1 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:17,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to the State of the Lakers on DASH Radio. 2 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Happy Saturday, everybody. I am so sorry I wasn't able 3 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: to be there for the postgame show last night. I'm 4 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: especially thankful for Raj for covering for me, and for Vane, 5 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: who's awesome, one of my favorite people in the business, 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: who always brings really good perspective, and I appreciate that 7 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: he's available to step in and help us when one 8 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: of us has to miss for whatever reason. They did 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: an amazing job breaking down the game last night. I'm 10 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: not gonna dig too much into that game in particular, um, 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: I loved how they got into Lebron and how he's 12 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: starting to look better physically and and the things that 13 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: he's doing on the court to start to make things 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: easier for himself, and the way that he's adapted as 15 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: he's gotten older. I loved how they dug into Austin 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: Reeves and all the little details that make him such 17 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: a good player at a young age. If you guys 18 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: haven't listened to that podcast yet, please do. I appreciate 19 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: them for covering for me today. What I'd like to 20 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: do just too. This is gonna be a really quick 21 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: short pot maybe fifteen twenty minutes. I wanted to dig 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: into the idea of what the Lakers are good at 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: because it's been an extremely frustrating start. Obviously through the 24 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: first you know, to be what is it twenty seven 25 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: games to be fourteen and thirteen with their strength of schedule, 26 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: it's really easy to be a pessimist. But the reality 27 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,839 Speaker 1: is is we've been building towards something. There has been 28 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: good on the horizon. Our guy Pete from Laker Film 29 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: Room tweeted out last night after the game that since 30 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: benching DeAndre Jordan's the Lakers are top ten in offensive 31 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: rating and defensive rating, which is a hallmark for a champion. Now, 32 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: there's some weak opponents in there and some decent opponents 33 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: in there, and obviously we still have a long way 34 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: to go, and you'd like to get a couple of 35 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: wins in Memphis and against the Clippers in order to 36 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: make this feel more legitimate. But without a shadow of 37 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: a doubt, the Lakers are playing better basketball out than 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: they were last month, So there is a silver lining 39 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: there and we are progressing in the right direction. But 40 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 1: I wanted to really talk about what we're good at 41 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: and when you combine that with understanding where areas of 42 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: opportunity are, you can kind of start to paint a 43 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: picture of what the Lakers are gonna look like when 44 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: they really start to get going, when the ball really 45 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: really starts to get rolling. So to start, you have 46 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: to understand what we're bad at. Obviously you can look 47 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: at just by watching the team. You can be frustrated 48 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: with some of the lineup decisions that we've made in 49 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: in months past, although Frank I think is really trended 50 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: in the right direction in that regard, and you can 51 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: talk about some personnel decisions and our lack of forwards 52 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: and things along those lines, But in terms of what 53 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: has actually happened on the court that I can narrow 54 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: down our flaws to two key things, and they break 55 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: down into a couple of different stats. So, for starters 56 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: were dead last and contested shots per game. Tracking stats 57 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: are a little bit tricky. I'm not a huge fan 58 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: of them because they're flawed, But given the fact that 59 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: we're second in pace, for us to be dead last 60 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: and contested shots per game is a huge red flag. 61 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: What that tells me is more often than not, when 62 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: the offense when there, when the opponent runs a little 63 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: bit offense and they get a decent look. We're more 64 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: likely to just concede the shot than we are to 65 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: make some extra effort or attempt to cover for a 66 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: teammate get a hand up and make someone feel uncomfortable. 67 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: That's a problem that directly relates to the fact that 68 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: we've underachieved defensively compared to the way we were in 69 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: previous years. We're dead last and defensive box out percentage 70 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: according to the NBA's tracking data. We box out the 71 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: other team less than anybody else in the entire league. 72 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: That's a huge problem. That's again directly related to the 73 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: fact there were twenty four and defensive rebound percentage. Frank 74 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: has consistently complained that defensive rebounding has been a problem 75 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: for the team. We all know it has just by watching, 76 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: and we're not even doing the work the box out. 77 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: This isn't a matter of we don't have enough size 78 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: on the floor. This isn't a matter of you know, 79 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: guys even Cray sing, we're just not boxing out. That's 80 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: a huge problem. So in addition to that, we don't 81 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: take care of the basketball or four and turnover possession 82 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: a percentage a lot of that has to do with 83 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: Russ and Lebron and continuity. Anytime you change out a 84 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: lot of players, it's turnovers kind of come with the processes. 85 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: Guys really start to feel each other out, and then 86 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: we don't this too. These are two. These two are 87 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: completely related to each other. We give up the fifth 88 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 1: most fast breakpoints per one hundred possessions. Now that's part 89 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: of that's turnovers. When you turn the ball over, the 90 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: team starts running the other way. But a lot of 91 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: it's jogging, and some of it's that line up decision 92 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: from Frank to consistently play two bigs, which puts our 93 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: team foot speed below a certain threshold to where fast 94 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: teams can really just run it up and down on 95 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: us and get a lot of easy shots. But if 96 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: I had to take all of those stats and kind 97 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: of combine them into two concepts, we don't value possession 98 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: of the basketball in terms of offense and taking care 99 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: of the ball, and in terms of defense. After you 100 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: get a stop, finishing the action by getting the rebound, 101 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: and then we don't finish plays defensively. You make a rotation, 102 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: not sticking a hand up, not contesting the shot, make 103 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: not making that extra rotation, not making that out of 104 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: area play to contest a shot, which will directly lead 105 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: to lowering opponent field goal percentages and getting you more 106 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: stops which will help you get out in transition. And 107 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: then after the shot goes up and misses, grabbing the rebound, 108 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 1: boxing someone out getting that rebound we do. We do 109 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: not finish plays well, and we don't value possession of 110 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: the basketball. Those are two biggest flaws right now in 111 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: my opinion. The good news is those are fixable flaws. 112 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: There's no point in us talking about forward depth. There's 113 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: no point in us talking about, you know, personnel, when 114 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: the personnel is what it is at this point, you 115 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: know that we there's no point in living in fantasy 116 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: land about what we might be able to do to 117 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: change until we really know what those options are. And 118 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: right now I don't even really necessarily like some of 119 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: the options that have been thrown out, so we kind 120 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: of have what we have. We can fix. However, boxing 121 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: the other team out and taking care of the basketball 122 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: and running back in transition, those are fixable problems. So 123 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: when we combine those fixable problems with what we're good at, 124 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: we can start to have an idea of what this 125 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: team is gonna look like. So here's what we're good at. 126 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: We run the floor on offense. We don't run the 127 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: floor and defense at all, as I just discussed, but 128 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: we run the floor and offense. We're second in pace. 129 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: We're fiveth in fast breakpoints per one possessions. That's really 130 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: important for a bunch of different reasons, but the main 131 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: reason is we are able to generate higher quality shots 132 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: by avoiding the half court as much as possible. This 133 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: directly shows up in our field goal percentages. We get 134 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: good shots. We are six in field goal percentage in 135 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: the league. A big part of that is pushing the 136 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: ball in transition. We are tenth in effective field goal 137 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: percentage in the league. That's again directly related to pushing 138 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: the ball in transition staying out of the half court. Now, 139 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: those numbers may not seem great, but when I say 140 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 1: sixth and tenth, even though that seems low, yet factor 141 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: in the on has missed a bunch of time, and 142 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 1: we shoot about four percent better from the field and 143 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,239 Speaker 1: about four percent better from three when Lebron's on the floor. 144 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: So even factoring that in, we're doing really well in 145 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: terms of our shot quality, and to me, that's all 146 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: about avoiding the half court as much as possible and 147 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: pushing the ball and transition. What I'd like to see 148 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: better process and the half court, sure that are spacing 149 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: better lineups, prioritizing shooting Lebron and a D and rush, 150 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: doing a better job of pressuring the rim. We're only 151 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: twelve and paint points per one possessions. That's not good 152 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: enough for a team that has the type of rim 153 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: pressuring talent that we have. But that's exciting to me 154 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: to see us twelve and paint points six and field 155 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: goal percentage in tent and EFFECTI field goal percentage because 156 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: I know those are gonna go way up. Why because 157 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: not only are we starting to play better, but Lebron's 158 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: consistently in the lineup. You can depend on those numbers 159 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: going up. So it's good to see that we're already 160 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: pretty good in those areas despite Lebron missing time. We're 161 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: already pretty good at pushing the ball in transition, getting 162 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: high quality shots, were already pretty good at pressuring the rim, 163 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: and that's only going to go way up from here. 164 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: Another little interesting stat in their seventh in the league 165 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: in percentage of our three point attempts that are assisted. 166 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: I like that because it means we're not taking bad threes. 167 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: There have been a handful of games, and I've been 168 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: critical of of Lebron in particular for taking a lot 169 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: of really really tough off the dribble threes. But the 170 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: threes that we get in our offense are primarily drive 171 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: and kick or transition running wide open threes. We have 172 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: two of the ten best percentage wise three point shooters 173 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: in the league when they're wide open, for guys who 174 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: have made at least ten in the league. I tweeted 175 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: out those stats earlier. Wayne Ellington and Carmelo Anthony are 176 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: both comfortably over on wide open threes. That's a huge asset. 177 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: So we're doing a good job of pushing the ball 178 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: in transition when we have an opportunity to and kicking 179 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: the ball out to good shooters for good set, balanced, 180 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: high quality three point attempts. That's all very very good. 181 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: We block a lot of shots. We are fifth in 182 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: block shots per game. That's been a staple in the 183 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: Lebron ad era. A lot of it because of Frank's 184 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: defensive schame in the way that we play bigs Um 185 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: but we actually give up a ton of paint points. 186 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: So that's the one thing that's interesting there. What that 187 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: tells me is that when we actually make an attempt 188 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: to protect the rim, we do a good job of 189 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: protecting the rim. The problem is is we don't make 190 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: that attempt often enough or too quick to concede baskets 191 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: around the rim. This is something that Frank has been 192 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: talking about lately in his postgame pressors and his pregame pressers. 193 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: The idea of being early in help. This is something 194 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: that I was very critical of the Lakers of after 195 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: the Memphis game. Memphis did such an amazing job when 196 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: you watched them covering for each other. When one of 197 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: their players would step over to help on a drive 198 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: or on a backcut, there was always another player coming 199 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: in from behind, whether it was Kyle Anderson, whoever, was 200 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: w just come in and make a play, be willing 201 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: to cover for their teammates. I call them out of 202 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: area plays. It's very easy to get kind of tunnel 203 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: vision in your defensives insibility. I'm in charge of this guy. 204 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: I just have to keep him off the glass. I 205 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: just have to keep him out of the lane. I 206 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: just have to take away his open threes. When the 207 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 1: reality is is, again, the goal of defense isn't for 208 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: me to stop you. The goal of defense is for 209 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: my five guys to stop your five guys, and so 210 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: we have to be more willing to make out of 211 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:21,359 Speaker 1: area plays. That's a big, a big point of emphasis 212 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: that I've been pushing this season. What what that shows me? 213 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 1: Again in those numbers, when we're giving up as many 214 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: paint points as we are, we're too often covering for 215 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: each other, but not covering for each other additional times 216 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: in the same possession, Those multiple efforts, guys willingness to 217 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 1: leave their man to help a teammate, that's not good enough. 218 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: It's a big area of opportunity for us. We turn 219 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: the other team over. We are tenth and opponent turnover percentage. 220 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: That's pretty good. Um, we're six and points off of 221 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: turnovers when you factor in how poor we've been in 222 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: other areas of defense. That's exciting to me. That's an 223 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: indicator of defensive talent. Us turn earning the other team over, 224 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: getting steals and getting out in transition off of that. 225 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: That to me is what happens when you have guys 226 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: like th ht on the floor, who has super long 227 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: arms and is super active and disruptive on the ball. 228 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: When you have Avery Bradley on the floor, who's a 229 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: ball pressure guard who makes UH primary initiators uncomfortable. When 230 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: you have Anthony Davis and Lebron incredible back line defenders 231 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: on the floor, or reason coming in is gonna make 232 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: that better. Russ had a bad defensive game last night 233 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: and no case. But for the most part as of late, 234 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: he's been trending in the right direction and he can 235 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: be flat out disruptive. When I see that when we're 236 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: turning the ball over and we're getting out in transition 237 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: and scoring on those turnovers, that's exciting to me. We 238 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: are starting to put together some pieces here that are working, 239 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: and you could tell we we undercut ourselves in a 240 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: lot of ways. Like I said, for you to be 241 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: six in field goal percentage even without Lebron, for you 242 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,199 Speaker 1: to be sixth and field goal percentage in ten and 243 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: effective field goal percentage, but to be a bottom ten offense, 244 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: I think we're twenty three in offense right now. What 245 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: does that tell you? That tells you that we're hemorrhaging possessions, 246 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: because when we have possession of the basketball. We're getting 247 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: out and we're getting good shots, but too often we 248 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: don't even get a shot attempt because we turn over 249 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: the basketball. Too often. We score, but the other team 250 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: gets additional possessions because we are not securing a defensive rebound. 251 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: That that was the huge problem in the Memphis game. 252 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: I think between turnovers and offensive rebounds, we had nearly 253 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: thirty possessions that were hemorrhages at hemorrhage. I can't remember 254 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: the exact numbers. I know we gave up fourteen offensive rebounds, 255 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 1: but there was like twenty two turnovers. You're talking thirty 256 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: six possessions that are hemorrhage. It doesn't matter if you're 257 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: a high field goal percentage team or high effective field 258 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: goal percentage team. When you're hemorrhaging possessions like that, you 259 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: have to take care of the basketball or none of 260 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: this works. You have to finish defensive possessions or none 261 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: of this works. But again, the exciting part, we have 262 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: good offensive process. We avoid the half court, we pushed 263 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: the ball in transition, and we don't take crazy, stupid 264 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: off the dribble three's. We've worked the ball around for 265 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: high quality catch and shoot threes. We're doing an okay 266 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: job pressuring the rim, even though there's a lot of 267 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: room for improvement there, and just in general we have 268 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 1: we have good process in the possessions that we value. 269 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: We defend well up until the end of defensive possession. 270 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: So if we can put the cap there, if we 271 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: can contest a few more shots and box out more frequently, 272 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: it will help us get more stops, which will help 273 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: every other area of the game, help us get into 274 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: out and transition even further, help us apply even more 275 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: rim pressure. It will cascade into all those other areas 276 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 1: of the game. It's encouraging that we're doing as well 277 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,199 Speaker 1: as we are in those areas. When you factor in 278 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 1: all of those other things that we talked about, there's 279 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: an identity shaping up here. It's a little bit of 280 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: a tweak on our identity, a little more transition play, 281 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: a little more shooting, but the core of the identity 282 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: turning the other team over, trying to get transition opera 283 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: tunities when they're there. The Lakers were not a consistent 284 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: fast breaking team, but they did fast break on defensive 285 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: stops and turnovers. That was an area where they were good. Again, 286 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: it's it's a modification of that identity, but you can 287 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: see it kind of starting to take shape. They just 288 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: have that they have to ditch the games like Memphis, 289 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: where all of those little things and all those little 290 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: details get way on the back burner and we don't 291 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: do the dirty work and then we end up struggling. 292 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: The last thing I wanted to talk about today was 293 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant. I just wanted to It is only gonna 294 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: take couple of minutes. I just wanted to give him 295 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: a little shout out. You know, Kevin Durant is an 296 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: interesting kind of figure in this in this timeline, because 297 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: you had the foot injury in two thousand fifteen, and 298 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: then you have him nearly win the title in two 299 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: thousand sixteen, you know, just some some Russell Westbrook mistakes 300 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: and some poor shooting nights on his part, then honestly, 301 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: just really good Warriors basketball that cut him short. Then 302 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: you have this weird, funky phase where he's in Golden 303 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: State where he's winning but people really aren't giving him 304 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: credit for it, which is not necessarily fair, and then 305 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: he suffers a really really bad injury. He's had a 306 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: rough go of things and as a result, Steph Curry 307 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: has just been more available and more you know, whatever 308 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: you wanted to however you want to characterize it. He's 309 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: just had more team success. Him and Lebron have kind 310 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: of separated themselves from him, and so he kind of 311 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: gets put on the back burner a lot. I thought 312 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: he deserved unequivocally to be the best player in the 313 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: league after losing to Milwaukee last year. I think when 314 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: you go head to head with a guy like that 315 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: and you clearly outplay them, even when the result doesn't 316 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: come out your way, which was clearly a result of 317 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: injuries as we saw James Harden could barely move and 318 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving was out of the lineup. I thought he 319 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: firmly had a grasp as the best player in the 320 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: world out of the playoff run last year, with Joannice 321 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: having a reasonable case, obviously, but I thought Kevin Duran 322 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: had the best case, and then this season Steph Curry 323 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: has gotten all the shine and I do personally believe 324 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: that's the best player in the world right now. It's 325 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: something I've discussed. I think Lebron is starting to creep 326 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: his way back into that discussion again, and Janice is 327 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: very much hitting his stride right now. I think he 328 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: had forty one on like nineteen shots again last night, 329 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: so he's looking great as well. It's a crowded field 330 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: up there. Joannice, Katie Lebron, and Steph are all kind 331 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: of up in that up in that range. But Kevin 332 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: Durain is having a very underrated season, and I wanted 333 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: to give him some credit because the truth of the 334 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: matter is he's been dealt a really, really bad hand 335 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: of cards. Okay, not only with the injuries and all 336 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: the things that I just discussed that have derailed varying 337 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: points of his career, but he comes to Golden he 338 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: comes to Brooklyn to build something new, you know, on 339 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: his own volition, where he is the centerpiece and he 340 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: is the architect, and quite frankly, he did a damn 341 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: good job of it. You know, even when we were 342 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: all super critical of the Kyrie Hardened Katie trio, we 343 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: were proved clearly wrong when that team was just steamrolling 344 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: everybody and was beating the living ship out of Milwaukee 345 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: before Kyrie sprained his ankle. He he did it right 346 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: over there. And then Kyrie goes down and James Harden 347 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 1: pulls his hamstring and the wheels come off, and then 348 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: he nearly hits a series cleansing clinching shot, but by 349 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: an inch his toes over the line. And then you 350 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: come into next season and Kyrie Irving won't get the 351 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: vaccine and he can't play, and James Harden, for whatever reason, 352 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: even though he had a whole summer to rehab the hamstring, 353 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: comes into the season overweight, looking his steps slow, really 354 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: struggling with the officiating changes. Now he's starting to to 355 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: pick back up and get back to his former self, 356 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: and James is starting to look great, and that's part 357 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: of why Brooklyn is looking so good. But the point 358 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: is is, like Brooklyn has had, Kevin Durant and Brooklyn 359 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: have had plenty of excuses to not be as good 360 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: as they have been. Look at the Lakers. The Lakers 361 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: have played an incredibly weak schedule, the Western Conference is 362 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: wide open outside of Phoenix and in Golden State they 363 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: have They've done nothing but make excuses for their poor play. 364 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant has had those same excuses, and he just 365 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: hasn't made them. All he's done is just be available 366 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 1: every night and play some of the best basketball of 367 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: his career. I've always been critical of him for not 368 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: embracing the defensive end as much of his peers as 369 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: his peers have this season, he's doing it. He's protecting 370 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: the rim. Last night he literally was guarding Trey Young 371 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: and crunch time, disrupting him, causing him serious problems, rushing 372 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: him and forcing him to make decisions before he wanted to. 373 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: Took a bunch of bad shots at the end of 374 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: the game. Kevin Durant is playing arguably the best basketball 375 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: of his career. He's flying a little bit under the 376 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: radar right now, but I wanted to give him some 377 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: credit because again, he has all the excuses in the world. 378 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 1: He has every reason to not be doing what he's doing, 379 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: and people would cut him all the slack in the world, 380 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: but he's just not taking that as an opportunity to 381 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: make excuses. He's taking it as an opportunity to step 382 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: up and carry his team. And I think I think 383 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: we're headed for an epic playoff run. We've had unfortunate 384 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: circumstances where big guys have missed playoff runs in recent years. 385 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: Right like a two years ago, it was like Lebron 386 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: and Janice, We're in it. James Harden was in it, 387 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: but Katie and Steph were on their couches with injuries. 388 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: And then last year it's like Janice and k d 389 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: are in it, but James Harden's on his couch, or 390 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: was on his couch until he tried to to play 391 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: when he was hampered, and Steph Curry and Lebron James 392 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: are on their couches. So all these guys were missing 393 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: for various reasons, unfortunate reasons, and we're finally heading for 394 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: this epic playoff run and I'm hoping that everyone stays healthy. 395 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: Knock on wood, but you're you should see Kevin Durant 396 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: with his own team healthy and in the in the postseason, 397 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: Lebron James and his own team healthy and in the postseason, 398 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: Steph Curry with his own team healthy in the postseason, 399 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: and Janice with his own team healthy in the postseason. 400 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: I'm really excited to see how that shakes out. It'll 401 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 1: it should be a much a much more you know, 402 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: depth of competitive like a much more competitively deep playoff 403 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: field than we've had in recent years. And I'm very excited. 404 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 1: But again, I just wanted to give Kevin Durant um 405 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: some credit for for the way he's playing. I think 406 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: I think that, you know, especially for a guy like 407 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: me who has been very critical with him over the years. 408 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 1: I just wanted to to pay him that compliment. So 409 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: we'll be back tomorrow night for the postgame show after 410 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: after the Orlando game. UM, My grandfather passed away yesterday, 411 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: so I will be flying to Iowa for a funeral 412 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 1: on Tuesday. So I will likely end up missing the 413 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: Wednesday night game because I probably won't be back until 414 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: pretty late on Wednesday. That obviously remains to be seen. UM, 415 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: so rog is gonna have to cover from me again. 416 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: And then my high school team has a game on 417 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: Friday next week. UM, and the Lakers play on Friday 418 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,360 Speaker 1: as well, so I'm gonna be missing. I'll be there 419 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: for the Sunday post game show, but I'm gonna be 420 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: missing the Wednesday and Friday post game shows next week. However, 421 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: I am going to try to do these little during 422 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: the day shows on the off days so that at 423 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: least I can give my perspective on those games. Because 424 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: I will obviously watch them, I just won't be able 425 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: to watch them live. UM. As always, we sincerely appreciate 426 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: you guys, support this. Uh, this particular pod won't be 427 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: on dash Radio because it's the weekend, but it'll be 428 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: on our podcast feed on Saturday night at midnight for 429 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: all of you guys to listen. Thank you guys so much. 430 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we'll see you 431 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: on Sunday night.