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Happy Friday, everybody, congrats 31 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: on making it to the weekend where you're going to 32 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: be covering the Golden State Warriors and they're convincing when 33 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: over the Miami Heat yesterday. We're also going to kind 34 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,119 Speaker 1: of briefly touch on the Miami Heat, and then the 35 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: team that most people in the comments last night wanted 36 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: us to do a little bit of a deep dive 37 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: into this morning was the Toronto Raptors, and so we'll 38 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: be doing a dive into them on both ends of 39 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 1: the ball and their start to this season. You guys 40 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: know the drill before we get started. Subscribe to the 41 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: Volumes YouTube channels so you don't miss any more of 42 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: our videos. Follow me on Twitter at Underscore Jason Lts 43 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: you guys don't miss any show announcements. That's also where 44 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: I put all of the NBA footage stuff since we 45 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: have some limitations in our ability to use it on YouTube. 46 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, and for whatever reason, 47 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: you guys miss one of these shows and you can't 48 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: get back over to YouTube to finish them, you can 49 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 1: find them wherever you get your podcasts. Under Hoops Tonight, 50 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: all right, let's talk some basketball. So goodwin for the Warriors. 51 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: Got back on track. Defense still isn't quite where it 52 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: needs to be, but they're making progress. They had a 53 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: hundred and eight defensive rating last night against Miami. In particular, 54 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: I'm not super thrilled about that in terms of the 55 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: rest of the league that now they're down to so 56 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure Steve Kerr is going to really be harping 57 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: on that. But things are clicking so well on the 58 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: offensive end of the floor that there's still a lot 59 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: to be excited about. And here's the thing, Miami's just 60 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: a pain in the ass. They're never gonna quit. They're 61 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: super well coached. They're gonna find ways to make you 62 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: feel uncomfortable. Jimmy Butler is always a threat to have 63 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: a big game, especially in a in a moment that 64 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: appears like a high pressure situation, like a road game 65 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: nationally televised this time on NBA TV. I suppose but 66 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: in Golden State against the defending champions, Like, Jimmy's just 67 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: going to play well in a game like that, and 68 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: he did, and he made a lot of timely shots 69 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: to keep this game close. Um, you also happen to 70 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: catch one of those random games that's it's like I swear, 71 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: it's like one out of every ten games you get. 72 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: Bamata Bio just super confident scoring the basketball because like 73 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: Bamata Bio actually has like a really nice short range game. Obviously, 74 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: he's not a stretch big, he's not going to consistently 75 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: make you pay from the three point line, but he 76 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: has one of the best like short jumpers that you 77 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 1: see in the league, like little five foot jumpers, seven 78 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: foot jumpers, ten foot jumpers. He actually hit a couple 79 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: of longer ones in this game as well. But when 80 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: he really gets comfortable and confident with that shot, he's 81 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: really difficult to guard. Because he's a free athlete, Guys 82 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: are accustomed to giving him space. He just elevates over 83 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: the top and can knock those shots down. You guys 84 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: probably remember Game six in Boston last year when the 85 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: heat kept that series going and sent it to seven. 86 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: Been a similar type of vibe where it was like 87 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: it was almost like unrecognizable the level of aggression you 88 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: were seeing from Bam. So a lot of that kind 89 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: of led to Miami having a relatively successful offensive night 90 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: against Golden State. That said, they got absolutely obliterated on 91 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: the other end of the floor. I think Golden State 92 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: had about a hundred and twenty six offensive rating in 93 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: this game. It was actually way closer than it should 94 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: have been. Golden States shot much better from the field, 95 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: they shot much better from three. They completely pulverized them 96 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: on the glass fifty thirty one UM. Specifically, James Wiseman, 97 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: uh Kavan Luny and Draymond Green did an awesome job 98 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: on the offensive glass. They combined for seven offensive rebounds. 99 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: Andrew Wiggins to like There are so many times where 100 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: you're watching and and you don't even see him, and 101 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 1: he'll just come flying in out of nowhere to grab 102 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: contested offensive rebounds over the top. Those plays feel like 103 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: big momentum plays in a basketball game too. The Warriors 104 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: also one points in the paint forty to thirty four. 105 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: This was a destructive dominant performance that was kept close 106 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: because of turnovers um. You know, this is something that's 107 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: happened time to time over the years with the Warriors. 108 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: They just can be a little fast and loose with 109 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 1: their offense. Miami two, I mean they're the I think 110 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: they're you know, I think they're organizationally every bit as 111 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: smart as Golden State is. They just don't have the talent. 112 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: And they did a really nice job of mixing up 113 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: man coverages and zone. They a lot of zone in 114 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: this particular game. Jimmy Butler, baym at a Bio and 115 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: Kyle Lowry in particular, are really good at kind of 116 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: camping just outside of a passing lane and bating you 117 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: into thinking that a pass or a swing pass or 118 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: a skip pass or something like that is open when 119 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: it's not. And then they'll jump into that gap and 120 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: and force a turnover. That is one of their specific strengths, 121 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: and they I tell you, Steph and Draymond in particular, 122 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: there were several times where they were just making simple 123 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: swing passes that someone would jump the passing. There was 124 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: one in the third quarter where Draymond Green was bringing 125 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: the ball up the right side and before he even 126 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: got to half court, I think it was Moses Moody 127 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: running along the left wing and he's just like, I'll 128 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: try this skip ahead pass and Jimmy Butler jumped it, 129 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: or like Steph Curry like dribbling at the top of 130 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: the key, you know, trying to figure out which way 131 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: he's gonna attack the zone, and Clay Thompson is on 132 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: the wing and he just throws it to Klay Thompson 133 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: and Jimmy Butler jumps it and gets a steal. Like 134 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: a lot of just sloppiness and and some of that too, 135 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: is just the way Miami plays there towards the top 136 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: of the league and steals again this year just like 137 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: they were last year. They're they're they're always going to 138 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: be good in in those areas of the game, and 139 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: they took advantage of some sloppiness for Golden State and 140 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: kept the game close. They had sixteen steals in this game, 141 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: but at the end of the day, Um, they were 142 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: obliterated in every single other facet of the game. So 143 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: even though it occasionally got close, it never really truly 144 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: felt it felt like Golden State was threatened and and 145 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: so again, like you're never gonna, like I said, with 146 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: these defense details, these changes never happen overnight. You're not 147 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: going to go from being an average defense to a 148 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: great defense in one night. You have to build habits, 149 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: build continuity, build connective tissue. You're training younger defensive players 150 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: like James Wiseman and Moses Moody to take significant roles. 151 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: You know you've you've got because of injuries, You've got 152 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: some unusual guys in the lineup in terms of the rotation. Um. Obviously, 153 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,239 Speaker 1: when Clay Thompson and Draymond Green have their minutes restrictions lifted, 154 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna have a little bit less of those guys anyway. 155 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: So I do think over time you're gonna see Golden 156 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 1: States defensive rating tick up. But I'm sure that Kerr 157 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: is not super pleased at this point. Um, Clay Thompson 158 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: finally got going in that second half. He made four 159 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: or three some big ones too to stop Miami runs. 160 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: That probably felt good for him after, you know, after 161 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: the ejection with Devin Booker, there was a lot of talk, 162 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: a lot of slander directed towards Clay, a lot of 163 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: stuff like, oh, if Devin Booker switched places with him 164 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: in his career, the Warriors would be even better, and 165 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: all this kind of stuff. And I think that stuff 166 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: is completely loaded. Um, there's just so much that you 167 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: have to get into there. And I think that Clay 168 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: Thompson's resume is unassailable. He's played so well in so 169 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: many huge playoff games, and he's a tent just many 170 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: many times the defensive player that Devin Booker is, I 171 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: think I think that's kind of disrespectful. So it probably 172 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: felt good for Klay Thompson to finally get going in 173 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: that second half and make some big plays in a 174 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: Warrior win. Um. But I wanted to spend some time 175 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: on Steph. You know, I talked a lot a lot 176 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: about Steff over the course of the summer, so in 177 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: the early part of the season, I was kind of 178 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: focusing on some of the other parts of the roster. 179 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: But the truth is He's been one of the most 180 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: impressive guys in the league to start the season. Among 181 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: the guys that I had towards the top of my 182 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: player rankings, Janice, Luca, and Steph are the ones that 183 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: are impressing me the most. Tatum's putting up big scoring numbers, 184 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: and I had him at sixth I believe in my 185 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: player rankings just kind of a homage to what he 186 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: did in his playoff run. But Tatum's kind of abandoning 187 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: playmaking so far in this season, and that is deeply 188 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: concerning to me because that's such a huge part of 189 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: why I had him as high as I did. I 190 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 1: think he's only averaging like three and a half assists 191 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: per game, which just goes to show you that he's 192 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 1: kind of got his head in the wrong place compared 193 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: to what his idealized peak version of himself is. So 194 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: even though he's putting up the numbers, I don't put 195 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: him in that conversation. Uh, Katie is putting up scoring numbers, 196 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: but he's not good enough in the details right now, 197 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: and his team is suffering for it. Specifically, Luca, Steph, 198 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: and Janice are picking up exactly where they left off 199 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: at the end of last season and playing dominant basketball. 200 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: Stephen is playing with the confidence of a champion. You know, 201 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: a guy that just clearly got the monkey off his 202 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: back last year. Not that he had a real monkey. 203 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: It was just like he had three titles. The first 204 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: two everyone pointed to k D and then the first 205 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: one or the last two, everyone pointed to Katie. And 206 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: then the first one everyone said he got lucky because 207 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: of injuries. And so this one was like the the unassailable, 208 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,439 Speaker 1: like you can't you can't undercut this one. This one's 209 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: for real, and you could tell that confident this is 210 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: is coming, uh, coming out of his pores. Literally, he's 211 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: just he's just he's just exuding that every game. And 212 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: he struggled most of last season, if you guys remember 213 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: in the regular season, so to see him playing really 214 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: well in the regular season this year is a good sign. 215 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: He's averaging thirty one, six and six on sixty six 216 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: percent true shooting. Now remember in that two thousand sixteen 217 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: unanimous m VP campaign he had a sixty seven percent 218 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: true shooting percentage, it was averaging thirty So he's basically 219 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: scoring at a higher rate and at about the same 220 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: efficiency as his unanimous MVP season. He's shooting fifty percent 221 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: on six point four pull up threes per game. That's outrageous. 222 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: He's shooting fort on ten point two above the break 223 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 1: threes per game. That's completely insane. He's shooting fortent on 224 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: seven mid to short range attempts per game. So that's 225 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: the mid range, and then everything in the paint that's 226 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: outside of the restricted area that's really really good. And 227 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: then this is the wild part. And you saw this 228 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: on display last night against Miami. Steph is looking extremely 229 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: explosive going to the rim, like as explosive as he's 230 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: looked ever in his career. And he's shooting eight in 231 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: the restricted area on almost two makes per game. Now, 232 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: if you guys remember over the summer, we talked a 233 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: lot about this. At the guard position, I want over 234 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,959 Speaker 1: six and at the on the at the wing of 235 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: your big wing, I want that over se steps at 236 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: which is just out of control. Um. This is also 237 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: the first time in his career that he's averaged at 238 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: least six assists with less than three turnovers per game. 239 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: He's showing complete offensive mastery on that end of the floor, 240 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: and it almost like reminds me of Lebron in two 241 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: thousand eighteen where I remember, you know, Lebron was always 242 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: very good, but like in the Miami years, there still 243 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: was like a little bit of like the production was there, 244 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: but like you could tell like he didn't he didn't 245 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: have that overwhelming confidence. And then two thousand sixteen, two 246 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: thousand and seventeen, the production reached these insane levels, but 247 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: it's still just didn't quite feel like the the the 248 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: overwhelming confidence. And then there was two thousand eighteen and 249 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: it was like every game you watched Lebron, it was 250 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: like it just felt like he could get to wherever 251 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: he wanted, get to whatever shot he wanted. It was 252 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: complete offensive mastery for him. And I feel like Steps 253 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: entering into that phase of his career right now, and 254 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: it's it's similar because it was about the same age. 255 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: I think Lebron in two thousand eighteen was like thirty 256 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: three thirty four, and at this point Step is thirty four, 257 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: so it's a similar age. You know, it's like mid thirties. 258 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: You still have a good chunk of your athleticism, like 259 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: of your peak athleticism with the basketball i Q that 260 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: comes from years and years and years of experience, and 261 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: then your skill set is as polished as it's ever 262 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: going to be. And then yeah, when you get into 263 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: your late thirties, the physical stuff kind of tails off 264 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: and then you'll start to see some decline. But but like, man, 265 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: he's this might be. This might be the best that Stever, 266 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: that's Steph Stever, That's staff will ever be. This is 267 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: this appears like his peak, kind of similar to the 268 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: two thousand eighteen season for Lebron. So kudos a staff, 269 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: great start to the season. Um, you know, it's gonna 270 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: be an interesting season for the Warriors because they're gonna 271 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: have some downsides as they work through their through their rotation, um, 272 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: trying to build those young guys into usable playoff pieces, 273 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: and it's gonna be a journey. But they're still gonna 274 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: be a pain in the ass. And I wouldn't want 275 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: to see him in a playoff series. Uh, Miami, they're 276 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: down to two and four now, they still can't score 277 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: the basketball. There twenty third in offense outside of Jimmy Butler. 278 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: They aren't getting consistent production really out of anyone on 279 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: the roster. Tyler Harrow in particular is not shooting the 280 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: ball well to start the year. But the biggest concern 281 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: is their defense has fallen off of a cliff. Last 282 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: year they were fourth and defense overall fifth in the 283 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: half court according to Cleaning the Glass. This year, their 284 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: half court defense is down to fifteen. Now. I will 285 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: say that their schedule has played a big role in this. 286 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: They've had a really tough schedule to start the year. 287 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: They had Chicago, Boston, Toronto twice, then Portland's do they 288 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: actually beat convincingly in Golden State, So the schedule has 289 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: played a role in this. But their defense is not 290 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: as good as it was last year. This was a 291 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: concern for us after they lost p J. Tucker. They're 292 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: legitimately very thin in the front court and nowhere near 293 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: as physical as they were last year. The big concern 294 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: is with the loss of p J. Tucker, they're getting 295 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: absolutely demolished on the glass. Like we talked about last night, 296 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: Golden State outrebounded them fifty to thirty one, there twenty 297 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: seven in rebounding percentage. Overall, they're just too small and 298 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: on athletic on the perimeter, and they don't have enough 299 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: size on the interior to make up for it. Their 300 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: aggregate size of most of their good lineups is just 301 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: not big enough. And look, I get that they were 302 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: one shot away from the finals last year, and so 303 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: it can be easy to say like we're this close, 304 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: you know, But the reality is is is this team 305 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: needs to make a move. In my opinion, they just 306 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: simply don't have the pieces and and and I think 307 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: they or estimated how much p J. Tucker was valuable 308 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: to them. Look, I I won't I won't ever count 309 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: out Eric Spoelstra. That would be foolish. I won't ever 310 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: count out Jimmy Butler. Those guys terrify me in a 311 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: playoff environment. But right now, this looks like a team 312 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: that fundamentally doesn't have the requisite physicality defensively and on 313 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: the glass to compete in an NBA playoff environment. So 314 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: I'd be pretty concerned if I was a Miami Heat 315 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: fan at this point. So last night I asked you guys, 316 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: because we have been talking a lot of Warriors and 317 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: Lakers lately. Um, you know, and for those of you 318 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: guys that have been watching the shows, like look in 319 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: our in our thumbnails and in our descriptions, we're gonna 320 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: mention Warriors and Lakers. That's just good business. And we're 321 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: gonna mention them at the top of the show. Usually 322 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: that's just good businesses. At the end of the day, 323 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: we're not doing this for fun. I don't work all 324 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: these hours for fun. We do this because it's our job. 325 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: And and uh, the reality is is I do want 326 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: to have as much of a wide range and coverage 327 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: of the league as I can. And they were probably 328 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: like four videos or so that I did since the 329 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: start of the season where if you get past that 330 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: opening segment, I am doing dies into all of these 331 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: other games where one of the videos we covered seven games, 332 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: another video we covered five games. So just keep looking 333 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: in the latter half of the videos, that's where you're 334 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: gonna see the analysis of some of the other teams 335 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:22,399 Speaker 1: around the league. But last night I ask you guys, 336 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,479 Speaker 1: what you what team? Um, you guys wanted to hear 337 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: me talk about and the and the team that got 338 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: most frequently mentioned in the comments was the Toronto Raptors. 339 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: So we're gonna do a little deep dive in Toronto 340 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: right now. So last after they beat Philly on Wednesday, 341 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: they moved up to three and two. Uh, they have 342 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: Philly again tonight. We'll see how that goes um there 343 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: in offense twelve and defense eleventh and net rating a 344 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: lot of good on the offensive end so far. Uh, 345 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: Pascal Siakam has been incredible nine and eight to start 346 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: the season. He's playing with the confidence that I've never 347 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: seen from him. In that Sixers game on Wednesday, he 348 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: was like, it was kind of cool to see him 349 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: talking shipped to p J Tucker and you could tell 350 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: p J. Tucker was kind of daring him to shoot, 351 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: and he stuck one and then like ran down the 352 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: floor and basically like you could tell p J. Tucker 353 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: said something along the lines of like I'm gonna leave 354 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: you open all night, something along those lines, and then 355 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: p J or Pascal Siakam was like, okay, bet, let's 356 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: see how this goes for you. And the rest of 357 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: that first quarter he lit p J. Tucker on fire 358 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: with three points shots and every time down the floor 359 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: was letting him know about it. He is shooting on 360 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: five pull up mid range jumpers per game in in 361 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: combination with shooting thirty six percent from three overall. So 362 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: that was one of their biggest issues last year against 363 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: the Sixers, which we'll talk about when we get to 364 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,679 Speaker 1: that point. But Pascal Siakam becoming a confident jump shooter 365 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: would go a long way towards helping this team in 366 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: a playoff environment. Um offensively, but we're all that's your 367 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: biggest bright spot right now on offense is how good 368 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: PJ Tucker? Excuse me, how good Pascal Siakam looks. One 369 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: concern the pull up three isn't quite there yet, and 370 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 1: that's gonna be a big one for him, I think, 371 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: over the course of his career. But overall, he's playing 372 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: like an all the NB all NBA player on both 373 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: ends and that's exciting. Gary Trent Jr. Is averaging twenty 374 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 1: The biggest thing that would concern me offensively right now 375 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: is as a team, they're shooting like absolutely lights out 376 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,360 Speaker 1: from three to a completely unrealistic extent. And I'm sure 377 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: most of you Raptors fans probably would agree with me 378 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: watching these games. So check this out. Chris Boucher, Delano, Benton, 379 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: Fred VanVleet, Malick Hi Flynn, and Scottie Barnes are all 380 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: shooting over fifty percent on catching shoot threes over Gary 381 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: Trent Jr. O g Andnobi and Pascal Siakam are all 382 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: shooting over on catching shoot threes. That's not sustainable. It 383 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: just simply isn't not. The best teams in the league 384 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: are going to have the best shooting teams in the 385 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,680 Speaker 1: league are going to have that level of shooting from 386 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: the role players. Here's why that concerns me. They're already, 387 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: according to Cleaning the Glass, twenty four and half court offense. 388 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: So yeah, they're fifteenth in offense overall, but they're being 389 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: carried by the fact that their third in transition efficiency. 390 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: They run the floor really well, which is gonna be 391 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:17,879 Speaker 1: a strength of theirs, and we'll talk about how they 392 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: might be able to weaponize that here in a second. 393 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 1: But they are twenty four in half court offense right 394 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: now with that super hot shooting, and like think of it, 395 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: like this last year against Toronto in that playoff series, 396 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: they shot thirty four percent on catching shoot threes in 397 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,679 Speaker 1: that series when they were wide open, meaning defenders at 398 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 1: least six ft away, they shot thirty five percent. And 399 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: this year they're shooting forty six percent as a team 400 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 1: on catching shoot three So where's the real Are they 401 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: getting better? Sure? Like Sam's form looks like looks really 402 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: solid and confident. Scottie Barnes looks like he's made improvements 403 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: over the summer as a shooter, So they're gonna shoot 404 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: better than they did against Toronto last year. Excuse me, 405 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: against uh Philly last year, I kept saying Toronto. Those 406 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 1: numbers I was quoting was against Philadelphia in that first 407 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: round series. They were thirty on catching shoot threes on 408 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: wide open threes. But they're gonna be better than that 409 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: because of natural improvement of players. But they're not gonna 410 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: shoot forty six per cent on catching shoot threes. So 411 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: with them already struggling to score in the half court, 412 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: when the shooting numbers normalize, that could be an issue. 413 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: The reality is this is a physically imposing team that 414 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 1: has gone all in on these huge wings and there's 415 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: a lot of pluses that come with that, but they're 416 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 1: relatively low and offensive skill compared to the rest of 417 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: the league. They do run some pick and rolls with 418 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: guys like Gary Trent Jr. And Fred VanVleet, but most 419 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: of their offense it's just Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and 420 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: O g n and Obi picking a matchup that they 421 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: like and trying to bully their way to the rim, 422 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: and I typically like that kind of offense, that brute 423 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: force type of offense, because it translates really well to 424 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: the postseason. But I usually like that when it's more skilled, 425 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: like when it's coming for a guy like Luca or 426 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: Kawhile Ord or Lebron Lebron James, where it's that physical 427 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: bullyball mixed with a really high end offensive skill set. 428 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: And right now, outside of Pascal Siakam, it's a lot 429 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 1: of overwhelming physical talent that doesn't come with the requisite 430 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: offensive skill to be a team that scores in a 431 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 1: half court easily. That that was that was why I 432 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 1: wanted them to go after Donovan Mitchell this summer as 433 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: some of you got, as some of you Raptors fans remember, 434 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: or after Kevin Durant. I mean, look, there's a lot 435 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,719 Speaker 1: in the in the future to be excited about. You know, 436 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 1: o g is improving over the years, Pascal is improving. 437 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: You know, Scottie barn is one of my favorite young 438 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: players in the league. He looks way better. He's going 439 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: to continue to get way better. Maybe in three or 440 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: four years. This all pans out great. You look like 441 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: a top tier contender and everything's fine, but there's also 442 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: a universe here where, by the time Scottie Barnes gets 443 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: to the point where he's ready to be the focal 444 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: point of a championship team, where you lose some of 445 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: this talent elsewhere on the roster and then suddenly you're 446 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: not good enough. That was the delicate balance you had 447 00:22:58,040 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: over the course of this summer as it pertained to 448 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: the trade trade market. It was do you kind of 449 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: go in on this talent that you have that's clearly 450 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: missing that offensive centerpiece, or do you be patient and 451 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: hope that everyone kind of pans out. And they're going 452 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 1: the patient route. But here we are in their twenty 453 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: four and half court offense, despite shooting the damn laces 454 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 1: off the basketball, and that can be concerning bright spot. 455 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 1: Their third in transition offense, first in fast breakpoints scored 456 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: per game. That's bolstering their offensive rating quite a bit. 457 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: Their first in steals per one possessions kind of reminds me. 458 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: You know, the Lakers that won the title. They were 459 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:42,879 Speaker 1: a bad half court offense, but they were a good 460 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 1: offense because of what they did in transition, and all 461 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: season long everyone said, well, what if they can slow 462 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: him down. If you can slow down the Lakers and 463 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: keep them in the half court, you're gonna beat them. 464 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: And then guess what. They got a bunch of steals 465 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: and stops and got out in transition against Portland, and 466 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: then they got a bunch of steel and stops and 467 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: got out in transition against Houston. And then they got 468 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: a bunch of deals and got out in transition against 469 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 1: port against Denver, and then they got a bunch of 470 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: stops and steals and got out in transition against Miami. 471 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: So at the end of the day, if Toronto can 472 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: play to their style, which is get stops, get out 473 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: and run, then they'll be fine. But if teams managed 474 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: to keep them in the half court, they're gonna have 475 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: hard time winning. It's just the reality, strangely enough, you know, 476 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: and I talked to I did a whole video on 477 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 1: this in the preseason on Toronto, so you can find 478 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: it if you dig far back into my Twitter feed. Um, 479 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: but they're still overhelping too much for what their talent 480 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: really demands. Defensively, their twenty four and half court defense 481 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: despite having all that length and athleticism, and a huge 482 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,959 Speaker 1: part of it is they've got all these defensive pieces 483 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: that you can leave on an island and force offensive 484 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: players to take difficult shots. But too often, and this 485 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: has always been a Nick Nurse thing. He's he's a 486 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: load up the side kind of coach. He's a if 487 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: you're you know, if you're off ball, you're damn near 488 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: on the mid line every single time, like there's always 489 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: like five defensive players on one side of the court, 490 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 1: if the balls on the left wing. He is just 491 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: an over help coach with the personnel that doesn't require 492 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: that much help. And as a result, they're giving up 493 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: too many points in the half court for the amount 494 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: of talent that they have. So I mean kind of 495 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: zooming out. And again this is all early. All these 496 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 1: like characterizations I do with these teams, keep in mind 497 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 1: that it's early. A lot can change over the course 498 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: of the next couple of weeks. Philly could beat Toronto 499 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 1: tonight and go on a run, and then everything I 500 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: said about DC Rivers could be irrelevant, you know, So 501 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: like they're everything can change quickly. The Lakers have one 502 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: of the best defenses in the league, so they're owing four, 503 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,439 Speaker 1: but if they start shooting better and they keep getting stops, 504 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: they might just start kicking the ship out of everybody, 505 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: like you never know what's gonna happen. I had a 506 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 1: lot of people go like, oh, Jason, you had this 507 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: team at you know, you had the Lakers at in 508 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 1: your power rankings and they're owing four. You had Philly 509 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: at whatever fifth in your power rankings and they're one 510 00:25:57,760 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: and four. Whatever it is. It's guys, it's early. I'm 511 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: ever going to completely change my outlook of the season 512 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: based on four or five games, but we do learn things. 513 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 1: What have we learned about the Lakers. They're damn good 514 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: defensive team. What did I predict this summer? I predicted 515 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: that they would be a top five defense. They've been 516 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 1: a top five defense. Okay. Their offense is shooting historically bad. 517 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: Literally no team in NBA history has shot worse than 518 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: the Lakers through four games on a minimum of eighty attempts. 519 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 1: I think Tom Haverstroe tweeted that out yesterday. That's not 520 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 1: going to sustain. They're gonna shoot better when they do. 521 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: If they keep getting stops, they're gonna be a better 522 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,479 Speaker 1: basketball team. Me putting them at thirteen is not that crazy. 523 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: Philly still has a ton of talent. They have the 524 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: second best offensive, uh half court offense in the league 525 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,360 Speaker 1: right now. If they figure out some things in their 526 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: transition defense and in their half court defense, they're gonna 527 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 1: start beating teams. Like It's just the reality. So in general, 528 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: I can't stand when people get all like in your 529 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: face about predictions. I won't take victory lapse on predictions 530 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: because I know predictions are a crap shoot. I'm gonna 531 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: be right some times, I'm gonna be wrong sometimes. If 532 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: it was easy to make predictions, we'd all be in 533 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: Vegas making a ton of money betting on games and outcomes, 534 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,120 Speaker 1: which we all are not doing. We're all we're all 535 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: just having fun with it on fan duel. So that's 536 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 1: just the reality of it. Um. I What I'm gonna do, though, 537 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: is over the course of the season, try to learn 538 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: lessons watching the film. As we learn lessons, we make adjustments. 539 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: And you'll notice I haven't done a power rankings yet 540 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: since the start of the season. I'll probably give it 541 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: another week, probably next Friday, and we'll touch based on 542 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: some power rankings, and then you know what, We'll give 543 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: it another couple of weeks and then we'll touch based 544 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: on some power rankings, But you gotta give these teams 545 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: time to play some basketball. Like Brooklyn's heading into a 546 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: week stretch of their schedule. They have five pretty inferior 547 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 1: imponent opponents coming up. They could undo a lot of 548 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: damage to their metrics during that span. The Lakers are 549 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 1: still in a tough stretch, but they're gonna head into 550 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: an easier stretch after that. You know, Toronto has been 551 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: shooting super well. We'll see what happens when they stopped 552 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 1: making shots. Miami, uh has played you know, Chicago, Boston, 553 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: Toronto twice, Portland and Golden State. Like they they're due 554 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: to have some easier games. So at the end of 555 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: the day, everyone kind of has like it's too small 556 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 1: sample size to make sweeping declarations. We just learned what 557 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: we can from teams, and like I've learned through watching 558 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: that Miami is too small. That's just the thing. They're 559 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: They're actually too small. They're not gonna suddenly have no 560 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: no issues with size once they enter a weaker phase 561 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: of their schedule. You know, like you're gonna see that 562 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: the Lakers don't shoot the ball well enough. Yeah, they 563 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: should shoot better than they have been. But I predicted 564 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: before the season, they would be the worst shooting team 565 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: in the n b A not this bad, but I 566 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: predict that they would be bad. That's a personnel weakness. 567 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: They're going to have to address it at some point. 568 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: But hey, here we are, what ten days into the 569 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: regular season, We've learned quite a bit. I'm having fun. 570 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 1: We're gonna take this weekend off and I will be 571 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: back on Monday afternoon covering the weekend's games. I hope 572 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: you guys all have a fun Halloween, and I will 573 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: see you after the weekend. The volume