1 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the State of the Lakers on DASH Radio. 2 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: Thank you guys so much for coming to hang out 3 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: on a Wednesday. This is being recorded on a Wednesday. Anyway. 4 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm working on trying to do on off days for 5 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: the Lakers, doing a little bit more league wide stuff, 6 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: and what I'd like to do is do a little 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,639 Speaker 1: bit of deep dive stuff into Laker film as well. 8 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: So these will be shorter. There will be roughly half 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,319 Speaker 1: the length of our post game shows that we do, 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: and I'll hit on a couple of topics around the league, 11 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: and then I'll touch on something that's a deep dive 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: thing that I've been noticing when I watched the tape 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: on the Laker games, and then we'll call it a day. 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: Um Today, I'm gonna focus on the Luca Zion conversation 15 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: surrounding their weight issues and what I think it means 16 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: for them as players in the long run as well 17 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: as in the in the immediate future. Talk a little 18 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: bit about that nets Mavericks games last night, and then 19 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: our deep dive issue tonight with the Lakers is going 20 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: to center around the concept of active defense versus passive defense, 21 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: the ball pressure, making people feel uncomfortable and why I 22 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: think it's such an important part of this Laker team 23 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: getting back to where they were defensively in previous seasons. 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: But let's start with the Lucas Iron thing. So obviously 25 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: we've heard, you know, we've seen pictures, we haven't heard 26 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: much talk. We've heard, We've seen pictures of Zion Williamson 27 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: looking very big, and then we see this video of 28 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: him at Duke looking like a completely different kind of 29 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: basketball player, looking thin and wiry and super super athletic 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: as opposed to this kind of big bulldozing moderately athletic 31 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: version compared to his you know, college self that we've 32 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: seen in the league. And then obviously it's led to 33 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: these foot issues and he's had a meniscus tear already. 34 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: And then we go on with with Luca and we 35 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: see for back to back training camps, he's shown up 36 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: to training camp over two hundred and sixty pounds according 37 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: to report words, while they prefer him to be around 38 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: two or thirty pounds. So, you know, I don't really 39 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: think this means anything as it pertains to who they 40 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: are as people for starters. There's a lot of people 41 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: saying that this should just be off limits as a 42 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: topic as if it's you know, body shaming or fat 43 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: shaming or whatever you wanna call it. To me, professional athletes, 44 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: it's an entirely different circumstances. These guys are judged based 45 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: on their performance and showing up consistently out of shape 46 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: or not being able to take care of your body. 47 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: To me, that's part of being a professional athlete. That's 48 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: no different than me criticizing, you know, Dwyane Wade or 49 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: Lebron for jogging back on defense too much. I'm I'm 50 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: coming at their work ethic in a position where you 51 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: know the team needs more out of them. That's to me. 52 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: That to me is fair game in terms of in 53 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: terms of sports analysis. But I don't think it has 54 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: anything to do with who they are as competitors. We 55 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: all know Luca is a freak competitor, Zion. There's no 56 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: way he'd be as good as he is at basketball 57 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: if he didn't care, so he obviously does care. To me, 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: this is just immaturity. This is normal. When I was 59 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: in college, I was playing college basketball, and there was 60 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: a year where I probably had five hundred thirstbusters from 61 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: circle K full of coca Cola. Okay, So like literally 62 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: college athlete trying to get the most out of my 63 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: body in my early twenties, drinking fifty ounces of pure 64 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 1: sugary crap literally every single day. I just didn't know 65 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: any better. I was a kid. I didn't mean I 66 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: didn't love love the game, or that I didn't understand 67 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: or try hard on a day to day basis in 68 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: practice to try to become a better basketball player. I 69 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: just didn't know any better. I didn't know body maintenance. 70 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant famously, you know, he says that it wasn't 71 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: until he broke his foot in two thousand fifteen. I 72 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: believe it was It wasn't until he broke his foot 73 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: that he really understood how important it was for him 74 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: to cut back on drinking during the season. He said 75 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: he used to have a couple of beers every night 76 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: and that had a big impact on his diet and 77 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: how well he took care of his body. He was young, 78 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: He didn't know any better. This is all part of 79 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: that process. What concerns me with both Luca and Zion 80 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: moving forward is injuries bea is These things, Yeah, they heal, 81 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: but most of the time they leave a little bit 82 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: of residual effect. You do lose a little bit of mobility. 83 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: You know, Zion's already had a meniscus tear, he has 84 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: he has a broken foot now, or he's been rehabbing 85 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: a broken foot and the pain is lingering. These kinds 86 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: of things. When you're moving that kind of weight, it 87 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: sets up higher. It's it's higher probability that you'll suffer 88 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 1: injuries to your lower body. I remember when I was 89 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: after I was in college, my wife and I moved 90 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: to Charlotte, and I went to a wedding the weekend 91 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: before I moved, and then I immediately took a five 92 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: day trip across the country with my brother helping us move, 93 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: and we stopped and kind of bar hopped everywhere we 94 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: went along the way, including Nashville and including in Fort 95 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: Worth and a bunch of places on our way to Charlotte. 96 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: I put on like twenty pounds in like two weeks, 97 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: and then I went to go play and pick up 98 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: on one of my first days in Charlotte, and I 99 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: didn't step on anybody's foot, I didn't come down awkwardly. 100 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: I was literally just trying to stop myself on a 101 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: drive and my my ankle rolled over under my own weight. 102 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: When you're harrying extra weight, all of those fast twitch movements, 103 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: all of that deceleration, all of that landing from jumping, 104 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: the math is thrown off with your body and how 105 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: you're absorbing that shock, and you raise the risk for 106 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: serious injury. That's where I worry about. It's not Luca 107 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: a long term Luca is gonna have some phase in 108 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: his mid light twenties where he's just an absolute like 109 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: Adonis of a physical presence, and he's gonna be a 110 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: much better athlete in that regard. He's just young, he 111 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: doesn't know any better yet. I just hope he doesn't 112 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: suffer a serious injury in the meantime. Same goes with Zion. 113 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: I think we're going to see a phase of Zion's 114 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: career where he looks fantastic athletically. I just worry about 115 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: him getting seriously hurt before then. And that's where this 116 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: becomes a matter of urgency for me. If Luca is 117 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: playing with thirty extra pounds on his body, that's high 118 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 1: risk for injury. That that to me is scary. So 119 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: I hope for the sake of both of those fan 120 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: bases and for the sake of both of those players 121 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: and their law term health and security in this league. 122 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: I hope they get those weight issues figured out sooner 123 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: than later before something bad happens. As long as they 124 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: get through this and they get to the point where 125 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: they mature as athletes, I think both of them will 126 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: have long, productive athletic careers in that regard. Moving on 127 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: to that that uh NETS game in Dallas last night, 128 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 1: you know, I don't really think too much about it 129 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: in terms of the the outcome. It was somewhat predictable 130 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways, Like at the end of 131 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: the game when it was close, it was all what 132 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: can Luca generate, while on the other end, it was 133 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: what can James Harden generate? What can Kevin Durant generate? 134 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: Fatigue would inevitably play a role because there's just more 135 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: dispersion of responsibilities with Brooklyn than there is with with Dallas. 136 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: You're you're asking Luca to do so much more. But 137 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: one of the topics after the game that came out 138 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: that I thought was really interesting is this idea that 139 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,119 Speaker 1: the honeymoon phases over with Luca. You know that people 140 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: are starting to be a lot more critical of of 141 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: the way he takes care of his body like I 142 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: just talked about, or you know, his bald dominant nature 143 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: as opposed to being you know, more of like an 144 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: equal opportunity ball mover, a kind of player. There's a 145 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: criticism based on the results the team just not performing 146 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: as well as some of the other teams in the 147 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: league that have players that are considered in the same 148 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: tier as Luca. And you know, this is kind of 149 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: part of the natural process of the way we evaluate players. 150 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: We become enamored with them early on, and then after 151 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: two or three years where they under underachieved relative to 152 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: the top players in the league, we instantly turn on 153 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: them and we become hypercritical of them and borderline unfair 154 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: in our analysis of them. This is all just part 155 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: of that process. I don't like any of it because 156 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: to me, Luca and Luca kind of falls into that 157 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: same campus Trey Young to me, where it makes no 158 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: sense to truly evaluate them compared to the best players 159 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: in the league, given the fact that they're not playing 160 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: next to a legitimate, serious, very good secondary creator. Obviously, 161 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: it's something to this has been looking for a while. 162 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: Who knows if they'll be able to bring it uh 163 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: during the next few years. But how can I say, 164 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, oh, k d outplayed Luca last night, when 165 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: Kadi had James Harden to help share those responsibilities with. 166 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: How can I say the same thing about James Harden. 167 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: How can I compare Luca to Janice when Janice has 168 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: Drew Holiday and Chris Middleton to help share those responsibilities with. 169 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: How can I pare Luca, compare Luca to Lebron when 170 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: he's sharing those responsibilities with Russell Westbrook and with Anthony Davis. 171 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: I don't think it's fair to sit here in Monday 172 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: Morning Quarterback all of Luca don Cheus's results on the 173 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: floor when he's playing with the team that is doomed 174 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: to failure under the current you know, under the current 175 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: landscape of the NBA. We all know in the modern NBA, 176 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: you are not winning a championship unless you're a super 177 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: duperstar who has another at least high level star next 178 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: to them that can help generate offense. And usually that 179 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: second player has to be some kind of perimeter initiator, 180 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: unless you're the best to the best, unless you're you know, 181 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 1: Lebron like he did in That's or Steph Curry, for instance. 182 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: You need to have that super super high level star 183 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: level perimeter initiator next to you to help share those responsibilities. 184 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: Right now. For Luca, it's a whole lot of of 185 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: of Chris apps Porzingis. You know, it's not you're You're 186 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: You're not gonna get that level of of shared responsibility 187 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: with Chris aps Porzingis. He's a lot closer to Anthony Davis. 188 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: He needs to be set up in a lot of ways. 189 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: Obviously he's not anywhere near as good as Anthony Davis, 190 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: but you can't. It's unfair to say Luca's got a 191 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: co star and now he does he does. He doesn't 192 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: have a co star relative to what the other guys 193 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 1: in the league have. So yeah, I get it. We 194 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 1: were reaching a point where we're gonna be critical of Luca. 195 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 1: That's part of the process. You know. I don't love 196 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 1: every single thing he does on a basketball court. That's normal, 197 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: but a lot of this he's doing out of necessity. 198 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: I saw him take, you know, a turnaround on kind 199 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: of one legged fade away against James Johnson towards the 200 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: end of the game last night, and when he did, 201 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 1: you could tell fatigue played a role. If he could 202 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,199 Speaker 1: hand the ball off to three times in crunch time 203 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: to another high level creator, maybe he has the legs 204 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: to knock that shot down, and maybe you have a 205 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: different outcome in this game. So I'm gonna cut Luca Slack. 206 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: I don't think it's fair at all to compare him, 207 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of his play style and get 208 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: super hypercritical of him until he gets a chance to 209 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: have the same thing all the other best players in 210 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: the league have. When I'm ranking the top tier players 211 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: in the league, I've got Lebron really good secondary creator. 212 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: I've got Kevin Durant, really good secondary creator. I've got 213 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: Stephan Curry. He doesn't have that really really good secondary creator, 214 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: but he's got Clay Thompson was a heal of a 215 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: lot better. At least he's going to be a hell 216 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: of a lot better than Christaps Porzingis is. And about 217 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: Steph really quickly, you know, with Steph, when he hasn't 218 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: had Kevin Durant, the playoff ceiling has been lower than 219 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: it has been, you know, relative to others because of 220 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: the fact that he doesn't have that big, you know, 221 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: physical rim pressuring wing to take some of that responsibility 222 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: off of him. That's not an insult to Steph, It's 223 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: just the reality. All of those top tier guys look 224 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: a hell of a lot less impactful when they don't 225 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: have that guy, especially when like an injury comes in 226 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: and knocks one of those guys out. You see them struggle, 227 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: and so it's not a coincidence. I don't think that 228 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: Steff had a sixty seven win season in two thousand 229 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: fifteen and found himself kind of back against the wall 230 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: twice in that playoff run, or seventy three win season 231 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: in two thousand sixteen and back against the wall twice 232 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: in that playoff run and actually lost. That's an example 233 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: of what I'm talking about. That's, to me is a 234 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: credit to how good stuff is that he got that 235 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: close despite the fact that he didn't have that really 236 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: elite secondary creator. Again, just instammation. Let's cool it, Let's 237 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: cool the jets on the Lucas slander. He's at a 238 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: phase in his career right now that so many young 239 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: players go through. We want them to vault into that 240 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: top tier, we want them to play like those best guys, 241 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: But the reality is that he's not going to have 242 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: the same outcomes as those best guys until he has 243 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: the same tools at his disposal that those best guys have. 244 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: So moving on to the uh our Laker deep dive. 245 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: So you know, I was watching the film again this 246 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: morning and you could really really see things pick up 247 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: after that first time out. Frank takes the time out 248 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: because uh. In the first few possessions of the game, 249 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum, on a broken play with an offensive rebound, 250 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: gets a wide open three on the left wing, super 251 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: super easy look. He swishes it. To me, that's always 252 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: a dead ringer for getting a star off to a 253 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: really hot start, feeding his confidence and helping him have 254 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: a big night if his first couple looks are really 255 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: really good. Second one, same thing, late contest. I think 256 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: it was from Russ late contest on the right wing, 257 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: but it's mostly open, pretty comfortable shot. Tatum actually missed 258 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: it long but it happened to Bank. In next shot, 259 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: left corner, there is a defender on him, but the 260 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: defender is not really pressing up. Easy, little through the legs, 261 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: step back and that's a short range three in the corner. 262 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,559 Speaker 1: It's only nails it. And then lastly he's going against 263 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: Russ on the left wing, there's again soft defense. There's 264 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: he's there, but he's not really really uh, you know, 265 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: bothering Tatum nails it. Frankester called time out. There down 266 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 1: fourteen eight. Almost immediately coming out of that time out, 267 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: the ball pressure picks way up. Russ is up in 268 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatums airspace, and he immediately has a turnover. He 269 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 1: immediately has a near turnover, and then has another turnover 270 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: on the following possession with Avery Bradley applying ball pressure. 271 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:49,319 Speaker 1: Point being the Lakers switched from passive defense to start 272 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: the game to what I would call active defense, aggressive defense, 273 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: ball pressure defense. The key here, the reason why this 274 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: is so important, and the reason why the thing that 275 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: may Lakers so good, and the reason why I think 276 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: this is such an important thing to watch with the 277 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: Lakers is when you are playing active defense, when you 278 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: are applying ball pressure, you make the offensive players decision 279 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: for them. Yes, there are a handful of guys in 280 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: the league, like a Steph Curry, like a Kevin Durant 281 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: that can continue to generate jump shots against high level 282 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: ball pressure, But those guys are unicorns against the vast 283 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: majority of players in the league. When you apply good 284 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: ball pressure, they have to drive to the basket. It 285 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: takes the pull up jump shot out of the equation. Now, 286 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: you might think dribl penetration compromises the defense, and it does. 287 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: In a perfect world, you'd love to take away the 288 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: jump shot and take away the driving lane. There are 289 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: a handful of defenders in the world that can do 290 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: that against the best players in the world. But for 291 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: the most part, dribble penetration is part of what offenses 292 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: are trying to do on every possession. So defenses are 293 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: built withstand that to some extent. That's why we have 294 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: help defense principles. That's why we have rotation patterns. That's 295 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: why we talk so much about, you know, tagging rollers 296 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: and helping off the weak side corner instead of the 297 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: strong side corner. And that guy, if he gives up 298 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: a trap at the top of the key, he's got 299 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: to rotate back around to the weak side to help. 300 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: Those kinds of concepts are all about. Defense is absorbing 301 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: dribble penetration. Now, if I know dribble penetration, it's coming 302 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: from the same spot every single time. If I know 303 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: dribble penetration is being fed to the baseline instead of 304 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: to the middle. If I if I know, going into 305 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: a possession, we're applying ball pressure. This guy's get probably 306 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: gonna get beat off the dribble into some capacity. We 307 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: are now anticipating it. We are now already in our 308 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: help helps side principles and prepared to absorb that drible 309 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: penetration from there. If we rotate around, we can probably 310 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: force them into a contested three, which is and it's 311 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: probably going to be from a lesser player instead of 312 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum taking that. You pressure the ball and he 313 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: drives to the basket and does a kick out, and 314 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: you rotate around, you might be able to get a 315 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: lesser shooter, someone like Al Horford to take the shot, 316 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 1: someone like a Dennis Shrewder to take a shot, someone 317 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: like Marcus Smart to take a shot. That's why I'm 318 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 1: such a believer in that kind of uh, in that 319 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: kind of defense. It is the best way to control 320 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: the outcome. You know, especially when you get to the 321 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: highest levels of basketball, games are are dominated by the 322 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: best players on the floor, so it's so important to 323 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: try to control their rhythm. You know. The Lakers were 324 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: so good at this. This is why James Harden struggled 325 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: so much with their double teams. This is why Dame 326 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: Lillard struggled as that series progressed. This is why Yo 327 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: Gets struggled as that series progressed. This is why Lebron 328 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: had so much success on Jamal Murray as that series 329 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: progress and then into the finals as well. Jimmy Butler 330 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: had those two huge games, but outside of those two 331 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: huge games, he really struggled. You know, Kendrick Nunn was 332 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: taken completely out of that series. You know, Bam obviously 333 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: had an injury. There was a lot of other actors, 334 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: but the stars that the Lakers went against in that 335 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 1: series all played below their capabilities for the most part. 336 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: And the reason why was from the opening tip in 337 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: those games, they were made to feel uncomfortable, They were 338 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 1: rushed in their decision making, and they were forced to 339 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: do something they don't want to do. A guy like 340 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum, what does he want to do? He wants 341 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: to bring the ball up the floor slowly. He wants 342 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 1: to survey, he wants to get comfortable with his handle. 343 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: He wants to get you off balance with rhythm dribbles, 344 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: and he wants to take a pull up jump shot. 345 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: That's what he wants to do. That's what saves his legs, 346 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: that's what that's his bread and butter. That's where he 347 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: feels most comfortable. Very similar to what we were dealing 348 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: with with Paul George the other night. If you pressure 349 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: him full court or not full courtport of the minute 350 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: he crosses half court, you are now making him make 351 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 1: a decision before he wants to. He doesn't want to 352 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: beat ball, pressure at forty feet and drive into the 353 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: teeth of the defense where help is waiting, where he 354 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: has to consistently make read. He doesn't want to do that. 355 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: He knows that. He knows that doesn't feed his personal 356 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 1: you know, uh, statistical output. He know that does. He 357 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: knows that doesn't help him build a rhythm so that 358 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: he can make shots as the game progresses. If you 359 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: force him to do that, you're gonna from the opening 360 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: tip make him play the game away he doesn't want 361 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: to play, Which gives you the best possible you know, 362 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: the best. It gives you the best possibility of making 363 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: sure the opposing star plays beneath their capability rather than 364 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: two or above their capability. And so I thought that 365 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: was a big part of why the Lakers look so 366 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: good last night. I think there's a big part of 367 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 1: why Dennis Shrewder had such a rough night. You know, 368 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: I was critical of Frank after the game for chasing 369 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: Dennis Shrewder over the top of ball screens. You know. 370 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: One of the big reasons why the Lakers have had 371 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: so much or so much trouble getting Lebron and Russ 372 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: going to the basket isn't yeah, packing the paint off 373 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 1: the ball, but also just going underneath all these ball 374 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: screens you go up all When you go underneath ball screens, 375 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: it turns, you know, basket attacking guards into guys that 376 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: typically have to take jump shots. And as you've seen 377 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: throughout most of the season, you know, Lebron and Russ 378 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: have struggled shooting off the dribble. Both of them are shooting, 379 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: you know, as as good as you can expect and 380 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: catch and shoot situations. Lebron is actually doing amazing and 381 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: catch and shoot situations, but off the dribble, both of 382 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: them are struggling to shoot this year. So you go 383 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: underneath screens, you make them, You make them, you know, uh, 384 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 1: take those low percentage shots. That's kind of what I 385 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: would hope that we would do. A guy like Shredder. 386 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: But what Frank was doing is playing directly into this 387 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: concept that I'm talking about. By chasing Dennis Shredder over 388 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: the top of screens, you did something different than most 389 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: teams are doing, and you forced him to make decisions 390 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: before he wanted to do them, and you didn't allow 391 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: him to get comfortable with his dribble from the perimeter 392 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 1: so that he could build a rhythm. That to me 393 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: was part of the reason why Dennis had a bad 394 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: offensive night, and I was wrong about that. And so 395 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: credit to Frank for kind of diving into that philosophy 396 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: that I believe. So uchin active defense, you're taking control 397 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: of the result. Passive defense, you're putting the result in 398 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: the hand of a really, really good basketball player that 399 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: on a lot of nights is gonna get hot and 400 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: beat you. And then once they really get that rhythm going, 401 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: you're screwed. Because if they have the rhythm going, they're 402 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: gonna start to make the really tough ones when they're contested. 403 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: That's why that's so important. Anyway, that's all I have 404 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 1: for today. That's only twenty minutes, nice and easy. Um, 405 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: this is gonna go uh live tonight at midnight, So 406 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,959 Speaker 1: It'll be available for you guys tomorrow morning on your 407 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 1: drives to work. We will be back with our postgame 408 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: show tomorrow night against Memphis. As always, we sincerely appreciate 409 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: you guys to support and we will see you tomorrow night.