1 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to the State of the Lakers, brought to you 2 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,240 Speaker 1: by Dash Radio. It is good to be back, everybody. 3 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: A quick trip up to Iowa, but I'm I'm glad 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: to be back. I sincerely appreciate RAJ covering for me 5 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: last night Big Laker win. I'm not gonna dict too 6 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: much into that today because of the fact that I'm 7 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: only about halfway through my rewatch and most of the 8 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: important stuff happened in the second happen in overtime. Anyway, 9 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: So tomorrow night or Friday night, I should say, because 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: this is actually gonna be releasing on Friday morning. Friday 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: night they go to Minnesota to take play the Timberwolves, 12 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: but i have one of my bigger Christmas events of 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: the year with my wife's family, so I'm actually gonna 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: be missing that game. Again. Thankful for Rage that he's 15 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: available to cover for me. But on Saturday morning, I 16 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: plan on doing a podcast and I'm really gonna do 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: deep dive on the film from both Wednesday night in 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: Dallas and Friday night in Minnesota today, as is usually 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: the case on an off day, I'm gonna hit on 20 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: a couple of league wide topics, and then I'm gonna 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: do a deep dive on the Lakers concept. You know, 22 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: the two league topics I'm gonna hit on are gonna 23 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: Beyokich in his m v P case, something that's being 24 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: pushed by Zach Low and Ben Taylor. And I'm also 25 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: gonna be hitting on Kevin Durant choosing Brooklyn over New 26 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 1: York and why I don't think it's that crazy, what 27 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: we're that big of a deal, and why I actually 28 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: think Kevin Durant made the right decision. Um but uh, 29 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: And then the Laker topic is going to center around 30 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: their defense and doing more switching and why I think 31 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: that's so important. So let's let's start with Yokis now again. 32 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: Like I said this, this movement is being pushed by 33 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: Ben Taylor and Zach Loow, two guys that I really 34 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: really respect to my favorite people in this business. If 35 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: you've never listened to Ben Taylor's YouTube videos, A highly 36 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: recommend you check them out. And I don't need to 37 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: tell you anything about Zach Low. He's one of the 38 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: best in the business. Um. That said, I vehemently disagree 39 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: with them in this approach that they're taking here. They're 40 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: basically to make a long story short, their take is 41 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: Yokich absolutely should be very much in consideration for winning 42 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: the MVP Award because not only is he having a 43 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: fantastic individual season by any statistical measure, by any advanced 44 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: metric measure, but also the Nuggets kill everybody when he's 45 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: on the floor, and when he's off the floor, they 46 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: get killed, and that, by its very literal definition, is 47 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 1: what an m v P is, and that's why he 48 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: should win the award. That's kind of the little cliff 49 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: notes version of what their take is. And obviously, I 50 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 1: respectfully vehemently disagree, and the main reason why is that, 51 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: you know, the MVP Award is what it is, and 52 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: I'm kind of getting sick of, you know, having this 53 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: exact same conversation every single year as it pertains to 54 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: that fringe candidate that's on a team that's not near 55 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: the top of the standings. Because look again, yes, I 56 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: understand that Most Valuable Player by its very literal, semantic definition, 57 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: has a certain meaning, but this award throughout the entirety 58 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: of modern NBA history has meant something different. It has 59 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: almost always involved who's having the best individuals season in 60 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: conjunction with whose team is having the most success. That 61 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: has always been the case, and there's always been a 62 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: threshold there to where we don't even consider guys that 63 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: are unlimited teams unless there just isn't candidates at the top. 64 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: And this season there are candidates at the top, bona 65 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: fide traditional MVP candidates, Kevin Durant, Steph one seed in 66 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: the East, one seed in the West. The two of 67 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: them are having traditional dominant NBA seasons MVP seasons. You 68 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: can't gloss over that to then start bending the rules 69 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: to try to include someone else. For instance, I I 70 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: pushed back on the concept of Yokih struggling his team 71 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: struggling when he's off the floor, when Kevin Durant is 72 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: basically having that same problem in Brooklyn. The differences Kevin 73 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: Durant is is expanding his role to cover for that. 74 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: Kevin Durand has played over two hundred more minutes the 75 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: Nicolo Yokich this year. He plays about five minutes more 76 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: per game. That inherently allows his team to win more 77 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: games because he's not allowing himself to be off the floor. 78 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: Now there's a whole other conversation to have about his 79 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: health and whether or not that's smart. But in terms 80 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: of that same definition of most valuable player, that's Kevin 81 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: Durant's telling you that I'm willing to do more two, 82 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: you know, make up for my team shortcomings. Yokich is 83 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: only playing like thirty two and some change minutes per game. 84 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with that. That 85 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: may very well be the smartest strategy with the superstar, 86 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: but you don't get to do that and then complain 87 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: that you're getting killed in the other third of the 88 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: game that you're sitting out. So I don't really necessarily 89 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: think that's that's relevant here. And then the case everyone 90 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: uses to try to shoehorn Yokich in is Russell Westbrook. 91 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: In two thousand seventeen. Russell Westbrook was on a limited team. 92 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: There were obviously better players in the league that season, 93 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: but he did a ton to carry his team to 94 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: get to that uh, you know, middle of the pack 95 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: playoff Burthen So he ended up getting the award. But 96 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: there are a bunch of differing a bunch of things 97 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: about that season that are very different than this season. 98 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: In that season, russ was twelve games over five hundred. 99 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: Yokich is five hundreds, so even within that threshold, which 100 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: so many people think was a mistake looking back. I 101 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: don't necessarily think it was a mistake, but so many 102 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: people think it was a mistake looking back. Even that 103 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: team had significantly more success than Nicola Yoki's team is 104 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: having now with an equally limited roster in terms of 105 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: what he had flanking him on the wings and trying 106 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: to help him go about the process of winning basketball 107 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: games in that same season, and this is a big 108 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: part of why russ one we didn't have a traditional 109 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: MVP candidate Lebron in two thousand seven team. That was 110 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: the season in Cleveland that he completely took his foot 111 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: off the gas defensively, So it was hard to make 112 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: the case for him because he wasn't trying on one 113 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: end of the floor and his team was under performing. 114 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: They were They only had I think fifty seven wins 115 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: that season, so he kind of took himself out of 116 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: that traditional bona fide m VP candidate phase hardened in Kauai. 117 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,840 Speaker 1: They both were very very good on good teams, but 118 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: hard and only one fifty five games, so it wasn't 119 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: like some clear, you know, top of the league type 120 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: of juggernaut Kauai. You know, he was the Spurs won 121 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: over sixty games that year, but he was considered more 122 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: of like a cog in a system, not a very 123 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: important cog. But he wasn't the same level of offensive 124 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: engine that you were getting with Lebron or James Harden 125 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: or any of those guys, So he wasn't a traditional candidate. 126 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: And then Katie and staff basically canceled each other out, 127 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: which is something that's happened throughout m v P history. 128 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: Happened to Lebron in two thousand eleven. When you leave 129 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: your team to go play alongside another top tier NBA 130 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 1: superstar in both of you are playing at an m 131 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: VP level, neither of you get credit for the award. 132 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: That's always been the way that it's worked. And guess what, 133 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: Isaiah Thomas got or votes for m VP this season 134 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: than either Stephan Katie for that reason. So that two 135 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: thousand seventeen season with Russ really isn't relevant here at 136 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: all as it pertains to Yoki. Yoki isn't winning nearly 137 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: as much, and Yokich is competing against significantly better traditional 138 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: m v P cases. He doesn't have that same foundation 139 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: that Russ had to lean back on. And so again 140 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: this is the most important part here, because I've been 141 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: on Yokich a lot. Here. You know, just because I 142 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: say Yokich isn't the best player in the league, because 143 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: I'm deferring to guys that have a more you know, uh, 144 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: to have a more solid playoff resume, that have been 145 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: there at the highest level, And just because I'm saying 146 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: Yoki is not the m v P this year does 147 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: not equate to me hating on Yoki does not equate 148 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: to me not understanding how good Yokich is. I have 149 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: every understanding of what Yoki is. I know that he's 150 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: vastly improved as a defensive player. I know he is 151 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: a great wingspan, and he really bothers people around the 152 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: basket it and he's really good in his pick and 153 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: roll coverages with Denver. I know what he brings offensively, 154 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: scoring inside, being able to attack mismatches, his ability to 155 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: score from the perimeter, his array of floaters and gnarly 156 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: little crazy one legged jump shots all over the place. 157 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: I know what he can do as a passer. I've 158 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: frequently said that he is in a tier of passer 159 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: that is super unique, with only four guys in the league. 160 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: It's basically him in CB three and Luca and Lebron. 161 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: I am all in on the Yoki's train as a player. 162 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: I'm just pointing out the absurdity of saying he's better 163 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: than Steph Curry, or he's better than Kevin Durant, or 164 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: he has a better m v P case this season 165 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: than Steph Curry Kevin Durant, who are both playing at 166 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 1: the top of their games and both of their teams 167 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: are vastly outperforming the other teams in their conference. He 168 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: has absolutely no case for m v P in my opinion. 169 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: He can be on the ballot, he can be a 170 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: guy who finishes fourth or fifth or whatever, but he 171 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: has absolutely no leg to stand on over the guy 172 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: in front of him in my opinion. Moving on to 173 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant. So after Steph Curry breaks the record in 174 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: Madison Square Garden the other night, and I'm not going 175 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: to talk about Steph today. I've talked a lot about 176 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: him recently. You guys know how much I respect Steph 177 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: and and how much I appreciate that record and what 178 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: it means for the league, and how much he's changed 179 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: the game. But so Rich climbing comes out after and 180 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: he basically complains that Kevin Durant, who on the same 181 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: night with a bunch of really young players and only 182 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: eight Brooklyn Nets who were available to play, won a 183 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: game against the Toronto Raptors in which he played incredible, 184 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: he didn't get nearly as much attention or credit or 185 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: whatever you want to call it to Steph breaking the 186 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: record in Madison Square Garden. And you know, I think 187 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 1: he was being critical of the media and just the 188 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: way that we give attention to this kind of stuff. 189 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: But you know, the far more interesting thing to me 190 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: there was the response to rich Climate, which was a 191 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: lot of people coming out saying like, if that's what 192 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: you wanted, why didn't you go to the Knicks? And 193 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: you know what's funny to me is I I think 194 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant made the right decision to out to Brooklyn. 195 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: And the main reason why is because he's not Lebron. 196 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: He's a different type of person. He's a different type 197 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: of human being. It has nothing to do with what 198 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: they are as basketball players. It just has to do 199 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: with their personalities. It's no different than like, you know, 200 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: a guy like me not necessarily loving big cities and 201 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: enjoying living in the in the desert here in Tucson 202 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: with the mountains and kind of a peaceful, quiet type 203 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: of lifestyle compared to living in a big city. And 204 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: I've lived in big cities in my life. I've lived 205 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: in Phoenix and in Charlotte, and I genuinely like it 206 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: here better. But you know, there are people out there 207 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: who love the hustle and bustle of being around those environments. 208 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: You know, like Lebron went to the Lakers because he 209 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: thrives in that attention. He loves being constantly in that 210 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: swirling WorldWind of media pressure and fan pressure, in in 211 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: all of the expectation. He enjoys that. You know, Kevin Durant, 212 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: he loves the basketball primarily, and he actually doesn't like 213 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: it when things infringe on the basketball. You know, there 214 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: was that moment a while back where Katie had that 215 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: quote where he referred to the environment around Lebron as toxic. 216 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: I never interpreted that as an insult to Lebron for 217 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: being toxic. I think that had a lot more to 218 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: do with just Katie prefers the environment that he cultivates 219 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: around him, which is primarily based on basketball low drama. 220 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: Doesn't like the attention. That's why he picked Brooklyn. If 221 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: he wanted, if he was wired like Lebron, he would 222 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: have picked the Knicks for Kevin Durrett. He cared more 223 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: about the basketball situation, and I bet you he preferred 224 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: the fact that Brooklyn would be on the back burner 225 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: in their own city. Now, his his business partner, partner 226 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: Rich Kleiman, he might have a different point of view 227 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: on that, but that's kind of his job. His job 228 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: is to help Katie with his brand or whatever the 229 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: heck his list of responsibilities are. But his approach isn't 230 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: the same as Katie's I would predict, and again I'm 231 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: just guessing here, but I bet you Katie is extremely 232 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: happy with his decision to stay in Brooklyn. I bet 233 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: you he has no regrets about not going to New York. Hell, 234 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: he damn near won the title in his first year 235 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: in Brooklyn and in uh in this season, things are 236 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: really starting to come together, so he's probably feeling fantastic 237 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: right now. He probably doesn't care that he's not the 238 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: center of attention, and you know, people might point to 239 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: the Golden State thing and him not, you know, kind 240 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: of getting the same amount of credit as step there 241 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: as a reason why he left. But to me, credit 242 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: and attention are two very different things. You know, I 243 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: think Katie wants us to appreciate and acknowledge what he 244 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: brings to the table. That's not the same as Katie 245 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: wanting to be surrounded by paparazzi all the time, or 246 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: like loving being the headline every day or loving being 247 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: the center of attention. Those are two entirely different things. 248 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: I think k d personally, just again just guessing. I 249 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: think Kadi just genuinely wanted to go to a place 250 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: where he would be appreciated, you know, in terms of 251 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: his art and what he brought to the table as 252 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: a basketball player, and leaving Golden State was part of 253 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: that journey. And again when it came in time to 254 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: choose between the necks of the Knicks and the Nets, 255 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: I genuinely think he just thought Brooklyn was a better 256 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: opportunity for basketball to be the focus for that whirlwind 257 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: of of all of that drama and and attention, to 258 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: be lesser than what it was in New York, and 259 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: that that would be good for him. And you know, honestly, 260 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: like like I came into the season, saying Kevin Durant 261 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: was the best player in the world. I think that's 262 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: kind of a toss up now between him and Steph Curry. 263 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: But that said, I would argue that his decision to 264 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 1: go to Brooklyn has worked out exactly the way he 265 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: planned in the sense that he is starting to be 266 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: finally appreciated for what he does on the court. And 267 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: I think it's really really foolish for all of us to, 268 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: you know, talk about what, for all of us to 269 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: assume that he might want something else when he doesn't. 270 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: This isn't like the Dame Lillard situation, where he's very 271 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: clearly leaking all of this information out to the public 272 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: and it's convolution being his own story. And there's a 273 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: lot of like he said, she said stuff going. No, No, 274 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: Katie's just over there playing basketball. He has no interest 275 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: in leaving. He loves it there, and he's on the 276 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: team that has are I mean, I think I'm pretty 277 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: sure they're in Vegas. They're still the favorites. So Katie 278 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: is doing just fine. So let's talk some Lakers when 279 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: we get out of here really quick. If you guys 280 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: looked into my Twitter feed today, I was doing my 281 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: little film breakdown let that I usually do, and uh, 282 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: there's a play in there, a couple of plays actually 283 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: in a conversation between me and Cranes and pizzas from 284 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: like a film room having to do with something called 285 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: a stack spain pick and roll, which is a variation 286 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: of pick and roll in which there is already a 287 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: man underneath the basket and when they run the highest 288 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: screen and roll, you have the ball handler barreling down 289 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: the lane, you have the role man barreling down the lane, 290 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: and then you take the man under the basket and 291 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: he just sprints up to the top of the key. 292 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: And the reason why they do that is it pulls 293 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: that help defender the man who's guarding that man out 294 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: of the lane if he follows the shooter, or what 295 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: is usually going to happen is that man will see 296 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: the pick and roll coming at him and will offer help, 297 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: in which case that guy under the basket is usually 298 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: wide open at the top of the key. And the 299 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: Lakers used a really really interesting wrinkle to try to 300 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: cover it, something that caught my eye because of the 301 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: fact that we've struggled with the role man all season. 302 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: If if you're a Laker, fan, you have watched opponents 303 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: hang on the rim NonStop this season because of our 304 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: inability to guard and pick and roll. And this wrinkle 305 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: stood out to me because I saw our big man, 306 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis in this case just Steake glude to the 307 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: role man the entire time, which took away the lob. 308 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: But what the Lakers did to offer help on the 309 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: pick and roll is they just had the guard help. 310 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: And in this situation, when this person filled into the 311 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: top of the key, the guy guarding the ball handler 312 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: would just abandon the play and sprint back out and 313 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: guard the guy in the perimeter. And there was an 314 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: example of this play where the Lakers ran it perfectly 315 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: and Avery Bradley and Wayne Ellington executed a switch and 316 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: Avery Bradley was able to contest Reggie Bullock, who was 317 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: the shooter in this case, and force a miss. But 318 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: there was another version of this play where Reggie Bullock 319 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: instead of running to the top of the key, Reggie 320 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: Bullock is the guy who's under the basket. So in 321 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: that stack Spain pick and roll, you would have you know, 322 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: Powell at the top of the key with Jalen Brunson. 323 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: They'd be running the action and Reggie Bullock would be 324 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: the guy directly under the rim. The idea there is 325 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: he's a great shooter, so if you have him being 326 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: the guy running to the top of the key in 327 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers offer help from that guard, you're gonna get 328 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: your best shooter a wide open three. Well, Reggie Bullock 329 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: and the MAVs had a wrinkle on this, or they 330 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: just had Reggie Bullock run out to the corner instead 331 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 1: of to the top of the key. All of a sudden, 332 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: Wayne Ellington didn't want to switch the way he was 333 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: supposed to in this action, and Jalen Brunson got a 334 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: wide open layup. Why Because Anthony Davis was glued to 335 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: the role man as it was his role in that coverage, 336 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: and there was no help at the rim. So that's 337 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: pretty convoluted. That's pretty in the weeds. Why do I 338 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: bring it up? I bring it because this is the 339 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: problem with trying to run variations of traditional coverage is 340 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: against a modern spread, pick and roll attack. We I'm 341 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: a huge believer in switching. That's something that I've talked 342 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 1: about a lot on this pod, and I'm gonna explain 343 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: a little bit more today why I'm such a big 344 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: believer in that. You know, NBA teams, they're really really, 345 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: really really good at after they've attacked the same thing 346 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 1: at jazillion times, at figuring out counters in different ways 347 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:34,360 Speaker 1: to attack something, in ways to to expand their advantage. So, 348 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: for instance, drop coverage, we have seen over the course 349 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:42,360 Speaker 1: of the last five years drop coverage become borderline obsolete. Now, 350 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: at the beginning, it was only the really really good 351 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: guards that would give us problems, right, we would have 352 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: the Chris Paul's of the world, the Jamal Murray's of 353 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: the world. You know, the really really high level midrange 354 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: you know Steph Curry types. Anybody who was really really 355 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: good at shooting off the dribble and making those floaters 356 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: and things along those lines. They would kill us in 357 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: drop coverage because the drop coverage big would have to 358 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: step up to help on the guard at some point, 359 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: which would open up the lab. What's interesting, though, and 360 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 1: this is where this is where it gets. It makes 361 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: me concerned in terms of this coverage that we use 362 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: so much being viable in the future. All as is 363 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: the case, if you give anybody enough reps, all of 364 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: the guards in the NBA now are good at attacking 365 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: drop coverage. Jalen Brunson really good at attacking drop coverage. 366 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: Deer and Fox and Tyrese Haliburton really good at attacking 367 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 1: drop coverage. They're all so good at it now. And 368 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,479 Speaker 1: we've seen every single team we've gone against give us 369 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 1: hell in those pick and roll coverages with our big 370 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: dropping into the paint. That what you're seeing now is 371 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,919 Speaker 1: it's no longer a situational thing. It's no longer a 372 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: deal where Okay, we can run drop against everybody, but 373 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: then when we get to the playoffs and we run 374 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 1: to Phoenix, now we have to do something a little 375 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,199 Speaker 1: bit different. Okay, we ran into Golden State, now we 376 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: have to do something different. No, we're reaching the point 377 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: now where it's always gonna have to be different, and 378 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: that's just part of the evolution of basketball. Like when 379 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: I was in an ai A, every single guard was 380 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: because they're all older. Every single guard was incredible shooting. 381 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: Every single guard was incredible with their floaters and things 382 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: like that. We used to run a variation of drop 383 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: coverage that we called level where the big was basically 384 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: in a drop but the guard would still go underneath. 385 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: And it worked because we had a six ft ten 386 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: Brazilian guy in the middle. It was great with verticality 387 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: and was great at disrupting and bothering people around the rim. 388 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: And even those really really good guards at the at 389 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 1: the n A I A level weren't good enough to 390 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: consistently make us pay in the mid range. That same 391 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: coverage might not work even in college at this point. 392 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: Over time, these things change. The reason why I think 393 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: witching is the best modern coverage to use is because 394 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 1: it's the definition ng. It's the definition of giving an 395 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: inch but taking several inches. The idea that you are. 396 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 1: You know that if you just switch every action, you're 397 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: going to give up some kind of mismatch, but in 398 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: that mismatch in the aggregate, you're generating more good than bad. 399 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 1: One of the common things that happened in the first 400 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: quarter against the Mavericks was Avery Bradley. When they would 401 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: switch would end and and the Lakers you switching as 402 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: like an emergency fallback. They will try to run one 403 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: of their drop coverages or their ice or whatever you 404 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: wanna call it. But when if it fails, if the 405 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: guard gets too caught on the screen, they'll just yell 406 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: out switch. They're not preemptively switching. They're not deliberately switching 407 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: all that often. It's usually a fallback. I'm a proponent 408 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: of using it full time. And the reason why it's 409 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: just like what we saw on that first corner, and 410 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna break down three plays for you 411 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 1: really quickly and then we'll get out of here. So 412 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 1: all three of them were I believe it was Lebron. 413 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: I think they in each play Lebron was on Porzingis 414 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, and they ran screens that ended up 415 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 1: with Avery Bradley on Porzingis. So on the first one, 416 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: Porzingis gets a post touch on the right block, there's 417 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: no movement on the possession. Every Dallas Maverick just goes 418 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: and stands on the three point line and kristaps Porzingis, 419 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: even though he has the six ft tall Avery Bradley 420 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: on him or six ft two or whatever he is, 421 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: he settles for a tough, contested fade away into the 422 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: lane and he makes it tough shot, really nice shot. 423 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: KP would probably tell you that that's a high percentage 424 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: shot for him. Then on the very next possession, same 425 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: exact action ends up in the switch again. KP's got 426 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: it on the left wing against excuse me, at the 427 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: top of the key against Avery Bradley, And on this 428 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: play he ends up taking a similar fade away against 429 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: Avery Bradley, but Lebron comes over just a little bit 430 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 1: closer and stunts at him and actually comes over at 431 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: the end and tries to contest. He doesn't actually block 432 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: the shop, but KP makes another really tough contested fade away. 433 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: Now again, you might tell yourself, like a person sitting 434 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: on their couch might say, we have to stop leaving 435 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:23,479 Speaker 1: Avery Bradley. On KP, he's killing us. But as I 436 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: was watching the tape, I'm like, this is exactly what 437 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: I want to happen. Because on those possessions there was 438 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 1: very little ball movement, there was very little player movement. 439 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 1: All other four Lakers were saving their legs because they 440 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: weren't having to chase guys around and do a ton 441 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: of movement. They were sitting in a defensive stance, parked 442 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: in their spot, ready to help. And on the third play, 443 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,199 Speaker 1: this is actually a little bit further down, as a 444 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: few plays later in the first quarter, KP gets it 445 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 1: on the wing on the opposite wing, going against Avery 446 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 1: Bradley tries to post him up. Avery Bradley is fighting 447 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: even harder now, really getting up underneath KP, disrupting his 448 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: bass and on the On the play, Lebron and Russell 449 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: Westbrook are both helping further into the lane, because that's 450 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: what you do if a guy is starting to have 451 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: trouble with a mismatch, you offer a little bit more 452 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 1: help each time. You're not trying to get them to 453 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: stop going to that isolation, because that's what you want 454 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: them to do, but at least then it might make 455 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: KP feel a little more uncomfortable. So a KP raises 456 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: up into a jump shot, but Lebron digs at the 457 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: last second. Avery Bradly gets a good contest, so KP 458 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: throws it across the court and hits. I think it 459 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: was Tim Hardaway Jr. On the opposite wing and guarded 460 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: by Russell Westbrook. Russ is in the lane. Russ sees 461 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: it coming and closes out and chases uh Tim Hardaway 462 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: off the line. Tim Hardaway right on the play, KP 463 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: flashes back to the top of the key and Hardaway 464 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:44,880 Speaker 1: throws it to KP at the top of the key. 465 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: There's only five seconds on the shot clock. Now, because 466 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: KP wasted half of the shot clock sitting in the 467 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: post up position on the opposite of the floor, he 468 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: ends up driving to the basket on a b which 469 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 1: is always a poor decision. If you're a big guy, 470 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: you never want to try to dribble past small guys 471 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: because are quicker than you and they're up underneath you. 472 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: It plays right into their advantage. May be heavily disrupts 473 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,880 Speaker 1: the dribble. Kp ends up having to take some crazy 474 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: fade away running one legged shot and he bricks it 475 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: off the glass, and the Lakers run the other way 476 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: and get a layup. And all I could think is 477 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 1: that is the perfect progression of switching basketball. Now, you 478 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: might tell yourself they got four points in three possessions, 479 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: and they did, but over the course of that game 480 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: they that that sets the tone that the Mavericks are 481 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 1: going to be stagnated by trying to attack switches. And 482 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 1: on those switches, all four Lakers that are off the 483 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 1: ball are not wasting their legs chasing guys around. There 484 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: sitting in a defensive stance, ready to dig, ready to help, 485 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: ready to box out. So it helps you with your 486 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding, ready to run the floor. So it helps 487 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: you in transition, and I like my chances if I 488 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: have the other guy isolating the all game long. Now 489 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,439 Speaker 1: there are variations. If you're playing Steth Curry, if you're 490 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: playing Kevin Duran, if you're playing the players in the world, 491 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: you don't want them to sit on an island all 492 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: day long, so you might have to get creative out 493 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: of that with doubling, with you know, heavy heavy help 494 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: with blitzing and recovering, with having guys on the back 495 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: end having to cover more ground to cover for each other. 496 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: That's part of the deal. But it's always going to 497 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: be difficult to guard the best players in the world. 498 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: There's that a coverage in the world that successfully stops 499 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: the best players in the world. Neither just drop coverage 500 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: or any of these other coverages that we're talking about. 501 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: But that was the genius. That was the simple genius 502 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:34,639 Speaker 1: of what Brooklyn did last year and the reason why 503 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: I think they had so much success. They understood that defensively, 504 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: they had guys they weren't going to be able to 505 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: run traditional coverages. They didn't have the personnelity, didn't have 506 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: the athleticism, they didn't have the willingness even so, they 507 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: changed their scheme into a switching scheme, which offloads a 508 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: lot of the physical responsibilities into mental responsibilities communication focus, 509 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 1: paying attention, talking, letting people know who's got who and 510 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: where to be. As a result, they were able to 511 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 1: defend at plenty high enough level in order to win 512 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: a championship. They stagnated. A lot of teams got into 513 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 1: isolation contest with them, and they were isolating with Katie 514 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: Kyrie and James Harden, not with Jason Tatum, or not 515 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: with Drew Holiday or Jana Santana Coompo, And they were 516 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 1: able to win those battles as a result, until injuries 517 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: obviously just derailed them. I think this Laker team has 518 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,920 Speaker 1: the potential to be a better version of that Brooklyn 519 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: switching team, and I am a big believer that this 520 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: is the next phase, the next step in modern NBA 521 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: defensive basketball. I think we are actively seeing right now 522 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: drop coverage and all those variations and little little uh 523 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: tweaks around it. We are seeing that becoming obsolete, and 524 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: I think it's time for the Lakers to be the 525 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: team that enters into this era. All right, That's all 526 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:56,439 Speaker 1: I got for today. Guys. This is gonna be on 527 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: Dash Radio tomorrow morning at seven am Pacific Standard time. 528 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 1: This will be on my podcast feed here just in 529 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,399 Speaker 1: a few moments. We will be back tomorrow night with 530 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:06,360 Speaker 1: just Roj. I think he's actually gonna be getting a guest. 531 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 1: I'm not sure who it is for the postgame show 532 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: against Minnesota, and I will be back on Saturday morning. 533 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: Thank you guys as always for our support, for your support, 534 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: and we'll see you in a couple of days.