1 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: Welcome to the State of the Lakers, presented by DASH Radio. 2 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: Thank you guys for coming to hang out on a 3 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: Wednesday game night. Tonight, Roger and I hope will be 4 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: covering the game of the postgame show as is usually 5 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: the case. Today, we're doing part two of our top 6 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: five Contenders list, and I also want to talk a 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: little bit about the Lakers and Warriors and about some 8 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: of the identity shifts that they've undergone over the last 9 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: couple of days. But we will get to the top 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: of our list as well. Thank you guys for hanging out. 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and get started. Alright. So, one of 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: my kind of favorite weird phenomena that I've noticed in 13 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: the league over the last half decade has been the 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: weird parallels and similarities between the Lakers and the Warriors, 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: or more Lebron and staff. And they're incredibly different style 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: of play, but the fact that they are so similar 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: to each other in a lot of ways, which is 18 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: exactly why they've been the two best players to play 19 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: the game of basketball during this era in my opinion. 20 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: And that weird phenomena extends to the Lakers and Warriors, 21 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: because you know, the Warriors underwent a strange identity change 22 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: last year. You know, even above and beyond the obvious 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: departure of Kevin Durant and the injury to Clay Thompson, 24 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: the team is built around Steph Curry and what he 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: brings to the table with his nuclear shooting and the 26 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: attention that defenses have to pay to him off the ball. 27 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: And a secret little reality to the reason why they 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: were so successful in the initial run from two thousand 29 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: fifteen to two thousand nineteen has a lot to do 30 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: with the types of role players that they put around Steph. 31 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: We talked a lot about this a couple of pods ago. 32 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: The reality is is, while Lebron needs guys that are 33 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: really good off the ball, right, guys who can cut 34 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: really well, guys who can shoot really well, guys who 35 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: can defend really well. You know, Steph kind of needs 36 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: guys that can do stuff with the basketball. It's very 37 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: important to have guys around Steph who can make quick 38 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: reads with the basketball in their hands. Why because the 39 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: attention that he derives from the defense pulls defenders away 40 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: from the basket. So it's actually a lot more important 41 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: to have guys who can execute a really quick four 42 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: on three and get a wide open layup or shot 43 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: than it is for with Lebron, where all the attention 44 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: is brought to the basket, where he needs guys that 45 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: can just knock down shots or attack a close out. 46 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: Those are the It's a different type of deal with 47 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: Lebron than it is for Steph, and the Warriors got 48 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: away from that last year because what you really need 49 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: with that type of attention that Steph draws are smart 50 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: basketball players, Guys who are maybe not the most athletic anymore, 51 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: who maybe aren't even necessarily the best shooters, but guys 52 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: that can make really good reads putting the ball on 53 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: the floor. And a perfect example of this kind of 54 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: shift is going from Kelly Ubre to Otto Porter Jr. 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: Outo Porter Jr. Is not as talented as Kelly Ubre. 56 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: Kelly Ubre is a freak athletic talent at the forward 57 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: position in the league. But with the Warriors, with what 58 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: Steph needed from that position, there was a massive diminishing 59 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: return with his skill set, whereas you see these guys 60 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: like be Elitza and Iguadala and Outo Porter thriving alongside 61 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: Steph and unlocking a whole other element to this team 62 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: because they are smart basketball players. That's that that thrive 63 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: in that four on three type of environment that I'm describing. 64 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: That's why last year, with Steph and Draymond playing unbelievable, 65 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: they were a mediocre team. And this year, with Steph 66 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: and Draymond playing unbelievable, Steps actually down a little bit 67 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: this year than he was last year, and the team 68 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: has been way better. It's been because the Warriors were 69 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: able to identify that they made a strategic shift that 70 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: was not smart. They went away from what was working 71 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: for them, and they had to get back on that track. 72 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: And as soon as they did, because Steph is still 73 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: Steff and because Draymond is still Draymond boom immediate success, 74 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: and the Lakers have to learn that same lesson because 75 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: they got away from what made them then in what 76 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: made the Lakers great was Lebron and a d being unbelievable, 77 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: just like Stephan Draymond, but just having smart role players 78 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,559 Speaker 1: that like to do the dirty work around them. Guys 79 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: like Danny Green, guys like Alex Cruzo, guys like Kyle Kuzma, 80 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 1: guys like Can Tavia's Cobo Pope. That worked and the 81 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: Lakers got away from that. They traded away a bunch 82 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: of those guys went all in on Star Powder, which, 83 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: like I talked about yesterday's pod, the problem with going 84 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: all in on Russ is the whole reason why you 85 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: cash in role players in depth for a star is 86 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: in hopes that he will help you against the top 87 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: tier teams. You're betting on the upside of having that 88 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 1: extra star. But as we've seen this season, has been 89 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: clearly demonstrated that Russ actually struggles against the really good 90 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: defenses because there's so much better at exposing his limitations. 91 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: That has been a problem throughout the season. It's been 92 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: a problem for several seasons leading into this, which begs 93 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: the question is to why they made that change to 94 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: begin with. However, this is the situation we're in right now. 95 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: Lebron is still very much Lebron, just like step was 96 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: still Steff. So what are the Lakers gonna do. Are 97 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: they going to understand and learn from their mistake the 98 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: way the Warriors did last year and go back all 99 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: in on finding guys that fit with that core of 100 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: Lebron and a D or are they going to go 101 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: down with the ship. And that's gonna be an interesting 102 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: conundrum because I think Lebron's got another year left. So 103 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: even if it's not with Russ this season, maybe it's 104 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: this coming off season. But I'll be curious to see 105 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: if the Lakers have that same type of ideology that 106 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: the Warriors had. Hey, we messed up here, we went 107 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: away from what we were good at. Let's go back 108 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: in that direction, counting our stars to carry us and 109 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: see if that will carry us to the finish line. 110 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: It's very interesting to me the way these two teams 111 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 1: have kind of delayed reaction here gone through a similar 112 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: circumstance of having to learn that lesson, and so I'm 113 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: interested to see if the Lakers are going to learn it. Alright, 114 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: so let's get back to our contenders list. For those 115 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: of you guys who missed yesterday's pod and you need 116 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: to check it out. We had Phoenix set number five 117 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: better than the rest because they have such amazing depth 118 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: of talent. They have that defensive ceiling, and their top 119 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: two guys are better, in my opinion, than some of 120 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: the top two guys on the teams beneath them, the 121 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: teams like Utah, the teams like Memphis. That time that 122 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: tier of team I think is beneath them, um, but 123 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: they were clearly beneath the other four teams ahead of them. 124 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 1: The there are two teams that we mentioned yesterday were 125 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: Mi Milwaukee at number four. We just saw Janice is 126 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: just too good for guys like Booker and Chris Paul 127 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: to keep up with. And then I had the Lakers 128 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: at number three, same exact issue, and we saw that 129 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: in the first round last year. A limited version of 130 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: lebron in, a limited version of Anthony Davis with no continuity, 131 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: just because the two of them are so freaking good 132 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: in a playoff setting. They were up to one on 133 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: the Suns and having a lot of success in that 134 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: first half of Game four before Anthony Davis got hurt. 135 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: That was just a reality. So that's why I had 136 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: Phoenix at five, Milwaukee at four, in the Lakers at three. 137 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: But the number two team on my list is the 138 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets. They are twelve in offense to this point, 139 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: tenth and defense, and ninth in NET rating. They've had 140 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: kind of like a weird, defensively focused season and it's 141 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: been by necessity because of the Kyrie Irving situation and 142 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: him being out and James Harden came into season way 143 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: out of shape and really struggling with some of the 144 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: officiating changes. He struggled to start this season, and so 145 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: it became a situation and where they had to play 146 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: more defensive minded players and Kevin Durant and this is 147 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: his m v P case. Kevin Durant has just played 148 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: unbelievable two way basketball to carry this team to being 149 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: where they're at at this point in the season. That's 150 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: where that that is Katie's m v P case, and 151 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: he deserves a ton of credit for what I've said 152 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: this on the pod before. Kevin Durant had a lot 153 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: of reasons to kind of do to just kind of 154 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: chill and and be the middle of the pack team 155 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: and make a run for the playoffs later on with 156 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: all of the stuff that was going on in all 157 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: of the distractions, and instead he just decided to play 158 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: some of the best basketball of his career and to 159 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: carry the team to where they're at in the standings. 160 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: They've got a lot of guys coming back. You know, 161 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: Kyrie is back for road games now. I anticipate that 162 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: ke Kyrie is going to be around the team and 163 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: have so much fun and buy back in emotionally and 164 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: mentally to this team. I think he's gonna end upeting vaccinated, 165 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: So I think you're gonna see Kyrie Irving eventually come 166 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: back in a hundred percent capacity. James Harden is started 167 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: to look healthy and starting to look more like himself, 168 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: and Joe Harris will eventually be coming back. The only 169 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: real downside to Brooklyn, the big reason why they could 170 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: get beat by any of the other teams in this 171 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: list is their lack of a defensive ceiling. You know, 172 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: it's one thing in the dregs of the regular season, 173 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 1: with your scheme and with you know, one player like 174 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant playing really really well to get enough stops. 175 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: But there's a difference between that and what your team 176 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: can actually hit as a defensive ceiling in a playoff setting. 177 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: This big thing I talked about with Anthony Davis and 178 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: the Lakers last year. The Lakers were getting a lot 179 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: of stops without Anthony Davis and Lebron credits to Frank Vogel. 180 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: But doing that in the regular season is different than 181 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: doing it at the highest level. What Anthony Davis did 182 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: in Game six against Miami in the finals, that's just 183 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: a ceiling defensively that a lot of teams can't reach. 184 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: Right well, when we're looking at that list, Phoenix can 185 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 1: reach that ceiling with Aton and with with mchaial bridges 186 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: and with what Chris Paul does at the point of attack. 187 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: They can reach that ceiling defensively. The Bucks shure as 188 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: hell can with Drew Holiday and Jana Santana Koompo. I 189 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: know the Lakers can with Lebron and Anthony Davis, and 190 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 1: I know the Warriors can. They're the best defense in 191 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: the league by a country mile. This year. Can Brooklyn 192 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: reach that defensive ceiling, I don't know. That's gonna be 193 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: their big question mark. However, they have another angle up 194 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: on the rest of the league. Their offensive talent is 195 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: unmatched in the entire league. We've seen that in last 196 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: season when the three of them were healthy and they're 197 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: switching tack. They're they're switching attack. Their modern approach to basketball, 198 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: in conjunction with their offensive talent, presents a devastating playoff 199 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: weapon because they're gonna switch every screen and turn you 200 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: into an isolation team. And they are an isolation team, 201 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: and so you are probably gonna switch a lot as well. 202 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: So it's gonna turn into an isolation contest, and your 203 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: isolation contest is going to be trying to outscore and 204 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: outperform Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden in that setting. 205 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 1: And what we've seen over the course of last year 206 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: in the playoffs before the injuries, and over the course 207 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,719 Speaker 1: of last year in the regular season, and you've seen 208 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: a little bit this year, and you're gonna see it 209 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: more now that they're getting their guys back. What they 210 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: do is they put the ball in the basket, and 211 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: when they do, they run back and they set their defense. 212 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 1: And when they set their defense, it's hard to score 213 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: in them too, even without their high ceiling, And so 214 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: it becomes this kind of like compounding effect that you're 215 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: you're living in the half court against them, trying to 216 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: out execute just three unbelievable offensive basketball players. It worked 217 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: last year and it very well could work again this year. 218 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,839 Speaker 1: That would make that's what makes them so dangerous. They 219 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: would have beat the Bucks, probably swept them if it 220 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: wasn't for the injuries. I genuinely believe that. So that 221 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,199 Speaker 1: that raises the question, can any of these four teams 222 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 1: beat them? And I don't know, and that's why I 223 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: have them as the second best team, their second most 224 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: likely team to win the championship because of the wild 225 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: card of their offensive attack and the fact that none 226 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: of these teams can match them that it's hard to 227 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: quantify styles make fights. A big part of it is 228 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: if Brooklyn gets into a battle with one of these 229 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: five teams, will they control things and turn the game 230 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: into their style or will they devolve into your style, 231 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: in which case I think you can beat them. But 232 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: that wild card is something that makes them very dangerous. 233 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: And like I said, I think they're the second most 234 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: likely team to win the championship. All right, we have 235 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 1: made it to number one on the list and you 236 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: probably have guessed it by now. It is the Golden 237 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: State Warriors. I think the Warriors are the team that 238 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: is most likely to win the championship this season. They 239 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: are eleventh in offense, first in defense, first and net rating. 240 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: Think about how crazy that is to be eleventh in 241 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,119 Speaker 1: offense and to be first in net rating. How dominant 242 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: you would have to be defensively to cover for that 243 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: type of gap. And I'm not worried about the offense 244 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: at all. Steph Curry's the best offensive player of this generation. 245 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: He you know, with Clay coming back, that's the influx 246 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: of offensive talent to take some attention off of Steph 247 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: to let him get go. And he hasn't shot the 248 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: ball overly well this year. Clay and Steff are going 249 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: to feed off of each other so well there. In 250 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 1: my opinion, they're a better version, more talented version than 251 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: the two thousand sixteen Warriors. I think Steph is better 252 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: now than he was in two thousand sixteen. I know 253 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: some Warriors fans think I'm crazy, That's what I truly believe. 254 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson with the injury, it's a little weird. I 255 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: don't think he'll be as good as he was in 256 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen when he was incredible, especially in the postseason. 257 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: But he is better than two thousands sixteen Clay Thompson. 258 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 1: Two thousand and sixteen Clay Thompson was far more prone 259 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: to cold spells, struggle a lot in in in in 260 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: playoff moments, you know, outside of obviously a handful of 261 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: really big games. Um, but Clay I think is better 262 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: than the two thousand sixteen version of himself. Andrew Wiggins 263 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: is a better two way player than Harrison Barnes was. 264 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: They have a ton of depth on the wing. They've 265 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: done a good job replacing, you know, some of the 266 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: depth that they had in that two thousand sixteen season 267 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 1: with veteran minimums, bringing back Andreago Dolla, Guys like out 268 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: of Porter Jr. Jordan Pool is a much better offense 269 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: weapon coming off the bench than really anybody they've had 270 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,719 Speaker 1: in this era. I think they're better than the two 271 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: thousand sixteen Warriors. This is a very good team now. 272 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: The whole league is a lot better now, so they're 273 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: not going to run away with it in my opinion. Also, 274 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: the two thousand sixteen Warriors benefited a lot from their 275 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: unique style of play and teams not knowing how to 276 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: guard them. There's a much more proven defensive method against 277 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: the Warriors now than what existed back then. That's why 278 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: they're not as dominant. That it's not easy to rip 279 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: off seventy three wins in the NBA. A lot of 280 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: that had to do with them catching the league off 281 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: guard with their style. But in terms of the overall 282 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: package of the team, in the total talent level and 283 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: what they're capable of, I think this team is better 284 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: than the two thousand sixteen Warriors. They are very very 285 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: dangerous team. Like I talked about earlier, they went they 286 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: went through an identity change, a really strange moment there 287 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: where they were leaning on, you know, guys who were 288 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: low i Q basketball players, guys like Kelly you Brad Jr. 289 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: Who struggled to capitalize on the attention that Steph Curry 290 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: was drawing. They fix that problem. They've brought in a 291 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: bunch of really smart guys now and they are humming 292 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: on all cylinders. They have one weakness, but every team 293 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: on the list that I mentioned has a weakness. Brooklyn 294 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: has a weakness, The Lakers have a weakness, The Bucks 295 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: have a weakness, the Suns have a weakness. They all 296 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: have weaknesses. The Lakers, the Warriors have a weakness as well. 297 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: Their weaknesses. They don't have that big, physical, rim pressuring 298 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: wing that the guy like Janice, the guy like Lebron. 299 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: They don't have that guy on the roster. And in 300 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: a playoff setting, that puts you in a situation where 301 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: you're somewhat at the mercy of makes and mrs um. 302 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: But that weakness is a lesser weakness in my opinion 303 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: than any of the other weaknesses that some of these 304 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: other teams have around the league. And that's why I 305 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: think they're the most likely team to win the championship 306 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: this year. Obviously, a lot can change, you know, teams 307 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: can make trades, uh, teams can start to play better. Obviously, 308 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: if they get into a matchup with Brooklyn and Brooklyn 309 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: really controls the tempo, in the in the in the 310 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: the of the flow of the game, then Brooklyn can 311 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: beat them. Any of these teams can beat any of 312 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: these teams. I wouldn't be shocked if Phoenix beat Golden State, 313 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: or if Brooklyn beat Golden State, or if the Lakers 314 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: beat anybody. I wouldn't be shocked by any of that. 315 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: I just think the Warriors, as of right now, are 316 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: the team most likely to win the championship this year. 317 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: All right, that's all I have for today. We will 318 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: be back for a postgame show tonight. I'm hoping to 319 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: be there. We will find out. Um depends on how 320 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: the day progresses up in Colorado. But I sincerely appreciate 321 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: you guys support most see you for the postgame show tonight.