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In Tennessee redline dial 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: one eight hundred eight eight nine nine seven eight nine 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: in Tennessee, visit www one dot one eight hundred gambler 28 00:01:46,440 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: dot net in West Virginia. All right, welcome to Lakers Tonight, 29 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: presented by Fandel here at the volume. I'm Jason Tip. 30 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: Happy Sunday, everybody. I hope you all had a great weekend. 31 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: I thought this game was the home run bet of 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: the century. The Sun's very much enjoy beating the living 33 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: shit out of the Los Angeles Lakers, and for good reason. 34 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: There's an interesting backstory there. As all of you guys know, 35 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,839 Speaker 1: they had a strange playoff series last year. Started late 36 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: regular season when Lebron was still nursing that ankle injury. 37 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis went into Phoenix and demolished their entire front 38 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: line by himself, which kind of set a weird tone 39 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: for that series as they've played in the first round. 40 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: Then we have Game one where DeAndre Ayton kind of 41 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: man handles and out plays Anthony Davis a little bit, 42 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: but then orders restored over the course of the next 43 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: two games, when Lebron and Anthony Davis physically man hand 44 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: the Sons again on their home floor and then back 45 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: in Staples to take a two one series lead. And 46 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: then in Game four, Anthony Davis poles Is Groin and 47 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: the talent and physical dynamics of the series utterly shift 48 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: in the other direction and suddenly the Lakers can't handle 49 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: anything that Phoenix was doing. There was an underlying current 50 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: in that series to the Lakers were not shooting particularly well, 51 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: so obviously when Anthony Davis was out of the picture, 52 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: that became an even bigger problem. But if you guys 53 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: remember in Game three, at the end of that game 54 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: when Lebron was kind of toying with Jay Crowder a 55 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: little bit, a lot of the bench was into it. 56 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: There was obviously a little bit of like a big 57 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: brother little brother thing there that was happening between those 58 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: two teams. The Lakers were the defending champs, they had 59 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: all the momentum, they were in control of the series. 60 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: I personally think that if Anthony Davis stayed healthy, the 61 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: Lakers would have won that series. I know some people disagree. 62 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: I know some people want to point out the Chris 63 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: Paul thing, but to me, it's apples in orange is 64 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: comparing the Chris Paul need for the Sons to what 65 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis brought to the Lakers, especially with what the 66 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: Sons were getting out of Campaign at the time. Campaign 67 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: arguably was every bit as good as Chris Paul in 68 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: that playoff run. He before the ankle injury was a 69 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: devastating matchup problem because he was just getting into the 70 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: paint at will, which was causing massive problems for for 71 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: everybody that they faced. But that Chris Paul injury was 72 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: kind of taken away from the fact that the Lakers 73 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: were physically dominating that series. And one of the big 74 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 1: reasons why I think the Lakers would have won that 75 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: series is just like what happened with Milwaukee in the finals. 76 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: Even though the Sons did have a depth advantage, even 77 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: though the Sons did have a skill advantage, the Milwaukee 78 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: Bucks just pulverized them physically, and over the course of 79 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: that series it wore on them. Not just be honest, 80 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: not just what Janice was doing to the back lad 81 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: I should say, the backup front court guys like Frank 82 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: Kaminski for the Sons, but also what he was doing 83 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: DeAndre and putting him in foul trouble, but also elsewhere 84 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: in the floor, Drew Holiday was giving Chris Paul really 85 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: big problems with his physicality and his size on the 86 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor. Honestly, the bright spot of 87 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: that series was Devin Booker and what he was able 88 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: to do to create shots. But I believe that that 89 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: physical dominance that the Bucks inflicted on the Suns would 90 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: have happened similarly in that first round series with the 91 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: Lakers as things progressed, but it didn't. It won a 92 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: different way. And ever since that moment, ever since that 93 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: Game three moment when the Lakers were showboating a little bit, 94 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 1: the Sons have had a personal vendetta against the Lakers. 95 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: Every time they've played. They've played, they've thrown their best 96 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: punch and it's been too much for the Lakers to handle. 97 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: It's a kind of a thing that happens occasionally in 98 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,799 Speaker 1: NBA history. It's just usually when it when it happens 99 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: like this, when there's a talent gap, it can be 100 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: a problem. Like, for instance, after the Mavericks beat Lebron 101 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: in two thousand eleven. Even though the MAVs kind of 102 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: descended into irrelevance after that, every time Lebron played Dirk 103 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: from that point forward it was personal, and he stomped 104 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: him into the ground just about every time they played 105 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 1: after that finals. It was personal for them. That's the 106 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: way it is for the Suns. So when you get 107 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: a bad Lakers team that has severe matchup issues with 108 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: any NBA team, not just a team as talented as 109 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: the Sons, and a team like the Sons that are 110 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: so motivated to kick their ass, you're gonna get that. 111 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: And I'm not surprised that this was the outcome at all. 112 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: Like I said, I thought it was the home run 113 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: bet of the century. You know, it's funny because over 114 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: the course of the last couple of weeks, one of 115 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 1: the silver linings for me personally, with the Lakers struggling 116 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: so much is it's given me a bigger excuse to 117 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: dive into the rest of the league, and I've spent 118 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: a great deal of time trying to familiarize myself with 119 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: the same level of intimacy that I do with these Lakers, 120 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: try try to really learn what makes these teams tick. 121 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: And it is flooring how big of a gap there 122 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: is but wing the Lakers and their basic basketball fundamentals 123 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: and the rest of the league. I'm watching Mavericks Celtics today, 124 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: and they're two really different teams because the Celtics are 125 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: switching everything, but they're kind of staying and letting guys 126 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: guard one on one. The MAVs switch everything to but 127 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: they do a lot of double teaming and a lot 128 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: of rotating on the back end. But those two teams 129 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: have their defensive schemes down to a science. Every single 130 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: player on the team knows exactly where they're supposed to be, 131 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: they know exactly what's expected of them, and they do 132 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,559 Speaker 1: their jobs. And as a result, both of those teams 133 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: are trending in the right direction, looking more and more 134 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: like a team look looking more and more like teams 135 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: that could win the title. And it's so interesting to 136 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: me because if you look back to the beginning of 137 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: this Lakers season, before the injuries, before anything went south 138 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: for them from day one of preseason. You guys remember 139 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: this too. They were un serious from day one of preseason. 140 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: They looked like they were coast thing. From day one 141 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: of preseason, they looked like they were taking the easy 142 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: way out of NBA basketball, doing the bare minimum of 143 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: what was expected of them, and it manifested right away 144 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: with the Lakers losing every single game in the preseason. 145 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: Go back two years to the Lakers. They smacked the 146 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: Warriors in that first game. There's this weird intensity that 147 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: was palpable with that Lakers team. They crushed the Warriors. 148 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: And then remember the Lakers social media team tweeted out, 149 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: consider this awarning NBA and everybody slandered that all season 150 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: long until the Lakers had the trophy at the end. 151 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: But the trophy had everything to do with the tone 152 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: that they set at the beginning of the season. From 153 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: day one of training camp. There was an intensity and 154 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: a professionalism in a in a championship character that was 155 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: baked into what that team was building. That very same 156 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: thing was missing this year. And it's funny because there 157 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: are some parallels. You go back and look at the Kers. 158 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: That's with Kobe and Dwight Howard and Steve Nash and 159 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: Palkasol and those guys. If you look at that team, 160 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: same thing from the opening days of training camp, something 161 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: was missing. And what's so important about that is from 162 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: day one of training camp, that's when you established those habits. 163 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: That's when you established a work ethic. That's when you 164 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: established discipline, That's when you established expectations. You know, when 165 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: there is a list of responsibilities attached to a defensive scheme, 166 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: you don't in day one of training camp. You have 167 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: to make it established that the players on the team 168 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: are expected to check every one of those boxes. It 169 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: becomes a habit. It's just like anything else for us 170 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: in our lives as we try to form habits. They 171 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: don't happen overnight. They have to be established. And so 172 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: one of the hardest parts about this situation for the 173 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: Lakers is, like, hey, Anthony Davis is probably coming back 174 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks. Lebron is trending in the 175 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: right direction. The biggest silver lining from tonight is, like 176 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: I said, I was worried the last time Lebron had 177 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: a big scoring performance like he did against the Warriors. 178 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: His knee blew up on it. But he had another big, 179 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: dominant scoring performance the other night, and he was fine 180 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: to play tonight. I thought he looked pretty explosive tonight. 181 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: So you've got Lebron trending in the right direction, You've 182 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: got Anthony Davis maybe coming back, but it probably doesn't 183 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: matter because from day one, the work wasn't done, the 184 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: habits were not established. The basketball character of a champion 185 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: was not built with this roster. So it's fundamentally impossible 186 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: for them to go into a playoff series against the 187 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: team like the Phoenix Suns, even with Lebron and Anthony Davis, 188 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: and do the job well enough to win that series. 189 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: In fact, this is why I thought it was so 190 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: important for them to fight for that eight seed, which 191 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 1: they just punt it on and let the Clippers have. 192 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: The reason why I thought it was so important for 193 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: them to fight for that is I thought that if 194 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: they got any other team, Golden State, Denver, any of 195 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: these guys, Dallas, any of these teams, I thought, if 196 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: they got them in the first round, Lebron and a 197 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: d would be enough. Phoenix is too much for them. 198 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: This version of Phoenix is too much for this Lakers team. 199 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: At full strength. And it's unfortunate because had they got 200 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: to that eight seed and they won that first playing game, 201 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: they could have got Golden State or Memphis and more 202 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,719 Speaker 1: time to try to establish those championship habits that I'm 203 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: talking about that are so vitally important to a team 204 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: getting to the final destination of holding the trophy up. 205 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: And it's a damn shame because it's a waste. But 206 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: this is something to keep in mind for every team 207 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: that we watch moving forward. Watch the way they approached 208 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: the preseason. Watch the way that they establish habits early 209 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: in the season. The NBA regular season is long, it 210 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: could be frustrating, it could be boring at times, there 211 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: can be a lack of urgency. But the teams that 212 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: take it seriously from day one and through the entire process, 213 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 1: those are the teams have the habits necessary to get 214 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: to the final destination. Before we move on from the Lakers, 215 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk about Russ for a second because 216 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: I thought I was thinking about this yesterday talking with 217 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 1: some Laker fans on Twitter, just about where does Russ 218 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: go from here? Because every everything we've heard through the 219 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: grapevine tells us that Russ has gone under no circumstances 220 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: will he be a Los Angeles Laker next year. That 221 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: feels like like a near zero percent chance. So where 222 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: does Russ's career go from here? And you know, I 223 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: tend to be more optimistic than most. A lot of 224 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: people have said, this guy's done, he's declining too fast physically, 225 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: he's too stubborn, so on and so forth. But this 226 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: is where I think the really really ugly nature of 227 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: this season can be a positive in a weird way. 228 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: A silver lining is probably the better expression to use, 229 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: but I think in a weird way, this season could 230 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: be the season that wakes Russ's, wakes Russ up, that 231 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: humbles him. You know, it's funny. I was when I 232 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,719 Speaker 1: was after I finished playing basketball college, I signed a 233 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: professional contract with the league in India, and it was 234 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: good money. They were gonna pay me a thousand bucks 235 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: a week. But they were like, Hey, before we go over, 236 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna do this camp up in Phoenix. We're gonna 237 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: have you scrimmage with some of the players from India, 238 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: and we're gonna get the television partners out there so 239 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: that they can do like a promo video for the season. 240 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: All this stuff so they fly us up to Phoenix 241 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: and they put us up in hotels and we play 242 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: basketball for like two weeks. I up until that point 243 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: was accustomed to a certain level of work ethic, and 244 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: it worked for me. Six six put my head around 245 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 1: the rim my work ethic was enough for me to 246 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: be successful in college. I was an all conference player. 247 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: When I was playing in college, I had big scoring nights. 248 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: I I had success at that level. But this was 249 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: a different level. This was another level of talent and professionalism. 250 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: And I remember I ran into this guy. He was 251 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: an Indian American who was living in Toronto at the time, 252 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: and he utterly embarrassed me in this camp, like he 253 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 1: was better than me at every single area of the game. 254 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 1: And he was too, is just taller and more muscular. 255 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: And I remember leaving that camp when I was done. Unfortunately, 256 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: the league in India ended up folding, so I never 257 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: actually made it over there, which happens all the time 258 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: with overseas hoops, that's just the nature of the business. 259 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: But I remember taking that so I could. I couldn't 260 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: stop thinking about it for weeks. I was It was 261 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: a wake up call for me to realize that what 262 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: I was doing was not enough. What I anticipated would 263 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: be enough of a work ethic to succeed at that 264 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: level was wrong. And in the years since then, I 265 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: have adapted adopted a professional level work ethic. I had 266 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: to be utterly humiliated for me to learn what was 267 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: needed for me to succeed at that level. And it's 268 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: so interesting because that's the way I look at this 269 00:14:55,680 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook situation. This has been ugly, like talked about 270 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: for There's been death threats, there's been name calling, which 271 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: is deeply personal to the Westbrook family. There's been booing, 272 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: there's been altercations with teammates and coaches, coaches according to 273 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: reports that we've heard. Whether or not that's legitimate, we 274 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: will see. But it's been a very ugly season for us. 275 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: But this is what it takes for a prideful person 276 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: to understand that what they're doing is not enough. Russell 277 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: Westbrook is no longer close to skilled enough to be 278 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: a good NBA guard. Look at just a random, like 279 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: replacement level NBA guard, a guy like Monte Morris, the 280 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: level of skill that he has at the point guard 281 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: position is leaps and bounds ahead of where Russell Westbrook 282 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: is what Russell Westbrook has done to this point in 283 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: his career in skill development was enough because of his 284 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: athletic tools, but as he has faded on that front, 285 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: his lack of skill has become a problem. He is 286 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: the worst jump shooter in the league at volume. That's 287 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: a problem. He is absolutely no finishing moves other than 288 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: his extended right handed lay up going to the rim. 289 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: In that one dimensional finishing approach, combined with his lack 290 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: of athleticism has directly led to his rim numbers going 291 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: down the toilet. All of that is related Brussel Westbrook, 292 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: in my opinion, he's only thirty three. He's going to 293 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: have another phase of his career in my opinion, where 294 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: he is a productive starting point guard for a team 295 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: with real title aspirations. I believe that because I believe 296 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: this season was humbling enough for him to realize, Hey, 297 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: you have to adopt a level of skill development you 298 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: have never developed before. You can't finish in traffic anymore. 299 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: So you have to have a floater package, or you 300 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: have to learn to attack pay con rolls and attack 301 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: the basket more like a Chris Paul. Use your size 302 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: to your advantage, get by your first vendor and then 303 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: put him in jail and try to operate with slow 304 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: pace in the mid range. These are the kinds of 305 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 1: things that Russ has to do to adapt. He has 306 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 1: to understand that what he's been giving defensively was not enough. 307 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: He has to understand that in order for him to 308 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: maintain a spot of legitimates in this league, he has 309 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: to he has to embrace all these things. So as 310 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: ugly as this has been, I am I am optimistic 311 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: that this will be a turning point for us. This 312 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: is how ugly it has to get sometimes for people 313 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: to wake up. It's just the natural order of life 314 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: and in the cycle of of agent, that's just how 315 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: it works. And so I'm I am optimistic that Russ 316 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 1: has another day to fight in the future, and that 317 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,640 Speaker 1: it won't be too far down the way. Start your 318 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: bracket with a bang right now. Fandal Sports Book is 319 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: giving new cust Mer's a one hundred and fifty dollar 320 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: instant bonus guaranteed. That's right, You'll get one hundred and 321 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: fifty dollars in bonus site credit, and all you have 322 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: to do is place your first bet of five dollars 323 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: or more. How you bet the bracket is up to you. 324 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: You could choose from the money line, totals, prop bets, 325 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: and so much more. 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I wanted to 355 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: move on to the Brooklyn Nets so they win against 356 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: the next today. Katie scores fifty three hits what basically 357 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: is the game winner. It was just under a minute left. 358 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 1: Katie looks amazing. I said on the show the other day, 359 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: I think he's the best player in the world. We 360 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: don't need to get into that the most. There are 361 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: two interesting things about this game that I wanted to 362 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: hit on. First of all, I I don't think the 363 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: Nets can win the type with Kyrie playing part time, 364 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: And it really comes down to me about the margin 365 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: for error. I talked about this a lot with the 366 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: Lakers early in the season with Russ. You know, I'd say, like, 367 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: what worries me about Russ in late game situations is 368 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: playoff series is at the highest level. Like conference finals 369 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,679 Speaker 1: and finals, they are determined by the slightest of margins. 370 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: Think back to how things can go differently. Anthony Davis 371 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: doesn't make a game winner over Nicola Yokich in the 372 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: second round of the Bubble. The Nuggets are up two 373 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: games to one. How does that change the series? You 374 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: know they could lose. That's how thin these margins can be. Sometimes. 375 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: I don't have to lay out the half dozen times 376 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: over the course of NBA history that a team won 377 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: a title by a tiny margin. Lebron blocking, Andre Guadalar, 378 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving hitting a step back jump shot over steps. 379 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: These titles are determined by the slightest of margins, and 380 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: the slightest advantage can make the difference. I think the 381 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 1: Nets as currently constructed are the best team in the East. 382 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:43,199 Speaker 1: If they have all their guys. I I learned a 383 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: lot about them in the last week, with the way 384 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 1: that they play, how good Kadi looks, the way their 385 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: defense is modernized, and the way it can effectively stagnate people. 386 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: Kyrie is still showing defensive flashes. I love the idea 387 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: of the Ben Simmons fit. That's all great, But the 388 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets might just be just slightly better then the 389 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: Milwaukee Bucks. They might be just slightly better than the 390 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: Miami Heat or the Philadelphia seventy sixers. And if you 391 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:13,919 Speaker 1: toss them three games or four games with Kyrie not playing, 392 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: that could be a difference maker in a vacuum. Yes, 393 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Nets are the best team, but when you're 394 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: punting three games of your second best player, you are 395 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: giving away an advantage that will not be a big deal. 396 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: Maybe in an early round series, maybe not in a 397 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: playing game, but when you get to the highest levels 398 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: of NBA basketball, the teams are too close. There is 399 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: no runaway favorite this year, and you can't weather that 400 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 1: type of loss. And so, and what's nerve racking about 401 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: it is we just saw the clip getting shared around 402 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: on Twitter yesterday of the New York City mayor basically 403 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: saying like, hey, if Katie Kyrie wants to play, you 404 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: can play tomorrow. You just gotta go get vaccinated. Now, 405 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: it remains to be seene. This might not be an 406 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 1: issue if they do clear that up, but the mayor 407 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to be the mayor doesn't want to do 408 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: it for Kyrie. He wants to do it if he 409 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: wants to do it, And so there is a chance 410 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: that this still ends up happening, and if it does, 411 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: the Nets are in trouble because I don't think you 412 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,719 Speaker 1: can punt three games or your second best player against 413 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: the top tier teams in the East. Really quickly. I 414 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: wanted to to talk about the Knicks. There are six 415 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: and nineteen in the last games, their fifteenth and defense 416 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,880 Speaker 1: on the season after being fourth last year. I thought 417 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: it was really interesting how their team has pulled away 418 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: from TIBs in a similar way to the way the 419 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: Lakers did with Frank Vogel. And it's kind of one 420 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: of my long standing theories. When you have demanding coaches, 421 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: coaches that ask a lot of their players, particularly on 422 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: the defensive end of the floor, particularly physically with wear 423 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: and tear, eventually it's a burnout effect. Like, look at 424 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: Lebron and Anthony Davis. Those two guys were playing nearly 425 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: the same level of defense they did just two years ago. 426 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: Because that's what happens. You get burnt out on a 427 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: coach that is very demanding it. Some of this is personnel. 428 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: The Knicks have taken on some offensive minded personnel. That's 429 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: been part of the issue. But this was the fourth 430 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: best events in the league last year and they've fallen 431 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: off a cliff in that department and it's been the 432 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: nail and the coffin for them, And I think it 433 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: comes down to coach TIBs being very demanding. I think 434 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: with guys like that, you have to have more personnel 435 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: turnover each year to keep things fresh because it can 436 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: be difficult. Really quickly, moving on to MAVs and Celtics, 437 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 1: this was a really interesting game. You know, I think 438 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: the Celtics are a better team overall, but the MAVs 439 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: have a puncher's chance to be everybody because of the 440 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: way that Luca has the ability to to dictate outcomes 441 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 1: at the end of the game. This game was very 442 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: make or miss. If you watched it got really slogged 443 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: and slowed down at the end. It basically came down 444 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: to making and missing shots. Luca don Chech had a 445 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: step back over Robert Williams, he made it. On the 446 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: next possession, Jayson Tatum shot a fade away at the 447 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: free throw line, one that he's been making all season long, 448 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: one that I've seen him make a ton recently in 449 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,199 Speaker 1: his recent run, and he missed it. Then on the 450 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 1: other end off of a Luca double, the ball ended 451 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: up back in Spencer din what his hands, Spencer din 452 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: What he made the three. The Dallas Mavericks sent a 453 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,120 Speaker 1: bunch of double teams that Tatum late in the game. 454 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: The ball ended up in Marcus smarts hands a lot, 455 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: and Marcus Smart was missing. The basketball is a maker 456 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: miss sport that can go either way. But it was 457 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 1: a very interesting matchup. I think if the I think 458 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: if those two teams played again tomorrow, the Celtics would 459 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: absolutely have a chance to win. It's not the Dallas 460 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: is not necessarily a better team. It was a maker 461 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: miss type of outcome. This one went to Dallas. What 462 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,120 Speaker 1: I thought was really interesting was the different styles Because Boston, 463 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: as we've talked about a lot, they have so many 464 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: athletes on the floor. They are so defensively versatile that 465 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: they can double less than any team in the league. 466 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: Any switch that they give up is a good matchup 467 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: for them. If you want to attack Robert Williams, they 468 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 1: like their chances there. If you want to attack rob 469 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: Al Horford, they like their chances there. If you're a 470 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: big defender trying to post up Marcus Smart, they like 471 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: their chances there. And god knows, you don't want to 472 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: attack Jayson Tatum Jalen Brown. So they are comfortable operating 473 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: in isolation defense. But Dallas doesn't have that type of personnel. 474 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: Spencer Dinwittie and Jalen Brunson and Luca Dontage, they're all targets. 475 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: Maxine Kleiba is even a target. But what's so interesting 476 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 1: about it, though, is their defense is still dominant because 477 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: you can make up for individual matchup issues as long 478 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: as you rotate on the back end. Dallas is constantly 479 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: doubling and rotating, which is very consuming of energy. It's 480 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 1: very tiring. You have to cover a ton of ground. 481 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: The communication has to be ridiculous. There's like an instinct 482 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: level to it too, that is built up over the 483 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: course of the season. It's very difficult to do, but 484 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: if you do it right, it works, and especially in 485 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: a situation like with Dallas h Boston tonight, they have 486 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: an issue with spacing. Robert Williams can't shoot. He's a 487 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: vertical spacer, so he's not a complete useless threat under 488 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,120 Speaker 1: the basket. But there were several possessions in today's game 489 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: where half of Tatum double teams. They were swinging the 490 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: ball around, but it ended up being jump shots because 491 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: Robert Williams and his man are sitting right under the basket. 492 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: There was a play at the end where Jalen Brown 493 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,880 Speaker 1: literally got blocked by Maxine Kleeba right under the basket 494 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: because he's driving into another defender just waiting under the 495 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: basket because of Robert Williams is facing. So it's interesting 496 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: to see these teams. There is no perfect team this year. 497 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,160 Speaker 1: There is no runaway title favorite. Every team has flaws. 498 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,880 Speaker 1: Boston has an issue with shooting at the center position 499 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: and they're not a great playmaking team. Dallas is a 500 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 1: great playmaking team and a great isolation team, but they 501 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: don't have the same defensive personnel there. Every team has 502 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: holes and it's gonna be a matter of styles making 503 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: fights in matchups, dictating who wins. All Right, before we 504 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: get out of here tonight, I wanted to really quickly 505 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: talk about the Warriors. They're coming off of back to 506 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 1: back huge winds on the road in Denver and then 507 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 1: at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The big indicator to 508 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: me of this recent success is Jordan Poole. In his 509 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,120 Speaker 1: last six games, he's averaging twenty five points on sixty 510 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: from the yield, fifty seven percent from three and from 511 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: the free throw line. An all time efficient scoring run 512 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,640 Speaker 1: from Jordan pool And one of the things that's really 513 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: interesting about that is he is starting to dictate attention defensively. 514 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: That is similar to what's happening with Steph. They're running 515 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: a ton of dribble handoffs and pick and rolls with 516 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 1: Jordan Poole, and he's dragging multiple defenders with it. What 517 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: makes that so important is this Warrior's offense has consistently 518 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 1: struggled when Steph is off the floor. It's been an 519 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: issue since the beginning of this era, even when Katie 520 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: was there. They were always better with step on the floor. 521 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: But a big part of that is their role players 522 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 1: that Clay Thompson's, you know, the Jonathan Cominge is the 523 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: Andrew Wiggins. All of the guys who operate off the ball, 524 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: they're used to getting a certain type of offensive opportunity 525 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: playing with Steph, and guys like Clay Thompson and guys 526 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: like Kevin Durant just dictate a different type of defensive attention. 527 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: That's why that was always a strange kind of transition. 528 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: They would play a style with step on the floor 529 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: and then they play an entirely different style without step 530 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: and it would be part of the reason why they 531 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: had issues. Well, Jordan Pool dictates defensive attention similar to Steph, 532 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: not to the same level Steph. Obviously it's like panic 533 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: chasing everywhere. But when you've got a guy who's drawing 534 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: doubles off a dribble, handoffs and picking rolls, he's getting 535 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: similar looks for his teammates that they're getting with step 536 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: on the floor, and so as a result, it's more 537 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: of that same flow that they're getting with Steph without Steph, 538 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: which is a huge part of that. And then their 539 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: defense has finally woken up. They had a big defensive 540 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 1: lapse there for a while without Draymond. Draymond actually rejoined 541 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: the team. I think that helped to just having that 542 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: intensity and that that leadership on the sideline has kind 543 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: of woken them back up again. And then honestly, Steph 544 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: is starting to play better that he hasn't shot the 545 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 1: ball as well as he did early in the season. 546 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: I still don't think he looks the same as the 547 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 1: guy that was very clearly one of the top two 548 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: or three players in the league last season, but he's 549 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 1: not as bad as he was in January. That's a 550 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: big part of why they're starting to play better as well. 551 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna dig more into their film. I want to 552 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: look at their their game against Milwaukee because that was 553 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: an incredibly dominant performance. I'll get a video out about 554 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 1: that tomorrow for you guys. But I'm really really excited. 555 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: I don't think I still don't think the Warriors are 556 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: in that top tier of contender because I still think 557 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: they're gonna struggle creating shots against the best defenses to 558 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: the same extent that some of these top tier contenders can. 559 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 1: So I'm not I'm still not as high on the 560 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: Warriors as Warrior fans are. But they're trending in the 561 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: right direction, all right, guys. That is all I have 562 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: for tonight. I appreciate your support. As always, Lakers are 563 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: playing back to back, so they're playing again tomorrow. We 564 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: will be here right after the final buzzer. I appreciate 565 00:30:46,640 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: your support and we'll see you tomorrow. The volume