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In l A visit www dot 20 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: m D gambling help dot org in Maryland dial one 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: eight seven seven eight hope and Why, or text hope 22 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: and Why to four six seven three six nine in 23 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: New York, called one five to two four seven zero 24 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: zero in Wyoming, or visit www dot one gambler dot 25 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: net in West Virginia. All right, welcome to Hoops Tonight, 26 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: Presentify fand here at the volume. Happy Wednesday, everybody. We've 27 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: made it halfway through the week. Today we're gonna be 28 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: covering Nuggets, Blazers and talking a lot about Nicola Yoki 29 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: in the easy way that he dominates basketball games. And 30 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: then we're also gonna be talking about the Philadelphia seventy 31 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: sixers going into l A and beating the Clippers. And 32 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: then I told you guys how I was gonna start 33 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: doing more quick hitters. We have three more quick hitters 34 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: at the end of this show. John Wall thinking the 35 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: two thousand seventeen Wizards would have beat Lebron's calves definitely 36 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: have some thoughts there. J. J. Reddick and a real 37 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: basketball work ethic. I wanted to talk about that for 38 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: a second. And then everyone's acting all surprised that the 39 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: Nets suck without Katie, which is completely absurd to me. 40 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: So I wanted to share some thoughts on that as well. 41 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: And then tomorrow night, we're gonna be going live immediately 42 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: after the final buzzer of Warriors Celtics. An excellent opportunity 43 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: for the Warriors to send a message on the road 44 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: in Boston tomorrow night. You guys know the drill before 45 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: we get started. Subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel so 46 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: you don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me 47 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: on Twitter at Underscore Jason lt so you guys don't 48 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: miss any show announcements. And then, last but not least, 49 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, you guys miss one of these videos 50 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: and you can't get over to YouTube to finish, you 51 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: can find them wherever you get your podcasts. Under Hoops tonight, 52 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: all let's talk some basketball. So this game was with 53 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: the Blazers and the Nuggets. Was a little close through 54 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: about half, but Denver really took over in the second 55 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: half ended up winning thirteen. It's kind of a funny 56 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: game to watch because anytime you get two players like 57 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: Dame and Yokich. Now, Yokich is way better than Dame, 58 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: but those two players are two players where you're primarily 59 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: talking about their offensive impact, like uh Yoki is more 60 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: of like an average defensive player. Dame Lillard is a 61 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: bad defensive player, so they're gonna struggle to guard each other, 62 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: and they kept putting each other in actions, and it 63 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: was kind of funny watching how neither of them could 64 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: guard each other. Anytime Yokich had to come out to 65 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: the level of the screen, Lillard was getting by him 66 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: off the dribble, or if he didn't get out there, 67 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: he's hitting pull up jump shots. And then on the 68 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: other end of the floor, Yoki is running these like 69 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: inverted picking rolls, and literally Dame is just trying to 70 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: hedge out and switch and do all this hilarious stuff. 71 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: He just looks completely helpless trying to guard Yo kitchen actions, 72 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: which is just kind of the funny thing you're gonna 73 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: see when you see two players of this particular archetype 74 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: go at each other. But to Denver's credit, they really 75 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: locked in defensively in the second half, particularly, I thought 76 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: Bruce Brown did a really nice job switching onto Dame 77 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: and making his shots more difficult, which inevitably led to 78 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: him missing some, which gave Denver an opportunity to build 79 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: a lead. Uh, we're gonna talk about Denver's a defense 80 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: here in a minute, But I want to I want 81 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: to talk about Yogi because I thought this game, in 82 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 1: particular was a perfect example of something I've been saying 83 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: about him all season. So he finished the game with 84 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: thirty six, twelve, and ten, but he was just thirteen 85 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: for fourteen from the field, and the only shot he 86 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: missed was an early second half three in the right 87 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: corner where the shot clock was winding down and he 88 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: had to like literally take a running, spinning three in 89 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: the corner that had very little chance of going in. 90 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: But he was thirteen for thirteen outside of that shot. 91 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: And one of the things I've been talking about a 92 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: lot this season is that Yokich is the master of 93 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: easy basketball. I think it's a huge part of why 94 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: he's so polarizing and why so many people struggled to 95 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: see his vow you they see it looks so easy. 96 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: They don't see anything truly exceptional, and so they undervalue 97 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: the things that he does on the court. So what 98 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to do is go basket for basket through 99 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: Yoki's night to kind of demonstrate to you guys, how 100 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: Yokich can put together a thirteen for fourteen night for 101 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: thirty six points. So first of all, he had two 102 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: offensive rebound putbacks. There was one where Jamal Murray's coming 103 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: off the screen drew you. Banks is up at the 104 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: level of the screen trying to contest the shot. Shot 105 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: goes up. Yo, kids just sprints to the front of 106 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: the rim and then taps it in. Um. So to 107 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: offensive rebound putbacks, that's four points. I had a coach 108 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: at Arizona Christian University, the last school that I played 109 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: at when I was in college. UM. His name was 110 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: Jeff Rutter. Excellent basketball coach. He is still there, um. 111 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: And one of the things that you used to always 112 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: say to me was, hey, you can always get twelve 113 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: points a game if once a half you get two 114 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: free throws either by hard cutting to the basket or 115 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: setting good screens or crashing the offensive glass, a transition 116 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: layup us by sprinting the floor, and a putback just 117 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: by crashing the offensive glass, getting the ball and putting 118 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: it back into the basket. If you do each of 119 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: those things once per half, you can average twelve points 120 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: a game. And it was essentially his way of saying, like, hey, 121 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: if you're interested in box score numbers and he'd say 122 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: this to all of the players on the team, but 123 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: he's like, if you're interested in box score numbers, this 124 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: is an easy way to load up the box score 125 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: without having to look for your shot within the offense. 126 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: And for me in particular that year it was it 127 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: was an important message for me because I was playing 128 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: with two All American guards. In the previous year, I 129 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: was an All Conference score so like, I was trying 130 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: to fit as a role alongside two of the best 131 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: guards in the country, and I needed to look to 132 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 1: impact the game in ways that went beyond my own scoring. 133 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: And so that message always resonated with me. And simple 134 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: things like Nicola Yokis just battling for offensive rebound putbacks 135 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: that pumps up your stats a little bit. I wanted 136 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: to dig a little bit deeper into this. So everything 137 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: for Yokis was in the flow of the offense. Specifically, 138 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: twenty eight of Yoki is thirty six points or in 139 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: the flow of the offense. So check this out. So 140 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 1: he had four points, uh cutting back door so um 141 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 1: putbacks like we talked about earlier. Then he had five 142 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: points in spot up situations. There was a couple of 143 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: plays where uh, he caught the ball in the three 144 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: point line. Nurkic was sprinting out at him, and he 145 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: just drove around him and drew fouls, and he made 146 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: three of the four free throws. And then there was 147 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: another play in the second half where he picked him 148 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: popped to the left wing and then Josh Hart closed 149 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: out on him and he just drove to the middle 150 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: and made like a little floater in the lane. Y 151 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: All said four points in transition. There was one where 152 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: Nurkis took a three and Yokis just ran by him. 153 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: And then there was another play whereas a different Blazer 154 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: took a shot and Yoki's just sprinted down the floor 155 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: past Nurkics and got a layup. This is something I've 156 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: been crediting Yokis for all season. He's still not a 157 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: great transition defender, but he's trying his ass off to 158 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: run up and down the floor and he's making a 159 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: lot of plays that way. He had seven points just 160 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: as a rollman, nice little floater on a pocket pass 161 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: from Jamal Murray, a picking pop three from Jamal Murray, 162 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: all super high percentage shots. And then there's a really 163 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: cool play in the second half where Aaron gore it 164 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: in Nickela Yokis ran high a ball screen at the 165 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: top of the key and on the play uh Nick 166 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: Nurkics switched out onto Aaron Gordon and so Jeremy Grant 167 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: was guarding your Ki and as Gordon was trying to 168 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: work off the dribble on Nurkitch, Yo Kids just pinned 169 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: Jeremy Grant on his left hip and provided an opening 170 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: at the rim. So when Gordon got to the left 171 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: and drove to the basket, he just had an easy 172 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: little drop past to Yokich who's still holding off. Jeremy 173 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: Grant catches the ball with his right hand and just 174 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: feeds it into the rim in one solid motion. Just 175 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: super super easy stuff. In pick and Roll he had 176 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: four points just cutting by use of Nurkics, but both 177 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: plays were giving goes starting a top of key swing pass. 178 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: On the swing pass just sprint to the front of 179 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: the rim. It's a thing that usually happens with defensive 180 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: players that when their player passes the ball, they usually 181 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: step up out of their stance as an opportunity to 182 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: relax and save energy. That's a great time to cut. 183 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: That's why Steph Curry and other guys who were great 184 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: off ball players have a ton of success. They wait 185 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: and wait for you to relax, and then that's when 186 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: they move, and it's usually right after they give up 187 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: the basketball. That's four points just by cutting to the basket. 188 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: He had two points on a little pin down jumper 189 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,719 Speaker 1: starting on the block, brust down, Brown goes down and 190 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: sets a pin down jogs up to the free throw line. 191 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: Nurkics gets caught on the screen. Yoki's just turns around 192 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: and shoots a free throw basically, and he's gonna make 193 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: of those when he's that open right um. And then 194 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: there was two points where Dame fouled him after after 195 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: he grabbed a defensive rebound, so literally just uh contested 196 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: a shot from Dame, got a miss held onto the rebound, 197 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: and Dame hacked him. That's twenty eight points without a 198 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: single high difficulty shot attempt. Twenty eight points. And that's 199 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: stuff that any NBA player that plays that position can do. 200 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: Any big can sprint up and down the floor. Any 201 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: big can you know, learn how to make little pop 202 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: shots and floaters in the lane. That's what makes yokis 203 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: so unique is he's got the skilled don't get me wrong, 204 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: but he doesn't make it more complicated than it needs 205 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: to be. He thrives by hunting down the easy opportunities 206 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: on a basketball court. Even his post ups and ISOs 207 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: were easy he had, so he added eight additional points 208 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: and post ups and ISOs. There was a tough shot 209 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: one in particular, Iso nurk Kits in the first half 210 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: and he took like a spinning hook shot in the lane. Yeah, 211 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: it's a tough shot. That's a superstar play. That's what 212 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: you hope for from Yokich. But the other two baskets, 213 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: they were post up on Lillard where Lillard got switched 214 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: on to him and he just sealed them under the basket, entry, pass, catch, finish, 215 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: easy basketball. And then in the second half on the 216 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: right wing, he had a little face up jumper on 217 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: nur Kits where Nurkics was basically conceding him the shot 218 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: because he was open. And so that, in a nutshell, 219 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: I wanted to go through all those baskets, because that, 220 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: in a nutshell is why I think Nicola Yokich is 221 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: so polarizing. People don't see anything exceptional. You know, there's 222 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: the highlight passes from here there, here, and then there's 223 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: the tough one legged fade away every once in a while. 224 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: But everything really kind of looks easy, and I think 225 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: that that just goes over a lot of people's heads um. 226 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: But you don't get bonus points in basketball for flair 227 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: two points. Two pointers are worth two points, three's are 228 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: worth three, and free throws are worth one. It's that simple. 229 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: It doesn't seem like yokis just dominating a lot of 230 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: games to people. But you know, you look up and 231 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: it's thirty ten and ten for Yo Kitchen, the Nuggets win, 232 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: and and that that fundamentally is all that matters. And 233 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter that he's not hitting all the crazy 234 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: tough jump shots that you know Joe l em Bead 235 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,319 Speaker 1: is hitting. It doesn't matter that he's demonstrating the high 236 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: level shot making that you're seeing from guys like Kevin 237 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: Duran and Lebron James or Jayson Tatum. It doesn't matter 238 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: because he's so damn big and strong that he can 239 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: get these easy shots, and he just knows how to 240 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: hunt those easy shots. Nicola Yokets this year is averaging 241 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: eleven and ten and the Nuggets are plus three D 242 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: and sixty seven in his minutes, which is the best 243 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: individual plus minus in the entire league. So, like, honestly, 244 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: Yoki fan and should just be running around town or 245 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: you know, running around the internet, just screaming scoreboard at 246 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: the top of their lungs, because that's all that matters. 247 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: Who cares what you think he looks like. Who cares 248 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: that he doesn't make the same number of highlight plays 249 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: as some of his peers around the league. He puts 250 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,959 Speaker 1: up the numbers, the team wins all of his shifts, 251 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: and he's winning on the scoreboard better than any NBA 252 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: player in the league this year. One last note on 253 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 1: them on this particular game that I that stuck out 254 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: to me, I wanted to shout out Mike Malone for 255 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: just the overall level of offensive organization he's implemented. Everyone 256 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: is always in the right place. When we look at 257 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: the Nuggets, we focus a lot on the on ball actions, right. 258 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: We look at Murray Yokis pick and rolls. We look 259 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: at Yokich Murray pick and rolls. We look at Bruce Brown, 260 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, Yoki's pick and rolls. We look at all 261 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: these different things. But the reality is there's a five 262 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: man unit out there that's moving on all these possessions, 263 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: and we don't give enough credit to guys like k 264 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: CP and Michael Porter Jr. For always relocating to the 265 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: perfect spot to give your kitchen opportunity for a kickout 266 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: and that all a lot of that credit goes to 267 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: Mike Malone as well. And then Aaron Gordon is just 268 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: so good at cutting and finding these little soft spots 269 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: around the rim for him to find quick finishes. They're 270 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: a well oiled machine and that's why they're the second 271 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: best offense in the league. Now, I said before the season, 272 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: I expected them to be the best offensive offense in 273 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: the league, but they're one tenth of a point per 274 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: one hundred possession behind Boston, So they've got a little 275 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: bit of work to do to make me right. And then, lastly, 276 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: big picture with the Nuggets. Last night was rough defensively 277 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: in the first half, but they were really good defensively 278 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: in the second half. The Nuggets are third in defensive 279 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: rating over their last fifteen games and they have now 280 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: moved up to seventeen for the season. Now, if you 281 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: guys remember before the season, I said that Denver is 282 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: so damn good offensively that I don't necessarily think they 283 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: need to be a top ten defense, but I do 284 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: think they need to be within ten to fifteen, and 285 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: closer to ten if possible. And so you know, and 286 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 1: again I know it's like, oh, who cares, we've been 287 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: playing defensive late. But the reason why I care about 288 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: the full season is there are lots of examples in 289 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: the NBA of teams for ten fifteen games playing hard 290 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: and then letting go of the rope on that end 291 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: of the floor. You know, the Lakers defended incredibly well 292 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: to start the season and then immediately stopped, even with 293 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis. So it's one of those things where like, 294 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: I look at the big picture of the season defensive rating, 295 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: because that tells me, over an eighty two games sample size, 296 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: if you're top ten and defense, or for the Nuggets, 297 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: if you're between ten and fifteen, that tells me that 298 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: you put in a good deal of effort and focus 299 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: to establishing defensive habits, and over the course of that 300 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: eighty two game season you did better than half the 301 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: teams in the league. That is going to be an 302 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: indicator to me that when the ship hits the fan 303 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, you've got enough of a backbone of 304 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: habits and and work ethic that you're going to lock 305 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: in defensively and that will carry you through spurts when 306 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: your offense doesn't work. So obviously trending in the right direction, 307 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: but I'd like to see a little bit more. Another 308 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: ten fifteen games of them playing at this level, then 309 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: their defensive rating will click up to twelve in the league. 310 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: Then we can start to really look at the Nuggets 311 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: as a bona fide top tier championship contender. Tip off 312 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: the new year with fan Duel, America's number one sports book. 313 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: New customers get one hundred and fifty dollars in free 314 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: bets guaranteed when you place your first five dollar bet. 315 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: Just download the Vandal sports book app. It's safe, secure, 316 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: and super easy to use. Then you can bet on 317 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: everything from the money line to point scores to three's drained. 318 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: My favorite bet this week is the Atlanta Hawks on 319 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: the road in Dallas on Wednesday. You can get them 320 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: plus three and a half. The Hawks are in one 321 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: of the phases of the season where they're having fun 322 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: and actually playing good basketball, and Dallas is super thin 323 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: in the front court and on the wing because of injuries, 324 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: so I think it's a game where Atlanta's talent will 325 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: carry them through. 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Alright, 333 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: moving on to the Sixers and the Clippers, this was 334 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: a one point game at the end of the third quarter, 335 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: and then Tyrese Maxie just completely took over the fourth quarter. 336 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: He started with a ridiculous step back three over Nicholas Patum, 337 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: and then he had two threes against Moses Brown and 338 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: drop coverage when he was too far behind the screen. 339 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: Those three pull up threes basically built the initial margin 340 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: that determined the outcome of this game, because suddenly you 341 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: look up and you're down by down by nine or ten, 342 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: and now James Harden and Joel and become in the 343 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: game and it's basically over at that point. You know, 344 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: we always look at a Tyrese Maxi is the transition threat. 345 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: He's one of the best speed guards in the league. 346 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: But he's actually turned himself into a really great shooter, 347 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: particularly off the dribble. This year, he's shooting thirty nine 348 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: on six point three pull up jumpers per game. Now, 349 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: that seems a little low, but he was over forty 350 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: last year. I expect him to finish over forty percent 351 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: this year. He just shot terribly in the first several 352 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: games when he came back from his foot injury, which 353 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: is to be expected because, like I always say, pull 354 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: up jump shooting and all the skill areas of basketball 355 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: have to be tuned in. They they you have to 356 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: build your rhythm, established that that touch and dial everything in. 357 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: And so that's why I'm not overly concerned about that. 358 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: But even with that, six point three pull up jumpers 359 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: per game is great. I mean to give you an example, 360 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: like guys like Lebron James and Jayson Tatum are in 361 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,959 Speaker 1: the low thirties. So he's doing really well there. Uh. 362 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: Tyrres Maxie is my favorite example to push as far 363 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: as me. Uh, in my take that I've had all 364 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 1: season that I think Philly has the most talented top 365 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: four in the NBA. Think about your bench group for 366 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: whatever team that you root for. Think about the guys 367 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,719 Speaker 1: that are running your bench lineups. You know, UM, a 368 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: lot of teams have to keep one of their superstars 369 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: on the floor at all costs, at the expense of 370 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: ever having them on the floor together, not having them 371 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: on the floor together that much, because if they don't 372 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: have much talent to run bench groups like a lot 373 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: of these groups, it's like you're you're throwing Tyres Maxie 374 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: out there with two really good shooters like Shake Milton 375 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: and Georges Kneeang and Matistible to help on the defensive 376 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: end of the floor. Um, guys like Montrez Harrold, who 377 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: are so good as picking, picking and rolling to the 378 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: basket and finishing around the rim. They can run a 379 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: bench group like that without James Harden or Joel Embiid 380 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 1: and buy time for those guys to rest and have 381 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: a good chance to win those minutes because of how 382 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: good Tyrese Maxie is offensively. Then you know, all of 383 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: a sudden you're downtn and here comes James Harden and 384 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: Joel embid who are gonna wear you out with pick 385 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: and roll and you're gonna lose. And we haven't even 386 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: gotten Tobias Harris and the capability that he has to 387 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: create his own shot, defend multiple positions, and do all 388 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: the things that he can do on a basketball court. 389 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: I think they are the most talented top four in 390 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: the NBA, and that's a huge advantage for the Sixers. 391 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: They're not as deep with talent as teams like Boston, 392 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: but they're they're top heavy um, and that you know, 393 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: is going to give them a lot of advantages in 394 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: a in the in the in the playoffs this year. 395 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: I want to talk a little bit about the embiad 396 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: hard and pick and roll because they absolutely towards the 397 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: Clippers last night with it to close the fourth quarter. 398 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: The issue there is you can't switch it. You've got 399 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: to put a giant body on Joel embat Um, and 400 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: that giant body is not going to be able to 401 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: guard James Harden in a isolation situation. And so what 402 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: that means is James James Harden almost is guaranteed to 403 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: get over the top of the screen and get downhill. 404 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: When he does, that is going to force the screen 405 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: defender to step up, which is inevitably going to force 406 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: you to help out of the week side. And so 407 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 1: you're seeing a ton of drop offs to Um and 408 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: Beat in that short roll and a lot of good 409 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 1: stuff out of that. To give you some numbers to 410 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: kind of explain how effective this has been, twenty five 411 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: players in the NBA this year have run at least 412 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: five hundred picking rolls including passes. James Harden his fourth 413 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: out of in points per possession in points per possession 414 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: at one point one UM including passes, and that's helped 415 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: in large part by Embeat in the short role. He's 416 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 1: the only player in the league that's logged at least 417 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: two hundred rollman possessions. And what's funny is almost every 418 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: team is bringing the screen because you can't switch. Like 419 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: I said, they're bringing that screen defender over, they're taking 420 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: the ball out of James Harden's hands, and then they're 421 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: bringing a guy over to tag and beat at the 422 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 1: free throw line. And what's happening there is Embat is 423 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,679 Speaker 1: taking and making a ton of quick isolation jump shots 424 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: in that little short roll spot. It's kind of more 425 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: of like an ISO than it is a short roll thing, 426 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: but they're logging it a short roll possessions because it's 427 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: coming out of a pick and roll. But James Joe 428 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: Lymbiad is so deadly with that short jump shot right 429 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: around the free throw line that they're just getting a 430 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: ton of baskets out of that spot. Um the you know, 431 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: So to give you an idea of just how effective 432 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: and beat has been there at the foul line on 433 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: pull up two's this season or on twos this season 434 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,880 Speaker 1: two point jump shots that are inside of the three 435 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: point line, Joel Embiad is nineties seven for two hundred 436 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: and eight, which is forty seven percent. So when Joel 437 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: Embiat catches and shoots that short little jump shot around 438 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: the free throw line, he's making it half the time. 439 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: And then when you factor in how many times he's 440 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,640 Speaker 1: able to draw a foul, when you factor in how 441 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: many times he's able to beat a guy with a 442 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: pump fake and get to the rim or draw foul there, 443 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: that that is just deadly. And James and and and 444 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: the counter there is if you stay with them, bead 445 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: and fight him off of that position. James Harden is 446 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: able to get downhill because his defender has to chase 447 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: him over the top of the screen. So even if 448 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: you managed to survive that Tyrese MAXI on slot to 449 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 1: start fourth quarters, you have that hardened and beat pick 450 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: and roll waiting for you to close out the fourth 451 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 1: and that makes them like super scary. And that's why 452 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: I had Phil. If you guys remember before the season 453 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: my top tier contenders which was Golden State, Boston, Milwaukee, 454 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: and the Clippers. And I've since dropped the Clippers off 455 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: of that list and I put the Bucks into that spot. 456 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 1: But before the season, I had the Sixers as the 457 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: best of the rest. I had them at fifth in 458 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 1: the league. And the main reason why was I thought that, 459 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: you know, and be dealt with some health issues last year. 460 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: James Harden wasn't in shape for most of last year. 461 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: I was dealing with hamstring stuff. James Harden's in better 462 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: shape this year. Joel Embiid hopefully will be more healthy 463 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: this year. I expect the Sixers to be a really 464 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 1: tough out the playoffs, and it comes from the talent 465 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: of those top four guys. One last note on the 466 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: Sixers before we move on to the Clippers for a minute, 467 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: George's kneeing. I talked a lot yesterday when we were 468 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: talking about the Clippers about the value of high end, 469 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: competent wing shooting. And every single time you'd see last night, like, oh, 470 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: the Clippers were jogging back in transition and they weren't 471 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: really matched up super well, and Georgia's kneeing catches on 472 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 1: the left wing and just nails a transition three, and 473 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: you're like, oh crap, Like we literally can't leave him open. 474 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: And he made another huge three in the fourth quarter 475 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 1: shortly after that, and I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, like, 476 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: that's why, That's why I've been preaching so much about 477 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: that position for the Lakers and for a lot of 478 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: teams around the league. We talked about it for the Bucks. 479 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 1: We've talked about it for the Warriors. Off the bench, 480 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: we've talked about it about a bunch of teams this year. 481 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: You need to have guys on the wing with real 482 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: size so that they can navigate physical playoff environments that 483 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: are dead eye shooters, because that being a shot that 484 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: goes in fifty of the time and set a thirty 485 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: five percent of the time is going to lead to 486 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: a significant difference in your final result over the course 487 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: of a game or over the course of a playoff series. 488 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: But again, that's not even one of your top four 489 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: guys there, and that's a player that's so immensely valuable 490 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: to that Sixers team. Moving on to the Clippers, I 491 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: remain not worried. Um. They're the sixth best defense in 492 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: the NBA, So that's a classic hallmark of a championship contender. 493 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: They have matchup versatility because of the winging size that 494 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,400 Speaker 1: they have and their ability to play both small and big. 495 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: Now they do have some issues. They desperately need a 496 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: backup center. That's going to be a problem. Moses Brown 497 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: isn't quite up to that task. Um. But the most 498 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: used lineup that the Clippers have played all season is 499 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: their starting lineup Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Marcus Morris, Reggie 500 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: Jackson in a Vikazoo back and they've only played a 501 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty three minutes so four perspective that Portland, Sacramento, Houston, 502 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: and Chicago all of their starting lineups have played over 503 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,880 Speaker 1: four hundred minutes together this year. That's a huge part 504 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: of why their offense is twenty seven in the league. 505 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: Offense is about four key factors advantage creation, play finishing, 506 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: play rescuing, and rhythm and flow. Paul George and Kawhi 507 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: Leonard have only played in fifty three of the ninety 508 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 1: two available games for them this year. That directly disrupts 509 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 1: your advantage creation because those are your two primary advantage creators. 510 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 1: When they miss half the games, you get half as 511 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: much advantage creation. That's your two best play rescuers, tough 512 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: shot makers. If you lose them for half the games, 513 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,479 Speaker 1: you lost half of your play rescuing. I talk all 514 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: the time about how just making crazy shots to save 515 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: possessions is the difference between a one oh eight offensive 516 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: rating in a one seventeen offensive rating, or a good 517 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: offense and a bad offense. You need guys that can 518 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: rescue possessions. And then for rhythm and flow, if my 519 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: team's gonna miss my stars for fifty three of the 520 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,200 Speaker 1: ninety two games, were always playing different lineups. Are best 521 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 1: lineups only played a hundred and sixty three minutes. We 522 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: have never had an opportunity to build rhythm and flow. Now, 523 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: the one thing there that's consistent is play finishing right 524 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: Like this team has a ton of ball handling and 525 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: shooting in general on the roster. But that just doesn't 526 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: matter if you don't have the guys that can create 527 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: the advantage initially, or the guys that can rescue the 528 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,239 Speaker 1: possessions when they break down, or have enough of your 529 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: guys available enough to where you build that rhythm and flow. 530 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 1: I talked about rhythm and flow a lot on this show. 531 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: And I have a random little aside you guys have 532 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: probably seen in my background. I've got guitars and a 533 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: Debt and Company poster and there's John Mayor and Bobby 534 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: We're playing some guitar I grew up on. You know, 535 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: all that old blues and rock, Allmond Brothers band, Stevie 536 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: ray Van, you know, Debt and Company, stuff like that. 537 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: And Uh, I've become become a huge fan of Debt 538 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: and Company because of John Mayer and his ability to 539 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: play guitar in a way that you probably don't realize 540 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 1: because he's always playing with these like pop type genre 541 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: music that he's been doing in his mainstream stuff. And 542 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 1: they just played a show down in Mexico this past weekend, 543 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: and uh, a lot of Debt and Company fans were 544 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: complaining that they sounded disjointed it. And I've been following 545 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: Debt and Company for the last half decade or so, 546 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 1: and every time they start playing the start of their 547 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: to or they're super sloppy, and then by the end 548 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: of their tour they're dialed in and they're just so 549 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: damn good. Like if you go to last year's tour 550 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 1: and you look at their last show at City Field, 551 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: they sound amazing, but if you go to their first show, 552 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: it's a little sloppy. And then of course they go 553 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,479 Speaker 1: down to Mexico and they haven't played together in months 554 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: and they sound sloppy. And it's because there's literally, I 555 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: think six members to the band. There's a bass player, 556 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: there's two guitars, there's two drummers, and there's a piano player. 557 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 1: So when you've got six different moving parts, it takes 558 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: a while for them to get in sync. And that 559 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: kind of that same concept exists in so many different 560 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 1: phases of our life, but basketball is the one that 561 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: you know, obviously directly relates to me a lot. I 562 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: I see that all the time with the game of basketball, 563 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: there's individual rhythm. If you're a player that's been out 564 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: with an injury and you need to and your jump shooter. 565 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: If your skill or entered, it's gonna take you five 566 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:03,719 Speaker 1: ten games to get your rhythm back. Steph came back 567 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 1: from injury. He sucked. Now he's playing better. Desmond Band 568 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: came back from injury. He sucked. Now he's playing better. 569 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: You get the point. That's the natural way that build. 570 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: You build rhythm on an individual level, but that extends 571 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: to the team level. If I've if I've got a 572 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: drive and kick offense with five players on the floor, 573 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: there is a rhythm in a timing and a flow 574 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: to that that you can't build if you don't have 575 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 1: your players available. And so that's why the Clippers, despite 576 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: having you know, probably a top six or seven roster 577 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: in terms of offensive skill, our seven in offense, they've 578 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 1: lost their advantage creators for a great deal of the season. 579 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: They've lost their um, you know, shot possession rescuing for 580 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: a large portion of the season, and none of their 581 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: lineups have been able to get enough reps to build 582 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: a real rhythm and flow. UM. I have dropped the 583 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 1: Clippers from my top tier of contenders because of that, 584 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: but I still view them in that second tier and 585 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: I absolutely think they're capable of winning a championship because 586 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,120 Speaker 1: all they need to do is get their guys back, 587 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,400 Speaker 1: get healthy, and have a game stretch where they all 588 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: play a lot and they build that requisite rhythm and flow. 589 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: If they do, then they are a damn sure, absolutely 590 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: capable championship contender. They have the defense and match up 591 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: versatility to thrive in that environment. They have two outstanding 592 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: advantage creators. They have tons of shooting and close out attacking. 593 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: They have two guys that create their own shot at 594 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: an extremely high level to rescue possessions and in late 595 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: game situations. That's all the boxes. I don't know want 596 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: else to tell you. That's all the boxes. All of 597 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: their issues I think come down two injuries. Yet I 598 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: hope they tart to get a backup center in the 599 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: trade market. But like a lot, there's a lot of 600 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: smoke and mirrors out. There's a lot of people complaining 601 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: about TYLU, which is a lot of people acting like 602 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: they're frauds. They're not frauds. They've just been hurt, and yeah, 603 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: they're not gonna win anything if they don't get over 604 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: at But it's a pretty easy path from there because 605 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: they have the requisite talent on the roster. All right, 606 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: let's get to our quick hitter. So John Wall he said, 607 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: quote unquote, we was going to beat the ship out 608 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: of bron They did not want to see us. Now, 609 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: for the record, this is not the first time that 610 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: the two thousand seventeen Wizards have talked a bunch of 611 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: pointless ship about the Calves. I remember Marquis Morris staying 612 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: some Markuis Morris staying some stuff. This is not even 613 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: the first time I've heard John Wall say anything. Um. 614 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: And it's all based on the fact that in a 615 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,719 Speaker 1: couple of regular season games excuse me, spanning from two 616 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen to two thousand seventeen and eighteen. During 617 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: that span, the Wizards won some games against the Calves 618 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: in the regular season. UM. And that apparently has driven 619 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: that delusion of grandeur within those guys on the Wizards 620 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: to think that they could have won that. And I 621 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: think it's hilarious because a couple of things. First of all, 622 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: the two thousand seventeen Calves bullshitted through that entire season. 623 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: They did not play any defense, They did not fear 624 00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: anyone in the Eastern Conference, so they didn't care about 625 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,719 Speaker 1: seating the whole thing was just one big practice for 626 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: the Kevin Durant Warriors, despite that, they still finished two 627 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: games above the Wizards in the regular season standings and 628 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: went two and one against them that season in the 629 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: regular season. And so I just don't understand what he 630 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: was looking at there that would have incentivized him to 631 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: believe that the Wizards could have won that series. Uh. 632 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: And to give you an example, regular season matchups almost 633 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: never translate to the playoffs, especially when you're looking at 634 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: teams that have championship pedigree. For instance, the two thousand 635 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: fifteen Hawks three and one against the Calves in the 636 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: regular season. Lebron swept them with no Kevin Love and 637 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: with Kyrie Irving missing two games and playing hurt in 638 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: the other two. You don't think the Hawks went into 639 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: that series thinking, oh, we got them, we were up 640 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: three one. No, no no, no, Like when you get into 641 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: the playoffs. It's just an entirely different beast. So John 642 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: wall is completely living in fantasy land. Last note here, 643 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: never ever allow yourself to be swayed by regular season 644 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: results for a defending champ. Ever, do you remember the 645 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: top ten defense rule. I've talked about this a lot 646 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: of my show you only win a championship if you're 647 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: a top ten defense. But in this century, there are 648 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: two examples where a team outside of the top ten 649 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: and defense won the title. It was the Shot Kobe 650 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: Lakers and the Katie Steph Warriors, but specifically, both of 651 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: those teams were already defending champs. When you like, the 652 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: defending champ goes into that season with less motivation than 653 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: any team in the league because they literally have the trophy. 654 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: That's why I still have the Warriors at twenty two 655 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: and twenty two as a top tier contender. For me, 656 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: there's a lot of president there for this sort of thing. Um. 657 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: Now I do the Warriors in particular. I don't think 658 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: they're talented enough to not have a top ten defense. 659 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: So with them, I'm really watching that defensive rating over 660 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: the course of the season. But I have not written 661 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 1: them off despite them struggling this year. The two seventeen 662 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: Cabs went fifty one and thirty one. They were below 663 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: five hundred on the road, and then they absolutely obliterated 664 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: everyone in the playoffs. Then they lost to the most 665 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 1: talented roster ever assembled, to the Katie Steph Warriors. But 666 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: they were the only NBA t NBA team in the 667 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: league that year to not to playoff win against the 668 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: two thousand seventeen Warriors, that CALVS team would have swept 669 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,959 Speaker 1: the Wizards. I have absolutely no doubt about that. Um 670 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: all right, J J. Reddick and his work ethics. So 671 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: there was a clip that was going around on Twitter. 672 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: I tweeted it out today, so if you want to 673 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: see the clip, you can find it there. But J. J. 674 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: Reddick's on a podcast with Quentin Richardson and he said 675 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: one of the biggest reasons that he retired was how 676 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: difficult his offseason regimen was and that he didn't think 677 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: his body could handle it anymore. And then he kind 678 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: of broke down when his offseason regiment was and basically 679 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: he did two days Monday through Friday. He takes Saturday off, 680 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: and then he would make three two shots every single Sunday. 681 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: And the reason why the resonate resonated with me is 682 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: I think that there's a disconnect with a lot of 683 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: young players about working on your game in a real 684 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: professional basketball work ethic. And it's a lesson that I 685 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: wish I would have learned when I was younger, because 686 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: when I was younger, I had all the talent I was, 687 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 1: you know, super up six six without shoes on two 688 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: it and twenty pounds of muscle and six eleven wingspan, 689 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: six ten wins span, whatever it was, and when on 690 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: if you caught me on the right night, like I 691 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: could shoot it and I could put the ball on 692 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: the floor and make plays. So so I scored. I 693 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: had a lot of really high scoring games like I had. 694 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: My career high in college was thirty one twenty plus, 695 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: like a half dozen times average double figures from my 696 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: college career had all those different things, but I was 697 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: very inconsistent. So like conference play in JUCO my second year, 698 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 1: I shoot fifty percent from three, and then I transferred 699 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: to Arizona Christian and I shot eighteen percent from three. 700 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: So uh so, going from fifty percent from three to 701 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: eighteen percent from three in literally a year when theoretically 702 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: I would have gotten better, and it was because I 703 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: was actually a super streaky shooter. What I was was 704 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: a player that had some skill, but I did not 705 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 1: have reliable skill. And that doesn't seem like a big gap. 706 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: But one of the biggest lessons I learned is I 707 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: got older. Was that a huge gap when in my 708 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: late twenties, UM, was when I finally kind of really 709 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: realized and learned how hard you have to work at 710 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: those things to be good at them. And it's it 711 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: was way too late. I'm thirty one years old now, 712 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: so it doesn't even matter how good I can play basketball. 713 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 1: There's no real outlet for that now. And one of 714 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 1: the things that I wish I would have learned when 715 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,280 Speaker 1: I was younger is that specific type of work ethic 716 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: you in order to be a reliable jump shooter and 717 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,359 Speaker 1: a reliable ball handler, you have to put in thousands 718 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: and thousands and thousands and thousands of reps over years 719 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: and years and years, and you're only going to see 720 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 1: incremental improvement on a daily basis. You're barely gonna notice 721 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: it in the short term. You're only gonna notice it 722 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,319 Speaker 1: in the long term. And I hope for all of 723 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 1: you young basketball players out there, UM that listen to 724 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: the show, that you learned that lesson now, don't make 725 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 1: the mistake of waiting. The guys that make it to 726 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 1: the league they learned that lesson when they're teenagers and 727 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 1: that and they ride that too, you know, getting that 728 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: vote of confidence from an NBA team in the early twenties, 729 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,240 Speaker 1: and then they write it throughout their career to become 730 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:18,839 Speaker 1: super skilled and reliable NBA role players. That's how they 731 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: do that. You know, there's a it's so easy for 732 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,880 Speaker 1: a lot of players to say, uh, to blame outside 733 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 1: circumstances for not making it to the NBA or not 734 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:33,879 Speaker 1: having the best professional basketball career overseas, or the most 735 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 1: successful college basketball career that they wanted to have, or 736 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,359 Speaker 1: because they got benched at this school or they didn't 737 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: get as many rotation minutes as they wanted at this 738 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,359 Speaker 1: other school, and they'll blame the coach, and they'll blame this, 739 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 1: and they'll blame that, and they'll blame this, and they'll 740 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: blame that, and chances are it was probably because you 741 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 1: just didn't work hard enough. I am not an NBA player, 742 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: and I've never insinuated that I am. But the reason 743 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,919 Speaker 1: that I'm not an NBA players I did not work 744 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: hard enough when I was younger. And I hope you 745 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,280 Speaker 1: guys learned that lesson of those of you out here 746 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: out there who are trying to play lastly nets without 747 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 1: kat So. Kevin Durant has missed three games with his 748 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 1: knee injury. And the Nets are oh and three and 749 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: two of the three teams they played here below five. 750 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: And the part that's bothering me is everyone's all shocked. 751 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 1: It's like, oh my goodness, the Nets are terrible without 752 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:23,319 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant. And this has been the case all season long, 753 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:25,320 Speaker 1: which is exactly why I said Kevin Durant was the 754 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 1: m v P if the season ended today. Um, now, 755 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: I think he needs to come back from his injuries 756 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: sooner than later to stay in that discussion. Otherwise your 757 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: kisch is gonna run away with it. But um, the 758 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,880 Speaker 1: Nets this season have been about plus seven per one 759 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:42,319 Speaker 1: possessions when Katie plays and about minus five when he 760 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 1: does it, and spent an issue all season long. And 761 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: I've been trying to point that out. And what has 762 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: happened with Kevin Durant is he has so many enemies 763 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 1: in terms of like the fans of the of the 764 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 1: game because of I think, in large part the Lebron 765 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: fan bases and the Steph fan bases who have painted 766 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant as their enemy instead of just another good 767 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: basketball player that they should enjoy watching and cheer. Four. 768 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: And so Katie went to the Warriors and everyone called 769 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:10,680 Speaker 1: him a cupcake, and everyone said that his titles didn't count, 770 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: and everyone said that, oh, he went to Brooklyn and 771 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: now he's losing, when really it has to do with 772 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 1: roster talent and Kyrie Irving and not anything that Kevin 773 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: Durant is doing. And everyone has just built a massively 774 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 1: underrated image of what Kevin Durant is. Kevin Durant is 775 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: a freaking incredible basketball player, like one of the ten 776 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:34,160 Speaker 1: best players of all time, and right now is playing 777 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: better or as well as anybody in the league. And 778 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 1: so if you remove him from a team, they're gonna 779 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: be really bad. And that's the same for every single 780 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:47,960 Speaker 1: team in this league that has that level of player. 781 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:52,200 Speaker 1: And So if there's one thing that I hope that 782 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 1: this season teaches the NBA fans is to just properly 783 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,919 Speaker 1: respect Kevin Durant. I don't care what you think about 784 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: his titles and how much you think they're worth. I 785 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:05,719 Speaker 1: don't care what you think about his social media personality. 786 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: I don't care what you think about his friendship with 787 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving. When it comes to what happens inside the 788 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 1: basketball court lines, he's one of the very best to 789 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 1: ever do it, and way too often that gets swept 790 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: under the rug because people want to you know, dunk 791 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:21,719 Speaker 1: on him in a debate about Steph Curry or or 792 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,920 Speaker 1: Lebron James or something stupid like that. Alright, guys, that 793 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:26,880 Speaker 1: is all I have for today. As always, I sincerely 794 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:28,839 Speaker 1: appreciate your support. We will be back tomorrow night after 795 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: the final buzzer of Celtics Warriors Volume