1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: The volume. Who's scoring big in the NBA this season? 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: You are with all of the new ways to get 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: in on the action at Draft Kings sports Book, an 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: official sports betting partner of the NBA. For monster slams 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: to dishing the rock to cleaning the glass, get behind 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: your favorite players and the prop bets you can make 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: on DraftKings, the home of NBA player props. Ready to 8 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: place your first bet? Try betting on something simple like 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: picking how many points your favorite player will have. 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This 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: is my second time recording this intro because in the 37 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: middle of our mail bag, the Denver Nuggets fired Calvin 38 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: Booth and Mike Malone on April eighth, less than a 39 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: week before we get through the end of the regular season. 40 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: If you guys want to hear specifically my reaction to that, 41 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: fast forward about seven minutes into this video. Jackson, our producer, 42 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: is also going to put a little link in the 43 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: description so that you can fast forward to that. So 44 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: if you want the reactions specifically to the Nuggets news, 45 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 1: you'll have to fast forward a little bit. Otherwise, it's 46 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: our weekly mail bag. We got about a dozen questions 47 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: from you. Guys. Are gonna be bouncing all around the 48 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: league lots of interesting stuff. Remember, if you guys want 49 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: to get questions into our mail bag, just go to 50 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: our full episodes on YouTube, go into the comments type 51 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: mail bag with a coll in and write your question. 52 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: That's how I can find it in the mix. Relatively 53 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: easy drop those questions in there. We're going to be 54 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: doing mail bags about once a week moving forward throughout 55 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: the rest of the season. You guys are the drip 56 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:48,919 Speaker 1: for We get started to subscribe to the Hoops Tonight 57 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 58 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore JCNLTS. You guys, don't 59 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: miss you announcements. Some forget about our podcast feed where 60 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: we get your podcast on our Hoops Tonight. It's also 61 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: super helpful if you leave a rating and review on 62 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: that front. Jackson's doing incredible work on our new social 63 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: media feed. So go to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and 64 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: look up Hoops Tonight for more content throughout the season. 65 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: And the last but not least, like I mentioned at 66 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: the top, keep dropping mail bag questions in YouTube comments 67 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 1: that we can hit them through our weekly mail bags 68 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: throughout the remainder of the season. All right, let's talk 69 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: some basketball. So at the little context before this first question, 70 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: at the tail end of the Steph Lebron segment that 71 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: we did yesterday, I talked about how I would rank 72 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: my top players of all time, with Lebron and MJ 73 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: kind of on a tier at by themselves at the top, 74 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: and then I'd go Kobe, Magic, Steph, and then Larry Bird. 75 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: And so that's the context before we get to this question. 76 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: Big fan of Jason in the show, did I miss 77 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: where Jason said these were his top six non centers 78 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: of all time? Oh good? I was afraid someone whose 79 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: NBA opinions I greatly respect, I'd left Kareem and Bill 80 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: out of his top six players. Wilton, Shack and the 81 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: team deserve consideration in one day, Yokic might, but no 82 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: Kareem is in the top six. Is the big one? 83 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: Maybe centers are in a separate category. For Jason, I 84 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: believe he's a forwarder guard himself. Yeah, so the last 85 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: time we did this stuff was two summers ago, I think, 86 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: And this year, because we don't have a team USA 87 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: or any sort of Olympic basketball, we might do a 88 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: little bit more WNBA stuff, and we might do a 89 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: little bit more of this kind of like all time 90 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: big picture NBA stuff as well, And so we might 91 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 1: dig into some of these concepts a little bit further. 92 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, like for me personally, it's just really difficult 93 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: to rank, Like how do you rank a Kareem up 94 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: Duel Jabbar against a Steph Curry for instance. They just 95 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,679 Speaker 1: their jobs are so fundamentally different, and you could argue 96 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: that they're the greatest ever at their specific jobs. And 97 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: now we're discussing like which job is more valuable in 98 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: its respective era, right, And so that's where it gets 99 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: really complicated. And so for me personally, I've been keeping 100 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: centers on a separate list. Now, where that gets complicated 101 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: is a guy like Jokic, right, a guy like Jokic 102 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: being a guy that is more perimeter oriented as center. 103 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: But even then, I think that I would rank Jokic 104 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: among centers. There's a simple concept like for instance, NIKOLEA. 105 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: Jokic cannot switch onto the perimeter in guard one on 106 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: one like he's horrible at it, So he's trapped into 107 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: these specific coverages, like at the level coverages in deeper 108 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: drop coverages, and so to me, that's like Joki is 109 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: still clearly the best player in the league even though 110 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: he can't fundamentally do one of the most basic tasks 111 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: that a perimeter player does. So with that being the case, 112 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: like even with Jokic, I might keep him in a 113 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: separate list when the time comes. But again, that was 114 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: the only reason why I had the list look the 115 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: way it did yesterday when I was referring to it. 116 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: To me, Steph's title in twenty twenty two vaulted him 117 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: over Larry Bird. I still think he's got some ground 118 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: to cover in terms of Magic and Kobe in terms 119 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,239 Speaker 1: of like overall big picture accomplishments. And I don't think 120 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: Steph ever had a ceiling relative to his peers the league, 121 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: meaning like Oh my god. STEP's obviously just better than 122 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: everybody type of moment to be able to enter into 123 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: that MJ. Lebron tier that they're in there at the top. 124 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: But again, I think he could still potentially move up, 125 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: Like if the Warriors won this year, he'd have a 126 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: good chance to move ahead of guys like Kobe and 127 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: Magic for me. But yeah, more fun on that front 128 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: when we get to the summer. Hey, Jason, much love 129 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: from Brazil. So over the last few games, Tatum's three 130 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 1: point shooting has been rough. He's been at twenty one 131 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: percent over the last three and when one for nine 132 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: in the most recent one at the time of recording. 133 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: Don't get me wrong, He's still playing really well overall. 134 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: But I feel like I've seen this movie before. Right 135 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: around playoff time, Tatum has a cold stretch from deep 136 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: and it seems to just follow him into the postseason, 137 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: kind of like last year. The competition's only getting tougher, 138 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: and honestly, I don't think we can win it all 139 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: unless Tatum is firing on all cylinders. Am I overthinking 140 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: this or is this something we should be worried about? 141 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: Worried is a strong word, because the Celtics have a 142 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: lot of margin for error, and Tatum frankly shot like 143 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: shit last year and they won the title. Now there 144 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: are some obvious things that you need to take into consideration. 145 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 1: Like I talked about this with Celtics fans a lot 146 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: over the summer when we were debating the Celtics in 147 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: their place all time. I don't think that that MAVs 148 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: team was a you know, traditional powerhouse contender, nor the Pacers, 149 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: nor the Cavs, nor that Heat team that was injured 150 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: at the start of last year's postseason. So like I 151 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: think we can all freely admit that if you face 152 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: Knicks or Pacers in round two, that's about the same 153 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: quality of opponent that you faced in the conference finals 154 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: last year, maybe a little better because the Pacers are 155 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: a little better and the Knicks are I would argue, 156 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: even more talented than the Pacers. So your second round 157 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: opponent could arguably be as tough as your conference finals opponent. 158 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: Your finals opponent, Cleveland, in my opinion, is better than 159 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: probably both of the teams you played in the conference 160 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: finals and finals last year, better than that Dallas team, 161 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: better than that Indiana Pacers team. And then your reward 162 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: if you get out of the West could be he 163 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: Shay Gilders Alexander in a sixty five plus win Thunder team, 164 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: which would be dramatically better than any team you faced 165 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: in the postseason last year. A Lebron Luca Austin Lakers 166 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: team that is gonna be better than any team you 167 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: faced last year. A Kauai Zuboch hardened team like those 168 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: teams that are in the Western Conference that are below 169 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: that tier are all every bit as good as Dallas 170 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: was last year. So you have a very difficult path 171 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: laying in front of you relative to last year. Now, 172 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: as far as Tatum's shooting goes, it goes a little 173 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: deeper than what you talked about over the last week 174 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: or so. I had looked yesterday or two days ago, 175 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: something like that twenty game span where he was shooting 176 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: right around thirty percent from three. Now, U Celtics fans 177 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: can probably relate to this as having watched the team 178 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: even closer than I have this year. But that's kind 179 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: of been Tatum's shooting all year. Like he'll have these 180 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: like three four game stretches where he's fifty five percent 181 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: from three and sixty five percent from the field, and 182 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: then he'll have two or three games in a row 183 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: where he's one for nine, two for eleven, like those 184 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 1: kinds of games from three and so he's generally been streaky. 185 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: And so I want to say, like I told you to, 186 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: like discount the word worried, like set the word worried 187 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: to the side. It's not worried so much as like 188 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: you're trimming into your margin for error. I'd argue there's 189 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: two potential outcomes for Tatum in this postseason. He could 190 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: enter into one of those hot streaks that we talked 191 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: about and shoot the jump shot extremely well all postseason. 192 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: And if that happens, I mean, I think I would 193 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: just say Boston's gonna win it all, Like I don't 194 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: think if Tatum's gonna legitimately play at that because that's 195 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: the thing. When Tatum's jump shot is going at a 196 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: super high level, he is a bona fide top tier 197 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: superstar in this league, at the same level as the 198 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: guys like Shay and Jokic and Luca and Giannis. Right, 199 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: he's not as good in their peak offensively as those guys, 200 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: but he's extremely versatile and has enough offensive upside to 201 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: impact the game as much as those guys do. When 202 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: his jump shots not going, he drops into that second 203 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: tier of stars. And so because then he's super versatile, 204 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 1: a great defender, great rebounder, all these different things, great playmaker, 205 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: matchup attack or all that kind of stuff, but he 206 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: just lacks the offensive upside he has when he has 207 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: his jump shot going. So again, I think there's a 208 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: certain amount of margin for error that gets clipped off 209 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: if Tatum shows up into the postseason and shoots poorly, 210 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: And I think it's absolutely something that will make things tougher. 211 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: But then I'd also argue that this was going to 212 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: be tougher for them no matter what, Like if I've 213 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: talked about it last summer, if you want to be 214 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 1: remembered as an all time great team, this is the 215 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: year you have to win. I mean, look at how 216 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: many we have two more sixty win teams this year 217 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: with Cleveland and OKC. You're not going to get that 218 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: credit for being one of the all time greats unless 219 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: you can combine multiple years of success against different types 220 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 1: of playoff opponents. That it's one of those things where 221 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: like if you ripped through New York, Cleveland and oakse 222 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: this year, all of a sudden, it adds a layer 223 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 1: of legitimacy to last year's playoff run that wasn't there, 224 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: because now it's like, well, we just proved we would 225 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: have beaten all those teams anyway if we would have 226 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: played them last year. And so again this is it's 227 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: gonna be tougher no matter what I think. Without Tatum 228 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: shooting well, it will be especially tough. But I also 229 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: think it's just as likely that he goes in there 230 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:21,959 Speaker 1: and shoots really well. I'm gonna say the same exact 231 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: thing that I said about Jokic last year with his 232 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: three point shot and his three point shots tailing off 233 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: a little bit this year as well. I'm gonna say 234 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: the same thing though, which is just keep an eye 235 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: on it. It's just something to keep an eye on 236 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: because if Boston loses to somebody and Tatum shoots like shit, 237 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: we can look back and go, well, he shot really 238 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: poorly going into the postseason and that ended up being 239 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: the trend that shot them in the foot. This Mike Malone' stuff. Jackson, 240 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: if you could do me a favor, and just as 241 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: I'm kind of working through this, if we get any 242 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: sort of additional intel, as to what of what might 243 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: have happened. I saw a clip going around this morning 244 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,959 Speaker 1: of Mike Malone in a press conference talking about how 245 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: he basically has a group of guys in the locker 246 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: room that is in denial about some of the situations 247 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: that they're dealing with. I heard him say that, you know, 248 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: these realities are on tape, and he accused his players 249 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: of not watching the tape and about how he was 250 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: going to have to basically put the tape in their 251 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: face to try to get them to acknowledge those realities. 252 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: I'm going to assume he's referring to the defensive end, 253 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna assume he's referring to a combination of things, 254 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: whether it be Jokic's at the level coverage, some of 255 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: the backside rotation stuff, some of the just defensive mistakes 256 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: made in terms of box outs and rotations on the backside. 257 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: But I'm going to say the same thing that I 258 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: said after we saw Taylor Jenkins get fired, which is like, 259 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: this is just a bizarre time to make a dramatic 260 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: shift like this. Now it gets a little bit more tricky, 261 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: is I don't think Denver would make a move like 262 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: this unless the belief was gone. And what I mean 263 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: by that is you're tailing off. You've lost what nine 264 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: of your last fourteen games. Jamal Murray may or may 265 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: not be ready for the postseason. I thought that game 266 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: against Indiana was their most pitiful defensive effort of the 267 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: last of this last chunk of games that they've played, 268 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 1: where there were some plays where there were some truly 269 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 1: embarrassing efforts and defensive rotations on the backside. So I 270 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: think it might have just spiraled to the point where 271 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: they looked at the situation and thought, this year's basically done. 272 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: We might as well begin this process of hunting out 273 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: our next option right away. But I will get more 274 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: intel on that. I have a we're going again on 275 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: Wednesday morning, so as we get more information about what's 276 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: coming out from the Mike Malone firing, we'll get to 277 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: it at that point. But my initial gut reaction is 278 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: like it might be time for a gigantic pivot for 279 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: the Nuggets in addition to changing their coaching staff. I 280 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: talked with Kevin O'Connor last night, and I talked on 281 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: my show yesterday about the idea that this team might 282 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: need to fundamentally rebuild around Yokich. I would keep Aaron 283 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: Gordon because of his jump shooting and how I think 284 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: that gives you a ton more flexibility in terms of 285 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: how to build around him. But I think it might 286 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: be worth considering a complete shuffling of the deck around 287 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: your athletes, keeping Peyton wattson, keeping Aaron Gordon, you know, 288 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: maybe like a jam Pickett or something like that. But 289 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: then like all of these, like skill oriented offensive players 290 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: that have been inconsistent and not as productive as they've 291 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: needed him to be, they need to be flipped for 292 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: offensive players they are defensive players. I'd like I'd be 293 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: looking for a move along the lines of a Michael 294 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: Porter junior, for a Jaden McDaniels or a Herb Jones 295 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: or something along those lines. I'd be looking for someone 296 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: that you can put to make this defensive job easier. 297 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: I think as Jokic ages too, you could make the 298 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: case that offense will be easier for him and defense 299 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: will be harder because he's a groundbound player that doesn't 300 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: take a lot of impact when he's playing offense. It's 301 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: a lot of footwork, pivoting, reading the floor using his 302 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: size that should translate deep into his late thirties if 303 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: he wants to, and so our mid thirties, I should 304 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: say so. With that being the case, I would build 305 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: more around the idea of defense around Jokic than offense 306 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: around Jokic at this point. But again, we'll get into 307 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: more nuggets tomorrow once we get more information on the firing. 308 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: Woah fired Calvin Booth. They've completely flipped everything over in Denver. 309 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: That is crazy. I think that's a pretty strong indicator 310 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: that we're going to end up having a some sort 311 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: of substantial rebuild for Denver. But I mean, I literally 312 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: talked about this last night with Kevin O'Connor. There's a 313 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: clip of it on social right now that you guys 314 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: can find on my twitter feed. But like I, to me, 315 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: this feel like a dramatic pivot after this season, like 316 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: a complete and total reconstruction of how you win around Yokic. 317 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: If you acknowledge the reality that you have to bring 318 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: Yokic up to the level, then you need to be 319 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: two things. You need the on ball guy to be 320 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: a guy that is really good with ball pressure and disruption, 321 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: because if Yokic isn't going to be super active with 322 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: his hands up there. The guy trailing the play, the 323 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: guy chasing over the top has to be super active 324 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: with his hands to make those passes uncomfortable. On the backside, 325 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: you've got to be really sharp in your rotations. We've 326 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: seen Yokic be able to weaponize athleticism on offense in 327 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: the form of cutting. I've been so fascinated by the 328 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: Westbrook Brown groups this year and how you see like 329 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: at various points, sometimes separate from each other, sometimes together, 330 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: where you see the two of them being able to 331 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: layer the waves of their cuts to maintain spacing even 332 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: though they aren't necessarily shooters. So I think that is 333 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: the build that I would look for is just overwhelming 334 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: defense and athleticism around Jokic. Smart athleticism around Jokic so 335 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: that you can have a high enough defensive floor. Again, guys, 336 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: defensive rating with Yokic on the floor since going all 337 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: the way back to January, I think it's like January tenth, 338 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: if I remember correctly, the defensive rating with Yokic on 339 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: the floors of one to twenty. That's that's not just bad, 340 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: that's your disqualified from any sort of potential playoff success. 341 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: Like you're not you're not beating anybody. Like I'll go 342 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: a step further. I have felt strongly ever since that 343 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 1: game that that Luca and the Lakers put on Denver 344 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: in Denver that I think I think the Lakers would 345 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: kick Denver's ass in a playoff series because they would 346 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: have absolutely no chance to stop them from generating wide 347 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: open threes every single time down the floor. Kind of 348 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: a wild difference between the way it felt when Anthony 349 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: Davis was on the team, where I felt like the 350 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: Lakers had absolutely no chance. So it's just a it 351 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: come down to that basic concept of defense, and like 352 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: there's just too many guys like that that draw that coverage. 353 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: I saw a clip this morning on Twitter talking about 354 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 1: different players that bring two to the ball blitzes, and 355 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:16,959 Speaker 1: it's like, Steph, you know, Dame Luca, Anthony Edwards ironically 356 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: draws the most blitzes in the entire league, which I 357 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: think has more to do with his lack of passing 358 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: ability than anything else. But like, there's a lot of 359 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: guys that you have to face in the Western Conference 360 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: that are going to bring to the ball, so you 361 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: better be set up to handle that defensively. And Denver 362 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 1: is just not and things were crumbling and they decided 363 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: to make a pivot. Hey, Jason Hues, fan of the show. 364 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: I say this as a diehard Laker fan and Luca fan. 365 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 1: I personally don't see the same player from years past 366 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: when I'm watching it. He has no bursts to beat 367 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: people and get into the rim, plays zero defense, and 368 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: relies on a tough step back three to score. I 369 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: remember when you talked about the nerd Sash guys, you 370 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: said he was definitely top two or three, comfortably better 371 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: than Shay. I was curious to see if your stance 372 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 1: has changed, because I can't put him over any of 373 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: the people he's being compared to. Right now. He's been 374 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: back for like two months from an injury that was 375 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: the most significant injury he suffered as a pro, So 376 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: I think there's a certain amount of like, he's obviously 377 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: not quite where he's gonna be yet. The big piece 378 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: is the mid range and short range shot making. He's 379 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: pump faking that shot a lot. He's not making it 380 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: at nearly the same clip he did last year in 381 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: the postseason. The step back three. It was cold in 382 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks, but overall in the last 383 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: month or so, Like he's been shooting it pretty well. 384 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: He more or less looks like Luca to me, with 385 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: exception of that short to mid range shot making. It's 386 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: worth mentioning last year in the postseason, he was banged up, 387 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: he had that bulky knee, he was limping around a lot. 388 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: He wasn't exactly moving super well in the postseason last year. 389 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: But that's kind of what I refer to as the 390 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: upside with this Lakers team is like where can Luca 391 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:53,159 Speaker 1: get from now April eighth to May first? It was like, 392 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,120 Speaker 1: let's say that they get into a first round series 393 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: with a you know, a Minnesota or something like that, 394 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: and they get out of that series and it's a 395 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: second round series where they got to go on the 396 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: road to Houston. Like that's a series where like I 397 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: think you're gonna need Luca because of just how big 398 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 1: and physical and good their defense is. You're gonna need 399 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: Luca to be a better version of himself. Well, you 400 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,239 Speaker 1: got three weeks to kind of iron that out as 401 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: you try to get him ready for that type of series. 402 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: So again, like here's the thing, Like, do I think 403 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: Shay is better than Luca right this point? In time, yes, 404 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: but like I think it's very possible, but by the 405 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: time they get to a conference final series that Luca 406 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: could overtake him because he's still getting back to form 407 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: from an injury. And to me, fundamentally their ceilings like 408 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: take say Luca in the postseason last year and Shaye 409 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: right now. To me, I'm always partial to the big 410 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: playmaking forward. I've been talking to you guys about this forever. 411 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: It's why I've been drawn to Jokic, drawn to Lebron. 412 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 1: I've had my frustrations with Luca over the years as 413 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: some of his stuff complaining to refs and some of 414 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: the stuff on defense, But I do like that archetype 415 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 1: of player a lot. I think that there is a 416 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: extra value to solving playoff puzzles, solving playoff defensive schemes, 417 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: and I think lucas substantially better at that than a 418 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: guy like Shay. Shay's a better defender, Shay's a better 419 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: like straight up on an island score in volume. But 420 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:18,959 Speaker 1: then I also think you could make the case that 421 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: Luca's size gives him more resilience as a score as 422 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: you get into later rounds in the postseason. So like 423 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: for instance, like could Luke could Shay do to Jaden 424 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: McDaniels what Luca did to Jaden McDaniels in the Western 425 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: Conference Finals. I'm not sure you know what I mean? 426 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: Like could, Like we're gonna see the Lakers play the 427 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: Rockets again, we could most likely see them play a 428 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: second round series if they both advance, Like who would 429 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: do better against the men Thompson, Shay Gilders Alexander who 430 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: really struggled with him the other night, or a Luka 431 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: Doncic who has such an overwhelming size advantage there that 432 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: over the course of a series he should be able 433 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: to wear them down a little bit. So again, I 434 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: think the theoretical version of Luca at his best is 435 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: a better player than Shay. Historically, home court has been 436 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: a huge advantage in the play Yeah, some court team 437 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,479 Speaker 1: winning eighty six percent? Has that advantage decreased in the 438 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: modern NBA with load management and strong teams limping into 439 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: the playoffs? How much do you value home court of 440 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: the show? I value it more than ever because of 441 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: the confidence that role players have at home shooting, because 442 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: of how much more of the game takes place in 443 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: the open floor, which is where energy is such a 444 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: huge part of the game. I for the record, like 445 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: I see that the Lakers are considering punting the game 446 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,479 Speaker 1: tonight in Okay. See, they only need to go two 447 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: and two over the last four to get the three seed. 448 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: But if they win tonight and they beat Houston on 449 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: a little bit later this week, then they just need 450 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: Houston to lose to the Clippers for the Lakers to 451 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: jump up to the two seed and have home court 452 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: for a second round series in Houston. I'll be honest 453 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: with you. Like to me, like, I wouldn't be surprised 454 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: at all if the Lakers played a three to two 455 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: matchup with Houston and didn't have home court, if they 456 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:54,640 Speaker 1: went on the road in game one and got their 457 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: ass kit as they struggled dealing with just the energy 458 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: and physicality and had to adjust to it. So like 459 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: fall down one zero in a series, now you got 460 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: to win four the next six games, it gets a 461 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: little tougher. So like I think it matters, I think 462 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: teams should absolutely be fighting for it. In general, I'm 463 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: of the opinion that the especially when you're out of 464 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,959 Speaker 1: the play in, when you've got that Monday through Friday 465 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: guaranteed off next week, there's time off baked in that 466 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: it's more important for you to be playing your best 467 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:24,360 Speaker 1: basketball than it is for you to be rested or 468 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: I mean, health is one thing. You don't want guys 469 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: playing hurt, but I'd be more I'd value rhythm and 470 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: spot in the standings over anything having to do with rest. 471 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 1: Hi Jason Love listening to your show all the way 472 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: from Australia. As a suffering Pelicans fans, I would like 473 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: your thoughts on their predicament. Do you think they should 474 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: completely gut the roster and rebuild or stay the course 475 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: back in, bring back in the young core of Zion, 476 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, and He's Missy, who are dynamic, 477 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: but if not stayed healthy together, they're healthy starting floor 478 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 1: of Murray Jones, Murphy's Ion and Missy has a lot 479 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,479 Speaker 1: of upside. You know, I was thinking about this this 480 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: morning when I read your question, and you know, I 481 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,479 Speaker 1: have this like kind of basic basketball philosophy for how 482 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: to build a team out of like replacement level players 483 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 1: in terms of just like their athletic archetype. And the 484 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: way I've always put that together is I think you 485 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: need a skill guard, a guard who's just a pro 486 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: at creating shots. And then I think you need an 487 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: athlete guard, a guard who's a rim pressure guy who 488 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,160 Speaker 1: also can guard the ball. And then on the wings, 489 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: I think you need a longer, athletic like ground coverage 490 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: type of wing that's really fast and has some length. 491 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,679 Speaker 1: And then I think you need more of a big forward, 492 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: a bigger, stronger player at the four, who is a 493 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: guy that can play a lot of help side defense 494 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: like low man possessions, but has the size to tag 495 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: rollers and bother stuff at the rim, and that can 496 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,959 Speaker 1: help your team on the defensive glass. And then lastly, 497 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: I think you need a big man a center that 498 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: can play in multiple coverages, a guy that can switch 499 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: ball screens, but that can also blitz high drop, low drop, 500 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: hedge and recover whatever it is. The You need some 501 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: scheme versatility out of the center spot as you go 502 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: from team to team. Right now, there are weird things 503 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: with the Pelicans, like we need to take Zion out 504 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: because he's kind of just a different type of player. 505 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: But if I had to call him a certain type 506 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: of player, I would call him a four traditionally in 507 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: the sense that like I like him better as an 508 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: off ball, help side defender, low man rebounder, even though 509 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: he's not good at that stuff, but that's theoretically the 510 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 1: stuff that when I've seen Zion be at his best defensively, 511 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: that's where he's being deployed. And I don't want him 512 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,199 Speaker 1: as that ground coverage wing as at the three, and 513 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 1: he obviously can't play center. So as you look around it, 514 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: de jontey Murray is that stereotypical athletic guard. Can pressure 515 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: the rim, can guard the ball theoretically when he's engaged 516 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: on that end of the floor. Now, his achilles injury 517 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 1: might put a damper on that a little bit, but 518 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: you've got all these guys locked up on contracts for 519 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: a long time. To answer your question before we get 520 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: a little bit further, like I would bring everybody back 521 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: for one year because you don't really have a choice. 522 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: You're not trading de Jonte Murray off of achilles injury 523 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: with that contract you uh CJ McCollums an expiring thirty 524 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: ish million dollars a deal. You might try to trade him, 525 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: but you're certainly gonna end up but you're most likely 526 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: going to end up bringing him back to Camp. Herb 527 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:20,959 Speaker 1: Jones is locked up, Trey Murphy is locked up. These 528 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: guys are locked up, and you had a truly awful 529 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: year in terms of injury luck. So like, I think 530 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: you're gonna kind of have to bring everybody back, But 531 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: at the same time, it's worth it to at least 532 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: get a look at everybody before you decide how to 533 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: build moving forward. Now again going back to the construct 534 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: skill guard, a CJ athletic guard in theory is to 535 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: Johnte Murray, Herb Jones is arguably the one of the 536 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 1: best at that rangey type of wing position that I 537 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 1: talked about, And so really it's about finding a center 538 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,199 Speaker 1: and a center that can fit in the context of Zion, 539 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,239 Speaker 1: and a lot of that's going to take reps. Like 540 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: you know, he's missed. He's got some vertical spacing capability. 541 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,360 Speaker 1: If you can get to a position where he can 542 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: share the flow with Zion as a vertical spacer and 543 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: Zion can figure out some of the reads as he's 544 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: generating dribble penetration, there's a version of that that can 545 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: work as long as everyone else shoots well enough. So again, 546 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: I think they're gonna end up bring everybody back because 547 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: they kind of have to. I wouldn't be surprised if 548 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: they at least shop. Like, here's the thing, Like in 549 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: terms of Zion, if someone calls you this summer and goes, 550 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: we want Zion, here's a bunch of cool shit, Like, 551 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: I mean, you got to think about taking it, But 552 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: like I just don't think you need to be urgent 553 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: and fire sale everybody at a discount, if that makes sense. 554 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,639 Speaker 1: Speaking is a fun one speaking of Aaron Gordon building 555 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: a gym in his house. If you could ever have 556 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: a person your own personal basketball court, how would you 557 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: design it? It's an ultimate goal of mine for several reasons. 558 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: One I love to play to. One of my biggest 559 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: pet thieves is basketball court like uh, gatekeeping, and most 560 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: of it's done by the government, like in schools and 561 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: like it's all for safety reasons and liability and stuff. 562 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: But it always drives me crazy that like everyone wants 563 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 1: to play basketball, but like there's fifteen locked up high 564 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: school gyms around your city that are like just unused 565 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: or various you know, community gyms that are locked up 566 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 1: and unused. Like I go play on every Tuesday and Thursday. 567 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:17,639 Speaker 1: I'm going to go play, right when I'm done here 568 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: at this place called Sporting Chance, and it's this huge, 569 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: this huge facility that has five full courts, And when 570 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: I go in there and play, there's a dude who 571 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: hosts the run, who pays a lot of money to 572 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: rent out the gym, and we go in there and 573 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: we play, and all the other four courts are just 574 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: empty and dark, and I always just feel like it's 575 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: a waste. I feel like the world is a better 576 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: place when people have the ability to go play basketball, 577 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 1: the ability to go use these facilities, and so like, 578 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: I've always just wanted to have access to a basketball 579 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: court whenever I want. I kind of do right now 580 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: with being a high school coach, I can get in, 581 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: but I have obviously some restrictions in terms of when 582 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: I'm allowed to use the gym. So ultimately what I'd 583 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: like to do is build a full size indoor court. 584 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,959 Speaker 1: It's just so outrageously expensive that it's beyond the scope 585 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: of what I'm capable of by now by such a 586 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 1: large amount that it's like basically a pipe dream. But like, 587 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: let's just put it this way, like maybe I won't 588 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: get to enjoy it, but if I was lucky enough 589 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: in my older age. To have a court where I 590 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: could let my kids and my friends and some of 591 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: the other people in the community use it. That'd be 592 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,479 Speaker 1: the dream of mine if I had to design it. 593 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: I'm a big mountain view guy. I think it'd be 594 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: sick to have like a big gym with a bunch 595 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: of windows, got some views of a mountain out the side. 596 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: That would be my dream as a basketball slash mountain fan. 597 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: The Lakers are in a pretty good position to make 598 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: impactful moves to the roster in the off season. The 599 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: popular answer is to go after a big like Claxton 600 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: and to sign Nikhil Alexander Walker. Although I am in 601 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: favor of signing Alexander Walker with the MLE, I'd rather 602 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: retain Hayes on a team friendly salary and move expirings 603 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: for players that enhance the Lakers small ball lineups with 604 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: guys like Jonathan Isaac or other highlight wings. I would 605 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: also try to sign a decent, bruising big like Drummond 606 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: or Capella at the biannual exception. I think that defensive 607 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: versatility is the only path to making a deep run. 608 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: With his configuration of the roster and committing a lot 609 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: of salary to one big would limit that. We'd love 610 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: to know what you think. Love the show. So there's 611 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 1: some realities, right Like, if you want a trade for 612 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 1: a Nick Claxton, now we've got to include multiple ten 613 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: plus million dollar salaries. Okay, let's say Maxi Kleeb is 614 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: one of them. And by the way, Maxi Kleba could 615 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: end up coming back and playing for the Lakers in 616 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 1: this postseason run, and maybe he ends up being the 617 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: small ball center that they've always wanted, you know what 618 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 1: I mean. But like, let's say they package Kleba. Who 619 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: you giving up? You want to give up Gabe. He's 620 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: one of your best guard defenders that can hit a shot. 621 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: You want to give up Van Doh. He's literally been 622 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: your small ball kind of like power forward center guy 623 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: for a good chunk of this. You want to give 624 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: up Rui Hachimura. You want to give up Austin Reeves. Like, hey, 625 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: you know, like you're gonna have a really hard time 626 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: coming up with a player that makes sense to packaging 627 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: a deal like that. I've seen Nick Claxton's name get 628 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: thrown around. I like Nick Claxton. He fits the mold 629 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: of what the Lake would want to do for several 630 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 1: specific reasons. One, Nick Claxton is a good switching big 631 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: so it fits naturally within JJ Reddick's defensive scheme. But 632 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: at the same time, you could have some flexibility in 633 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: terms of running drop or having him roam and protect 634 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: the rim if you need to. He's not the best 635 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: rebounding center in the world, but he's decent at it, 636 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 1: and in general I've been I've been less worried about 637 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: the Lakers rebounding than other people. I think they hold 638 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: up a little better than people give him credit for 639 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 1: since the ad trade. Claxton also is your stereotypical vertical spacer, 640 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: a guy that can roll to the rim and be that, 641 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: you know, that outlet for Luca in ballscreen actions and 642 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: out of the dunker spot. Right. So, like, I want 643 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: to be clear that I think Claxton is a is 644 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,959 Speaker 1: a good fit in a vacuum. But it's like, do 645 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: I like Claxton enough to sacrifice a like a ruy Hachamura. No? 646 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: Do I like Claxon enough to sacrifice a Gabe Vincent? 647 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: I'm not sure. So, like it would have to be 648 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: Van do in order to make any sense, because then 649 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: in theory, you have Claxton with the starters, your small 650 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: ball look would be could still exist in a different 651 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: configuration with Ruey Lebron and Dorian Finney Smith with Luca like, 652 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: you still have some of those looks. But it's like 653 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: will the Nets take Van do in a deal like 654 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: that or do they want a better player back? And 655 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: so most of this to go back to your question 656 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: like should they use the mid Level Exception on Nikhil 657 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: Alexander Walker or should they use it on a different center, 658 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: Like all of it comes down to the caliber of 659 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: player that you can get. So if you feel like 660 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 1: you can get a center that can really play playoff 661 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: minutes at the mL and you don't need to trade 662 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: any guys, I think you go after that. If you 663 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: can't get a center with the mL E. If it's 664 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: a guy like Drummond, who I see as a guy 665 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: that would be not worth the MLEE, that would have 666 00:32:56,280 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: too many shortcomings to be justifiable in that slot, then 667 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: I'd rather use it on a guy like Nikkeil Alexander Walker. 668 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: I think k Kile Alexander Walker would be a dream 669 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: fit with this Lakers team. A guard that can switch 670 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: and he just had a really really nice season as 671 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: a catch and shoot player, which is so vitally important 672 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: within the Lakers offensive system. So, like I would prioritize 673 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: center first because you have your starting four right like 674 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: you're going down in a big playoff series with Luca, 675 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: Austin Lebron and Ruey, and so you don't want to 676 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: waste a big asset on a player that's coming off 677 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: the bench if you can spend it on an asset 678 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: that would start, Like for instance, like if it turns 679 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 1: into a thing where you have the assets to make 680 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: a trade for Nick Claxton, that should be your number 681 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: one priority if you can pull it off while giving 682 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: up a guy like Van doh and Kliba, because you 683 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: maintain the integrity of the starting four one through four 684 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 1: and you add somebody significant to that starting role. But 685 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: like if it's the MLI like, let's take Claxton out 686 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: of the equation and it's like Nikhil Alexander Walker or 687 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: a good starting caliber center that is someone that you 688 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: trust to play in the postseason. I use the mL 689 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 1: on that because he would start, whereas Nikhil Alexander Walker 690 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: is a shoe in bench player. In this construct of 691 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:19,400 Speaker 1: the team, But in the dream scenario, you end up 692 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 1: getting a guy like Nikhil Alexander Walker with the mid 693 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: level exception, and you can pull off a trade for 694 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: Nick Claxton without giving up a Ruy hatcha Murrow, without 695 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 1: giving up a Gabe Vincent, without giving up a Dorian 696 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: Finney Smith, without giving up an Austin reeves So and Austin. 697 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: Obviously you're not giving him up for Claxton, but you 698 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: get the point. Like, I would do the Claxton trade 699 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,800 Speaker 1: as long as it's just Vando and Klieba, maybe another minimum, 700 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: whatever the money takes, but I would not give up 701 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,560 Speaker 1: one of those other forwards in a deal for a 702 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: guy like Claxton. Hey, Jason, big fan of the show, 703 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: Keep up the spectacular work. My friends and I have 704 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,760 Speaker 1: constantly bickered about Yokach's placement on the all time lists 705 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: as of today and where he would be in comparison 706 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: to some of the all time greats. The player we 707 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 1: argue the most about is Kevin Durant. I personally believe 708 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: kde is a top fifteen to twenty player, but with 709 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: Jokic being unlikely to truly surpass that entire tier. However, 710 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,360 Speaker 1: my friends disagree. How much weight does the difficulty of 711 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: a championship run the team you have in the era 712 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: in the era have in all time lists. When talking 713 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,240 Speaker 1: about the talents like Adie and Jokic, all that stuff, 714 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 1: I think plays a certain role. It's like, it's also, 715 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 1: you know, think about what you're trying to convince. Convincing 716 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: me of something is going to be different of convincing 717 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: you of something. That's when we talk about the court 718 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 1: of public opinion. It's kind of like a Shmortgish board 719 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: of different philosophies, and people are going to interpret things differently. 720 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:37,720 Speaker 1: It's no different than like everyone watches the exact same 721 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: film that everyone else watches, and like a lot of 722 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: people think Giannis is the second best player in the world, 723 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 1: a lot of people think Shay is the second best 724 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 1: player in the world. It's because they value different things, 725 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 1: they interpret information differently. Now, one of the things that 726 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: I would talk about is you could put together a 727 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: stretch of games this year where Jokics played and be like, 728 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 1: oh my god, this guy is one of the worst 729 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,840 Speaker 1: defensive players in the history of the world. You could 730 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: pick up a stretch of games from Kevin Durant or 731 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 1: Steph or Lebron this year and be like, oh man, 732 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: completely washed, no chance. But now Steph looks like the 733 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: bona fide head of the Snake on a real championship contender. 734 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: Lebron uh with exception of the brief stretch coming back 735 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:17,920 Speaker 1: from his groin injury. Like before he got hurt, Lebron 736 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,280 Speaker 1: is playing at a top five level on a serious team. 737 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: Don't be surprised, guys if Minnesota makes a trade for 738 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,880 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant this summer and then suddenly you start seeing 739 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:30,759 Speaker 1: all these takes at the beginning of next year, like, 740 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: oh my god, AD's playing the best basketball he's played 741 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: in five years. And it's like is he or is 742 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 1: it just that he's on a better team now, Like Steph, 743 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 1: You're getting a different version of Steph now because he 744 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: believes in what the team can do and the team 745 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: around him is better. Lebron is playing better than he 746 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:52,879 Speaker 1: did in December because he believes in what the team 747 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: is doing and the team is better. Kevin Durant hasn't 748 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:58,760 Speaker 1: looked as good this year with Phoenix because the team 749 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,920 Speaker 1: sucks and he doesn't believe in what they're doing. Jokic 750 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 1: is playing his worst defense of the season. You know why, 751 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: because their team doesn't really have a chance. He knows it, 752 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:11,359 Speaker 1: they all know it. They just fired their head coach 753 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: and their GM. So like at a certain point, a 754 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 1: lot of this, like a lot of this stuff right now, 755 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,840 Speaker 1: has to do with the surrounding circumstances. I wouldn't be 756 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 1: the least bit surprised if there's this whole take about 757 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant's renaissance of in his career next year just 758 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 1: because he gets traded to a better situation and so 759 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: moving back to like one of the earlier points in 760 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:40,799 Speaker 1: your question, where does Jokic place all time? It's so 761 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 1: difficult for me to rank Jokic because of the fact 762 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 1: that he's so just right at the start of really 763 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,239 Speaker 1: telling his story. I shouldn't say at the start, but 764 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,280 Speaker 1: he's right in the middle of telling his story. And 765 00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 1: you know, right now he has one championship, one finals, MVP, 766 00:37:56,400 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 1: three MVPs, so much of where he lands all time, 767 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,919 Speaker 1: he's demonstrated the ceiling. Yokich has done something that very 768 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 1: few players in NBA history have done. He's had a 769 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 1: multi year run of being the undisputed best player in 770 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:12,400 Speaker 1: the world. The only players recently that have done that 771 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 1: is Lebron in like twenty twelve, twenty thirteen. Even even 772 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 1: Kobe in the late twenty tens, it was a debate 773 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 1: is it Kobe or Lebron? Is it Kobe? You know? 774 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:23,760 Speaker 1: In the early twenty tens, it was was it Kobe 775 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 1: Shack or Tim Duncan. If you if you go back, 776 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 1: there's all these debates surrounding those guys that felt like 777 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 1: lots of guys on the same tier. It's Jo Kitchen 778 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 1: these couple of years, it's Lebron in twenty twelve, twenty thirteen, 779 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: it's Michael Jordan back in the nineties. Like there are 780 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 1: very few examples of like a this guy's just obviously 781 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 1: better than everybody type of guy. Jo Kicch has demonstrated 782 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:48,440 Speaker 1: that that automatically stamps him in a certain way as 783 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,560 Speaker 1: it pertains to all time discussions. I already think he's 784 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: reached the highest level offensively that I've ever seen a 785 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,080 Speaker 1: player reach. So that is his feather in his cap. 786 00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: Now it's about accumulating the accolades, and that's where it 787 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,759 Speaker 1: just gets tough, because like guys like it's just it's 788 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,520 Speaker 1: crazy to think about. Like, imagine you Denver fans, Imagine 789 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:11,320 Speaker 1: how happy you were when Yoka choisted the trophy. Imagine 790 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 1: that feeling of euphoria that you felt. Now imagine doing 791 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:19,040 Speaker 1: it again, and then doing it again, and then doing 792 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:23,640 Speaker 1: it again. That's what Steph did, That's what Lebron did. 793 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: Now imagine doing it again. That's what Magic Johnson did. 794 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,240 Speaker 1: That's what Kobe Bryant did. Now imagine doing it again. 795 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,080 Speaker 1: That's what Michael Jordan did. So the point being like 796 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:40,759 Speaker 1: there's in order to really gain ground. It's about the 797 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,920 Speaker 1: accumulation of accolades now, but Jokic is ceiling that he 798 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: reached has already given him such a strong foundation for 799 00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 1: his all time case. Why oh this is so fun? 800 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: Why is it that players like Lebron and Katie can 801 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: basically average the same stats that they averaged ten years 802 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 1: ago but can't have the same impact on winning that 803 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:06,160 Speaker 1: they did ten years ago. Obviously, defense and athleticism is 804 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 1: a big part of it, but why don't their stats 805 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:11,880 Speaker 1: take a hit? This is where I intended to unleash 806 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: that take that I unleashed a second ago, which is 807 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:17,760 Speaker 1: basically that like to me, Lebron and KD are still 808 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:19,879 Speaker 1: every bit as good as bad at basketball as they've 809 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,800 Speaker 1: mostly been over the last five years. Same thing goes 810 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 1: with Steph and I think a lot of times we 811 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:29,479 Speaker 1: discount the obvious reality that basketball is a team sport 812 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,600 Speaker 1: and it's really difficult to win when you don't have 813 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 1: good basketball players on your team. And what has happened 814 00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:38,280 Speaker 1: with Lebron and Steph is they've gotten more good basketball 815 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:39,760 Speaker 1: players on their team, and now all of a sudden, 816 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:43,880 Speaker 1: everyone's like, look at Lebron and Steph. They're resuscitated, and 817 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:47,000 Speaker 1: it's like, actually, they just believe and their team is better. 818 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 1: And I firmly believe that we are going to get 819 00:40:50,719 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 1: a complete, like a complete just reopening of KD and 820 00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:58,360 Speaker 1: where his status is in the league as a player 821 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 1: once he gets moved to a better team this summer. Now, 822 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 1: if he gets moved to another team and they continue 823 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: to struggle, that's where it'll probably become a hard thing 824 00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: for him to overcome in the court of public opinion. 825 00:41:08,239 --> 00:41:10,040 Speaker 1: Since it was reported that there is a chance that 826 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:12,640 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray doesn't start the playoffs because of his hamstring. 827 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: If the Nuggets have an early exit in the playoffs. 828 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:15,920 Speaker 1: Do you think it'd be more valuable for the Nuggets 829 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 1: to seek with Jamal Murray trade to improve the team instead 830 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: of MPJ due to the fact that MPJ has been 831 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: more available than Jamal over the last five years. We 832 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,120 Speaker 1: already hit that earlier in the show, so I won't 833 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 1: go any deeper, but I wouldn't I think all. I 834 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 1: think both of them should be on the table. I'd 835 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: consider trading both of them for players that have more 836 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: of a two way type of impact because of the 837 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: direction that I think this team needs to go. I 838 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:37,879 Speaker 1: don't think you can play Jamal Murray and Michael Porter 839 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:40,840 Speaker 1: Junior next to Yokic anymore. I think that ship has sailed. 840 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 1: Last question on the Rockets game with the Warriors. All 841 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:47,959 Speaker 1: game long, they were three quarter clutching Steph like both 842 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: arms out around Steph, not just around his back for 843 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 1: a total wrap round. The only play Steph could go 844 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 1: was backwards to get out of the clutch. Isn't that 845 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,680 Speaker 1: a hold or something? I must be naive because they 846 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 1: didn't call it all game long? Am I missing something? 847 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:00,680 Speaker 1: The game plan for dealing with death has been the 848 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:04,240 Speaker 1: same since the Calves did it way back in twenty fifteen. 849 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,359 Speaker 1: Grab hold, be physical, try to wear him down so 850 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: that he doesn't have the legs to make his shots. Now, 851 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: this is the smart strategy to deal with Steph because 852 00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:16,720 Speaker 1: his one big weakness is that he's not a truly 853 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:19,880 Speaker 1: imposing athlete, and so that's the place where you can 854 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:25,200 Speaker 1: attack him most frequently. I don't think Warriors fans should 855 00:42:25,239 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 1: complain about their officiating for several reasons. The biggest one 856 00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:34,840 Speaker 1: is they're a team that is an extremely physical defense. 857 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: I promise you when I watched the Warriors, they're one 858 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,799 Speaker 1: of the most physical defenses that I watch. Draymond's hands 859 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:45,040 Speaker 1: are on everybody, Moses Moody's hand check in full court 860 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:49,080 Speaker 1: all game long. Pods is hitting people, Looney's hitting people, 861 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:54,080 Speaker 1: Jimmy's hitting people. That is an incredibly physical defense. Part 862 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:57,440 Speaker 1: of their identity is beating the shit out of people. Okay, 863 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:00,919 Speaker 1: Draymond literally beats the shit out of peace people every 864 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 1: single game. That is their identity. That is why that 865 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 1: dynamic of allowing physicality in the aggregate actually benefits Golden State. However, 866 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:14,759 Speaker 1: it's going to manifest in teams in terms of game 867 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: plan being very physical with Steph. You just should get 868 00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 1: ready for that, because it's exactly what happened last year 869 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:22,000 Speaker 1: or two years ago when they played in twenty twenty 870 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:24,480 Speaker 1: three in the postseason, even happened the year they won 871 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: the title, happened every single time Steph has played in 872 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 1: the postseason. It's just kind of like part of the deal. 873 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,799 Speaker 1: In terms of defensive game planning, every guy has like 874 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:35,799 Speaker 1: a thing that they do to attack that person. How 875 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:38,560 Speaker 1: do you attack Jokic. You gotta swarm him and double 876 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:41,480 Speaker 1: team him, keep all the coverages weird to try to 877 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:43,200 Speaker 1: keep him off balance, and you need to attack him 878 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:45,279 Speaker 1: in ball screens as much as possible by bringing him 879 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,120 Speaker 1: up to the level. How do you attack Luca ball 880 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:51,520 Speaker 1: pressure with big, strong wings. Probably better to the blitz 881 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:53,480 Speaker 1: than to let him lead on an island. Right. How 882 00:43:53,480 --> 00:43:57,200 Speaker 1: do you attack Giannis? Build a wall in transition, try 883 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,680 Speaker 1: to make him beat you as a passer or as 884 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:01,879 Speaker 1: an o for the top shot maker. Right, Like these 885 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:03,880 Speaker 1: are all like even Shay, the game plan is starting 886 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:05,759 Speaker 1: to come together. It's like, oh, Shay's not the best 887 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:08,439 Speaker 1: passer in the world, so if we overload on him 888 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:10,839 Speaker 1: and try to make him a surgical playmaker, he can 889 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: have his limitations Lebron over the year. It was he 890 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:17,120 Speaker 1: can't shoot, or he's not a reliable consistent shooter. Let's 891 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:19,160 Speaker 1: back off of him and dare him to shoot. That 892 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:21,280 Speaker 1: was the thing he had to overcome with the Spurs 893 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:24,560 Speaker 1: back in twenty thirteen. Right like every player has their 894 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:28,240 Speaker 1: thing they have to overcome. For Steph, it's physicality. For Steph, 895 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:32,319 Speaker 1: it's attacking him when he's on defense, and then when 896 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:35,040 Speaker 1: he's on offense, being as physical as possible to try 897 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,560 Speaker 1: to wear his legs down so that he can't make 898 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:39,239 Speaker 1: shots when he needs to make them. That's just how 899 00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 1: it is with all the stars in the league. All right, guys, 900 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:43,880 Speaker 1: That's all I have for today. Is always as sincerely 901 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 1: appreciate you guys for supporting me and supporting the show. 902 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:48,839 Speaker 1: We'll be back tomorrow morning with game reactions to a bunch 903 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:50,920 Speaker 1: of good games that we have in today's slate. We 904 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:54,279 Speaker 1: also have more Michael Malone news hopefully that we can 905 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:56,760 Speaker 1: dig into at that point. As always, as sincerely appreciate 906 00:44:56,800 --> 00:44:58,839 Speaker 1: you guys for supporting me and supporting the show. I'll 907 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:01,600 Speaker 1: see you tomorrow. What's up, guys, There's always I appreciate 908 00:45:01,600 --> 00:45:04,359 Speaker 1: you for listening. To and supporting Oops tonight. They would 909 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 1: actually be really helpful for us if you guys would 910 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:09,360 Speaker 1: take a second and leave a rating and a review. 911 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:11,239 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if 912 00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:13,239 Speaker 1: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really 913 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,719 Speaker 1: appreciate it. The volume