1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: The volume, from the football playoffs to college and pro 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: basketball to the rush of hockey. What a time to 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: be a sports fan. It's all happening and you can 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: get in on all the action of the sports you 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: love at Draft Kings Sports Book. With so many sports, 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: every day is game day at DraftKings, that means unlimited 7 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: opportunities to place your first bet, and DraftKings makes it easy. 8 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: How easy? Try betting on something simple like picking a 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: team to win. Go to the Draft Kings Sports Book app, 10 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: pick your team and place your bet. 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For additional terms and responsible 30 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: gaming resources, see DKNG dot co slash audio. All right, 31 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: welcome to Hoops tonight. You're at the volume. Happy Saturday, 32 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: everybody a little hoops tonight after dark. We haven't had 33 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: one of these in a long time. We know better 34 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: than to go headed head to head with the NFL 35 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: and the college football Playoff, but there's gonna be a 36 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: lot more of these nighttime instant reaction games that we 37 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: had towards the end of the season. And then you 38 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: guys know the drill. We go live every single night 39 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: during the postseason. We're gonna be breaking down a jam 40 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: pack slate of Rivals week games as the Los Angeles 41 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: Vikers continued their excellent play beating the Golden State Warriors 42 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: in Oracle. After that, we're going to be talking about 43 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics putting together their most impressive performance in 44 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: a while, a blowout win on the road in Dallas. 45 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: After that, the Denver Nuggets might have a little bit 46 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 1: of a Minnesota Timberwolves problem as Minnesota wins their fourth 47 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: consecutive time against Denver dating back to the Western Conference 48 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: semi finals. And then at the very end, just very briefly, 49 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 1: all touched on Pacers Spurs as well as the Calves, 50 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: who have dropped five out of eight. So a bunch 51 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: of games are going to be getting into today. You 52 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: guys are the drip before we get started. Subscribe to 53 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: the Hoops to Night YouTube channels you don't miss any 54 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore 55 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: JSNLT so you guys don't miss any show announcements. Don't 56 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: forget about a podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts 57 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 1: under Hoops Tonight Tonight. It's also super helpful if you 58 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: leave a rating in a review. On that front, we 59 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: also have brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, 60 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: and Facebook for the Hoops Tonight channel, where we're going 61 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: to be releasing content throughout the season. And then, last 62 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: but not least, keep dropping mail bag question in our 63 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: YouTube comments. Every Friday throughout the year, we record a mailbag. 64 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: That's where you guys can drop questions there in the 65 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: YouTube comments. All right, let's talk some basketball. So the 66 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis matchup for Golden State is just a huge problem. 67 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: When Draymond Green is out of the lineup. Draymon is 68 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: the only player on the Warriors who can actually make 69 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: AD feel uncomfortable. AD will still win some of those battles, 70 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: but Draymond has a combination of the ability to really 71 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: bother AD's base with his strength and the length to 72 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: get good contests up top that he's gonna at least 73 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: make Anthony Davis really work for it, right, And so 74 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: in iso situations, AD can't just like bully Draymond and 75 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: get wherever he wants. And then Draymond is the only 76 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: player on the Warriors who's fast enough, with long enough 77 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: arms and good enough defensive instincts to in ball screens 78 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: show on the ball handler or help as his responsibility is, 79 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: but to also recover back to Anthony David on the 80 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: roll when he ends up in that foul line area 81 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: to either bother him, make him get rid of the ball, 82 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: or get a good contest on some of the shots 83 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: that he takes there in the pocket. So with Draymond out, 84 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: it was always going to be a really tough night 85 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: for the Warriors dealing with Anthony Davis, and that's exactly 86 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,119 Speaker 1: what it ended up being. The guys battled. Quinton Post 87 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: in particular, probably logged the best looking defensive possessions against 88 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, but Ady got him with some overaggression, got 89 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: to the foul line against him and got enough. And 90 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: all night long he just beat every Golden State big 91 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 1: every which way. He posted guys up and scored with 92 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: hook shots. He beat guys with face up ISO moves 93 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: like using his speed to get to the basket or 94 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: hitting those little step back jump shots. His jump shot 95 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: was just incredibly important to the Lakers in this one. 96 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: And then in ball screens he kept hitting floaters if 97 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: he got close enough to the basket. When he would 98 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: catch in the pocket, he hit picking like kind of 99 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: those picking half pop jumpers where he kind of ends 100 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: up around the top of the key. I'd prefer him 101 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: to just pop to the three point line and get 102 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: a bit little better at that shot, just for the 103 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: math of it, because you know, even if you hit 104 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 1: that shot of forty five percent, it's just only worth, 105 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: you know, zero point nine points per attempt. I think 106 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 1: eighties got the capability to knock down pick and pop threes. 107 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: I'd like to see him do that a little bit more. 108 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: But he was hitting jumpers at the top of the 109 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: key when he was catching in the pocket. And then 110 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: there was a time where the Warriors tried to put 111 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: two on the ball in a ball screen and ad 112 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: Cot on a short roll and made a beautiful corner 113 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: kick to Max Christy in the left corner and he 114 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: knocked it down. They tried switching at one point in 115 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: the first half and Lebron just threw an easy over 116 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: the top pass to Anthony Davis and he dunked it 117 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: with two hands. Like there was just nothing that Golden 118 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: State could do with him all night, and so he 119 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: just looked like an absolute superhero out there. He finished 120 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: with thirty six points and thirteen rebounds, three steals in 121 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: a block, just an incredibly impressive performance from Anthony Davis. 122 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: He got off to such an incredible start this year, 123 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: and in the stretch since that time, it's been kind 124 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: of uneven. There's been some injuries that he's been dealing with. 125 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: But I was a little concerned and just that there 126 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: wasn't that much top end with Anthony Davis in that 127 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: stretch after the start of the season. But these last 128 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: two games, that game against Boston, in the game against 129 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: Golden State, he's looked absolutely fantastic. So I hope that 130 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: that means that he's turning a corner in terms of 131 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,119 Speaker 1: his health and starting to feel a little bit better, 132 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: have some healthy wheels, actually be able to move around, 133 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: get the lift that he needs on his jump shot. 134 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis looked absolutely great tonight. But interestingly enough, the Lakers, 135 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: who have struggled NonStop with Anthony Davis off the floor 136 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: this year, they were plus one tonight with Anthony Davis 137 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 1: off the floor. A big part of that was the 138 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: return of Jared Vanderbilt. It was good to see him 139 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: back out there. The mythological basketball player that was Jared Vanderbilt, 140 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: who was playing so well there in January when you 141 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: guys saw that the one corner three that Jared Vanderbilt 142 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: ended up with, he didn't take more than one of them, 143 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: and he didn't end up in that spot often because 144 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: throughout those possessions, for the most part that he was 145 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:02,559 Speaker 1: on the floor, he was operating more as a screen 146 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: or a roller, a cutter, working in the middle of 147 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: the floor, which is exactly where he succeeded back in 148 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: January of twenty twenty four. And like when he was 149 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: in that group, that bench group, it was kind of 150 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: like Lebron Jared Vanderbilt, Dorian Phinney Smith and two guards. 151 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: That group, they were able to just kind of use 152 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt as the ball screen guy and just have 153 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: him screen and roll into open space. And he had 154 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: one where he screened and rolled and made a really 155 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: nice kickout pass for a corner three as well. And 156 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt, like every time I watch him, his combination 157 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: of like size and strength with like crazy motor in 158 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: terms of just how hard he plays, Like little things 159 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: like there'll be a transition push and like you'll see 160 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: a position where like Andrew Wiggins will be running the 161 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: left side of the floor and he's got the ball. 162 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: He catches the ball and the kick head pass and 163 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: he kind of has an angle on Vanderbilt, and so 164 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: many players in the NBA will just like let it 165 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: go because it's just a transition possession in a random 166 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: regular season game in January, Jared Vanderbilt like sprints back 167 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: and takes an angle and cuts Andrew Wiggins off and 168 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: at least forces him to pass the ball and make 169 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: Golden State make a couple of nice passing reads in 170 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: a transition situation, or you'll see him go for the 171 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: offensive glass. Like literally every single possession that he's on 172 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: the floor, his effort in rotation, his effort in every 173 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: spot of the floor just pops because of his combination 174 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: of size, strength and just long arms and just all 175 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: this stuff that makes him such an impact athlete on 176 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: the floor. And that group was able to guard really well. 177 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: And like, this is the this is the main thing 178 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: that I've found to be fascinating in the time since 179 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: Dorian Finney Smith came to this team. And you know, 180 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: in exchange for D'Angelo Russell and getting Jared Vanderbilt back, 181 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: there's just a lot more defensive talent on this Lakers 182 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: roster now than there was a month ago. Like it's 183 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: just it's kind of a fundamentally different build in that sense. 184 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: And like when you have more good defensive players, you 185 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: have more lineups that have more good defensive players. When 186 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: you have more lineups full of good defensive players, you've 187 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: got more guys on the floor that are good at 188 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: all of the things you need to be good at 189 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: to be a good defense, like getting back in transition, 190 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,359 Speaker 1: communicating with each other, containing the basketball in isolation situations 191 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: and in ball screens, rotating around when you get in 192 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: scramble situations, boxing out, rebounding, like all of those things 193 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: are things that those, you know, role player athletes have 194 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 1: always been good at because that's what they've done since 195 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: they were kids. And if you get a bunch of 196 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: offensive players on the floor that haven't had to do 197 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: that stuff often in their careers, like there just aren't 198 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: that many players on the floor that are that good 199 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: at those things, and you start to see things slip 200 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: through the cracks. Bad transition possessions, too many straight line drives, 201 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: bad rotations, wide open threes, too many offensive rebounds, like 202 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, Like that's all part of like 203 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: this like scale's like there's like a mandatory minimum of 204 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: defensive talent you have to have on the floor in 205 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: order to be a competent defensive team. And then there's 206 00:09:58,360 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: like another level you can get to where it's like 207 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: what everyone Like what if everyone's good at defense? And 208 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 1: there were a lot of lineups out there tonight where 209 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: it's like, oh wow, like that's Austin and Max with 210 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: Dorian vandoh and Lebron, Like Austin's the worst defender in 211 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: that group, you know, or like you'll be like Dalton 212 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: is the one week defender in that group, but like 213 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: Dalton and Jackson Hayes are the only two guys that 214 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: were in their rotation tonight that are not good defensive 215 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 1: players when they're locked in. You know, Lebron obviously can 216 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: ebb and flow with his effort, but like, there's just 217 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: a lot more defensive talent on this roster now than 218 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: there was because of a trade and because of the 219 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: return of Jared Vanderbilt that means more defensive runs. I 220 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: thought it was fascinating Dorsburg who dors Burke every time 221 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: I listened to her, she I think she's one of 222 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: the best in the business at that color commentary piece 223 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: because she just quickly identifies what's happening in the game 224 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: and expresses it in a very concise and easy way 225 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 1: for people to digest. Shout out to Dorsburke, She's just awesome. 226 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: But she made a comment at the beginning of that 227 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: game about the difference in styles between Boston and Golden State, 228 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: and it's a really interesting point because Boston, you know, 229 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: Boston is going to match up hunt and they're gonna 230 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: do They're gonna attack a lot of like switches, right, 231 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: and the Lakers are gonna compete against that team with 232 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: a switching defensive scheme, right, Like they put Anthony Davis 233 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: on Jaylen Brown because Jaylen Brown has a slower type 234 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: of catch and shoot release, so they felt like ad 235 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: could like dig down and recover to the perimeter better 236 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: than everyone else and help against mismatch hunting. And they 237 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: it's all about like communicating switches, you know, switching aggressively 238 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: to stop the shooting in that switch gap that I 239 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: talk about all the time that Derek White's really good at, 240 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: where like when you're in the middle of a switch, 241 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: there's like a transition when the one player's disengaging and 242 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: the next players engaging, and if you're slow in that interchange, 243 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: Derek White will torch you, right, Like the MAVs got 244 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: torched by that all night tonight, specifically guys like Gafford 245 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: and Maxi Kleiba, right, And like, so you go from 246 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: this challenge where it's like we're switching, We've got to 247 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,559 Speaker 1: be attentive and close out on our switches, and then 248 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: when we end up in our precarious mismatches, we have 249 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: to help recover, rebound, compete on the ball. Very different 250 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: type of challenge to Golden State, where it's just a 251 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: blender of people running through all these screens all over 252 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 1: the floor and they're not really looking to attack matchups. 253 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: It's much more like advantage creation and trying to play 254 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: driving kick basketball, and so they get wide open threes 255 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: and layups and it taxes your defense in a fundamentally 256 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,599 Speaker 1: different way. And you know, they had a lot of 257 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: breakdowns as a result of that. Guys get losing shooters, 258 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: guys losing guys crashing the offensive glass, like a lot 259 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: of Lakers got caught in that blender. But they had 260 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: defensive runs and that's really the key. They got stops 261 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: in stretches that allowed them to build leads and to 262 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: maintain leads, and again, like, those are the defensive runs 263 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: that are going to come more frequently the more defensive 264 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: talent you have on the floor. You Lakers fans will 265 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: remember if you think back to the twenty twenty team, 266 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: in the twenty twenty one team the year after, that 267 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 1: team had a tendency to go on to literally win 268 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: games with defensive runs. It wonn't all the time, and 269 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: you know, it kind of felt like a special like 270 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 1: kind of flashing a pan type of thing when it 271 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: would happen, similar to like when you see a shooter 272 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: get super high, like Tyros Haliburton who got insanely hot 273 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: had sixteen points in three minutes at the end of 274 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: the third quarter in that game against the Spurs. Like 275 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: it was like the defensive version of that. You'd see 276 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty Lakers and they just have these like 277 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: three four five minute stretches where they would lock in 278 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: and the other team would just not score, like they 279 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: would literally just not be able to score. And that 280 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: was an even better team with a younger, more athletic Lebron, 281 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: a younger, more athletic Anthony Davis, even better defensive talent, 282 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: but like defensive runs have been the way that the 283 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: Lebron and Ad Lakers have won at the highest level, 284 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: even dating back to the year they made it to 285 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 1: the Western Conference finals. That was not a great offensive team, 286 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: that was a great defensive team, and so like, it's 287 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: kind of an interesting it's kind of an interesting identity 288 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: that's starting to form around the Lakers as like this 289 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: really good defensive team that or at least a team 290 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: that's capable of being really good on defense. I'm not 291 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: about to start taking victory laps about the Lakers defense 292 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: after two games, but this team that's capable of being 293 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: really good defensively and then kind of like Who's got 294 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: it tonight type of offensive thing, like Austin's got it tonight, 295 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: AD's got it tonight, Lebron's got it tonight. They're not 296 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: gonna have some helio centric guy that's going to average 297 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: thirty points a game, but a lot of really well 298 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: rounded scoring and then guys making shots off of that 299 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: I'd like tonight. I thought the corner kicks were fantastic, 300 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: both in ball screens from the pick and roll ball 301 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: handlers skipping the ball to the corner and in short 302 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: roll opportunities where guys just would cut a catch on 303 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: the short roll in a four on three and make 304 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: that kickout pass to the corner, and it was like 305 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: Max Christy and Dalton connect just again and again and again, 306 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: just making the Warriors pay for helping off the corner. 307 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: And you can just kind of see the identity starting 308 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: to take shape. But the key is they're going to 309 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: have to be really really shit. This is not going 310 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: to be a team that's going to win by having 311 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: an overwhelming talent advantage. There's gonna be help on the way. 312 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: I think the Lakers will make another trade and there 313 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: will be more talent on this team, but not any 314 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: sort of like meaningful talent increase that's gonna have you 315 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: looking at the roster next to Oklahoma City and going, man, 316 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: the Lakers have more talent than Oklahoma City or Boston 317 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: or something like that. You're not gonna win with talent. 318 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: You're gonna have to be an incredibly good execution team. 319 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: And so that's the opportunity that the Lakers have here. 320 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: They're very healthy, they're in a groove, they're about to 321 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: get reinforcements. They've got to commit to this thing in 322 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: terms of the day to day process to get really 323 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: really sharp on the details. They're going to have to 324 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: be the team that makes fewer mistakes on both ends 325 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: of the floor than their opponent if they're gonna have 326 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: any real chance to win. And then from there, if 327 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: you got the defense and you support them with enough 328 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: talent and you execute the way you're supposed to, all 329 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: you need is Lebron James to have one last throwback 330 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: playoff run and for an Anthony Davis to be Anthony Davis, 331 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: and for Austin Reeves to be the reliable big game 332 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: player that he's been in his entire career, and you've 333 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: got a puncher's chance to do some damage. And so 334 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: again it starts. Now it's it can't be. Okay, we 335 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: did it against Boston and Golden State on national television, 336 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: but we're about to go on this chill road trip 337 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: where we play some bad teams and now we just 338 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: lose all of our good habits and fall apart. It's 339 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: got to be a commitment that starts from today on 340 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: the Golden Safron. I'm not going to get too far 341 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: into it that they're just so devoid of talent with 342 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: Jonathan Kaminga and Draymond Green out of the lineup. I mean, 343 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: we talked about Draymond specifically for the Anthony Davis matchup, 344 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: but like you know, Jonathan Kminga is the closest thing 345 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: to like that secondary scoring option that this team has, 346 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: and when he's out, it's got Dennis Schroeder slotted up 347 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: into that role. And I've talked a lot about in 348 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: the last couple of days on the show about how 349 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,479 Speaker 1: Dennis Schroder is a good player, but he's completely miscast 350 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: on this Warriors team as like a secondary star. It's 351 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: not what he needs to be. He needs to be 352 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: a guy who's like consistently your fifth best place player, 353 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: maybe your fourth best player on the floor. And that's 354 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 1: only gonna happen when you get healthy and if you 355 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: make the type of deal that we've talked about in 356 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: terms of bringing in a legitimate secondary creator. And like, 357 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: I mean, it's not gonna get any easier. I mean, 358 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: you're seeing, like Steph Curry, this is yet another game 359 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: tonight where he kind of really struggled to get free. 360 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: Like it's not like Steph's getting good looks and missing, 361 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: Like he's actually struggling to get shots off. And that's 362 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: not a Lakers problem. That's been a problem that's been 363 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: periodically there throughout the year. And so like it's like 364 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: the more you ride this out to where Steph has 365 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: to do more while you're anchoring him with inferior talent, 366 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: the more it's gonna wear his body down, and the 367 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: less likely it is that he ends up actually returning 368 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: to any sort of form that you need him to 369 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: be out in order to be good in the playoffs anyway. 370 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: And so that's why I keep talking about, like the 371 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: slotting with this team. You've got to bring in the 372 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: talent that puts all these guys in the right role. 373 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: The only way you're gonna do that, like we talked 374 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: about it, you make a camp, Say you make a 375 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: Cam Johnson deal without including Jonathan Kaminga. That's where you 376 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: could end up in a situation where Steph is your 377 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: best offensive player. You know, Cam Johnson is your second 378 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: best offensive player, Jonathan Kaminga is your third best offensive player, 379 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: Dennis Shrewder is your fourth best offensive player. That starts 380 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: to slot pretty well. Now, you can actually take advantage 381 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 1: of the strength of your roster, which is your depth 382 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: of role player talent. GUIs Santos and Quintin Post are 383 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: the latest two guys in a long line of dudes 384 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: on this roster that have shown the ability to play 385 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: winning basketball in a role player context. You've got a 386 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: plethora of those guys and you've got one good offensive player. 387 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: You've got to find a way to balance that out 388 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: a little bit, all right, Moving on to Boston Dallas, 389 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: No rest for the weird for the Boston Celtics. The 390 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: loss in Los Angeles was their fifth game in seven nights, 391 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: but they were right back to playing tonight in Dallas 392 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: against the Mavericks. They do get to go home now, 393 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 1: but they actually play every other night up until the 394 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: All Star breaks, so they're gonna probably benefit from that 395 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: break a lot compared to some other teams in the league. 396 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: Because they definitely looked tired against the Lakers, and they 397 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: even looked tired to start this game against the MAVs 398 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: as they fell down nineteen to ten. But this is 399 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,199 Speaker 1: the NBA regular season. You just have to find a 400 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: way to survive from game to game through the grind, 401 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: and the Celtics responded with an extremely impressive two way 402 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: performance against the Maps. They got blitzed a little bit early, 403 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: like we talked about. Dallas came out with a ton 404 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: of energy, specifically in transition and semi transition. They were 405 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: just applying a lot of pressure on the rim PJ. 406 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 1: Washington was just like a bowl in a China shop 407 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: going downhill in the early part of the game. But 408 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: Boston weathered the storm and slowly took control. I thought 409 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: it was their best defensive performance in a while. They 410 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: had two really big defensive runs in the late first quarter. 411 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,199 Speaker 1: Dallas had nineteen points with six forty one left in 412 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: the first quarter. They had thirty five points with three 413 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: forty eight left in the second quarter, So a fifteen 414 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: minute stretch where Boston allowed just sixteen points as they 415 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: turned a nine point deficit into a fourteen point lead. 416 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: A huge turnaround there. And then in the mid third quarter, 417 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: same sort of thing they had. The MAVs had fifty 418 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: nine points with nine minutes left. They had sixty eight 419 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: points with two minutes left in the third quarter. So 420 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: in a seven minute span, Boston allows just nine points 421 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,920 Speaker 1: and turns a six point lead into a twenty five 422 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: point lead. So two defensive runs completely put this game away. 423 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: I thought they did an excellent job with their physicality 424 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: on both ends, on both ends of actions, like on 425 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: the ball and in off ball situations, like they were 426 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: pressuring the ball, they were switching with pressure like closing out, 427 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 1: but they were also digging down really well and swiping 428 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: at the ball. Drew Holliday has always been really good 429 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,400 Speaker 1: at this, Like there's always like a time in terms 430 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: of dig and recover. So like if you're if you're 431 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: helping off the ball and there's a ball hand ball 432 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: handler looking to attack and he's looking right at you 433 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: and stunt down at the ball, he's just gonna throw 434 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: the pass and you're gonna get burned, and that guy's 435 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 1: gonna make the shot. But there are times when he 436 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: gets distracted as he's looking at the rest of the 437 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: floor where you can find an opportunity to lunge in 438 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: there and swipe out the basketball but not get burned 439 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: on that kickout pass. And that's kind of the delicate 440 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: balance of helping recover defense all over the floor. That's 441 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 1: what makes a good off ball defender is those instincts 442 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: in those situations. And Boston just made Dallas play in 443 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 1: a crowd all night long, and it just caused them 444 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 1: to rush and to make mistakes. I thought Luke Cornett 445 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: in particular, had several really good like help defense possessions 446 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: around the rim that forced misses, and like Dallas missed 447 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: a ton of layups. I think they had thirty seven 448 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: layup attempts and made twenty seventeen missed layups in this game. PJ. 449 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: Washington missed a bunch of them. That's all a pressure, 450 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: a product of that pressure that you're applying on them 451 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 1: around the rim. And then the Celtics had a really 452 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,479 Speaker 1: good job of running out on Dallas's turnovers. They had 453 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: twenty one points off of turnovers in this game. Their 454 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: closeouts were really sharp. Dallas generated just four unguarded catch 455 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: and shoot jump shots in this game, by far, the 456 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,479 Speaker 1: least that Dallas has had in a game this season. 457 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: They've had their previous low with seven, So just an 458 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 1: excellent defensive performance from the Boston Celtics. They actually looked 459 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: like the more physically fresh team as the game progressed, 460 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: which is a remarkable testament to their competitive spirit. They 461 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: just dug deep and they found the energy to go 462 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: out there and outwork Dallas. They even grabbed seventeen offensive rebounds. 463 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: They just looked quicker to the ball all night and 464 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: then on offense some good physical aggression towards the rim. 465 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: There was still a good amount of settling, which is 466 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 1: something I've been complaining about with Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown. 467 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: Thirty of Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown's forty three shot 468 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: attempts in this game were jump shots. I would like 469 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: to see some better balance there. One thing I'll say 470 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: is it was more settling in terms of Tatum because 471 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: he was taking a lot of threes. And again, Tatum 472 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: is the guy that I think looks the most gassed 473 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: right now. I think he's the guy that could really 474 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: use a night off, and hopefully Boston can find an 475 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: opportunity for him to take a night off here in 476 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: one of the next game, in one of these games 477 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: before the All Star break. But Jalen Brown, most of 478 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: his jump shots that he was taking were much closer 479 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: to the rim. As a matter of fact, Jalen Brown 480 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: made four jump shots that were actually in the paint. 481 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: Those are like actually easier jump shots that are very 482 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: makeable in that ere three of them were like right 483 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: around the semi circle, Like that's a ten footer that 484 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: might as well be like a jump shot that has 485 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: the same sort of touch that you have on a 486 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: hook shot, right, So like those are less settling, But again, 487 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 1: in general, that's kind of the thing I have my 488 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 1: eye on with Boston. And even though Jason Tatum was settling, 489 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: I thought for the most part, the team was aggressive enough. 490 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: Like Jalen Brown was operating in the paint all game long, 491 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: even when he was taking jump shots. But outside of that, 492 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: he had a couple of really nice kickout passes to 493 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: Chris hops Porzingis, he had some nice physically aggressive moves 494 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: towards the rim. They even posted Horford a few times 495 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: and he just got to that little left shoulder hook 496 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: in the lane where he scored. It was just a 497 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 1: much better a pro to the offensive end of the 498 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: floor in terms of getting great shots instead of settling 499 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 1: for the first ok shot that they get their eyes on. 500 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 1: An easy way to describe this is the assists. They 501 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: had thirty three assists on forty four makes. That's a 502 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: seventy five percent assist percentage. In January, before that game tonight, 503 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: the Celtics had been getting assists on just sixty two 504 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: percent of their mix. That's a substantial increase that by 505 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 1: the way, that ranked nineteenth in the league so far 506 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: in January, So they were a team that was not 507 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: popping the ball around. They were moving the ball much 508 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: much better today. They generated thirty six catch and shoot 509 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: jump shots, which is tied for the most that they've 510 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: generated in a single game in January. Even the pull 511 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 1: up jumpers that they took I thought were smart in 512 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: this game, Like Dallas was doing a lot of switching 513 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,239 Speaker 1: with their five men, which is something you kind of 514 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: have to do against Boston because of their pick and 515 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: pop attack that they can unleash on you. But it's 516 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: difficult because it puts you in a predicament of asking 517 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: your bigs who are accustomed to sagging back or maybe 518 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: just lightly showing at the level in these ball screens, 519 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: and now you're asking them to close out to the 520 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: perimeter and like legitimately guard a guy out there, and 521 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: like specifically Derek White, but Jaylen Brown did a couple 522 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: times to like punish them for switching passively. I talked 523 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: about this in the in the Lakers segment. But like 524 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: when there's a switch, there's a moment when the on 525 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: ball guy disengages and the new defender engages, and it's 526 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: kind of like a gap, and Derek White torches people 527 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: all the time by shooting threes right in that shooting gap, 528 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: and he was killing both Gafford and Klee, but even 529 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: got PJ. Washington with it once, like you and we're 530 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: gonna talk about it when we get into Dallas, Like 531 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: there's a certain like attention to detail you need to 532 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: beat the Boston Celtics, and it just was not there 533 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 1: for Dallas in this game. But like, uh, it was 534 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: just a really nice, well rounded win for the Celtics. 535 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: All five of their starters had at least seventeen points. Again, 536 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 1: thirty three as system forty four makes dominant stretches of defense. 537 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: Just a reminder that this is a really damn good 538 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: basketball team. They just have to get through two more 539 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: weeks and they'll get a nice little break before they 540 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 1: head into the home stretch. And then on the Dallas front, 541 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,479 Speaker 1: they just weren't nearly sharp enough in order to win 542 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 1: a game like this. A lot of botch switches, way 543 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: too stop switches, like I talked about it really got 544 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: burned in transition. In the first half. They were not 545 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: matched up several times and gave up corner threes. That 546 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 1: was a big part of Boston's early run in the game. 547 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: And then on offense, two things really played the Mavericks. 548 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: Too many mislayups around the rim. They had seventeen miss 549 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: layups in this game, and then too many bad mid 550 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 1: range attempts from mediocre shooters. They had eight mid range 551 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: attempts from players that were not named Kyrie Irving. And 552 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: especially in the middle fourth quarter stretch they go in 553 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: this run, they get it down to like twelve or 554 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: eleven or something, and there were like three possessions in 555 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: a row where they took mid range jump shots, and 556 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 1: I'm like, the contested mid range jump shots are not 557 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: going to be how you get back in this game. 558 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: It's going to be playing defense, sprinting out in transition 559 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 1: getting easy ones, and then really sharp execution in the 560 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: half court to get great shots. And so it just 561 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 1: they just didn't play well enough to beat a team 562 00:26:55,640 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: like Boston. Often there were kickout rereads in those situations too. Again, 563 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 1: the mass only generate four unguarded catch and shoot jump 564 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: shot attempts in that game, by far their worst mark 565 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: of the season. So just Dallas didn't play a really 566 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,479 Speaker 1: good game, and that obviously is going to keep them 567 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: out of competing in a matchup like this against Boston. 568 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: I can move a little quicker now through the rest 569 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: of the show Denver, Minnesota. Minnesota blows out the Nuggets 570 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: to win their fourth consecutive time this matchup, dating back 571 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: to the Western Conference semi finals last year. The Nuggets 572 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: have a specific weakness on each end of the floor 573 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: that causes them to have issues in this matchup. On offense, 574 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: they have several guys who struggle against the physicality of 575 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 1: Minnesota's bigger, stronger defensive players. They just cause the Nuggets 576 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,479 Speaker 1: to rush things, which in turn causes them to get sloppy. 577 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: A similar concept to what we talked about earlier with 578 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: Dallas right that leads to turnovers, that leads to miss layups, 579 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 1: that sort of thing. Right, Jokich had seven turnovers. Who's 580 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 1: fumbling the ball away in contact situations. He forced some 581 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: bad passes. Not the first time that Jokich has kind 582 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: of struggled to take care of the basketball against Minnesota. 583 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,959 Speaker 1: Michael Porter Junior was like smoking wide open layups and 584 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 1: just looked uncomfortable everywhere. He's a guy that seems to 585 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: struggle with that physicality, which by the way, Michael Porter 586 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 1: Junior really really struggled in the Minnesota series last year 587 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,399 Speaker 1: in the second round, Julian Strather really struggled. And so 588 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: when you got these guys again, that's the first weakness 589 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: in this matchup is that there are several players, key 590 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: players for Denver that struggle under Minnesota's big, physical perimeter defenders. 591 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: And they're big physical frontline defenders, right, And as a result, 592 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: they can just go through some really bad offensive lolls 593 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: against Minnesota's defense. And then on defense, teams usually load 594 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: up on Anthony Edwards and then they try to get 595 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 1: the ball out of his hands before he can get downhill. Right. 596 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: But Ant is so damn fast, and Denver always has 597 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: like two or three guys on the floor that aren't 598 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: great athletes, guys like Nikola Jokich, guys like Michael Porter Junior, 599 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: guys like Jamal Murray. Right, So, as a result, Ant 600 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: was able to relatively easily get downhill and laps the 601 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: defense kind of just by going through and around guys 602 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: like he just kind of slalloms through Denver's defense even 603 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: when they're loaded up on him. He's just almost it 604 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 1: almost looks like all of the Nuggets defenders are stuck 605 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: in mud or running on beach sand, and he's running 606 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: around with basketball shooes like he just looks like he's 607 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: moving a step slower and as a result, he can 608 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: get downhill, really claps the defense and creates some pretty 609 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: simple kickout reads for him. And so I mean, both 610 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,719 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards and Julius Randall were for fantastic in this one. 611 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: I don't want to overplay or overlook Julius Randall, like 612 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: he was bullying Denver smaller perimeter players all game long 613 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: for buckets for kickouts. Julius was great, but Ant's downhill 614 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: scoring and his playmaking in this game were fantastic. It'ds 615 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: several beautiful feeds to go Bear, including one like a 616 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: tight window rifle pass that he caught and finished. The 617 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 1: Ant was like having a little celebration. I think it 618 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: was late first quarter if I remember correctly, but he 619 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: had a couple of nice pisses passes to go Bear, 620 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: some really nice skip passes, which, by the way, like 621 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert and Jada McDaniels were both great on offense 622 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,479 Speaker 1: in this one. Like Gobert was like actually catching and 623 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: finishing things around the rim and making nice reads out 624 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: of his short role situations. When he had to face 625 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: a four on three, Jada McDaniels hit the one three 626 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: he took. It was on one of those kickouts from 627 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: Julius Randall on a post up. He was driving closeouts 628 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 1: and getting to the rim. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert 629 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: had twenty seven points in this game, nine assists, zero 630 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: turnovers in only four missed shots. Like I'm gonna take 631 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: a little bit of a detour here, do you guys 632 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: remember when I talked about the concept of belief with 633 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers, as it pertains to like them being willing 634 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: to do the work. The job is hard. If you 635 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 1: want them to do it, they need to think it's 636 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: gonna lead to a reward, specifically a trophy. As soon 637 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: as that belief is there, then they're gonna be willing 638 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: to do the work. When they're willing to do the work, 639 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 1: they give themselves the best chance to get the reward, right. 640 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: I almost think of that as like a similar type 641 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: of concept in terms of Anthony Dards as a playmaker. 642 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: You guys all want Anthony Edwards to trust the passport. 643 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 1: Y'all want him to be willing to feed it to 644 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: go bear. You all want him to be willing to 645 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: break the defense down when they load up on him. 646 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: But guess what's gonna make him believe that that's gonna work. 647 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: Guys scoring, Guys catching the ball and finishing in traffic, 648 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: Guys knocking down the threes on those skip passes. Like, 649 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: I don't think it's a huge coincidence that like it 650 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 1: has this one of his better playmaking games of the 651 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: season on a night when Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert 652 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: were actually catching and finishing the basketball when they had advantages. Again, 653 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: AT's got to believe that the playmaking is actually gonna 654 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 1: lead to him winning. And one of the things that 655 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: I keep talking about with this Timberwolves team big problem 656 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 1: throughout the season is that, like when they have Jaden, 657 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: Julius and Rudy out there, you have a guy that 658 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: literally can't effectively consistently score anywhere on the floor, and 659 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: Rudy Jayden who is a bad spot up shooter, and 660 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: Julius Randall is a bad spot up shooter, and so 661 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: as a result, it puts him in a situation where, 662 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,479 Speaker 1: like teams can load up and Ant's gonna make these 663 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: kickout passes, but a lot of times they're not bearing fruit. 664 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: And so that's why you see these clutch time situations 665 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: where Ant's taking really difficult step back jump shots over 666 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: the top of the defense because he didn't believe in 667 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 1: those guys. He didn't think they can finish, He didn't 668 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: think they can make shots, right, And so, like I 669 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 1: do think it's fascinating because, like I think that over time, 670 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: as the Timberwolves continue to surround Anthony Edwards with better 671 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 1: offensive talent, that he'll be more willing to lean into 672 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 1: that part of his game and develop that part of 673 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: his game. But I thought he was really really good 674 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 1: as a playmaker in this one. Nice win for the 675 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: Wolves as they get their second in a row. And 676 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,239 Speaker 1: again we're gonna go really quick on these last two. 677 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: Pacer Spurs's close game until Tyrey Saliburton caught that insane 678 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: heater or he had sixteen points in three minutes. He 679 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: was just had that like you know, a little step 680 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: back three going. He caught the Spurs in some bad switches. 681 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 1: He caught like while he was red hot. Keldon Johnson 682 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: did one of those softs switches as we talk about 683 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 1: where he didn't actually close out, they lost him in 684 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: transition once and then once he got hot, he was 685 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: just starting to it just started to make every shot 686 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: he took and hit a couple of really tough ones, 687 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: like kind of a forward leaning one and then a 688 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: little step back in transition that he made, and it 689 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: just completely discombobulated the Spurs, like they lost all their composure. 690 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,720 Speaker 1: They started to just force everything at the rim through 691 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: help and started missing a lot of layups and getting 692 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: blocked at the rim, which just led to bad floor 693 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: balance situations, meaning like not guys ready to get back 694 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: in transition defense, which is something that Indiana is just 695 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 1: always going to turn around and kill you with in transition. 696 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: And it went from a close game in the late 697 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: third quarter to Indiana winning by thirty eight. So that's 698 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: all you need to know about how Tyree Saliberton shooting 699 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 1: like legitimately just like murdered the psyche of the San 700 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: Antonio Spurs. And then lastly, before we get out of here, tonight, 701 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 1: the Cleveland Cavaliers drop a game to the Houston Rockets 702 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: at home. They've now lost five out of eight. A 703 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 1: couple things in there, Houston's a really bad matchup for 704 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: Cleveland because they're just so much more athletic on the perimeter. Now, 705 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: for the record, like I don't I was thinking about 706 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: this earlier in that AKVS fan actually messaged me today 707 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 1: and I was talking about it with him, But like, 708 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:13,240 Speaker 1: I don't think Cleveland's going to face a team athletic 709 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 1: enough in the Eastern Conference to cause that type of 710 00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: problem for them. And I don't think they're going to 711 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: run into a team like Houston. If it got to 712 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 1: the finals and they ran into a team like Oklahoma City, 713 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:24,719 Speaker 1: I do think that that it could be a problem, 714 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 1: but they're I think Houston uniquely brings the waves of 715 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 1: these big, freaky athletic perimeter defenders that could have perimeter 716 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: athletes that can cause them problems. So again, some of 717 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: its matchups and some of it's a lull. Like there's 718 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: a bunch of specific things. We talked about how the 719 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: Calves have been shooting the absolute shit out of the 720 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: basketball all year long. Well, they're just thirty seven percent 721 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: from three in this three and five stretch. Donovan Mitchell 722 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 1: has been slumping and the five losses he's shooting below 723 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,399 Speaker 1: forty percent from the field with only four assists per 724 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 1: game has really been forcing the issue has looked like 725 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 1: out of rhythm. And then their defense has been really 726 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: bad and the five loss they have a one to 727 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:02,759 Speaker 1: twenty four defensive rating, which I think has a lot 728 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,800 Speaker 1: to do with just kind of a little mid season 729 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 1: low here, so little drop down here for the Cleveland Cavaliers. 730 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 1: We'll see how they respond to it. Adversity is part 731 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: of the process. You don't see teams too often just 732 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:18,319 Speaker 1: cruise through regular season, dominate everybody and win. Like what 733 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 1: happened last year with Boston is pretty rare, and so 734 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: you know, this is a little bit of adversity for 735 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,320 Speaker 1: the Cavs, and I'm interested to see how they respond 736 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:27,240 Speaker 1: to it. All right, guys, that's all half for tonight. 737 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:29,759 Speaker 1: As always, sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and 738 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: for supporting the show. We're going to take the rest 739 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: of the weekend off and we will be back on 740 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,440 Speaker 1: Monday with our typical power rankings and weekend reaction. I 741 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: will see you guys then the volume. What's up guys. 742 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,320 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 743 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:48,000 Speaker 1: OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us 744 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second and leave a 745 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys 746 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: supporting us, but if you could take a minute to 747 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: do that, I'd really appreciate it.