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Eligibility and deposit restrictions apply. 27 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: All right, welcome to hoops tonight here at the Volume. 28 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: Happy Monday, everybody. I hope all of you guys had 29 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: an incredible weekend. We are live on AMPS. If you're 30 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: watching on YouTube or listening on our podcast feeds, don't 31 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: forget that AMP is the very first place that you 32 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: guys can get these shows. Continuing our power rankings today 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: with one of my favorite young teams in the league 34 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: at number sixteen, the Minnesota Timberwolves. And then I've got 35 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: a few male back questions for the end of the 36 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: show as well. You guys are the jopefore we get started. 37 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: Subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow me on Twitter at 38 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: Underscore Jason lt don't forget about our podcast feed at 39 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: hoops tonight, and I need mail bag questions, so drop 40 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: them in the YouTube comments. All right, let's talk some 41 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: basketball so quick offseason recap for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They 42 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: lost Jalen Nowell. He's actually still a free agent right now, 43 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: believe it or not. Torian Prince is now a Laker. 44 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: They lost Austin Reeves as well. In the draft. They 45 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: added Leonard Miller in the early second round, a G 46 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: League ignight prospect, big interesting forward prospect basically, but he's 47 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: super raw, super young, not really good factor in the 48 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 1: immediate future, but we'll see in the long run. They're 49 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: also super thin that forward this season, so we might 50 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: get to see a lot more Leonard Miller than you're 51 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: probably expecting, just by virtue of the depth that they 52 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: have at that position. They also signed Troy Brown Junior, 53 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: a role player that I covered with the Lakers last year. 54 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: Good defensive player, he competes and does his job. He's 55 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: kind of like a league average athlete, So he's gonna 56 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: compete and he's gonna have the ability to stay in 57 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: front of most ball handlers. But when he runs into 58 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: the really high end guys that are like bigger, stronger, 59 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: faster than him. He can have some trouble that limits 60 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: his defensive impact, but he's not gonna hurt you on 61 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: that end, and you can at least bet on him 62 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: playing his ass off every time he's on the floor. 63 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,399 Speaker 1: He's a little streaky as a shooter, but he did 64 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: have mostly a good shooting season with the Lakers last year, 65 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: but there were high highs and lows. Like he briefly 66 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: before the end of the season it was like he 67 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: couldn't miss for a while, and then at the end 68 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: of the season he couldn't make anything and struggle shooting 69 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. So that's kind of like the nature 70 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: of most role players. But he's not like a knockdown 71 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: guy either. He finished the season at one point zero 72 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: five points per possession in spot up situations, which is 73 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: slightly above average. So you're gonna get quality bench play 74 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: out of Troy Brown Junior. And that was kind of 75 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: the thing with Troy. It was like when he was 76 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: in the starting lineup because of the issues the Lakers 77 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: had with personnel before the trade deadline, it wasn't great, 78 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: but when he kind of got slotted properly as just 79 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: a guy who would play off the bench in a 80 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: limited role. Then he all of a sudden made all 81 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: of a sudden, made a lot of sense. Right. He's 82 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: also a former lottery pick, so he does have a 83 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: good amount of confidence, and he's got a little bit 84 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: of the off the dribble, you know, juice, whatever you 85 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: want to call it. He can make some plays off 86 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: the bounce, and he will surprise you sometimes with the 87 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: plays that he's able to make. He's perfectly fine bench wing. 88 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: They also signed Shake Milton, who played with the Philadelphia 89 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: seventy six ers last year. He's a spot up shooter. 90 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: Shot sixty three percent in effective field goal percentage on 91 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: catch and shoot jump shots last year. He's not very 92 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: good when you make him put the ball on the floor, though, 93 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: and that's a big part of why he wasn't the 94 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: best spot up player that he could have been. He 95 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: actually was writing about a point per possession in spot 96 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: up situations, five points per one hundred possessions behind where 97 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: Troy Brown Junior was for perspective, despite being a better shooter, Remember, 98 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: attacking closeouts is an important part of spot up situations. 99 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: But he's a perfectly fine bench guard again, So a 100 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: couple of decent bench players there chart right now at guard, 101 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: they have Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, shake Milton Mikhail. Alexander 102 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: Walker is one of my favorite bench guards in the league. 103 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about him a little bit more 104 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: later in Jordan McLaughlin at forward, Kyle Anderson and Jade McDaniels, 105 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: then Troy Brown Junior, Wendell Moore Junior and Josh Manott, 106 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: and then the big Rudy go Bear Karl Anthony Towns 107 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: and the return of Nas Reed, who was a big 108 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: loss for the Timberwolves at the end of the season 109 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: last year. Their starting lineup is almost certainly going to 110 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: be Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jade McDaniels, Carl Towns, and 111 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobar. Now, before we go any further, I want 112 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: to talk about the cat situation for a minute because 113 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: I've never been a fan of two big lineups. I 114 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: think whatever benefits you get from them are offset by 115 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 1: some of the limitations that come along with it, by 116 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: limiting your foot speed, limiting your overall perimeter juice in 117 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: terms of the kind of aggregate ability to attack closeouts 118 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: and play driving kick basketball, and there's theoretically some upsides, right, 119 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: like theoretically that will help you on the glass, but 120 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: this was not a good rebounding team last year, and 121 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: in the long run, I tend to think that two 122 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: big lineups get exposed in a lot of different ways. 123 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: And for the record, it didn't go well last year. 124 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: They played with Rudy Gobert and Carl Towns on the 125 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: floor at the same time for one thousand and ninety 126 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: five possessions last year, and they had a zero point 127 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: nine net rating, so they were barely positive. And we 128 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: saw a large sample size of Rudy Gobert at the 129 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: center without Cat with their great perimeter defenders, and they 130 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: kicked everyone's ass. Like Kyle Anderson is one of the 131 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: best defensive forwards in the league. It's just very versatile 132 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: guys is kind of a like a really high IQ 133 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: off ball player. He defends well on the ball. He's 134 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: not going to be in your top tier perimeter defenders, 135 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: but he's great playing passing lanes and in health defense. 136 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: He's just a really smart defensive player. Jade McDaniels might 137 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: very well be the best perimeter defender in the league. 138 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: He's certainly in that tier. If you're listing your top 139 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 1: tier perimeter defenders, the very best the guys are in 140 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: the conversation to be the best. He's in that list, right, 141 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: and then Anthony Edwards. It's a commitment thing and it's 142 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: an off ball IQ thing, but he has the potential 143 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the 144 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: league and had many stretches last year where he was. 145 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: When you put those three guys next to Kat or 146 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: not Cat, excuse me, when you put those three guys 147 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: next to Rudy Gobert, regardless of who the fifth guy was, 148 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: they kicked everyone's ass on two and twenty four possessions 149 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: last year plus ten point four net rating. That's a 150 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: that is a clear demonstration of how easy it is 151 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: to get stops in the NBA when you have great 152 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: perimeter defenders of many different archetypes and an outstanding rim protector. 153 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: When you combine those two things, you become incredibly difficult 154 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: to beat, even if you do have offensive limitations, which 155 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: they did. But Mike Conley was honestly a really nice 156 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: fit with them when he came in at the trade 157 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: deadline last year. And I mean, like we looked at 158 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert in Utah, and a lot of people were 159 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: talking about some of the limitations that Rudy Gobert had. 160 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: But what did I always say? Those are of you 161 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: guys who followed the show for this long, Like I 162 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: it wasn't Rudy Gobert's fault. The Utah Jazz had a 163 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: horrible core of perimeter defenders, and like, it's too much 164 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: to ask to blame everything on the rim protector when 165 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: nine times out of ten he's getting pulled out in rotation. 166 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: You know, he'd help on the first guy, but then 167 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: it's driving kick, driving kick, Rudy Goberar's not at the 168 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: rim anymore, and they'd give up layups and wide open threes. 169 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: In a lot of cases, it would just be drive 170 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert, help kick out wide open three. And so 171 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: at a certain point, like you got to look at 172 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: the combination of the like everything that's happening on the 173 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor. Rudy Gobert is an excellent 174 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: rim protector, an excellent drop coverage big so put him 175 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: alongside great perimeter defenders that can get over the top 176 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: of the screen and funnel them to funnel the ball 177 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: handlers towards Rudy. You're gonna get a lot of stops, 178 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: and they did. Now we're gonna preview the team today 179 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: as though Carl Towns is on the team and they're 180 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: going to bring him back, and there they have all 181 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: ready to this point, but they're gonna at least try, 182 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: and there's a good reason to do that. They got 183 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: a little bit of a sample size with Carl Town's 184 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: coming into next season, or coming into the end of 185 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: last season when Rudy go excuse me, when Carltown's came 186 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: back from the calf injury. They got about one hundred 187 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: and fifty six possessions with Carl Towns and the starters 188 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: I just mentioned, so Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, with Jade McDaniels, 189 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: Carl Towns and Rudy Gobert. That group of five guys 190 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: played about a game and a half in terms of 191 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: overall total volume. They played over a longer stretch, but 192 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty six possessions is about a game 193 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 1: and a half. In that game and a half, they 194 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: were amazing defensively one hundred point six defensive rating and 195 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: a bad offensive rating one oh six point four, but 196 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: still a plus five point eight net rating. So what 197 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: that tells me is there's enough of like a little 198 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: bit of an interesting kind of production stat there from 199 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: the end of last season for at least them to 200 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: be like, let's try this thing, right, But to be clear, 201 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 1: I think that their best bet is to move Kat 202 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,839 Speaker 1: at the deadline or before then if a better opportunity 203 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: presents itself. But for forward depth, because if you look 204 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: at their depth chart, they're actually really deep. Right, Like 205 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: we look at the guards, We've got Mike Conley and 206 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards excellent guards, right shake Milton a good bench 207 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: guard the kill. Alexander Walker is one of my favorite 208 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: bench guards because he's like a really good spot up 209 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: player and a really good point of attack defender. He's 210 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: like the ideal off ball guard because he can take 211 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: primary point of attack assignments and he can play off 212 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: the ball knocking down shots and attacking closeouts. That's a 213 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: great guard corp. And not even get to Jordan McLaughlin, 214 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: who's a good guard prospect. So you've got five good 215 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: guards right go to the bigs. You've got Rudy Gobert, 216 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:51,079 Speaker 1: Carl Towns and Nasri. That's three starting level NBA centers, right, 217 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: But if I go to the forward position, it's Kyle 218 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: Anderson and Jada McDaniels, a really good duo. But then 219 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: it's a huge drop off to Troy Brown Junior and 220 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: Wendell Moore. Right, So at the end of the day, 221 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: they're they're kind of like a surplus of bigs and 222 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 1: not enough forwards. And then there's the just the overall 223 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: basketball concept of trying to make it work with two bigs. 224 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: There's also this massive sample size of no Carl Towns, 225 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: and you're actually really good with Rudy Gobert at the 226 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: center with all these perimeter defenders. You know, I look 227 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: at the long run for this team in terms of 228 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: offensive creation, and I look at this as a Anthony 229 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: Edwards led bona fide superstar team. And we're gonna talk 230 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: about Anthony Edwards later, but he's ascending right before our 231 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: eyes into true superstardom. Not only did he play amazing 232 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: in that last playoff run, but I mean one series, 233 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 1: but then he also shockingly became the best player on 234 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: tm USA, Like he was the best player on tm USA. Now, 235 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: it wasn't a shock to me if you guys, remember 236 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: I did my player rankings before Team USA and Anthony 237 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: Edwards was my highest ranked player out of all the 238 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: Team USA guy, so I expected it to be the 239 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: best player. But like I'm one of the like, I'm 240 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: higher on Anthony Edwards than most people in my player 241 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: rankings list. When I had him at fifteen, a lot 242 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: of people complained, And I'm not saying I'm right. I'm 243 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: saying I'm just I'm in a spectrum of opinion on 244 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards. I'm higher on him than most. And he 245 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 1: went in there and alpha dogged all those guys. That 246 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: team was built to be a Jalen Brunson and Brandon 247 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 1: Ingram team, and he alpha dogged Brandon Ingram out of 248 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: the rotation because he couldn't play off the ball. So 249 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: like Anthony Edwards is ascending, he is the fulk crum 250 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: of this offense in the future. Mike Conley can help 251 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: for a year or two while he's developing Jade McDaniels, 252 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 1: so we're gonna talk about later. He's got some offensive 253 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: pot that he demonstrated last year. I look at this 254 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: as a defensive minded team centered around an excellent rim protector, 255 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: and outstanding perimeter defenders with a downhill threat, and in 256 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,559 Speaker 1: that situation, I want more perimeter players. I want more 257 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: perimeter talent. Carl Towns can play on the perimeter, we 258 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: know that, but it's not the same as having a 259 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: real guard out there that can keep a driving kick 260 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: system moving as we know. And the truth is Carl 261 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: Anthony Towns spot up numbers are not as good as 262 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 1: you would think. So I look at it in the 263 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 1: long run as an Anthony Edwards led team, and I 264 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: think Carl Towns is your best vehicle to bring in 265 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: the role players that could supplement that. Not this year, 266 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: but in the next three to four years. I believe 267 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Timberwolves can contend for championships. That's how high 268 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: I view Anthony Edwards in the context of an elite 269 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: playoff defense. And so I think Carltown's eventually needs to 270 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 1: be moved. But again, we're gonna proceed as though Carl 271 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: Towns for the sake of this video, We're gonna proceed 272 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: as though Carltown's remains with the team, because he certainly 273 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: will probably at least through the deadline or so, and 274 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: maybe even through the end of the season. If things 275 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 1: go well. So when I looked at the I went 276 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 1: back and I watched a full game this morning between 277 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: the Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans, one of the 278 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: few games last year where we got our existing five right, 279 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: Conley Edwards, McDaniel's cat and Gobar. And in that particular game, 280 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: their defense was really impressive and they ended up they 281 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: came back and won in the fourth quarter. But the 282 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: offense was a little bit clunky because for the most part, 283 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: Carltowns does just spot up except for a handful of possessions. 284 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: Will they throw it to him on the block for 285 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: a post up and a handful of possessions, will the 286 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: throw to him at the elbow at the free throw 287 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: line for a face up. He's mostly playing off the ball, 288 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: which is again, that's redundancy, that's a waste of what 289 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: he's actually capable of. Carl Towns is it belongs in 290 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: a system where he's the sole big. And for the record, 291 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: and like this is something I'm gonna say in defense 292 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: of Carltowns. When the Timberwolves played with Carl Towns this 293 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: year and no go Bear or he was the big, 294 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: they were good plus four net rating in about a 295 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: thousand possessions if I remember correctly. That's good. Carl Towns 296 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: is a very good basketball player. But when I look 297 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: at this particular team and their long term ceiling, I 298 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: look at it as a Rudy Gobert anchored for out 299 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: one end system, and so that's kind of the direction 300 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: I'd like to see them go. But again, it's a 301 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: little clunky. It's a lot of it's a lot of 302 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: like spreading the floor and having him just spot up 303 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: and then the occasional post touch. He's being underutilized in 304 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: a lot of ways. And you got to remember too, 305 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: for Carl Towns, he's coming back from an injury, and 306 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: I don't think he wanted to rock the boat all 307 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: that much. Carl in spot up situations last year just 308 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: one point zero five points per possession. That's fifty seventh percentile. 309 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: That's okay. That's a slightly above average spot up player. 310 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: So he's not doing as good out there as a 311 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: better role playing forward would do who was an experienced 312 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: spot up player. Right, six percent effecive fieldgal percentage on 313 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: catching shoot jumpers. That's good. It's good, but it's not great, right, 314 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: And like that's kind of the angle that I'm going 315 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: at there. But let's stop talking about shipping catoff for 316 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: a second. I'm sure timber Wolves fans are getting annoyed 317 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: with me at this point. For the full season, Let's 318 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: look at the full season. Last year, the Wolves were 319 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: twenty third in offensive raiding. Biggest thing that hurt them 320 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: was their ISO efficiency. They ran eight hundred and nine 321 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: ISOs last year, which was the thirteenth most in the league, 322 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: but they converted them only at zero point ninety five 323 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: points per possession, which was the twentieth best in the league. 324 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: And the biggest culprit here is Anthony Edwards. And again, like, 325 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: I'm not being critical here because Ant's young and he's 326 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: learning how to play the game. But what if I 327 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: told you what Anthony Edwards was, or I asked you 328 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: guys to tell me what Anthony Edwards was as a 329 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: basketball player, Like, describe him to me what he's great at. 330 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: What would you guys tell me. You'd say he's, you know, 331 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: one of the best athletes in the league. You'd say 332 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: he's a huge, strong guard that can bully people downhill. 333 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: You'd tell me he's got all this defensive tent, he's 334 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: got an alpha dog mentality. What you wouldn't tell me 335 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: is he's a dead eye pull up jump shooter, right, 336 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: Like he takes a lot of them, But you wouldn't 337 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: tell me like, oh, An, it's just the just a 338 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: dead eye pull up jump shooter. No, he's not, but 339 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: he takes a ton of them. To give you an idea, 340 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards took six hundred and three pull up jump 341 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: shots last year. Only three players in the entire NBA 342 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: took more, Demarto Rosen, Luka Doncicz and Diaron Fox. The 343 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 1: difference is is Damar made almost half of them, Luka 344 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: Doncicz made almost forty percent of them, Deeron Fox made 345 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: forty two percent of them. Anthony Edwards made thirty five 346 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: percent of them. So he's a high, high volume pull 347 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: up jump shooter, but not particularly efficient at least in 348 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: the regular season. He's been very efficient with this pull 349 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: u jump shot in the playoffs, which we'll get to 350 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: in a minute. But I think that was a big 351 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: factor in the efficiency for this particular Timberwolves team from 352 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: last season not doing particularly well. There were fifteen players 353 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: in the entire NBA last year who at least three 354 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: hundred ISOs. Anthony Edwards ranked fourteenth out of fifteen players 355 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: in efficiency because he settled for too many jump shots 356 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,360 Speaker 1: and he missed too many of them as a matter 357 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: of fact, and this is kind of a perfect comp 358 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 1: You guys want to know who fifteenth on that list 359 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: was Lebron James. Lebron James was the worst high volume 360 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: ISO player in the league last year. Why because Lebron James, 361 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: who has been a very good pull up jump shooter 362 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: for the last half decade, couldn't make a damn pull 363 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: up jump shot last year. He was atrocious last year 364 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: and he was settling for a lot of them. Just 365 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 1: go ask Laker fans what they thought about Lebron's jump 366 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: shot last year and you'll understand pretty quickly what I'm 367 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: talking about. ISO guys like Anton Lebron, who run a 368 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: lot of them and settle for a lot of jump 369 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: shots but aren't making them, are going to suffer in 370 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: their efficiency, and that's why they both finished towards the bottom. 371 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 1: I do like Anthony Edwards's pull up jumper. It's a 372 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: really nice counter to his driving attack. He gets great 373 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: looks because guys are on their heels. I don't want 374 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: him to stop taking them, but just maybe not six 375 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: hundred of them, right, If that's four hundred and on 376 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: the other two hundred possessions, he's a little bit more 377 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,719 Speaker 1: downhill aggressive. Maybe that ends up being something that upticks 378 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: his efficiency where it should be. And again, the settling 379 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: for jumpers is a classic young guy problem. It's a 380 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 1: young guy problem and it's an old guy problem. People 381 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: in the prime of their careers don't do it that much, right, 382 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: Young guys because they don't know any better. Old guys 383 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: because they're old. But it is gonna eventually have to 384 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: learn that that Like, he's doing the defensive favor when 385 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: he's taking six hundred pull up jump shots in a season, 386 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: but he did shoot really well in the postseason, and 387 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: I think that's that's kind of what I see in 388 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 1: the long run. What I see in the long run 389 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,920 Speaker 1: is like a good pull up jump shooter who uses 390 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: it as a counter to a devastating downhill attack. He 391 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: was fifty five percent an effective field goal percentage in 392 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: last year's postseason, the year before that fifty seven percent, 393 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: So his career an excellent pull up jump shooter in 394 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: the postseason, and he's coming off of an excellent performance 395 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: in team with Team USA, nineteen points per game in 396 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 1: all thirteen games including the exhibitions, fifty seven percent true shooting. 397 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: He made forty nine percent field goal percentage on his 398 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: pull up jumper, so he made almost half of them 399 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: fifty nine percent waited for threes. Now, remember Steph was 400 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: the only pull up jump shooter in the league at 401 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 1: volume last year to shoot over sixty percent in effective 402 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: field goal percentage, and it was at fifty nine percent 403 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: with Team USA. So he is riding a hot streak 404 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: with pull up jump shooting. If that translates, then then 405 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: we're talking about, you know, a guy who's the top 406 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: tier superstars. So and then it's not exactly shocking at 407 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 1: all why he elevated himself with that Team USA group, 408 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: But it's really interesting to see that development piece. I 409 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: just wanted to see him tone it back in terms 410 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: of shot selection a little bit. He ran ninety pick 411 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: and rolls with Team USA, scoring one hundred and twelve 412 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: points one point twenty four points per possession. As off 413 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 1: the charts, a point a quarter per possession and pick 414 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: and roll is insane. He's making a leap. Like I 415 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: said earlier, right in front of our eyes and superstardom. 416 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: And again, like when I talk about, you know, the 417 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: Timberwolves in their long term ceiling, like you gotta remember 418 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: this was a bad offense last year because they're just 419 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: letting Like I watched I was watching that Timberwolves Pelicans 420 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 1: game this morning, and Ant took four pull up threes 421 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: in the first like three and a half minutes of 422 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: the game, like, and no one's complaining at him, Like 423 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: his teammates are letting him there. The entire Timberwolves organization 424 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: believes in Aunt so much that they're letting him work 425 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 1: through his mistakes, which is great for his development. But 426 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: obviously last year that was gonna hurt their offensive rating 427 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: because you have a young guard who's learning how to 428 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: play on the fly, right, But in the long run, 429 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: that's gonna pay dividends. And I think this year is 430 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: going to be the year where the Timberwolves feel most 431 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: serious about their chances, and in that event, I think 432 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: Ant is going to make those strides and I think 433 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: the offense is going to improve as a result. Let's 434 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: take a brief look at two of their other primary 435 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 1: shot creators and then another guy that I think could 436 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: become one this year. So Mike Conley ended up being 437 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 1: a perfect fit alongside Anthony Edwards. Why because he's a 438 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: deadly spot up player one point one to one points 439 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: per possession and spot up situations. Mike Conley had a 440 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: seventy percent effective field goal percentage in a Timberwolves jersey 441 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,439 Speaker 1: on catch and shoot jump shots. That's outrageous. Seventy seven 442 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,920 Speaker 1: percent when he was unguarded. You just can't leave Mike 443 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: Conley open. That's a high value add next to a 444 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: guy like Anthony Edwards at such a downhill force. Right, 445 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: he already had good existing pick and roll chemistry with 446 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert. Rudy Gobert just sets really good screens and 447 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: helps you get separation. And Mike Conley's actually one of 448 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: the best pull up three point shooters in the league. 449 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: In a Timberwolves jersey, fifty seven percent effective field goal 450 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: percentage on pull up jump shots. That's awesome. As a 451 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: result of that, one point one six points per possession 452 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: and pick and roll with the Wolves on decent sample 453 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: over two hundred possessions, that's ninety fourth percentile. So Mike 454 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: Conley was like the perfect guard slot alongside Anthony Edwards 455 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: Carl Towns last year, still a good post up shot creator. 456 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: He ran one hundred and fourteen post ups for one 457 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: point one to one points per possession that was in 458 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: the seventy first percentile. Good hook shot was the foundation there, 459 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: and then he passed the ball well, made forty nine 460 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: percent of his hook shots and made the right reads 461 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:20,959 Speaker 1: when teams doubled him. Was not great Naiso last year, 462 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: zero point eight nine points per possession. A lot of 463 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: ripthroughs to the right, dudes sliding with him and staying 464 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: in front, and him settling for this like really tough 465 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 1: floaters over the top, which he only made about forty 466 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: percent of the time, which is not a super efficient shot. 467 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: So the face up games not where it needs to be. 468 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: But he's still a good post up player. The guy 469 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 1: I want to take a closer look at his Jade McDaniels. 470 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: He is on the short list of guys, like we 471 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, that is considered in the Conversation for best 472 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: perimeter defender in the world. Right, that's what we think 473 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: of Jade McDaniels as But he actually showed a decent 474 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: amount of offensive pop last year. Averaged a career high 475 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: twelve points per game, a career high sixty one percent 476 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: TRU shooting. He ran only it's really low volume for 477 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: the record, but we learned from this and a lot 478 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: of interesting stuff on tape. He only ran sixty two 479 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: pick and rolls last year and those led to sixty 480 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,360 Speaker 1: five points. That's one point zero five points per possession. 481 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: That's solid about once a game you could throw Jade 482 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: McDaniel's the ball and he could get you a point 483 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: right per possession. That's value there, And a big part 484 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 1: of it is, like it's a couple of different things. 485 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: First of all, perimeter defenders. He's getting your third best 486 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: perimeter defender, so probably a guy who doesn't navigate screens 487 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 1: super well, so he gets good separation, loves to drive left. 488 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 1: And then what he does is he gets into your 489 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 1: body with these long steps and gathers early, and then 490 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: he takes like these like fallaway shots, like these like 491 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: short fallaway, one footed shots, but they're not like one 492 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: foot fade aways from fifteen feet. He's taken them from 493 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: like seven eight feet away from the basket, and he 494 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,199 Speaker 1: can make them. As a matter of fact, he had 495 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: a fifty one percent effective field goal percentage on pull 496 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: up jumpers last year on one hundred in one of them. 497 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,479 Speaker 1: That's decent volume. That's not nothing. Again, that's more than 498 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: once a game. He also was really good in spot 499 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: up situations fifty nine percent effective field goal percentage on 500 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: catch and shoot jump shot sixty two percent when unguarded. 501 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 1: So a good spot up player and actually kind of 502 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 1: like a sneaky good rim finisher is like he'll get 503 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: these dunks in traffic that you're not expecting where he 504 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: just kind of jumps over everybody and finishes shot well 505 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: at the rim. Last year, him continuing to make those 506 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: strides on the offensive end of the floor, alongside Anthony 507 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: Edwards with what he's capable of as a defensive player, 508 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: That's what I look at as like the triumvirate of 509 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: the Timberwolves future. Anthony Edwards a superstar, Jade McDaniels is 510 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: like the Scottie pipp into him, and then Rudy Gobert 511 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: is the defensive anchor and the guy who can set 512 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 1: good ball screens. Those three together, I think are a 513 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: really really interesting foundation in the long run. On the 514 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: defensive end, the Timberwolves finished tenth in defensive rating, but 515 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: they were seventh and half court defense. According to Cleaning 516 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: the Glass, that's really impressive. Middle of the pack and 517 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: transition defense for both French frequency and efficiency. Not as 518 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,239 Speaker 1: effective in the paint as you would think, but for 519 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: a specific reason, and I want to dive into this 520 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: concept a little bit. So they allowed forty nine point 521 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: seven points in the paint per one hundred possessions, which 522 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: was fifteenth in the NBA. Obviously you expect that to 523 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 1: be higher with Rudy Gobert. Right. They give up eighteen 524 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: point three restricted area makes per game, which was the 525 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: ninth most in the NBA, but on those shots, teams 526 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: only shot sixty five point six percent, which was the 527 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 1: eleventh best in the NBA. This was a schematic approach 528 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 1: from the Timberwolves that I thought was really interesting, and 529 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: you noticed it in ISO and in pick and roll situations. 530 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: So in pick and roll they prioritize keeping Rudy Gobert 531 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: as close to the role man as possible. They trusted 532 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: their point of attack defenders to get over the top 533 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,119 Speaker 1: of screens and force the ball handler into tough shots. 534 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: In driving kick situations, you guys might remember a game 535 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: last year where where Kyle Anderson was bitching and moaning 536 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: at Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert for overhelping on drives 537 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: and actually cost him this particular game. I think it 538 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: was an overtime loss if I remember correctly, but both 539 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards. I think it was against 540 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Nets. They toasted off a game giving up 541 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: wide open threes by overhelping. But this is a concept 542 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: that is important, Like obsession with shutting down the paint 543 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: made so much more sense years ago than it does now, 544 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: because when you're obsessed with shutting down the paint, you 545 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: give good looks to NBA players in the year twenty 546 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: twenty three. NBA players in the year twenty twenty three 547 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:39,479 Speaker 1: are knocking those things down, and so it actually is 548 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: better to give up driving lanes, enforce contested layups or 549 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: contested short range shots in the paint, trusting them to 550 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: miss more than half of them, which is less than 551 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: a point for possession, rather than giving up these wide 552 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: open catch and shoot shots on the perimeter while you're 553 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: getting torched. Right and like, that was an approach for 554 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: the Timberwolves all season. Trust your perimeter defenders, Rudy stay 555 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: with the role man whenever you can, unless you absolutely 556 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: have to. Oh, if Kyle Anderson, someone's driving on Kyle 557 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: Anderson and he's on his hip and he's got an 558 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: angle to go to the basket, but Kyle's gonna get 559 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: a contest, just let him do it. If he finishes 560 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: a tough scooping lay up high off the glass over 561 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: Kyle Anderson, great shot, nice shot, two points for you. 562 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 1: But if Rudy steps over and gives up a dunk, 563 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: that's not good. Or you help out of the strong 564 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: side corner and you give or help out of the 565 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: weakside corner one of the two and you give up 566 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: a wide open three, not a good job, right, So, 567 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: I think I think the Timberwolves actually have a really 568 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: smart modern approach to defense, and I think it's a 569 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: big part of why they were so successful. Perimeter defenders 570 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: are are the equivalent of rim protection in the modern NBA, 571 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: containing ball handlers will protect the pain for you, And 572 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: it was a really smart approach. They did a really 573 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: nice job preventing teams from getting good looks at three. 574 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: They allowed just thirty two point five three point attempts 575 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: per one hundred possessions. That was the fifth best mark 576 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: in the entire NBA. As a matter of fact, they 577 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: actually got bad luck. Teams shot thirty seven percent from three. 578 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: That was the twenty fourth worst mark in the NBA. 579 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: So team shot really well against them. Now in a 580 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: large sample size, they don't like blaming luck. They're probably 581 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: leaving the wrong shooters open. That probably is a little 582 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: too much of like overhelping it the wrong time, right, 583 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: But that was a significant factor in their defense not 584 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: being where it should have been because they finished tenth 585 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: in defense. I don't think they were the tenth best 586 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: defense in terms of what they were capable of. I 587 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: think they were as capable of it. They were capable 588 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: of being a top five defense. So clearly there was 589 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: some stuff that got lost in there. Another big part 590 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: of it was rebounding. They were twenty seventh in rebound percentage. 591 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: They gave up three putbacks per game last year, which 592 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: was the eighth most in the NBA. And then lastly 593 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: was turnovers they gave up. But they had fifteen turnovers 594 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: per one hundred possessions last year. That was the sixth 595 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: most in the NBA. So turning the basketball over that's 596 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: going to always compromise your defense by giving ups of 597 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: like runouts the other way. And the Timberwolves were a 598 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 1: very good transition defense off of steels last year. They 599 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: were middle of the pack in general, but off of 600 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: steels they did a really good job of sprinting back. 601 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, I remember correctly, they might 602 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: have been best in defense off of steels according to 603 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: Cleaning the Glass. But even the best off of steels 604 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: is a really high offensive rating and much higher than 605 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: your defensive rating are, then you would hold their offensive 606 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: rating to in a static half court situation. So turning 607 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: the basketball over too much, that's going to cause problems. 608 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: Giving up too many offensive rebound put backs, that's going 609 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: to cause problems. And then you hope that you hope 610 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: that maybe that thirty seven percent three point shooting was luck. 611 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: Your rebound better, You take better care of the basketball team, 612 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: shoot more normal next year. Now you got yourself top 613 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: five defense. And again those numbers are for the full season. 614 00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: When they had Anthony Edwards, Jad McDaniels and Kyle Anderson 615 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: next to Rudy Gobert, they were absolutely stifling, like devastatingly 616 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 1: good on defense. So regardless of whatever they decide to do, 617 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: with kat all four of those guys are still on 618 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: the roster. That punch will always be in their back pocket. 619 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 1: If they end up in a certain matchup and they 620 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: need defense, they can bench cat and play their perimeter 621 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: guys next to Mike Conley and they have a really 622 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 1: good chance to win games that way. So to tie 623 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: it all together as a prediction, the West is a 624 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: total shit show, so picking the order of seeding is impossible. 625 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: Like for the record, I think the Wolves are gonna 626 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: be a lot better this year than they were last year. 627 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: Here's the problem. The MAVs are gonna be a lot 628 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: better than they were last year. Full training camp with 629 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: Kyrie and Luka Doncic, and they added good front court 630 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: players to help with the dirty work. That's gonna help them. 631 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: The Kings are gonna be a little bit worse than 632 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: they were last year in my opinion, but they were 633 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: a three seed last year. The Thunder they're adding Chet 634 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: Holmgren and all their guys are a year older. They're 635 00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: going to be much better than they were last year. 636 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 1: The Clippers, if Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are healthy 637 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 1: all year, they're better than last year. Right. The Warriors 638 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 1: they added Chris Paul, you know they like. I just 639 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,800 Speaker 1: think in general, in terms of chemistry, getting Jordan Poole 640 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: out of the picture, they'll probably be better next year 641 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: because they remember they couldn't win on the road because 642 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: they all hated each other. Or I shouldn't say they 643 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 1: all hated each other, but the schism that was going 644 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: on between Jordan Pool and some of the other young 645 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: guys and the older guys that affected things. I think 646 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: the Warriors are going to be more focused and be 647 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: better this year than they were last year. The Suns 648 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 1: and Lakers are both just more talented than last year. 649 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: Both of them added more role players and they were 650 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: already really good. And the Nuggets are the defending champs. 651 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: I just listed what's at one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, 652 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: eight teams. So like, even though I think the Wolves 653 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: are gonna be better than last year, theoretically everybody else 654 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: is too. So it's hard for me to be like, oh, 655 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:59,239 Speaker 1: they're gonna be a five seed, because it's it's just 656 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: who are they jump in? Right? So if I had 657 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: to make a prediction right now, even though I do 658 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: think the Wolves will be better, the West is gonna 659 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: be a blood Bath. They're gonna be right around five 660 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: hundred and they're gonna be in the plane again. But 661 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,719 Speaker 1: they're gonna be more dangerous this year than they were 662 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: last year in my opinion. But that's just the nature 663 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: of the NBA Theta these days. That's not a shot 664 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 1: at the Timberwolves or anything like that. All right, guys, 665 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 1: I have three mail back questions for you before we 666 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: get out of here tonight. First one, obviously, there's a 667 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: lot of luck involved, but there are. But are there 668 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: any common traits you see among stars that can stay 669 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: healthy year over year, Like for a guy like Jokich, 670 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: is there something in his build that gives him that edge. 671 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: I do not think there's any rhyme or reason to 672 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: injury luck. I literally think it's luck, like I've been 673 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: told my whole life, and I still firmly believe that 674 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: working on leg strength is the best way to prevent 675 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: lower body injuries, like just having a really solid base 676 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: because that's how you absorb impact when you land right. 677 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 1: But Jamal Murray has a legendary leg strength program, like 678 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: absolutely legendary, and that guy towards ACL like, go look 679 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 1: up stories about what Jamal Murray's dad had him do 680 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: to build like strength. That dude works harder on your legs, 681 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: on his legs than probably anybody listening to this video. 682 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 1: That dude's insane towards ACL. Everyone says Biggs get hurt 683 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:19,439 Speaker 1: all the time, but Nikole Jokicic is like the iron Man. 684 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: You know. Everyone says freaky athletes that jump super high 685 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: will get hurt. No, Lebron was a freaky athlete, maybe 686 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: the freakiest athlete of all time, and didn't get hurt 687 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: until he got old. So I don't really think there 688 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: is a rhyme or reason to it. I think it's 689 00:34:34,640 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: just luck, and I wish I had a better explanation 690 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: than that. But that's that's pretty much how I feel 691 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: about it right now. Next mail back question from Michael 692 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 1: Why do certain fans believe that point of attack defense 693 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: doesn't matter in the modern NBA? In regards to Steph Curry, 694 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 1: some people downplay the importance of point of attack defense 695 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: wise that, I do think people value point of attack defense. 696 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 1: I do think the matchup attacking thing is a little 697 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:04,719 Speaker 1: overplayed because a couple of different things you need point 698 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: of attack defense in terms of a person who can 699 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: fulfill that role, but it doesn't necessarily have to be Steph. 700 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: Just like, for instance, if I've got two wings on 701 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:17,959 Speaker 1: my roster and one of them is Lebron who's older 702 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:20,800 Speaker 1: and wants to rest, Like I can have Jared Vanderbilt, 703 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:23,919 Speaker 1: who's theoretically playing the four, I can have him chase 704 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 1: around on the perimeter and have Lebron play the low man. 705 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 1: You can find responsibilities on the floor for lesser defenders, 706 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: and like you'll you'll see that with the Warriors, like 707 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: if he's if Steph is on the floor with Gary Payton, 708 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:37,440 Speaker 1: they're gonna have Gary Payton run the point of attack 709 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,879 Speaker 1: defense and probably have Steph Garden off ball shooter. Right, 710 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 1: That's just that's the way that they usually set these 711 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 1: sorts of things up. Now, matchup attacking is the downside, right, Okay, Okay, 712 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: it's a playoff series. Uh, you run a couple of 713 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: screening actions, get a switch. Now we're posting up so 714 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:58,399 Speaker 1: and so on the block. There is value in that 715 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 1: for an offense, but I actually think it has more 716 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 1: to do with the other end of the floor. Like 717 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: when the Lakers relentlessly attacked Steph. I think it was 718 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: a big strategy to try to fatigue him, Like I 719 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: think they were trying to wear him out so that 720 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: he'd misshots, and he did. But why did that work. 721 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: That worked because Jordan pull and Klay Thompson fell apart. 722 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: So Steph literally had to do everything and he couldn't 723 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 1: because the Lakers were attacking him relentlessly on the other 724 00:36:26,719 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: end of the floor. The truth is that attacking a 725 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: player stagnates you. If you spend an entire game matchup attacking, 726 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:37,800 Speaker 1: that's really stagnant offense. The ball's not moving, it's a 727 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: lot of iso, a lot of post up you don't 728 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,239 Speaker 1: actually want to. That's bad for your offense in the 729 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: long run. Like generally speaking, if they're if they're just attacking, 730 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,000 Speaker 1: you know, uh, let's say let's say for this particular team, 731 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 1: Like let's say that they're just attacking Mike Conley every time, 732 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:57,280 Speaker 1: I'd be like, go ahead, you're gonna stagnate your offense. 733 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: You're becoming predictable. Mike Conley's gonna figure out how to 734 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: get more stops in the long run will help and rotate. 735 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,719 Speaker 1: But if you only have one offensive option, then they 736 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: can attack and fatigue. Let's look at the twenty twenty 737 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 1: two Warriors. Jordan Poole played much better in that playoff run, 738 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,880 Speaker 1: Steph had more offensive support, Andrew Wiggins played better in 739 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: that playoff run. So as a result, attacking Steph was 740 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: a fool's errand it's gonna stagnate it your offense and 741 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,799 Speaker 1: cause problems, and he doesn't need to do everything. On 742 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: the other end, go look at the game logs for 743 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:36,760 Speaker 1: the Warriors two years ago and look through the points. 744 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 1: There are a lot of games in there where Steph 745 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 1: was just a cog in the system. And that's because 746 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:45,360 Speaker 1: that team was better, played better. And so if you 747 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: would have attacked Steph, you never would have fatigued him 748 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,960 Speaker 1: because he's one of the most conditioned athletes in the 749 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: league and he didn't need to do everything that year. 750 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: So I think some of that stuff is overplayed. Like 751 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: as long as you have point of attack defense in 752 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: the line up, as long as you have help defense 753 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 1: in the lineup, as long as you have rim protection 754 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: in the lineup, you're gonna get stops even if you 755 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: have a weak defender in that group. It's like, it's 756 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,399 Speaker 1: just it's it's that That's a perfect example of why 757 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 1: basketball is an art and out a science. It's so 758 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 1: much more complicated than it looks like on the surface. 759 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: Why was Steph getting attacked a narrative in this series 760 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:27,319 Speaker 1: this year? But why did Why didn't the MAVs have 761 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,520 Speaker 1: any success with it? Luca is the best matchup attacker 762 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,240 Speaker 1: in the league, right, Why didn't he have any success 763 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 1: with it? Because they didn't need Steph to score thirty 764 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:40,000 Speaker 1: five to have any chance of winning. The Warriors literally 765 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:42,200 Speaker 1: needed Steph to score thirty five to have any chance 766 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 1: of beating the Lakers in any game. So like and 767 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,520 Speaker 1: like and again like another. It's mostly the same rosters, 768 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:51,560 Speaker 1: the same top seven guys. That's the other crazy part 769 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:55,319 Speaker 1: about it. Like it was the same guys that were 770 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:59,200 Speaker 1: a lesser basketball team this year. But that's the intricacy 771 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,959 Speaker 1: of the organism of a basketball team. One thing gets 772 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: a little bit off and then it falls apart. One 773 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:07,279 Speaker 1: guy's in a little bit of a funk, suddenly more 774 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 1: responsibilities than another guy. It falls apart. Andrew Wiggins not 775 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 1: in as good a rhythm because he took an absence 776 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:16,799 Speaker 1: from the team, and it can fall apart that way. 777 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson best perimeter initiation, you know, half court shot, 778 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:26,160 Speaker 1: creation season I've ever seen from him in terms of 779 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:29,360 Speaker 1: like filling the void when Steph was out making plays 780 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: in the half court and then he got into the 781 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,840 Speaker 1: playoffs and couldn't make anything, Like, what are the odds 782 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:37,920 Speaker 1: of that? Like, I don't have an explanation for that. 783 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 1: He just he got into a funk. Those of you 784 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,160 Speaker 1: guys who've played basketball for a really long time will 785 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: know what I'm talking about. Sometimes you're playing really well 786 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 1: and then sometimes you have a week or two where 787 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:51,640 Speaker 1: you're just not playing very well. And like you can 788 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:53,399 Speaker 1: be a relentless worker and like be in the weight 789 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:54,879 Speaker 1: room and be in the gym working on your shot 790 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:56,480 Speaker 1: and be like, man, I gotta get out of this funk, 791 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: and then you go play the next day and you 792 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,839 Speaker 1: suck again compared to what you're hoping. Like that's this 793 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:06,480 Speaker 1: game is so complicated. It is so detailed and intricate, 794 00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:09,960 Speaker 1: Like it's not something that is that simple. But to 795 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,120 Speaker 1: answer the question, you know, to kind of tie it 796 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:17,040 Speaker 1: all together, point of attack defense does matter? Steph Curry 797 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 1: getting attacked in the Lakers series had a lot more 798 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: to do with other issues on the Warriors roster than 799 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:24,759 Speaker 1: Steph itself. The best example of that is that the 800 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 1: Mavericks had absolutely no luck attacking Steph the previous year. 801 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,279 Speaker 1: All right, last one, This s mailback question is from Chile. 802 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:34,400 Speaker 1: Why is it that we see less and less players 803 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: like Rondo's CP three, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd point 804 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 1: guards with tremendous IQ that can navigate games for you? 805 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 1: So I don't know. I don't think anybody in particular 806 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 1: is to blame for this. But the reality is is 807 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,320 Speaker 1: that we had a bunch of guards come into the 808 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: league that were more heliocentric shot creators. So back in 809 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 1: the day, your stars didn't bring the ball up the floor, 810 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,440 Speaker 1: and so you needed a guard who would bring the 811 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,920 Speaker 1: ball up the floor and set up your stars. But 812 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,359 Speaker 1: then in the modern NBA we've discovered no, you don't 813 00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:12,320 Speaker 1: really need to do that. So now a lot of 814 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 1: guys are becoming point guards that in a different era 815 00:41:15,719 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 1: would not have been a point guard, Like James Harden 816 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,439 Speaker 1: is effectively a point guard. He calls himself a two guard, 817 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 1: but he's basically a point guard. But he's his six ' 818 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:28,160 Speaker 1: five two guard build right like Russell Westbrook fifteen years 819 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:30,640 Speaker 1: ago would have been a two guard in the modern NBA, 820 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 1: he's a point guard because he's one of your best players. 821 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:35,359 Speaker 1: You want the ball in his hands, and you're gonna 822 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:36,920 Speaker 1: run a lot of spread, pick and roll in ISO. 823 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 1: Like you guys can kind of get what I'm going 824 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: out here. The league has transitioned, and we've seen all 825 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:45,800 Speaker 1: these other guards doing it. Damian Lillard scoring guard, Steph Curry, 826 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:48,680 Speaker 1: you know, scoring guard, although he does it off the ball, 827 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook scoring guard. All these guys are putting up 828 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 1: thirty points a game. And so what do you think 829 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,839 Speaker 1: all the young guards are gonna do? All the young 830 00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:59,600 Speaker 1: guards are gonna want to play like these guys, and 831 00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:01,799 Speaker 1: so you're gonna see more and more of that. And 832 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 1: for the record, like the whole I'll take raise on 833 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:07,760 Speaker 1: Rondo for an example, that archetype is not as valuable 834 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:11,399 Speaker 1: now as it used to be because he's a bad 835 00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:14,600 Speaker 1: off ball player. And by the way, when Rondo was 836 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:17,120 Speaker 1: a champion with the Lakers, he made like forty percent 837 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:19,759 Speaker 1: of his catch in two threes, Like it's something he 838 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,080 Speaker 1: couldn't do earlier in his career. But like you're the 839 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:26,880 Speaker 1: the non scoring threat, look to make a play first 840 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: type of guard doesn't have as much value in the 841 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:32,880 Speaker 1: modern NBA as it did fifteen years ago. And that's 842 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 1: that's not a that's not a shot at those guys. 843 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:37,919 Speaker 1: It's just the way the game has changed nowadays. It's 844 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:39,319 Speaker 1: like you have to be a threat to score if 845 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:41,240 Speaker 1: you have the ball in your hand, like a real threat. 846 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:43,759 Speaker 1: All of the best perimeter initiators in the league are 847 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: over twenty five points a game. It's extremely rare to 848 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 1: see a guy who's like, really in the conversation with 849 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,040 Speaker 1: the best players in the league, who only averages twenty 850 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:56,280 Speaker 1: three points per game, right, like Jokich is a freak. 851 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,399 Speaker 1: But it's because he plays with so many good off 852 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 1: ball players that he kind of acts more as a distributor. 853 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:03,400 Speaker 1: And what did he do the previous year. He averaged 854 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:06,160 Speaker 1: thirty points game when he didn't have those guys. So 855 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:08,600 Speaker 1: you get the point. Like, but the game, it's just 856 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 1: a product of the game changing. But I don't think 857 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:15,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna see too many like setup guards in the 858 00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 1: in the future. I just don't think the league calls 859 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:20,640 Speaker 1: for that specific skill set anymore the way that it 860 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:22,600 Speaker 1: did in the past when they needed to navigate these 861 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:25,160 Speaker 1: congested half court environments and the other part of it, too, 862 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,560 Speaker 1: is like think about the way the post players have changed. 863 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,080 Speaker 1: Like you go back twenty five years ago, and it's 864 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 1: like you've got Shack and you've got a Chemolodge one, 865 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,600 Speaker 1: and you've got Karl Malone and you've got you know, 866 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,279 Speaker 1: Patrick Ewing, and like there's just you can go on 867 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 1: and on and on. There's like a million post up bigs. 868 00:43:43,640 --> 00:43:48,080 Speaker 1: Who's gonna feed them the basketball? Right? Like, but now 869 00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:49,760 Speaker 1: it's like I don't need a guy who can feed 870 00:43:49,800 --> 00:43:51,520 Speaker 1: the post. I need a guy who can run, pick 871 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:53,560 Speaker 1: and roll. I don't need a guy who can feed 872 00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:54,759 Speaker 1: the post. I need a guy who can beat a 873 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:57,640 Speaker 1: center on a switch. So I think I think it's 874 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,200 Speaker 1: just the nature of the way the game has changed. Guys. 875 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:01,480 Speaker 1: It's all I have for today. I hope you have 876 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:03,840 Speaker 1: an amazing weekend. We will be back on Monday with 877 00:44:03,960 --> 00:44:29,160 Speaker 1: number fifteen. The Volume