1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: Mmmmm, all right. Welcome to the State of the Lakers, 2 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: presented by Dash Freddy. I'll thank you guys so much 3 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: for staying up super late talk to some really unfortunate 4 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: Lakers basketball again with Rog and I Rog. How you doing, Buddy, 5 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: I'm doing all right, you know, a little bit under 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: the weather weather here, so I'm gonna trying to fight 7 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,919 Speaker 1: through it. But yeah, I know, the tough one, tough night. 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: But how are you, man? Happy holidays to you. I 9 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: hope you're having I hope your night was more enjoyable 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: than whatever the hell we just watched there. Man, I 11 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: I'm trying to you guys know, I'm trying to keep 12 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: a positive attitude. But it's just it's tough. It's tough 13 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: for a bunch of different reasons. Because, you know, I 14 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: thought the Lakers have done a really nice job of 15 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: building some good habits over the course of the previous 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: habits that were a clear shortcoming of the team to 17 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: start the season, and there was some positive results coming 18 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: that added legitimacy to those habits. And we've gone over 19 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: those at length over the course of the last two podcasts. 20 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: So I'm not going to get into him, but the 21 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: point is is, you know, as you and I have 22 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: frequently said, there needs to be, you know, a result 23 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: that makes what you're doing worth it. And unfortunately, under 24 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: these circumstances, you've seen a lot of players like Russ, 25 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: like even Lebron a little bit and some of his 26 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: defensive attention stuff. Definitely with guys like Mellow and Wayne Ellington, 27 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: you're seeing all of them massively regress. And I don't 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: blame them in the sense that I understand the nature 29 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: of the situation, and we're going to talk about the 30 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: situation more here in a minute, but like, that's the 31 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: most unfortunate side effect of this whole thing, is it 32 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: kind of feels like progress is being undone. Does that 33 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: make sense? Definitely, It's it's felt like two steps forward 34 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: and then one step back, right, That's what it's felt 35 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: like all season. Losing a reason though was deflating. Man. 36 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: That's just tough. You know, like he missed the whole season, already, 37 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: comes back, plays two games and then he's out again, 38 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: this time for health and safety protocols, and it's just tough. 39 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: We have guys coming in and out of the lineup, 40 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: coming in and out of the rotation. You get a 41 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: reason back. I mean, sorry, you lose a d and 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: you get a reason back, and then you lose a 43 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: reason Now you have all these kind of g leaguers. 44 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: That was well mixed too into it, Isaiah Thomas playing 45 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: a bunch of minutes. We just have no rhythm, and 46 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: it's basically just watching Lebron still be Lebron while the 47 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: rest of the team just trying to figure it out. 48 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: And that's what we're kind of we're watching. I don't 49 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: expect the team to be locked in defensively every single possession, 50 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: but it definitely felt like they let go the rope 51 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: in this one. It definitely felt like the body language dropped, 52 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: especially in the third quarter, even the end of the 53 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: first quarter. Honestly, once the Spurs started to just hit 54 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: their shots, run, you know, a few actions that got 55 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,959 Speaker 1: a couple of basket uh, and that game felt over 56 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: to me, Like, Jayson, did you ever felt like this 57 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: game was close? Like I never really felt like the 58 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: Lakers were that in this game, Like it felt like 59 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: a twelve or thirteen point game the whole time, and 60 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 1: I just never felt like we were coming back, even 61 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,959 Speaker 1: as well as Lebron was playing Lebron had like twenty 62 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: three a half time, and I just never felt like 63 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: we were into it, which is really disappointing. And Russ 64 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 1: had his crazy third quarter, right yeah, like I think 65 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: seventeen or eighteen points in the third quarter, But I 66 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: just never felt like we were in it, which which 67 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: makes me worried about the games coming up here. Uh. 68 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: And we did play a lot of players who won't 69 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: be playing in the rotation. But I think there's a 70 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: thin line to walk here that I don't know, like 71 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: does that make sense? Like I'm having a tough time 72 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: bridging those two where you can't blame, you can't judge 73 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: the team because they're not healthy, but there's also a 74 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: baseline level that I expect from them as competitors, and 75 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: that's like stuff that I'm battling back and forth here. 76 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: You're seeing that baseline level of effort out of Lebron 77 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: and Russ. I mean, Lebron throughout the game, continue to 78 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: be aggressive to the rim and just take a beating 79 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: driving to the basket. I didn't even think he got 80 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: as many foul calls as he should have in that game. 81 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: And then and then Russ in the third quarter. But 82 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: you know, again, like we said, a lot of these 83 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: guys these you know, there's an invigorating attitude to the 84 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: way that Mellow will approach a spot up opportunity to 85 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: elevate into a three point shot that's missing on the 86 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: defensive end. And he had started to build that over 87 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: the course of the season and he let go of 88 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: that rope, and and Wayne Ellington was just barbecue chicken 89 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: all over the floor tonight, defensively, constantly getting knocked off 90 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: balanced by the bigger Spurs guards. And that was frustrating 91 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 1: to watch. But you know, this kind of takes us 92 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: into this this idea of weathering the storm. And I'm 93 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: stealing that phrase. I'm stealing that phrase from our friend 94 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: Pete from like a film room, because he tweeted it 95 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: out before the game when the reason news came back 96 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: came out. Because the reality of the situation is is 97 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: that a lot of teams are dealing with this COVID 98 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: situation right now. But the truth of the matter is 99 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: is that, oh, some of my guess is that by 100 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: middle January, most of this COVID stuff will be mostly 101 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: behind the NBA, meaning it's burning through the league right now. 102 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: They're changing the protocols they're making it so that if 103 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: you're boosted, you don't have to get tested every day. 104 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: So what you're gonna end up seeing is these teams 105 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: are gonna end up being fully boosted, or most of 106 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: them will be boosted, and then they just won't get 107 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: tested anymore, and then you won't see any COVID positive tests. 108 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: That's what's gonna actionably happen, and then the NBA will 109 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: mostly restore back to normal. So there's like that point 110 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: there in the middle of January where things will get 111 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: back to normal. But over the course of this next 112 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: week or two in particular, it's gonna be weird and 113 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: we just kind of have to push through it, and 114 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: a lot of teams are dealing with it. That said, 115 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: I've disagreed with some of the strategy stuff here because 116 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: Lebron has always loved playing with veterans. We know that 117 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: there's always the joke that everyone tells about Lebron showing 118 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: up to a team immediately discarding all of the young players, 119 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: bringing in older guys and going on these short, you know, 120 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: two or three year long championship hunts with a specific 121 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: group of older guys. That's the way he's wired and 122 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: I actually, I actually liked that concept when this roster 123 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,239 Speaker 1: is whole and healthy, Like I like the idea of 124 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: having a core built around lebron A d Russ and 125 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: having six or seven really savvy veteran players mixed in 126 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: with like one Austin Reeves type or one th h 127 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: t type. I like that formula. But over the course 128 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: of this next couple of weeks, I'm really confused, like 129 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: genuinely confused why the Lakers didn't try to load up 130 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: on bigger athletic six eight six seven G League players 131 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: that are obviously limited offensively, but then at the very 132 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: least you can try to maintain some of the progress 133 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: we've made over the course of the last month with 134 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: our habits. And I was confused by that from a 135 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: strategy standpoint, like I don't understand signing Isaiah Thomas, Like 136 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: I just don't get that. And you know, I'm rooting 137 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: for Isaiah Thomas. I'm hopeful that he gets an another 138 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: opportunity when his contract runs out. But ideologically, what this 139 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: team needs, especially in a situation, a situation like this, 140 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: are guys who are fighting for their NBA lives, Guys 141 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: who particularly guys that have the size and athleticism to 142 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: where that you know, them selling their soul on the 143 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: court on both ends of the floor in terms of 144 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: their effort, just leads to this like tangible physical onslaught. 145 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: It's it's the most amazing thing about the Memphis Grizzlies 146 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: right now. They just had a stretch where they lost 147 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: John Moran for the better part of a month and 148 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: they won most of their games. And some of it 149 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: is how good Desmond Baine is and some of it 150 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: is how good Dylan Brooks is, but a lot of 151 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: it it's just they're big and strong and athletic and 152 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: they play hard. And the problem is is when we're 153 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: missing Anthony Davis and you know, when lebron can only 154 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: play thirty five minutes at night, it's there's a lot 155 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: of times where we look at our lineups and it's like, well, 156 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: that guy's small, well, that guy's skinny, Well, that guy 157 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: doesn't move very well, well, that guy's lazy. And then 158 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: you're growing away that they can't get a defensive rebound, 159 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: or that they get beat down the floor in transition, 160 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: or that they can't hold their own at the point 161 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: of attack. And it's like, this is kind of what 162 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 1: you sign up for when you don't have, when all 163 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: your athleticism and size is tied up in your stars, 164 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: if that makes sense. Yeah, And I'm like Isaiah Thomas, like, 165 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: I think it's fair that you know, the team has 166 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: a lot of people out and stuff like that, But 167 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: I mean, I just don't think we play a lot 168 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: of lamps that are helpful to the players. Like Isaiah 169 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: Thomas had two shots in ten minutes at halftime. If 170 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: he's not shooting them, he's not Yeah, he's not helping you, right, 171 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: And again, playing him next to Rondo and Russell Westbrook, 172 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: to me, that just makes zero like that, and then 173 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: playing it next to Mellow as well, next to Lebron, like, 174 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: those are four guys I think half core Hoops also 175 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: tweeted out those are four defensive liabilities next to Lebron 176 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 1: and you're just gonna get cooked that way, and you're 177 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: just putting a bunch of ball handling out there that 178 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: with all these small guards makes no sense. Th HD 179 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: as well, right, I still don't like his fit with 180 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 1: the starters, even though he played well. I want to 181 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: push back on this a little bit because I know 182 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: you said weathering the storm and that all makes sense. 183 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: Players are out, Anthony Davison is out, Trevor Reza's out, 184 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: Kendrick Dunn, whatever. But the starting lineup, Jason is players 185 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: that are going to be in the rotation when it matters, right, 186 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: Like are starting Laft and I was Russ, Ellington, who 187 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: Blank and Lebron Lebron, yes, yes, So the all five 188 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: of those guys are gonna be in the rotation when 189 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: games matter, right, And the Spurs still just cooked us 190 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: in that first quarter. It was simple actions. It was 191 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: a picked a role Deante Murray and No. One Taggs 192 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: so Yako, Yaco Purle and I don't know if I'm 193 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: saying his name right, but just hit little floaters back 194 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: to back to back, and there was just we weren't 195 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: competitive enough, even with the players I believe who are 196 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: going to be on the floor when it matters. Which 197 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: that's again to my part that I have a tough 198 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 1: time bridging of the Yeah, let's not judge this team now, 199 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: but there's also a level of competitiveness that I expect. Again, 200 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,239 Speaker 1: Lebron played well. I thought Russ had a really struggling 201 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: first quarter. I think his turnover has really hurt us. 202 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: And I don't think we're in position to have many 203 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: bad RUSS games like and again, I understand he went 204 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: off from the third. I thought san Antonio had the 205 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: game pretty much locked up during that time. They kind 206 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,959 Speaker 1: of kept us at arms distance. We were kind of 207 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: down ten to twelve that whole time. But yeah, like 208 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: that's kind of Do you understand my pushback there, I 209 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: guess because the starters are players that are going to 210 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 1: be in the rotation. And I still feel like san 211 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: Antonio outplayed us for a lot of that first quarter, 212 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: and THHD played well. I not played well, but he 213 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: played a lot better than he did in that first game. 214 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: Lebron again played well, but I'm just seeing like there's 215 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: not enough execution there with the players that are going 216 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: to play, which makes it hard for me to just 217 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: blame us on having the league lineups. And again, lineups 218 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: aren't great. I hate the I T Russ and Rondo lamps, 219 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: like does make no sense. DeAndre Jordan played the fourth quarter, 220 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: God knows why. Um I thought d why Howard was 221 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: a lot better than him for for the most part tonight. 222 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: I had a lot of frustrating fouls as well. But 223 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: you do you understand my point there, I guess in 224 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: where like I still think there's a baseline level they 225 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: have to reach, because we played players that are going 226 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: to play when it matters, and the Spurs still kicked 227 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: her as we were down nine to end the first 228 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: it was like thirty three to twenty four or something. 229 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: So you're you're right that the Lakers normal rotation players 230 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: also didn't play nearly well enough. You're correct about that. However, 231 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: the vast majority of the Lakers normal rotation players that 232 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: were active tonight, we're old guys, and old guys. They 233 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: it's it's it's a it's like a it's like a 234 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: risk reward occasion of equation for them. I don't think 235 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: they believed they could win the game. And and you know, 236 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: you're right, You're right, But what I'm saying is is, 237 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: and this is a problem, but this is a problem 238 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: that comes with older guys. This is why I advocate 239 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: trying at least over the course of this funky stretch 240 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: of games here to end the year. This is why 241 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: I would have gone with the younger players, because even 242 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: if you can't win the game, at least a younger 243 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: player is playing for his NBA career, his his his 244 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: livelihood is on the line, and so there there's an 245 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 1: effort that comes with that with the older guys, like 246 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: they're looking at it like, well, this sucks, like that, 247 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: we we don't have any of our bodies. It's gonna 248 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: be damn or impossible to win this game. Why the 249 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,559 Speaker 1: hell am I gonna put my body on the line 250 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: to try to win this game when we can just 251 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: go on and run and at the start of the year, 252 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: when everyone's healthy again. Like that, That's why I would 253 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: imagine that's their rationale. Now you're right, like this goes 254 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: back to the conversation we've been having about basketball character. 255 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: That's bad basketball character in my opinion, And that's why 256 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: you're seeing guys like Lebron, who has good basketball character, 257 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: who's a winner, who's accustomed to winning, putting it on 258 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: the line tonight. You know, that's why you're seeing I mean, 259 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: I didn't I didn't love Russ's game tonight, and I 260 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,319 Speaker 1: think Russ has actually been slumping for a couple of 261 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: weeks now out of nowhere. But but you're you're seeing 262 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: the competitiveness of Lebron and Russ and their basketball character 263 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: coming to the surface. But with a lot of these 264 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: other guys that don't have that character, they're struggling with 265 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: this and that's unfortunate. But that's to me where it's like, 266 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: at least I could look at Lebron and I could 267 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 1: be like, hey, man, like, you're not gonna have a 268 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: lot of shooting, You're not gonna have guys who can 269 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: make plays off of you. But these three young guys 270 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: I'm putting out with you for these four these three 271 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: or four bs basketball games that don't even resemble normal 272 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: NBA games. At the very least, I promised these guys 273 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: and put out there with you are going to sell 274 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: their soul on both ends of the floor with effort 275 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: in physicality because they're fighting for their NBA careers. That 276 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: that's again, this is this is really all moot, because 277 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: I think they'd probably lose this game in that situation anyway. 278 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: But at the but at the very least, it's about 279 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: the habits. And that's the most important part because the 280 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: really unfortunate side effect of all of this is there's 281 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: a situation where these guys are all going to come 282 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: back and be healthy and to December early January, and 283 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: and they're gonna have to go through another ramp up 284 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: period for another couple of weeks where they're gonna have 285 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: nasty film sessions and coaching staff pointing out that they're 286 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: making all these mistakes again, which is exactly what we 287 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 1: just went through in November at the beginning of the month. 288 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: That's exactly what we just went through. And we've built 289 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: all these habits back up to a passable basketball character. 290 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: And then we let go the road because of the circumstances, which, again, 291 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: as you keep pointing out, they're legitimate circumstances, but it's 292 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: bringing out an ugly side of the of the of 293 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: this roster makeup, you know what I mean. And that's 294 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: why I would have I would have been like, instead 295 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: of I t let me go down to you know, 296 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: some GE League team and find a six seven, two 297 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: thirty pound athlete and just be like, look, man, you're 298 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: up here for ten days, and I want you to 299 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: grab every rebound. I want you to sprint the floor 300 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: and transition on every possession. You know, set hard screens 301 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: for Lebron and and and and maybe we'll be able 302 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: to keep these games competitive. It's just and again, it's 303 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: it might not all have been worth anything. But that's 304 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: just how I would have approached this. Yeah, and I 305 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: think we saw one of those guys. I mean, Jamario 306 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: Jones played twelve minutes tonight. He got run like early 307 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: in the game as well. I thought he ran around, 308 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: played hard. He had one rebound, but I thought, you know, 309 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: he did things off the ball. It's fun. It was 310 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: fun to just watch him for a little while, just 311 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: trying to cut in and stuff. And I would like 312 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: to see j Huff as well, Like he made the 313 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: cut and I would like to see him at least 314 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: get a chance here. But you're right, hopefully they can 315 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: play a couple of younger players. It's just like it's 316 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: very easy to just make excuses right now. And I 317 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: talked about on the last part, how this can this 318 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: can crumble? Right like this can you can break? We're 319 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: a team that's under five hundred now and all that 320 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: stuff you talked about how you know, maybe they didn't 321 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: believe they can win tonight and all that stuff, And 322 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: that's all on the human element. I mean, that's natural. 323 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: I don't think the Spurs of the team that you 324 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: do that with. You know, the Spurs are six game 325 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: there were six games under five hundred coming in tonight. 326 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: Even with the players the Lakers didn't have, You're still 327 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: starting Russell Westbrook and Lebron James, and Lebron being the 328 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: guy who continues to play the hardest out of anyone. Uh, 329 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: it's really strange. And the Lakers went five for eighteen 330 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: from three tonight or five seven from three actually, which 331 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: is probably a historically bad that's but I thought they 332 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: took a lot of bad ones as well. Carmelo took 333 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: a couple of a whole bunch of contested ones. Then 334 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: you need to flip this around, though, Like they gave 335 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: up a hundred and thirty eight points to the Spurs. 336 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: That's not missing Trevor Reason, that's not missing Kendrick Nunn. 337 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 1: You know, that's a that's a whole different story. I'd say, 338 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm just not going to rotate anymore. I'm not going 339 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: to close out anymore, or you know, that's that moves 340 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: into that territory. Territory when you start going into that, 341 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: I think Kate's Kate, Uh yeah, job was like yeah, 342 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: he was like ten for ten tonight, and a lot 343 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: of those were just catch up the rim, very little 344 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: resistance at the basket and layups, like that's the stuff 345 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: I feel like we can clean up because you're right, 346 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: eight is gonna eventually come back, but you're hopeful this 347 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: team's kind of going upward. Right when that happens, they're 348 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: going in some kind of positive trajectory. Here. You can't 349 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 1: just fall off the face of the earth because he's out. 350 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: You can't fall in the face because Trevor Reads is out. 351 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: Like you said, a lot of players are out. Um, 352 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: and I still hate the lineups and all that stuff, 353 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: But I just think there's there's something deeper here too 354 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: that we can fix ourselves. Like we shoot ourselves in 355 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: the foot a lot and just blame it all on 356 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 1: people out I think. I think it's tough. I think 357 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: there's actually basketball things that we can fix. I think 358 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: starting Dwight was a positive to that. But yeah, like 359 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: I just have a hard time going fully in one 360 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: direction in terms of just wait and you know, whether 361 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: the storm is great, I think that's something we have 362 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: to do, but we also have to live The storm 363 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: is gonna be here for a little while, you know 364 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: what I mean, Like we got to live in it 365 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: and learn how to live in it. I guess, well, 366 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: and I disagree with some of the like even even 367 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: just accepting the fact that the Lakers opted to, you know, 368 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 1: kind of go with the status quo in terms of 369 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: our our roster construct, even even accepting that, I would 370 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: not have gone with the rotation that Fitdale went with tonight. 371 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: So for instance, like me, there are we limited, yes, 372 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: but there were obvious decisions, staggering decisions that would have 373 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: given us a better chance to win in my opinion. 374 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: So for instance, like, there should never, ever, ever, ever 375 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 1: be a situation, even with this roster, even under the 376 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: current circumstances that Mason Jones, Rondo and Isaiah Thomas and 377 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: Westbrooker all on the floor at the same time with 378 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: Mellow at center, which is what we started I believe 379 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: the second quarter with like that's just or end of 380 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 1: the first I can't remember where it was, but at 381 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: some point in the first half, that's just nonsensical. Like, 382 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: given the the the players that we had available to 383 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: start the game, decision one should have been, Okay, are 384 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,160 Speaker 1: we playing one center? Two? Okay, we're playing one center. Okay, 385 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: the center's d White, Okay, well Lebron's are other centers, 386 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 1: So we're staggering them. So guess what Lebron is starting 387 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: the game at the five. That should have been decision 388 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: number one. Decision number two is th h T should 389 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: have been thrown in with the second unit. Not because 390 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: he doesn't deserve to start in a normal world, of 391 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: course he does. He deserves to start, you know, under 392 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: an under normal circumstances. But we have a better chance 393 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: of winning a game, especially against a bad team, if 394 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: we go with a you know, Ellington, Russ, Lebron and 395 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:04,959 Speaker 1: in feerior role players to start and then bring in 396 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: a lineup that's built around th HD and Dwights or 397 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: at least there's a baseline level of athleticism and size, 398 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,159 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Like that to me, And 399 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: again it might not have mattered, we might have lost anyway, 400 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: But just from a strategy standpoint, I think you've got 401 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: to try to run functional lineups. And what I thought 402 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 1: was poor strategy was running all of our best players 403 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: to start the game, our best available players, and then 404 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: immediately just pulling them all and going with literally just 405 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: a hodgepodge of non NBA players and Russell Westbrook and 406 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: Carmelo Anthony. Like, to me, that just was poor strategy. 407 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: But you know, the reality of the situation is is 408 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves and Malik Monk are both going to be 409 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: coming back very soon. And you know, Trevor Reas is 410 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: out right now, but you know he's vaccinated. I believe, 411 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: I believe he's boosted as well. I can't remember exactly, 412 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: but chances are we're only gonna lose the reason for 413 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: like two or three games, so you know, hopefully, I 414 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: think this won't last much longer. But that said, like 415 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: going into the game on Saturday against Brooklyn, I think 416 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: strategically they need to do a better job of staggering 417 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: our talent. You have a better chance of pulling out 418 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: a game that you have no business winning if you 419 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: play a handful of good players with bad players rather 420 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: than all your good players and then all your bad players. 421 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: If that makes sense. Yeah, and I thought no, so 422 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: I wrote in my notes here, like the first action 423 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: of the game, I guess was they ran a high 424 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,640 Speaker 1: ball screen for th HD, right, so they said everyone's 425 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: spaced out. Th HD got a screen for Lebron. He 426 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: was able to get downhill and he got fouled, and 427 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: that stuff I would like to see with the second 428 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: unit and like we talked about, we can't just develop 429 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: th HT, but we can put him in better positions 430 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: to be successful. Throwing THD in the corner as if 431 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: he's like Wayne Ellington or if he's a space or 432 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: like Molik Monk like that. To me, that's just doesn't 433 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,919 Speaker 1: put him in positions needs. So I'm hopeful that they 434 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: can kind of stagger a little bit better as well. 435 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: To me, playing Rajon Rondo makes very little sense when 436 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 1: both Isaiah Thomas um when Isaiah Thomas is in the rotation, 437 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: like that feels like nonsense school to me. When you're 438 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: having Russell Westbrook and Rondo at the floor, Rondo feels 439 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: like a very worst version of Westbrook at this point 440 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: in his career, right, another guy who is a non 441 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: spacing shooter who needs the ball in his hands. Like 442 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,479 Speaker 1: those two together just make very little basketball sense to me. 443 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: So I hope like they can kind of stagger those 444 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: lineups a little bit better. I don't think it has 445 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 1: to be so rigid. It feels like we try to 446 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: keep these starting lineups together and keep these second in 447 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: this together, and then we get these these like six 448 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 1: to seven minutes of lineups that are gonna get actually 449 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,239 Speaker 1: destroyed um in their short time being. I wanna read 450 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: this little quote quote here that came out just recently. 451 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 1: I'm kind of put you on spot on this. So 452 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: Lebron James tonight was asked Anna was asked what it 453 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: will take for the Lakers to be a good defensive team, 454 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: and his answer was, all our defensive guys are in 455 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: health and safety protocols. So what do you think about 456 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: his his kind of reply there. I don't think he's wrong. 457 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: I think that's just a funny reply to to come 458 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: out with. Well, there's a there's a little bit of 459 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: irony there because I believe coming into tonight's game, the 460 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: Lakers were top ten defense. I could I could be 461 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 1: wrong about that, but the for the last couple of weeks, 462 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: the Lakers have been hovering right around the top right 463 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: around the top third, uh the you know, the right 464 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 1: around that like border between the top third and second 465 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: third defenses in the league. So the truth of the 466 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: matter is is we've actually been a pretty good defensive 467 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: team under the circumstances, which is hilarious because I would 468 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: argue that there's so much room for improvement on that 469 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: end of the floor, even even when we're playing well, 470 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: there's so much room for improvement. That said, like, you know, 471 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: Lebron's just point like, you know, Lebron got a bunch 472 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: of crap for uh pointing out that the Suns were 473 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: at full strength and we were not. And I saw 474 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: all over Twitter, I saw a bunch of people, a 475 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: lot of Sun stands, a lot of Warriors fans, a 476 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 1: lot of which just hilarious. I was thinking about this, 477 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: the Warriors fans and Lebron and Lakers fans, or rather 478 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: Steph fans and Lebron fans. All they do is just 479 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: trade completely nonsensical insults at each other, and nothing's fair. 480 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: Everything is just completely as It's hilarious. But anyway, like that, 481 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: they were going at Lebron for that comment, and I 482 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: thought it was funny because you know, the reality is 483 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: is like the reporter asked him a question, what do 484 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 1: you want him to say? You know, like there we 485 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: was there was a handful of possessions there in that 486 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: fourth quarter where I think it was Derek White and 487 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: then I think the other guy with Murray. They just 488 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: put their head down and went Isaiah Thomas and he's 489 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: just physically incapable of stopping them. He's just too small, 490 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: and it's like there's no yeah, but there's no scheme, 491 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,959 Speaker 1: there's no rotation that there's nothing you can do about 492 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 1: that under their current circumstances. You're right, like the starting 493 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: lineup could have defended a little better. And that's a 494 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: whole other thing, and we already talked about that earlier 495 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 1: in the pod. But the point is it's like Lebron's right, 496 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,199 Speaker 1: Like step one to fixing any of the problems that 497 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 1: you're piste off about tonight's game, Step one is get 498 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 1: guys back. It's it's really that simple, Like it doesn't 499 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 1: get any more complicated than that. Like this team functionally, 500 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: Like let's say, let's say you're down ten um, you know, 501 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: trying to win a game against the Spurs, and and 502 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: it's Lebron and Anthony Davis is out, but I've got Lebron, Trevor, Resa, 503 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves, th HT and Russ on the floor. Like 504 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna be gardened just fun, you know, 505 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: Like I think that lineup, I actually tweeted about that 506 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: line up earlier today. That's a very interesting switchy type 507 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: of line up to use with uh, with Anthony Davis out, 508 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: but like he's right, Like Trevor, A Reason and Oscar 509 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: Reaves right now are probably our two best defensive forwards 510 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: not named Lebron. That's probably true, right, so, and you 511 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 1: know in Russ then A pointed this out, and I 512 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: think he's correct, although I would argue that if you're 513 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 1: gonna make defensive mistakes, make defensive mistakes. They give up jumpers, 514 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: not layups. That said, um, Russ and Lebron both made 515 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: a lot of defensive mistakes tonight as a result of fatigue, 516 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: which is which is to be expected. Um. But like 517 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: in theory bringing like as guys come back in as 518 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: Molik Monk can run some offense, you know, as things 519 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: kind of get back to normal, uh, in terms of 520 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: our role distribution, I think guys will be able to 521 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: click it back into gear. But it's that simple. Reeves 522 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: and the Reason are two best defensive forwards not named Lebron, 523 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: and they're both in They're both tracked in hotel rooms 524 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: right now. I don't even know if they're back in 525 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: l A yet. So like the reality is that it's 526 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: just a really unfortunate situation. Actually, I think the Reason 527 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,679 Speaker 1: is back in l a thankfully hopefully get suspend some 528 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: time with this family. But it's just it is the 529 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: reality of the situation. And if people are going to 530 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,719 Speaker 1: be mad that Lebron asked questions answers questions honestly, then 531 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: don't ask him questions. If you don't want to hear 532 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: Lebron point out the obvious realities of their roster situation, 533 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: save the question, please, right, Yeah, I just think it's 534 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,479 Speaker 1: interesting because you know, I don't think he's wrong that, 535 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: you know, we have our defensive players out. I just 536 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: think but we can still play better than we did tonight, 537 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: you know, and those yeah, and the starters especially, I 538 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: don't blame you know, those three guard lineups unable to defend. 539 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: I just don't like that. You know, we have Lebron, 540 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 1: Dwight th Ht out there and we couldn't stop you 541 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: know what a pick and roll action that spurs went 542 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: to three or four times. And that's effort stuff as well, 543 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: like you said, And that's also players ball watching Russ. 544 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 1: That's the reason another reason I don't like the Russ 545 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: kind of rondo lineups that both of them are very uh, 546 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,239 Speaker 1: they like to ball watch a lot. They'll do that 547 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: on defense and putting those two together, it breaks down 548 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: any kind of defensive kind of cohesion that you have. 549 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: But I think it's interesting. I think Lebron is gonna 550 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: be blunt like this for the most of his questions. 551 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: Uh as we go forward. I think it's very easy 552 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: to see that he was frustrated tonight as well. Right, 553 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: you could tell just all night he was car ring 554 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: most of the load, and you could tell it's it's 555 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: frustrating on him. And I don't blame him. It just 556 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,920 Speaker 1: seems like he's trying to wild the team two wins here, 557 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: and I thought he's played well in every single one 558 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 1: of these losses, right in Chicago against Phoenix tonight again, 559 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: like he's in Minnesota as well. Like he's played well 560 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: in all these games, and all of them have resulted 561 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: in losses. And like you talked about it, you'd like 562 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,360 Speaker 1: to see some of the hard work kind of result 563 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: in wins. It just hasn't happened yet. But yeah, there's 564 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 1: lineup stuff that we can fix here, there's xs and 565 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: th stuff that we can kind of get into. I 566 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:33,640 Speaker 1: would like to run a couple more actions for Wayne Ellington, 567 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: went some more ball screen actions for t ht but yeah, 568 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: we're just short manned and hopefully they'll they can get 569 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: a win on Christmas. I think Kevin Durant might be 570 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: actually back for that one, so I'm not I'm not sure, 571 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: but yeah, that's that's another tough one. That and it 572 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: feels like this is kind of how the games are 573 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: gonna be going forward, at least until we get Reeves 574 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: and a reason back um in a couple of days. Yeah, 575 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: and again like who it has already had covered a 576 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: couple of times, and it's like and he's again probably 577 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: dribbling a basketball in his hotel room, trying to do cardio, 578 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: and they're gonna throw him out there against Lebron. Like 579 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: it's just it's just such an unfortunate set of circumstances. 580 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: But let's hit, let's hit one last thing and then 581 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: we'll get out of here, because I know our guy 582 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: Raj is just feeling a little under the weather and 583 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: he could use some sleep and an hour ahead of you, 584 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: so it's almost midnight where I'm at. But um, anyway, 585 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: so this was something that I wanted to keep just 586 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: as as one little kernel of positivity here because I 587 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 1: think we could all agree that the Lakers have played 588 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: beneath their capability right over the course of the season, 589 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: Like this is okay, are they are they a sixty 590 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 1: win team? I mean maybe if they're fully healthy and 591 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: things go right, but with the way they started the 592 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: season with their habits, like even if they stayed healthy, 593 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: they're probably closer to team. But the true point is 594 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: there they were not a five hundred team like we 595 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: we we This is not a five hundred basketball team. 596 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 1: This is a team that has played you know that 597 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: is throw some poor play and some poor circumstances has 598 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: resulted in a team that is sixteen and seventeen. But 599 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: the truth of the matter is if you look at 600 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: the West standings, you have these three teams at the 601 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: top that are way ahead of everybody, and then you 602 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: have Memphis, who also lost tonights. I think there are 603 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: only three games up on the Lakers, but Memphis is 604 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: like in that second tier right like below those teams 605 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: at the top. But then everyone else kind of is 606 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: a five hundred basketball team. Like the Nuggets are not 607 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: getting Michael Porter Jr. Back at all this season and 608 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: uh and they're not probably not gonna get him all 609 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: Murray back at all this season. So they're they're just 610 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: a five basketball team, you know, the Clippers without Kauai 611 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: in this stacked Western conference. In terms of you know, 612 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: depth of talent, they're probably a five hundred basketball team, 613 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: like they might be able to get up to, you know, 614 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: somewhere in the in the you know, forty five and 615 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: you know, thirty seven or whatever, but they're not. They're 616 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: not like a you know, a team that's gonna end 617 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: up with fifty something wins. So the truth of the 618 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: matter is is if you can just just like I said, 619 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: get to the point where a D comes back and 620 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: you're close to five hundred, if you're just close to 621 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: five when a D comes back, you can go on 622 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: a thirty game run where you go twenty and ten 623 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden you're the four seed or 624 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: the five right like that. That's the really, that's the 625 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: reality of it. So the fortunate circumstance here is the 626 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: Lakers are lumped in with a bunch of teams who 627 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: are kind of playing the kind of basketball that they 628 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: were supposed to play, and we're the outlier. We're the 629 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: team that's underperforming massively to our talent level. Obviously, injuries 630 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: played a huge role in that. So my point is 631 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: is that, like, given the way the standings are shaking out, 632 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: we don't have to worry about like last year, where 633 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: we're sitting in a situation where there's like the sixth 634 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: seed is completely unattainable. Like I don't think that's going 635 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: to happen personally, Um, so there that we don't need 636 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 1: to be world beaters over the next month. I think 637 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: we just need to play five hundred basketball for the 638 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: next month. If we can do that and there are 639 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 1: some winnable games coming up. I think we play Sacramento 640 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: twice again coming up, but like, we have some winnable 641 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: games coming up, So if we can get right around 642 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: that five mark, there's a legitimate chance to secure one 643 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: of the four or five seeds, in which case it's 644 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: just beat Memphis, which we absolutely can do and then 645 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: go be Golden State. You know what I mean? Yeah, 646 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: I think you know that's that's all sounds great, And 647 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: again I don't want to be the one that sounds 648 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: more down like I think they can they can catch up. 649 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: Memphis is obviously playing probably the best basketball to the 650 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: people above. The Clippers are seventeen and fifteen, but I 651 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: mean right behind us is Dallas that's fifteen and sixteen, 652 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: and I think they believe they're better than they are right. 653 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: They've had they've missed Luca a lot of this year already, 654 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: and I think they still have Luca out and a 655 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: bunch of people the colored protocols Denver's fifteen and sixteen. 656 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: I don't believe they think they're under five team even 657 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: with mp J Allen and Murray at with Yogurt, So 658 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: I think there are still teams under us. And to me, 659 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: like I can't even look at the standings yet, like 660 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: we're playing ourselves, Like we need to play at a 661 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: baseline level before I can even look at that stuff. 662 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: And you're right, if we can stay five, I've said 663 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: that too when a d comes back. But to me, 664 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: like we need to start building up to that, Like 665 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: we've lost four in a row. Eight is gonna be 666 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: out for another four weeks. We're gonna get a few 667 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 1: guys back, uh, And I like the positivity there, But 668 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: I still have a hard time even looking at other 669 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: teams I guess are trying to figure out standings. Like 670 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: to me, if we're playing well and we go into 671 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 1: the playoffs at the sixth seed, Like I'm fine with 672 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 1: that as well. Like how we're playing going into the 673 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: playoffs or how we're playing when a D gets back 674 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 1: is more important to me. I guess in the actual seating. 675 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: Just stay out of the seven, eight, nine, right, I 676 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: believe that's the play in seventy nine, So like, just 677 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: stay out of that range. And I think we're fine 678 00:33:57,640 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 1: if you can stay at the sixth seed or if 679 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 1: you can go up, great, Um, I would kind of 680 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: live with that as well. But yeah, like to me, 681 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: we're playing ourselves like we're trying to build habits, build 682 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 1: winning habits, like you talk about build our basketball you know, uh, 683 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: culture and identity and and and all that stuff. And 684 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: to me, that's separate from looking at wins and losses, 685 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: like we need to be playing out a level to 686 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: where we can be like, Okay, we win our next four, 687 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 1: then you know we can jump the standings here, But 688 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 1: we haven't proven we can do any of that. We 689 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: were in a triple overtime you know game with Sacramento 690 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:30,480 Speaker 1: like three or four weeks ago, like so that then 691 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: we immediately won seven out and we're really good. That's 692 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: that's true. Yeah, I'll give them that, but like it's 693 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:38,359 Speaker 1: just like I need to see a little bit more 694 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: consistent consistency, you know what I mean, before I can 695 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: kind of get into that. But I hope, so, I 696 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 1: hope you're right, Like I'm I still believe that there's 697 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: a good team in here when they're healthy, and I 698 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:49,359 Speaker 1: just want to see it at least once. I think 699 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:51,839 Speaker 1: it's so tragical our guys have been in and out. 700 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:54,720 Speaker 1: But yeah, hopefully they can get to win in Brooklyn 701 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: because I think, you know, going two games under five 702 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: would be tough even with the amount of games left. Yeah, again, 703 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: all I'm saying is in terms of the silver because 704 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: I agree with you, like none of this matters if 705 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: it will play better, But like I don't think. I 706 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: don't like everyone keeps saying like, are the Lakers gonna 707 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: be in the plane or the Lakers gonna be in 708 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: the plant rain? I I don't think so, and and 709 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 1: and it's because of what I just said, Like, if 710 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 1: the Lakers were in the play in um come April, 711 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:24,720 Speaker 1: I think that would be a direct result of them 712 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,719 Speaker 1: not playing well after a d came back, Like it 713 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: it would require them not ever reaching a stretch of 714 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: good basketball. But when when the center of the conference 715 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: is all hodgepodged around five hundred, then if you then 716 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: if you can go twenty and ten and thirty games 717 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:46,280 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis, which is totally achievable to end the season, 718 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:48,839 Speaker 1: you're not going to be in the plan. Like that's 719 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:51,360 Speaker 1: just that's the reality of the situation, because they're not 720 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: going to go ten games under five hundred over the 721 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: next month. I don't think. I mean, crazier things can happen. 722 00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,760 Speaker 1: Then I'll get ready for this clip to get taken 723 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:02,479 Speaker 1: out thrown in my face in a month. But yeah, again, 724 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,439 Speaker 1: I'm just I'm just I'm just saying, like I don't 725 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: think it's as dire as last year in terms of like, Okay, 726 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:10,919 Speaker 1: now we have to play Golden State in a playing game, 727 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: Like I I don't think that will happen unless things 728 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: get considerably worse, like Lebron gets hurt or a reason 729 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:18,799 Speaker 1: gets hurt again or something like that. Like I think 730 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: it would require some more very unfortunate luck. But that's 731 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 1: that's all we got for tonight. Guys, We're gonna we're 732 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: gonna call it. We will be back. Roger, You're playing 733 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: on doing the show of Christmas Day. Correct, absolutely, yes, 734 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: we will be here after whoever decides to play basketball 735 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,440 Speaker 1: wearing a Brooklyn Nets jersey decides to play basketball against 736 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: the team full of unknown players wearing Lakers jerseys on 737 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 1: on Saturday night. Uh, this is gonna air on DASH 738 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 1: Radio tomorrow morning at seventy and Pacific Standard time, and 739 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 1: we'll be at our podcast feed here in about thirty minutes. 740 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,400 Speaker 1: As always, we appreciate your support. We hope you're enjoying 741 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: the holidays and getting some time together with the family, 742 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: and we will see you guys in a couple of days. 743 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: I'd be all thanks everyone. Thanks m