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You're at the volume. 27 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: Hapfy Thursday, everybody. Hope all of you guys are having 28 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: a great week. We have a very special guest today. 29 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: After the Clippers dropped six consecutive games post James Harden trade, 30 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: they have recently ripped off ten of their last thirteen, 31 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: including a bunch of really impressive wins. And we're bringing 32 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 2: on Law Murray, friend of mine who covers the Clippers 33 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 2: for the Athletic and also shares the distinction of being 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: the first guest on Hoops Tonight who I have played 35 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: and won multiple basketball games with, which is very cool. Well, 36 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: how's it going, man, It's good to see you. 37 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: It's good to see you too. Man. I'm glad that 38 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: you know we're getting a chance to do this. Shout 39 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: to my guy Jova, because I know, you've been doing 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot with him and the crazy 41 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: team he's got over there, so it's yeah, I'm privileged 42 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: to be in the space. 43 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, the Clippers and Lakers have definitely been heavy on 44 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: the entertainment this year, so obviously turning point of the season, 45 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: the Clippers send out their forward depth, albeit aging forward 46 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: depth in Nick Patoom and Marcus Morris, and in the 47 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: in getting James Harden in return. Really struggled to start, 48 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: especially on the offensive end, especially on the glass, but 49 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 2: they've rounded some things out. They've won ten of their 50 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: last thirteen. I just want you to start by just 51 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: telling us, you know, from thirty thousand feet, how you 52 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: felt about the hard and trade in general and what 53 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 2: it's done for this team. 54 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: I was so neutral about the whole situation because I 55 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: was on it from almost the jump, Like when James 56 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: opted into his contract. You know, shortly after that, I 57 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: got word that James is trying to come to the Clippers, 58 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: like he's talking to the guys about getting to the Clippers, 59 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: and my mind went, you know, James would be great 60 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: on the Clippers. Like the Clippers that just let Eric 61 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: Gordon go. So I knew that where there's some smoke, 62 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: there's some fire. You know. Eric Gordon was a player 63 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: that the organization really liked from the front office standpoint, 64 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: and Toron lu had a big role for Eric Gordon. 65 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: He had him start when Paul George's knee buckled the 66 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: wrong damn way against the Oklahoma City Thunder and March, 67 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: and even before that, when Marcus Morris was out for 68 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: a Northern California trip, it was Eric who got to 69 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: be the starter in his place, and I thought that 70 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: was I just thought that was interesting because Eric is 71 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: obviously not as big as Marcus Morris's. He's a stout player, 72 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: but he's not you know, he doesn't have those forward dimensions, 73 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: at least the big FOURD dimensions, because Eric was starting 74 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: at the three when he was with Houston last year 75 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: before the trade, and so I thought from a basketball standpoint, 76 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: in a vacuum, it was going to be like, Okay, 77 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: I can see how he fits. He's a big guard. 78 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: The organization likes big guards, the one to two type 79 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: type of guards. And then you look at defensively. I 80 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: know Damian Lillard's name was out there, but I was 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: like I would if I'm the Clippers I've been preferring 82 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: to get James because James is bigger and a guy 83 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: who playing with Kawhi and Paul, you can do more defensively. 84 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: And that might seem surprising the people who love to 85 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,679 Speaker 1: attach themselves to narratives about how well a player fits 86 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: a defense, But like James Harden could fit the Clippers' 87 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: defense better than Damian Lillywood. In hindsight, looking at the 88 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: Maulkey Bucks defense, you can see where I might be 89 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: getting at with that. On the other hand, there's a 90 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: reason James was available. There's a reason James has the 91 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: narrative that follows him from place to place. And then 92 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,119 Speaker 1: you're wondering, Okay, so how is he going to handle 93 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: adversity because there will be adversity. There is already adversity 94 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: with the Clippers because they're feeling the heat of wasting 95 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: years of the era of Paul and Kawhi being on 96 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: that team. Like when they got there, they were young 97 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: ish and ready to descend, but now they're in the 98 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: end of their second contracts respectively with the team. How 99 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: does a guy who is angling to get out because 100 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: of his contract situation fit into all that? What does 101 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: that do for Russell Westbrook because Russell Westbrook. The only 102 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: reason he got to the Clippers is because the Clippers 103 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: donated all their point guards at the trade deadline, and 104 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 1: Paul George loudly and Kawhi Leonard less loudly but so 105 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: prominently suggested that the team needed to get another damn 106 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: point guard, and Russ showed that he was a much 107 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:07,679 Speaker 1: better fit with the Clippers than he was with the Lakers. 108 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: So you bring in a guy like James Harden and 109 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: we all know there was going to be some conflict there. 110 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: How old was that going to go? It took four 111 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: months or this trade to complete. I thought the trade 112 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: could have been done as early as late June. It 113 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: took until the last day of October for terms to 114 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: be finalized. And then because of all that, James is late. 115 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: You know, he's a month behind everybody else. This team 116 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: came out of trading camp trying to be a Russell 117 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: Westbrook offense. Toront Lu said we're gonna run, we're gonna cut, 118 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: and we're going to defend at the top five level. 119 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: And you could see how that was going to make sense, 120 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: especially when your main fours of Robert Covington and Nicholas 121 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: patom and so James coming there disrupted all that and 122 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: they try to have it both ways. And that's when 123 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: I was like, you're seeing the downsides of this trade immediately, 124 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: but now you're seeing the upside now that they won 125 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: ten of the last thirteen. And yes, it does coincide 126 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: with picking James Harden as the main point guard and 127 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: deciding Russ had to be in the second unit. 128 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really interesting that you brought that up about 129 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: the like not getting the deal done over the summer, 130 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 2: which there's a bunch of different factors there, not the 131 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: least of which was James was being an antagonist with 132 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: the Sixers as well, which is going to throw a 133 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: wrench into things. But like when you lose out on 134 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 2: training camp and you don't get a chance to establish 135 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: those things, it makes it so that you're basically working 136 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: through those issues during the season. And specifically the point 137 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 2: you made about Russ, because like that's the thing is 138 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 2: like Russ fit in super well with the Clippers versus 139 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 2: the Lakers because they desperately needed what he brought to 140 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 2: the table, as opposed to Russ being a redundancy with 141 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: the Lakers and so bringing that pace. But the gist 142 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: of it foundationally though, is having a guy that can 143 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 2: get Kawhi and Paul George in their spots, basically set 144 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 2: the table for them so that they're operating more in 145 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 2: an advantage situation. Like it's crazy watching the Clippers now 146 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: with Russ and James Harden, just how often Paul George 147 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 2: just working with an advantage versus as the guy who's 148 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: initially breaking down the defense. 149 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: Right. 150 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 2: But when you shift to James Harden, it's the same 151 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: kind of style from the standpoint of him setting the table, 152 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 2: but a much more methodical, slower approach, and the Clippers 153 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: have been a much slower paced team after the trade. 154 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: That said, they've done a nice job. I think in 155 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 2: the minutes where Russ comes in the way they're staggering. 156 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 2: It of kind of shifting gears and playing faster when 157 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 2: Russ is on the floor. So, now zooming in on 158 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: Harden specifically as a basketball player, how have you liked 159 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: his fit offensively alongside James Harden and excuse me, alongside 160 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 2: Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. 161 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: I think the fit needed to be established after they 162 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: had two point guards in the starting lineup when James 163 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: got there, Tlu wanted to keep Russ as the main 164 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: point guard and have James be off the ball. It's 165 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: just too many cooks, too many touches that needed to 166 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: be figured out. And the thing with Paul George is 167 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: that Paul is at his best when he knows he's 168 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: got to be that guy, you know, when he's not 169 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: trying to quote unquote glue guy like, yeah, we saw 170 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: him in Dallas like say, I'm going to defend and 171 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: not score and it's like, bro, that's not going to work. Man. 172 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,599 Speaker 1: And so Kawhi is another one where it's like Kawhi 173 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 1: is a guy who he has his rhythm, he likes 174 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: to get the ball, he likes to surve they and 175 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: pick and choose how he's going to attack you. But 176 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,079 Speaker 1: those dudes had to go through hard lessons and adjust 177 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: what they're doing. And obviously the team had to go 178 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: through the hard lesson of James has to be the 179 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: point and Russ has to be the second point guard. 180 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: And that has streamlined everything because Kawhi is on a 181 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: heater right now. And a lot of it started in 182 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: Sacramento when we were up there two weeks ago, and 183 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: it was just Kawhi. We realized that you to get 184 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: to your spot, take five seconds, understand what you want 185 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: to do. How about you just go? You know. It 186 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: was like when I was swooping with you, I was like, Yo, 187 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: you gotta advantage you six to six. Bro, just just 188 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: I can bring it up. But when I get into you, 189 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: just get get into your work. And that's been great 190 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: for Kawhi because James understands where Kawhi is going to 191 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: have the ball. One reason why Kawhi is holding up 192 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: so well playing all these games something that we haven't 193 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: seen since he was in San Antonio. He's not the 194 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: point guard. He's not the guy who's gotta run every 195 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: pick and roll, get everything, get double teamed and still 196 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: have to figure stuff out. Nah, Like you got James 197 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: Harden who can take on It's like when you're a 198 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: running back, instead of having a workhorse, you have a 199 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: running back by a commedie kind of thing. It's the 200 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: same thing here. You got different guys who can handle 201 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: the pick and roll, but one of them is going 202 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: to be tasked with getting the other guys set up. 203 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: And that's what Paul Joy comes in. Because Paul, I 204 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: think has before Kawhi's recent heater. I think Paul was 205 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: doing really well while the team was figuring things out. 206 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: Like Paul has ran more ISOs. Haven't checked recently, but 207 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: Paul is running more ISOs than anyone on the team 208 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 1: and doing it at a pretty high level. And a 209 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: lot of that is just he He's got a bag. 210 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: He can be a scorer. He's one of the few 211 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: guys on the team who can pull up from three 212 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: and catch and shoot, a guy who can get to 213 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: his mid range, gets to the free throw line. I 214 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: like it when he's aggressive going to the paint, and 215 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: if you understand what Paul's been through physically, you can 216 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: understand why that doesn't happen like it did when he 217 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: was in Indiana. But when Paul George gets to the paint, 218 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: the entire team is better and he understands that and 219 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: that has really helped the team. Like everyone else just 220 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: has the roles. If it's a Zubos, you're setting screens, 221 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: you're rolling, expect to get the ball like you have 222 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: a point guard who will get you the ball off 223 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: the screen of the roll. Not that Russell was bad 224 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: at that, but mind you didn't have that many games 225 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: with Russell begin with, and before it, the team basically 226 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 1: acted like the point guard position didn't exist. They were like, 227 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: who needs a point guard? Have Paul and Kwi do it? Yeah, 228 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: that's cool, but that can wear them down and is 229 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: those guys are unavailable. You're not You don't have a 230 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: damn point guard in your team all of a sudden, 231 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: And they didn't like that. They were accepting of that 232 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: when Tevu've got to be the head coach. But at 233 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: this stage of what they're being asked to do, it's 234 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: better to have guys like James Harden and Russell Westbrook 235 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: who can take on the heavy ball handling role and 236 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: let Paul and Kawhi do what they do best. Just 237 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: because you can do something doesn't mean we need to 238 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: see it spammed over the course of a regular season. 239 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: That wears you out. They're being sustained right now because 240 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: of the ballhandlers that they have. 241 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like I look at offenses like three phases. Advantage 242 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 2: creation basically breaking it down when the defense is set 243 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 2: and loaded up on you. And then advantage extending essentially 244 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: like close out attacking things along those lines. And then 245 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 2: play finishing, which is the slashing off of a close out, 246 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 2: you know, vertical spacing or a guy knocking down and 247 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,719 Speaker 2: catching shoot three. And essentially it used to be that 248 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 2: Kawhi and Paul George had all of the offensive initiation piece, 249 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 2: like that initial breaking down of the defense, and now 250 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 2: James Harden and Russell Westbrook are actually taking a lot 251 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: of that duty away and putting Kawhi, Leonard In Paul 252 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 2: George more in positions where they're still going to work, 253 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 2: but they're going to work with an advantage, and they're 254 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 2: going to work already at their spots instead of having 255 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 2: to work their way to their spots with a live grouble, 256 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 2: which is just more challenging. And then, I honestly think 257 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 2: that's reflected a lot defensively, as like I think Kawhi 258 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 2: and Paul George are having insane defensive seasons this year, 259 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: and a big part of it. I love the way 260 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: you broke it down the difference between James Harden and Dame, 261 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,839 Speaker 2: because one of the things the Clippers do is they 262 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 2: basically switch everything that doesn't involve zubats right, And so 263 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: as a result of that, like James's size is actually 264 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 2: an advantage because when he comes off in a switch 265 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 2: he's going to at least provide the physical resistance to 266 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 2: stop a guy from just bowling his way all the 267 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 2: way to the basket, which I think has really helped. 268 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: And then in general, I think having guys like Terrence 269 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 2: Man in Russell Westbrook to take these high leverage point 270 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: of attack assignments has put Kawhi and PG in help 271 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 2: a lot. And those dudes are devastating in help because 272 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 2: they're such good athletes. They read the actions so well. 273 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 2: Like the defensive numbers are actually crazy. So they're fourth 274 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 2: in defense over their last thirteen games. They are now 275 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: up to second and half court defense according to Cleaning 276 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 2: the Glass for the whole season, so they've been the 277 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: second best half court defense in basketball. They are with 278 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: the Lakers, Nuggets, Thunder, and Celtics as the only teams 279 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 2: that are top ten in both half court defense and offense. 280 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 2: They've rebounded way better than I thought they were going 281 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 2: to in their last thirteen games. Are up to fourteenth 282 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: and defensive rebounding percentage, which I think is a testament 283 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: to those guys just playing really hard. They're eighth best 284 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 2: in protecting the paint and they're pretty good at guarding 285 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: the three point line too. Really, the only area of 286 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 2: opportunity is their average transition defense. But other than that, 287 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 2: they've been really good on the defensive end. What are 288 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 2: you seeing specifically that is driving the success of the 289 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 2: Clippers right now? 290 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: On defense? I'll mean to be the general man, but 291 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: mindset is so much a part of defense. And again, 292 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: you play like we've seen each other, play, like you 293 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: understand what it is you want to win. Guys can 294 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: probably score, but the team that wins is the team 295 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: that is dialed in. And defense is not just physical. 296 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: A lot of it is mental, a lot of it 297 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: is understanding what other teams are trying to do to 298 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: attack you. A lot of it is opportunity, possession battle. 299 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: You mentioned the transition defense. You know it's a good 300 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: way to stay out of transition defense. Take care of 301 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: the dan basketball, what your offense does getting to the 302 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: free throw line, because getting to the free throw line 303 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: is a huge part of sustainable defense because you're getting 304 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: guys rest and more than often than not, you're making 305 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: those tree throws and you're setting up your half court defense. 306 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: You're keeping teams out of transition that way, if you 307 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: don't turn them all over. And this team had massive 308 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: turnover issues over the first ten games of the season, 309 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: and a lot of that is play style of certain guys. 310 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: A lot of it is too many ball handlers, and 311 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: a lot of it is simply put, just coming into 312 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: a season where guys are just not sure where they're 313 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: supposed to be. And that's something that I saw the 314 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: previous year when they broke camp with Paul and Kawhi 315 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: but John Wall and Reggie Jackson as a point guards, 316 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: and it was like, this offense is brutal to watch 317 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: because guys are spraying passes all over the place and 318 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: not really organized. They're trying to go small and you're 319 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: thinking small balls great offensively, Well, small ball is not 320 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: so great when you have all of your fours or 321 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: fives who are masquerading in those positions not knowing what 322 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: to do. You have no interior presence. It's the wrong 323 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: kind of spacing. Great, you have five guys you can 324 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: line up behind a three point line, and you have 325 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: nobody who can screen and roll. You have nobody on 326 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: the offensive class. So the team defense, I got to 327 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: give a lot of credit to Dan Craig. Dan Craig 328 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: is a former Miami assistant. He came over with Torondolo 329 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty to be the associate head coach, and 330 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: Dan Craig is just a mad scientist when it comes 331 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: to scheming and helping t Lou adjust defensively to how 332 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: they wanted to either take primary actions away or take 333 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: primary scores away. They do an outstanding job there. And 334 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: when Kawhi and Paul keep repeating in training camp, we're 335 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: trying to be a top five defense, not good. We're 336 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: not trying to be good. We're not trying to be 337 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: as good as we can be top five. Top five 338 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 1: is a specific goal. Like teachers will tell you, guidance 339 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: counselors especially, we'll tell you set some specific time oriented goals, 340 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: and that is a way to make sure that you 341 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: achieve them. And when you say top five, that means 342 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: you are looking at what everyone else is doing and 343 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: measuring it against yourself and holding yourself to a standard 344 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: and being accountable for it. And that has had as 345 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 1: much to do with how they're executing defensively than anything else. James, 346 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: for all of his lack of daisical tape over the 347 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: course of his career, is a veteran in the NBA. 348 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: For of fifteen NBA seasons. He is large, he is handsy, 349 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: like he gets steals every year. And this defense. The 350 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: difference between this defense this year and previous years is 351 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 1: that they have been more active in passing lanes. They 352 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: are up, they are denying more. They are not letting 353 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: teams just do what they want to do. They're more physical, 354 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: which shows up when you see teams shoot poorly against 355 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: the Clippers or portions of the game, it's because you're 356 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: getting hit by them. Dudes. This is not a small team, 357 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: even when you know, even when they don't have a 358 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: visit subots on. These guys are bulky. They're old. They 359 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: got allow old man strength like these He's have been 360 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: in NBA weight rooms for several years. Turnings man is 361 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: the young guy in certain lineup. Dude just turned twenty seven. 362 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: Like these dudes big. He's big, and that wears on 363 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: teams over the course of a game. Now, over the 364 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: course of the season, it's hard to sustain. That's what 365 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: you gotta see. Great, you gotta damn near top five 366 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: defense over the course of the quarter of the first 367 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 1: quarter season. What about the rest of the sixty games 368 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: after we get through these road trips, after we've had 369 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: some attrition with personnel, after teams understand what you're trying 370 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: to do and they can exploit a little bit more. 371 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: That's what I got to see over the course of 372 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: the season. 373 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, specifically the part you said talked about playing passing 374 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:32,959 Speaker 2: lanes more. I think a big part of that has 375 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 2: been having PG and Kawhi off ball more, just because 376 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,239 Speaker 2: of the fact that now with Russ, you're always with 377 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: Terrence and Russ, you have a top tier athlete guarding 378 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 2: at the point of attack, which. 379 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: Is just that, especially to start games exactly. 380 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 2: And that's not to say that Paul George and Kahi 381 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 2: aren't going to be on ball, of course they are. 382 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 2: They have lots of really good possessions in that Kings 383 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 2: game the other night, unlike Herder and Keith and Murray 384 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 2: and stuff like that. But like the main thing that 385 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 2: I see, because I was actually watching the Nuggets game 386 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 2: this morning. It was one that I hadn't had a 387 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 2: chance to watch yet, and so I went back and 388 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 2: watched it this morning, and like, one of the big 389 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: reasons why Jokic missed so many shots in that game 390 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 2: is that you can just see as again their back 391 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 2: pressure that they get on Jamal Murray is a freak athlete, 392 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 2: which is then forcing him to go down further into 393 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 2: the lane to try to get away from that pressure. 394 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 2: And then they got all of these athletes with Kawhi 395 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 2: and Paul George shrinking the floor off the ball and 396 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 2: it's just arms everywhere, and like you could literally see 397 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 2: Jokic changing his shot. How often do you see Jokic 398 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 2: change his shot? He usually has just taken that same 399 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: muscle memory that he's always taken. They legit had him 400 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: feeling uncomfortable. And I think, and I think I have 401 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 2: to I know, a lot of Clippers fans get on him, 402 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 2: and he kind of is the butt of a lot 403 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 2: of jokes on Twitter. But I think I think Zubots 404 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 2: is awesome, and like specifically, he's very active in his 405 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 2: drop coverages. Like he's one of the few bigs that's 406 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 2: like actually good at stepping up and bothering that floater 407 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 2: in that pull up jump shot in the mid range 408 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 2: while also having the ability to get back. And he's 409 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 2: such a unique weapon because he's actually big enough to 410 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 2: bang with Jokic a little bit and to kind of 411 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 2: beat him off of some of his spots. And so 412 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 2: like in a weird way because we're going to talk 413 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 2: about the small ball line up here in a minute, 414 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,120 Speaker 2: and the small ball lineup is definitely an important part 415 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: of this team's identity. But I actually really like the 416 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 2: Zubats groups just because of how good he's been defensively 417 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 2: in their drop coverages. Can you talk a little bit 418 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 2: about Zuebac and what he's done for this team. 419 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: Man, he's the longest senior player in the team. He 420 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: is a guy who he was a baby when he 421 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: got here from the Lakers, and they put him in 422 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: the starry lineup right away. I remember Marching Garzott was 423 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: the starter and March Jim Garzot got faded out of 424 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: the league shortly after that midseason, and he has been 425 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: drilled for years about positional defense. Uh, this is a 426 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: dude who they trusted him switching out Luka Tonsici playoff series, 427 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: which worked for a year and then absolutely did not 428 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:06,239 Speaker 1: work as Luca downloaded that information and got better. Right. So, like, 429 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: Zoo used to be the guy that you benched and 430 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: was like, this is how we're gonna win the playoffs heres, 431 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: We're gonna sit Zoo. But Zoo has become an asset 432 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 1: for this team because his positional defense is very good, 433 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: very reliable. His rim protection is it allows his team 434 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: to be one of the better teams in the league 435 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: at defending just your easiest shots in basketball. If he's 436 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: on the floor, you know that even though he's not 437 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: an explosive athlete by any means, his size is verticality. 438 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: His understanding of how guys want to score over and 439 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: through him. You don't even see Zoo get dunked on. Really, 440 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: he's there early. He understands where to be and how 441 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: to be there, and that's just it's great coaching. But 442 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: it's also a player who is coachable. It's a player 443 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: who has just understood his role. Like it's a player 444 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 1: who's had to listen to Kawhi and Paul for five 445 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: years straight. Now, like those dudes no good defense. Paul 446 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: George was with the verticality goat Roy Ribbert. You know, 447 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 1: Kauhi was playing with Tim Duncan, a guy who annually 448 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: had more blocks than fouls. That's great when your teammates, 449 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: your best teammates are guys who can teach you and 450 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: and and get on you about defense. They hold each 451 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: other accountable. Like, I mean, Zoo foul dearon Fox. I 452 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: think late in the third quarter, I want to say 453 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: it was de Aaron Tuesday night. They're up like more 454 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 1: than twenty damn near thirty, and Kawhi is still glaring 455 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: at Zoo like Jeff steering. Dude. That's where this team 456 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: is at. That's where Zoo is at when those guys 457 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: Kawhi and Paul aren't there, that's Zoo. Zoo is empowered 458 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: to basically tell his team that they're not doing what 459 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: they're supposed to do. I can't tell you how many 460 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 1: times you just throws up his arms as if to say, 461 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: where were you guys? What what was supposed to happen 462 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 1: on this rotation? And yeah, like you know, you're basic 463 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: fans who do nothing but tweek behind a burner account. 464 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,719 Speaker 1: They're probably just gonna, you know, be trolls about it. 465 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: But the real ones know that Vincus Zoobots is not 466 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: an easy player to replace, especially on the contract he's on, 467 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: because the value that you get for twenty five minutes 468 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,680 Speaker 1: a game is not all ever place. So I can't 469 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 1: tell you how many Daniel Gafford mentions I've gotten this year. 470 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: It's like, you guys are are playing way too much 471 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 1: two K or something. Clearly, y'all, I ain't watching the 472 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: Washington Wizards. And that's not even a sight to Gaff 473 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: because Gaff is a decent player. He ain't the reason 474 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: that team has won three games or whatever it's been 475 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: this year. But it is to say what the Vince's 476 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: zoobots can do. I have more issues with his offense, 477 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: but even his offense, he's playing with James Harden, and 478 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 1: James is a great teacher. He is drilling Zoo on 479 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: where to be on picking rolls. And let me tell 480 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: you something, when you're good on offense, that allows you 481 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 1: to be able to play more on defense. It works 482 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,359 Speaker 1: the other way around for a lot of guys. But 483 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: it's like with Zoo, you don't need to worry about all. 484 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: We need more spacing. We need to go smaller. You know, 485 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: we want to talk about small eyes. We're not seen 486 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: as much as we used to see it because they've 487 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: realized and you know what, getting smacked by the Nuggets 488 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: in Denver was a turning point, Jason, I'll tell you 489 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: that much. This team might have leaned in the small 490 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,479 Speaker 1: ball a little bit more, but Daniel Tys is like, 491 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: we need a legitimate backup center with Mason Plumlee rest 492 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: recovering from injury, and we need to play Zoo not 493 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: thirty five minutes because he can't handle that, but twenty 494 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: five to thirty minutes is good for Zoo and because 495 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: he's able to be competent on both ends of the floor, 496 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: that is helping the team be more complete team. 497 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, Daniel Tyson particular has really helped just by being 498 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 2: a semi reliable above the break three point shooter, which 499 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 2: has been kind of a nice touch on this team. 500 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 2: Is something that you haven't seen. You know, you broke 501 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 2: down earlier. The difference between like playing five out and 502 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 2: not having a guy that can screen and roll. That 503 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 2: was super interesting that a lot of people don't understand. 504 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 2: Is like you think, okay, take five offensive players and 505 00:25:58,920 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 2: move him to the perimeter. 506 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: Oh, there's more. 507 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 2: Space, right, Actually there's less space because on the perimeter 508 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: you're all standing closer to each other, and so you 509 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 2: actually do need a guy who will screen and roll 510 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 2: into the open space. Again, all the good five out 511 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 2: teams in the NBA, teams like Sacramento, teams like Golden State, 512 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 2: they are anchored. Even though they run five out, they're 513 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,719 Speaker 2: anchored by a big man who screens on the perimeter 514 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 2: and then rolls so that you can make space for 515 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 2: those guys to drive. And that's why I'm generally like, 516 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 2: I know that the small ball lineup's been successful. And again, 517 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,959 Speaker 2: they're two hundred and fifty two possessions without a center, 518 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 2: plus eleven points per one hundred possessions. 519 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: That's awesome. 520 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 2: They're even rebounding well, they're getting more offensive rebounds than 521 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 2: they're giving up. But I do think in the big picture, 522 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: especially when you think about some of the teams you 523 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 2: have to go through at the top of the Western Conference, 524 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 2: it's good for them to have centers like Tyson and 525 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 2: Zubots just because those guys are, in my opinion, just 526 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 2: a prerequisite to contend against some of the really big 527 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 2: lineups that they're gonna see. I want to talk about 528 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:53,719 Speaker 2: their offense for just a minute, because again this has 529 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 2: been the one disappointing thing is in this thirteen game stretch, 530 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 2: they're still just sixteenth and offense over that span. So 531 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 2: I think it's safe to say I think some of 532 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 2: it is important to acknowledge that some of its personnel 533 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 2: like Terrence Man is another guy that the league tends 534 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 2: to close out short on, just like they do with 535 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 2: Russ And obviously Zubots is not a perimeter scorer, so 536 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 2: like there are opportunities for people to help, but there's 537 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 2: still a ton of offensive skill on the floor with 538 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 2: James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi, Leonard normOn Palace playing really 539 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: well as well. So like with all of that, it 540 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 2: does feel like they're underachieving a little bit. You do 541 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 2: you agree, And if so, what do you think they 542 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 2: can do to improve on that end? 543 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: Make shots and as everybody, that's everybody. Kawhi had some 544 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: nasty games in that stretch before his heater. That's why 545 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: the heater is. People were talking brand new about him 546 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: the game because we've seen Kawhi have some games where 547 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,120 Speaker 1: he's missed ten out of twelve shots or whatever it is, 548 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: like go a hole, you know, go. His clutch time 549 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 1: numbers were awful for a while, like awful for a 550 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: long time until this month. Paul George, like Paul George 551 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: is always good for a stinker every ten days or so, 552 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: like that's that's just what happens. You can't worry about 553 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: him too much because of what he does the rest 554 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 1: of the damn week. But yeah, like every now and again, 555 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: you'll look up and you'll be like, oh, Paul didn't 556 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: make a basket this second quarter. You know, it happens, James, 557 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: it took him a while to act like he had 558 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: permission to shoot the damn ball. It's like, the kind 559 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: of system are you, James, Like they're trying to tell 560 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 1: you to be aggressive and score the basketball. What are 561 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: we doing here? And yeah, I mean Terrence Man is 562 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: a guy who's been in the mid high thirties percent 563 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: edge wise in his career, but he was shooting like 564 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: the disrespect that he was getting from these defenses to 565 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: start this season, you know, like sub twenty percent over 566 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: the course of the first quarter of the year. And 567 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: you could tell that he was still adjusting to a 568 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: new role. He was adjusting to his body. You know, 569 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: he sprained his ankle really badly before the seasons the 570 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: regular season started, and by the time he gets back, 571 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: he's looking at James Arden, knowing his team like you 572 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: can probably tell, like and plus that dude is again 573 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: being asked to guard the premier scorer on the other 574 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: team as his primary assignment, Like you don't know how 575 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: your energy is going to hold up, especially when you're 576 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: getting into the flow of the season. So guys just 577 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: need to make shots. This is a team that is 578 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: a bit too gun shy about certain things. And it's 579 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: not just threes, it's you know, for a while, the 580 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: dudes was missing layups like Zoo was getting blocked by guards. 581 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: Daniel Tice shows that he's a six to eight center 582 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: on the other side of thirty a little bit too often, 583 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: you know, like he'll miss bunnies and that's your backup center. PJ. 584 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: Tucker has made one shot inside the three point line 585 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: this entire time he's been with the Clippers. He's not 586 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: even in the rotation anymore. Kobe Brown, he had a 587 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: dunk for the first time this season in Garbage Times Tuesday. 588 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: I was like, more of that. You know, I'm always 589 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: gonna celebrate dunk his health. Dunk means you can still 590 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 1: do it, you know. James gottisers dunk do the night before. 591 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: I was like, I was asking for it. You know, 592 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: I don't do what the troll dudes. It's like, nah, 593 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: if you're dunking, something went very well either how it 594 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: got there your body's feeling good, like you Yeah, like 595 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: difference between laying it up and dunk, and it's like, 596 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: always dunk, That's what I always say. And so I 597 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: think that you're going to see some regression to a 598 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: certain mean, And it's not a regression to the mean 599 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: as far as how the league's playing or how this 600 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: team's playing this season. It's a matter of these guys. 601 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: We've seen them play over the course of multiple NBA seasons. 602 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: We know that, hey, Russell Wesbrok probably won't shoot the 603 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:46,479 Speaker 1: three as well as he did last year. We saw that. 604 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 1: But we also know that Terrence man ain't gonna shoot 605 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: twenty percent from three. He might not reach mid thirties 606 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: this year because it's been so bad to start, but 607 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: he's going to approach the level of shooter that made 608 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: him the high floor player that he is, that made 609 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: him the valuable player that he is. So you're already 610 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: seeing it. Those offensive numbers are looking better in December 611 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: where they're undefeated than they were in the November portion 612 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: of the year, where you know, yeah, you know, you 613 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: can start it with James's four point play, but when 614 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: they were in that five and seven stretch, they lost. 615 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: You know, they lost three of those games, right, so 616 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: you know they didn't look very good in those three games. 617 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: They've had some wins where they beat the Mavericks. They 618 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: blew the Mavericks out, but that was a defensive win. 619 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: Their offense looked like a second night of it back 620 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: to back. They are getting better over the course of 621 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: this month, so you will see those offensive numbers continue 622 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: to improve. 623 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they're going to improve no matter what, 624 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 2: just from a simple standpoint of talent. And you're right 625 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 2: about the shot results, specifically pull up jump shooting. There 626 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 2: are some pull up shooters on their team that aren't 627 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 2: making shots as high a clip as you normally would see. 628 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 2: I do think it's important to emphasize two that they 629 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 2: are playing really hard on defense, and like that's just 630 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 2: the way it goes when you're in Whenever you're playing 631 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 2: really competitive defensive basketball, you're tired on offense, and that 632 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 2: will affect your shot result to a certain extent. I 633 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 2: think if I had to point to one thing that 634 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 2: is process oriented, because again, when they are maintaining athletes 635 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 2: like Terrence Man and Russell Westbrook on the floor, you 636 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: sacrifice your spacing a little bit, But I point to 637 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 2: shot selection a little bit like one of the things 638 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 2: that I was hoping for when James Harden came on 639 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 2: board is this team was very much like the Suns 640 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 2: and the Nets of old when James Harden and Kyrie 641 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: were there, where they almost it seems like they're hunting 642 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 2: pull up jump shots almost every single possession. And one 643 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 2: of the things I was hoping is like, oh, maybe 644 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 2: James Harden will come in and get the defense into 645 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 2: rotation more often so that they get more driving layups 646 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 2: and catching shoot threes out of that essentially, And unfortunately 647 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 2: that hasn't been the case. The Clippers still lead the 648 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: league in pull up jump shot attempts per game according 649 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 2: to Synergy. So I do think there's a certain and like, 650 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 2: there's one guy I'll point to here and I do 651 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:10,000 Speaker 2: this drives me crazy. Paul George has a bag unbelievable hooper. 652 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 2: One of the guys that I personally watch all the 653 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 2: time and try to emulate, just absolutely love Paul George. 654 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 2: That dude takes so many impossible shots, like his shot 655 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 2: diet is so difficult, more so than it needs to be. 656 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 2: And I do think that little things like that could 657 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 2: go a long way. And I'll give you an example, 658 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 2: like Joel Embiid is a guy who's like a famous 659 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 2: playoff underachiever, right, And part of the reason for that 660 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: is he doesn't actually score in the paint that much, 661 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 2: like because he relies so much on grifting and he 662 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 2: takes so many of these fifteen footers. And one of 663 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 2: the things that I'm kind of encouraged about this year 664 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 2: is and beat scoring in the paint a lot more. 665 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 2: And I think that'll be something that can lean on 666 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 2: a little bit further when they get into the playoffs. 667 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 2: And so I'd like to see the Clippers show a 668 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 2: little bit more of an ability to generate quality shots 669 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 2: that are not pull up jump shots, because I think 670 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 2: that'll go a long way towards helping them get to 671 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 2: Because I think six team's too low. This feels like 672 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 2: an offense that should be in that seven to eight range. 673 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 2: But if they were ever to get to that three 674 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 2: to four range, I think they'd have to be a 675 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 2: little bit more deliberate about getting the right shots. But 676 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 2: we are running out of time, so I want to 677 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,879 Speaker 2: ask you one more question before we get out of here. 678 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 2: You and I are yet to talk big picture NBA 679 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 2: at all, And I'm just curious what would you rank 680 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:31,359 Speaker 2: as your let's just say, your top five contenders out 681 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 2: of the Western Conference right now? 682 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: Man, the West is so interesting right now because top 683 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: three in the West is Minnesota. Okay, see Dallas. You 684 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: know you're talking about last year's eight seed, a team 685 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 1: that lost to play in and a team that would 686 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 1: rather get fined than participate in a play in. So 687 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 1: those teams are playing great basketball, and those teams are also, 688 00:34:55,680 --> 00:35:00,959 Speaker 1: for completely different reasons, thoroughly untrustworthy to sustain the pace 689 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: that they've established. And you know, Minnesota's playing so well 690 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: that you almost have to go and put them in 691 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 1: just as a means of respect, being number one in 692 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: the West through how many games. But just like that 693 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: Pelicans team that I told you about from two years 694 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:18,800 Speaker 1: ago of being last, and you know, I mean you 695 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 1: got a Minnesota team. New Orleans was number one in 696 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 1: the West for a portion of December, and they fell 697 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: into the play tournament ironically because they couldn't beat a 698 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 1: temporal team. Even though Rudy Goberro's punching his own teammates 699 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: like I'm gonna you know, Minnesota, there's always something right 700 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: around the corner. But when you know that it's tied 701 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 1: to availability of players, that's what makes you go, well, look, 702 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 1: they're really good. And yes, if something does happen to Cat, 703 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: if something does happen to Ready, if something does happen 704 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: to seventeen year NBA veteran Mike Confley, yes that team 705 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 1: will be in trouble for however long Theose guys are. 706 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,239 Speaker 1: I don't even care what Ant does because Ann is 707 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: a constant. But Cat's health is Cat's health matters, Rudy's 708 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,879 Speaker 1: health matters. They don't have replaceable they're not deep. It 709 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:13,440 Speaker 1: hasn't mattered. Hell, they've had Jaden out for a portion 710 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 1: of the season already due to injury. He's back, so 711 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 1: you know that they can sustain without him. But the 712 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: things that make Minnesota go, like those guys are older 713 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,399 Speaker 1: or guys who've been recently banged up, and they've been 714 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: okay for right now, you got to give them, put 715 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,760 Speaker 1: them on the list just out of means of respect. Okay, 716 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: see they're young, but also Shay is amazing, and so 717 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 1: you almost got to keep them. I'm not keeping Dallas. 718 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:39,640 Speaker 1: There's no way I'm trusting a team that relies so 719 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:42,439 Speaker 1: much on Luca and relies on any version of Kyrie 720 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: Urshi Again, no disrespect. Just look at the track record 721 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 1: you expect Dallas might slip some like they're just not 722 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,759 Speaker 1: that good. Luca is that good, and Kyrie is a 723 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: damn good number two when he's available. Kyrie's not available 724 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:57,799 Speaker 1: right now, So lucas about to do a lot and 725 00:36:57,840 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna see how long it takes Kyrie to get back. 726 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: Denver's are defending champs, They're in the middle of the pack. 727 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 1: They know how to win. They gotta be contenders. The 728 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,839 Speaker 1: Lakers they got themselves a banner that they're gonna raise, 729 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 1: So let's just put them on there, just just for that, 730 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:16,279 Speaker 1: I guess, and that this spot is tough, man Like, 731 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:20,000 Speaker 1: I don't really you know, I don't really know who 732 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: had who had who had picked. To be honest with you, 733 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,000 Speaker 1: I know that the Clippers have a better record than 734 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 1: the Suns. I cover the Clippers, but I'm not the 735 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: bias type. I'm not the type to just say because 736 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,359 Speaker 1: I see them every time, like, I don't do any 737 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,640 Speaker 1: of that stuff. I'm you know, wholesome content over here. 738 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: So I'm going to I'm going to give the Sons 739 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: a trial run with the dudes that they brought together 740 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 1: and see if they can figure it out. The Sons 741 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,840 Speaker 1: are the worst fourth quarter team in basketball, not just offense, 742 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,319 Speaker 1: they are the worst fourth quarter team in offense. They 743 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 1: had another unseerious fourth quarter against a NET team that 744 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:55,840 Speaker 1: had a bunch of dudes who used to wear that 745 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: uniform in Phoenix. They showed out. And so I want 746 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: to see if Bradley Beal can get himself to play 747 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: decent basketball with those other two guys. Katie a point 748 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 1: guard in Devin Booker, who you're seeing the good and 749 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:10,919 Speaker 1: bad of having Devin Booker as your point guard. Yeah, 750 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 1: he's amazing and we'll put up great numbers, but you 751 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:15,239 Speaker 1: also know that he's got the ball all the time 752 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 1: and that's gonna wear him out, and he's missed some time, 753 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: and you don't have any alternatives on your roster, not 754 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 1: even a pretend alternative Jordan Goodwin and Saving Lee. Yeah, 755 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: you basically pun at the point gard situation. I'm familiar 756 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,839 Speaker 1: with that. I've covered a seam like that. I don't 757 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:31,799 Speaker 1: think it's as good as you think is gonna be, 758 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna put him on there because they have 759 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,919 Speaker 1: that top heavy talent and we have not really seen 760 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: it come together. I saw a team that failed failed 761 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,360 Speaker 1: initially with their top heavy talent of James Russ, Kawhi 762 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: and PG and turned it around as those guys got 763 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 1: more time and more information. So it's early. It's December. 764 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:55,399 Speaker 1: Those are the five teams that I would go with 765 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,160 Speaker 1: with complete reservations to change this in two months. 766 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:03,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say that I have the Sun still 767 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 2: as a safer bet in the big picture than the Clippers. 768 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:07,799 Speaker 2: But there's no question that the Clippers have been a 769 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 2: more impressive team this season so far in terms of 770 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:13,080 Speaker 2: their regular season and the quality wins like the Suns 771 00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:15,439 Speaker 2: are yet to notch a quality win like that. That's 772 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 2: literally something they don't have in their accomplishment that yet 773 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 2: this year. Quickly, before we get out of here, he 774 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:22,319 Speaker 2: used to playing any pickup basketball these days. 775 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:24,919 Speaker 1: Man, I got a story coming out any day now 776 00:39:25,719 --> 00:39:27,800 Speaker 1: about something like that, So stay tuned. 777 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:31,880 Speaker 2: Okay, right, Yeah, I've just coming back this week. I 778 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 2: took a month and a half off because of this 779 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:35,359 Speaker 2: achilles issue that I've been dealing with, which has been 780 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 2: a huge pain. But just by getting back out and 781 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:39,920 Speaker 2: playing this week. It's been like such a breath of 782 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:41,759 Speaker 2: fresh air, because when I'm not playing, I'm like I 783 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 2: straight spiral into depression. Well, law, I sincerely appreciate you 784 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 2: giving us a good amount of your time today. Can 785 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 2: you tell us where we can find your work. 786 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm at the Athletic, you know, shout out to 787 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:55,919 Speaker 1: the Athletic. We got great, great people on there. I'm 788 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: still on all the socials and control a lot of them, 789 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: trying to see if threads is popping a little bit more. 790 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:05,399 Speaker 1: So sometimes you got to take from one to give 791 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: a little time to the other. This is a dead 792 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,880 Speaker 1: part of the season and season tournaments over, so we 793 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,040 Speaker 1: got to talk about things like ceiling basketball is after 794 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:19,760 Speaker 1: sixty point games. So I'm excited for the holiday season. 795 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:23,280 Speaker 1: I'm excited to, you know, continue to learn more about 796 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 1: the league that we're covering and and and that's it. 797 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:30,040 Speaker 1: Like I'm looking forward to, you know, getting through this month. 798 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 1: And I'm sure the conversations will change in January since 799 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:34,919 Speaker 1: that's when the trade ones will really blow. 800 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 2: Hell yeah, man and I we'll try to get you 801 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:39,239 Speaker 2: on again before the end of the season. And I 802 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:41,960 Speaker 2: definitely want to see you in Vegas in July, and 803 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:44,520 Speaker 2: maybe before then if we're lucky for a hoop session. 804 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,320 Speaker 2: I appreciate your time. Thank you all of you guys 805 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 2: for supporting the show. We will be back tomorrow with 806 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 2: an old fashioned film session and I'll see you guys. 807 00:40:52,080 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: Then the volume