1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 2: All right, welcome to him tonight here at the volume. 3 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 2: Happy Monday, everybody. If all of you guys had an 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 2: incredible weekend, bear with me. I'm still feeling a little 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: bit under the weather, so I'm struggling a little bit 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: with my voice. I'm gonna get through this though, one 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: way or another. Got a jam Pack show for you 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 2: guys today. We're gonna hit that big win from the 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 2: thunder on the Road in Denver last night, one of 10 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: those like message sending wins that teams that you hope 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 2: will win the championship will have at some point along 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: the way in their journey. After that, Kawhi Leonard just 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: a horrible All Star snub being left off of the 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,319 Speaker 2: roster yesterday. But I want to dive a little bit 15 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: into that why it's so ridiculous, but also why some 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: of the pushbacks, specifically regarding Lebron makes absolutely no sense, 17 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: because people seem to have forgotten their NBA histories. 18 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: I want to dive a little bit of that. 19 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: And then at the tail end of the show, as 20 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: we always do on Monday's Power Rank Inks, So Jampeck show, 21 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: you guys are the Joe Portaget started to subscribe to 22 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels you don't miss any more of 23 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 2: our videos. 24 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: Make sure you like this video that helps us a lot. 25 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: In the last but not least, if you want to 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: get mailbag questions into our mailbag, dropped them in the 27 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 2: comments underneath this video, or any of our other full episodes, 28 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: we'll get to them on Fridays throughout the remainder of 29 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 2: the season. 30 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball. 31 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: So the thunder cruise in Denver, they led by as 32 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: many as thirteen, they never trailed. They hit nineteen threes, 33 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: and I really thought the story of the game was 34 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: Shay Gilders Alexander's advantage creation. Fourteen of the nineteen threes 35 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: that Oklahoma City made in that game, we're either made 36 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: by Shae that little step back that he hit over 37 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: Jamal Murray at the top of the key directly assisted 38 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 2: by Shay, or came off of an advantage created by Shay, 39 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: whether it was him dribbling against the right side of 40 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 2: the zone and drawing two defenders on the right wing, 41 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 2: swing swing three on the left wing, or running a 42 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: ball screen with Jay Will and Jokic comes up to 43 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: the level hit Jawill in the pocket, extra passed to 44 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: Cason Wallace in the corner. 45 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: Another three. 46 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: That sort of thing, right, So fourteen of the nineteen 47 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 2: threes directly from Shag Gildas Alexander and his advantage creation. 48 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: Shout out to Case and Wallace as well. 49 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: I ended up hitting seven threes in that game and 50 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: saying stuff from him. Caught a crazy heater there in 51 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: the second half especially, But I just can't say enough 52 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 2: about how fantastic Shay was in this game. 53 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: Now. 54 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: To be clear, no one's ever gonna give you the 55 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: best player in the World title off of one regular 56 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: season game, certainly not in February, and certainly not when 57 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: Jokic is just coming back from basically the first major 58 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: injury of his career. But as sure as hell, looked 59 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: like Shay was trying to send that message. Every part 60 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: of his game was on display. He was dribbling wherever 61 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 2: he wanted to get too on the floor, made several 62 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: Denver defenders, mainly Bruce Brown and Peyton Watson for large stretches, 63 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: made them look like they were stuck in the mud 64 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: trying to guard him on the ball. Every time he 65 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: cleanly beat his man off the dribble, it was either 66 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: a layup or the perfect kickout read to an open shooter. 67 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 2: Every time he faced a double team on the perimeter, 68 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,519 Speaker 2: he just quickly moved the ball to the right spot 69 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: to generate advantage. We've talked a lot about this this season, 70 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 2: but of all the things, like you dig into the 71 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: numbers and shit, guys, Shay's had sixty eight percent true 72 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 2: shooting while also having just over two turnovers per game. 73 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: Like this guy's efficiency has literally entered into completely unprecedented 74 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: territory for a two guard. This is like twenty sixteen 75 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 2: Steph Curry type of numbers from a two guard in 76 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 2: terms of the level of efficiency. Right, this is insane 77 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: stuff that we're seeing. But more than anything, his managing 78 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: of games, his feel for the flow of games, is 79 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 2: what makes me feel best about Oklahoma City's chances to repeat. 80 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 2: Talked about this before. What does it mean to manage 81 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 2: a game or to manage the flow of a game? 82 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: All it is is understanding the big picture of the 83 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: fact that you're gonna have to generate not ten shots, 84 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: not twenty shots, but dozens and dozens and dozens and 85 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: dozens of shots over the course of a game. So 86 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: you've got to invest in your own rhythm. You've got 87 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 2: to invest in the rhythm of your screen and roll guys. 88 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 2: You've got to invest in your off ball shooter's rhythm. 89 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 2: There's a lot of feel that comes in those games. 90 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: It goes beyond even just the singular possession. You're investing 91 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 2: in the rhythm and flow of the game. And I 92 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 2: just think that was when you looked last year at 93 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: the postseason run. In many cases, the highs and the 94 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: lows for the Thunder tended to swing on Shay's game management, 95 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 2: and I just think he's improved so much in that 96 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: specific area. It's one of the biggest reasons why I'm 97 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: so why I'm such a big believer in this Thunder team. 98 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: This season, the shot making was ridiculous. He was ten 99 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 2: for thirteen last night on shots outside of the restricted area, 100 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 2: ten for thirteen on basically perimeter jump shots. I just 101 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 2: can't say enough about how good he's been this year. 102 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 2: I think he's clearly put a gap, albeit small, but 103 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 2: a small and discernible gap between him and Luca and Yannis. 104 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: And then he I mean, he's hot on Jokic's heels. 105 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 2: He's just playing some exceptional basketball. And again, when he 106 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: manages games like that, when he's constantly attacking, hitting just 107 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: about every shot from the perimeter, and making every read 108 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: that the situation calls for, it's basically impossible to beat 109 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 2: the Thunder because they're not going to miss open looks. 110 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: We've talked about this, it's usually when they're rushed, when 111 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: things get tough. They generated forty one catching shoot shots 112 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 2: last night. That's a total they've only hit four other 113 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 2: times this entire season. When they get into that territory 114 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: of just quality catching shoot looks, they're gonna make enough 115 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 2: of them, and they're gonna be borderlined impossible to be 116 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 2: And that basically was the game right there. Like, Okay, 117 00:05:57,279 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 2: Denver shot forty six percent from three, So how does 118 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: it team shoot forty six percent from three and lose 119 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 2: a game by ten points? How Because Oklahoma City just 120 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 2: got more of them. The constant advantage creation from Shay 121 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,239 Speaker 2: and from their defense to transition sequences generated much more 122 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: high quality catch and shoot looks. Okase generated forty one, 123 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: Denver generated thirty. That's the game right there. 124 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 1: Now. 125 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: Looking forward at this matchup in the postseason, both of 126 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: these teams are obviously gonna look very different right, like 127 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 2: Denver is gonna have to contend with two additional dribble drive. 128 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: Guys in aj Mitchell and in Ja Dubb. 129 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: I want to briefly talk about that dynamic here in 130 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 2: a minute when we talk a little bit more about 131 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 2: different matchups for Okasee in the postseason. But we also 132 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: had no Caruso or Jalen Williams last night. Those are 133 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: the two guys that unlock that different defensive look like 134 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 2: Okayc's gonna lean on two primary defensive looks for how 135 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 2: to guard Yokics right. They're gonna do Isaiah Hartenstein sitting 136 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: on Jokic's right hand with Chet behind him, trying to 137 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: force Jokic to spin over his right shoulder into help right. 138 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 2: So that's gonna be their primary look. The secondary look 139 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 2: is going to be Jadubb and Alex Crusoe type defenders. 140 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: Maybe a little bit of low dort but they like 141 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: Dort on Jamal Murray, who did a good job on 142 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: him again last night. But they want Crusoe and Jadab 143 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: fronting the high post, essentially just preventing Jokics from even 144 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: getting catches by getting up underneath them and forcing higher 145 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: difficulty entry passes that can lead to more turnovers going 146 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 2: the other way. That was basically what happened in Game 147 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: seven last year, right, So those are the those are 148 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 2: the two looks that we're gonna see. And one of 149 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: those looks basically wasn't in Degnault's bag last night because 150 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,239 Speaker 2: Carusoe and Jadub were out right. So obviously Oklahoma City's 151 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: gonna be different, and obviously Denver's gonna be different, like Okay, 152 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: So he's gonna have to contend with Denver starting wings. 153 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 2: They're starting two, three and four all out. Peyton Watson 154 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: struggled with Shae gil as Alexander as many of the 155 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 2: taller and more upright defenders in the league tend to. 156 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: Christian Brown gives them another option. And we saw last 157 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 2: year in the postseason and that the smaller, quicker, stockier 158 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: defenders that can actually beat shade of spots, they tend 159 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: to at least make things a little bit more difficult 160 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 2: for Shay, and Shay had plenty of success against Christian Browns. 161 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: I'm not trying to pitch him as a stopper. The 162 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: point is is that it's a look that Denver didn't 163 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,679 Speaker 2: have access to yesterday. Aaron Gordon. He is the vital 164 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: antidote to Oklahoma City's primary defensive scheme on Jokic, which 165 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 2: is having a Heartenstein on the ball with Chet behind 166 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: him that when Yoki is spinning off of that primary 167 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 2: defender and looking to go over the top of Chet, 168 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: he usually has an additional release valve in the form 169 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: of a vertical spacer in the form of Aaron Gordon. 170 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: There were possessions last night where Chet's on Spencer Jones 171 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 2: and Spencer Jones is in the dunker spot and he 172 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: just doesn't provide that vertical spacing window for Aaron Gordon. 173 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: There. 174 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 2: Spencer Jones, a really talented two way player who's played 175 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: really good basketball for the Nuggets this year. Has been 176 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 2: a great catch and shoot player who just does all 177 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 2: the little things really well. But he's not the level 178 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 2: of high end talent that Aaron Gordon is. Right like, 179 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: He's also an additional offensive releasepout for them in a 180 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 2: variety ways. Is a knockdown three point shooter and as 181 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 2: a post player throwing Cam Johnson as well. Right like 182 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 2: point being, both of these teams are very far from 183 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 2: the versions of themselves that they will be if they 184 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 2: meet in a playoff series when we get to May. 185 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: But there are some dynamics that are not going away. 186 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 2: We've constantly considered Denver a threat to Oklahoma City because 187 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: of their offense, and to be clear, I still think 188 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 2: they are. We all know Denver's capable of playing much 189 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: better on offense than they did last night. Like Jokichen 190 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 2: Murray combined for twenty eight points last night on twenty 191 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 2: five shots and seven turnovers. We know those two guys 192 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 2: can play much better against Okay Say. We know that 193 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: that Oklahoma City can also play them into games like that, 194 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 2: like we saw at various points during the series last year, 195 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: but we also know they can play better. But the 196 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 2: interesting trend that I was thinking about when I was 197 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 2: watching that game last night was the types of teams 198 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 2: that have actually beat Nolahoma City this year and how 199 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 2: they've done it, which has actually been with their defense. 200 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: It's been the teams that can throw waves of athletic 201 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 2: perimeter defenders at Oklahoma City's drivers and can really protect 202 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 2: the rim. Those are the types of teams that have 203 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 2: consistently given the thunder issues this season, whether it's all 204 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: of Minnesota's Wings and Rudy Gobert as they had that 205 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: wired to wire win last week. All of San Antonio's 206 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 2: Wings and Victor wem Migyama, they beat them three times 207 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: this year. That's five of those wins right there, Phoenix's 208 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 2: Wings and Mark Williams. We saw in the Miami game 209 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 2: that dynamic of Andrew Wiggins on the ball with Bam 210 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 2: Andebayo on the other side of these screens. When you 211 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 2: have that level of defensive talent, you can play Oklahoma 212 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 2: City into some of their lower end outcomes on the 213 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 2: offensive end of the floor. By the way, all four 214 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 2: of those teams are top seven in defense, and they 215 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: all present the conundrum of elite peri elite perimeter defensive cores, 216 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: but also the strong rim protection. Those are the groups 217 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 2: that can take away Oklahoma City's easy rim attempts and 218 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: their quality catch and shoot looks. Because remember, as we've 219 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 2: dug into this year, we have tons and tons of 220 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: evidence that Oklahoma City, when they're wide open, they're gonna 221 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: make shots. But if you can rush them, They've got 222 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: a lot of shooters that when things get a little tougher, 223 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,359 Speaker 2: a little bit more rushed, a little bit more contested, 224 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: they can struggle to knockdown catch and shoot looks, and 225 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 2: those are the kinds of defenses that can actually play 226 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City into that shot profile. Again, Denver's offense is 227 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 2: still a real problem for Okace, but it doesn't matter 228 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 2: if Denver can't figure out a way to slow them down. 229 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: On the other end. We've talked a lot about this dynamic, 230 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 2: but it's very simple. If you flatten out drives, meaning 231 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 2: instead of straight line drive attacks, more banana out kind 232 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: of drive attacks. If you flatten out drives, guys don't 233 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 2: have to help as hard. If guys don't have to 234 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: help as hard, that means shorter closeouts. A shorter close 235 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 2: out means the next guy in that chain has a 236 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 2: better chance to contain the ball himself and flatten out 237 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 2: that drive. If you can win that push and pull, 238 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 2: that results in tougher, more contested catch and shoot looks 239 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 2: in more misses. You have to find a way to 240 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: disrupt your opponent's rhythm and actually play them into misses. 241 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: And the only way you're gonna do that is by 242 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 2: making their stars uncomfortable off the dribble and by making 243 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: their role players uncomfortable off the catch. If Denver can't 244 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 2: figure out how to do that. They're dead on arrival 245 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 2: in this matchup, regardless of how good their offense is. Again, 246 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 2: not a death sentence, just something to keep an eye on. 247 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 2: Denver's gonna have, like all I could tell from watching 248 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 2: that game, and again, teams are gonna look fundamentally different 249 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 2: when we get to May. Too many important players out 250 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 2: for both teams, but I thought Oklahoma City looked very 251 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 2: comfortable on offense last night. Denver's gonna have to find 252 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 2: a way to flip that dynamic if they want to 253 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 2: get an upset when we get to make. 254 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: Big win for OKAC. 255 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 2: Though, as we've talked about, it's somewhat typical for a 256 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 2: defending champ to go through some malays like the Thunder 257 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 2: have as of late. I think they're fifteen to ten 258 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 2: in their last twenty five games, right, and it's a 259 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 2: combination of several things they've had injuries, although I've reminded 260 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City fans like literally every team in the league 261 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 2: is dealing with that, so you're not going to get 262 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 2: any sort of sympathy there, and it's kind of lame 263 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 2: to make that excuse. Specifically, though they've had lack of 264 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 2: ball handling available through these AJ Mitchell injuries and the 265 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 2: JDub injuries right Malays. I've talked about it. Their defensive 266 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 2: intensity has been somewhat inconsistent in this stretch. They've had 267 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: games where they haven't been as good on defense. That's 268 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 2: super typical for a team that's won a championship already 269 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 2: that's dealing with the grind of an eighty two game season. 270 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 2: And then lastly, they're not a perfect team. I think 271 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 2: they're the best team in the NBA, but they're not perfect. 272 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 2: They have some wards. We've talked about them. I went 273 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 2: over them last week. They have a lack of ball 274 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 2: handling depth. They can struggle to hit those rushed and 275 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 2: contested catch and shoot looks, which is typically what can 276 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 2: happen when you get into some more intense games. And 277 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 2: so as their schedule has gotten tougher than it was 278 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: to start the season, those three things have kind of 279 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 2: mixed together and led to some losses. But what usually 280 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,839 Speaker 2: happens for a defending champ that's in this position, they 281 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 2: tend to have nights where they go out and they 282 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 2: send a clear message like yeah, we're in the mud 283 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: of an eighty two game season. Yeah, we got some 284 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: dudes out with injury. Yeah, we haven't played our best 285 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 2: basketball as of late. But this team right here, we 286 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 2: got a chance to send a message and remind everybody. 287 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 2: They go out, they throw an awesome punch and they 288 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 2: handle a great team, usually on national television, to kind 289 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 2: of remind everybody why they're the best. And I thought 290 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 2: last night was an example of that type of win 291 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 2: from Oklahoma City. Doesn't mean the Thunder unbeatable, doesn't mean 292 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 2: they're guaranteed to hoist the trophy, but it was a 293 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 2: reminder that it would be foolish for any of us 294 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 2: to pick against them in this year's playoff runt. Any 295 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 2: team that beats them, it's going to be an upset. 296 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 2: I'm super excited to tell you guys about our partnership 297 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 2: with Viory. Those of you guys who are familiar with VIORI, 298 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 2: you've noticed I've been wearing it on the show a 299 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 2: ton over the last few years. 300 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: It's become a workhorse for me. Today, I'm wearing. 301 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: The Seaside pullover hoodie, one that I just got that 302 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 2: I've really enjoyed. I wore it out on a cold, 303 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 2: windy day the other day and it was super warm 304 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 2: and comfortable throughout. They make all sorts of stuff. I 305 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 2: love their ath leisure stuff. I wear that stuff on 306 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: the show all the time. You've seen me wear the 307 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 2: Ponto Performance T shirt, an excellent T shirt. I think 308 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 2: it's the best T shirt in the game right now. 309 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 2: I also wear some of their Ponto Performance hoodies and 310 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 2: sweatpants when I go to the gym. 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Exclusions apply. 330 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: Visit the website for full terms and conditions. All right, 331 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 2: the Kui All Star snub. I saw the public outcry 332 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 2: after Kauhi was left off of the All Star reserves yesterday, 333 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 2: and the outcry was completely justified. Qui absolutely should have 334 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 2: been an All Star. He's averaging a career high in 335 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: points per game. He's at sixty three percent true shooting 336 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 2: just a tenth of a percent below his career high 337 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: in overall efficiency. The Clippers are nineteen and sixteen when 338 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 2: he plays. A good chunk of their losses have been 339 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 2: when he's out of the lineup, and since the Clippers 340 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 2: went on their run, so since December twentieth, he's basically 341 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 2: averaging thirty seven and four on fifty forty ninety. 342 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 1: So even the like, oh, they're below five hundred. 343 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 2: Take I don't really see that as an excuse because 344 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 2: he's been the furthest thing from the reason why they're 345 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 2: below five hundred. And if that was the issue, why 346 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 2: are guys like Jalen Johnson, Denny Avdia, and Pascal Siakam 347 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 2: in the All Star Game? So it was an egregious snut. 348 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 2: I'd argue there's only five or six players in the 349 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 2: entire NBA who have been better than Kawhi this season, 350 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 2: so the debate shouldn't have been whether or not he's 351 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 2: an All Star, but like more of like a should 352 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 2: he be First Team All. 353 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 1: NBA kind of conversation. 354 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 2: I don't know if it was the aspiration stuff that 355 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 2: Pablo Torre reported. I don't know if it's just people 356 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 2: putting too much stock in the team's record, or if 357 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 2: it was because he happened to miss thirteen games with injury. 358 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 2: I don't know what the reasoning was, but it was 359 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 2: bad reasoning Kawhi should have been an All Star. The 360 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 2: part that has me cracking up is the fact that 361 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 2: everyone seems to be struggling to figure out why Lebron 362 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 2: James is an All Star and them kind of connecting 363 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 2: that to the Kawhi sub because guess what, guys, as 364 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 2: long as Lebron is in the NBA and as long 365 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,199 Speaker 2: as he's actually able to play in All Star Games, 366 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: he's gonna be an All Star. Michael Jordan wasn't nearly 367 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: as good as this version of Lebron when he was 368 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 2: on the Wizards, and he made the All Star Game 369 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 2: both years. Kobe Bryant made three All Star Games after 370 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 2: his Achilles tear. One of those seasons he played in 371 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 2: six games. Kareem Abdul Jabbar made the All Star Game 372 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 2: in his last two seasons despite averaging less than fifteen 373 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 2: points per game. Larry Bird was far from All Star 374 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 2: for him in his last two seasons, basically missed the 375 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 2: entire month of January both years and made the All 376 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: Star Game both times. Lebron is the NBA's all time 377 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 2: leading scorer. He's still one of the faces of the league, 378 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 2: still one of the biggest ratings draws every night. Just 379 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 2: in the last week, he's got a half dozen like 380 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 2: insane highlight dunks, and for basically two months now he's 381 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 2: been averaging twenty four, six and six on sixty one 382 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: percent true shooting for a team that's twenty nine to nineteen, 383 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 2: and you actually thought the league would break with decades 384 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 2: of tradition and leave that guy out of the game. 385 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: You're out of your mind. 386 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 2: And the funniest part about all this is there's way 387 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 2: more obvious guys to be mad about, Like, has Lebron 388 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 2: been better than Kawhi this year? Hell no, obviously not. 389 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 2: No one's saying that. But he's been better than Jalen Johnson. 390 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,919 Speaker 2: He's been better than Norman Powell. He's been better than 391 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 2: Karl Anthony Towns, and most importantly, Kawhi himself has clearly 392 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: been better then every other Western Conference reserve other than 393 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 2: maybe Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant just because Kd's been 394 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 2: so available this year, kind of carrying that Rockets team. 395 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 2: But he has clearly been better than Jamal Murray. He's 396 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 2: clearly been better than Chet Holmgren, He's clearly been better 397 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 2: than Devin Booker, and he's clearly been better than Denny Avdia. 398 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 2: The problem here is that Kawhi was snubbed. He clearly 399 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 2: should be in the game. They should have found a 400 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 2: way get him in the game. Even now, get him 401 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 2: in the game. If there's an injury replacement, he should 402 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 2: be the very first person they call. But if you 403 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 2: can't figure out why Lebron James is in the All 404 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: Star Game, you may be beyond help. And if you 405 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 2: don't want Lebron in the game for some reason, after 406 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 2: every other star of his ilk in the history of 407 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: the game has been given the exact same honor while 408 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 2: playing at a significantly lower level on the court, then you. 409 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: Just have a hate problem that you've got to deal with. 410 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 2: All right, let's move on to our power rankings, and again, 411 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 2: all of our life are presented by hard Rock Bet 412 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 2: number ten. The Phoenix Suns, currently plus fifteen thousand to 413 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 2: win the title on hard rock Bet, got their ass 414 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 2: beat by a red hot Clippers team last night, but 415 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 2: they did log a couple of super impressive wins last 416 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 2: week over the Caves and the Pistons, two teams that 417 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 2: had both been playing excellent basketball and both just got 418 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: chewed up and spit out by the Suns, Phoenix hitting 419 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 2: trail after the first quarter in either game. Dylan Brooks 420 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 2: goes for sixty seven points in the two wins, twenty 421 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 2: two for thirty six from the field in the five 422 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 2: games since Devin Booker went down with his injury. Dylan's 423 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 2: averaging twenty eight points per game on fifty two percent 424 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: from the field fifty two percent from three to eighty 425 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 2: five percent from the line. Jalen Green also made an 426 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 2: appearance in the Cavs game without re injuring his hamstring, 427 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 2: so that's a good step in the right direction, although 428 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 2: he did take a hard fall and missed the next 429 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 2: game with a hip contusion, so hopefully he's able to 430 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 2: get back on the court and stay available in the 431 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 2: coming weeks. We're gonna be going pretty quick through most 432 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 2: of these teams, but I'm gonna linger here for a 433 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 2: little while because it's her first appearance for the Los 434 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 2: Angeles Clippers at number nine, first appearance in the power 435 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 2: rankings all season plus six thousand right now on hard 436 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:12,719 Speaker 2: Rock Bet. I'm always hesitant to overreact to teams that 437 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 2: go on massive winning streaks in December and January. This 438 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 2: has been a thing that I've been a believer in 439 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 2: for a long time. At the beginning of the year, 440 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 2: just about everybody's playing super hard right out of training camp. 441 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 2: Big dreams success. You play your best basketball, you get 442 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 2: to this middle chunk of the year, several of the 443 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: really good teams start to relax a little bit, settle 444 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 2: into the eighty two game grind. Even Oklahoma City has 445 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,920 Speaker 2: run into this problem this year. The Spurs are ten 446 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 2: and nine in their last nineteen games. Right, We've seen 447 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 2: a lot of examples of that just within this season. Also, 448 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: we see injuries start to pile up all around the league, 449 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 2: and so every team is using weird starting lineups and 450 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 2: bench lineups start to feature guys who may not even 451 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 2: be NBA level talent. You just start to see some 452 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,479 Speaker 2: weird stuff there. And some of the middling teams, some 453 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: of the teams that had big dreams to start the season, 454 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 2: they get into the mud a little bit and they 455 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 2: start to lose belief in their goals and then so 456 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 2: then they start to let go of the rope, and 457 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,199 Speaker 2: then their talent issues become even more exaggerated and they 458 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,440 Speaker 2: start to play some pretty bad basketball. 459 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,479 Speaker 1: Right. I think we've seen the Lakers as a classic 460 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: example of that this season. Right. 461 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 2: Suddenly, in this middle chunk of the season, effort and 462 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: energy become a massive factor in wins and losses. So 463 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 2: you start to see teams go on streaks win streaks. 464 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's a young, talented team that goes on a run. 465 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 2: I think a good example of this right now is 466 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 2: like Charlotte. You get a team that gets healthy and 467 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 2: they start playing really good basketball, and they start to 468 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:42,879 Speaker 2: take advantage of some of the teams that aren't on 469 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 2: their a game. The Hornets are a perfect example that 470 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 2: right now. Sometimes it's an older team that like underachieved 471 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 2: to start the season, but then they finally kick into 472 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 2: gear and they start playing to their potential. We've seen 473 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 2: plenty of teams like this over the years. I rooted 474 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 2: for one in twenty twenty three with the Lakers. They 475 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 2: started two to ten. They went on a run in 476 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 2: the middle of the season to finish forty three and 477 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 2: thirty nine and make the playoffs before they. 478 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: Were a first round exit. 479 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,479 Speaker 2: So as the Clippers started to rack up wins over 480 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 2: the last couple of months, I was just kind of 481 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 2: squinting a little bit. There's just a little skeptical because 482 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 2: of that dynamic that I've seen again over and over 483 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 2: throughout the years. But now we've reached a stretch of 484 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 2: sustained success from the Clippers that is undeniable. Over the 485 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 2: last month and a half since December twenty, they have 486 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 2: the best record in the entire NBA at seventeen and four, 487 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 2: a one to twenty offensive rating. That number, to me 488 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: is the hallmark of elite offense in the NBA. Seventh 489 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 2: in defensive rating, third in net rating. Really, the only 490 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 2: things they've struggled with is rebounding, and then from time 491 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: to time they can be a. 492 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: Little bit turnover prone. So here's the thing. 493 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:50,880 Speaker 2: Am I looking at the Clippers as the best team 494 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 2: in the league now, That dynamic with the schedule is 495 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: still real and it will certainly inflate metrics in a 496 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 2: situation like this. The Clippers have literally been trying to 497 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,199 Speaker 2: save their season every single night during this stretch, and 498 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 2: many of the teams they've played have not had that 499 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 2: level of urgency. By the way, four of their last 500 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 2: five losses in this span have been against teams that 501 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: are in my top contender tiers, my top two contender tiers. 502 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,640 Speaker 2: They got blown out by the Thunder and the game 503 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 2: right before the streak started. They got cut to pieces 504 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: at home by the Boston Celtics, they got dominated in 505 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 2: the second half at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, 506 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 2: and just last week, they rolled up into Denver after 507 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 2: a couple of days arrest and got crushed. So where 508 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 2: am I at Basically where I was to start the season. 509 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 2: I was actually pretty high on the Clippers because I 510 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 2: believe in their roster construct, the floor raising offensive engine 511 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 2: that is James Harden, the pick and roll partner in 512 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 2: defensive anchor that's a Viatza zubats Kawhi Leonard, and his 513 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,679 Speaker 2: potential upside as a superstar when he's healthy. Their depth 514 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 2: of two way talent on the perimeter that's been even 515 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 2: bolstered to a greater extent this year by the rise 516 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 2: of their own draft picks and Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller. 517 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 2: Jordan's really start and to put together quite a highlight 518 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 2: reel of you know, kind of impressive improvisational scoring off 519 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: the dribble. But I also didn't think any of those 520 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 2: things individually would quite stack up with what the top 521 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 2: tier contenders in the league brought to the table. So 522 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 2: I had them in that second tier, I'd probably go 523 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 2: with them more as like a third tier contender at 524 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 2: this point, just simply because of the challenge that they 525 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 2: have in. 526 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: Front of them. 527 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 2: So, for example, they've been playing at a playoff level 528 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:28,959 Speaker 2: of intensity for a couple of months. 529 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: Now. 530 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 2: We've already seen Kawhi miss a couple games in that 531 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 2: stretch with knee irritation. They're going to have to keep 532 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 2: up that level of intensity to dig out of the 533 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 2: nine intense seat just to get into that seven to 534 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 2: eight scene area, because, like, here's the thing. If they 535 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: stay in the nine to ten, their best case scenario 536 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 2: is Oklahoma City in round one, and that's not going 537 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: to go well. I do think they're capable of upsetting 538 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 2: the Spurs, but that would require them passing Golden State 539 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 2: in the standings. Guess who else is going to be 540 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 2: playing at playoff level intensity over the next several months 541 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 2: Golden State, and Golden State's most likely going to make 542 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 2: some sort of big swing at the deadline. So you 543 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 2: have to somehow figure out a way to pass Golden State, 544 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 2: which is going to require playoff level of intensity basically 545 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 2: the rest of the season. Then you're gonna have to 546 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 2: win a road game in the plane. That could be anybody. 547 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 2: That could be Phoenix, that could be the Lakers, that 548 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 2: could be the Rockets, that could be the Timberwolves. Right like, 549 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: any of those teams could drop the seven. We don't 550 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 2: know who it's gonna be. Then if you do somehow 551 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 2: manage to beat that team, you get san Antonio got 552 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 2: to beat them without home court advantage, and if you 553 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 2: do that, you're facing Denver in round two in Oklahoma 554 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 2: City in round three, and you need Kawhi's need. 555 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 1: To hold up for all of that. So, in short, 556 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: this run has been a lot of fun. It's real. 557 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,199 Speaker 2: In my opinion, I think it's been revealing as to 558 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 2: why so many of us were so high on the 559 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 2: Clippers before the season. But unfortunately, they've dug themselves into 560 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 2: such a massive hole starting what was at six and 561 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,360 Speaker 2: twenty one this season that it's basically going to take 562 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 2: a miracle for them to accomplish their goal of hoisting 563 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 2: the trophy this year. All right back at the rest 564 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 2: of our lists are going to be moving a little 565 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 2: bit quicker. Number eight the Boston Celtics plus twelve hundred 566 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 2: to win the title, third best odds right now on 567 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 2: hard Rock bat. They dropped a game at home to 568 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:31,160 Speaker 2: Atlanta that was far from their best offensive process game. 569 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: They generated just twenty one catch and shoot threes in 570 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 2: that game. That was their fourth lowest total of the season. 571 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 2: At one point, they missed nine consecutive off the dribble threes. 572 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 1: In that game, they were two for fourteen overall. 573 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 2: On off the dribble threes against Atlanta, just twenty one 574 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 2: assists on forty two made baskets. That's been a consistent 575 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 2: trend in their losses. We talked about this a little 576 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 2: bit last week. Just a fifty two percent assist percentage 577 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 2: in their losses. That's far and away the worst in 578 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 2: the league. Oklahoma City's second worst at fifty five percent, 579 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 2: so there's a three point three percent gap between thirtieth 580 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 2: and twenty ninth in assists percentage and losses. That's been 581 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 2: a consistent trend for Boston. They don't move the ball 582 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 2: very well when they're playing at their worst. Their offense 583 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 2: has been incredible this season. They still the second best 584 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 2: offensive rating in the league behind Denver, so they've been 585 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 2: good far more than they've been bad. But they can 586 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 2: still throw up a stinker every once in a while. 587 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 2: The game against Atlanta was an example of that. They 588 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 2: did get back on track with a couple of wins 589 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 2: against Milwaukee and Sacramento. Won twenty four offensive rating in 590 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 2: those two games. Fifty nine percent assist percentage back on 591 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 2: the high end for them. Peyton Pritchard had a big 592 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 2: game in a night that Jalen Brown was out in 593 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 2: the name Forty Simons. Each of those guys at huge 594 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 2: knights to help carry the offensive load in those two wins. 595 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: Number seven. 596 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 2: The Minnesota Timberwolves currently plus three thousand to win the 597 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 2: title on hard rock Bet. Their up and down season continues. 598 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 2: They've won four in a row, including a wire to 599 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 2: wire domination of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but in their 600 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 2: last sixteen games, they're ten and six, and this. 601 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: Is what it's looked like. 602 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: They won six out of seven, then they lost five 603 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 2: games in a row, then they won four games in 604 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 2: a row. This team has some of the wildest oscillations 605 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 2: between their ceiling and floor of any team in the 606 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 2: league because of their inconsistent effort and energy. Anthony Edwards 607 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 2: had some interesting comments after the win in Memphis where 608 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 2: he talked about how Chris Finch has been constantly on 609 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 2: them about their effort and about how him and Jade 610 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 2: McDaniels have been having these conversations about how they could 611 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 2: relax if they just beat teams. Early went up by thirty, 612 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 2: then they could sit out at the end of these 613 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 2: games rather than coasting and going on late game runs. 614 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 2: But it's funny because that's basically been their identity. Like 615 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 2: they have a plus seven net rating in second halves, 616 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 2: which is the third best mark in the entire league. 617 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 2: That's what they do. They do what they need to 618 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 2: do by tightening the screws at the end of a game, 619 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 2: and then they go on a run and they win. 620 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 2: I'm still super high on this team. Generally, in NBA history, 621 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 2: switch flipping teams don't do super well in the postseason, 622 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 2: but this team has demonstrated so many times that they 623 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 2: can flip the switch and when they do, they're frightening 624 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 2: to play against. And by the way, Jade McDaniels in 625 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: this four game winning streak is shooting sixty three percent 626 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 2: from three. So do not trade that man for a 627 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 2: thirty one year old, injury prone Yannis and sacrifice your 628 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 2: long term sustainability. Again, the team that trades for Giannis 629 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 2: needs to be at least a little bit desperate. In 630 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 2: Minnesota just is not in that position. I think they 631 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 2: should stand pat at least when it comes to the 632 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 2: big swing superstar trades do something small, target a guard 633 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 2: that can help you defensively alongside and do that sort 634 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 2: of thing, but keep it simple. At this deadline, number six, 635 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 2: the Houston Rockets plus two thousand to win the title 636 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,400 Speaker 2: on hard rock bat. They've won six excuse me, they've 637 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 2: won seven out of nine. But I was actually texting 638 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 2: a Rockets fan buddy of mine the other day and 639 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 2: Rockets fans are a little shook by that loss at 640 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 2: home to the Spurs last week. Their offense completely stalled 641 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 2: out in the second half. They scored just thirty seven points, 642 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 2: just thirteen in the fourth quarter. The Spurs basically just 643 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 2: put Victor women Yama on a men Thompson and just 644 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: had him roaming everywhere, shutting everything down. And the Rockets 645 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 2: attacked it by basically just having a men run these 646 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 2: like really quick dhos and ball screens and just slipping 647 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 2: out of it into the short role, and it just 648 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: wasn't working. Not everyone presents Victor women Yam as a problem, 649 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 2: but I do think we've seen enough of a sample 650 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: size now that we can say the Rockets are going 651 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 2: to have to figure out a way to score with 652 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 2: the men Thompson on the floor late in games. Especially 653 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 2: against these teams that can really protect the rim. And 654 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 2: I don't really have a good answer other than Kevin 655 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: Durant and Alburnshangun are gonna have to hit their short 656 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 2: range shots over the top when they situated a men 657 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 2: in the dunker spot. It's just really tough because the 658 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 2: rim protectors can actually kind of bridge the gap between 659 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 2: those two offer contests and then recover to the dunker spot. 660 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 2: Anytime he's in those little short role opportunities or he's 661 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 2: working more around the perimeter, he ends up catching in 662 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 2: these like open jump shooting situations where he doesn't really 663 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 2: want to shoot and can't make it even if he 664 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 2: does right, So, like you put him in the dunker spot, 665 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 2: that at least keeps the rim protect her closer to 666 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 2: the rim because they have to worry about a men 667 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 2: Thompson on the offensive glass and for those drop offs. 668 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 2: But that basically limits you to tough mid range shots, 669 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: right like shanng Gun going to left shoulder hooks or 670 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 2: Kevin Durant going to like tough mid rangers. And they 671 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 2: did miss several good looks like that in that fourth 672 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:21,479 Speaker 2: quarter debacle against San Antonio that they're certainly capable of 673 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 2: making it just isn't a great thing that it might 674 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 2: actually be their best chance to score when they get 675 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 2: into those situations. Generally speaking, if you want to have 676 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 2: reliable crunch time offense, you got to be able to 677 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 2: get stuff that's really close to the rim pretty consistently, 678 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 2: and that's just going to be difficult to do with 679 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 2: a men Thompson on the floor. Everything is still strong 680 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 2: with Houston when you look at the metrics, and I 681 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 2: do think we have a tendency to over focus on 682 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 2: flaws with some teams when literally every team has flaws. 683 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 2: But I do think that particular flaw has at least 684 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 2: reached a point now where we can be relatively certain 685 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 2: every team is going to look to try to exploit 686 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 2: it against them in the postseason. Just something to keep 687 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 2: in the back of our minds. Number five. The New 688 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 2: York Knicks currently plus fourteen hundred to win the title 689 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 2: on hard Rock Bet. They were a bit confused early 690 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:08,839 Speaker 2: against the Lakers' zone looks, but they scored one point 691 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 2: zero eight points per possession against the zone in the 692 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 2: second half, and I really thought that game was just 693 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 2: a dramatic demonstration of the gap in jump shooting talent 694 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: between the two teams. It should come as no surprise. 695 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 2: The Knicks are the third best three point shooting team 696 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 2: in the NBA, and the Lakers have shot the ball 697 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 2: a little bit better as of late, but they've been 698 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 2: a pretty bad jump shooting team for most of the season. 699 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 2: And frankly, the Knicks were generating better shots. According to Synergy, 700 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 2: they generate twenty one unguarded catch and shoot looks compared 701 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: to just twelve for the Lakers. And they're better shooters. 702 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 2: So if you're getting better shooters better looks, that's a 703 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 2: recipe for a nixt win right there. And by the way, 704 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,560 Speaker 2: the Knicks shot eighteen for forty two from three, Lakers 705 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 2: shot twelve for forty two. That was the difference in 706 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,399 Speaker 2: the game. And no, it wasn't shooting variants. When guys 707 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 2: like og and Obi and Landry Shamitt are getting good looks, 708 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 2: they're good shooters, they're going to go in. The Lakers 709 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,400 Speaker 2: are basically made up of guys that you're okay with 710 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 2: shooting even when they are kind of open. Ruyati is 711 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:02,879 Speaker 2: the only rotation player on the Lakers shooting over thirty 712 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 2: eight percent from three and they were not getting as 713 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 2: good a looks. That's the difference in the game right there. 714 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 2: By the way, the Knicks have won six games in 715 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:13,880 Speaker 2: a row and I've really recaptured their swarming defensive identity. 716 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 2: I thought they were great on defense again last night, 717 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:18,880 Speaker 2: ninety five defensive rating in these six games, which is 718 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 2: best in the league over that span. I've talked about 719 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 2: it a lot, but this is a team that is 720 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 2: really susceptible to dips in their defensive intensity because they 721 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 2: constantly have guys that are getting targeted. I mean, we 722 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 2: saw the Lakers consistently targeting Brunson and Cat just about 723 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,399 Speaker 2: every single time down the floor. So like, if you're 724 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 2: gonna get targeted, you'd make up for that by having 725 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:41,840 Speaker 2: these incredibly talented, swarming defensive athletes that can close gaps 726 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 2: and recover and close gaps and recover all over the floor. 727 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 2: And so when they dip down in intensity, it can 728 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 2: become a problem for them defensively. But when they're locked in, 729 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 2: they're capable of covering those guys enough to be an 730 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 2: elite defense, and they've demonstrated that again over the course 731 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 2: the last couple of weeks. I'm still pretty high on 732 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 2: the Knicks. I wasn't two worked up about their struggles. 733 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 2: I thought their metrics were strong. I thought I saw 734 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 2: plenty of them from them on both sides of the 735 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 2: floor before things kind of went south. It's good to 736 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 2: see them starting to get their footing again. Number four 737 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 2: the San Antonio Spurs currently plus fifteen hundred to win 738 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 2: the title on hard rock Bet. They've been alternating wins 739 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 2: and losses for a couple of weeks now, and they've 740 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 2: basically been playing five hundred basketball for well over a month. 741 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 2: They're just ten and nine in their last nineteen games. 742 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:28,799 Speaker 2: In their nine losses, they're shooting twenty nine point nine 743 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 2: percent from three, and they have just a one toh 744 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,959 Speaker 2: five offensive rating won eighteen offensive rating in their ten wins, 745 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 2: and the main source of their inconsistency on offense comes 746 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 2: down to their two stars, Darren Fox and Victor wem Minyama, 747 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,320 Speaker 2: and mainly their three point shooting. In their ten wins, 748 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 2: Wemby and Fox are averaging forty seven points per game 749 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 2: on thirty nine percent from three on eleven attempts. In 750 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 2: their nine losses, they're averaging just thirty six points per 751 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 2: game between the two of them on just twenty four 752 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 2: percent from three on eleven attempts game, so forty seven 753 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 2: points per game in their wins, thirty six percent per 754 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 2: game in their losses at thirty six points per game 755 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 2: in their losses. That's basically been the up and down 756 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 2: for them over the course of this stretch. So in 757 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 2: many ways, those two guys and their ability to hit 758 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 2: threes will determine their success in this year's playoff run. 759 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 2: Number three the Denver Nuggets, currently plus four to fifty 760 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:21,759 Speaker 2: to win the title on hard rock Bet. We hit 761 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:23,440 Speaker 2: them earlier in the show, so I'm not gonna stay 762 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 2: here long. But Yokich's back, and yet they still have 763 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 2: a pretty strong grip on the three seed in the West. 764 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 2: Really impressive stretch from them over the last month without Jokich. 765 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: Number two the. 766 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 2: Detroit Pistons currently plus seventeen fifty to win the title 767 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:37,840 Speaker 2: on hard rock Bet. They dropped a game in Phoenix 768 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 2: where their offense looked bad. They didn't shoot the ball 769 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:41,440 Speaker 2: well from anywhere, and they looked kind of bothered by 770 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 2: Phoenix's physicality, But they scored two hundred and sixty one 771 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:48,000 Speaker 2: points over their following two games, beating Golden State in Brooklyn. 772 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 2: Over two thirds of their baskets were assisted in those 773 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:52,799 Speaker 2: two games, and they finally started to get going in 774 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 2: transition again. There was this weird stretch for four straight 775 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 2: games before those two wins, where they averaged just twenty 776 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:01,360 Speaker 2: one transition points per game, was well below their season 777 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:05,280 Speaker 2: average seventy eight transition points against Brooklyn, and Golden State 778 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 2: got back going in the open floor. I'll be really 779 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,720 Speaker 2: curious to see how aggressive they are at this upcoming deadline. 780 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 2: All the reporting says that Michael Porter Junior is basically 781 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 2: off the table. I'm not sure if that's a negotiation player. 782 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 2: If Brooklyn just straight up wants to keep him. We'll see. 783 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 2: But I'll be curious to see if Detroit explores any 784 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 2: other avenues to bring in talent. And the last, but 785 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,319 Speaker 2: not least today again, we hit them earlier in the show, 786 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 2: so I'm not gonna stay here long. With the Oklahoma 787 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 2: City Thunder plus one twenty five to win the title, 788 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 2: a good reminder last night as to why they are 789 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 2: the championship favorite with a wire to wire dominant win 790 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 2: over the Denver Nuggets. All right, guys, it's all I 791 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:42,359 Speaker 2: have for today is always to sincerely appreciate you guys 792 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 2: for supporting us and supporting the show. 793 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:47,359 Speaker 1: We'll be back tomorrow. I will see you guys. They