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Speaker 1: Hey, what up. Welcome in Doug gottlieb with an all

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Speaker 1: new all ball, all basketball, all the time. Yeah, and

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Speaker 1: now we're a couple of games into the NBA playoffs.

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Speaker 1: Quick promotional note. The Doug gotlie shows available Foxport Radio,

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Speaker 1: I Heart Radio app twelve to three Pacific Coast time,

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Speaker 1: three to six Eastern Time. Um, here's what I'm gonna do.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you a couple of bang bang bang

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Speaker 1: bang bang thoughts, and then what I will do is

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Speaker 1: we'll get to uh the NBA draft in the NBA

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Speaker 1: Draft Lottery. Okay, So look um. In regards to the

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Speaker 1: NBA's ratings being down, I think year to year in

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Speaker 1: terms of playoffs last year the playoffs this year on

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Speaker 1: the espn UM. One of the things that the NFL

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Speaker 1: has maintained for the most part is the integrity of

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Speaker 1: their calendar right now Thursday. He has changed that, but

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Speaker 1: there's a certain selectivity to win NFL games are on.

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Speaker 1: And what I think the NBA is experiencing now is

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Speaker 1: the same thing they've experienced in the regular season with

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Speaker 1: the ratings since the new TV deal came in, which

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Speaker 1: is just it's just too much. We went from not

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Speaker 1: having any live sports two. There's not doesn't seem to

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Speaker 1: be a moment where there's an NBA game that's not on,

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Speaker 1: you know, So I I truly believe this. This is

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Speaker 1: my true belief that, um, there are portions of a

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Speaker 1: bunch of different stories which have caused the NBA's ratings

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Speaker 1: to be down, the primary of which, the biggest of

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Speaker 1: which is I think there's just a lot of games on.

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Speaker 1: There's not an importance to it. You can't tell regular

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Speaker 1: season the postseason. You know, we now have baseball on

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Speaker 1: it all the time, and it just becomes background us.

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Speaker 1: It's become a little bit of what a little bit

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Speaker 1: of what baseball has has always been for me in

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Speaker 1: the summer, which is our golf, right you're leaving on,

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Speaker 1: you come in, you go out, you don't really pay

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Speaker 1: attention to it, and then you watch in key moments,

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Speaker 1: and I think there's a that's a good portion of it.

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Speaker 1: I also believe that, look, you don't have a couple

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Speaker 1: of the best players and most watchable Kevin Durant and

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Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving aren't playing for the Brooklyn Nets. Like I

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Speaker 1: understand that k D is coming back from a catastrophic injury.

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Speaker 1: He will have missed more time with this injury than

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Speaker 1: any other star player has ever missed with an achilles tenant,

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Speaker 1: and that would have been the same case even if

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Speaker 1: he played in the bubble. So this idea that he's

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Speaker 1: not ready, he may not have been himself, but he

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Speaker 1: absolutely was ready to play. He was already working out

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Speaker 1: and playing um and then you know Kyrie. So the

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Speaker 1: first portion is, let me give credit to Adam Silver

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Speaker 1: because the bubble has gone off relatively without a hitch.

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Speaker 1: There obviously are some pitfalls to it, which I said

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Speaker 1: you would see coming, which is, you know, guys in

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Speaker 1: this environment for two or three months, you're not always

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Speaker 1: going to get optimum performance out of them. And that's happened.

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Speaker 1: That's happened, and probably on some level gets worse. There'll

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Speaker 1: be some atrophy in terms of of some of their

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Speaker 1: mental muscles because you're just now there's been a positive

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Speaker 1: to it, and that it does feel like there's better

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Speaker 1: chemistry with these teams then there's ever been. But in

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Speaker 1: the mistakes that Adam Silver has made being a players commissioner,

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, not working behind the scenes to

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Speaker 1: for example, get Kevin Durant and Kyrie irving to play.

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Speaker 1: That hurts the league. Of of the ten most recognizable

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Speaker 1: stars to play on a team which is based in

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Speaker 1: New York City and offered to not play. I mean, look,

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Speaker 1: DeAndre Jordan had COVID, but he would have been recovered

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Speaker 1: in time. Obviously Spencer didn't when he went through a lot.

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Speaker 1: But the idea that Brooklyn and their top players opted

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Speaker 1: out that hurts you. Then you have Golden State that

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Speaker 1: has at least one, if not the most popular, well liked,

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Speaker 1: beloved player in the game in Steph Curry. Plus they

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Speaker 1: have the championship Creedo, and I understand that they didn't

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Speaker 1: belong in the bubble that the twenty two teams was

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Speaker 1: about just about right, But I'm talking about the reality

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Speaker 1: of why the ratings are down, which is like, look,

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Speaker 1: you have no KD, no Kyrie, no Staff, no Clay,

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Speaker 1: no Draymond, and then you do have a lot of

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Speaker 1: player movement where it does become really hard to wait.

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Speaker 1: Westbrook's on the Rockets, but also, by the way, isn't

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Speaker 1: playing in the playoffs, and and Lebron it still hasn't

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Speaker 1: clicked yet in terms of l A. I don't know,

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Speaker 1: I just um I think Zion was a disappointment. Like,

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Speaker 1: what is the reason for watching Eastern Conference basketball in

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Speaker 1: the playoffs? There? There isn't much. There isn't much. I

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Speaker 1: think we're all in awe of the talent and the

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Speaker 1: spectacle that is Jannice, but he's just not He's not

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Speaker 1: yet as refined as k D and he's not the

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Speaker 1: name of some of these other American born stars. So

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Speaker 1: I think I think the Eastern Conference continuing to not

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Speaker 1: really have many storylines that are good ones worth sharing.

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Speaker 1: The Lakers thing hasn't hit, hasn't become a thing. You know,

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Speaker 1: one of your best teams, your favorite by many people

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Speaker 1: to win it is the Clippers, which is just has

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Speaker 1: no national following. Let's like, in addition to Kauai being

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Speaker 1: silent for so many years and Paul George switching teams,

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Speaker 1: it's the Clippers. No one really grew grew up a

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Speaker 1: Clippers fan. So you have these things kind of working

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Speaker 1: against you if you will. And then look, I think

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Speaker 1: at least a portion of it is the league's um is,

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Speaker 1: the league's embrace of the Social Justice Warriors and the

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Speaker 1: Black Lives Matter movement. UM. I don't like, I'm not

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Speaker 1: personally offended in any way. But I would guess that

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Speaker 1: if you did studies and some people would inflate it,

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Speaker 1: There'll be plenty of people like I wasn't watching the

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Speaker 1: NBA because they have Black Lives Matter? Like, well, were

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Speaker 1: you were you gonna watch the NBA beforehand? The answer

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Speaker 1: is probably no. But but still like you, when you

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Speaker 1: run the risk when you align politically, no matter how

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Speaker 1: good a cause you know, in terms of sincerere intentions are,

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Speaker 1: it becomes divisive because it's politics and whether you agree

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Speaker 1: with the BLM movement or just the statement of black

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Speaker 1: Lives matter, which I think everybody, like you know, who's

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Speaker 1: who's going to argue that no one where no one

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Speaker 1: should argue I think what's what's happened is and some

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Speaker 1: of it is smart positioning by the other side, which

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Speaker 1: is if you say black Lives matter, you somehow align

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Speaker 1: with the movement, which, all, right, what portion of the

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Speaker 1: movement do you go by the statement you know on

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Speaker 1: the website or just the idea that social justice reform

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Speaker 1: is needed and that police brutality has been a problem

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Speaker 1: for far too long for minorities, right, Like, there's it's

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Speaker 1: so complex that when we get into but that's not

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Speaker 1: what happens right. Political statement is made, sides are drawn,

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Speaker 1: and I'm sure at least a portion of people like

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Speaker 1: I'm never watching the NBA again, And you can say

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Speaker 1: good riddance if you're an NBA player, but that it's

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Speaker 1: it's a lot like when you do national radio, like

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Speaker 1: we all or a podcast. We all want to speak

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Speaker 1: our minds and have our opinions and understand that if

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Speaker 1: your opinion comes from a place that that's not based

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Speaker 1: upon hate in any way. It's just how you feel

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Speaker 1: and you're not viling anybody else's rights, like you want

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Speaker 1: to be supported for for your opinion. But the reality

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Speaker 1: is some opinions, especially when they become political or politicized,

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Speaker 1: are so divisive that you run the risk of losing

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Speaker 1: a good portion of your audience. That's always been like, look,

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Speaker 1: that's what happened to the Dixie Chicks. That's what happened

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Speaker 1: to the Dixie Chicks. So I don't know if how

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Speaker 1: I would love to see a study on what portion

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Speaker 1: of people who previously watched the NBA aren't watching the

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Speaker 1: NBA this year. And politics are legitimately a reason why

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Speaker 1: when I think a lot of it is talk, or

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Speaker 1: a lot of it is people that weren't watching the

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Speaker 1: NBA anyway saying it. But I do believe that even

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Speaker 1: the blindness of blind men could see that it in

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Speaker 1: the litany of things that could play a factor as

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Speaker 1: to why the NBA isn't rating as well, the embrace

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Speaker 1: of the Black Lives Matter movement and the politicized kind

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Speaker 1: of league being to the left, I would I would

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Speaker 1: guess hurts it. Would I would guess it absolutely hurts it.

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Speaker 1: I don't think that's an unreasonable guess or guestimation as

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Speaker 1: to what exactly is going on. All right, let me

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Speaker 1: give you a couple of thoughts on on some of

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Speaker 1: these teams. Let's start with the Lakers. So the Lakers

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Speaker 1: in back to back games, I've held the Portland Shoilblazers

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Speaker 1: to a hundred and then eighty eight points, and there's

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Speaker 1: been a lot of talk about Anthony Davis was great

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Speaker 1: in Game two after being disappointed game one, or Lebron James,

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Speaker 1: and we can get into that discussion. But the most

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Speaker 1: important thing is what I learned about professional basketball. And

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Speaker 1: I was told it, but you have to like learn

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Speaker 1: it to know it. And it's the It's the expression

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Speaker 1: that pros do what they do best. Okay, they do

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Speaker 1: what they do best, whereas amateurs try to prove to

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Speaker 1: you that they can do what you say they cannot.

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Speaker 1: That's the difference. You know, a true pro will if

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Speaker 1: if all he shoots his corner, Three's always gonna shoot

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Speaker 1: his corner threes. If if Sedale three was a scoring

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Speaker 1: guard in the NBA, and I'll never forget that Sedale three,

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Speaker 1: and you have to go back and look at analytics,

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Speaker 1: but he if he went left, he would almost always

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Speaker 1: his left hand before he would shoot a pull up

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Speaker 1: jump shot. Do you went left? I felt like a shot.

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Speaker 1: He went right felt like a thirty percent shot. So

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Speaker 1: you know at Sedale three always would find a way

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Speaker 1: to do tribble that left hand before he shoot. Tony

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Speaker 1: Parker same thing. Watch him when he makes a move

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Speaker 1: to the right. He would always bring that ball back

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Speaker 1: and one drouble with the left and it would help

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Speaker 1: a shooting percentage. Pros do what they do best. Well,

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Speaker 1: what are the Lakers do defend? I hear you on

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Speaker 1: wanting to play Um, you know, wanting to play j R.

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Speaker 1: Smith who hit three threes, You know, wanting to play

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Speaker 1: some of the other guys in terms of getting some

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Speaker 1: more offense Dion Waiters, for example. But the l A

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Speaker 1: Lakers became the one seed in the West based upon

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Speaker 1: their defense, and that has not let them down in

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Speaker 1: either game. A hundred points for the Trailblazers considering how

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Speaker 1: high powered they are, that's outstanding. Eight eight's even better. Um,

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Speaker 1: But you know the big questions, can the Lakers still

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Speaker 1: score when they have their defensive line about there? Last

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Speaker 1: night the answer was yes. Anthony Davis decided I'm just

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Speaker 1: gonna take over and their kids can't guard me. But

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Speaker 1: that hasn't always been the case, and that's one of

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Speaker 1: the things that gives you pause as they had deeper

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Speaker 1: into playoffs. I thought the Houston Rockets have we talked

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Speaker 1: about cohesion. Maybe it's because James Harden can't go to

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Speaker 1: a strip club, you know. Maybe it's because they don't

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Speaker 1: have Russell Westbrook and yet he's trying to lead, But

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Speaker 1: not having one of your stars gives greater iportunities to

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Speaker 1: all the bench guys that are normally behind him and

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Speaker 1: James Harden. But whatever it is, they seem to be

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Speaker 1: playing hard, top smart and winning games in the in

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Speaker 1: the bubble, specifically in the playoffs, um the l A Clippers.

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Speaker 1: I would guess that their biggest issue. Again this is

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Speaker 1: by my estimation, their biggest issue is I don't think

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Speaker 1: they should have traded for Reggie Jackson. I think where

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Speaker 1: they should have. I have no problem with them, you know,

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Speaker 1: getting another guard, especially when they acquired Reggie Jackson. They

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Speaker 1: had all kinds of other injuries in their in their

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Speaker 1: film room. Now everybody is for the guard's perspective, everybody

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Speaker 1: is healthy, so that shouldn't be an excuse for first

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Speaker 1: for stashing some guys away. But I do think it's

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Speaker 1: really interesting that we're talking about a team that has

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Speaker 1: acquired Reggie Jackson and now it's like all he knows

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Speaker 1: how to do his score, he doesn't know how to

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Speaker 1: run a team. And then you have l Andrew Shammitt,

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Speaker 1: who's coming off of COVID but can really shoot and

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Speaker 1: I think is a better defender than Reggie and doesn't

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Speaker 1: have the ego of Reggie. Doesn't have the experience either,

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Speaker 1: but he's never been scared, like I think the Reggie

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Speaker 1: Jackson thing really screwed him up. In a team that's

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Speaker 1: trying to find chemistry. You screwed up the chemistry even worse.

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Speaker 1: And and then you got the Milwaukee Bucks, who are fascinating, right.

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Speaker 1: Obviously they were great the second game against Orlando, terrible

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Speaker 1: the first game against Orlando. But the big thing is,

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Speaker 1: have people figured out how to guard Jantie Well? Not

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Speaker 1: last night. If you're Orlando or you just give him

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Speaker 1: so much space, but you have to get to his body.

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Speaker 1: You have to get to him early. And then in

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Speaker 1: the half court you gotta hope that he settles for

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Speaker 1: jump shots and sometimes you want him to make one early.

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Speaker 1: I would. I'll say this like, I don't think I

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Speaker 1: think the Lamar Jackson comparison is a good one, just

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Speaker 1: because there's such freakish athletes they take over in the

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Speaker 1: regular season at the postseason. As a quarterback, you'll be

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Speaker 1: able to throw and and you know you're talking about

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Speaker 1: thirty times a game leave a team from behind, the

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Speaker 1: same thing is true in basketball as as he tries

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Speaker 1: to replace you know, Tim Punkin, and I just don't

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Speaker 1: see that happening. I don't see a trade happening. I'm

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Speaker 1: not sure. I'm not sure exactly what they're doing. Um,

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Speaker 1: but I I look at I look at the Bucks

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Speaker 1: and I think to myself, as much as Janice is

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Speaker 1: not yet refined enough to maybe win this thing on

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Speaker 1: his own, I have a hard time thinking that Brook

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Speaker 1: Lopez is good enough at what he does as a

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Speaker 1: three point shooting big but also a bit of a

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Speaker 1: rim protector, reboundary. Like, he's just not He's not a

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Speaker 1: great three point shooter. He's not a great rebounder, he's

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Speaker 1: not a great rim protector. He's good at all these things,

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Speaker 1: and he can also score with this back to the basket,

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Speaker 1: but he doesn't do so often, and he would get

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Speaker 1: in their way. I'm just I'm not sure if that's

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Speaker 1: a good As as much as we say great things

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Speaker 1: about the Clippers, how good is their lineup? Actually, Lou

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Speaker 1: Williams would come out the bench for whoever is in

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Speaker 1: the playoffs because he can't go already, takes crazy shots

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Speaker 1: and he's this is a role which he's in braced.

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Speaker 1: You can like glue will which I do, but also

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Speaker 1: be real about what his skill set entails. Um, they

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Speaker 1: don't have a great inside game. Mantras Harrold is a

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Speaker 1: a good finisher, but he's not a great rebound or

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Speaker 1: a shop block. Or whatever. Just a high energy guy.

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Speaker 1: So this is me telling you, I do think that

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Speaker 1: they're beatable, even if they're not the one seed. I do.

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Speaker 1: I really think they're beatable. And I think that Janice's

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Speaker 1: flaws in that if you can keep them out of

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Speaker 1: the lane and you can make some of the other

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Speaker 1: players beat you, they just don't have the ability to

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Speaker 1: beat you on their own. Be sure to catch the

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Speaker 1: live edition of The Doug gott Leap Show weekdays at

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Speaker 1: three p m. Easter noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio

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Speaker 1: and the I Heart Radio a app. Let me welcome in.

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Speaker 1: Jason McIntyre, of course, said j mac has the Straight

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Speaker 1: Fire podcasts, which available on the I Heart Radio app

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Speaker 1: every day hot news topic of the day. Of course,

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Speaker 1: he's the founder of the Big League. All right, J

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Speaker 1: mack A bunch of things to hit you with. Let

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Speaker 1: me start with the Lakers, um, I said, Look, they're

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Speaker 1: built on defense and hunter points allowed the first game

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Speaker 1: eight yesterday. Were you more impressed by Anthony Davis or

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Speaker 1: by their defense. I'm gonna lean on the defense. You're right.

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Speaker 1: They gave up thirty six points in the first quarter

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Speaker 1: of Game one, and yesterday in the first half Okay,

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Speaker 1: they give up thirty nine points. I mean they locked in.

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Speaker 1: Damian Lillard had no room to operate. And let's be real, Portland,

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Speaker 1: which has looked good in the bubble offensively, essentially had

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Speaker 1: two guys, you know, Carmelo Anthony looked like the wash

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Speaker 1: thirty whatever year old superstar he is, and it was

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Speaker 1: basically Lillard and c J. And when they were not available,

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Speaker 1: Portland had nothing to do. Lakers defensive phenomenal, but props

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Speaker 1: to Anthony Davis as well. You notice he didn't fade away,

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Speaker 1: doug he didn't settle for the jumper. He attacked the

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Speaker 1: rim relentlessly. Just all around great performance. Listen, this is

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Speaker 1: why I predicted the Lakers would sweep Portland, not that

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Speaker 1: garbage effort in game one. Okay, let's go of the Clippers.

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Speaker 1: Who will play tonight? How big a buyer are like,

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Speaker 1: do you think they're in trouble here in a series

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Speaker 1: which is one one, but very easily they could be

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Speaker 1: down Oh two? Yeah, No, I'm with you, it could

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Speaker 1: be O two. And I just I'm curious as to

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Speaker 1: the state of mind of Paul George. You never want

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Speaker 1: to read too much, but I'm sure you saw his Instagram.

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Speaker 1: He posted, like, what the bleep is everybody talking about?

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Speaker 1: Stop coming after me? He was four for seventeen and

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Speaker 1: gave you know, he gave two. He did not look

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Speaker 1: good at all and he couldn't guard. Luca couldn't stay

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Speaker 1: in front of the twenty one year old. I think

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Speaker 1: he'll be locked in. I would assume Kawhi Leonard will

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Speaker 1: be up to the challenge. If they're not, Uh, this

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Speaker 1: could be a series that goes six or seven, like

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Speaker 1: everybody thought would take the Lakers. Maybe Dallas is live

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Speaker 1: in this and has it has a shot because Lucas

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Speaker 1: just unguardable right now. Okay, I was impressed by Houston.

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Speaker 1: I saw some big time defense being played. I also,

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Speaker 1: I'm realistic they're playing against a really young Oklahoma City team.

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Speaker 1: Um that that kind of collectively, you know, shipped the

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Speaker 1: bed when he got to the four with Courter and

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Speaker 1: they had a lead. Dennis Shrewder trying to go one

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Speaker 1: on one and they just don't have enough offense if

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Speaker 1: Chris Paul can't get a step. But I wasn't, I

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Speaker 1: would I'd be lying if I didn't say I was

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Speaker 1: super impressed. Um, should I be? You know Robert Covington

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Speaker 1: is a guy who is really covered in this league,

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Speaker 1: one of these three and D characters who could kill

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Speaker 1: you on the wing and then lock you down. But

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Speaker 1: you're right, I think they had eight deals in Game two.

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Speaker 1: James Harden actually playing defense again against Gallinari, which is

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Speaker 1: which is one thing. Let me see them do that

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Speaker 1: in the next round against Lebron. Let me see them

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Speaker 1: do that against Anthony Davis and I'll be impressed. But

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Speaker 1: they do look like a problem right now, Doug. I

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Speaker 1: do wonder, Okay, they look so good in these two

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Speaker 1: games without Russell Westbrook. We know he's a ball dominant,

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Speaker 1: mid range shooter. I just wonder what's going to be

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Speaker 1: their state of mind when he comes back. Is he

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Speaker 1: gonna upset the apple cart? We know Harden has not

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Speaker 1: really worked with everyone. We know Russ had his issues

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Speaker 1: with Paul George and Kevin Durant, who was the superstar.

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Speaker 1: I'm is to whether or not they take a step

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Speaker 1: back when Russ returns. Okay, NBA Draft lottery last night,

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Speaker 1: if you're the Minnesota Timberwolves, what do you do? I

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Speaker 1: go Anthony Edwards, the shooting guard out of Georgia, I

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Speaker 1: know people are gonna push LaMelo Ball. You may even

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Speaker 1: push LaMelo Ball, but I I think D'Angelo Russell and

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Speaker 1: LaMelo Ball would fight. You know, if that was the

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Speaker 1: backcourt in the preseason and it would carry over into

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Speaker 1: the season. I don't think that would work for LaMelo Ball.

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Speaker 1: He's the big story at the draft. I think it's

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Speaker 1: a match made in heaven with him and Michael Jordan's

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Speaker 1: Michael Jordan's uh, LaVar Ball LaMelo. I mean this is

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Speaker 1: you know, you know, the Hornets need to sell tickets badly,

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Speaker 1: and you know their backcourt as a couple of dogs,

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Speaker 1: right DeVante Graham, Kerry Rogier, those guys, They're not willing

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Speaker 1: to give up positions easily. I think LaMelo fits third.

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Speaker 1: I can't see him operating in the Golden State Warriors system.

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Speaker 1: Um you know. I mean maybe they take a chance

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Speaker 1: on him and say, hey, let's go ultra small with

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Speaker 1: really three guards Andrew Wiggins as a four. But I

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Speaker 1: don't know if Steve Kart's Steve Kurr is ready to

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Speaker 1: go that radical. But I have Anthony Edwards going on,

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Speaker 1: so they have a decent nucleus, right Edwards cat uh

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Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley. Remember they got him in

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Speaker 1: the trade with Denver. He's a nice young shooter. You're

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Speaker 1: going Malik Beasley. I mean that's that's really again of

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Speaker 1: the game changer. I'm with you on LaMelo. Like, look,

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Speaker 1: I actually think he could be good with the Warriors

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Speaker 1: as a developmental guy because he really likes to pass

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Speaker 1: and and their culture of working on your game and

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Speaker 1: your shooting could only really help him. But I I

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Speaker 1: also think that you the gist that you get is, hey,

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Speaker 1: they want to win in the next kind of three years.

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Speaker 1: And that's the thing about the draft. Most drafts guys

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Speaker 1: aren't going to help you for three years and then

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Speaker 1: this draft guys are are you know, very far away? Um,

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Speaker 1: even after those top three, Um, even after this, especially

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Speaker 1: after those top three from helping you right away? Okay, Um,

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Speaker 1: last thing, Milwaukee Bucks dominate the Orlando Magic. Are we good? Now?

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Speaker 1: We all said that's just the Bucks with one stinker?

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Speaker 1: Or was Game one a sign of things to come? No?

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Speaker 1: I think they're fine with Orlando, Doug, but I do

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Speaker 1: if you look at Chris Middleton, I mean it's he

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Speaker 1: was like one for eight shooting he's now shooting, I

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Speaker 1: believe from the field in this series, like, this is

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Speaker 1: a problem if he's your number two guys, Okay, and

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Speaker 1: the next round you're gonna be facing eight Miami team

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Speaker 1: that has a lot of offense. I don't know about you,

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Speaker 1: but I'm just over the top on Tyler Hero, Duncan Robinson,

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Speaker 1: Jimmy Bucketts. I like this Miami he team a lot.

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Speaker 1: Milwaukee can just destroy Orlando, that's fine, but they are

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Speaker 1: going to have major problems with Miami. Bam at a

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Speaker 1: Bio can match up with your honest, you know, not

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Speaker 1: nobody can stop your honest, but he's gonna get his.

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Speaker 1: But Bam out of Bio is is a good young

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Speaker 1: player defensively, and I think Miami can push or beat

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Speaker 1: the Bucks in the next round. Last thing, why do

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Speaker 1: you think the ratings are down for the NBA playoffs?

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Speaker 1: So this is you can't you can't this can't make

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Speaker 1: this a last one? Uh you know it doesn't help

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Speaker 1: that Mark in the East New York obviously, Chicago in

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Speaker 1: the Midwest l A before Lebron got there was pretty

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Speaker 1: awful home but but New York was not in the

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Speaker 1: playoffs last year. Chicago is not in the playoffs last

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Speaker 1: year year to year down ESPN. Why do you think

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Speaker 1: that is? I I listen, it's a confluence of events.

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Speaker 1: It's not one thing. People uh going more to watch

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Speaker 1: politics as America is in trouble. Uh. You know, obviously

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Speaker 1: the social issues don't always help. But again, I just

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Speaker 1: find it hard to believe that an NBA fan who

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Speaker 1: maybe play fantasy goes to games gambles on games. It's

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Speaker 1: all of a sudden saying hey, they got black lives

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Speaker 1: matter on the court. I'm not watching, Like I just

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Speaker 1: I don't buy that. I mean, maybe one or two people,

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Speaker 1: but I'm not buying these gabrone is on Twitter who

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Speaker 1: are pushing that angle. It's a lot of factors at

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Speaker 1: play um and I think there will be helped once

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Speaker 1: the big markets get better. And uh, you know, the

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Speaker 1: super teams emerged once again because their ratings were great

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Speaker 1: when the Warriors made that run to the finals. Must

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Speaker 1: Set V Straight Fires the podcast you can hear every

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Speaker 1: morning thanks to my good friend Jason McIntyre. Jack, thanks

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Speaker 1: for doing us on our ball all right, My thanks

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Speaker 1: to Jason McIntyre again. That podcast is Straight Fire, which

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Speaker 1: you can download on a daily basis on about thirty

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Speaker 1: minutes long Jason and the founder of the Big Lead

426
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,080
Speaker 1: as well. Okay, so maybe a couple of thoughts on

427
00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:26,440
Speaker 1: the NBA draft. Look, I I'm not gonna hold LaVar

428
00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,600
Speaker 1: against LaMelo, all right, Nor am I gonna here hold

429
00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:36,359
Speaker 1: Alonzo against LaMelo um Because here here's what we'll do.

430
00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,880
Speaker 1: We'll say, hey, look, Alonzo was a good athlete, went

431
00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,040
Speaker 1: to the NBA, got some legit strength training, became a

432
00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,199
Speaker 1: very very good athlete and a dynamic defender, which he

433
00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,479
Speaker 1: wasn't at at U c l A or in high school.

434
00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,000
Speaker 1: They just pressed and reached and it wasn't good fundamentals

435
00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,920
Speaker 1: or whatever. And so you'll say, okay, well, why can't

436
00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,200
Speaker 1: same thing happen to LaMelo? Okay, so if the good

437
00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,440
Speaker 1: can happen to LaMelo, why can't the bad as well?

438
00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,600
Speaker 1: And here's what I mean. A Lonzo obviously has always

439
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:05,399
Speaker 1: shot the ball wrong side of his face and he's

440
00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:06,720
Speaker 1: kind of moved it over a little bit to the

441
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,000
Speaker 1: middle of his head, but he still struggles with his shooting.

442
00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,720
Speaker 1: I know. We think of now part of the Lamello

443
00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:16,159
Speaker 1: thing with the shot percept field goal percentages is he

444
00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,320
Speaker 1: takes a lot of bad shots. But he's not a

445
00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,520
Speaker 1: great finisher. And his brother is not a good finisher,

446
00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,200
Speaker 1: and he's not a very good shooter. Look at the numbers,

447
00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,840
Speaker 1: the raw data when he played in Australia. Don't watch

448
00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:30,359
Speaker 1: the highlights, watch the actual game. Still bad shots, shies

449
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:34,119
Speaker 1: away from contact, not a great finisher, doesn't want to

450
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:38,120
Speaker 1: play defense. Now, all of that skill is great, but

451
00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:42,320
Speaker 1: I am yet to find an all time great NBA

452
00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:48,200
Speaker 1: player who isn't at their core tough as motherfucker right,

453
00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,440
Speaker 1: Like they're just doesn't exist. Tell me the guy where

454
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,199
Speaker 1: he's like Larry Bird is a like a's like almost

455
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,320
Speaker 1: like a killer. You know, he walked in the three

456
00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,200
Speaker 1: points you didnt kind does which when you guys finished

457
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,560
Speaker 1: in second he was a trash talker. He wasn't trash.

458
00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,639
Speaker 1: He was a ship talker, right, magic at all. Smile magic,

459
00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,240
Speaker 1: Isaiah Thomas. Those guys are killers. Lebron one of the

460
00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,680
Speaker 1: reasons that other guys in the league and former pros.

461
00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,399
Speaker 1: You know, I had Mario Elion when I was hosting

462
00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,040
Speaker 1: this week, who was like, man, I'm all about Jordan's mentality.

463
00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:22,199
Speaker 1: Like Lebron still wants to win. He's just seen as

464
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:26,359
Speaker 1: two nice, but he's he doesn't shy away from physicality.

465
00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,080
Speaker 1: And I understand you're just a kid, but I just

466
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,679
Speaker 1: I would caution you about LaMelo, which he does. He

467
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,280
Speaker 1: might lack that mentality where Anthony Edwards does not. Now,

468
00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,080
Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards may not have the skill or the vision

469
00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:46,040
Speaker 1: and may ultimately not become what LaMelo could become. But

470
00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,360
Speaker 1: I think it's worthy of at least a a bit

471
00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,679
Speaker 1: of a discussion, right that that, Like, hey, dude, this

472
00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,199
Speaker 1: dude is tough as hell. And the LaMelo thing. I

473
00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,000
Speaker 1: do think he's actually helped by his brother, Like well,

474
00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,080
Speaker 1: you know, we were in denial of his like his

475
00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:08,080
Speaker 1: brother has not his brother really hurt Alvin Gentry one

476
00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,760
Speaker 1: of the reasons Alvin Gentry got fired. Let's just kind

477
00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:16,280
Speaker 1: of be honest. Um. I like Anthony Edwards because his mentality.

478
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,639
Speaker 1: I don't think Onyeka and Gangu, who's played at USC,

479
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,560
Speaker 1: I don't think he's a true number one pick worthy guy.

480
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:31,080
Speaker 1: But he's like he's going to be a starting big

481
00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,080
Speaker 1: in the league or worst case scenario, a six man

482
00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,040
Speaker 1: big in the league for fifteen years. He blocked shots,

483
00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:41,359
Speaker 1: he makes shots, He's got no baggage, Oh yeah. By

484
00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:46,000
Speaker 1: the way, he too went went went to Gino Hills. Um,

485
00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,159
Speaker 1: I'm much bigger on him than than others are. I

486
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,200
Speaker 1: would also tell you that there's they're killy and Hayes

487
00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,399
Speaker 1: is a point guard who's much more skilled as a shooter,

488
00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,760
Speaker 1: a little bit more refined, also has played pro basketball.

489
00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:01,960
Speaker 1: Who I actually, I don't like his vision as much

490
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,960
Speaker 1: as I like the vision of of LaMelo Ball, but

491
00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:08,879
Speaker 1: I like every other part of his game and the

492
00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:13,119
Speaker 1: toughness more than I like LaMelo Ball. So somebody's going

493
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,520
Speaker 1: to get themselves a really, really good player. Cole Anthony

494
00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:17,840
Speaker 1: has a great toughness. I just he's not a guy

495
00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,800
Speaker 1: that people like to play with. But I do think

496
00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,680
Speaker 1: that he'll He's got a chance to have, at worst,

497
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,679
Speaker 1: at worst, an Austin Rivers type of career at worst,

498
00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,479
Speaker 1: where like Austin Rivers is a guy that kind of

499
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:36,280
Speaker 1: a different dude, but Austin Rivers is still an effective

500
00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,400
Speaker 1: off the bench scoring guard. That's what I think Cole

501
00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:43,160
Speaker 1: Anthony can become. But for the LaMelo ball people, I'm

502
00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,320
Speaker 1: not gonna hold his dad against him or his brother

503
00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,159
Speaker 1: against him. But if you want to tell me that

504
00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,560
Speaker 1: his brother could develop his body, So Lamel couldn't develop

505
00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,439
Speaker 1: his body. I'm okay with that as long as you

506
00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,280
Speaker 1: as long as you understand that his brother hasn't developed

507
00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,840
Speaker 1: a finishing game and hasn't it still is not a

508
00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,120
Speaker 1: good enough shooter. And if you actually watched LaMelo play

509
00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:04,679
Speaker 1: and didn't watch highlights, you'd be like, wow, he his

510
00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,320
Speaker 1: body needs a lot of work and his shot needs

511
00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,399
Speaker 1: a lot of development. And he's lacking that toughness that

512
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 1: the best of the best have. And if you think

513
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,760
Speaker 1: that they're not going to come at him, it doesn't

514
00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,600
Speaker 1: mean that he can't do it, that he's not skilled.

515
00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,760
Speaker 1: He's taller than his brother, he's super skilled. He has

516
00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,760
Speaker 1: good vision, he's not not scared, he's got confidence, but

517
00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,280
Speaker 1: he shies away from from physicality. He doesn't play defense.

518
00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,000
Speaker 1: And some of it's bad shots, but some of it

519
00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:31,399
Speaker 1: is he's just not a good enough shooter at this

520
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,560
Speaker 1: point in his career. Can that be fixed as opposed

521
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,080
Speaker 1: to his brother, where they've we've really struggled to find

522
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:40,399
Speaker 1: a fix for him. One last thing and this is important,

523
00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:46,200
Speaker 1: So Carmelo Anthony hit some shots in the NBA's regular season.

524
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,919
Speaker 1: If you will, and people said you were all wrong

525
00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:55,040
Speaker 1: about Mellow. I think the answer is yes and no. Okay,

526
00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:59,119
Speaker 1: we're two games into the playoffs and Carmelo Anthony is

527
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:03,000
Speaker 1: four of seven in from the field for seventeen. Now, again,

528
00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,199
Speaker 1: in all fairness, he had one really bad game and

529
00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:11,280
Speaker 1: just an okay game. But the point about Mellow is

530
00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,679
Speaker 1: not could he actually play basketball or could he make shots?

531
00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,200
Speaker 1: Was he willing to accept a tertiary, tertiary or even

532
00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,440
Speaker 1: lower role? Previously the answer was known not really. And

533
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,600
Speaker 1: then the two things that hold him back from a

534
00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:32,280
Speaker 1: championship caliber team reaching out to him was one, could

535
00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,800
Speaker 1: he would he guard anybody? And the answer is not really.

536
00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,360
Speaker 1: They don't play any defense, so you know. And two,

537
00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:42,200
Speaker 1: when you're older, when you're in your mid thirties and

538
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,240
Speaker 1: your past your prime, you can't bring it every night.

539
00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:50,440
Speaker 1: What is the percentage of seven games in which you

540
00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,040
Speaker 1: have your A caliber game? And the answer is, well,

541
00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,640
Speaker 1: we're two into a seven game series and he hasn't

542
00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,720
Speaker 1: had an a caliber game yet. He had a b

543
00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:04,800
Speaker 1: ighness and a d game. And and so if you

544
00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,520
Speaker 1: want to ask yourself, why didn't the Lakers pick him up?

545
00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:11,280
Speaker 1: It's reasonable the Lakers need offense, but the Lakers built

546
00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 1: this team on defense. I think there was some concern

547
00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:17,520
Speaker 1: whether or not because they're such close friends that and

548
00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:22,280
Speaker 1: this happened with you know, this happened with Lebron previously,

549
00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,160
Speaker 1: where they're really close friends. But do you want them

550
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,400
Speaker 1: to be such good friends? He doesn't paying attention like

551
00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,760
Speaker 1: with Dwayne Wade. He doesn't pay attention to anybody else

552
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,760
Speaker 1: in the team, like you gotta be one. Lebron's already

553
00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:38,760
Speaker 1: his own enterprise. He's already such a superstar, so recognizable,

554
00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,680
Speaker 1: it's ridiculous. Lebron is already there. But to alienate him

555
00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:44,240
Speaker 1: from the TV more by bringing in one of his

556
00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,360
Speaker 1: best friends, I don't think they thought would work. And

557
00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,640
Speaker 1: then the idea of like, hey, can Lebron handle or

558
00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:56,280
Speaker 1: can Carmelo handle coming off the bench that they're they're

559
00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:01,600
Speaker 1: already bringing Kyle Kuzma off the bench. The idea is

560
00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,240
Speaker 1: that you know, you be eating up some Acusmas minutes.

561
00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,200
Speaker 1: It just wouldn't work. But at the end of the day,

562
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:13,440
Speaker 1: the real reason that older players get passed over by

563
00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,840
Speaker 1: teams is one they haven't played a role where they're

564
00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,120
Speaker 1: coming off the bench or limited minutes, and they struggle

565
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,560
Speaker 1: with that role. Some that's probably true with Carmelo two

566
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,600
Speaker 1: you got. Nowadays you have to be if you went

567
00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,280
Speaker 1: through four, you gotta be able to guard somebody. If

568
00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,040
Speaker 1: you can't get that gets exposed. And when you get

569
00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:30,760
Speaker 1: to the higher level, and the playoff is a higher

570
00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:35,280
Speaker 1: level now all of those any flaw you have gets

571
00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,600
Speaker 1: even more pronounced. And so to the people who shouted

572
00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:44,600
Speaker 1: on the rooftops, you're wrong about Mellow. No, we were right.

573
00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,680
Speaker 1: No one said he sucked or that he couldn't play

574
00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,640
Speaker 1: in the NBA. Can can he help you win a

575
00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:55,400
Speaker 1: playoff series or several playoffs series? And the answer does

576
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,720
Speaker 1: not appear to be yes. Right, Zach Collins is out,

577
00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,840
Speaker 1: he's in a boot. They can't go small and play

578
00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,680
Speaker 1: Mellow at the four because, dude, he has no shot

579
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:09,240
Speaker 1: against Anthony Davis. He has no shot against Lebron none. None.

580
00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,800
Speaker 1: That's just the reality of it. Be sure to catch

581
00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,640
Speaker 1: the live edition of the Doug gott Leap Show weekdays

582
00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,080
Speaker 1: at three pm Easter noon Pacific. All Right, Kurt Healen

583
00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,400
Speaker 1: joins us UH. He's the lead NBA writer Managing editor

584
00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:26,880
Speaker 1: for NBC Sports dot Com. Um, Kurt, coming into the playoffs,

585
00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:28,440
Speaker 1: Who are the two teams you thought were going to

586
00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,400
Speaker 1: be in the finals. I had the Bucks coming out

587
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:34,240
Speaker 1: of the East and the Clippers coming out of the West.

588
00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:40,240
Speaker 1: And I'm still sticking with the Bucks, although I kind

589
00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,720
Speaker 1: of just heard you talking Boston. Boston always scared me.

590
00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:47,000
Speaker 1: They were the team that if if, if Milwaukee wasn't

591
00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,560
Speaker 1: firing on all cylinders. I'm with you. I think they

592
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,080
Speaker 1: maybe are a player way, but I really like them,

593
00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,200
Speaker 1: and I really like I like versatile teams in the playoffs.

594
00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,520
Speaker 1: I like teams that can can get their offense in

595
00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:02,000
Speaker 1: variety of ways, can switch on defense, and that's what

596
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:05,360
Speaker 1: they That's what Boston brings. I mean, Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatub.

597
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:06,960
Speaker 1: I mean then now they're without Hayward for a while,

598
00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,120
Speaker 1: which hurts um, but you know, Kemba Walker and then

599
00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:13,280
Speaker 1: Marcus Smart up top. Like they can throw a variety

600
00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:15,640
Speaker 1: looks at you. You mentioned really great coaching with Brad

601
00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,320
Speaker 1: Stevens putting those guys in the right positions. I just

602
00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,960
Speaker 1: like the way they're constructed. They're a dangerous team. I'm

603
00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,760
Speaker 1: just not can if the Bucks are defending well, they're

604
00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,320
Speaker 1: tough and they basically comes down Boston's gonna have to

605
00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,920
Speaker 1: nail a bunch of threes above the break. If they

606
00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,680
Speaker 1: do that, they're in there. They can absolutely repeat them.

607
00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:38,520
Speaker 1: Um um, let's let's discuss the Lakers. Do they What

608
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:41,920
Speaker 1: holds you back about the Lakers? Just enough offense, Lebron

609
00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:44,280
Speaker 1: being a little along in the tooth, not buying into

610
00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,680
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, the all of the above, like where where

611
00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:51,600
Speaker 1: are you in the Lakers? I it was almost a

612
00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,640
Speaker 1: coin foot for me between the Lakers and the Clippers. Again.

613
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,880
Speaker 1: I went with the Clippers on paper before they started

614
00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,600
Speaker 1: because of brisatility, and I have not seen the defense

615
00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:00,200
Speaker 1: from them that I saw from the Lakers in the

616
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,240
Speaker 1: second game of their series. I haven't. They just haven't

617
00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:06,440
Speaker 1: been together enough. I just say they haven't shown cohesion.

618
00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,120
Speaker 1: Cohesion would imply that they were all together at some point.

619
00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,680
Speaker 1: It didn't get the chance to. They've been so banged

620
00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,960
Speaker 1: up and guys missing time, and now you know you've

621
00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:19,880
Speaker 1: got Patrick Beverley missing time. The Lakers as much as

622
00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,400
Speaker 1: it just it's a little bit of the island of

623
00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:26,560
Speaker 1: misfit toys on paper. They play for Lebron, and they

624
00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,280
Speaker 1: play for Frank Vogel, and they play hard, and they've

625
00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,480
Speaker 1: been smart about the defense. They're a long team and

626
00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:36,680
Speaker 1: it really causes trouble defensively for teams. And you know,

627
00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,680
Speaker 1: I at the end of the day, it becomes about matchups,

628
00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:43,000
Speaker 1: especially when you get deep in the NBA playoffs. It's

629
00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,800
Speaker 1: just you know, and the Lakers can run. It's the

630
00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:48,640
Speaker 1: last five minutes of a close game. I'm just running

631
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,560
Speaker 1: a whole lot of Lebron James Anthony Davis pick and

632
00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,600
Speaker 1: roll and saying good luck, stop that. And I'm not

633
00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,480
Speaker 1: sure that there's an answer for that around the league.

634
00:33:56,560 --> 00:34:00,200
Speaker 1: So I'm not. I am sold that they are very good.

635
00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:02,840
Speaker 1: I love that their defense is back, and I mean,

636
00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:04,080
Speaker 1: if I had to pick the day, I'd say they're

637
00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,400
Speaker 1: playing better than the Clippers. But I'm too stubborn to

638
00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,239
Speaker 1: move off my pick yet. No, that's okay. I'm a

639
00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:09,960
Speaker 1: little stubborn to move off my pick as well. And

640
00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:11,840
Speaker 1: I know that the Clippers are playing without Pat Beverley,

641
00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,640
Speaker 1: who is kind of their heart and soul, and I

642
00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,480
Speaker 1: do think he makes them a little different. I don't know,

643
00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,640
Speaker 1: if you know, I I don't know if the Reggie

644
00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:20,600
Speaker 1: Jackson thing didn't screw him up. That sort of feels

645
00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,799
Speaker 1: like to me, I'm not I'm with you. I'm not Look,

646
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,239
Speaker 1: Reggie Jackson's fine in the regular season for fifteen minutes

647
00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:29,840
Speaker 1: a night or something off the bench and whatever. I

648
00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:32,960
Speaker 1: don't want him out there in crunch time minute to

649
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,560
Speaker 1: a playoff game and playing heavy minutes in a playoff game.

650
00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:38,400
Speaker 1: And that's kind of just where the Clippers are. Okay,

651
00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,280
Speaker 1: let me let me let me ask you about about

652
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:45,239
Speaker 1: the Rockets. Um any potential for the Rockets? They're like I,

653
00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,560
Speaker 1: I gotta be honest with you. I have been impressed,

654
00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:50,759
Speaker 1: not just with the defense, but also like they look

655
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:52,279
Speaker 1: like a legit team, and a lot of these teams,

656
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,440
Speaker 1: I think there's gonna be better chemistry. They're spending more

657
00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:57,719
Speaker 1: time around each other, there's less nonsense or whatever. Um

658
00:34:57,760 --> 00:34:59,640
Speaker 1: So I'm kind of impressed by the Rockets. I don't

659
00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,239
Speaker 1: know if I'm impressed enough to think they can win

660
00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:05,440
Speaker 1: a series, but I do think they'll be a hard out.

661
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:08,319
Speaker 1: Is there any team buying into what the coach is

662
00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:12,399
Speaker 1: selling more than Houston right now? Like this they went

663
00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,160
Speaker 1: with just not even you know, everybody's calling it microball

664
00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,200
Speaker 1: because you know you're you're doing p J. Tucker for

665
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,560
Speaker 1: large stretches at the five and Robert Covington. It's not

666
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,600
Speaker 1: even not even guys who were genuinely centers. They're like

667
00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:26,600
Speaker 1: their roster has completely bought into this is what's going

668
00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:28,520
Speaker 1: to happen, and this is what we need. We can

669
00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,600
Speaker 1: make this work, and this is gonna be fun. They

670
00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:34,000
Speaker 1: are having each other's backs and then you got into

671
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,160
Speaker 1: it there there. But I wasn't ever worried about them

672
00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:39,239
Speaker 1: being able to score. I mean that James Harden guy

673
00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,960
Speaker 1: is pretty good at that. Um, he sets guys up like,

674
00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:45,080
Speaker 1: I wasn't worried about their ability to get buckets. But

675
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:49,080
Speaker 1: the defense was always the question, and they've been The

676
00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:53,200
Speaker 1: effort has absolutely been there. They've been sharp at their rotations,

677
00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:56,160
Speaker 1: they've been as physical. They've been physical. You think you

678
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,319
Speaker 1: can just it's not simple like, oh you know what,

679
00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:00,040
Speaker 1: I got small guys out there, we'll just throw in

680
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,759
Speaker 1: the post. You try to move p J. Tucker out

681
00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:06,319
Speaker 1: of the post. Well here, here's here's here's the thing

682
00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,520
Speaker 1: about so so, I got a chance to coach a

683
00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:10,960
Speaker 1: couple of years ago in Israel and the Maccabi games. Right,

684
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:15,080
Speaker 1: it's like the okay and so um, you know it's interesting.

685
00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:16,680
Speaker 1: I went over there and I had two big guys.

686
00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,319
Speaker 1: And so we played the Israel under twenty two national

687
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:21,160
Speaker 1: team and we're down eighteen nothing to start the game,

688
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:23,360
Speaker 1: and I'm like, holy sh it, I don't know what

689
00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:25,560
Speaker 1: I'm doing, right, Like I thought, I knew how to coach,

690
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:27,600
Speaker 1: and I didn't know what I was doing. And then

691
00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,879
Speaker 1: I was like, all right, we got the first thing

692
00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:32,120
Speaker 1: is you gotta get off the sny. We gotta score.

693
00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:34,640
Speaker 1: So I took my two big guys out and I

694
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:39,480
Speaker 1: decided to play small, and um, we climbed back in

695
00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,920
Speaker 1: the game within four in the second half, and it

696
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,160
Speaker 1: was a scrimmage and our best player rolled his ankle,

697
00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:46,360
Speaker 1: and then I was just like, all right, let's just

698
00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:51,759
Speaker 1: play everybody whatever. But I ended up playing in the player,

699
00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:54,520
Speaker 1: you know, throughout the thing, and playing mostly small, and

700
00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,439
Speaker 1: then adjustined, occasionally using one big guy and then two

701
00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,640
Speaker 1: big guys and toggling my lineup. But what I learned

702
00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,960
Speaker 1: about coaching small ball was a couple of things I'd

703
00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:05,479
Speaker 1: already known, and a couple of things that I thought,

704
00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:07,440
Speaker 1: and a couple of things I had no idea, And

705
00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,719
Speaker 1: I think Houston already knew all these things. And discovering

706
00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,400
Speaker 1: first of all, when you're smaller, you're allowed, especially in

707
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:15,440
Speaker 1: the post, you get away with a lot more Defensively,

708
00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:18,120
Speaker 1: you just do like the big guys always get called

709
00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:20,400
Speaker 1: for a push off, for an elbow or whatever, for

710
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,040
Speaker 1: no fault of their own. They're just big. Big guys

711
00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:24,880
Speaker 1: don't get the calls the way the guards do. So

712
00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,200
Speaker 1: the first thing is you can be crazy physical when

713
00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:30,080
Speaker 1: you're small. Second of all, you end up switching a

714
00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,399
Speaker 1: lot of times. You'll switch everything when you're playing small ball,

715
00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:37,200
Speaker 1: and it's really hard to run offense when you're small.

716
00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,040
Speaker 1: When when when you're when they're switching everything, it's really hard.

717
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,880
Speaker 1: You gotta have a very well designed, uh designed offense,

718
00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:45,560
Speaker 1: and you gotta be able to take advantage of the

719
00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:49,319
Speaker 1: switches with rolls and post ups and slips and that

720
00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,600
Speaker 1: that that's a very difficult thing to do. And then offensively,

721
00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:56,320
Speaker 1: while you you may take more jump shots, and sometimes

722
00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,040
Speaker 1: even if you don't have a better shooting team, I

723
00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:00,239
Speaker 1: always feel like you're gonna shoot a better percentage because

724
00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:02,759
Speaker 1: you have more guys that can naturally handle the ball

725
00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:05,839
Speaker 1: and naturally make passes. And the last thing is, and

726
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,120
Speaker 1: this is something that Oklahoma City has fallen victim too,

727
00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:10,759
Speaker 1: is you know, the whole year you work on your

728
00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,759
Speaker 1: sets and your offense and this and that, and what

729
00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:15,600
Speaker 1: happens is when you have one big guy, they have

730
00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,880
Speaker 1: Steven Adams, and they have all small guys. You become

731
00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:21,439
Speaker 1: fixated on throwing the ball into low post, even though

732
00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:24,640
Speaker 1: you never played that way the whole year, right, and

733
00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,480
Speaker 1: you stop running offense, you stop doing anything. And oh, yeah,

734
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:29,399
Speaker 1: by the way, when your big guy gets way more

735
00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:32,480
Speaker 1: touches than he Steven Adams are getting twice three times

736
00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:36,399
Speaker 1: made touches that he normally gets, he's exhausted. So now

737
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,799
Speaker 1: he's not making the shots he normally makes. And now

738
00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:41,640
Speaker 1: he's not defending the way he normally defends because he's

739
00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:44,040
Speaker 1: getting the ball so much more because we think he

740
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,080
Speaker 1: has a mismatch every time down. Those are some of

741
00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,320
Speaker 1: the things I learned coaching small ball. Actually, that's really fascinating.

742
00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:51,960
Speaker 1: And I think that the idea that you start to

743
00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:53,600
Speaker 1: get out of your game plane because you want to

744
00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,279
Speaker 1: attack or get out of what you're comfortable and best doing,

745
00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:57,880
Speaker 1: because you're like, oh, this is how we have to

746
00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:00,640
Speaker 1: beat them gets you is what gets you in trouble. Right,

747
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:02,880
Speaker 1: Like you you start to think, oh, we're gonna do

748
00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:05,640
Speaker 1: Steven Adams. You should not be running your offense through

749
00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:07,360
Speaker 1: Steven Adams. And I, by the way, I love Steven

750
00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:09,640
Speaker 1: Adams as a player, like I love he remains the

751
00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,799
Speaker 1: best stuff, a racky player in the NBA. There's there's

752
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:15,799
Speaker 1: your game of throw um. But he's like I love,

753
00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,880
Speaker 1: I love him playing, but he's not the guy I'm

754
00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:20,799
Speaker 1: running my offense through. That's not what he brings to

755
00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:24,239
Speaker 1: the table. And then you've got the James Harden is

756
00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:27,440
Speaker 1: a really good post defender. You're long in the lower body,

757
00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:29,879
Speaker 1: You're not moving him. They've got You've got to pick

758
00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:32,320
Speaker 1: the right guys. It's not that easy to just post

759
00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:34,239
Speaker 1: guys up. And then again, if you're getting away from

760
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:38,040
Speaker 1: what you do, you're in trouble. I'm serious. What happens

761
00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,680
Speaker 1: to Houston when they went into teams the Clippers like

762
00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:43,160
Speaker 1: to post Kauai Lebron James is a beast in the post.

763
00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:45,400
Speaker 1: Like there are teams that can cause them problems with

764
00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,040
Speaker 1: those players. But it doesn't seem to be Oklahoma City. No.

765
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,279
Speaker 1: I think I think Kauai will have a field day.

766
00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,719
Speaker 1: People forget that Kauai was he was he was a

767
00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:58,280
Speaker 1: center growing up, and he's a very refined post scorer,

768
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:01,120
Speaker 1: and those same those same match ups are not those

769
00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:03,960
Speaker 1: are not good, Like James Harden's a good post defender,

770
00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,759
Speaker 1: Kawhi learns an excellent post score that that could get

771
00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:10,600
Speaker 1: ugly in in a hurry. Do you look any differently

772
00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:13,759
Speaker 1: on Joannice after seeing him that. I know they ride

773
00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:16,239
Speaker 1: the ship in game two, but game one some of

774
00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:18,680
Speaker 1: the old warts, the misfree throws, the miss three pointers,

775
00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:20,920
Speaker 1: the lack of feeling of what to do and when

776
00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:23,200
Speaker 1: to do it. We saw it once in the regular season.

777
00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:27,160
Speaker 1: Does that change how you view Joannice at all? Not terribly,

778
00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:31,719
Speaker 1: although if we see those same issues. If if we

779
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,040
Speaker 1: see then he hasn't grown, and frankly that the Bucks

780
00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 1: haven't grown and they get bounced by the Celtics or whomever. Toronto,

781
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,560
Speaker 1: we should we keep sleeping on Toronto. We should not

782
00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:43,319
Speaker 1: be sleeping on Toronto. They might be the best team

783
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:46,840
Speaker 1: in the bubble right now. Um, then I'm going to

784
00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:48,719
Speaker 1: have my questions, like at some point I need to

785
00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:50,080
Speaker 1: see it, but I'm not going to take it for

786
00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:52,480
Speaker 1: just one bad first game against Orlando and he had

787
00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:55,319
Speaker 1: some rough spots in the bubble Durning this year. But

788
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,799
Speaker 1: but I'm watching like I am. Did this team? Did

789
00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:02,520
Speaker 1: Mike Boutinholser? You know they've always went into trouble. All right,

790
00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:04,680
Speaker 1: we're gonna wall off your honest we're gonna put three

791
00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:07,279
Speaker 1: guys there. Are you gonna beat me with plan B?

792
00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:10,919
Speaker 1: And they started to in game two? Um, but that's

793
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:13,200
Speaker 1: against the magic. I need to see it against better teams.

794
00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:15,200
Speaker 1: I need to see them adapt because they certainly didn't

795
00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:18,399
Speaker 1: in game one. Yeah, where where are you with with

796
00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,440
Speaker 1: with Toronto? I I everybody likes them. I like them.

797
00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:24,200
Speaker 1: I'm blown away by how but but what's happened with

798
00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:29,960
Speaker 1: Fred van Bleet's career? Um? But I also I'm also

799
00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,919
Speaker 1: realistic in that generally in the playoffs, you do need

800
00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:35,840
Speaker 1: that seemingly need that alpha to kind of carry you

801
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,600
Speaker 1: over the threshold, which they had last year. What are

802
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:41,719
Speaker 1: your thoughts on this version of Toronto? I think it's

803
00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:43,839
Speaker 1: I think I'm with you here, which is I look,

804
00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,400
Speaker 1: they're playing great defense right now, they know how to

805
00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:50,640
Speaker 1: score as a team. Um. Pascal Siakam has stuffed up

806
00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:52,880
Speaker 1: into a kind of a poor man's Kauai type of

807
00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,959
Speaker 1: role for them from last year. Um, you know, Kyle

808
00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:58,920
Speaker 1: Lowry's Kyle Lowry. Yeah. Their defense is just sharp. The

809
00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:03,399
Speaker 1: rotations are sharp when it gets down to the final foot.

810
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:05,760
Speaker 1: You know, for eight four teams in the East, maybe

811
00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:08,160
Speaker 1: final two teams, and I can really the other team

812
00:42:08,239 --> 00:42:10,520
Speaker 1: is good enough to take away that stuff. You know,

813
00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:12,880
Speaker 1: Kauai just got his shot. You end up meeting a

814
00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:16,160
Speaker 1: guy who can just go get his shot. So why

815
00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:18,400
Speaker 1: the Warriors winning got Kevin Durant at the end, at

816
00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:21,360
Speaker 1: the end of the day, as good as Steph Curry

817
00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:23,120
Speaker 1: and all of them were, they needed one more guy

818
00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,200
Speaker 1: to just don't get his shot in the half court.

819
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:27,600
Speaker 1: I'm just not sure they have that guy right now.

820
00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:31,640
Speaker 1: That that is ultimately, I think they're undoing. And every

821
00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:33,560
Speaker 1: time I say that, I've been selling them short. Oh

822
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,640
Speaker 1: you're due, and I've been wrong, Oh you're so. I'm

823
00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:38,920
Speaker 1: starting to take by Spurs feeling with them, which is,

824
00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:41,120
Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't gonna say the Spurs missed to

825
00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:44,359
Speaker 1: the playoffs so they were mathematically eliminated on the last day.

826
00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:48,839
Speaker 1: I'm starting to do that with Toronto. Um. Okay, last thing. Um,

827
00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:51,680
Speaker 1: Has there ever been a less hyped draft class than

828
00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:56,279
Speaker 1: this draft class? No, I don't. Is there is there

829
00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:58,080
Speaker 1: any times? He was like, yeah, it's just been I

830
00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:00,000
Speaker 1: that people are trying to make stars out of these

831
00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,640
Speaker 1: ice right, you're trying to be Melo ball has the

832
00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:06,960
Speaker 1: Mono ball does have potential. Moo ball shot might be

833
00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:10,080
Speaker 1: worse than l like it's it is worse than Alonzo's

834
00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:13,759
Speaker 1: right now, Alonso just come along, So yeah it does.

835
00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:17,040
Speaker 1: Does Alonzo hurt lame? And I mean, let me look,

836
00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:19,960
Speaker 1: I think he helps him from the Alonzo wasn't seen

837
00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:22,919
Speaker 1: as a he wouldn't play he didn't play defense until

838
00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:24,759
Speaker 1: he got the NBA, and he's become a really good

839
00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:28,279
Speaker 1: defensive guard. Um and he's his body has changed and

840
00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:31,080
Speaker 1: develop and he's become a really good, a very good athlete.

841
00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:34,399
Speaker 1: So there is that for LaMelo where he's long now

842
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:36,680
Speaker 1: and he does lack kind of muscle tone. He doesn't

843
00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:39,520
Speaker 1: seem like he's he's a great athlete. But maybe on

844
00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:45,160
Speaker 1: the other hand, like he Alonzo can't finish, neither can LaMelo.

845
00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,080
Speaker 1: He doesn't seem like contact and LaMelo just doesn't have

846
00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:52,280
Speaker 1: He's also didn't make a high percentage of shots. Granted

847
00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:55,640
Speaker 1: you're playing against men, but some of the shot selection,

848
00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:57,160
Speaker 1: but some of it. As you point out, he's gonna

849
00:43:57,160 --> 00:43:59,799
Speaker 1: have to fix his shot, and then there's just so

850
00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,800
Speaker 1: much he has to learn, like his his brother where

851
00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:05,360
Speaker 1: you know, like I don't think his brother's out of

852
00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:07,080
Speaker 1: the league, but to go from the number to pick

853
00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:10,120
Speaker 1: to being one of the reasons Alvin Gentry gets fired

854
00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:12,920
Speaker 1: is a massive drop off. I just I wonder if

855
00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:16,759
Speaker 1: if if Alonzo helps or hurts his brother. It's a

856
00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:19,440
Speaker 1: good question Alonzo is I think Alonzo at this point

857
00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:22,160
Speaker 1: is like a solid rotation NBA player, Like I you know,

858
00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:26,080
Speaker 1: he's fine, but he certainly wasn't in the you know,

859
00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:28,000
Speaker 1: the worst thing that happened to him in his career

860
00:44:28,040 --> 00:44:31,360
Speaker 1: might have been Magic Johnson at his pressctory press conference,

861
00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:33,960
Speaker 1: you know, saying, oh your remember, we expect you to

862
00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:35,920
Speaker 1: be up there on the on the with all these

863
00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:39,640
Speaker 1: other retired numbers. That said. I think it hurts him

864
00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:43,560
Speaker 1: or well, I mean, I think this is what hurts him. Alonzo,

865
00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,600
Speaker 1: for all his flaws, is a gym rat. Alonso puts

866
00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:49,960
Speaker 1: in the work Like that's not really the question around

867
00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,400
Speaker 1: the league? Does LaMelo? The real question with him? And frankly,

868
00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:56,919
Speaker 1: and he's not the only guy in the stress class.

869
00:44:56,960 --> 00:44:59,680
Speaker 1: The real question is will he put in the work

870
00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:03,880
Speaker 1: or is he just kind of an Instagram sensation and

871
00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:06,480
Speaker 1: expects to be that way and is going to learn

872
00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:09,319
Speaker 1: some hard lessons in the pros or is he is

873
00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,440
Speaker 1: he going to grind like he's going to need to

874
00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,880
Speaker 1: grind to to maximize that potential. And where you follow

875
00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:17,240
Speaker 1: on that scale is what you think of of Lamello.

876
00:45:18,200 --> 00:45:21,279
Speaker 1: It's a great point. Well, listen, I really I love

877
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:23,279
Speaker 1: your stuff at of course you can check it out

878
00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:26,479
Speaker 1: NBC Sports dot Com, fom on Twitter at Basketball Talk. Kurt,

879
00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:28,200
Speaker 1: thanks so much for spending some time of this year

880
00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:30,560
Speaker 1: in the All Ball Podcast. Thanks for having me on.

881
00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:32,680
Speaker 1: Don't take care of yourself, but stay healthy. Man. All right,

882
00:45:32,680 --> 00:45:37,680
Speaker 1: it's Kurt Healing, Lead NBA writer, managing editor, NBC Sports

883
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:42,360
Speaker 1: dot Com. Alright, tune in next week. Well, you know,

884
00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:44,960
Speaker 1: we may get a weekend one in as well, get

885
00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:48,920
Speaker 1: another pot in. But I do think the Lakers are fine.

886
00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:51,880
Speaker 1: I do think the Clippers will they'll figure it out.

887
00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:54,520
Speaker 1: I think Luca is a bad he's a bad boy,

888
00:45:54,840 --> 00:45:57,120
Speaker 1: but they just don't play enough defense yet. I don't

889
00:45:57,680 --> 00:46:00,600
Speaker 1: I'm not buying the Dallas can be this good offensively

890
00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:03,399
Speaker 1: and that bad defensively and beat a good Clippers team.

891
00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:05,120
Speaker 1: I think the Clippers will figure it out. It may

892
00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:07,840
Speaker 1: take him six to do so. I think the Bucks

893
00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:11,240
Speaker 1: will be okay. I offer very limited opinion on Utah

894
00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:14,280
Speaker 1: and Denver. You know, I think Denver is a better team,

895
00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,400
Speaker 1: but man, Spider Mitchell is pretty nasty and now he

896
00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:19,040
Speaker 1: gets Mike kindly back to give him a little bit

897
00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:21,120
Speaker 1: of a breather. Some of it's better with him having

898
00:46:21,160 --> 00:46:22,880
Speaker 1: the ball, some of it's worse. Obviously he learned a

899
00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:26,200
Speaker 1: little bit from Games one to Game two. Um, And

900
00:46:26,239 --> 00:46:27,719
Speaker 1: I like the Pacers in the heat. I think they

901
00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:30,799
Speaker 1: can both. But the Celtics are still my team that

902
00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,600
Speaker 1: can come out of the East, not name the Milwaukee Bucks.

903
00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:37,400
Speaker 1: Just you have a star score in a Jason Tatum,

904
00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:41,560
Speaker 1: you have versatility defensively, and I'm still a believer that

905
00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:44,360
Speaker 1: I don't think Kemba is as good as Kyrie, but

906
00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:47,239
Speaker 1: I think better, dude. They get along better. And I

907
00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:50,040
Speaker 1: will tell you this about Kemba, and maybe it's me

908
00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:51,960
Speaker 1: watching him too much in college and not as much

909
00:46:51,960 --> 00:46:55,200
Speaker 1: in the pros game. On the line, I have just

910
00:46:55,239 --> 00:46:57,360
Speaker 1: as much faith that Kemba can get his own shot

911
00:46:57,480 --> 00:46:59,680
Speaker 1: and make a bucket as I did that Kyrie could,

912
00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:01,080
Speaker 1: and I think they're two of the best in the game.

913
00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:04,279
Speaker 1: So you've got great coaching, You've got good length, versatility.

914
00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:07,319
Speaker 1: I like the Celtics. I still have the Celtics coming

915
00:47:07,320 --> 00:47:08,920
Speaker 1: out of the East. I have the Clippers coming out

916
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:10,920
Speaker 1: of the West, but I am nervous about the Clippers

917
00:47:10,920 --> 00:47:13,000
Speaker 1: because they have not shown the cohesion I thought they

918
00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:16,919
Speaker 1: would show all I thought you would really enjoy both

919
00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:19,960
Speaker 1: perspectives on the NBA from Jason McIntyre, Curt Healing of

920
00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:24,399
Speaker 1: course mine uh and and remember to download, subscribe, and rate.

921
00:47:24,520 --> 00:47:26,720
Speaker 1: Listen to The Doug Gotlip Show daily three to six Eastern,

922
00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,920
Speaker 1: twelve and three Pacific. In the meantime, enjoy the playoffs.

923
00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:32,640
Speaker 1: I think we'll have college basketball talk some bubble talk

924
00:47:32,719 --> 00:47:35,040
Speaker 1: next week as well. I'm Doug Gottlib. This is all

925
00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:35,279
Speaker 1: ball