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I hope all of you guys are 36 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: having a great week. It is that time of year again. 37 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: We are going to do our player rankings, one of 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: my favorite things to do to deal with the hoop 39 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: withdrawals over the summer we're gonna get it down to 40 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: the top five players in the NBA. I'm gonna give 41 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: you guys my criteria to start off. Then i'm gonna 42 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: go over some of the guys that missed the cut 43 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: and why, and then today we will be doing number 44 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: through number twenty one. So before we get started, you 45 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: guys know the drill. Subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel 46 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: so you guys don't miss any more of our videos. 47 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore Jason lt S, you 48 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: guys don't miss any show announcements or any other video 49 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: content that I produced. And then, last but not least, 50 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: if you miss some portion of the show and you 51 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: can't get back to YouTube but you're driving around town 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: or something, you can always find these in audio form 53 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: on our podcast feeds shortly after they go up on YouTube, 54 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: So you can find that under Hoops Tonight wherever you 55 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: find your podcast. All Right, so this kind of thing 56 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: is entirely subjective, so before we get started, don't get 57 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: emotional about anything. If you disagree about anything, just drop 58 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: it in the comments. I'd love to hear it. All 59 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: of these guys are extremely close to each other because 60 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: the league is at a in a in a era 61 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: where there is more talent than we've ever seen in 62 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: the game of basketball. The gap between the best player 63 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: and the seventh best player is tiny, and on any 64 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: given night, any of those guys can outplay each other. 65 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: So if I have a guy ranked lower than you thought, 66 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: tell me why you disagree. Don't get all emotional and upset, 67 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: because that's the one thing that gets kind of frustrating 68 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: with these lists is just how everyone thinks they've got 69 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: it all figured out, and the truth of the matter 70 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: is none of us do, and we're all just doing 71 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: our best to get s and all of these guys 72 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: are incredibly good, and we're just splitting hair. So my criteria, 73 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,839 Speaker 1: it's not a harder fast rule because every player is different, right, 74 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: Like you know, Steph's roll on a team doesn't resemble 75 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: Yokis roll on a team, or and Beads roll on 76 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: the team. So you can't apply the same criteria uniformly 77 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: across the board. But there are general things that I 78 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: value that will lead to some of these decisions, so 79 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: I wanted to lay those out. First of all, size 80 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: is something that I value to a great degree in basketball. 81 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: Steph is the exception to this rule. I spoiler alert, 82 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: I have Steph very high on my list. Okay, but 83 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: he's the one short guy up there, and he's not 84 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: even that short. He's six ft three and he's pretty 85 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: stocky and strong. But the main reason why is everything 86 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: on a basketball court is easier when you're bigger, especially 87 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: if you can move your feet, covering ground on the 88 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: perimeter and rotations, skying for rebounds, being able to hold 89 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: position in box outs, are in post ups, dealing with 90 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: the physicality. That's arguably the biggest reason why I value 91 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: size in the NBA. Think of it like this, Guys, 92 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: we're gonna be watching on October seventeenth or sixteenth or whatever. 93 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: It is, a season opening basketball game, probably on you know, 94 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: one of the major networks that will probably involve the 95 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: Warriors and someone else. Right when that happens, we'll be watching, 96 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: and we'll probably be complaining about the refs and how 97 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: tikie tack they are with their whistle, right, and it 98 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: might be a topic of conversation through a good chunk 99 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: of the season. But make no mistake, come June, there 100 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: will be two teams in a complete and total blood bath. 101 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: It happens every single year. The playoffs are extremely different 102 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: from the regular season, and in that environment, size and 103 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: strength does matter. Steph is just so exceptionally talented that 104 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: he's a top ten player in NBA history in spite 105 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: of the fact that he doesn't have a great set 106 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: of physical tools. That playoff translatability is another huge part 107 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: of this. The game just as different at that level. 108 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: It's not just the physictality, it's the scheming. It's the 109 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: level of defensive attention thrown to the stars, adding a 110 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: great deal of value towards playmaking, which we'll get to 111 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: in a minute. That ability to translate to the playoffs, 112 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: that's something that I'm gonna value heavily on this list. 113 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: If you've got a player that's a dominant regular season player, 114 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: but he doesn't play as well in the playoffs or 115 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: he doesn't get there, I'm gonna have him lower on 116 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: my list. Availability is a big thing being available to 117 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: your team. Don't have to dive any further into that 118 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: defensive versatility. It's a huge difference between the ability to 119 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: defend in one role in the ability to defend in 120 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: multiple roles. That is a huge deal in the playoffs 121 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: when scheming becomes a bigger role in switching becomes a 122 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: bigger role. You're not just going to get to park 123 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: under the basket and block shots. You're not just gonna 124 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: get to guard little guards or guard big forwards. You're 125 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: gonna have to guard both, and you're probably gonna have 126 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: to cover a lot of ground in rotations. So defensive 127 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: versatility is gonna matter a lot to me. And then, last, 128 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: but not least, the two big offensive skills that I 129 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: value are playmaking and three level scoring. The reason why is, well, 130 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: let's start with three scoring. With the way that NBA 131 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: teams guard. You know, all these offenses, because of analytics, 132 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: are heading towards rim attempts and three point attempts. Why 133 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: because the rim is the most efficient shot in basketball 134 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: and the three point shot is the second most efficient 135 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: shot in basketball when you account for shot value. But 136 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: because of that, over the last few years, almost every 137 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: defense in the league has leaned heavily in towards in 138 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: towards prioritizing the three point line and the free throw 139 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: in the in the basket right, they will chaotically chase 140 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: guys off the three point line to give up a 141 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: driving lane, knowing that they have a rotation set up 142 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: at the rim, and they can make up for it 143 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: on the back end. They will leave a massive opening 144 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: in the middle of the floor to take away those 145 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: threes and to take away the basket. That's why three 146 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: level scoring is so important. The guys that are comfortable 147 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: stopping short after running off the three point line to 148 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: knock down a mid range jump shot, to knock down 149 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: a float, or to score in the mid range, those 150 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: sorts of things. That skill becomes immensely important in the 151 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: postseason when you start playing teams that are scheming away 152 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: all of the analytically, you know the shots at the 153 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: analytics department wants you to take. So I do value 154 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: three level scoring a great deal because of that. I 155 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: do value playmaking a little bit more than three level scoring, though, 156 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: and the main reason for that is the way that 157 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: teams guard superstars in the playoffs. You saw this a 158 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: lot with Jayson Tatum as the as the games went 159 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: along uh in the in this particular playoff run, you 160 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: saw it with Kevin Durant with the way Boston was 161 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: guarding people. You see it all over the league. But 162 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: teams throw the kitchen sink at the stars. They pack 163 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 1: the paint, they send doubles and stunts, and they dare 164 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: your role players to make shots. So having players that 165 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: are great at making those reads when the defense is 166 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: over playing them that I would say is arguably the 167 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: most important skill on the offensive end of the floor 168 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: in the NBA. So again, really quickly, I value size, 169 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: what translates to the playoffs being available to your team, 170 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: versatility on defense rather than one elite defensive skill, and 171 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: three level scoring, and playmaking with a slight edge towards playmaking. 172 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 1: That's my criteria. So for this Top twenty five, I 173 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 1: started by just trying to come up with a list 174 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: of players that I thought were in the running, and 175 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: I ended up coming up with twenty nine players. So 176 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: that means that there are four players that missed the cut. 177 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 1: That's Chris Paul, Bradley Beale, Trey Young, and Zach Levine. 178 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to give a really quick breakdown and why 179 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: I did not include those guys in this list. So 180 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: for CP three, we just had back to back playoff 181 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: runs where he fell apart physically, you know, and that 182 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: just needs to be planned on moving forward. Over the 183 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: last five games of that Dallas series, he averaged nine points, 184 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: six assists, and four turnovers, very unlike anything that we've 185 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: seen from the Chris Paul era. As we heard after 186 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: the series, he apparently had some sort of quad strain. 187 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: When healthy, he's a top fifteen player. I think that 188 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: goes without saying. His unique combination of scoring ability and 189 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: pick and roll in his ability to pass the basketball 190 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: puts him in that list. But he's just never healthy 191 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: when it matters the most. It happened to him again 192 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: the year before in the NBA Finals when he fell 193 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: apart over the last four games. So as much as 194 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: I value CP three and what he does when he's healthy, 195 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: his lack of availability at least the peak version of 196 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: himself drops him out of this list for me. And 197 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: I think I just don't see a universe where he's 198 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: more impactful on the biggest stages than the twenty five 199 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 1: guys that are ahead of him. Bradley Beale injuries obviously 200 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: are a big role. There has constantly been dealing with 201 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: things on that front. And then lastly, it's just hard 202 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: to evaluate Bradley Beale when he's never in a high 203 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: stake environment anymore. And so again, like when I'm talking 204 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: about how I value things that translate to the playoffs, 205 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: and I just don't get to see Bradley Beale in 206 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: the playoffs. I'm just naturally gonna fall back, and he's 207 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: just naturally gonna fall back on my list. He has 208 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: a very elite he has a he has an elite 209 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: skill that I value a great deal, which is the 210 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: ability to score the basketball at all three levels, like 211 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: I talked about earlier. But again, it's just hard for 212 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: me to translate that to compare him two guys that 213 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: are fighting and scratching and clawing deep into the playoffs 214 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: every single year. So I left him out of my list. 215 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: Trey Young Uh He averaged fifteen points ont pcent from 216 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: the field and eight percent from three against Miami. He 217 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: had an eight point game, a nine point game, and 218 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: an eleven point game against Milwaukee and Philly in the 219 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: previous playoff run. The average eight, but it was a 220 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: forty percent from the field, percent from three, any average 221 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: five turnovers a game. So against the top, top, top 222 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: tier defenses, the elite, super athletic defenses, he really struggles. 223 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: And one of the things teams are figuring out is 224 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: he's actually a little bit easy to guard because of 225 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: how predictable he is. He comes off a high pick 226 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: and roll and if you drop underneath, he's gonna pull 227 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: up the three. So nobody does that. They chase him 228 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: over the top. What he used to do is try 229 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: to back up into you and draw fouls by falling backwards, 230 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: but the refs removed that from his game. Teams have 231 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,239 Speaker 1: figured out that he struggles to finish over size underneath 232 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: the basket. He only shot thirty percent in the restricted 233 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: area against Miami, and he only shot fifty five percent 234 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: from the restricted area in the playoffs the restrict As 235 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: a point of reference to you, guys, that's about what 236 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook shot in the restricted area this year for 237 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,599 Speaker 1: the Lakers. So it's really really bad. So they understand 238 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: now that if you stay glued to him over the 239 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: top of those screens and take away those floaters and 240 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: short range shots and funnel him to the basket, he 241 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: won't be able to score at the rim. And so 242 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: it's kind of like a weakness of his that's been exposed. 243 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: He's going to have to become a better rim finisher 244 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: for him to reach his eventual ceiling, whatever that ends 245 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: up being. But for the time being, I have him 246 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: outside of my top twenty five. Uh. And then last 247 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: but not not Lee Zach Lavine. So in in his first 248 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: playoff series the average nineteen points per game on fifty 249 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: percent effective field goal percentage, which is really not great. Um, 250 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: he just needs to adjust to the playoffs. He needs 251 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: to adjust to the different type of separation that you 252 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: need to get scoring over physicality that's not present in 253 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: the playoffs. And then most importantly, he's got the athleticism 254 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: to be a more impactful defensive player. That's where he's 255 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: gonna have to improve. Not an insult to any of 256 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: these guys. Again, these were the twenty nine players that 257 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: I picked that could be in the top twenty five. 258 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: These guys just barely missed the cut. But again, the 259 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: gap between Bradley Beal and you know, the twelve or 260 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: thirteenth best player in the league is very small. That's 261 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: just that, that's just the predicament that our league is in, 262 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: all right, Number twenty five, Carl Towns. In the regular season, 263 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: he averaged ten and four on sixty percent shooting. That's amazing, 264 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: And in the playoffs he averaged two eleven and two 265 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: on sixty two percent shooting. That's really damn good. He's 266 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: one of the best scoring bigs that we have in 267 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: the game, an excellent face up player. If he gets 268 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: the ball with the with the with the live dribble 269 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: triple threat you know, excuse me, not a live drible 270 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: with a triple threat on the wing against the slow 271 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: footed big, he's either going to jab step and pull 272 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: up at three or he's going to rip through and 273 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: go all the way to the room and finish. He's 274 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: extremely difficult to handle in those spots on the floor. 275 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: His ability to be efficient from the perimeter, one of 276 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: the best perimeter shooting bigs that we have in the league. 277 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: That will make him a really interesting fit next to 278 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: Go Bear because he's gonna have to spend a great 279 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: deal of his time on the perimeter or to allow 280 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: Gobert to operate as someone who can screen and dive 281 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: to the rim or sit in the dunker spot. But 282 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: his defensive shortcomings. You know, last year they got hit 283 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: into a certain extent because Minnesota's perimeter defense was so great, 284 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: but he's actually pretty bad as a as a rim protector. 285 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,719 Speaker 1: And then as you slide Go Bear into that role. Yeah, 286 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: that will fulfill that role. But with Carl Towns is 287 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: the four next to Gobert. He's going to have to 288 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: guard more in space. He's gonna have to guard quicker players, 289 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: potentially some wings. He's gonna have to do a lot 290 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: more in rotation. You can't slide Gobert into that role 291 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: to guard the wings because that defeats the purpose of 292 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: the trade to begin with. You want Gobert on the 293 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: back line to help you protect the rim. So they're 294 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: gonna have to put um Carl Town's into that specific role, 295 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: and I think his defensive shortcomings will become even more 296 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: glaring at that point. And then his last big weakness 297 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: that I wanted to point out just inconsistency. You guys, 298 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: remember that awful play in game he had with all 299 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: the foul trouble, and then he had an eight point 300 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: game in the first round. He just he struggles. He 301 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: struggles with self control, you know, like some of the 302 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: fouls that he was committing when he was in foul 303 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: trouble in the playoffs. It's like, dude, where is your 304 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: head at? You're just not paying attention to what's happening 305 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: on the floor. You've got four fouls middle of the 306 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: third quarter and your team misses a shot and you're 307 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: just raking across the dude's arms for no particular reason. 308 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: It's an easy foul, cahol, And now you've got to 309 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: go to the bench before the end of the third 310 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: quarter like that. That kind of stuff. Is it just 311 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me. 312 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: Shot selection can get a little rough from time to time. 313 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: You know the question with Carl Towns when you look 314 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: at those numbers again, two eleven and two on shooting, 315 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: that's a that's an incredible statistical achievement. But the question 316 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: is he a winner or is he a good stats 317 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: bad team guy. Good stats bad team guy is a 318 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: real thing. I explained this to you guys when we 319 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: did our when when I did my whole college basketball resume, 320 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: thing like when I averaged almost sixteen points a game, 321 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: our team was terrible, and then when I played on 322 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: a good team, my scoring went way down because I 323 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: was trying to score within a winning concept. It's completely 324 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: different idea, right, And that's gonna be the thing for 325 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: Carl Town's moving forward. It's going to be better for 326 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: him to be at about twenty points per game efficiently 327 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: but functionally doing really well on the defensive end of 328 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: the floor, being a dominant physical presence on the interior 329 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: as a rebounder, and you know, getting better with his 330 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: decision making and his self control. Tying all those ends 331 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: off is way more important than him being, you know, 332 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: a thirty point per game guy that that can efficiently 333 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: score in the postseason. We already know he can do 334 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: all of that stuff. He's got to tie off the 335 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: other areas of his game, the winning elements of his game, 336 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: to no longer be a good stats, bad team guy. 337 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: Right now, that's what he is. But I do believe 338 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: he's capable of becoming a winner and hopefully getting alongside 339 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert and playing in some more high stakes environments, 340 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: like if they stay healthy, they're gonna make the playoffs. 341 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: So Carl Town's will get more opportunities to show us 342 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: that he's no longer a good stats, bad team guy. 343 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: He just has to prove it. Number twenty four Donovan 344 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: Mitchell regular season twenty four and five on fifty seven 345 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: percent true shooting in the postseason this year kind of 346 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: rough twenty six we're in six from the field and 347 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 1: twenty percent from three. Not great, um, but to zoom 348 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: out a little bit. Over his last three playoff runs, 349 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: he's averaging thirty two, five and five on sixty one 350 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: true shooting. He's as good of a playoff score as 351 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: we've seen in the last few years. In those three 352 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: playoff runs, he's attempting ten threes per game in shooting 353 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: fort on them. That's as good of a volume three 354 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: point shooter as you'll see around the league right now. 355 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: So why is it that he's so low on this 356 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,160 Speaker 1: list despite those things that I just said, Well, he's 357 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: kind of like at a crossroads right now. This crossroads 358 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: is is he going to become the next Russell Westbrook 359 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: or is he going to become the next Dwyane Wade. Now, 360 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: obviously those are two absurd examples. Donovan Mitchell will never 361 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: be Dwyane Wade. Dyane Wade is one of the greatest 362 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: basketball players of all time. You know, in Russell Westbrook 363 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: is I'm just talking in terms of the archetype. Is 364 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: he gonna be the big athletic guard that in braces 365 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: the things that makes him a winner, or is he 366 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: gonna be the big athletic guard that becomes a guy 367 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 1: who fills the stat sheet? But it just never materializes 368 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: into winning basketball, and that that will come down to 369 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: his ability to manage the game. We talked about this 370 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: a lot on this show, but game management was a 371 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: huge issue with the Boston Celtics as we got deeper 372 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: into that playoff run. It's essentially understanding the value of 373 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: the hundred possessions over the value of the one possession. 374 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell kind of gets a reactionary with the way 375 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: he plays offense, like calls for a highball screen, and 376 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: if the guy goes underneath, he's just pulling every single time, 377 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: And if the guy chases him over the top, he's 378 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: just going downhill every single time. And if he absolutely 379 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: has to get rid of the basketball, he will, but 380 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: he doesn't unless he absolutely has to, you know, and 381 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: from and from that standpoint, him figuring out that it's 382 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,160 Speaker 1: not his job to create shots for himself thirty times 383 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 1: a game. It's his job to create shots for his 384 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: team sixty seven times per game. When he establishes that 385 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: as his approach to the game, he'll start coming off 386 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: of those ball screens not just thinking about whether or 387 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: not he's open, but thinking about whether or not, you know, 388 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: player A is in a rhythm, you know, depending on 389 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: where he gets traded. Player B is in a rhythm 390 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 1: how player sees hot. I need to keep feeding him, 391 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: you know, like you know, my big man, he's starting 392 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: to get a little worn out, and he hasn't gotten 393 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: any touches, so maybe we need to get a post 394 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: touch here, you know, like understanding the runs of the game, Like, okay, 395 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: the other teams on an eight oh run, me taking 396 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: a pull up three, even though I know I can 397 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: make it, it's a lower percentage shot. Now is a 398 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: great time to try to force a great look close 399 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: to the basket so that we can stop this run, 400 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: because if I miss this pull up three, it's even 401 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 1: more deflating for my team. Him figuring out those things, 402 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: those game management details, that's gonna be step one to 403 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: him going the Dwyane Wade route rather than the Russell 404 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 1: Westbrook route. And then the second part of it is 405 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: the defensive end of the floor. When he was in college, 406 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 1: he was a great defensive player, but he's almost completely 407 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: like go of the row there. His defensive effort against 408 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: the Utah Jazz, excuse me, against the Dallas Mavericks, and 409 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: this year's playoff run was downright embarrassing. So if he 410 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: doesn't learn to embrace that end of the floor again 411 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 1: like the way Dwyane Wade did and like the way 412 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook did not, then he will go to Russell 413 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: Westbrook route. So those are the two things to look at, 414 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: game management and commitment to the defensive end of the floor. 415 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: If he can capture those two specific skills and and 416 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: and develop them and dive into them in terms of 417 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: his approach, he will go closer to the Dwyane Wade route. 418 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 1: If he doesn't, he'll be the next Russell Westbrook, the 419 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: next guy that puts up massive numbers and is constantly 420 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: in the All Star Game and constantly on all NBA teams, 421 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: and his team flames out in the first round of 422 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: the playoffs. Number twenty three Pascal Siaka So in the 423 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: regular season twenty nine and five on fifty seven percent 424 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: true shooting, in the playoffs twenty three, seven and six 425 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: on fifty six percent true shooting. Nice little consistency there. 426 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 1: He's your classic two ways slashing wing that can play 427 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: make a little bit right like we see so many 428 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: of these guys in the league. You know, Tatum, Katie Kauai, 429 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: Those kinds of things where it's like they can play make, 430 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: but they're not great at it. Their best ability is 431 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: just to score from the wing as a slasher or 432 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: as a as a guy who can put the ball 433 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 1: in the basket off the dribble as a jump shooter. Right, 434 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: So what's the difference between him and those guys? Why 435 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,199 Speaker 1: is he twenty three and all those other guys I 436 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: mentioned or top ten players in the league. Well, he 437 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: he has the ability to shoot the basketball. He's not 438 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: a bad shooter, but he's a very streaky shooter, and 439 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: he quickly loses confidence in his jump shot and you 440 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: can see it in his body language. So, and this 441 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: is a phenomenon of scene with a lot of basketball 442 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: players over the year. I personally had this phenomenal this 443 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: weakness when I was when I was younger, when I 444 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: was playing in college, Like when I had it going, like, man, 445 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: it felt good every time it came off the hand, 446 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: but I missed a couple and then like I got 447 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 1: shaky because I didn't have like really good solid fundamentals 448 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: to fall back on in terms of my shooting form, right, 449 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: And so I had tendencies to go through long extended 450 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: slumps where I couldn't shoot or couldn't make a shot 451 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 1: or and then that would make me easy to guard, 452 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:07,360 Speaker 1: because then teams could play off of me and they'd 453 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: let me shoot and I miss, or I'd drive into 454 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,959 Speaker 1: traffic and not have much success. Right, That's kind of 455 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: what I see happened with Pascal Siakum a lot. And 456 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: you saw this against the Sixers. Once they started playing 457 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: off of him and he missed a couple of jumpers, 458 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: you'd see him like take a pull up eighteen footer 459 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: or and miss the hell out of it, like long 460 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: and right and just carrying off the rim, and it's 461 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: just it's almost like the entire arena kind of like 462 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: has an awkward moment, and you can tell it. Just 463 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 1: the confidence slips away from him, and then he becomes 464 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 1: really one dimensional as a slasher. He really wants to 465 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,400 Speaker 1: drive left and then pound the basketball with his left 466 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: hand and spin back to his right and finish at 467 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: the rim. So if I don't have to guard him 468 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: on the perimeter because he's in his head about his 469 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: jump shot, and I could sit on that left hand 470 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: to drive and be ready for the spin back to 471 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: the right, I can contain him and that's what causes 472 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: him to be less efficient and to not hit the 473 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: scoring numbers as some of his peers can around the league. 474 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: If he gets consistent with the jump shot. You know, 475 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: I say this all the time. In the show My 476 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: My high school coach they played professionally in Italy for 477 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: like seven years, the one that I I'm an assistant 478 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 1: coach with UM he talks about how there's the shooters 479 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: and there's makers, and everyone's a shooter, but who's a maker? 480 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 1: That the makers they never get in their head about 481 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: when they're missing. They always feel like the next one's 482 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: going in. They never lose confidence. If Seacom can get 483 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: to that level, that's where you'll see twenty three points 484 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: per game become twenty eight points per game because of 485 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: the consistent success with the jump shot, which will open 486 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 1: up his slashing opportunities and make him so much harder 487 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: to guard. Number twenty two Chris Middleton twenty five and 488 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: five on fifty eight percent true shooting in this regular season, 489 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: and then he was hurting the playoffs. He only played 490 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,360 Speaker 1: I think one and a half games Classic three level scorers. 491 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: Very His specific skill is when he can get smaller 492 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: defenders on him. He's really good at working them down 493 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 1: to five to fifteen feet and making you know, pull 494 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: up mid range jump shots, turn around jump shots over 495 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: both shoulders, hook shots, and push shots in the lane. 496 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: He's your classic miss smatch attacking wing. He's got every 497 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: single pull up jumper in the book. Um, sidesteps, step backs, 498 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 1: turnovers over his left shoulder, turn turnarounds over his right shoulders. 499 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: Uh um, you know, uh, drifting shots in the lane, 500 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: one like fadeaways. He's got it all right. He even 501 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: has one of the best transition pull up jump shots 502 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: that I've seen in basketball. You guys, all you Bucks 503 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: fans have seen this where you know, the Bucks are 504 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: on a little bit of a run. They're up you know, 505 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 1: seven oh run, and they get a stop and Middleton 506 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: just will dribble the ball up the floor with some 507 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: pace and then just stop at the three point line 508 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: and rise up and knock it down. It's kind of 509 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: a unique skill that he has. Only handful of guys 510 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: in the league do that really well. Kevin Durant another 511 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 1: guy who's excellent at that specific skill. Um, but you know, 512 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: just just a really really talented three level score. The 513 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: specific things that hold him back once again. The things 514 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: that keep him down here in twenty two as opposed 515 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 1: to much higher on the list is he's inconsistent. You 516 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: guys remember this from the title run. It was like 517 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: either he was magnificent and damn near saving the team 518 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: or he was like a complete no show. And those 519 00:24:58,160 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: are the things that he has to iron out. I 520 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: think that's offinite stuff for him. He just doesn't quite 521 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 1: have that. You. He almost needs to have that irrational 522 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: confidence to where he feels like he has it every night. Um, 523 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: he's not quite the defensive player that Pascal Siakam is, 524 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,880 Speaker 1: but it's close. So that's why I have him above 525 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: him there, because he's a much better offensive player. The 526 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: big question here that that that I wanted to um 527 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: to kind of approach for some fun. Is Chris Middleton 528 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: over or underrated due to his proximity to Janice. We 529 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 1: hear about this specific topic a lot. You'll have people 530 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 1: who dislike Janice who will talk about how Chris Middleton 531 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: is the best player on the team, right, which is absurd, 532 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: And then you'll have Johannes fans who will say somewhat 533 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: of the opposite, right. I tend to think that He's 534 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:46,120 Speaker 1: properly rated in the sense that he's not a superstar. 535 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,639 Speaker 1: He's not a guy that is better than Jannie or 536 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 1: at that level, but he is underrated in the way 537 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: that he specifically complements Janice's skill set. I think Janice 538 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: is the best player in basketball spoiler alert will get 539 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: there in the end, you guys, it's not even a 540 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: spoiler upset it on like a half dozen shows over 541 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 1: the last couple of months. Um. But Janice has all 542 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 1: of these tremendously elite skills, but he has one specific weakness. 543 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: When the when you're in a half court set in 544 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: the team really packs the paint, he struggles to shoot 545 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 1: over the top. Okay, Chris Middleton has that skill down 546 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: to a t. That's his greatest strength. So Chris Middleton's 547 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: best strength complements Janice's best weakness, therefore making him immensely valuable. 548 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: Like I talked about earlier, specifically that skill set punishing 549 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: smaller defenders to score in the mid to short range 550 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: is one of the most valuable skills in the game 551 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: of basketball. So the way I look at it, Chris 552 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: Middleton is properly rated a player that deserves the recognition 553 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 1: that he gets and it's just crazy people on both 554 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,199 Speaker 1: sides that are talking on either end. Just think of 555 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:52,199 Speaker 1: it this way, guys, Like Game seven UM against the 556 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets, it was Chris Middleton who hit the big 557 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 1: shot right against UH. I think it was Game one 558 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 1: against Miami last year they swept him in a crazy 559 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: first game. It was Chris Middleton who at the big 560 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: shot that closed the deal. That is specific skill is 561 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: so immensely valuable to Milwaukee because they're so great everywhere 562 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: else and they just need someone that can make shots 563 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: over the top, and Chris Middleton does that for them. Alright, last, 564 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 1: but not least, Number twenty one, Anthony Edwards. So you 565 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: average five and four on fifty six percent true shooting 566 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: in the regular season, four and three on six true 567 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: shooting in the postseason. That's incredible. So going up from 568 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: one to twenty five points per game and going up 569 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: from fifty six to true shooting, why does that happen? 570 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: Why does his game translate so well to the playoffs? 571 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 1: And again, I know that's only one playoffs series, but 572 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: that was against a very good Memphis defense, and I 573 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: believe that is replicable. I believe he will continue to 574 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 1: do that over the years. So why is that? It's 575 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: size and strength. The very first thing that I pointed 576 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: out in our criteria at the top of the show 577 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: his ability to slash past anybody because he's six ft 578 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: five or six ft six whatever. He is built like 579 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: a truck, ridiculous first step, and if you get in 580 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: front of him, he'll just bullyball you to go through you. 581 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: It's almost like a miniature Lebron in that sense. That 582 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: combination of size and strength and first step makes him 583 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: a devastating physical physical a devastating physical specimen to deal 584 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: with defensively. Then you combine that with the fact that 585 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: he's already at this age a proficient pull up jump shooter. 586 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: You guys probably remember me talking about this a lot 587 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: during the postseason. He shot eight pull up jump shots 588 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: per game in this playoff run and made him That's 589 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: that's awesome, that that is as incredibly efficient pull up 590 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: jump shooting. That combination of efficient pull up jump shooting 591 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: with his size and strength and slashing ability will make 592 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: him a devastating playoff player for years to come. I'm 593 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: very very high on Anthony Edwards. That's why I have 594 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 1: him at twenty one even though he's only played two 595 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 1: NBA seasons. A couple of things, what what what is 596 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: it gonna take for Anthony Edwards to take the leap? Well, 597 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: first of all, you only had three assists per game 598 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. So some of the similar stuff that 599 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: I was talking about with Donovan Mitchell, learning game management, 600 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: understanding that it's not your job just to create shots 601 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: for yourself, but it's your job to be the offensive 602 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 1: engine for a basketball team for forty eight minutes. When 603 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: he understands that, he'll start coming off of these actions 604 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: and and looking for teammates and being mindful of the 605 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: rhythm and and all those things that I talked about 606 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: earlier with Donovan Mitchell, him taking advantage of game management 607 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: and then committing to the defensive end of the floor. 608 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: He doesn't have long to go, Guys. I think Anthony 609 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 1: Edwards could very easily be a top ten player in 610 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: the league this year if things break right. If not, 611 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: it'll happen in the next two or three years. I'm 612 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: extremely I'm extremely high on Anthony Edwards alright through twenty 613 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: one all wrapped up. I believe on Thursday we will 614 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: have twenty through sixteen and that one is going to 615 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: be a super entert hating one because I definitely have 616 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: some ones in there that you guys will either agree 617 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 1: with or disagree with vehemently, so it should be some fun. 618 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: All right, guys, That's all I have for today. I 619 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: appreciate your support as always, and I'll see you in 620 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: a couple of days. The volume