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:57.280 they've got more guys with playoff scars. You look at Atlanta, 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:01.000 if you look at their normal roster, you definitely pick them. 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:04.600 But you know, Mo Gay is playing for them, Dominic 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:10.920 Barlow is playing for them again like real minutes. You know, 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:12.560 these are the guys you kind of expect to be 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:15.000 playing in March and April as the team is a 0:12:15.000 --> 0:12:17.240 little banged up. But then you know, then they clear 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:20.400 out of the way for the tight rotation, and you know, 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:26.559 Quinn Snyder played ten guys against Orlando, uh, And I 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:30.680 just I just don't think they've got the depth. And 0:12:32.720 --> 0:12:35.200 I think Miami has a lot of guys to throw 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:38.200 at Tray to make his life hard, you know. Davion 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:42.240 Mitchell is just the perfect Heat culture player. 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:43.800 Yeah. Uh. 0:12:44.559 --> 0:12:50.000 Hero went absolutely ballistic tonight, you know, and and the 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:52.199 other really good players in the Hawks. I just kind 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:55.440 of feel like the the Heat kind of have good 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:59.120 answers for you know, like me and you love Okongwu, 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:00.360 but he is is he not? 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.640 You know, great value brand? 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:08.640 Bam out of Byo, Yeah, he's not going to get 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:11.520 to do O Kong Wui stuff against Bam. 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:12.960 Yeah. Yeah. 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:15.560 I feel like of the players that are available, obviously, 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:18.559 I think this is a different conversation if Jalen Johnson 0:13:18.760 --> 0:13:21.280 was available for Atlanta. I think there was an argument 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:24.840 that he was their most impactful player when he was healthy. 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:28.400 But you have to give the coaching edge to. 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.480 Spolstra because I just think that he is not the 0:13:31.520 --> 0:13:33.800 best coach in the league. He's top three, right, like, 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:36.920 I think just from track record what he's been able 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:38.680 to do with that team, I think he's as good 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:39.240 as it gets. 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:40.480 You know. 0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:42.840 Bam out of Bayo, I think is one of the 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:45.200 best defensive players in the league. He's a top five 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:47.800 defensive player. Tyler Hero was an All Star this year. 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:51.280 He's been terrific. Andrew Wiggins gave them really, really good 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.800 minutes against Chicago and he's capable of playing well. So 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:57.760 I definitely am leaning Miami, which is funny because I 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:00.000 really felt like Chicago had a chance to come out 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.400 out of this thing. But you know, maybe this is 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:07.679 just you know, the the rock paper scissors of the NBA, 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.160 and I'm just learning, Oh my, Miami is still rock. 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:11.839 They're going to make it through it. 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.840 They beat Chicago, so therefore they get to keep the 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:16.640 belt and they get to advance. 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:20.680 Yeah, I think it just it also like you have 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:23.000 a little bit of positive momentum on your side. 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:25.520 I mean, I'll be interested, that's your point. 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:29.640 Actually, yeah, once the play in, you know, gets fifteen 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:32.600 twenty years of data under its belt, I will be 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:36.000 curious to see how often the nine to ten winner 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:37.280 kind of can sneak in. 0:14:39.080 --> 0:14:39.760 There's no ending. 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:42.360 They're coming off a win, the other team's coming off 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:45.520 a loss, you know, and there is like I mean, 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.320 I remember feeling it in the seven eight game three 0:14:48.400 --> 0:14:49.120 years ago, like. 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:53.600 Oh no, we lost, Now what's going to happen? 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:57.120 Like yeah, like you know, there's just this different kind 0:14:57.160 --> 0:14:59.760 of angst that that creeps in as at least as 0:14:59.800 --> 0:15:02.720 a And so I'm gonna pick Miami to win. I 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:06.960 think that's if I'm the Cavs video staff, maybe I'm 0:15:07.040 --> 0:15:11.160 putting my best guys on Miami and a sixty forty 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:15.480 split sixty forty attention split PERHBS. But of course that's 0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:17.640 not why I don't run a film room, because that's 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:18.920 probably not how that works at all. 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:22.080 Yeah, you know, basketball's a game of runs. When you're 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.360 coming off a win, that gives you that extra little boost. 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:27.120 But if you're a podcaster or someone that's you know, 0:15:27.400 --> 0:15:30.960 using Zoom for your workplace, Zoom Mayi Companion can give 0:15:31.000 --> 0:15:32.680 you that same boost, Carter. Because only you can do 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:34.800 your best work, Zoom may I Companion can help you 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:37.880 do the rest, like automatically taking notes, answering meeting questions, 0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:40.760 and helping you respond to your coworker bailable, no additional 0:15:40.800 --> 0:15:44.400 cost with eligible pay plans. Work happy with Zoom Mayi Companion. 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:48.880 Let's take a look at these teams, Carter. The thing 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:51.200 that jumps out to me right away when I'm kind 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.480 of looking at the season long stats, and this is 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.280 very often the case when you are talking about what 0:15:56.440 --> 0:15:59.200 is functionally you know, the the eight seed and the 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:03.400 ten seed right now competing for the eighth spot in 0:16:03.520 --> 0:16:07.760 the history books. These are not perfect teams. These are 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:11.840 not teams that have a glaring strength. I would say 0:16:12.440 --> 0:16:16.400 Atlanta is seventeenth in offense and eighteenth in defense, below 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:19.240 average in both or about average in both. Miami is 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.280 the number twenty one offense, number nine defense, So you 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:25.840 know there's a top ten trade. You at least expect 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.880 an Eric Spolster team to play very well defensively, and 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:30.880 I think we've seen that in some of those matchups. 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:35.320 But what's going to be interesting to me is that 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:38.200 the Cavs, on the other hand, have been really, really 0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:41.880 good across the board, and when you look at some 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:44.840 of the areas where maybe there's been some slippage, like 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:48.440 their number twenty two defensive rebound rate, neither of these 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:51.840 teams really seem poise to take advantage of that. Atlanta 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:55.160 is eight thirteenth in offensive rebound rate and Miami is 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:59.240 twenty seventh. So if your prediction and my prediction is 0:16:59.320 --> 0:17:02.400 true Miami heat advanced through this, that is not a 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:05.080 team that is likely to beat them up on the 0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:05.960 offensive glass. 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:09.959 No, and I mean just up and down. These are 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:12.000 the definition of. 0:17:13.520 --> 0:17:13.920 Teams. 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:17.040 You know, you look you look at the standings and 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.760 you see Miami with a plus point six point differential 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:24.120 in the year in Atlanta with a minus one point one. 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.320 I think it's important to say. I mean, anyone who's 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:31.399 listening to this podcast already knows this, but the Cavs 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:35.120 should win their series in four or five games. Yeah, 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:39.280 it would be very surprising just based on the profiles 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:41.760 of the two teams if it went any other way. 0:17:43.040 --> 0:17:46.080 You know, teams that outscore their opponent by ten points 0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:49.719 a game rarely lose series. Two teams that almost get 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:52.600 outscored on the season or finish their season eight games 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:59.680 under five hundred. So important to say that. I will say, 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:02.359 you know, this is where on the Atlanta side, I 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:06.520 guess I'd like to start. On the Atlanta side, not 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:11.520 having Capella available is hard for them. 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:12.040 You know. 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:15.800 They just don't have a lot of size that's impactful. 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:20.199 Okongwu is a very good offensive rebounder, Mogay is okay 0:18:20.320 --> 0:18:22.480 at it, but that's. 0:18:22.560 --> 0:18:24.359 Kind of it, you know, and. 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.520 They don't have a lot of just BV big men. 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:32.359 Dominic Barlow I think is you know a little bit 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:36.000 you know of a tweener forward. He's not someone who's 0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:40.280 going to beat you up. And then guys who down 0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:44.040 their roster. You know, Daniels is a pretty good rebounders 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:47.680 because he's a big guard. Reache is not as good 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:52.200 as his size, but indicate Brett Young is obviously famously hurt, horrific. 0:18:52.800 --> 0:18:55.480 And then you look at the bench, it's niang Lavert 0:18:56.520 --> 0:18:59.320 like who you know, never were great rebounders for the 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:03.040 Calves and still aren't for Atlanta. And then you guy 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:05.879 like Terence Man, who you know once was a very 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:09.920 hot prospect for the Clippers, only played ten minutes in 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:13.959 that game against Orlando, and you know he was one 0:19:14.000 --> 0:19:17.400 of he was a good glass crasher in for the Clippers, 0:19:17.480 --> 0:19:20.520 but you know, he's just not important enough for them. 0:19:21.920 --> 0:19:24.400 So like, I just think they're not really that well 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:28.119 built to beat us up physically, either on the glass 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:29.280 or just in general. 0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:33.480 No, they really aren't. And when I'm looking at these matchups, 0:19:33.560 --> 0:19:36.840 I don't think that these teams should have a chance 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:41.040 in the series. But you never know, if there's one 0:19:41.200 --> 0:19:44.840 aspect that at least the Calves can say, hey, this 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:47.560 is a strength of theirs, let's work to take that away. 0:19:47.680 --> 0:19:50.200 And when it comes to the Atlanta Hawks, they like 0:19:50.280 --> 0:19:53.119 to get out in transition. They're number one in transition frequency, 0:19:53.680 --> 0:19:58.879 and for the Calves, transition defense it isn't poor, but 0:19:59.000 --> 0:20:02.360 it's not their biggest strength. There are eleventh in transition defense, 0:20:02.600 --> 0:20:05.520 and I'd be really interested to see if you do 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:07.720 ultimately end up playing the Atlanta Hawks and they are 0:20:07.760 --> 0:20:10.840 getting out and running, maybe that is an opportunity for 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:14.680 the Cavs to work on their transition defense, because if 0:20:14.800 --> 0:20:17.040 you end up playing the Indiana Pacers in the second round, 0:20:17.080 --> 0:20:18.520 you know that's a team that's going to get out 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:21.800 and run. Boston may try to get out and run, 0:20:21.880 --> 0:20:25.520 and even though they're not the highest frequency transition team, 0:20:26.440 --> 0:20:30.280 how you defend those transition attempts versus Boston, whether you 0:20:30.640 --> 0:20:33.560 are finding the shooters in the corner, whether you're finding 0:20:33.600 --> 0:20:36.399 those guys streaking up and down the court, how you 0:20:36.520 --> 0:20:40.080 defend those possessions might be the difference in a series 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.960 that we believe is going to have very thin margins. 0:20:43.240 --> 0:20:44.879