1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 2: All right, Well, good to hoops tonight. You're at the volume. 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Happy Thursday, everybody, hope all you guys are having a 4 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: great week. 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 2: Got a jampackshow for you guys today. 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: We're gonna hit two games from last night as the 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: San Antonio Spurs came back from down fifteen on the 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: road in Toronto, held the Raptors to just two points 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: over a six minute span. 10 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: Got to win with their defense. I want to dive 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: into that. 12 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: The Denver Nuggets, a team that desperately needed to demonstrate 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: that they had a defensive ceiling that they could reach, 14 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: had an awesome performance, holding the Boston Celtics, the second 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: best offense in the NBA, to just eighty four points. 16 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: We're gonna dive into that game, and at the tail 17 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: end of the show. When I went on with Colin 18 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: Coward on Monday, we had a fun segment where he 19 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: asked me about five new players that had become household 20 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: names around the NBA. Didn't really get a chance to 21 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: dive into it with Colin because it was such a 22 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: surprise topic. 23 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: So I wanted to dive into that. 24 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: So at the tail end of the show, I'm going 25 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: to go through five names that I think have become 26 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: household names this season. You guys are the job before 27 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: we get started. Subscribed to Hoops to Night YouTube channel 28 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: so you don't miss any more of our videos. Don't 29 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: forget to like this video as well as sign up 30 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: for post notifications. That helps us a lot in the 31 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,119 Speaker 1: last not at least you want to get mailback questions 32 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: into our mail bags, drop them in the YouTube comments 33 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: and we'll get to them on Fridays throughout the remainder 34 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: of the season. All right, let's talk some basketball. So 35 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: the Spurs found themselves down fifteen in Toronto last night. 36 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: Toronto's feisty team, a decent middle tier Eastern Conference team, 37 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: a team that I actually liked several individual players. They 38 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: just little devoid is shooting. That's been the main thing 39 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: that's really caused problems for them. And they've had some 40 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: health issues at some key position groups throughout the season, 41 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: made mainly RJ. Barrett and Yaka Pertle, but they were 42 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,279 Speaker 1: fully healthy last night. They were giving the Spurs some issues. 43 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: They were up fifteen and Spurs ended up coming back 44 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: to win and everybody contributed. Steph Castle didn't close this game. 45 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: Mitch Johnson talked after the game about how Dylan Harper 46 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: deserved to close with the way that he was playing. 47 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: Dylan was having a great game, very feisty on defense, 48 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: had an insane highlight pass that we'll talk about here 49 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: in a minute. During the run, but Steph did get 50 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: the comeback started by hitting a couple of big catch 51 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: and shoot threes. He's been kind of a weird shooter 52 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: this year because he's shooting poorly by percentage, but he's 53 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: been streaky and he has hit a lot of big 54 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: shots over the course of the season. Hit a couple 55 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: big ones to start the run. Devin Vessel got involved. 56 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: He hit a really tough movement three coming off of 57 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: the right wing, had a really nice reverse dunk off 58 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: of a cut. It was off of this backscreen from Wemby. 59 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: And this is something that's really been standing out to 60 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: me over the last couple of weeks and Spurs games. 61 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: We talked about this. If you guys remember when we 62 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: talked about the Pistons game, how there were some layups 63 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: that Steph Castle was getting in pick and roll literally 64 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: because Victor wemin Yama as he's rolling to the basket 65 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: off of screens, No one wants to leave him so 66 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: he can screen to get steph Castle open. But then 67 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: as he's rolling, the man who's supposed to be there 68 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: to help on the screen is just hugged up to Wemby, 69 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: And same sort of thing happened on that back door 70 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: on that back screen for the dunk. Wemby screens for 71 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: Devin Vessel. No one wants to leave way. Miselle easily 72 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: comes off of the screen, goes up for a nice 73 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: little reverse dunk, and so Devin Fasel got involved. Dylan 74 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: Harper again played really well all night, but made some 75 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: huge plays down the stretch. Had a big steel strip 76 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: away steel on defense, he had this ridiculous spinning pass. 77 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: He was getting pressured pretty heavy by RJ Barrett up 78 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: top and handled the pressure well. Made a really tough 79 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: move towards the middle, snatched back dribble, then got into 80 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: a spin, forced Jaka Pertl to step up. Saw the 81 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: whole thing developing the whole time. Beautiful little wrap around 82 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,679 Speaker 1: drop off pass to Luke Cornette for a dunk, Just 83 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: a beautiful highlight from Dylan Harper, skied for a ridiculous 84 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: offensive rebound like he's just a deeply impactful athlete that 85 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: I think, as he continues to develop, is going to 86 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: bring a ton of positive impact in various parts of 87 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: the game for the Spurs. Julian Champagne and Harrison Barnes 88 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,119 Speaker 1: both hit huge open corner threes out of the left 89 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: corner during that run. Champenny missed some of his tougher ones, 90 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: but he took his time and he knocked down that 91 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: wide open one in the left corner. And Dearon Fox 92 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: was cooking. He had a big three in the left corner. 93 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: He was hitting spinning jump shots into the lane. He 94 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: had this like kind of late clock situation where the 95 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: play broke down where he just kind of worked along 96 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: the baseline and from behind the backboard sunk a floater 97 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: or just sat it super high in the air over 98 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: the top of the backboard and went down. Just was 99 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: a ridiculous shot. He was in full rhythm down the 100 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: tail end of that game. And then Wemby, who had 101 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: kind of had a miserable shooting night, he just found 102 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: a way to make a play on offense, a drifting 103 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: little corner three out of the right corner in Brandon 104 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: Ingram's face that basically amounted to the dagger We talked 105 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: a lot after the Pistons game about just his vertical value, 106 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 1: and he had a big lob dunk during that stretch, 107 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: and then he made one of the most insane highlight 108 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: blocks of the season that I've seen to this point. 109 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: It was a four point game, I think it was 110 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: one eight, one oh four, and Deerren Fox, who was 111 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,559 Speaker 1: in a great rhythm, was driving downhill, caught Scottie Barnes 112 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: in a switch and Scotty Barnes ripped the ball away 113 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: from him and it sparked this four on three fast 114 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: break going the other way. And again it was about 115 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: like just under a minute left, So like, had they 116 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: gone down got a layup that cuts the lead to two, 117 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: you go get a stop, you have a chance to 118 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: go win the game, right, So a big fast break, 119 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: it's four on three. Brandon Ingram's leading the break down 120 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: the middle. He engages Wemby on the drive. Wenby steps 121 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 1: out almost to the foul line to pick up Brandon Ingram. 122 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: Brandon throws a perfect little bounce past the Yaka Peerl. 123 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: Wenby's going to recover, obviously, so uh Yaka Perl goes 124 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: smartly to the other side of the basket to try 125 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: to go reverse. That's something they teach you when you're 126 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: dealing with rim protection, Like whenever you've got somebody that's 127 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: pursuing you from behind, to go for a block, go 128 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: to the other side of the basket. You can use 129 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: the basket as an extra kind of like screener, so 130 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: to speak, to keep the rim protector away. Nope, Wenby 131 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: just meets him on the other side of the basket 132 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: and swats it and like it was the kind of 133 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: play and it fell a lot like this during the comeback. 134 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: It was the kind of play that just makes you 135 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: feel hopeless if you're a Raptors fan, because you do 136 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: everything right. You play great defense, you spark an advantage, 137 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: you run the fast break well, you engage the rim 138 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: protector out like damn near thirteen fourteen feet away from 139 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: the rim. Beautiful drop off pass to another big, huge 140 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: athletic dude in Yaka Pertle, no shot finishing against Victor 141 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: women Yam at the rim and again just the probably 142 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: one of the best highlight blocks I've seen this season 143 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: when you factor in the situation and just the difficulty 144 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: of the block. When he's stepping up on Ingram and 145 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: dealing with the player going reverse at the center position 146 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:23,239 Speaker 1: on the other side. 147 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 2: Of the rim. 148 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: Just really impressive play from Victor women Yama. I want 149 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: to zoom in on the defense for a minute, though, 150 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: Like the Spurs won that game because in a six 151 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: minute span over the end of the third quarter in 152 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 1: the start of the fourth quarter, they held the Raptors 153 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: to just two points as they went from being down 154 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: ninety to seventy five to going up ninety three to 155 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: ninety two. 156 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 2: Two points in six minutes of basketball. Two points in 157 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:46,559 Speaker 2: a half a quarter. 158 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: Can you imagine if you were just watching a game 159 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: from the opening tip and at the first TV timeout 160 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: one of the teams had only two points. That is 161 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: an extremely rare stretch of dominant defense. And I know 162 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: that this Raptors team is capable of going cold, but 163 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 1: they have a lot of talent and a lot of 164 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: playmaking talent in particular, and they should have been able 165 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: to generate more than they did. Wemby was at the 166 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: heart of it all. The Raptors straight up decomposed against 167 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: him down the stretch. There are all these like funny 168 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: highlights or low lights, I should say, for the Raptors 169 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: as they were just kind of throwing up bullshit because 170 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: they didn't know what to do. Jamal shed had this 171 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: hilarious floater going down the right lane line against Wemby 172 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: and dropped coverage where it literally looked like he just 173 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: flicked it up and prayed because he didn't look like 174 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: it didn't even look like his usual floater form, because 175 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: he was panicking because Wemby's up there in the drop 176 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: coverage and he doesn't know if he can even get 177 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: the shot off, so he just like flicks up some 178 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: bullshit that has no chance of going in. At one point, 179 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: Scotty Barnes shot a face up jumper right into Wemby's hand, 180 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: like you were seeing them literally decomposed. Colin Murray Boyle's 181 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: in a pick and roll. There was one where it 182 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: was on the left side of the floor. Wemby stunted 183 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: towards the ball handler, so Murray Boyles got behind him 184 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: and actually got like a clean look off the right side. 185 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: Wenby just recovered and swatted the shit out of him. 186 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: You could literally feel it in the crowd. 187 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 2: It was crazy. 188 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: There was like this this like it was like a buzz, 189 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: but in the worst way, like a negative buzz. 190 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: In the arena. 191 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: As you could tell, the Raptors were like, oh shit, 192 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: we can't score on these guys, and the Spurs just 193 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: methodically work their way down and completely. 194 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: Erased that lead. 195 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: It buys all sorts of leeway for the guards to 196 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: get aggressive on the perimeter too. They got a couple 197 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: of steals in that run, one from Fox, one from Harper, again, 198 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: really good ball pressure out on the perimeter. You get 199 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: that leeway because of the rim protection behind him. I'm 200 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: buying more and more of the Spurs stock every time 201 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: I watch them. I'm having a really hard time. I 202 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 1: saw a Spurs writer earlier this morning, actually, when I 203 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: woke up, I was reading it before I even watched 204 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: the game. I was talking about how he was basically 205 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: making the case that the Spurs should be the championship favorite, 206 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: like even over Oklahoma City. I'm having a hard time 207 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: talking myself out of that. I'm not ready to take 208 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 1: that leap just yet, but I am strongly considering it, 209 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 1: and I'm starting to think about it more from the 210 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: standpoint of matchups, and they just match up really well 211 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: with everybody out in the West because of all their 212 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: defensive versatility and the ability of their guards to generate 213 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: dribble penetration, and this Wemby defense is just gonna be 214 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: a really difficult puzzle for any of the other teams 215 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: in the West to solve, and as we know, they 216 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: match up so well with Oklahoma City. Now we're gonna 217 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: have a couple more sessions of contender rankings before the 218 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:29,839 Speaker 1: end of the season. We're gonna do one right around 219 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: mid March and one right around mid April, right before 220 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: the start of the postseason. I'm more gonna get Nick 221 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: right for one of those. I think that would be 222 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: a ton of fun. I think we're gonna most likely 223 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: be able to pull that off. I'm not sure if 224 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: it'll be March or April. I'll let you guys know, 225 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: but we're gonna get into contender rankings a couple more times, 226 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: and we'll see where San Antonio lands. Right now, I'm 227 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: firmly viewing them in the top tier of contenders. I 228 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: haven't had them there at all this season, but I'm 229 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: ready to move them there. Whether or not I put 230 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: them number one, we'll see when we get there. The 231 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: next nine games will be super revealing. They play at 232 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 1: Brooklyn tonight, tailing to back back but then they go 233 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: to New York to play the Knicks, to Philly to 234 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: play the Sixers, and then on a home stand they 235 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: played Detroit, the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Boston, Denver, and Charlotte. 236 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: A lot of teams that will challenge them in different ways. 237 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: Charlotte by spacing the floor, Denver with the Nikola Jokicz problem. 238 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: Boston has been a team that has spaced teams out 239 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: a lot this year, although they showed some vulnerability to 240 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: drop coverage last night that would freak me out for 241 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: that matchup if I was Boston. Houston obviously provides a 242 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: very different type of look. Kawhi Leonards arguably been the 243 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: best player in the league over the last few months. Right, 244 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: So in Detroit rematch of what happened the other night, 245 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: and I think that Detroit will throw a better punch 246 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: in that game. So a lot of like interesting challenges 247 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: in the next couple of weeks for San Antonio, which 248 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: will set up nicely because that'll all end right around 249 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: the time that we get into those contender rankings, and 250 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 1: so we'll have a much better feel of where they 251 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: stand at that point. Thing. I've had all sorts of 252 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: spurs fans in my mentions and in my comments the 253 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 1: last few weeks talking shit because of how high I 254 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: am on them relative to where I was to start 255 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 1: the season. For the record, I know most of you 256 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: guys aren't like that. I know most few Spurs fans 257 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,439 Speaker 1: are just happy the Spurs are playing well and understanding 258 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: of the way this whole, this job works, right, Like, 259 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: I make dozens and dozens and dozens of predictions every 260 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: single summer. It's just what you do. And sometimes I'm 261 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: proven right on things. Sometimes I'm proven wrong on things. 262 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: And I was really wrong about the Spurs. I had 263 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: them as like a middle tier team in the West 264 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: that would be kind of flirting with the play in 265 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: this season. 266 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 2: I was wrong. 267 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: But at the same time, they've exceeded expectations by any measure. 268 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: I don't know many Spurs fans that I talked to 269 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: or people who cover the team that had them as 270 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: like a legitimate contender, like legitimate top tier contender either. 271 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: So they've exceeded expectations by any measure. And most importantly, 272 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: like I come from that Colin Cowhard school of thinking, 273 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 1: I don't think of it in terms of me trying 274 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: to be right all the time, I want to get 275 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: it right, and in this case, I was wrong to 276 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: start the season. I'm not gonna sit there and be 277 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: in denial and just pretend as though I'm forced to 278 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: be married to some stupid take that I had before 279 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 1: the season. No, I'm gonna admit that I was stupid, 280 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: admit that I was wrong, and I'm gonna get on 281 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: board because I'm always gonna try to call it like 282 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: I see it as I'm covering the league, and I 283 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: am it's becoming undeniable what san Antonio is doing, and 284 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna continue to buy stock, and I understand that's 285 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: gonna upset some of you guys because of how I 286 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: felt before the season, But at the end of the day, 287 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: like all I can do is take in new information 288 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 1: and try to come up with the most accurate representational 289 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: league that I can, and I am buying a ton 290 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 1: of stock with this Spurs team. 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Concerned about gambling in Florida called one eight 317 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: three to three play wise. In Indiana, if you or 318 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, 319 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: call one eight hundred and nine with it. In Ohio 320 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: called one eight hundred My reset gambling problem, called one 321 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, 322 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: or Virginia. All Right, Moving on to Denver against Boston. 323 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: A much needed win for a Denver Nuggets team that 324 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: had been reeling under a brutal schedule and some injuries 325 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: over the last few weeks. And they did it with 326 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: their defense. And I think this is important for Denver 327 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: on a few levels. The Nuggets have had a brutally 328 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: bad defensive season relative to the talent that they have. 329 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: They've been in the bottom ten and defensive rating for 330 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: the majority of the season. That performance last night moved 331 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: them just outside of the bottom ten to twentieth in 332 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: the NBA. But notice I said relative to the defensive 333 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: talent they have, because this is not the Los Angeles Lakers, 334 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: the Western Conference playoff team that's devoid of defensive talent, 335 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: that isn't even really capable of a performance like this. 336 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: Denver has, even without Aaron Gordon, a lot of capable 337 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: defenders in their rotation, and they have a stronger defensive 338 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: culture overall that is capable of ramping it up in 339 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: a way that can be a very good defense. And 340 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: they've done done that several times over the course of 341 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: the last few years, sometimes with lesser rosters. But they 342 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: did need to demonstrate to themselves and to coach Addelman 343 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: that they're capable within this season of playing championship level defense. 344 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: Boston came into the game as the second best offense 345 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: in the NBA and one of only two offenses in 346 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: the NBA that had an offensive rating over one point twenty, 347 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: and the Nuggets held them to just eighty four points 348 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: last night. They held them to just a seventy nine 349 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: offensive rating in the half court, They kept him out 350 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: of transition for most of the night. They kept him 351 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: off the offensive glass, which is something that Boston's been 352 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: killing teams with. Just a dominant defensive performance against one 353 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: of the best offenses in the league, and ironically, the 354 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: Nuggets actually slowed down that Celtics offense with the taste 355 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: of their own medicine. We talked after the Celtics Lakers 356 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: game about how the Celtics really did a number on 357 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: the Lakers with their drop coverage. Look basically, just sitting 358 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: your bigs way back at the rim, staying home off 359 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: the ball on shooters and then chasing over ball screens 360 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: and daring Luca, daring Austin to beat the Celtics from 361 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: the mid range and they just couldn't I love that 362 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: David Adelman just unleashed that exact same game plan on Boston. 363 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: You know, if you bring Jokic up to the level, 364 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: it's gonna unlock a lot of these rotation situations that 365 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: Boston's really good at driving and kicking and spacing out 366 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 1: of and getting great looks from three. Sitting Yokic back 367 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: into a drop turned the Celtics ball handlers into mid 368 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: range players, and they did not have a good mid 369 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: range game as a team. The Celtics were just eight 370 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: for twenty seven on twos that were outside of the 371 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: restricted area. Now some of that was in ISO as well. 372 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: Wasn't just the ball screen stuff. And this is where 373 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: I want to credit all of the Nuggets role players. 374 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: kJ Simpson had a strong shift there in the late 375 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: third quarter, Spencer Jones, Christian Brown, Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, 376 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: Tim Hardaway, all those guys at various points in the 377 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: game slid their feet, held their ground, and forced the 378 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: Celtics into tough pull up jump shots. During the third quarter, 379 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: in particular, the Nuggets basically shut off the Celtics catch 380 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: and shoot looks. They got just two open catch and 381 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: shoot looks in the entire third quarter. It was also 382 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: sparking some of those turnovers that was getting Denver out 383 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: in transition. Just a really strong defensive performance. Boston ran 384 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: thirty five pick and rolls against the deep drop conceited. 385 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: Just Denver conceded to zero point eight points per possession 386 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: including passes. That's amazing. They hunted one on one sixteen 387 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 1: times either through post ups or ISOs. Got just ten 388 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: points on those sixteen ISOs including passes. So many guys 389 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: deserve credit for holding up on an island. And again, 390 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: it sparked a lot of that transition stuff. Eleven of 391 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 1: Denver's twenty one transition points came in that third quarter run, 392 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: and they had just enough on offensive contributions during that 393 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: stretch to put the game away. Jokis was manufacturing points 394 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: all night. I thought it was one of those games 395 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 1: where was kind of ugly and in the mud, so 396 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,880 Speaker 1: the efficiency wasn't there, But I thought Jokic it felt 397 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: like every bucket that he had was super super important. 398 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: Those two threes that he hit in the late third quarter, 399 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: those felt like backbreakers, especially that one where he kind 400 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: of lost control of the ball against Musevich and then 401 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,640 Speaker 1: just like dribbled back or like ran and dribbled back 402 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: to the three point line and threw up a shot. 403 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 1: That one felt like an absolute backbreaking shot from Yokic. 404 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: Tim Hardaway was amazing again with his shot making. He 405 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 1: deserves a ton of credit for his screening. This screams 406 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: at me off film every time I watch the Nuggets. 407 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: He sets some of the nastiest guard screens you'll see, 408 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 1: and like he like will lean in. It almost looks 409 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: like he's pushing a football sled, which, again, when you're 410 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: in really physical games like that, and that's how Boston's 411 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: gonna start that physicality, right, They're gonna pick up full court. 412 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: We literally talked about this in that Lakers game, Like 413 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: Boston sets a tone with their ball pressure to start 414 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: games that allows a lot of physicality in the game. 415 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 1: It sets a tone that the refs get behind where 416 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, we're playing We're playing prison ball today, 417 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Like, that's usually how it goes. 418 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 1: And so when you we talked about it with the Lakers, 419 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: you can either complain about it and get beat, or 420 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: you can meet that physicality with physicality. I loved the 421 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: screens that Tim Hardaway was setting during this game, and 422 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: he has a brilliant understanding of the positioning and angles 423 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: of those screens against switches, Like he'll set a nasty screen, 424 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: get the switch, but realize he has inside position and 425 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: then just shove that guy off and cut down the 426 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: middle of lane. He got a dunk like that during 427 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: that second half run. I just can't say enough about 428 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: how well Tim Hardaway fits in this offense and how 429 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: especially in a game like this where Jamal Murray ends 430 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: up leaving early with that illness, how important he was 431 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: to grease in the wheels for them offensively down the stretch. 432 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: And then lastly, Jonas Valentunez I thought he kicked Nemi 433 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: Kate has asked to start that fourth quarter and really 434 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: helped to get that final bit of separation. Just some 435 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: work as a role man, some quick ISOs. He had 436 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: this like a little power iso in the middle of 437 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: the floor ra He just dribbled at him and then 438 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: spun over his right shoulder for an easy little fade away. 439 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: When you're dealing with some of these like modern rim 440 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: protecting vertical bigs, they tend to be a little lightweight, 441 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 1: you know, and and Valentuna is just just too big 442 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: for him and he gave him all sorts of problems 443 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: during that shift. I'd really like to see Denver continue 444 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 1: to build defensive momentum as we start heading into this postseason, 445 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: like with Oklahoma City's guards banged up, and they're gonna 446 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 1: have some question marks surrounding rhythm with those guys when 447 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: they get to the postseason, like Jalen Williams in particular, 448 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: as the guy who's always been a rhythm player. The 449 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: other great teams at the top of the league are 450 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: pretty young teams like Detroit, teams like San Antonio. 451 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 2: This thing is wide open. 452 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: So the Nuggets just need to get healthy and they 453 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:30,719 Speaker 1: need to rebuild their defensive identity. 454 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: I'd like to see a good runway. 455 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,199 Speaker 1: Here towards the end of the regular season where they 456 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,679 Speaker 1: put together some strong defensive performances, and if they do, 457 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: I think they have a great shot to get this 458 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: thing done. I have not moved off them as my 459 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 1: second ranked contender this season. All right, lastly, before we 460 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: get out of here today again, I was on with 461 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: Colin and he just kind of surprised me with this question. 462 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: He goes like, hey, like, he's like, give me like 463 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: five guys that you've been watching this year that have 464 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: that were not really household names that have really really 465 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: impressed you. And I had a couple guys off the 466 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: top of my head, but it was just tough because 467 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 1: I didn't see the question coming and I was like, man, 468 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: this is like a really fun segment, Like, you know, 469 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 1: all these guys that I listed in this segment here 470 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: are guys that we've talked about on the show before 471 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: the season. All of them are guys that you know, 472 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: I would not consider this show to be the kind 473 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: of show that a lot of casual basketball fans watch. 474 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: Like if you come here and you're listening to me breakdown, 475 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: pick and roll coverages and you know, ranking players and 476 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: doing all this. 477 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 2: Kind of stuff. 478 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: You guys are big basketball fans, right, Like this is 479 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: a we have a culture around this show that's really 480 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: for the hoopheads, right. And so yeah, we've talked a 481 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: lot of Keyante George, and we've talked a lot of 482 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: Steph Castle in previous seasons. But what are the guys 483 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: this year? Who are the guys this year that have 484 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: become household names, that have become guys that more casual 485 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: fans recognize because of the performances they've had this year 486 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,120 Speaker 1: as they've come onto the scene. And so I wanted to, 487 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: now that we've had more time to prep actually take 488 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: some time to break down the five guys that I 489 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: think have become household names this season. Number one, Kyante George. 490 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: I remember I had a question before the season, a 491 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: male bag question from a Jazz fan that was like, 492 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: what do you need to see from Kyante George for 493 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: him to become like a real foundational piece for the 494 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: Jazz And I had a very simple answer. Consistency and efficiency. 495 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: That's more or less the case with all scoring guards. 496 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: There are a lot of scoring guards in the league 497 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 1: that can go off for big nights, right. I mean, 498 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: I'd argue there's thirty of them in the NBA on 499 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: any given night, a guard that can go for twenty 500 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: five points on you know, twelve for eighteen shooting and 501 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: or you know, eight for fourteen shooting with some threes 502 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 1: and free throws or whatever. It is, like, there are 503 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: a lot of guys that can go for efficient scoring 504 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: nights on any given night, and Kiante George in his 505 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: first couple of seasons had some nights like that where it. 506 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 2: All came together. 507 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: The pull up jumper was there, the playmaking was there, 508 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: the rim finishing was there, and it all just comes 509 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: together into this game where it looks like the potential 510 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: that Kiante George had. But ultimately, in a league that's 511 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: got a glut of this type of player, if you're 512 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: going to become a guy that can be a foundational guy, 513 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: there's got to be a consistency in an efficiency that 514 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 1: allows you to take that To stake that claim as 515 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 1: a primary on ball guard for a serious team in 516 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: the NBA, Conte George became that this season. He averaged 517 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: twenty four points, four rebounds, and seven assists on sixty 518 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: one percent through shooting. Some ankle injuries and issues have 519 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 1: pulled those numbers down a little bit of late, and 520 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how much we're going to see him 521 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: the rest of the season with the Jazz's approach to 522 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: all this kind of stuff. But what we saw from 523 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 1: Kiante was an ability to get to the rim and 524 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: finish efficiently, which is something that I think when you're 525 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: talking about smaller guards is usually a negative. With most 526 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: of those guys, County got to the rim plenty and 527 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: finished well. There showed legit three level scoring, the ability 528 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: to score from the mid range and from the three 529 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: point line, the ability to do it out of one 530 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 1: on ones as well as out of ball screens, the 531 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 1: ability to make all of the reads in those situations, 532 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 1: and the efficiency to boot. When you're in the mid 533 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: twenties in points per game and you're over sixty percent 534 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: true shooting, that's a level of scoring an efficiency that 535 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: puts you in a pretty rare class in the NBA. 536 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: And by the way, you want to know why Danny 537 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: Ainge decided to make that move for Jaron Jackson, Like 538 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: there was two different directions this whole thing could have gone. 539 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 1: It could have been We're trading Lori Markinen. We're trading 540 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: Walker Kessler to the Pacers for two first round picks. 541 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: We're you know, selling this guy, selling that guy, accumulating 542 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: draft picks and restarting this whole process and just giving 543 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: the ball to Ace Bailey and letting him take twenty 544 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: shots a game. That was a direction they could have gone, 545 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: but instead you go all in behind Jaron Jackson and 546 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: you plan on keeping Walker Kessler, and I think they'll 547 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: match just about any offer that Walker gets in restricted 548 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: free agency this year. And the reason why is because 549 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: Kiante George has popped into a legitimate potential star guard 550 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: in this league. Lorii markten credible season. The team itself 551 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: had several nights where they just beat you know, good team, 552 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: serious teams because they're just really really hard to guard. 553 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: And I talked about it like the main kind of 554 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: driving force behind my optimism with Utahs. They with Kiante 555 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: and Laurie on the floor, have scored at an extremely 556 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 1: high rate this season. There's some really strong offensive metrics there, 557 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: and so Kyante has put the Jazz into a situation 558 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: where now they make this move if Jaron Jackson and 559 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: Walker Kessler are healthy to start next season, and Laurie 560 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: Market is healthy to start next season. I expect them 561 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: to be a legitimate middle tier playoff team in the West. 562 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: I expect them to be on the same level as 563 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,200 Speaker 1: the teams we've seen this year, like the Lakers and 564 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: the Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Number two Jalen Duran 565 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: with the rise of the Detroit Pistons this season up 566 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: until this week, being the most impressive regular season team 567 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: in the league this year, averaging eighteen points and eleven 568 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 1: rebounds on sixty seven percent through shooting. Been on an 569 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: absolute tear as of late, as last three games twenty 570 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: seven and fourteen on sixty eight percent from the field. 571 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: He kind of is this interesting modern center in the 572 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: sense that he's not as like tall and your traditional 573 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: vertical rim protector like you see in a lot of 574 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: these younger centers. But what he is is very athletic 575 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: and big and strong on the ground. He dominates the 576 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 1: game on the ground by throwing guys around and controlling 577 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: that space, that kind of radius around him, which has 578 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: made him a dominant offensive rebounder. It's made him a 579 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: dominant finisher on rolls. He's flashed a lot of viable 580 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: offensive game face up game this year. That's where he 581 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: gets the Amari Stodemeyer comps, Like if he can become 582 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 1: a little bit more reliable that face up mid range 583 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: pull up jump shot and a more just at higher 584 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: volume while maintaining efficiency. He's actually shot pretty well on 585 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,200 Speaker 1: it this year, But if you can continue to piece 586 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:51,120 Speaker 1: that together, he becomes this like evolutionary like mix between 587 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 1: Dwight Howard and Amari Stodamayer, like a real strength based 588 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 1: power game under the basket with a face up game 589 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: to match an excellent two man game partner with Kid. 590 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: He's come onto the scene as one of the more 591 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 1: dominant young players in the league this season. Number three 592 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: Denny Avdia. This is one of those predictions from before 593 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: the season that I was correct about, Like I dove 594 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: a lot into the film before the season between him 595 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 1: and Shade and Sharp because those were two guys that 596 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: had incredible ends the season last year. And when I 597 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 1: watched all the film with Denny, I'm like, this works. 598 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: Like he's getting to the basket a ton. He has 599 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: the ability to really change pace, like he can slash, 600 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: but then he can also slow down and play Lucas style, 601 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: like big body ball handler in the middle of the 602 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: floor that puts the defender in jail and can grift 603 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: his way to the foul line and can make all 604 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: the passing reads there. He just kind of had it all. 605 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 2: Really. 606 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: The only thing that was a red flag for me 607 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: was his jump shot because he's a little hitchy, so like, 608 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: if he gets his flow disrupted at all, he's gonna 609 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: leave it short. And I think that's the next step 610 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: for him. If he can add the jump shot to 611 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: a more fluid level, I think that will make him 612 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: a more well rounded primary ballhandler. But this season twenty 613 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: four points, seven rebounds, and seven assists on sixty one 614 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: percent for shooting, he's been the most prolific driver of 615 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: the basketball. 616 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 2: In the league. 617 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: A little bit of a tail off there, but most 618 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: of that stems from that gnarly back injury that he suffered. 619 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 1: I think when Denny kind of gets back to one 620 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: hundred percent, we'll see that again. But a lot of 621 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 1: people talk about the grifting, and he grifts just like 622 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: anybody else does. But one of the primary drivers of 623 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: his free throw attempts has just been his relentless driving 624 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: to the basket, and there's also some pretty strong indicators 625 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: of his value offensively because the Blazer's offense falls apart 626 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,919 Speaker 1: when he's off the floor. Number four, Steph Castle, one 627 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: of my favorite young players in the league, really feels 628 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: like he's become a household named this season. Feels like 629 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: a modern kind of like evolutionary hybrid between a Jimmy 630 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: Butler esque forward who plays always off of two feet 631 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: and can really get to wherever he wants on the 632 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 1: floor and is gifted at drawing fouls and getting defenders 633 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: out of position, but also mixed with more of like 634 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: a on ball guard type of archetype. He's averaging seventeen points, 635 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: five rebounds, and seven assists per game in the season, 636 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: fifty seven percent. Trough shooting, a little bit streaky as a 637 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: jump shooter, can go cold from the perimeter. He's a 638 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: little turnover prone at times, but he continues to flash 639 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: insane upside as a shot creator because again he controls 640 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: his radius around him always playing off two feet, has 641 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: the physical strength to keep people from knocking him off 642 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: of his base, has all the footwork that you need 643 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 1: to get to spots. He's an excellent passer, again, he's 644 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: turnover prone, but he's an excellent passer. He's got a 645 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: great feel on lobbs to both cornette and women Yama. 646 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: He's got a great feel for reading the low man 647 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: and making skip passes. Just a really, really high level 648 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: shot creator, a guy that I believe strongly in is 649 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: one of the next great young players in this league. 650 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: Still a lot to piece together, and that's what makes 651 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: him so exciting because he's already so damn good. He's 652 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: a very good on ball defender as well, And I mean, 653 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: you want to talk about a household name. As long 654 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: as he's attached to Victor wemen Yama and playing well, 655 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: he's going to continue to gain notoriety around the league. 656 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: And then, lastly, Jalen Johnson twenty three points, eleven rebounds, 657 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: and eight assists per game this year on fifty eight 658 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: percent true shooting. One of the best open floor players 659 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: in the league. Just a really difficult player to deal 660 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: with in a straight line because of his athleticism, excellent 661 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: feel for the game passing out of those situations. Has 662 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 1: improved as a jump shooter. I would like to see 663 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 1: some improvement as an on ball creator in the half 664 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 1: court from him, that's the next step. It's one of 665 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: the reasons why I haven't been as high on him 666 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: as some of my peers who cover the league, but overall, 667 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: a lot to too much to deny I should say 668 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: the rise from him this season. He has three thirty 669 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: point triple doubles this season, nine games with at least 670 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: thirty points and ten rebounds. Clearly a foundational piece for Atlanta, 671 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: and if he can improve as a half court shot creator, 672 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: there's a lot to light there. Another thing, not to 673 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: be too nitpicky, but the off ball defense with Jalen Johnson, 674 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: I think there has to be an improvement is overall 675 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 1: focus and attention to detail as an off ball defender 676 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: to reach where he wants to get. Those are the 677 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: five guys that I think that we've talked about in 678 00:30:56,240 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 1: years past, but for casual basketball fans that that have 679 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: become household names this season. Cante, George, Jalen Dura, Denny Avdia, 680 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: Steph castle In, Jalen Johnson. All Right, guys, It's all 681 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: I have for today is always a sincerely appreciate you 682 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: guys for supporting us and supporting the show. Tomorrow's mailbag day, 683 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: I've got some good questions for you guys. 684 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 2: I will see you guys then