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For 29 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: additional terms and responsible gaming resources to dkang dot co. 30 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: Slash b ball. All right, well come to you tonight. 31 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: You're at the volume heavy Friday. Everybody hope all if 32 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: you guys are having a great week. Just a quick 33 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: show for today. We're gonna talk about Celtics Wolves for 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: the most part, really entertaining a really interesting game on 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: that front. I want to talk about the Celtics and 36 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: the way Jason Tatum is playing. I want to talk 37 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: about the Jason Tatum Anthony Edwards debate, which largely centers 38 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: around my player rankings from last summer. And then I 39 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: want to talk about Anthony Edwards in the world, some 40 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: of their issues from the season, and the two part 41 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: reality of their path forward, which is how do you 42 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: fix this problem in the big picture and how do 43 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: you make the most out of this particular season. And 44 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: at the very end of the show, I just want 45 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: to briefly touch on the Sixers Warriors game before we 46 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: get out of here. You guys know the trip before 47 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: we get started. To subscribe to the Hoop Tonight YouTube 48 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: channel so you don't miss any more of our videos. 49 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter, Underscore jsonlt so you guys don't 50 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: misshow announcements. Don't forget about our podcast feed. Wherever you 51 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: get your podcast under Hoops Tonight, don't forget it's helpful 52 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: if you leave a rating and a review on that front. 53 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: We also have brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, 54 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: and Facebook. Make sure you guys follow us there so 55 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: you continue to get content throughout the year. Last but 56 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: not at least, keep dropping mail bag questions in the 57 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: YouTube comments mailbag on Friday this week because our schedule 58 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 1: is a little different because I'm leaving to go on 59 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: my first ski trip of the year on Sunday, so 60 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: the mail bag is going to come out on either Saturday, Sunday, 61 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: Monday sometime in that stretch, and then next week will 62 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: actually start for us on Wednesday. But still plenty of 63 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: time to drop mail bag questions, so get those in 64 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: the YouTube comments. All right, let's talk some basketball. So 65 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: Celtics Wolves. I thought Jason Tatum just played an absolutely 66 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: beautiful game. He had all these like different phases in 67 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: the way that he was attacking at different points in 68 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: the game, Like in the early first quarter, he was 69 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: just playing advantage creation basketball, just kind of floating around 70 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: taking the easy reads that are available. That's such an 71 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: important part of this Boston offense, right, because the real 72 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: differentiator from a talent standpoint between like Boston supporting cast 73 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: and a lot of the other supporting casts around the 74 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: league is their ability, via the coaching staff all the 75 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: way down through the roster to generate space and then 76 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: to capitalize on extra attention that is devoted towards the 77 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: guys that have the ball, right, and it's so much 78 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: more complicated than shooting. It was actually really interesting because 79 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot of discussions surrounding Minnesota's shooting, and we're 80 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: going to talk about that today, but it goes deeper 81 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: than that because there's a lot of like different things 82 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: that happen when you watch other teams play, where like, 83 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: for instance, I have a couple of clips that I 84 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: posted to demonstrate some of these differences on my Twitter feed. 85 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: We're like when Tatum's driving, there's always like shooter left corner, 86 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: shooter right corner, guard in the dunker spot, and shooter 87 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: opposite wing, and so he's just got all of this 88 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: space to work with. And it's not just the shooting. Yeah, 89 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: those guys have to be accounted for in terms of 90 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: their ability to knock down shots, but it's also floor placement. 91 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: It's also like having the right guys in the right spot. 92 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: You want to guard in the dunker spot. Why because 93 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: he's usually being guarded by a smaller player. So the 94 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: guy that's helping out the rim, you would prefer to 95 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: be a smaller player. So if you're gonna have somebody 96 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: in the dunker spot, if you have a center in 97 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: the dunker spot, you're probably gonna have a center helping 98 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: at the rim. But if you have a guard at 99 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: the dunker spot, you're gonna have a smaller player helping 100 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: at the rim. Right. And then if your corners are 101 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: occupied and your wing opposite wing is occupied. You have 102 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: the distance between the right corner and the opposite wing, 103 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: that whole stretch of three point line to work off 104 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: the dribble and make things happen. I can't tell you 105 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: how many times in that Wolves game it's it goes 106 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: deeper than just Jaden McDaniel's can't shoot, or Julius Randall's 107 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: not a great spot up shooter, or you know, Rudy 108 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: Gobert's stonehands around the basket. It extends deeper into floor placement. 109 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: Times where Julius Randall and Rudy Gobert are both standing 110 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: directly underneath the basket. Or you have a guy that's 111 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: in the opposite wing, but he's standing ten feet away 112 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: from the guy that's in the corner, so you can 113 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,599 Speaker 1: effectively guard with two guys, or instead of one guy cutting, 114 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: you have two guys cut to the exact same spot 115 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: make themselves easy to guard. There's a lot of stuff 116 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: that goes deeper than that. And I'm saying that mainly 117 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: to compliment the Celtics as an organization from the top down, 118 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: because it's not just having it goes it's a thing 119 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: from the front office in terms of the types of 120 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: players that they're targeting, the coaching staff in terms of 121 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: organization on the floor, but the players not just shooting 122 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: but also basketball IQ and like the natural understanding and 123 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: feel of space. There's all these As you're off the ball, 124 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: you're constantly reading what's the ball handler doing, what are 125 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: the other off ball players doing. So, for instance, if 126 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: a guy drives into the lane and makes a kickout pass, 127 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: where he decides to relocate is going to directly affect 128 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: where you have to relocate. Right There's a lot of 129 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,119 Speaker 1: like different decisions that you make in those spacing situations. 130 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: And like, again, Boston just does such an amazing job 131 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: organizationally of keeping guys on the floor in the right 132 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: spots and putting the types of guys out there that 133 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: are good with their instincts in their placement off the 134 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: ball while also having the ability to knock down shots. 135 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: And it's just start contrast between the two teams that 136 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: were watching last night. But again, Jason Tatum's within that, 137 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: within that ecosystem. One of the things that he does 138 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 1: better than most is he'll just call for a guard screen, 139 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 1: get a inside seal for you know, one of the 140 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: the guy who's setting the screen will get an inside seal, 141 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 1: and he's big and tall enough and quick enough with 142 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: the decision making to float the ball over the top 143 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: so that'll hands right in the guy's hands so that 144 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: he has a four run three, or making a skip 145 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: pass when Anthony Edwards is leaking into the lane off 146 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: of Derek White in the left corner. Like those are 147 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: the kinds of like little things that Jason Tatum does 148 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: that just greases the wheels for this offense. But then 149 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: he had these two massive jump shooting runs in a 150 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: late second quarter. He had a jump shooting run where 151 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: he hit a bunch of shots that gave the Celtics 152 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: their initial large separation that put them up by fourteen. 153 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: And then the Wolves, after playing some more desperate basketball 154 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: to start the third quarter, they cut the lead down 155 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: to four right around the mid third quarter mark, and 156 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: he had another jump shooting run in that late third 157 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: quarter that put the Celtics back up by thirteen. I 158 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: thought Tatum was fantastic in this game. The Wolves played 159 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: really well in the fourth quarter. In that early fourth 160 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: quarter stretch they went to their spacing group. It's kind 161 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: of like this interesting concept with the way the Wolves 162 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: play basketball. So you have these two stars, and they're 163 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: both stars that like are at their best when they're 164 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: going downhill, right. But Anthony Edwards is one of the 165 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: best jump shooters in the league, particularly off the dribble, 166 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: right he gets, He's up at like one point one 167 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: zero points per jump shot this season, very very good 168 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: jump shooter, especially off the dribble. Julius Randall not so much. Right. 169 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: So one of the things that they're doing is like 170 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: the bench groups are always staggered versions of starters and 171 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: bench players, right. So one of the things that we're 172 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: seeing is like when Anthony Edwards is carrying a bench 173 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: group without Julius Randall, they'll put him out there with 174 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, And they do that because 175 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: they know the spacing is shit. But ant is a 176 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: guy that's capable of knocking down shots over the top, 177 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: so we'll put him with that group. But then what 178 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: they'll do with the Julius Randall groups is they know 179 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: he's not as good shooting over the top, so they'll 180 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 1: put all the spacers with him. So he was playing 181 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: with a group that had Dante DiVincenzo Nikhil Alexander Walker 182 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: nasried at center, and then Josh miy Not I believe 183 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: was the fifth in that group, and he was incredible 184 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: in that fourth quarter run. He was blocking shots at 185 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: the rim, driving closeouts and dunking on everybody, hitting corner 186 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 1: threes like he was incredible too. But it kind of 187 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: is like the best way for them to make use 188 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: of that situation the record. I agree with Chris Finch 189 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: in the overall kind of ethos of that or thought 190 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: process behind that decision making process. There are things that 191 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: disagree with Chris Finch with as it pertains to like 192 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: specific lineup groups that I'd like to see them use 193 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: more in big spots. We'll talk about that in a minute. 194 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 1: But that's kind of the give and take with the 195 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: Wolves bench groups. It's like Aunt with Jaden and Rudy 196 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: Julius with all the shooters, well Julius with all the 197 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: shooters in that early fourth quarter group. They go on 198 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: a big run and they actually end up briefly taking 199 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: a lead, but then Derek White goes absolutely berserk in 200 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, hit several tough, heavily contested shots and 201 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: it ends up being enough to stiff arm the Wolves 202 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: and they get out of Minnesota with a win. So 203 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: now I want to There's so much big picture stuff 204 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: I want to get into, but before we get into that, 205 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: I want to shout out a couple more Celtics. Sam Hauser. 206 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: I thought his shooting was huge AllGame. He was the 207 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: guy that was paying off the chaos situations that Boston 208 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: was generating, so like transition pushes where he would end 209 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: up with the ball, knocking down a three, threes off 210 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: of offensive rebounds, threes off of mistakes that Minnesota was 211 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: making in their help side defense. He was just paying 212 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: it off a lot. And then the Bigs. I thought, 213 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: specifically Nimi Kuoita just did an amazing job in his bench. 214 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: In his bench shifts as at that backup center spot 215 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: is touched around the basket was important. I thought he 216 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: won some offensive rebound battles, especially on switches where he'd 217 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 1: get inside position on like Julius Randall and get a 218 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: big tap out rebound or an offensive rebound. I just 219 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: thought he gave really good minutes. It was an impressive 220 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: win for the Celtics again, down Jaylen Brown and down 221 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: Christops Porzingis on the road in Minnesota and again, like 222 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: it was a kind of a showcase of a bunch 223 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: of different things. Like I thought it was a showcase 224 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: of the fact that Jason Tatum right now is just 225 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: a more complete all around basketball player than Anthony Edwards, 226 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: something that I've thought most of this season after I 227 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: was wrong over the summer. We're going to talk about 228 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: that in a minute. But I also thought it was 229 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:01,319 Speaker 1: a demonstration of the gap in organizational competence between Minnesota 230 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: and Boston, like we talked about earlier, in terms of 231 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: their spacing principles and just the way they make things 232 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: easier for their stars. So let's talk about this Aunt 233 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: Tatum debate. So this is something I've been getting absolutely 234 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: shredded for all season. And the funniest thing about it 235 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: is we're talking about two spots. I had Tatum at seven, 236 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: and most Celtics fans have him at five. There are 237 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: a few more intense Celtics fans that have him higher 238 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: at like three or four. But like the point is, 239 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: we're talking about just a couple of spots. I had 240 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: Tatum down at seven. It was a just something that 241 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: Celtics fans got really upset about. I no longer feel 242 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: that way I would now have Tatum at five, and 243 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: then i'd probably have Ant even lower than seven. Now 244 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: i'd probably have him closer to the bottom of the 245 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: top ten. But no, it is not because Jason Tatum 246 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: beat Anthony Edwards last night. It is not because the 247 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics swept the Timberwolves this season. It is not 248 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: because the Boston Celtics are clearly a much much better 249 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: basketball team overall, including the Stars, than the Minnesota Timberlves. 250 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: That is not why I feel that way. The reason 251 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: why I now have Tatum at five when I had 252 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: him at seven this summer is last year, Jason Tatum 253 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 1: was not a very good jump shooter, especially in the playoffs, 254 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: and then he completely fell apart as a jump shooter 255 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: with Team USA. In the playoffs, Tatum, when he took 256 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: a jump shot, it was worth zero point eight points 257 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: per tempt. That's really really bad. And then he was 258 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: zero for sixteen on jump shots with Team USA. So 259 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: when I was thinking about Tatum in the context of 260 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: the other stars in the league, I liked his versatility. 261 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: I thought he was integral to the Celtics defense in 262 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: that playoff run, specifically his ability to guard centers. But 263 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: also to be able to switch ball screens, which was 264 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: like the primary foundation of the Boston defensive scheme that 265 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: caused so many problems for people in the postseason run. 266 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,080 Speaker 1: Huge testament to Tatum's versatility. I also thought he he 267 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 1: just did a wonderful job of initial advantage creation, like 268 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,079 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier, creating those tic tac toe situations 269 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,199 Speaker 1: that Boston was so good at turning into points. Jason 270 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: Tatum is a Swiss army knife of a basketball player, 271 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,719 Speaker 1: which has always been something I'm drawn to because I'm 272 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: a Lebron fan and Lebron was a Swiss army knife 273 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: of a basketball player still is to this day. But 274 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,839 Speaker 1: because of his jump shooting issues, I had him down 275 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: at seven instead of five. I had a feeling he 276 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: was just in a bad slump. I talked about it 277 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: all summer that I expected Tatum to shoot better this year, 278 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: but as I factored all of that in, I landed 279 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: with him at seven. This season, Tatum is having the 280 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: best jump shooting season he's had in five years. He's 281 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: at one point zero seven points per jump shot, he's 282 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: at one point zero two points per off the dribble 283 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: jump shot, and he's at one point two to one 284 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: points per jumper off the catch. He hasn't even come 285 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: close to those numbers as a jump shooter since twenty twenty. 286 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: It's been almost five years, and back then he wasn't 287 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: nearly the all around player that he is now. Right, So, like, yeah, 288 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: when I combine the Swiss army knife that Jason Tatum 289 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: has been the last few years with the jump shooter 290 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: that Jason Tatum was in the early part of his career, now, 291 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: I do think he is the fifth best player in 292 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: the league. I wanted to cover that separately because too 293 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: much of this has turned into Anthony Edwards versus Jason Tatum. 294 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: I get that. I had a rant in the postseason 295 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: that you guys have been pulling back all the time, 296 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: where I said I thought Anthony Edwards was better than 297 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum at the time when Jason Tatum, or when 298 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards averaging twenty eight seven and seven on sixty 299 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: percent through shooting, dragging that flawed Minnesota roster to the 300 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: Western Conference Finals, at that specific point in time, I 301 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: thought Ant was better than Tatum. I no longer feel 302 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: that way, but we need to remove Ant from this 303 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: discussion for a second, because Ant's a separate issue, and 304 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: we'll talk about him in a minute. I just wanted 305 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: to talk about Tatum in a vacuum. The reason why 306 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: I had Tatum lower was because of his jump shooting issues. 307 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: He has now rectified that, and when you combine that 308 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: with his all around ability, he is such a deeply 309 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: impactful basketball player. And that's what we've been seeing this year, 310 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: and that's why he is the fringe MVP candidate that 311 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: he is this year. I wanted to cover Tatum separately 312 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: than Ant because they aren't actually connected. So on that note, 313 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: now let's get into Ant. What's going on in Minnesota 314 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: right now is so much deeper than just Anthony Edwards development. 315 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: Ant is struggling right now. We talked about it earlier, 316 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: but the Wolves are having these spacing issues and they're 317 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: confronting them by putting Ant with nonspacers and Julius with spacers. 318 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: So ann is playing the majority of the game with 319 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: a bunch of non shooters on the floor that teams 320 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: can help help off of and send aggressive help. Now 321 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: at other points in the season, when his jump shot 322 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: is following at a super high rate, it's something that 323 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: has worked to a certain extent, but teams are now 324 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: starting to send more doubles, more aggressive ball screen coverages 325 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: late help all the stuff that Anthony Edwards was talking 326 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: about in his post presser last night. And to make 327 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: matters worse, Ant is now in a little bit of 328 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: a shooting slope. He's at thirty five point four percent 329 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: from three over his last ten games, which isn't terrible, 330 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: but it's far below where he was to start the year. 331 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: Now here's the thing. There are two ways to look 332 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: at this solution. There's the big picture, which is confronting 333 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: the obvious reality that this is a flawed roster construct 334 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: and something needs to be changed for the future of 335 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. But then there's the 336 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: short term reality. And the short term reality is that 337 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: the Wolves are a second Apron team, meaning they are 338 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: heavily handicapped with their ability to make trades this season 339 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: and they may not be able to do much before 340 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: they get to this summer. So we have to focus 341 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: on the short term reality. Because the short term reality 342 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: is this season. You gotta find something you can do 343 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: to make the most out of this season. Then you 344 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: can confront all the issues with the roster when you 345 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: get to June. In July, Ant has been comeling a 346 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: lot about double teams. The reality is that the best 347 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: way for this team to continue is probably to let 348 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: Julius keep leading those spacing groups, and Ant has to 349 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,439 Speaker 1: try to make the non spacing groups work. If you 350 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: put Ant with the spacing groups, those groups will be better. 351 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: But if you put Julius with the non spacing groups, 352 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: those groups will be a disaster. I actually think Ant 353 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: has been making pretty solid passing leads in terms of 354 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: like identifying that there's a double team, throwing those skip passes, 355 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: getting rid of the ball quickly. I actually think he's 356 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: been doing a pretty decent job there. There are two things, though, 357 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: that I think are holding him back right now, beyond 358 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: the obvious slump which he's going to make shots in 359 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: the big picture. One his past location the sharpness of 360 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: those passes. There are a lot of times where Ant 361 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: is getting double teamed or they're loading up in ball 362 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 1: screens and Ant is throwing a swing pass, throwing a 363 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: pocket pass, throwing a drop off pass, throwing a skip pass, 364 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: but it's not hitting the ball handler or the shooter 365 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: in the post. What happens there is anytime there is 366 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: a slight fumble, a slight guy loses his balance when 367 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: he's trying to catch the ball. Anytime there's anything involving 368 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: the pass being off target, it gives the defense an 369 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: opportunity to rotate. Specifically, it buys them more time to rotate, 370 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: and so then what happens in those situations is the 371 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: advantage disappears. There were a bunch of examples last night 372 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: in that Celtics game where Aunt saw the right read, 373 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 1: made the pass but threw it off target and Boston 374 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: was able to rotate. It's a big part. I think 375 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: he only had like three or four assists despite the 376 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: fact that Boston was double teaming them all all night. 377 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: Some of that is guy's not making shots, I want 378 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: to be clear, But a big part of it too 379 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: is he could do himself a favor by being a 380 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: little bit more precise with those kickout raads. That is 381 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: a big part of how he can try to make 382 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: the most out of this season is being better attention 383 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: to detail in those passes to make sure they get 384 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: where they need to be on time, on target. And 385 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: then two on defense. Ant is an incredible on ball defender, 386 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: but he has a tendency on ball occasionally to die 387 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 1: on screens. He lost Jason Tatum on the like where 388 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: he just died on a screen in the It was 389 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: like the early second half if I remember correctly. And 390 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: then off ball in particular, he stands upright and he 391 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 1: doesn't track man in ball and he can lose shooters. 392 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: How do you make the most out of those lineups 393 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: by virtue of making sharper passes, so at least the 394 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: guys that are limited shooters have a little bit more 395 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: time to knock the shot down or to make a 396 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: uh you know, an advantage extending play like driving a 397 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: close out. And then two, you have to win with 398 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: defense in those groups. If you're gonna have Rudy Gobert 399 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: Jada McDaniels on the floor, you better be locking teams up, 400 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: and you can't be giving up easy buckets because Ant's 401 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: falling asleep off ball, leaving shooters. It's so funny because 402 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: I saw so much discussion last night surrounding Ant as 403 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: a player maker, and there's no doubt that Ant needs 404 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: to improve in some of those areas, Like I talked 405 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: about just little details like past location, but I just 406 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: think they're so far down the list of the other 407 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: things that Minnesota could improve, and even that Aunt can improve, 408 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: and I just think that we're we're kind of missing 409 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: the boat to a certain extent. The Wolf starting three 410 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: four five currently makes one hundred million dollars. Jada McDaniels, 411 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: Julius Randall, and Rudy Gobert makes one hundred million dollars. 412 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 1: That is how much of their cap they're taking up 413 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: this season. Those guys are combining to make two point 414 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: nine threes per game on thirty three percent. That's a 415 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: much bigger issue than some of the stuff were nitpicking 416 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards about before. I talk a little bit more 417 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: about that big picture reality though. The one last thing 418 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: that I think that Chris Finch has to consider to 419 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: try to make the most out of this season is 420 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: to be a little bit more willing to go away 421 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: from Rudy Gobert. This is a concept that I've been 422 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: talking about a lot on this show and with regards 423 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: to other teams as well, specifically teams like teams like 424 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: Denver in the early in the past. New York is 425 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: a big team. I've been talking about it this year 426 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,719 Speaker 1: with Karl Anthony Towns at center. You can be a 427 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,479 Speaker 1: good defense without an elite rim protector if you have 428 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 1: athletes that compete on the perimeter, both containing the ball 429 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: and flying around in rotation. And so this idea that 430 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,159 Speaker 1: and again I understand Gobert is a huge regular season 431 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 1: floor racer, but there are limitations there. I just wanted 432 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: to think as a thought exercise, I was like, what 433 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: would be the ideal lineup for the Wolves to go 434 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: down with in a big spot? The lineup that I 435 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: think has the most sensical basketball talent within this group 436 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: in the in house, meaning you can't go make a 437 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: trade Anthony Evergs and Julius got to have your two 438 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: best ball handlers. But then nas Reid at center. And 439 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: then I was like, how about the two best three 440 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: and d guys on the roster? And what I came 441 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: up with was Dante de Vincenzo and Nikhil Alexander Walker. 442 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: That group, those five guys, Aunt and Julius nos Rat 443 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: at center flanked by Dante and Nikiel two hundred and 444 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,959 Speaker 1: twenty two possessions is here, according to Cleaning the Glass, 445 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: a one thirty one offensive rating, a one to ten 446 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: defensive rating, plus twenty one points per one hundred possessions. 447 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: That is a lineup that I think Chris Finch should 448 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: explore more and maybe cut Rudy Gobert's minutes down and 449 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: give that group more opportunity to run because it'll feed 450 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: confidence they'll get going on offense, it'll cause them to 451 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: thrive on defense. And again, a one ten defensive rating 452 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: is a good defensive rating. It's not elite, but it's 453 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: a good defensive rating, and it's because you've got a 454 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: lot of athletes on the perimeter that compete and rotate 455 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: and it helps support a weaker rim protector in nas Reed. 456 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: So that's another thing I would do again. AT's got 457 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: to be more sharp with this passing in terms of location, 458 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: and it's got to be more competent off balld defender. 459 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 1: And I think Chris Finch needs to explore going away 460 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,679 Speaker 1: from Rudy Gobert more, especially when in big spots when 461 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: they need to get more out of their offense. Now 462 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: about the long term reality, as I mentioned, you're starting 463 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: front court makes one hundred million dollars. Jaden McDaniels makes 464 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: twenty three million, and he's literally shooting thirty one point 465 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 1: five percent on catch and shoot jump shots. Teams just 466 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,360 Speaker 1: don't guard him. That is too much money to pay 467 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: a guy, too much room in your cap being taken 468 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: up by a guy who's a near zero on offense. 469 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert again one of the best regular season four 470 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: raizers in the league, but in the context of this roster, 471 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: he's a huge part of the spacing problem, and I 472 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: personally think he has a ceiling problem when we get 473 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: too late playoff rounds against elite defenses that can protect 474 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: the rim ie what happened with Dallas and then Julius Randall, 475 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: who can't score off the ball and is really poor 476 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: off ball instincts in general in terms of spacing and cutting, 477 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: is a big part of the problem. Against Boston last night, 478 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: that's one hundred million dollars all for play who make 479 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 1: it harder on Anthony Edwards when he has the basketball. 480 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: That's a flawed roster construct. And to top it all off, 481 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: you're in the second apron, so you can't aggregate salaries 482 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 1: and trades. There's a million different restrictions on their ability 483 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 1: to tweak this roster. They can't even trade him straight 484 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: up for Cam Johnson. They can't even trade Julius Randall 485 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: straight up for Cam Johnson. I'm having a hard time 486 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 1: even finding trades that makes sense. They almost just have 487 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: to get through this season and then let Julius Randall 488 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 1: walk to have any real chance to tweak the roster. 489 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 1: But again, that was the primary purpose of them trading 490 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: Karl Anthony Towns this summer. They deliberately took a risk. 491 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: As I said to the summer, I said, this has 492 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: much lower of a floor, But yeah, there's a ceiling play, 493 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: which is like, what if Julius Randall has an All 494 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: NBA season and your defense is great and aunt and 495 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: Julius just out execute everybody. That was a possibility. That 496 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: was the upside. Hell, it's still the upside. But there 497 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: was a huge downside to this deal, which is that 498 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: you're spacing is dog sit. It makes life harder on Ant, 499 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: but hey, at least you get some cap flexibility moving forward. 500 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: The real problem is you have sixty seven million dollars 501 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: and Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert invested in two guys 502 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: that have to play big minutes because they feel big 503 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: salary slots, but they only play one side of the 504 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 1: floor and that's too much. It's a flawed way to 505 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: build a basketball team, and they have to find a 506 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: way to fix it. It's not over for the Wolves 507 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 1: this year, but their window of opportunity is incredibly slim, 508 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: and it's just kind of disappointing because you feel like 509 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: you could grow off of that Western Conference Finals run 510 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 1: last year, and all you did was tweak things and 511 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: take a gigantic step backwards. All right, quickly, before we 512 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: get out of here, I wanted to talk about Warriors 513 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 1: Sixers at least for one night, build and say Warriors 514 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: broke out of their slumt Remember I talked about how 515 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: in the Cleveland game, there's all this gloom and doom, 516 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: and it was like they were just clearly, just miserably 517 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: cold from the perimeter. They had fourteen unguarded catch and 518 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: shoot jump shots against Cleveland, they made zero. They went 519 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: eleven for twenty one against the Sixers' that's gonna help 520 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 1: a lot. Steph Curry eight for eight from three. Dennis 521 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: Schroeder was a huge part of the first quarter run. 522 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 1: He had three threes just right away, came out guns blazing. 523 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: I'm a huge Dennis Schrueder believer. A lot of Warriors 524 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: fans were annoyed with him and how he started anytime 525 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 1: he changed teams. It takes time to kind of figure 526 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: out your role and get your confidence, get your rhythm. 527 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: I think you guys are gonna love that guy. He's 528 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: a really, really good basketball player. I also thought he 529 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: just like brought some dribble penetration and made some things happen. 530 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,439 Speaker 1: As a team, the Warriors hit twenty two threes and 531 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: shot fifty six percent from behind the three point line. 532 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: And then they followed the game plan that you're supposed 533 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 1: to follow against Philly, which is like run the floor 534 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: every single damn time you can, because and beat his 535 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: slow and in general, they've got some older, slower guys. 536 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: They're not gonna run the floor. The Warriors had thirty 537 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: eight points in transition. This game was their third highest 538 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: total of the season. Their highest, I want to say, 539 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: was Portland. It was like forty something in the early 540 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: part of the season, and they had another forty something 541 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,679 Speaker 1: in a loss against the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season. 542 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: But that's their third highest transition total this year. And 543 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: they just ran Philly off the floor, controlled it throughout. 544 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: Philly never let in this game I really didn't like 545 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 1: Philly's offensive approach in this game. They didn't go to 546 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,479 Speaker 1: embid in the post at all with the starters. They 547 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: were just like kind of playing some freelance basketball and 548 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: jacking up bad shots. And then finally when Gershon Yabuseli's 549 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: checked into the game, that's when they started going to 550 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 1: embat in the post, and they were getting good stuff 551 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: every single time. Yeabucelli was setting up on the opposite 552 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: wing and he was just cutting hard and making himself 553 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 1: available in the lane and drawing extra attention, getting catches 554 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: there and finishes there. Philly post ups were really good. 555 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: But it's interesting because like Philly's offense this season, when Embiid, 556 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: Paul George, and Maxie are all on the floor together, 557 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: is only generating one hundred and seven points per one 558 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: hundred possessions. And I think there's almost a little you know, 559 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: there are certain teams that I think need to be 560 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: more of a you know, keep the ball moving side 561 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: to side, let's play five out, let's keep everybody involved, 562 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: types of teams. And then there are teams where I'm like, 563 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 1: you should spam the same damn thing every single damn 564 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 1: every single time, damn down the floor kind of teams, right, 565 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: like earlier Dallas Mavericks teams before they added all this 566 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: ball handling, Like it was made sense for them to 567 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: play that way, right, Like this Philly team, Like I 568 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: don't want Caleb Martin run in action. I don't want 569 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 1: Kelly Ubray running action. I don't even want Kyle Lowry 570 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: running action. Like what I would like for this team 571 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: to do is to steady diet of and beat pep 572 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: post ups. When Paul George and Maxie are on the floor, 573 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: I want maximba two man game. You know, when you're staggering, 574 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 1: you can mix it up. That's one thing. But like 575 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: there's way too much dicking around from this Sixers team 576 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: that doesn't play into the talent that they have, and 577 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: it just kind of feels like a wasted opportunity. But anyway, 578 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: Golden State took a big lead early on and they 579 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: just started feeding off the crowd and they got going 580 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: in transition like we talked about, and again it's a 581 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: really bad matchup for the Sixers because when they have 582 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: the Golden State, it's like a blender, not even just 583 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: in transition, but also in the half court. It's just 584 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: all these guys moving and cutting and screening, and it's 585 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: just it's just a lot to deal with. And that's 586 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: a specific thing that Philly has always struggled with, which 587 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: is just basically covering in space, whether that's transition or 588 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: in the half court. Goldenzan ends up pulling away and 589 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: winning by thirty four. Good win too. That six Ers 590 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: team had just recently gone through stretch where they had 591 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 1: won ten out of thirteen games. I thought Draymond Green 592 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: and Steph Curry were both amazing last night. Steph Curry, 593 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: of course eight for eight for three, but I also 594 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: thought he just did a brilliant job of advantage creation, 595 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: drawing that second defender up at the top of the key, 596 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: a lot of inverted action with Kaminga and Wiggins that 597 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,280 Speaker 1: he was getting good stuff out of. I thought Draymond 598 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: played a brilliant two way game. He had three blocks, 599 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: He was disruptive all night. It was a great playmaking 600 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: game from him. His transition kick add passes were a 601 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: big part of what got Golden State going in transition again. 602 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: Kick adad passes are a vitally important part of transition 603 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: basketball because it forces the defense to turn their head 604 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: So imagine, like in a transition defense situation, all the 605 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: guys that are running back, they're looking back towards the 606 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: basket they're trying to score on right, Like they're looking 607 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: up the floor right, but they're back pedaling back in 608 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: transition defense. So they're running back while looking up the 609 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: floor right. But as soon as you throw a kick 610 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: ahead pass, it forces everyone to turn around and start 611 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: looking at the basket they're defending because the ball is 612 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: now on the other side of them. That is what 613 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: opens up opportunities for the guys that are filling in 614 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: lanes behind them to find openings. And that's where you 615 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: start to get into rotation basketball in transition. And again, 616 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: like if the entire goal of playing offense is to 617 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: generate an advantage, meaning whether that's a four on three 618 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: or even just beating a guy off a dribble and 619 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: it's five on four. When you have that advantage, it's 620 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: much easier to play basketball, right, especially when you have 621 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: the spacing principles like we talked about earlier with the 622 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics. So once we're in those driving kick situations, 623 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: if you've got decent talent on the floor, that guy's 624 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 1: gonna drive, he's gonna kick, he's gonna find the next 625 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: open guy. That guy's gonna drive, he's gonna kick, he's 626 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: gonna find the next open guy in then event, you're 627 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: going to get a wide open three or something at 628 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: their end, right. But the hardest part is getting that 629 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: initial advantage, and if you get into the half court, 630 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: it's much much harder to get that initial advantage. But 631 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: if you can get that advantage just by throwing the 632 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: ball up the floor in transition, like Draymond, just as 633 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 1: soon as he gets that rebound or as soon as 634 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: he gets that outlet pass, he's immediately firing it up 635 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: to the first opening that he sees among the guys 636 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: running their lanes, because he knows that will get the 637 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: defense in rotation. Then they don't have to play crazy 638 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: half court basketball. They can just play off of that 639 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: advantage until they get something that they like. They literally 640 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: can feed into almost like a semi transition sequence attacking 641 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 1: in rotation. I thought Draymond was great on that front. 642 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 1: He also did some surgical work in the half court 643 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: as well. Just like you know, high low feeds to 644 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: guys cutting along the baseline. Things along those lines point 645 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: is Stephan Draymond. These are two guys that have been slumping, 646 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: just as the whole team has been slumping. Draymond and 647 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: Steph have had some truly ugly games over the course 648 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: of the last month. We're not going to beat around 649 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: the bush and pretend that wasn't the case. Memphis game 650 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: in particular was the bottom of the barrel, right, But 651 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: these guys still have a really high ceiling when they 652 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: are right. And I believe that what causes a basketball 653 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 1: player to reach their individual ceiling is a combination of 654 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: a bunch of factors. It's not just on the player. 655 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: The player is going to do the work behind the 656 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: scenes to take care of their body, to polish up 657 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: their skills, to try to be ready. The coaching staff 658 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: is going to do the best they can to get 659 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: them in rhythm through the way they're organized. But it 660 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: also comes down to the way that the team is 661 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 1: playing as a whole unit, meaning how well they're defending, 662 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: how well they're running up and down the floor in transition, 663 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: how well guys are capitalizing on the advantages to start 664 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: create and it all feeds on each other. Right, So, 665 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,760 Speaker 1: for instance, like if you defend and you get a stop, 666 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: and then you push the ball up in transition, and 667 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: in the transition chaos, Steph draws three defenders and throws 668 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: a kickback pass to Buddy Yield at the top of 669 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 1: the key and he knocks down at three or to 670 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 1: Kaminga cutting along the baseline and he gets a dunk. 671 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: All of a sudden, when you run back on defense, 672 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: your team feels good because they just got to stop, 673 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: so they know that works. Your offense just got a bucket. 674 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: Kaminga's feeling more confident, or Buddy Heels feeling more confident. 675 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: Whoever hits the shot. Steph is feeling good because he 676 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: just made a play for a teammate. Now everyone's sitting 677 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: back down in a defensive stance, and they're invigorated by that, 678 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: which causes them to play better defense, which causes them 679 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: to be more likely to get another stop, which causes 680 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 1: them to be more likely to get out and transition again, 681 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: which causes them to be more likely to score again. 682 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: And it's like this feeding machine, right. It's momentum in 683 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: a lot of ways. But the same thing can happen 684 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 1: in reverse. If you don't get a stop and then 685 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 1: you slowly dribble up the floor and you're in the 686 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: half court and Steph is having a little bit of 687 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: trouble breaking free off of a screening action. But let's 688 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: say he still does and you get a little four 689 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: on three and it ends in a kickout pass and 690 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:00,720 Speaker 1: the ball ends up in Andrew Wiggins's hand after you 691 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: kicked to Kaminga in the corner, makes an extra pass 692 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: to Wiggins up on the right wing, and he misses 693 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:08,800 Speaker 1: the three. Uh or like you get an offensive rebound 694 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: and it goes right to Stephanie's wide open and he 695 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: misses the three like he did against the Caps. Steph 696 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: was over four on unguarded catch and shoot threes against 697 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: the Cavs. It's discouraging. Everyone slumps their shoulders a bit. 698 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: You're unback on defense. Yeah, you're still trying because you're 699 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: a team that's an engaged professional basketball team, but there's 700 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: just not quite that oomph on the defensive end on 701 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: that possession because you're a little discouraged, which makes it 702 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: statistically more likely that they'll score, which makes it statistically 703 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,560 Speaker 1: less likely that you'll get out and transition again, which 704 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:44,320 Speaker 1: makes it statistically less likely that you'll get a good advantage, 705 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 1: which makes it statistically less likely that your role players 706 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: or your stars will be able to capitalize on that advantage. 707 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,760 Speaker 1: And it can feed on itself and it can become 708 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: this draining thing and it's like, oh, like this is 709 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,880 Speaker 1: just isn't working, And then it gets more discouraging and 710 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: more discouraging, and now guy, they're saying things in press 711 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 1: conferences and now there's Steve Kurz bitching about shot selection 712 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 1: and all like it turns into this like momentous thing. 713 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:09,720 Speaker 1: So that's why I've always been such a big believer 714 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: in like how small tweaks can lead to big results. 715 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 1: If you go get a player, let's just say Cam 716 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: Johnson for instance. If you were able to go get 717 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: Cam Johnson and he just was able to convert a 718 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 1: few more of those plays, which fights that momentum more 719 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: in the positive direction more often, then it's more likely 720 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: that you'll be the best version of yourselves when you 721 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: need to be. And we've seen that from what we 722 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 1: saw from Stephan Draymond last night. Again, that's good Eastern 723 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: Conference team that should beat I know they're out of 724 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:41,280 Speaker 1: the play in now, but we all know the reasons 725 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 1: why Philly's in the position they're in. They've been doing 726 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: a lot of winning lately. That's not to say there's 727 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: some top tier contender, but that's a decent win for 728 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: Golden State last night. The point is when Steph and 729 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: Draymond are at their best and everyone else can feed 730 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: off of that, this is still a real machine. And 731 00:35:57,160 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: like I talked about in the show yesterday, it's about 732 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: this like kind of loser, which is like, do you 733 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 1: guys want to punt? Do you want to punt and 734 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: just give up on this thing, or do you want 735 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 1: to go for it? And if you're going to go 736 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 1: for it, then go for it, no half measures you 737 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: need like that, You'll you will not have a player 738 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: as good as Steph Curry is for a very very 739 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:19,720 Speaker 1: long time. Statistically, it's very improbable in the next decade 740 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: that you'll have a player as good as Steph Curry is. 741 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: And that's why I'm such a big believer in trying 742 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 1: to make it work to the best that you're capable 743 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: of in this situation. All right, guys, that's all I 744 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: have for today is always as sincerely appreciate you guys 745 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 1: for supporting me and supporting the show. We'll be back 746 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,640 Speaker 1: tomorrow breaking down. I think Nick Thunder is the big 747 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 1: game that I want to watch tonight. That will be 748 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 1: covering in tomorrow's show. And then again, I'll keep dropping 749 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: mail back questions. We'll do that either on Sunday or Monday. 750 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:44,320 Speaker 1: I'll let you guys know, all right, see guys tomorrow 751 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:49,759 Speaker 1: the volume. What's up guys? As always, I appreciate you 752 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,760 Speaker 1: for listening to and supporting OOPS tonight. It would actually 753 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 1: be really helpful for us if you guys would take 754 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,799 Speaker 1: a second and leave a rating and a review. As always, 755 00:36:57,840 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if you could 756 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: take a minute to do that, I'd really appreciate it.