1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: The volume. Welcome to the Best of Hoops Tonight, featuring 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: my top takes from recent shows. Let's move on to 3 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: Zachary Resache. So he drops his career high thirty six 4 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: in a dominant victory over the Bucks. So the third 5 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: game this year he scored over thirty points. Zach's played 6 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: twenty seven consecutive games. In those games, he's averaging fifteen 7 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: point two points per game. He's shooting fifty two percent 8 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 1: from the field forty three percent from three on over 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: five attempts per game. He's showcasing a little bit more 10 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: of a quick release against the Bucks. Hit a couple 11 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: of no dip jumpers. Those are where the ball is 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: already is caught in the pocket and you flow immediately 13 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: into the shot instead of having to catch somewhere else 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: and then dip down into your release and like kind 15 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: of restart your chain of energy from the floor up 16 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: to the top of the shot. He's showing a lot 17 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: of really high level scoring. I want to talk about 18 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: this concept for a minute because I think it's a 19 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: really important part of team building moving forward in the NBA. 20 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 1: Scoring is the ultimate compliment to playmaking. I've been thinking 21 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: a lot about this concept this season. When you have 22 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: elite playmaking on your team, guys like Trey Young, guys 23 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: like Lebron, Luca and Nicola Jokic, these really really high 24 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: level passers, you need elite play finishing to pay those 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: sequences off. Whether it's a vertical spacer like Aaron Gordon 26 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: alongside Jokic, or Derek Lively alongside Luca, Jackson Hayes alongside Luca, 27 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: or a deadly spot up guy someone like Kyle Korver 28 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: back with Lebron when he was with the Cavs, or 29 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: Malik Beasley playing with Kad Cunningham. Guys that can pay 30 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: off these sequences from your playmakers. But one of the 31 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 1: manifestations of that type of player that I've been talking 32 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: a lot about this year and referring to it as 33 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: the weak side scoring forward. This is why I went 34 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: into detail about the strong side corner help thing that 35 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier. This same concept is built into 36 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: pick and roll coverages too. There's a reason why they 37 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: don't offer low man help out of the strong side corner. 38 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: They offer low man help out of the weak side corner. 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: Why do they do that so that for the same 40 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: reason on an ISO drive. If a guy's getting downhill 41 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: in a ball screen, the opening for him as a 42 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: playmaker is across the court and across his body. That's 43 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: the goal. You want to make it across the court 44 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: and across the body, across as many help defenders as 45 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: possible to make that past difficult, right, But that is 46 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: ultimately the opening, and all of the best playmakers in 47 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: the league consistently capitalize on those openings. We've talked about 48 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: this concept a ton making reads in pick and roll. 49 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: What are my reads? Big man steps up, I'm making 50 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: a read based on the roll man or the weak 51 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: side corner, based on what the lowman does. If the 52 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: one man steps over, I'm skipping it. If the one 53 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: man stays home, excuse me, I'm throwing the lot. If 54 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: the big man drops back and the guard is chasing, 55 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: my read is to shoot in the mid range. My 56 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: read is to get as close to the basket for 57 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: as high percentage of a shot as possible. Those are 58 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: the pick and roll reads. And so when these teams, 59 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: the majority of teams are bringing their big up to 60 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: the level and bringing the low man over, that skip 61 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: pass is open, and those skip passes are going to 62 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: be made especially by Trey Young. In these sorts of situations, 63 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: there's a bunch of different ways that you can look 64 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: to score right. It's not just hitting spot up threes. 65 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,839 Speaker 1: It's running your lane in transition as an athlete, it's 66 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: driving closeouts. It's oh, they switched a screen or we 67 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: ran in transition and got a cross match, and now 68 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: there's a guard on this forward. You need that forward 69 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: to do a lot more of this high level scoring. 70 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: These are professional scorers, but primarily in an off ball context. 71 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: Examples are like Michael Porter, Junior ogn Andobi Ruey Hachimura, 72 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hunter, Lori Markenen is kind of a high end 73 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: version of that for the Jazz Denny Avdya, even though 74 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: he's been doing more on ball stuff as of late, 75 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: Kyle Kuzma, PJ Washington, this is becoming an extremely important 76 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: archetype in the NBA. Zacharyrissaschet has been doing some of 77 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: the best week side scoring work you'll see out of 78 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: a rookie forward starts in transition. I was watching the 79 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: Rockets Hawks game from about a week ago. You'll find 80 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: him on my Twitter feed. I shared some clips, but 81 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: Zachary Rissache was amazing in transition in that game, just 82 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: literally out running everybody up the floor, didn't matter if 83 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: the rebound was captured and he was on the baseline. 84 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: He was sprinting, and it was so visually jarring that 85 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: I clipped these examples and I put them on my 86 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: Twitter feed for you guys to see. Watch these three clips. 87 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: Watch the way Zachary Risasche runs. Watch when he gets 88 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: his head of steam, how it literally looks like he's 89 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: moving a different speed than everyone else on the floor. 90 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: Is a gazelle. It's crazy. And he'll get two or 91 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 1: three wide open attempts at the rim every game just 92 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: by running the floor. And that pairs perfectly with Trey Young, 93 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: who's one of the best hit a head passers in 94 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: the league. I had to coach my last year in 95 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: college at Arizona Christian University. Shout out to Jeff Rudder. 96 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: They just won their conference tournament on a buzzer beater, 97 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: crazy buzzer beater, and then they made it to the 98 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: final four before losing in the NAIA tournament. But he 99 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: used to say to all of us that you can 100 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: manufacture twelve points a game just by getting a transition layup, 101 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: running the floor, crashing the offensive glass and getting to 102 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: the foul line once per half. It's such a simple 103 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: way to produce in a basketball game. And even if 104 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: you take the foul line part out, because obviously there's 105 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,239 Speaker 1: some out of your control stuff there with the whistle, 106 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: if you just crash the offensive glass and you just 107 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: run your lane in transition and you get one bucket 108 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: a half each, that's eight points right there. You're one 109 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: bucket away from double figures. It is such a simil 110 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: way to produce in a basketball game. Run every time, 111 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: crash every time. And he presents such a massive passing 112 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: target for Trey because he's so athletic, so rangy and long. 113 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: He caught a behind the back lob from Trey in 114 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: the Bucks game where he dunked it behind his head 115 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: because it's just a massive passing target. Then in the 116 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: half court, as we talked about, when they load up 117 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: the strong side in those skips, it's just like king 118 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: of the court. When you're playing with your buddies on 119 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,919 Speaker 1: short closeouts, you need to knock down threes. He's starting 120 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: to do that at a really high level. In this 121 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: twenty seven game span, he's at forty three percent on 122 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: over five attempts per game. Now, what's gonna start happening. 123 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: If he can maintain that level of shooting for a 124 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: substantial amount of time, he's gonna start getting chased off 125 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: the line. And that's where I think he has a 126 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: ton of potential as a score. He has downhill burst 127 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: attacking closeouts. He had a dunk against Shangoon in the 128 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: Rockets game where he drove a close out off the 129 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: left wing and hammered it with his left hand on 130 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: Shangon's face, a wildly athletic play. He has good footwork 131 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: on like spins in Euros. He had a bucket against 132 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: the Nets. Driving a close out against Nick Claxton in 133 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: the left corner. He jabbed, got back to it deep 134 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: in the corner with a hesitation dribble, cross back over, 135 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: got into the lane, pump, faked, pivoted over his right 136 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: shoulder on his step through for a left handed finish. 137 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: That's a really high level scoring move. He had one 138 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: on Harden off the left wing, jabbed left, drove right, 139 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: snatched back to the left, drove high gather through zubach 140 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: and finished at the basket. These are really high level 141 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: scoring moves attacking with an advantage in those king of 142 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,119 Speaker 1: the court situations. He had a left to right euro 143 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: against Zubatch a couple of weeks ago where he drove 144 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: out of the corner. Like left to right euro is 145 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: one of the most complex footwork pieces you'll see for 146 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: a right handed player. Most guys don't know how to 147 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: do it, and he still has a ton of growth 148 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: in front of him. Shooting hot for a couple of 149 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: months is not the same as being an elite shooter. 150 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: We've all seen it. This guy's shooting forty three percent 151 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: from three over his last whatever. Games. You gotta do 152 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: it for a long stretch of time before teams game 153 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: plan for you in that way. That that will take 154 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: a few years, probably, but that will be what truly 155 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: unlocks his off the dribble game, because I don't think 156 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: like as good as he is in the open court 157 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: as an athlete, he's his start stop quickness isn't quite 158 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: as impressive as his athleticism in the open court, which 159 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: is going to make it so it's a little harder 160 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: for him to beat people off the dribble unless his 161 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: jumper comes around, which again will take some time, but 162 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: that's part of his development. He still needs a lot 163 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: of improvement on the defensive end too. His athleticism has 164 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: not translated yet as like a really high level off 165 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: ball defender. He's often a bit behind the play on 166 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: his help rotations, which prevents him from having an impact. 167 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: That's about processing speed. That's about learning, like learning the 168 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: actions so well that you know what's going to happen 169 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: as it's developing, so that you can be there a 170 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: step earlier. And again, as we talked about, his start 171 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: stop quickness isn't as good. That's why that processing speed 172 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: is going to be so important for him because he's 173 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: gonna need to be there sooner in terms of the 174 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: way he's reading these plays. But the bottom line is 175 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: he's a rookie that projects to be one of the 176 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: best people at his particular job in the NBA, which 177 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: is being that weak side scoring forward, which is very 178 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: exciting for Hawks fans. I think it might officially be 179 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: over for the Suns. They got absolutely smacked by the 180 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: Rockets last night. Shannguon was cooking all their bigs again. 181 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: Jalen Green poured in another thirty three points email Udoka 182 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: in the second quarter brought out that zone defense that 183 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: he's been using a bunch for the last month or so, 184 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: and they immediately sparked a massive run in that second 185 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: quarter and they never looked back. It was a complete 186 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: and total physical domination by Houston. They out rebounded them 187 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: by six, They forced nineteen turnovers, They scored thirty four 188 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: points off of those turnovers. They won the fast break 189 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: points battle thirty two to eight. Houston scored forty points 190 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: in transition int in this game. But I want to 191 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: focus on Phoenix here for a second, because we're gonna 192 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: hit Houston in tonight's show as they play the Lakers again. 193 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: We're going live on YouTube tonight after the T and 194 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: T slate. What did I say about Phoenix a month ago? 195 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: I said they struck me as the stereotypical, older veteran 196 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: team that knows deep down that they don't really have 197 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: a chance to win anything this year. And the way 198 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: that that's gonna manifest is in these short week or 199 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: two long bursts where they compete and they look they 200 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: look decent, they defend their rebound, they do their jobs, 201 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: but that they inevitably let go of the rope because 202 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: they can't sustain it, because they don't believe and that's 203 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 1: exactly what just happened. They won five out of six, 204 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 1: some quality wins versus the Calves and the Bucks. They 205 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: were defending in rebounding top ten and both. They think 206 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: they might have been top five in both over that span. 207 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: But the NBA schedule does not let up. Boston came 208 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: to town without Tatum and kicked their ass. Then it 209 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: was Minnesota and it was Houston, a couple of these big, 210 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: strong athletic teams that were going to truly test Phoenix's 211 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: commitment to the work, and instead of hanging onto the rope, 212 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: they just completely let go of it. One thirty seven 213 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 1: point four defensive rating in the last three games, they 214 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: gave up an offensive rebound on thirty five percent of 215 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: opponents misses. That's damagingly bad. And now KD has an 216 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: ankle sprain, Anthony Davis is back, and the MAVs are 217 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: climbing in the standings. We talked before the year that 218 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: there was going to be a team that had dead 219 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: serious championship aspirations but that would miss the playoffs entirely, 220 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: and no matter who that would be, it would be 221 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: a catastrophe. And it looks like it's going to be 222 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: the Suns. I keep watching them and thinking that it's 223 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: not a Kevin Durant and Devin Booker problem. But at 224 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: the same time, I do think it's worth mentioning that 225 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: neither of those two guys can really leverage their physical 226 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: galths on the game. Katie has length and he has 227 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: mobility that helps him on defense, but he carries a 228 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: massive offensive load, so he can't devote too many resources 229 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: to that end, and he's not very strong. He can 230 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: be pushed around, which is very very dangerous quality for 231 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: a front court player. Defensively on the glass duck ins 232 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: things along those lines. It's tough to do that job. 233 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: Outside of like rangey rotating and rim contests. There's just 234 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: a limitation when you can't win the ground battle. And again, 235 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: it's just one of those things where you watch these 236 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: other teams. It's like watching Houston Jalen Green can leverage 237 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,239 Speaker 1: his athleticism to get to spots. Shane goun Is bullying 238 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: these dudes when you watch these teams that have these players, 239 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: where it's like, I can inflict myself physically on the 240 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: game to assist my team in these key areas that 241 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: they need help. Booker and KD are not necessarily as capable. 242 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: This is why I still believe it's worth exploring the 243 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: idea of keeping those two. They still give you such 244 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: a high offensive floor in terms of shot quality. I 245 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: would still just look to find every discount bruiser I 246 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: can find at every position group and try to breed 247 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: that culture around them, because regardless of what direction you 248 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: go this summer, even if you do choose to get 249 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: rid of Kevin Durant or Devin Booker or both, you 250 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: still need an organizational identity. I talked about this concept 251 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: after the Celtics win against the Suns last week. I 252 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: talked about it with Colin Coward last night on his show. 253 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: You need an organizational identity that is separate from your stars. 254 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,319 Speaker 1: And so regardless of what direction you go, you need 255 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: to begin the process of establishing that new owner, new coach. 256 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: You need to start establishing a basketball culture. This season 257 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: was a massive step back, and so that's the thing. 258 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 1: Unless you think there's some magical trade that's going to 259 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,319 Speaker 1: just solve all your problems, which I don't think there is, 260 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: you need to begin the process of changing that culture anyway. 261 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: And so from that standpoint, if you tweak things enough 262 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: around those two. That's where Kevin Durant, Devin Booker's upside 263 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: can actually start to lift you to where you want 264 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: to go. But this is a team that is completely 265 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: let go of the rope, and I think I would 266 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: be stunned at this point if we got to see 267 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: them play meaningful basketball here in a couple of weeks. 268 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some Denver Nuggets. So Jokics goes 269 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: for sixty one, ten and ten against the Wolves the 270 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: other night, just an absolutely wild games, dogfight for the 271 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: most part, and then the Nuggets finally pulled away in 272 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: the fourth courter. They end up going up by ten. 273 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: But then Anthony Edwards just went absolutely berserk. And this 274 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: has become a kind of a recurring theme with it. 275 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: As a game is unfolding, I was thinking to myself, 276 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: it really hasn't hit kind of a hot jump shooting 277 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: streak yet, and that felt like a factor that would 278 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: come into play at some point down the stretch. And 279 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: it did, and he just started rising like it just 280 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: has this a to rise up at a spot on 281 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: the court, and he gets such great lift on his 282 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: jump shot that he can really get to it whenever 283 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: he wants, and he's become such a great jump shooter 284 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: that it's kind of just like a let's cross our 285 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: fingers and pray he misses kind of thing. And he 286 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: just wasn't missing down the stretch of that game, and 287 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: it allowed the Wolves to get back into control. It 288 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: felt like the Wolves had that game won at multiple points, 289 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: but Denver just did a good job of doubling the 290 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: ball out of Anthony Edwards's hands. Minnesota looked like they'd 291 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: never seen a double team before, as they just pissed 292 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: down their leg and get a terrible shot over and 293 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: over again in those situations. The Wolves led in the 294 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: final minute of the fourth quarter of overtime and double overtime, 295 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: yet still needed that insane Russell Westbrook sequence at the 296 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: end in order to win table. That Russell Westbrook thing. 297 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: We'll talk about that here in a minute, but there 298 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: is another reason, in addition to Minnesota's poor execution, that 299 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: Denver was able to consistently come back and almost win 300 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: that game. Jokic in crunch time had fourteen points, four assists, 301 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: and zero turnovers in the clutch. A portion of this 302 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: game spanning the end of the fourth quarter in both overtimes, 303 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: he was completely indomitable, throwing Gobart around and getting an 304 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: easy floater in the lane. He had a nasty turnaround 305 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: left shoulder fade away over Julius Randall. He hit one 306 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: of his patented above to break threes at the top 307 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: of the key. He had another nasty left shoulder hook 308 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:29,359 Speaker 1: over Julius Randall again, all while being doubled and hounded 309 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: and grabbed and scratched and clawed everywhere. He'd often take 310 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: a double team, have to get rid of the ball, 311 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: sprint back up the flash to get the ball back, 312 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: and then quickly turn away from the double to try 313 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: to get a bucket before the double came. It was 314 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: just remarkably high degree of difficulty and he was just 315 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: crushing these dudes. I talked after Jokic's thirty twenty twenty 316 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: game a few weeks back that it probably wasn't even 317 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: a top five performance from him this year. These are 318 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: all now Jokic statlines from the year sixty one, ten 319 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: and ten, fifty six, sixteen and eight, forty eight, fourteen 320 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: and eight, forty one, eighteen and nine, this one's crazy, 321 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: thirty seven, eighteen and fifteen, thirty six, twenty two and eleven, 322 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: thirty five, twelve and fifteen. Here's another crazy one, thirty five, 323 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 1: twenty two and seventeen, the thirty one twenty one twenty 324 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: two game earlier this year, he had a twenty three 325 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 1: twenty and sixteen as well. He's averaging thirty thirteen and 326 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: ten on sixty six percent true shooting for the season. 327 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: This is the greatest offensive basketball player to ever touch 328 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: the court. Conversations get way more complicated when you factor 329 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: in defense, like yo kicch is having legitimately a really 330 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: bad defensive season, and I've seen a lot of talk 331 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: about people wanting to vault yoll kitch up the all 332 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: time list for what's happening in this regular season. I 333 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 1: think that's a little more complicated because it's been a 334 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: two sided coin with Yokic at times this year. But 335 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 1: I have never seen a basketball player produce at this volume, 336 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: with this variety, with this level of efficiency, with this 337 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: complete level of unstoppability. You literally cannot stop Jokic from 338 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: either getting a great shot for himself or for someone else. 339 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: You can tilt it towards a lesser teammate to make 340 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: a shot. Denver's margin for air has shrunken a little 341 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: bit over the years as the supporting cast has lost 342 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: a little bit of that firepower. But you just about 343 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: never see Nikola Jokicic look visibly uncomfortable on a basketball court. 344 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: There have been these brief moments here in time, like 345 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 1: for instance, against Minnesota in the postseason last year, he 346 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: had his moments, but he also had like Game five 347 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: of that series where he just ripped through him like 348 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,160 Speaker 1: tissue paper for one of the greatest playoff performances I've 349 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: ever seen. As good as Steph Curry was offensively, and 350 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: he's up there, he never had the physical imposition that 351 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,959 Speaker 1: Jokics brings to the table that, oh, you leave me 352 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: in single coverage, I'm just gonna get a shot right 353 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: at the rim with zero variants, guaranteed two points like 354 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: Steph never had that. As good as Lebron was offensively 355 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: back in twenty eighteen, like he could get high percentage looks, 356 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: he had sky high efficiency and volume, but he still 357 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: never had that go to move against any type of 358 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: defender that he could hit sixty plus percent of the time. 359 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: Jokic does. The three point shot was the variable that 360 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: put him over the top. For me last year when 361 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: he couldn't shoot, it felt like you could do more 362 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: with double teams and crowding him on pick and roll 363 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: in particular, when he was like rolling into that short 364 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: roll area. You can do more of that kind of 365 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: stuff to lessen his impact. You guys might remember the 366 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: tail end of the Timberwolve series where he kept popping 367 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: above the break to avoid that traffic jam on those 368 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: rolls and he just couldn't hit that shot. He hit 369 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: six of them against Minnesota on Tuesday. That's the thing 370 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: that makes him completely unguardable. I'll just say from personal experience, 371 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: as someone who's actively rooted against this guy in a 372 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: playoff series three times, I can confidently state I've never 373 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: been more scared of an offensive player on that end 374 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: of the floor in any sort of big spot light 375 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: in the game. Then I was scared of nicolea Jokic, 376 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: and I hope to the basketball gods that I don't 377 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: have to do it again this year. I want to 378 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: talk about Westbrook for a minute. I want to set 379 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: aside the reality of Westbrook's fit and how things have 380 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: gone in total with the Nuggets just for a minute. 381 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: I think we can all agree, including Laker fans that 382 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,479 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook is a much better basketball fit with Denver 383 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: than he was with either of the LA teams. Right, 384 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: So let's just take that piece and set it aside 385 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: for a second. When Russell Westbrook signed with the Nuggets, 386 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: you Nuggets fans will probably remember what I said. I 387 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: said that he undoubtedly has a higher ceiling than Reggie Jackson. 388 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: There's no way that Reggie Jackson could ever do the 389 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: things on a basketball court that Russell Westbrook is capable 390 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: of doing. But I also said that he has a 391 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: much lower floor than Reggie Jackson, and a lot of 392 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: people like interpreted that as like, oh, like he'll have 393 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 1: games where he doesn't produce. That's not it at all. 394 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: It's strictly mistake making. Russell Westbrook is incredibly prone to mistakes, 395 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:42,120 Speaker 1: regardless of the surrounding circumstances of the game. Doesn't matter 396 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: if it's the first quarter or the final possession of 397 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: a big game, he is mistake prone. He plays with 398 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: a lot of energy and a lot of passion, but 399 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 1: it's not very refined, and I would argue when it 400 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: comes to like game plan discipline, attention to detail, he's 401 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: one of the worst players I've ever seen in those categories, 402 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: and so what ends up happening is Russell Westbrook will 403 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 1: make all these good plays over the course of a 404 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: game and bring all of this positive impact, but he 405 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: just has a tendency to make these mistakes that undercut 406 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: that success. So like, for instance, everyone's gonna focus on 407 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: the final sequence, I want to set that aside for 408 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:27,880 Speaker 1: a second as well. The overtime possession where he makes 409 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: the post entry past to Jokic and then he cuts 410 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: through the lane and then he just throws Ni Kiel 411 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: Alexander Walker to the ground with a swim move right 412 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: in front of the reth easiest offensive foul call in 413 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: the league. They're going the other way, just turn the 414 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: ball over for no reason in a big spot in overtime. 415 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: In second overtime, Nuggets up by one, he's guarding Anthony Edwards, 416 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: the only guy who's been torching your ass over clutch time. 417 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: He's guarding Anthony Edwards out up at the top of 418 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: the key and he just goes catatonic and he's just 419 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: standing up there like twenty five feet from the basket 420 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: and ant just backcuts right behind him. Easy pass. I 421 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: think it was from Julius randolf I remember, correctly easy 422 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: pass on the back cut layup. Now Minnesota has the 423 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,360 Speaker 1: lead again. Forget about like just that split second decision 424 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: making at the end of the game. There were two 425 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: other situations in that same overtime sequence where Russ either 426 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: tricked off an offensive possession or gave up a bucket 427 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: because he's just mistake prone. He just makes mistakes. And 428 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: like a lot of these people were like making Laker 429 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 1: fans out to be jerks for just pointing out these 430 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: like basic things that we learned from rooting for the guy. 431 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: I still vividly remember in big spots many times fourth quarters, 432 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: two three minutes, left huge possession, Russ forcing it in 433 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: transition when there was nothing there in smoking a layup. 434 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: You guys saw it again last night as they blew 435 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: a game to the Spurs in a big sequence late 436 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: down too, as he smoked this crazy reverse layup and 437 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: it led to another layup going out the other way. 438 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: That happened to me two other Laker fans rooting for 439 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: him many times over the course of the year and 440 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: a half that he was there. I still vividly remember 441 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,719 Speaker 1: a game against the Brooklyn Nets in La Stanley Johnson 442 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: signs with the Lakers like day of does an incredible 443 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: job picking up hard in like full court all game. 444 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: It's this really important game for the Lakers too, as 445 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: they're trying to float in the standings. In one of 446 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: the biggest possessions of the game. Late in a one 447 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: possession game, Russell Westbrook is guarding Patty Mills. What's your 448 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: job guarding Patty Mills? Game playing, discipline, attention to detail. 449 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: He's the best shooter on the court. You gotta track him. 450 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 1: He was ball watching, just like that play I was 451 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: talking about with Aunt. Pat Mills relocated to the left 452 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: corner hard and hit him. He hit the dagger, the 453 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 1: game was over. I've been there, guys. I wasn't trying 454 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: to like talk shit for the sake of talk. I 455 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: wasn't trying to be personal. I wasn't trying to be 456 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 1: a dick. I like, I rooted for the guy for 457 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: a year and a half. It was in my best 458 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: interests as a fan for him to be good, and 459 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 1: he just repeatedly undercut his successes with that mistake making. 460 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 1: And then there you go, in a big possession late, 461 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards turns the ball over. You're up one with 462 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: the ball, you don't take a shot unless you are 463 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: one hundred percent sure you are going to make it, 464 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: and instead it's another one of those reckless transition pushes. 465 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: Then he compounds the mistake after missing the layup by 466 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: getting back into one of those no man's lands kind 467 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 1: of floating around situations around the right elbow, and next 468 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: thing you know, there's a skip pass and he has 469 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: to throw a reckless close out and he fouls a 470 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: three point shooter and he literally turned a win into 471 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: a loss, and like, look, Nikole jokicch after the game, 472 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: excellent leadership says, this kind of shit happens sometimes, and 473 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: he's not wrong. I literally just watched Lebron do it 474 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: the other day. I watched Lebron the other day lose 475 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: a shooter in the week's side corner and then turn 476 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: the ball over on the baseline. Here's the thing I've 477 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,640 Speaker 1: been watching Lebron his entire career. That was fucking weird. 478 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: That was highly unusual from Lebron James. I watched Russell 479 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: Westbrook this entire phase of his career. That is something 480 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: he is absolutely prone to doing in these sorts of 481 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: spots and so like again it's there's there are some realities, right, 482 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: like Jamal Murray's healthy, Russell Westbrooks probably not out there, right. 483 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: There are ways for Mike Malone and the Nuggets to 484 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: shield against this sort of thing by keeping him out 485 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: of the game in those spots. But the problem is 486 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: is like there is some reality to the fact that 487 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: there is an opportunity, There is a there is a 488 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: potential outcome here where the Nuggets are in a big game, 489 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,159 Speaker 1: four down two to one in a series on the 490 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: road at you know, some one of these big Western 491 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: con Conference teams, and it's a late third quarter stretch 492 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: where the Nuggets are up by two and Russ could 493 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: take over the game and win it for you, and 494 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: you could go into the mid fourth quarter stretch up 495 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 1: by twelve. That's the high ceiling. But there's also a 496 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: version of that where he has two or three bad turnovers, 497 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: two or three mislayups, two or three bad three point shots, 498 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: and a couple of bad defensive breakdowns and suddenly your 499 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: two point lead turns into a ten point deficit. That 500 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:37,160 Speaker 1: is also an available outcome. Because of the wild oscillations 501 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,719 Speaker 1: of that Russell westbrook experience, And the only reason I'm 502 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: saying any of this is because at the start of 503 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: the year when I pointed this out, I wasn't trying 504 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 1: to be a dick. I was just being honest about 505 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 1: my own personal experience rooting for the guy, in relaying 506 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: a message that every Lakers fan will tell you, even 507 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: Clippers fans will tell you that this was a reality. 508 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: It's not a big deal. They're gonna be able to 509 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,479 Speaker 1: cover fourth, they should be able to keep him out 510 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: of these sort of high leverage situations. But keep an 511 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 1: eye on it in the postseason for a big bench 512 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: stretch and a big quarter there he's mistake prone and 513 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: it could be something that ends up costing you a game. 514 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: You could really tell in the early part of the 515 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: game that neither team knew how they wanted to attack 516 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: each other, and so there's a lot of standing around, 517 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: a lot of passing the ball around the perimeter, a 518 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: lot of really ugly offensive possessions from both teams, and 519 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: some of those possessions for Jimmy Butler manifested. I thought 520 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: Lebron was doing this too early in the game where 521 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: where he had those two back to back turnovers where 522 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 1: he's driving into the lane and no one's helping, so 523 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,880 Speaker 1: he's in a one on one, but he's like trying 524 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: to force some pass to a guy that's guarded. It's like, no, 525 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: you need to be looking to score. You're leading a 526 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: unit without your star on the floor. Same thing goes 527 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: for Jimmy Butler in those situations, like they need him 528 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: to look to be aggressive if you're not going to 529 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: get you know, eight made threes out of Brandon Pajemski 530 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: every single night. They're going to need more production out 531 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: of Jimmy in that spot. But overall, I thought he 532 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 1: made a bunch of big plays late. I thought that 533 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: corner three he made was big at three steals in 534 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: the game, was beating the Lakers to a bunch of 535 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: loose balls in some key situations. Really really impressive performance 536 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: from the Warriors top to bottom. I thought, Steph to 537 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: last piece, they'll say in the Warriors before we get 538 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: to the Lakers. You know, Steph has been fantastic since 539 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: the Jimmy Butler trade. He's at coming into tonight. He 540 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: was at like twenty eight points per game on sixty 541 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: six percent true shooting over his last twenty three games 542 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: on a court that had Jimmy Butler that had Lebron James, 543 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: to have Luka Doncic, that had all this star talent 544 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: on the floor. I thought Steph was the best player 545 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 1: on the floor. And I even though Lebron statistically performed 546 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: really well, I thought Steph was able to consistently break 547 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: down the defense. I talked earlier about how both teams 548 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: didn't really seem to know how they wanted to attack 549 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: each other in the early portions of the game. It 550 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: crystallized for Golden State they found out, you know, they're 551 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: about halfway through that second quarter. In that second quarter 552 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: they found out it's like, actually, let's just get Death 553 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: out into space against Luca and we'll have him drive 554 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: by Lucas. Sometimes we'll have him look to attack immediately 555 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 1: off the catch off of some off ball screening action 556 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: Will There was one late the Big Three he hit 557 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: late where Draymond fell down like he had Luca on 558 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: a switch. But then Draymond just sprinted into a ball screen. 559 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: I talked earlier today when we were talking about Jared 560 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: Allen and the Caves. When you sprint into actions, it 561 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: makes you that much harder to guard. Draymon sprinted into 562 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 1: that ball screen, and Lebron was too far back and 563 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: Lebron was late. It was bad defensive possession from Lebron, 564 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: and a big part of that was Draymon sprinted into 565 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: the ball screen, got Steph another clean look at it, 566 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: basically a drop coverage possession off the left wing. But 567 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: this is Steph is heating up right in time for 568 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: what they're going to need him to be in this 569 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: postseason run. And I thought he just came in here 570 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: tonight and kicked the shit out of the Lakers and 571 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: badly outplayed Luca and set his team up to be 572 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: in a really good position in the standings as we 573 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: come down the stretch here on the Lakers front. As 574 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: I always say, I don't really look at the scoreboard 575 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: when I'm thinking about the postseason. And one of the 576 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: main reasons why is because there's just so much noise 577 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: in the regular season, whether it's from the schedule or 578 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: it's a random role player doing this or a random 579 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: guy being out of the lineup for whatever reason. There's 580 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: also a lot of noise relative to the postseason, where 581 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: you'll see, oh, you know, the Phoenix Suns beat the 582 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: Timberwolves every single game last year, and they had this 583 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: awesome game plan for like how to beat the Timberwolves, 584 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: but then they get into a playoff series and it's like, oh, 585 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: actually none of these guys can guard Aunt and they're 586 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: being super physical on defense and we can't even like 587 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: dribble the ball of the floor without losing it. So 588 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,959 Speaker 1: like everything shifted and changed, right. So what I'm looking 589 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: at is are there any things from tonight that translate 590 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: to a potential postseason series between these two teams? And 591 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: the first one that screams off the screen to me 592 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: is their struggles with switching ever since Luca came over 593 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: to the Lakers. And again I've broken this down before. 594 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 1: I'll do a very short version of it here, but 595 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: the short version of it is against drop coverage, against 596 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,800 Speaker 1: traditional coverages, Luca is so good at making all the 597 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: natural reads. If you don't pick him up going downhill, 598 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: he's just gonna get into that like right around the 599 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: block where he can shoot that little seven foot bank 600 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: shot that he's gonna make like sixty percent of the time. 601 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:26,239 Speaker 1: If you do step up with your big man, he's 602 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,959 Speaker 1: throwing a lob to the center for a dunk. And 603 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: if you tag the roller, he's skipping it to the 604 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: weak side for a wide open three, and it's just 605 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: he's so surgical with it that it's just it's a 606 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: death sentence. There's literally nothing you can do. And every team, 607 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: for the most part that has run that coverage against 608 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers this year with Luka, Doncic has gotten torch 609 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: and for the most part, they've had a couple of 610 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: good games, but for the most part against these teams 611 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: that just switch with their fives or switched generally everywhere 612 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: on the floor, they've really struggled to score. And one 613 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: of the big reasons why is when Lebron was healthy 614 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: earlier on, Luca was bad, and then Lebron goes out. 615 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: And during the phase that Lebron was out, Luca was 616 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: very good. His shot making bounced back in a major way, 617 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,719 Speaker 1: but they just didn't have that additional defensive rebounding presence 618 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: in the front court over that span because Ruiy, Lebron, 619 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: and Jackson were all out. Now everybody's back, but Lebron 620 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: is still kind of getting back into form, and here 621 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: goes Luca again into another kind of like spiraling type 622 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: of sequence. Luca has shot below fifty percent from the 623 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: field in five of his last six games, he has 624 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: absolutely no touch on his short range shot making before 625 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 1: tonight he was just twenty eight for eighty eight on 626 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: floaters and or excuse me, on jump shots inside his 627 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: seventeen feet. So all those like jump shots that he 628 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: was hitting NonStop in the playoffs last year, he made 629 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: three of them per game last year in the postseason 630 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 1: at forty six percent. He's shooting just thirty two percent 631 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: on him this year, and he's barely making one again 632 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: with the Lakers. He has like no touch on his 633 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: short range shot, making zero for six from three tonight, 634 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 1: bizarrely ineffective Luka Doncic, And like, the thing is is 635 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: there's a version of this where the Lakers can theoretically 636 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,400 Speaker 1: be very good against switching, but it's going to require 637 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:22,839 Speaker 1: the Lebron James that was there before he heard his groin, 638 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 1: and the Luka Doncic that was there last year in 639 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:30,320 Speaker 1: the NBA playoffs. And so it's one of those things where, 640 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: like I've talked a lot about this, the Lakers have 641 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: arguably the largest amount to potentially improve between now and 642 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: May first. The Lakers could be dramatically better by May first, 643 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,280 Speaker 1: just simply from Lebron and Luca getting back to form 644 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 1: and some team chemistry stuff and regaining their defensive identity, 645 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: which we'll talk about in a little bit. But the 646 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 1: reality is is it's it's also possible that they just don't. 647 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 1: And I'm just gonna be perfectly frank with you, guys. 648 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:04,359 Speaker 1: If Luca plays like this in the postseason, they're they're 649 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,400 Speaker 1: they're gonna get beat. They're gonna get beat in the 650 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 1: first or second round. Like it, They're just there's no 651 00:35:09,239 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: going the distance. If you make a trade with Anthony 652 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:15,560 Speaker 1: Davis for Luka Doncic and you get this type of 653 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,319 Speaker 1: performance out of Luca in a big game. And I mean, 654 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 1: strangely enough, the Lakers have dominated the middle tier of 655 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 1: the NBA since Luca came. Every Houston, Minnesota, you know, Phoenix, 656 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 1: every team that's in that you know, kind of like 657 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:34,840 Speaker 1: just outside the top tier of contenders. The Lakers are 658 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 1: kicking the shit out of those guys. They've faced two 659 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: of the teams that I said that I would consider 660 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: as the top tier contenders, Boston, who's been there all year, 661 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: in Golden State, who I said I would add when 662 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 1: we do our contender's list with SA Vassini right before 663 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 1: the start of the postseason, and in those two games, 664 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:52,840 Speaker 1: the Lakers pretty much got out played wire to wire 665 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 1: and Luka Doncic looked really, really bad in both games, 666 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: and I am, I am. Here's the thing. Early on 667 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,440 Speaker 1: after the trade, I wasn't worried about it. I was 668 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: just kind of like, give Lucas some time. He'll be fine. 669 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: He's one of the greatest players that we've ever seen 670 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: at his age in this league. But here we are, Guys, 671 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: it's been months now, spend two months, and he's going 672 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 1: in the wrong direction. So I don't know what's going 673 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: on with him. Part of the thing that I'm seeing too, 674 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: is like he's he's not even trusting himself in the 675 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: short range, like he's pump fakingn Like he's pump faking 676 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 1: NonStop in that ten to fifteen foot range and just 677 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,399 Speaker 1: looking to grift for fouls instead of looking to take 678 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:39,719 Speaker 1: and make the shots that he was hitting half of 679 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: at decent volume when he was in the postseason last year. 680 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 1: So I'm again, I'm hopeful that Luca will figure it out. 681 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:51,040 Speaker 1: I'm hopeful that this will all come together. But guys, 682 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: like we've already the hoops tonight's staff, we've already gone 683 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 1: over our schedule for the week of the playing tournament. 684 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: Like this shit is right around the corner. It's here, 685 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 1: It's like here, now, there's no like, let's give Luca 686 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:03,919 Speaker 1: a runway and see what he can do. Like there's 687 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 1: a chance you're facing the Clippers, the Timberwolves, how the 688 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:11,240 Speaker 1: Warriors in two in three weeks like that. This needs 689 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 1: to be this, These problems need to be resolved yesterday. 690 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: And so I'm starting to get a little bit concerned 691 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:23,239 Speaker 1: about whether or not the Lakers are hitting at the 692 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,000 Speaker 1: right type of level they need to be hitting at 693 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:27,319 Speaker 1: to go on the run that they need to go on. 694 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:33,720 Speaker 1: The defensive struggle with speed, A lot of miss rotations tonight, 695 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 1: a lot of miss defensive rebounds where they're slower to 696 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 1: the ball. In this sort of situation, I want to 697 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,080 Speaker 1: at least account for some of the fact that the 698 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:46,879 Speaker 1: Lakers are kind of not in the same defensive rhythm 699 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 1: that they were in in the past. But the reality 700 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 1: is there was only a very brief stretch there where 701 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 1: they were good defensively with Luca right after the trade. 702 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: There's been a pretty large sample now after that where 703 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: they've been pretty bad defensively with Luca, and teams are 704 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,600 Speaker 1: looking to attack him out front over and over and 705 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 1: over again. We did see an example in the second 706 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:10,440 Speaker 1: half tonight of a pre switch, meaning where they brought 707 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,359 Speaker 1: Luca's man up into his screen and then Lebron went 708 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: instead of Luca, But that was the only time I 709 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 1: saw it, and for the most part, they were just 710 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:21,760 Speaker 1: conceding that switch. And if they're going to concede that switch, 711 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 1: then they're just going to have to be better in 712 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: their rotations than they've been being. If they defend like 713 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:29,920 Speaker 1: this behind Luca, who's been giving up driple penetration the 714 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:31,839 Speaker 1: way that he has, I think they could get cut 715 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: pieces by a good offensive team when they get into postseason. 716 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:39,240 Speaker 1: I talked a lot in other games about the idea 717 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:44,239 Speaker 1: of leveraging your strengths to hide your weaknesses. There's no 718 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,360 Speaker 1: doubt that all this stuff is connected. I'll give you 719 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 1: guys some examples. Luca plays better from the start of 720 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 1: this game. Immediately starts kicking ass, punishing mismatches, drawing double teams, 721 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: spraying out beautiful kick out passes to shooters. Now the 722 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 1: threes that Dorian gets the threes that Gabe gets. They're cleaner, 723 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 1: they're more in rhythm now instead of those guys going 724 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:15,360 Speaker 1: one for ten from three. They have much better shooting 725 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:18,279 Speaker 1: nights now. As a result, the team is able to 726 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 1: set their defense more. Now that they're setting their defense 727 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: more and they're in control of the game and they're 728 00:39:25,719 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 1: not trailing by ten, they're more invigorated, they're more motivated, 729 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 1: they're flying around, they're making plays. See how like you 730 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,200 Speaker 1: can imagine a scenario where these things are connected. You 731 00:39:36,239 --> 00:39:40,160 Speaker 1: can leverage your strengths to hide your weaknesses. The part 732 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:42,280 Speaker 1: that gets scary for me there is, as I said, 733 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:44,319 Speaker 1: like we're on almost a two week stretch there where 734 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 1: Lucas just hasn't been as good, and so it's just 735 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: a little concerning from the standpoint of right now, I 736 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:55,200 Speaker 1: haven't seen the Lakers put together a consistent stretch of 737 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:58,760 Speaker 1: like great basketball since Lebron came back from his injury, 738 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:01,200 Speaker 1: and so I'm definit only a little bit. I'm a 739 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: little bit concerned there. That said, there is time, and 740 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 1: you know, if they do get a favorable first round 741 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:09,440 Speaker 1: matchup and they end up getting a win, they could 742 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 1: have until May to get some of this together before 743 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:14,960 Speaker 1: they face a more serious team. Similar to what I 744 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:18,200 Speaker 1: talked about with Jonathan Minga, I did think we saw 745 00:40:18,239 --> 00:40:20,560 Speaker 1: one clear advantage for the Lakers tonight, and that's that 746 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: the Warriors can't guard Lebron. Lebron did exactly what I 747 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,359 Speaker 1: was just talking about Luca needing to do. He consistently 748 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: methodically found mismatches against guards where he liked his size, 749 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:34,880 Speaker 1: and he liked the spacing of the floor, and he 750 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 1: was able to get downhill and he was able to 751 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,600 Speaker 1: consistently compromise the defense for kickout passes and for layups 752 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: right at the front of the rim. That is, to 753 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,480 Speaker 1: me a translatable thing to a series between the Lakers 754 00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:50,560 Speaker 1: and Warriors. And so in an event where the Lakers 755 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,080 Speaker 1: beat the Warriors in a playoff series, it will require 756 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 1: Lebron to continue to leverage that and for Luca to 757 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 1: meet him at that level. And that really is the 758 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 1: advantage there. The Lakers are going to leverage their size, 759 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,400 Speaker 1: it's got to be Lebron and Luca together punishing them 760 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 1: all over the floor. The volume m