1 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Jason tim Podcast. Thank you guys so 2 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: much for taking time out of your day to come 3 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: hang out and talk some basketball with Tommy and I. Tommy, 4 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: how you doing today, man? Fantastic. I couldn't be better, 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: getting through uh through hump day okay, and just kind 6 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: of basking in the glory of a couple of weeks 7 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: worth of great Step Current performances. I'm doing great, man, 8 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 1: I'm doing great. He's He's been incredible. I've been riding 9 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: the struggle bus. I have been grouchy all day because 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm getting old. Um. In the last 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: couple of days, I have randomly started suffering shoulder pain 12 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: that appears to be something in my joint I have. 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: This morning, I woke up to play basketball at five AM. 14 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: I put my shoes on and I'm walking across the 15 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: court over to the basket that I usually warm up 16 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: on while I'm waiting for everybody else to get in there, 17 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: and my ankle just starts hurting, and I'm like, that's weird. 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: I don't remember hurting my ankle, and the pain just 19 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: kind of lingered and lingered, and it kind of eventually 20 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: went away after I got warmed up, but then as 21 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: soon as I stopped playing, it started hurting again. And 22 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: and then also I have to apologize in advance. I've 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: had like really bad allergies the last couple of days. Uh. 24 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: I never had allergies in my early twenties, and now 25 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, the last couple of years, it's 26 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: like literally just NonStop congestion, running knows all that crap um, 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: which is just infuriating to deal with. I feel like 28 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: I'm literally breaking down and I'm only twenty nine years old. 29 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: I don't know what's going on. Well, it's come for 30 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: all of this. Man, It's funny you say that about 31 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: your shoulder, because I went I wasn't able to bench 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: press like twenty five pound dumbells a couple of days ago. 33 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: Like my right shoulder was just catching, like I couldn't 34 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: get it past a certain point. And I went saw 35 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: my buddy and he's like, oh, yeah, you just got 36 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: some tendonitis in your right shoulder. And I said tendonitis, 37 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: was like, there's nothing you get when you're like forty five. 38 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: And he's like, yeah, man, you fight sports when you 39 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: were a kid. You're screwed. Like it's just gonna start 40 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: all happening really quickly. Oh, it's ridiculous. I I I 41 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: hurt mine swinging a golf club, like there are old 42 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: ask men playing golf and not getting hurt, And somehow 43 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 1: I managed to hurt myself playing golf. And literally where 44 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: I realized it was bad was the same thing yesterday. 45 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: I tried bench pressing and I did like two reps 46 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: in my warm up set and it was hurting, and 47 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 1: I was like, dude, I gotta stop, Like I don't 48 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: know what's going on here. Anyway, I normally, yeah, I 49 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: don't normally want with with like forties or fifties, and 50 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 1: I couldn't even pick those up. So I tried and 51 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: it was just done. I was like, there, how is 52 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: this happen? I'm only twenty nine, and you know, I'm 53 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: a big believer that like feeling pain is your body 54 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: telling you something. I've actually had a stress fracture before. 55 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: It was the only injury I suffered when I was 56 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 1: playing basketball in college. Thankfully happened during an offseason, so 57 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: I never missed a game because of it. But like 58 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: it was a pain that was localized to an area 59 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: that was like my body trying to tell me something. 60 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: So I'm a big believer in listening to that stuff. 61 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: But man, I feel like it's just has been incessant lately. Um. 62 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: But yeah, so we're gonna talk. We're gonna do our version, 63 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: our first inaugural version of an NBA Power Rankings today. 64 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: I like the idea. Tommy and I were talking about 65 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: this the other day. I like the I like the 66 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: idea of of talking about teams within the structure of 67 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: something else, whether it's a you know, an MVP debate 68 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: or all NBA teams kind of thing, or Power rankings 69 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: kind of thing, because it just makes it a little 70 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: more fun, add a little bit more structure. So we're 71 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: gonna be doing Power rankings today, hopefully getting one through ten, 72 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: but we'll see how much time we have. Um Uh. 73 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: The other thing I wanted to talk about this is 74 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: actually Tommy's idea. It's super interesting. There's a strange phenomenon 75 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: right now in the league having to do with scores 76 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: just being ridiculously efficient. Um. And it's a league wide thing. 77 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: And I have my own personal theories about it. Tommy 78 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: has his personal theories about it. We're gonna talk about 79 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: it for just a minute here, before we do the 80 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: power rankings, but I wanted to give some basic numbers 81 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: to give you an idea of just how unusual this is. So, 82 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: but to give you an idea. The last time somebody 83 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: went for a whole season over twenty points per game 84 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: was you guessed? It's Steph Curry in two thousand sixteen. 85 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: Literally no one's done it since. And this season Kyrie Irving, 86 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: Chris Middleton, and Paul George are all over twenty points 87 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: per game overt from the field, over from three, over 88 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: from the line, so three in one season, after not 89 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: having any for the previous three seasons, including Steph Curry 90 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: himself in that span. Now, uh, if you remove the 91 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: free throw qualification, so just from the field and from three, 92 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: we have ten guys averaging over twenty points per game, 93 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: shooting over fifty percent from the field and over from three. 94 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: If you drop it down to like guys who are 95 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: nearly at that point so percent field goals, thirty eight 96 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: percent free throws, or thirty eight percent threes, we have 97 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: sixteen players in the league averaging at least twenty points 98 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 1: and hitting those numbers. So a solutely crazy stuff. I 99 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: have my own theories, but I want to let you 100 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: kind of lead into this. What's your theory as to 101 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: why there appears to be a preponder a preponderance of 102 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: of players who are who are scoring in an extremely 103 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: efficient clip this season as opposed to years in the past. Well, 104 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: I think with anything like this, it's typically more than 105 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: one thing. To try to just narrow it down and say, hey, 106 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: it's only this one thing happening and that's why we're 107 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: seeing any type of phenomena is kind of shortsighted and 108 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: just misinformed. So I think it's a couple of things. 109 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: Number One, I think with no fans in arenas, it 110 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: is more of a static environment than NBA players who 111 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: used to It's not as static as the bubble where 112 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: it was literally the same backgrounds and no travel at 113 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: all times, but it is still a pretty static environment, right. 114 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: Probably less cameras in arenas, less fans in general, and 115 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: just there's not the Probably the variance in shooting performances 116 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: where a guy gets maybe rattled by a road crowd 117 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: and instead of going, you know, two for sixteen on 118 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: the road, he only goes six for sixteen, and at 119 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: the end of the day, that's gonna helpless percentage say 120 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: a little bit higher. UM. I also think that guys 121 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: are just working on their skill sets more, working on 122 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: becoming more varied scores, especially from the three point line. 123 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 1: Since Steph Curry kind of revolutionized the league with off 124 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: the dribble three point shooting. It is a skill that 125 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: basically every player under six eight works on and if 126 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: you're not, then you're gonna get left behind. UM. And 127 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: it's I think it's really those two things. And then 128 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: I think also a little bit the emphasis on offense 129 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: in the league in general from UM, a league wide 130 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: standpoint from the league office, and not allowing as physical 131 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: of play and kind of emphasizing freedom of moving rules. 132 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: I think it's all three of those things. To say 133 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: it's any one of them or one is contributing more 134 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: than the rest, I'm not sure, but I think it's 135 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: probably a combination of all three of those things working 136 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: in concert together. Yeah, I agree. I Uh, there's one 137 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: thing that if I'm particularly interesting, But I do agree 138 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: with you about all the other topics. I think the 139 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: lack of crowds and the ability to focus has helped. 140 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: I think a lot of NBA players. C J. McCollum 141 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: has talked a lot about this in his recent podcast 142 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: with Bill Simmons. Basically the idea that these guys are 143 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: just as a result of these traveling bubbles that they're in, 144 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: with the tightened the Titan rules that they're they're playing under, 145 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: they are just diving into the game of basketball and 146 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: it's just leading to some really high quality play. We 147 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: saw that again in the In the Bubble. It just 148 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: goes to show you how much distractions during a normal 149 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: season have an impact on on the way these guys play. 150 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: The big one that's really interesting to me is one 151 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: of my long standing philosophy is just about life in general, 152 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: having to do with people just getting better as time 153 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: goes on at stuff, and and it being kind of 154 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: a movement as everybody pushes each other in the same direction, 155 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: almost from a competitive standpoint. So for instance, you know 156 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: MJ gets out of the league, MJ makes UH just 157 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: destroys the league. As this as this mid range score 158 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: who kind of insists on almost only taking UH shots 159 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: out of isolation in various forms around the floor from 160 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: the mid range, which is historically considered usually an inefficient 161 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: spot on the floor. And it kind of led to this, 162 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: like next era of players guys like Kobe, guys like 163 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: team At, guys like Carmelo Anthony is another great example 164 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: of a guy like this where they almost just tried 165 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: to do the same thing that MJ did but weren't 166 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: as effective at it, and and it ended up leading 167 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: to this, UH. It ended up leading to this era 168 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: where efficiency kind of taint And I think I credit 169 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for leading this movement. Steph 170 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: Curry as well, I should add him in there, UH 171 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: as players who kind of made being efficient scores cool again, 172 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: you know, like adding you know, all three of those guys, uh, 173 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: Kyrie or Katie and Steph in particular have made becoming 174 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: you know, finding easy shots on the floor and making 175 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: them cool again. And I think that it's kind of 176 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: a league wide phenomenon. Now there's there are less mid 177 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: range jump shots being taken that's going to directly impact efficiency, 178 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 1: although the best scores in the league can still do 179 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 1: that to some extent. And then the UH, like you mentioned, 180 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: just a league wide basketball war, worldwide UH movement towards 181 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: becoming good three point shooters and how that just has 182 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: changed it. But I think it's really cool to see 183 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: how the entire basketball world has just evolved to the 184 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: point where you know, scoring is only acceptable when done efficiently, right, 185 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: And I think basically you're getting left behind if you 186 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: don't become that way. It's an interesting point comparing it 187 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: to the two thousands, when you had kind of all 188 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: of the the air appearance of Jordan, who were just 189 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: set on taking as many jumpers as possible and making 190 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: them as difficult as possible. If you try to do 191 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: that now, you literally just get left behind. Like the 192 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: Marta Rosen is an incredible mid range player, but he's 193 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: gotten left behind by a lot of his peers because 194 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: he basically insists on only taking mid range jumpers and 195 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: he's super efficient at those, but he can't keep up 196 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: because the guys who's competing against are shooting seven eight 197 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: threes a game and they're doing it near Um. Even 198 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: a guy like Donovan Mitchell, who has been historically kind 199 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 1: of mid thirties, and I think we can kind of 200 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: dive into Utah after doing this. Maybe um, he's like 201 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 1: historically mid thirties. This years, he's shooting eight threes a 202 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: game and he's shooting that like forty one and a 203 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: half percent. That is insane. Five six years ago, you've 204 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: been like, oh my god, this guy is the greatest 205 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: shooter of all time, and now it's just like, yeah, 206 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 1: he's a really good shooter. But there's seven, eight, nine 207 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: other guys in the league are doing the same exact thing. 208 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 1: Lebron famously once said in an interview when he was 209 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: in Miami, I am not a shooter. No. I think 210 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: it was actually in Cleveland, but he said, I am 211 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:24,599 Speaker 1: not a shooter. It's not what I do. And and 212 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: it always really bothered me when he said that, because 213 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 1: I was like, come on, man, that that shouldn't be 214 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:30,959 Speaker 1: your mentality. Your mentality is I'm great at everything. That's 215 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: what it should be. But regardless of what he said, 216 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: what he said didn't match up, which with his actions, 217 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: which was he made himself into a great shooter. And 218 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: that's a great example. Like Lebron is still the best 219 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: player in the league in my opinion, and in his 220 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: eighteen season in A big part of that is the 221 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 1: fact that he adopted a playing style that matches the 222 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: current era, which is he needs to be efficient on 223 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 1: all on all areas of the floor. But I do 224 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: think it's interesting, it'll be interesting to see if these 225 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: guys are able to keep this up, because I do 226 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: think that over the course of the season, as defenses 227 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: get into a rhythm, as conditioning gets better, especially as 228 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: we get out of this pandemic phase, as we get 229 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: into April and May, when things are a little bit 230 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: more free flowing in what they're allowed to do, if 231 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: defenses get better, and and it just and it just 232 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: kind of trends back more towards normal. But I think 233 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: it's a good thing. I do have. I do agree 234 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: with you that they are a little too forgiving on 235 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: on the to the offensive player in terms of the 236 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: way they officiate the game, and I think that that 237 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: can be a problem. You and I have talked at 238 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 1: length about how officiating is is dogshit in the NBA 239 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: right now. Uh, those are problems. But in terms of 240 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: the skill set of these NBA players, I think it's awesome. 241 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: I think it's I think it's great for the game 242 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: just to have, uh just it. It raises the overall 243 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: level of skill. No one wants to see Eric Snow, 244 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: great player, great defender. No one wants to see Eric 245 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: Snow playing meaningful basketball games where the dude you know 246 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: can hardly dribble with his head up, you know what 247 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: I mean. Like, that's where that that's where it can 248 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,319 Speaker 1: become a problem. Yeah, I think they're gonna have to 249 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: legislate some defense back into the game at some point, 250 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: because right now it's ridiculous. I mean you have Luca 251 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: and Trey both who are like six times a night 252 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: they pump fake and then they jump four feet forward 253 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: into their defender and somehow they still get the foul call. 254 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: They're the ones shooting free those at the line. Like, 255 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:17,599 Speaker 1: that's the type of stuff that has to go. And 256 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: I think that's also the stuff that's helping some guys 257 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: that improve efficiency because a lot of their bad shot 258 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: attempts get washed away by bad foul calls. But overall, no, 259 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: I think it's absolutely a great thing for the game. 260 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: Anytime you have a bunch of guys who are super 261 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: skilled at any type of events, sport, whatever, it overall 262 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: makes the viewing experience better. So it's no, it's obviously 263 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: overall a positive thing. Yeah, it'll be something worth keeping 264 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: an eye on. And we're gonna talk on some of 265 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: these guys more in depth as we get down this 266 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: power ranking. So you know, everybody does Power rankings differently. Uh, 267 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: there's a bunch of different ways to look at. It's 268 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,839 Speaker 1: no different than the m v P or any any 269 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: other you know, NBA award or NBA topic that we 270 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: look at. I tried to kind of balance between how 271 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: well teams have been playing lately and how well they've 272 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: been playing for the whole season, and how well they 273 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: project to play when they get into the playoffs, although 274 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: I factored that last one a little less because at 275 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you know, it is it 276 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: is the regular season. Um I I, you know, broke 277 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,839 Speaker 1: it kind of into tears. I had, you know, the 278 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: obvious clear four teams at the top, you know, the Jazz, Lakers, Philly, 279 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,439 Speaker 1: and the Clippers. And then there's kind of two funky teams. 280 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 1: There's Milwaukee's sixteen and eight, but they've literally played nobody. Um, 281 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: they only have four wins against teams that are five better. 282 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: Phoenix Is has a good record, but they've had a 283 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: weird situation with COVID. And then there are just a 284 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: huge chunk of teams that are all right around five hundred, 285 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: either a game or two below five hundred, or a 286 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: game or two above five hundred, and so splitting hairs 287 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,839 Speaker 1: between teams. It's difficult to do. So that's why I 288 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: want to kind of dive into today. But I so 289 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 1: I I put the I gave the Lakers a slight 290 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: edge over Utah strictly because I think they have a 291 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: few of the most impressive wins of the season, them 292 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: going into Milwaukee and really man handling Milwaukee, handling Boston 293 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: the way they did uh. And then there's a third 294 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: one in there and forgetting just recently, oh, Denver. They 295 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: completely obliterated Denver the other night. The Jazz also are 296 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: are playing really well. They're they're nine and one in 297 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: their last ten and their last ten, their second in 298 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: offense and fourth and defense. It's really neck and neck 299 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: for me right there. The tiebreaker for me was the 300 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: fact that the uh, the Lakers, I think project to 301 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: be a much better playoff team. So, first of all, 302 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: which team would you take? Number one? The Jazz are 303 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: the Lakers. I have the Jazz at one right now 304 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: because it's not only none of the last ten, it's 305 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: sixteen of the last seventeen that they've won. They've won 306 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: sixteen of seventeen games, and they are they're playing a 307 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: brand of basketball that, honestly, we've never seen before in 308 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: terms of combining not only the volume three pointers they're shooting, 309 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: but the efficiency they're shooting in that it's essentially Daryl 310 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: Morey's wet drain. What they're doing right now. They're taking 311 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: around forty three is a game, and the making like 312 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: seventeen of them. Right now, they have six guys shooting 313 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: at least four threes a game, and most of those 314 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: guys are and five of them are shooting at least 315 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: six a game, and five of those six guys are 316 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: shooting at least from three. Now. I've had a lot 317 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: of complaints over the years about teams that just chuck 318 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: threes at nauseum and they're shooting like mid thirties percent. 319 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: They're literally just playing mathketball, and they're not even trying 320 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: to play an honest form of basketball. What you taught 321 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: doing is the way you should try to do it. 322 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: If you're going to shoot a lot threes, you not 323 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: only get shooters, you get good shooters. You're not Milwaukee 324 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: or Houston where you're getting a bunch of guys who 325 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: shoot thirty percent and you just hope the math works 326 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: out at the end of the day Utah has obviously 327 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: put thought into this. They have a bunch of guys 328 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: who are really really good shooters and can shoot it 329 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: in a variety of ways, and they're just a super 330 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: fun team, man, And they're anchored by a guy who's 331 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: gonna be top three and Defensive Player of the Year 332 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: voting again. And then I think a guy in Donovan Mitchell, 333 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: who some people have argued as the third best player 334 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: on the Jazz and I do see that argument just 335 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: from the standpoint and of he's probably the third best 336 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: in his specific role, like go BET's one of the 337 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: best in the league at his role. And Calmly has 338 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: been obviously amazing this year. We touched on that in 339 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: the last spot. But Mitchell has improved year over year. Um, 340 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: like I said, he's shooting like I said earlier, he's 341 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: shooting on eight attempts a game from three, and his 342 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: finishing like within basically the restricted area, is actually down 343 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: this year compared to the rest of his career. He's 344 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: only about fifty four percent when for his career's around. 345 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: So if he gets back to his normal levels at 346 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: the RIM, he's gonna be another guy who's shooting mid 347 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: forties from the field, over from three, scoring over twenty 348 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: five points a game, and I would look, I would 349 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: still pick the Lakers over them in a theoretical series, 350 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: but this is the regular season and they deserve credit 351 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: for what they're doing right now. They're an incredible basketball 352 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: team and they just I mean, they were just flat 353 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: out better than Boston last night, and Boston's one of 354 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: those mid tier teams, and to me, beating Boston pretty 355 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: soundly proves that they are one of the four best 356 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: teams in the league. And right now I think they're 357 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: playing the best basketball of anybody. So I like the 358 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: point you made about Mitchell because I agree. I don't 359 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: think he's necessarily been their best player this season. I 360 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: think that probably is between Conley or Gobert, but he's 361 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 1: very clearly their most important player for whatever their ceiling is, 362 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: because when you know, I talked about this a lot 363 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: on Twitter last night after the game, but like I 364 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: there he is their alpha dog who can reach the 365 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: you know, the atmospheric heights that you need to reach 366 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: from somebody, and you're in the stars that that are 367 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: at the you know, that are controlling your team in 368 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: order to beat the team that might be better than 369 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: you um, you know, and and it remains to be 370 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: seen whether or not he's capable of that. But he's 371 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: the guy who who He's the guy that will inevitably 372 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: determine the fate of this team. Now, you you had 373 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: mentioned at the beginning, you said that I've never really 374 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: seen anything like this team. It's ironic because it kind 375 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: of reminds me of like an evolutionary version of last 376 00:17:57,359 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: year's Bucks in the sense that when you watch Lie 377 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: Stears Bucks, what they did was they defended like crazy, 378 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: particularly at the rim with with brook Lopez. They would 379 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: funnel everybody to brook Lopez at the rim and then 380 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: they would sprint down your throat in transition and and 381 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: always have these guys trailing for threes. It was frequently 382 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: it was Chris Middleton, but it was They were a 383 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: team that was aggressive at putting pressure on the rim 384 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: and then taking advantage of sucking your defense into to 385 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: get three point shots. And Utah is kind of doing 386 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: that at a better level because instead of having guys 387 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 1: like Wesley Matthews shooting threes, they have guys like Joe 388 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: Ingles shooting threes, and you know, just better. They just 389 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: have better shooters doing the same things that Milwaukee was doing. 390 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: Now they're not exactly the same because they don't have 391 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: a honest type of wing out there, but their defense 392 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: is trying to funnel everybody towards Rudy Gobert. And on offense, 393 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: they're putting as much pressure on the rim by driving 394 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 1: and attacking closeouts with Connolly and Mitchell getting you into 395 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: rotations and just they have they have to really really 396 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: good players on the wing, and Royce O'Neil and uh 397 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: and Joe ingles at attacking closeouts. Every possession they're attacking 398 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: a defender that's at a disadvantage and just doing basic 399 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 1: plays shooting the three or put the ball on the 400 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: floor and make the next pass to the next guy 401 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: who's going to be open. And it's it's kind of 402 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: like pretty basketball, but it's very regular season basketball. If 403 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 1: that makes sense. Sure, it absolutely is. And I would 404 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: also include Bogdanovich in that in that it's a trio 405 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: of wings. And I think another important distinction to make 406 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: besides the shooting from Milwaukee last year, like they're just 407 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: better shooters, is that Snyder has really taken the kind 408 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: of Popovitch adage of like make a decision in point 409 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: five seconds. That's a that's a great pop thing. Essentially, 410 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 1: when you catch the ball, you should need to be shooting, passing, 411 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: or dribbling within point five seconds. Quick decisions, and I 412 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: think Snyder has one really emphasized that because he is 413 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: a Popovich coaching tree guy. And number two, I think 414 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,719 Speaker 1: they just have better overall passers than a team like Milwaukee. Right. 415 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: They have guys who can not only put the ball 416 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: on the ground, but when they put the ball in 417 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: the ground, they typically make the correct read and just 418 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: that is so key when playing against high level NBA 419 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: defenses because it gives you that extra split second window 420 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: to maybe get a shot off or create a bad 421 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: clothes out and now we're re driving again and we're 422 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: creating either a layup for somebody else or a wide 423 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: open three. They're just they're really fun, man, And I 424 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: typically don't enjoy the teams that launch forty three a 425 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: game and they're doing it just drive and kick. But 426 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: the thing is they're actually doing it the right way. 427 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: They got really good shooters and not only and those 428 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: shooters can make good decisions to It's it's so much 429 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 1: different to me than it seemed like Milwaukee specifically last year, 430 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: where it's like these guys are just kind of hoping 431 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 1: the math works in their favor. They're not actually playing 432 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: to their strengths. Unta us playing to their strengths right 433 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: that they have guys who can make quick decisions and 434 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: guys who can knock down threes at a super super 435 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: high rate. So I can't look, I'm still gonna doubt 436 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: their overall playoffs ceiling unless Mitchell really really turns it 437 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: on and becomes like, you know, the the archetype would 438 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: be like third year d Wade when he took Miami championship. Right, 439 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: they hopefully get lucky with a couple of injuries to 440 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 1: key competitors and Mitchell takes it up another level in 441 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: the playoffs and he kind of is able to be 442 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: their guy Layton games, and he's able to score efficiently 443 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: enough to where they can beat most people. And if 444 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 1: he keep shooting from three on that volume, they're gonna 445 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: have a punchers They're gonna have a puncher's chance, just 446 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: because if the guy's making and he can get it 447 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: anytime he wants, good luck, like some nights, you're just 448 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: gonna win those battles. Because three is more than two. 449 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: He made a huge one at the end of the game. 450 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: They're in the corner coming off of a dribble handoff 451 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: on the baseline from Rudy Gobert, which was just a really, 452 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: really tough shot and it was a dagger because I 453 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 1: think I think they were up for and it put 454 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: him up seven. And uh, even though Boston was attempting 455 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: to make a comeback, and you know, I agree, that's 456 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: what it's gonna come down to. But you know, so 457 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: in terms of the playoff matchup, you know, I so 458 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: I have, uh, the Lakers to who will talk about 459 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: in a second, and I have Clippers three we'll talk about. 460 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: You have Lakers, Lakers one Jazz to right. I have 461 00:21:57,359 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: the yeah yeah one Jazz too. But I had to 462 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 1: Clickers in third place. And and I find them to 463 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: be the like kind of like a trifecta of bad 464 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 1: matchups for each other in the sense that, like, you know, 465 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: the Clippers have these these big wings that can potentially 466 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: cause problems for the Lakers, smaller guards that they like 467 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: to play, guys like shooter, guys like KCP that that 468 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 1: may be getting big minutes in a playoff series. Um, 469 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: that would be their pathway towards winning. I still think 470 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 1: the Lakers are better, but that's their path Also. They 471 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: can throw those bodies at Lebron right like they have 472 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 1: more they have more wings, and that nobody's gonna stop 473 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: Lebron obviously, but they can at least give him more 474 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: problems than probably any other team in the league just 475 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: by the sheer number of players they can throw at him. 476 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: I am so, uh, with all due respect of so 477 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: sick and tired of hearing that line of thinking because 478 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: I've heard it so many times in so many different 479 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: Playoffs series where it's like, oh, dude, he's gonna have 480 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: to have Robert Covington and Jeff Green guard him in 481 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: this series. Okay, he's going to dude, just wait. They 482 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: have Tory Craig and they have Jeremy Grant. Do they 483 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: have Andrea Guadala and they have Jay Crowder and they 484 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: have Jimmy Butler. They're gonna be able to guard Lebron 485 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: and then he goes. So, for whatever it's worth, the 486 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: whole like I've got wings to throw at Lebron thing 487 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: has literally been the most ineffective uh you know, cliche 488 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: and the history of basketball. I do hear you, but 489 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 1: I I think if anyone is equipped to do it, 490 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: it's Kauai and Paul George and Marcus Morris is at 491 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 1: least a big body that can throw them too. It look, 492 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: it is one of the most impossible things in the 493 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 1: last eight years. Of the last eight years are an 494 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: example of just how impossible it is to stop Lebron James. 495 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: In the playoff series, he eventually figures it out right, 496 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: but in theory, he is getting older, and you would 497 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: hope that younger bodies can maybe slum down. I'm not 498 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: saying it's gonna work perfectly, but you would hope you 499 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:55,719 Speaker 1: can make it at least a little bit tougher than 500 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 1: anybody else has and that and that might be all 501 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: it takes to win. You just get him down at 502 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: fifty percent from the field instead of fifty. So for 503 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: the record, I agree with you. I I think that 504 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: they're the team that has best equipped to try to 505 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: guard Lebron. They're the team that's best equipped to try 506 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: to attack some of the defensive mismatches that they might 507 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: have against the Lakers. But my point is is that 508 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 1: they are the team that on paper has the best 509 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: chance to upset the Lakers. I think the Lakers would 510 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: absolutely destroy this Utah Jazz team. They've got such good 511 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: defensive guards like Dennis Shrewder, th h T and UH 512 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: and Alex Crusoe are all all defense level the guards. 513 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: And then KCP is an above average defensive guard, so 514 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: they've got and then Wesley Matthews is an above average 515 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: defensive cards. So they've got five really really good guards 516 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: that over a course of a playoff series are gonna 517 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 1: wear down Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley at the point 518 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: of attack. And then in addition to that, guys like 519 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: like uh Royce O'Neil he's only like six four Uh Bogdanovich, 520 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 1: he's actually he has a track record of of giving 521 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: Lebron some issues. But I think a big part of 522 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: that is like like Lebron would uh would kind of 523 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: take his time in that particular matchup, and then he 524 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: would attack it at the end of the game and 525 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: have his way with him. I don't think Bogdanovitch can 526 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 1: stop Lebron, Yeah, because everybody points to as a Bogdanovitch series, 527 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,640 Speaker 1: But if you watch that series, like like Bogdanovich spent 528 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: a ton of time on Lebron, so as a result, 529 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: in the phases of the game when Lebron is kind 530 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: of coasting around, you know, but in big pivotal moments, 531 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 1: Bogdanovich couldn't stop Lebron. He would just gog walk him 532 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: to the room every time. And then, uh, and Joe 533 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: Ingles is a little too Skinny's six eight but he's 534 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: a little too skinny, So I don't like their wing matchups. 535 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: And then Anthony Davis is like historically just destroyed Rudy Gobert. 536 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,919 Speaker 1: Like and not only not only is he historically destroyed 537 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert, he gets like a sick pleasure out of 538 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: doing it. Like when he matches up with Rudy Gobert, 539 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: he's like, I it kind of reminds me of like 540 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: what Joe LMB used to do to Andrei Drummond, where 541 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: it's like, I want him to go back to the 542 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 1: locker room tonight and question whether or not he belongs 543 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: in the NBA. That's the way Anthony Davis looks at 544 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: at Rudy Gobert. So I like, I like their guards 545 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: ability to to to wear down at the point of 546 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: attack against Mitchell and Connolly, I really really like Lebron's 547 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: matchups against those wings and and and a d is 548 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: gonna have his way with Colbert. I think that's a 549 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: matchup that could cause serious problems with the Jazz. But 550 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: I also think that the Jazz can beat the Clippers. 551 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: So it's like this weird kind of trifect because the 552 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: Jazz uh have the the the Clippers have terrible guards 553 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: at the point of attack. Like that's the weakness of 554 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: their defense. The reason why, uh, the Clippers defense has 555 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: been bad this year, kind of a middling defense, even 556 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: though they have Kawhi entered, Paul George and Sergebaka front 557 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: court that theoretically should lock people up. It's because their 558 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: guards are bad at the point of attack. That's why 559 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: that that's why they're a bad defensive team. That's a 560 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: weakness that the Jazz can exploit and it's something it's 561 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 1: something to keep an eye on. And then you know, 562 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 1: there's all this stuff with uh Joe Ingles and Paul 563 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: George and all their history and stuff like that. Yep, no, 564 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't I don't disagree with any of it. 565 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: Um just to move on to the Clippers. I think 566 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: everybody seems to think they're better again this year, and 567 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: I think they are, like they're they're better than they 568 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: were last year because I think but Him was a 569 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: really nice edition and so was Siva. Like those are 570 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 1: good editions that I think do matter in certain playoff matchups, 571 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: But overall, I don't think there are any more of 572 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: a contender than they were last year. That We've talked 573 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: about this so many times that we honestly don't even 574 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: need to go over it again. They still don't have 575 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: a true playmaker or a true lead guard who who 576 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: can initiate them in the sets and control the flow 577 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,959 Speaker 1: of a game when when things slow down and when 578 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: things get kind of ugly. Like as good as Kauai 579 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: is and he's improved in that way, he's just he's 580 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 1: still not that guy. He's improved a ton as a passer, 581 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 1: and I've really liked some of the things I've seen 582 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: from him in that area, but I don't think he 583 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 1: can run your offense at the end of the day, 584 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: and that matters in a playoff series. Like they they still, 585 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 1: in my opinion, need to make a move for not 586 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: only point of attack defense at the guard spot like 587 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: you're talking about, but also just like guy who can 588 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: initiate offense on a consistent basis against good playoff defenses. 589 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: So the Clippers are better, but I still don't see 590 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: them as a true contender in really any sense of 591 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: the word, unless they unless they make a move, unless 592 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: they get a good guard who can initiate offense and 593 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: defend at the point of attack. That's why Rubio is 594 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: such a perfect option there. And I'm not sure what 595 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: he's saying is, but he's a good defensive guard at 596 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: the point of attack and he and he can settle 597 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: them down on offense. Who did you put first, Clippers 598 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 1: or Philly? So to be clear, we have I have 599 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: Lakers one Jazz too. You have Jazz one Lakers. To 600 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: do you have the Clippers or Philly? At three? I 601 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: have Philly. So I put the Clippers at three because 602 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: they have they lead the entire league and wins against 603 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: teams that are five or better. That was the big 604 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 1: differentiating factor for me. Um they just have more quality 605 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: wins Philly. The problem with Philly, and this is something 606 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: to keep an eye on, they basically have one really 607 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: good win and it was against the Lakers, and it 608 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:54,719 Speaker 1: was in a game that they want at the Buzzer. 609 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: They played Miami twice when they were absolutely decimated by 610 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: the Covids, like literally barely NBA roster on the floor. 611 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: They played UH Boston twice without Tatum both times and 612 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: then the U. I can't remember what the third UH 613 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 1: big win that they have, but it was also against 614 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: the team that was severely hampered by injuries. So that 615 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: the big thing with Philly is we don't really know 616 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: who they are yet outside of that one Laker matchup. 617 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: So that's why I give the Clippers the edge. Why 618 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: did you give Philly the edge? Um? Because when their 619 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: entire roster plays, they're probably the second best team in 620 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: the league, or well, they're in that top three with 621 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: with Utah and l A and the Lakers, UM and US. 622 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: They're like seventeen and one when they have their starting 623 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 1: line up or something. Yeah, they're fifteen and three when 624 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: Seth Curry plays, and they need him just for spacing reasons, 625 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: like if he's not on the floor, he provides just 626 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: so much for them. And that's why I really like 627 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: the fit when he went there, because they needed another 628 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: guy who was like a true shooter, and he is 629 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: a true, true movement shooter. He's fifty fifty. I think 630 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:57,479 Speaker 1: I still don't think he's missed a free from this year. 631 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: I think he's at the moment. I saw that. I 632 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: saw that last night. That's an insane staff man that 633 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: that family has the greatest hand eye coordination in the 634 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: history of the world. Like, like, you have two sons 635 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: in the NBA after having a guy who was a 636 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: sixteen years spot up sharp shooter in the league, your 637 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: two sons are two of the best shooters ever. So 638 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 1: but that's a tangent. We don't need to go there. 639 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: Point point being when their guys play, they win, period, 640 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: end of story. I know they only have one quality win. 641 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: It's because Simmons has missed three games. So Biases miss 642 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 1: three games and Vitas miss five games, Free miss seven 643 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: or eight games. Yeah, this is something we're about to 644 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 1: get into with Milwaukee. But like, the problem is the 645 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: Eastern Conference is once again garbage once you get past 646 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: the top five or whatever it is. And I found 647 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: out that the other team that they have it like 648 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: they beat Brooklyn that's great, Uh, Kyrie and Kevin Durand 649 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 1: didn't play. It's like and so it's they've run into 650 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: an unfortunate you know, confluence of events with you know, 651 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: a notoriously week schedule as a result of injuries to 652 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 1: injuries and COVID protocols that have destroyed the good teams 653 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: they've played. And then they're in the Eastern Conference, so 654 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: they keeping they keep getting a bunch of the schedule 655 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 1: breaks just by playing these bad teams at the bottom. 656 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: But I I agree, like you know, I I, uh, 657 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: Philly when they're healthy has won every game. They deserve 658 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: to be up there at the top. I just gave 659 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 1: a slight edge to the Clippers on account of the 660 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: fact that they have more quality wins. That was that 661 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: was kind of the difference straight. But I think we 662 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: do agree about the Clippers flaws and and it's time 663 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: to you know, Uh, this was actually something I saw 664 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: on Windhorse podcasts. But did you know that, like the 665 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: Clippers are frank thirty and clutch offense this year of 666 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: the off the double check it. But it was something 667 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: I saw on the pod. I didn't hear that, But 668 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 1: that doesn't surprise me one bit. Yes, and so and 669 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: so they talked about this in the in the Brooklyn game. Uh, 670 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: and it was it was it was actually kind of genius, 671 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: and in my opinion, I want to say it was 672 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: it was bond Temps who was saying this. I know 673 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: Bontemps can say a bunch of questionable things from time 674 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 1: to time, but he made a good point in this case. 675 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: He basically said, like, look like Brooklyn can't guard anybody, 676 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 1: but the Clippers are easy to guard in crunch time 677 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: because they go away from all of their normal actions 678 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: that work over the course of the game, which is normal. 679 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: By the way, when you get into crunch time, you 680 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: can't really run core basic basketball stuff because if you do, 681 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: you know, teams are way more dialed in defensively, they're 682 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: way more physical. The rests are letting stuff go. It's 683 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: a lot harder to run basic actions to get shots 684 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: in crunch time. That's true, However, you gotta do something 685 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: other than just repetitively, you know, go to the same 686 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: isolation moves and and the Clippers make themselves easy to 687 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: guard in crunch time situations. So even teams like Brooklyn, 688 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: as as flawed as they are defensively, you know, you're 689 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: you're asking them to do the easiest parts of defense, 690 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 1: which is like watch a predictable guy. You know, one 691 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: four low or whatever it is, or four out, just 692 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: trying to run an isolation play where there's two guys 693 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: digging in on either side and there's a help rotation 694 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: and it's one of those things where they kind of 695 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: play right into the into their opponent's hands. And I'll 696 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: have to double check that the numbers. But yeah, like, 697 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure they're the worst clutch offense in the 698 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: entire NBA right now. Yeah, I mean to once again 699 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: compare them to Brooklyn. The thing that I'd say is 700 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: Kauai and PG like want to be those guys in 701 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 1: their head, like they think they can be Kevin Durant 702 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: or Kyrie Irving or James Harden in terms of isolation scoring, 703 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: and they're probably just not. Like they're They're handles aren't 704 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: as good as probably any of those guys, and then 705 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 1: they're passing probably isn't as good as any of those guys. 706 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: If you're just saying Kawai and PG versus those other 707 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: three guys, that's why Polin can just subsist on saying, Okay, 708 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter, we're not really gonna defend, but if 709 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 1: you get us late in a close game, we're probably 710 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: gonna end up winning because we have three guys who 711 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: can literally create like an unbelievably good shot any time 712 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: down the floor. Whereas the Clippers, it's like a lot 713 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 1: when you watch them laying games, like man, they're really 714 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 1: struggling to get like a quality look here, Like it 715 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: ends up having to be Kauai like muscling is guy 716 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: and trying to get a super tough nineteam flitter instead 717 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: of like creating like a good amount of separation and 718 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: being able to just like get off a clean look 719 00:33:57,640 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: or creating a good look for somebody else even mixed 720 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: up like yeah, yeah, it's it's the mix of the 721 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 1: isolation and the creating shots for your teammates. That's who 722 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 1: keeps the defense on the heels. That's what that keeps 723 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: that keeps help defense at Bay, Like Lebron has the 724 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: luxury of playing one on one most of the time 725 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: because teams can't double him. When they do, he just 726 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: gets He just gets beat and and it and with 727 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: Staff it's the exact same thing. Sometimes he's on the ball, 728 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,399 Speaker 1: sometimes he's off the ball, you know. Sometimes he's will 729 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: confer his own shot. Sometimes he will run a basic 730 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: action to get to start a four on three. He's 731 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: he keeps the defense on their heels by mixing things up. 732 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: So real quick, I wanna give you these numbers. So 733 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: they're seventeenth and offense and crunch time this season and 734 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 1: a hundred and six point one points per one hundred possessions, 735 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: which by the way, is not good. You know, the 736 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:41,879 Speaker 1: teams you look at the top are the good teams. 737 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 1: That Jazz are number one. You're not beating any good 738 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: team in the playoffs with that number, no chance. Lakers 739 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: are number three hundred twenty six point five points per 740 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 1: one hundred psessions, which, by the way, Lakers terrible offensively 741 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: as of late because they can't shoot. This is something 742 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: we kind of glossed over the last ten games there 743 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: twenty seven and three point percentage, so they're just going 744 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 1: through a really bad shooting stretch. Basically, Lebron's the only 745 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:03,399 Speaker 1: guy who can make a three right now. But their 746 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 1: twentieth and offense over their last ten. But they're still 747 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: winning because their number one in defense over their last ten. 748 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,759 Speaker 1: But regardless, in crunch time, they're still getting lots and 749 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 1: lots of good shots one point five. The Sixers are 750 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: over one points per one hundred possessions in crunch time. 751 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: The Warriors UH eighth in the league and clutch offense 752 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: at one sixteen point one. So the Clippers being that 753 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: far low with as much offensive talent they have is 754 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:29,399 Speaker 1: an indictment on on on what they run in those 755 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: key moments, especially in roster construct and roster construct. They 756 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:34,800 Speaker 1: still don't have a guy that can set like Kawhi 757 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 1: Leonard was able to be super successful in Toronto because 758 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: not only do they have Kyle Lowry who gets at 759 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: the table, they had Marcasol, they had Fred VanVleet, guys 760 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,560 Speaker 1: who could get him the ball in the appropriate spots 761 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 1: at the appropriate times, Thank you guys, and they could 762 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 1: space and they not only that, they were also really 763 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: good floor spacers too, So it's like they had the best. 764 00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:54,800 Speaker 1: He had the best of both worlds around him, whereas 765 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: the Clippers he has some okay floor spacers, but nobody 766 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: really that you're worried about. And so the uh, the 767 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,880 Speaker 1: Clippers of the second best offense in the league for 768 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:08,399 Speaker 1: the full forty eight and their seventeenth in crunch time, 769 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,320 Speaker 1: that tells you all you need to know. In addition 770 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: to that, they're pretty bad defensively for the whole season, 771 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: which to me is is mostly a result of those 772 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 1: guards that we talked about. They give up a hundred 773 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,800 Speaker 1: and thirty four point three points per one hundred possessions 774 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: in crunch time, so as there was a hundred and 775 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: thirty four point three, and that to me is because 776 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,360 Speaker 1: they play Lou Williams in crunch time and they basically 777 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: become a matchup nightmare on the on the defensive end, 778 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:35,280 Speaker 1: there are five and seven in games that involve clutch 779 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 1: situations this year, five and seven. Yeah, I just like 780 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: I said it earlier, they are not a true contender 781 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: and they won't be unless they make some serious roster moves. 782 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 1: I I don't have any faith in them honestly beating 783 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers or Utah really, even though they do present 784 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: matchup problems for the Lakers. I still see the Lakers 785 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:58,239 Speaker 1: winning that series. And I think you talk could get him. 786 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 1: Yeah you're still there. Yeah, I'm still y right, it 787 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 1: just dropped off for a second. No worries, Um, Yeah, No, 788 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 1: I agree. I think that I think the Clippers, uh 789 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: I do. I do think that the Clippers are ripe 790 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 1: for uh a an upset because of their inability to 791 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 1: manage crunch time. It's also like, you know, this is 792 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 1: the last thing I'll say about this before we move on. 793 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:22,839 Speaker 1: I I think this is a classic example of something 794 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: you and I have talked about so many times over 795 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 1: the past year. You know, everybody oversimplifies crunch time basketball too. 796 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,719 Speaker 1: You know, the Kobe three to one pulling up a 797 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: turnaround jumper over somebody, and and that naturally draws them 798 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 1: to people like Kevin Durray. It draws them to people 799 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 1: like Kawhi Leonards and every single like basic you know, 800 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 1: uh common sense approach to basketball would tell you, No, 801 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:51,760 Speaker 1: it's more complicated than that. It's it's about creating offense 802 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 1: per possession, you know, repeatedly creating quality shots and then 803 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 1: on the defensive end, getting stops. Like that's how you 804 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: win basketball games. You basketball games by creating better quality 805 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: shots for several possessions over the end of the game. 806 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: And if you just insist on taking crazy turnaround jump 807 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 1: shots at the end, you're probably not going to create 808 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:11,800 Speaker 1: more high quality shots than your opponent. That's how you 809 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,240 Speaker 1: end up with a team with Kawhi Leonard, who's universally 810 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:17,880 Speaker 1: recognized as one of the best closers in the league. 811 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: That's five and seven in crunch time, and and is 812 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:24,319 Speaker 1: the seventeenth ranked offense in crunch time just by being 813 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: the second best offense for the rest of the game. 814 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: That is a direct result of of them kind of 815 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: overly embracing a flawed approach to what crunch time basketball is. 816 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: Lebron is a classic example of a player that everybody 817 00:38:37,719 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 1: like a lot of his detractors think that he struggles 818 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 1: at the end of games, but he's actually one of 819 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 1: the best closers in NBA history, and it's because he 820 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 1: sees the vision. He sees the vision of how you 821 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,480 Speaker 1: close basketball games, which is so much more complicated than 822 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 1: can I do a shimmy turnaround jump shot over somebody? 823 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: And I think you said the Warriors are eight and 824 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 1: crunch time offense this year seventh, I think they were 825 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: up there. That's a god awful basketball team. I watched 826 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: them every night. That isn't bad basketball team. And the 827 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 1: reason that they're still that good in crunch time is 828 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:08,759 Speaker 1: because one, they obviously have step who can still create 829 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,279 Speaker 1: a shot basically anytime he wants, and too, if he's 830 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 1: not creating a shot, for getting like a wide open 831 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 1: corner three or a dunk or a layup, just because 832 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: by the pure fact that he's on the floor and 833 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,399 Speaker 1: he's willing to be unselfish and either get off all 834 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: to create, you know, a slip screen for somebody else 835 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 1: to get a dunk, or they go pain pain short 836 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 1: roll to Draymond and a wide open corner three for 837 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: Kelly you bray which I have to watch too many 838 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,480 Speaker 1: more of those, I'm gonna blow my brains out. But 839 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:33,359 Speaker 1: the point being, point being, they still get quality looks 840 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 1: at the end of games, and that's what it's really about. 841 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:36,840 Speaker 1: The Clippers don't create quality looks looks at the end 842 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: of games, and they're going to struggle in those situations 843 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:42,160 Speaker 1: until they can consistently do that. So I agree with you. 844 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,759 Speaker 1: So let's move on to a team that that does 845 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:46,799 Speaker 1: create quality looks at the end of games, although they 846 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:48,880 Speaker 1: also create quality looks for their opponent at the end 847 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:51,000 Speaker 1: of games. So I went for number five. I put 848 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:53,799 Speaker 1: Brooklyn over Milwaukee, even though Milwaukee has a better record, 849 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 1: and the reason why I did because they are seven 850 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:58,560 Speaker 1: and one against teams that are five and above. Now, 851 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:00,120 Speaker 1: I think you and I both agree that that it's 852 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 1: not sustainable, especially since a lot of those wins came 853 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:06,880 Speaker 1: before James Harden joined UM. And we have our we 854 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:10,760 Speaker 1: have all of our reasons. Why however, Brooklyn has shown 855 00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 1: that that they can that they can be good basketball teams, 856 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 1: and I think percent comes down to the fact that 857 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,800 Speaker 1: when they play against a team that isn't, you know, 858 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:25,400 Speaker 1: on that elite top tier of these uh NBA contenders, 859 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: they can just outscore and I think at the end 860 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:29,840 Speaker 1: of the day, that's got to be something to factory 861 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: and it's seven and one against five and above is 862 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 1: nothing to slap chat. So that's why I have them 863 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 1: at number five. Who did you have at number five? 864 00:40:35,239 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: I actually agree with you there. I would still I 865 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:39,480 Speaker 1: think Milwaukee's creeping on them, and I'll get into the 866 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:43,000 Speaker 1: reasons a little bit later, but yeah, no, I I agree, 867 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,920 Speaker 1: and I think, look, every time I see them late 868 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:47,880 Speaker 1: in a close game, I'm likely how do you stop 869 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 1: these guys like And the question is going to be 870 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: long term, can they keep games close enough when it 871 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:54,880 Speaker 1: gets to the playoffs to actually be able to to 872 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:57,839 Speaker 1: actualize how good they are late and close games, because 873 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,840 Speaker 1: it's literally just they're creating wide open looks almost every 874 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:03,720 Speaker 1: single time down the floor in the last six minutes 875 00:41:03,719 --> 00:41:06,160 Speaker 1: of basketball game, which is probably the toughest thing to 876 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:08,080 Speaker 1: do in the game of basketball is to consistently create 877 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,040 Speaker 1: those looks we just talked about it. They do it 878 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 1: damn near every time because their their top three guys 879 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:15,719 Speaker 1: are so talented and so skilled at doing it. And 880 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:19,640 Speaker 1: I think what has actually been nice for Hardened since 881 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 1: going there. He doesn't have to be the guy that 882 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 1: makes the shot late in the game, right because he 883 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:25,279 Speaker 1: is a good passer when he wants to be, and 884 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,319 Speaker 1: so he's able to just kind of one, he has 885 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:29,040 Speaker 1: the spacing to operate and just go to the rim. 886 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:31,840 Speaker 1: Number two, if the help does come, he's able to 887 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 1: find who's ever open um. So no, I think Brooklyn 888 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:38,600 Speaker 1: at five is totally fair. But I do think Milwaukee 889 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:40,799 Speaker 1: has been playing better as a late, like the last 890 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 1: week or two. They've made some adjustments that I really like, 891 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:45,960 Speaker 1: that have um that I think are gonna be good 892 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 1: for them long term. I don't know if it will 893 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:49,960 Speaker 1: actually make them a better regular season basketball team, but 894 00:41:50,080 --> 00:41:51,839 Speaker 1: I think it's it's gonna be good for them come 895 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: playoff time. But no, Brooklyn is I mean, they're also 896 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:57,359 Speaker 1: giving up like a hundred and twenty points every game. 897 00:41:57,400 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: They just lost the Pistons like a couple of days ago. 898 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:01,720 Speaker 1: I was even the last night of the night before 899 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 1: because they literally just couldn't get stops. Katie was out, 900 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:06,759 Speaker 1: so that obviously makes a big difference. They're asking so 901 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 1: much of him right now, and maybe the route is 902 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,480 Speaker 1: Katie only takes fifteen to seventeen shots a game, and 903 00:42:12,520 --> 00:42:15,279 Speaker 1: they give him more defensive responsibility and he just kind 904 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:19,320 Speaker 1: of is a more of a catch it like catching 905 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:23,239 Speaker 1: shoe guy attack closeouts and then Iso Laton games um, 906 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: and they let Kyrie and Harden kind of handle the 907 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,480 Speaker 1: creations of the first forty or so minutes um that 908 00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:29,880 Speaker 1: they obviously still have issues, but I have no issue 909 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:32,680 Speaker 1: with them at five because the talent is so absurd 910 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: at the top end of the roster. Yeah, you and 911 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: I have talked a lot about this, but I agree 912 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:40,040 Speaker 1: that the pathway for them is Kevin Duran embracing the 913 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:42,120 Speaker 1: defensive end of the ball. But I do think that 914 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:44,080 Speaker 1: they're they're kind of stuck with between a rock and 915 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 1: hard place for this season because DeAndre Jordan is no 916 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:49,320 Speaker 1: longer capable of defending at an NBA level. He was 917 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 1: getting attacked in isolation by Mason Plumbly the other day, 918 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 1: Like somebody said on Twitter that Mason Plumbly looked like 919 00:42:56,280 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 1: urbtas Sabonis in the Remember it was I don't remember 920 00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:02,399 Speaker 1: who it was, but I was like, yeah, it wasn't 921 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:06,239 Speaker 1: even inaccurate. It's pretty It's pretty bad when James Harden 922 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:07,880 Speaker 1: is pulling you to the side during a time out 923 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:09,520 Speaker 1: and being like, bro, I need you to defend a 924 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:13,759 Speaker 1: little bit better. I but like the it's just gonna 925 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:16,640 Speaker 1: be tough from this year they they're up for. Let's 926 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:19,520 Speaker 1: say they just outscore everybody in the Eastern Conference and 927 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:23,279 Speaker 1: make the finals. I cannot imagine a worst matchup for 928 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,840 Speaker 1: Brooklyn than the Lakers. The the all kinds of bodies 929 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:30,440 Speaker 1: to throw out James Harden, including Alex Cruzo, who did 930 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:33,120 Speaker 1: an amazing job guarding him in the playoffs last year, 931 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:36,120 Speaker 1: all sorts like Dennis Shrewder and no one can guard 932 00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:38,480 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving. But there are guys on that roster who 933 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:41,960 Speaker 1: are going to give him problems. Um Lebron and and 934 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:46,600 Speaker 1: Lebron is literally the best possible defender you could drop 935 00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:49,400 Speaker 1: for Kevin Durant and he the problem is is when 936 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:51,839 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant was coming full steam at him in two 937 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:54,160 Speaker 1: thousand seventeen and two thousand eighteen, Lebron it kind of 938 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 1: let the defensive rope slip. And I've told you that 939 00:43:56,960 --> 00:43:58,560 Speaker 1: has a lot to do. In my opinion, I think 940 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 1: it's because he didn't think he could win in But 941 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 1: when you actually watched Lebron try to guard k D 942 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:05,920 Speaker 1: and the most recent example, if you want to look 943 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: at film his game one of the two thousand eighteen finals, 944 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:11,680 Speaker 1: the one time Lebron was like, I'm gonna try to 945 00:44:11,719 --> 00:44:14,360 Speaker 1: beat these guys, even if it's just once. And uh, 946 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:16,880 Speaker 1: in that game, he gets really physical with him. Lebron 947 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:21,239 Speaker 1: has a like a gift for the ability to be 948 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 1: physical within the rules in a way that refs can't 949 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:27,840 Speaker 1: really see or call. Uh. You saw him do it 950 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:30,239 Speaker 1: to shay Gil just Alexander the other day, where he 951 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,840 Speaker 1: would make a series of moves and there's definitely contacts, 952 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: but it's not contact that you can call a foul. 953 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 1: But he's so strong that that contact just has like 954 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 1: a crazy effect on the ball handler, like he just 955 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:43,320 Speaker 1: kind of stumbles back and and loses his footing. But 956 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:46,040 Speaker 1: I think he's so strong and so like he's so 957 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:48,399 Speaker 1: strong through his core and like his legs, and he's 958 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:50,239 Speaker 1: so wide at this point because yeah, I mean he's 959 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:52,279 Speaker 1: put on mass just by nature of being like thirty 960 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:55,239 Speaker 1: five three six years old. That, yeah, he's able to 961 00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 1: control the control offensive players as much as you can 962 00:44:59,160 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 1: within the con ends of the rule book. In one. Yeah, 963 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:04,000 Speaker 1: he he can still be a really good on ball 964 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,160 Speaker 1: defender when he wants to be, and he has wanted 965 00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 1: to be for most of the year, and and and 966 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:10,920 Speaker 1: Kevin in the theory where Kevin Durant has made the finals, 967 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,200 Speaker 1: in this case, he will have done what we talked about, 968 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,759 Speaker 1: adopting a defensive role and becoming more passive on the 969 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:19,279 Speaker 1: offensive end, Like Lebron can be guarding Kevin Durant and 970 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 1: primarily being help defense most of the game because of 971 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,640 Speaker 1: the fact that Kyrie Irving and James Harden are gonna 972 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:26,839 Speaker 1: be taking forty seven dribbles per possession trying to get 973 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:29,359 Speaker 1: a shot, so it's not even like a fatigue thing 974 00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:32,920 Speaker 1: for Lebron. And then on the interior on the offensive end, 975 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:36,319 Speaker 1: Lebron and Anthony Davis in Montrese Harald too are going 976 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 1: to absolutely murder that team. They're gonna score ninety points 977 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,120 Speaker 1: in the pain. It's gonna be a blood bath. So 978 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:45,759 Speaker 1: so I respect Brooklyn. They've had some success this year, 979 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:47,480 Speaker 1: a lot more success than people are letting on. Like 980 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,239 Speaker 1: I said, seven and one against teams that are five 981 00:45:49,640 --> 00:45:52,680 Speaker 1: and above. UH. But even if they happen to make 982 00:45:52,719 --> 00:45:54,319 Speaker 1: it out of the East, I think they're running into 983 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:59,759 Speaker 1: a buzz saw. The thing I I think Milwaukee is 984 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:02,960 Speaker 1: a fraud, and I've always thought that they were a 985 00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: fraud since last year, and I can't believe they're getting 986 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:09,520 Speaker 1: away with the fraud again this year. And I'm glad 987 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:11,680 Speaker 1: that it's flying under the radar from the standpoint of 988 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:14,480 Speaker 1: media attention because of how bad they flamed out last year. 989 00:46:14,760 --> 00:46:16,560 Speaker 1: But can you believe their number one in net rating 990 00:46:16,640 --> 00:46:19,000 Speaker 1: again this year by a big chuck, a big chunk. 991 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:21,839 Speaker 1: They're the only team in the league gets over ten 992 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:25,440 Speaker 1: and net rating over plus ten. They're sixteen and eight now, 993 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:28,799 Speaker 1: so the records getting out there, but somehow they've They've 994 00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:31,080 Speaker 1: only played a third of their games against teams that 995 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,440 Speaker 1: are five better. And this was my big thing that 996 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:36,480 Speaker 1: I hammered home last year with with them playing UH, 997 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: one of the easiest schedules in the history of the 998 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:43,080 Speaker 1: NBA was this idea that like they would just they 999 00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:46,680 Speaker 1: have a machine. It's like literally like a chipper shredder, 1000 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,120 Speaker 1: and when you throw a piece of wood in this case, 1001 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:54,480 Speaker 1: a bad basketball team into it, they demolish them every 1002 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:58,040 Speaker 1: single time. But then when they run into anything that's 1003 00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:01,960 Speaker 1: not an easy basketball team, anything that resembles a quality 1004 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:04,480 Speaker 1: basketball team, they're five hundred basketball team like that that 1005 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:06,919 Speaker 1: are maybe a little bit better than over the course 1006 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:08,759 Speaker 1: of a full season. But that's what this team is. 1007 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:12,960 Speaker 1: This team just beats the living ship out of every 1008 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:17,319 Speaker 1: Detroit Pistons, every Chicago Bulls, every Atlanta Hawks, or whoever 1009 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:19,440 Speaker 1: it is that comes in through the door. And then 1010 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:21,440 Speaker 1: they will against these better they didn't have a quality 1011 00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:22,840 Speaker 1: when the other night against Denver. I don't want to 1012 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:26,000 Speaker 1: completely understand a good yeah, but I'm sick of it 1013 00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:29,279 Speaker 1: because like, like literally this is the same team from 1014 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:30,920 Speaker 1: last year. Their record is not quite as good, but 1015 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:33,719 Speaker 1: they're demolishing teams and that was the big thing last 1016 00:47:33,800 --> 00:47:37,800 Speaker 1: year for Janice's MVP cases. Oh they're demolishing everybody, and 1017 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:41,480 Speaker 1: it's like, can every can we just all collectively admit 1018 00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:45,520 Speaker 1: and understand that this is the stick they beat the 1019 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:48,080 Speaker 1: ship out of bad teams and that, and it inflates 1020 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,600 Speaker 1: every statistical thing that they accomplished over the course of 1021 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:54,279 Speaker 1: the season. I don't disagree on the whole, but I 1022 00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:56,719 Speaker 1: am going to divert a little bit here. So the 1023 00:47:56,840 --> 00:47:59,040 Speaker 1: reason why they put they play so many bad teams 1024 00:47:59,080 --> 00:48:01,600 Speaker 1: because their divisions. It's not just the Eastern Conference. Their 1025 00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 1: division sucks kind of year over year, so it's they're 1026 00:48:04,760 --> 00:48:06,359 Speaker 1: the second team in the conference right now. The rest 1027 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:09,080 Speaker 1: of the division, the Central Division is Indiana who's fifth, 1028 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:12,560 Speaker 1: Cleveland who's eleventh, Chicago who's twelfth, and the Droid whose fifteen, 1029 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:16,120 Speaker 1: And those bottom three teams are bad basically every year, 1030 00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:19,600 Speaker 1: or at least they have been since Lebron left Cleveland, 1031 00:48:19,960 --> 00:48:21,800 Speaker 1: right those those three teams at the bottom of that 1032 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:24,080 Speaker 1: division have been bad every year. So basically they get 1033 00:48:24,120 --> 00:48:27,880 Speaker 1: to play twelve games against three of the worst teams 1034 00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 1: in the league every year since they've actually become you know, 1035 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,920 Speaker 1: this kind of juggernaut Milwaukee. To go along with that, 1036 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:35,760 Speaker 1: they're also in the East, so they just get naturally 1037 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:39,040 Speaker 1: more easy games and team in the West would. But 1038 00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:42,480 Speaker 1: what I'll say is I think they might be starting 1039 00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:44,200 Speaker 1: to figure some things out. I don't want to jump 1040 00:48:44,239 --> 00:48:46,040 Speaker 1: the gun too much and say that they are, but 1041 00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:49,480 Speaker 1: I think the Denver Win is instructive. Um. They are 1042 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:51,800 Speaker 1: starting to use the Honest more as a role many. 1043 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 1: They're using him off the ball, they're starting to use 1044 00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:56,279 Speaker 1: him more in the post. They're starting to run more 1045 00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:59,399 Speaker 1: stuff through Chris Middleton and Drew Holidays So and Drew 1046 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:01,920 Speaker 1: we talked about kind of at length in our free 1047 00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:04,320 Speaker 1: season pod. He's not really the guy you want to 1048 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:06,360 Speaker 1: run a bunch of offense through. But if Chris Middleton 1049 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:09,239 Speaker 1: is going to be this efficient, then yeah, I think 1050 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:10,880 Speaker 1: you can actually run a lot of offense through him, 1051 00:49:10,920 --> 00:49:12,880 Speaker 1: especially if you're featuring the Honest more in areas that 1052 00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:15,359 Speaker 1: play to his strengths the post and as a role man. 1053 00:49:15,600 --> 00:49:18,719 Speaker 1: If you can get your Honest catching the ball at 1054 00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:22,239 Speaker 1: seventeen feet against a slightly scrambled defense as opposed to 1055 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:26,120 Speaker 1: him swearing up all five defenders from thirty feet, that's 1056 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:28,800 Speaker 1: a huge difference, because now he's catching the ball and 1057 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:31,600 Speaker 1: he is he is good. If you know that defense 1058 00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:33,399 Speaker 1: is slightly off kilter, he's gonna be able to either 1059 00:49:33,440 --> 00:49:35,399 Speaker 1: get to the rim or create a wide open shot 1060 00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 1: for somebody else. So I do think they are showing 1061 00:49:40,120 --> 00:49:42,480 Speaker 1: signs of figuring things out. I don't want to jump 1062 00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:44,000 Speaker 1: the gun and say they certainly have, because they could 1063 00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:45,680 Speaker 1: easily revert back to the way they've been playing for 1064 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: the last couple of years, um, which is they shred 1065 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:52,279 Speaker 1: really bad teams by your honest, being overpowering at the rim, 1066 00:49:52,640 --> 00:49:56,319 Speaker 1: and then they create wide, wide open three pointers as 1067 00:49:56,360 --> 00:49:59,320 Speaker 1: a result of that, And that's why they always decimate 1068 00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:02,160 Speaker 1: bad teams because are getting Johanna's dunks and layups and 1069 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:05,200 Speaker 1: wide open threes for their role guys. And that I mean, 1070 00:50:05,560 --> 00:50:07,520 Speaker 1: if you're doing that consistently, you're gonna be anybody. But 1071 00:50:07,560 --> 00:50:08,880 Speaker 1: they just haven't been able to do it against the 1072 00:50:08,920 --> 00:50:11,200 Speaker 1: good teams. That same formula doesn't work because honest really 1073 00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:14,560 Speaker 1: isn't that guy as an initiator. But I think moving 1074 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:16,799 Speaker 1: him off the ball more is a really good thing 1075 00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:19,279 Speaker 1: if they continue to stick with it, because they're gonna 1076 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:21,360 Speaker 1: be good defensively at the end of the day. Like 1077 00:50:21,400 --> 00:50:23,840 Speaker 1: they do have the pieces. Um that they don't have 1078 00:50:23,880 --> 00:50:25,280 Speaker 1: a ton of death, but they do have the pieces 1079 00:50:25,360 --> 00:50:27,920 Speaker 1: to be a really good team defensively, and especially a 1080 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:30,400 Speaker 1: good playoff team defensively because they figure to be switchable 1081 00:50:30,440 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 1: if they use the honest at the five more is 1082 00:50:32,800 --> 00:50:38,000 Speaker 1: a defensive weapon in a playoff series. Absolutely no, We've 1083 00:50:38,080 --> 00:50:41,319 Speaker 1: We've seen it time and again. Um. But I hope 1084 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:43,200 Speaker 1: they keep doing what they're doing, man, because I think 1085 00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:45,359 Speaker 1: it's it's a good thing that we have more good 1086 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:47,040 Speaker 1: teams in the NBA that are playing to their strengths 1087 00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:49,560 Speaker 1: instead of just trying to play the same style of basketball. 1088 00:50:49,719 --> 00:50:51,200 Speaker 1: So I hope you Hona stays in the postport and 1089 00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:52,640 Speaker 1: I hope he keeps getting used as a role man 1090 00:50:52,719 --> 00:50:54,200 Speaker 1: because those are both things that are gonna help them 1091 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:58,080 Speaker 1: win playoff series. I just think it's funny that they're 1092 00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:02,200 Speaker 1: properly rated this year by the masses despite more or 1093 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:04,960 Speaker 1: less being the same team. I just think that's funny 1094 00:51:05,120 --> 00:51:09,560 Speaker 1: there they had, uh they had a better record last 1095 00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:13,520 Speaker 1: year as a result of just over the totality of 1096 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 1: the season them having such a good record against those 1097 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:18,759 Speaker 1: bad teams. They got off to a rough start this year, 1098 00:51:18,880 --> 00:51:21,120 Speaker 1: probably having something to do with bubble turnaround and some 1099 00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:23,839 Speaker 1: of the chemistry stuff from Drew Holiday, But they are 1100 00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:26,239 Speaker 1: more or less the same team in what they've been 1101 00:51:26,239 --> 00:51:28,200 Speaker 1: able to accomplish this year. And I just think it's 1102 00:51:28,200 --> 00:51:30,719 Speaker 1: funny that they're properly rated, because I was screaming this 1103 00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:33,640 Speaker 1: from the mountaintops all last year. Last year, it's all yeah, 1104 00:51:33,719 --> 00:51:35,799 Speaker 1: I mean, the thing that might hurt them, it might 1105 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:38,080 Speaker 1: not even matter all this These are kind of slight 1106 00:51:38,120 --> 00:51:40,320 Speaker 1: improvements that I'm talking about come playoff time. Is the 1107 00:51:40,440 --> 00:51:42,839 Speaker 1: fact that they're not deep at all, Like they're they're 1108 00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:45,520 Speaker 1: top five guys I'll play like plus a game at least, 1109 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:47,880 Speaker 1: and then they don't. I think they only have one 1110 00:51:47,880 --> 00:51:50,000 Speaker 1: other guy in the roster over twenty minutes. Like that 1111 00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:52,200 Speaker 1: is not a deep team. So if any of their 1112 00:51:52,239 --> 00:51:55,280 Speaker 1: top five guys get gets hurt, it's they're basically curtains. 1113 00:51:55,640 --> 00:51:58,279 Speaker 1: They're they're gonna be asking guys who were seventh, eighth, 1114 00:51:58,400 --> 00:52:03,640 Speaker 1: ninth man to play starter minutes. So the the last 1115 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:06,479 Speaker 1: team that I had that was in that uh top 1116 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:10,360 Speaker 1: two tiers, the top tier being the great teams we 1117 00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:12,560 Speaker 1: talked about and then the funky teams there in the middle. 1118 00:52:13,000 --> 00:52:15,839 Speaker 1: I put Phoenix UM. They're currently fourth in the West. 1119 00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:19,240 Speaker 1: They're six and four in their last ten, their fourteen 1120 00:52:19,239 --> 00:52:22,160 Speaker 1: and nine overall. They are the third best defense in 1121 00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:26,719 Speaker 1: the league over their last ten UM's overall defense fifth 1122 00:52:26,760 --> 00:52:28,520 Speaker 1: overall on defense. So that's not it's not a fluke. 1123 00:52:28,560 --> 00:52:30,960 Speaker 1: They are a really good defensive team. Yes, and and 1124 00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:34,400 Speaker 1: they they have a clear identity that's forming. And this 1125 00:52:34,560 --> 00:52:35,920 Speaker 1: is something that you and I talked about all the 1126 00:52:36,000 --> 00:52:39,960 Speaker 1: time as like a necessity to contend for a championships, 1127 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:42,120 Speaker 1: you gotta have a clear cut identity because when the 1128 00:52:42,120 --> 00:52:44,279 Speaker 1: ship hits the fan in a playoff series, you have 1129 00:52:44,400 --> 00:52:47,520 Speaker 1: to be able to fall back on like core core principles. 1130 00:52:47,560 --> 00:52:49,560 Speaker 1: It's it's kind of it's just a basic ideology. It's 1131 00:52:49,600 --> 00:52:51,759 Speaker 1: it's no different than like it's something that always worked 1132 00:52:51,800 --> 00:52:53,480 Speaker 1: for me when I go through a shooting slump. Like 1133 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:55,759 Speaker 1: when I go through a shooting slump, I focus on 1134 00:52:55,840 --> 00:52:58,200 Speaker 1: my fundamentals when I'm when I need to make a 1135 00:52:58,239 --> 00:52:59,600 Speaker 1: shot and I miss a few in a row. As 1136 00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:01,919 Speaker 1: him going up, all I think. I don't think about maker, 1137 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:03,920 Speaker 1: miss I think about my fundamentals as I'm going up. 1138 00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:06,160 Speaker 1: It's do I am I balanced? Am I getting my 1139 00:53:06,280 --> 00:53:08,560 Speaker 1: legs into my shot? Am I shooting with big hands? Like? 1140 00:53:08,640 --> 00:53:10,840 Speaker 1: Do I have my hands spread? And am I shooting 1141 00:53:10,960 --> 00:53:13,359 Speaker 1: up instead of out? If I focus on those things 1142 00:53:13,719 --> 00:53:16,279 Speaker 1: instead of them making and the missing I usually will 1143 00:53:16,320 --> 00:53:17,880 Speaker 1: come out of my slump. And that's the way these 1144 00:53:17,920 --> 00:53:20,319 Speaker 1: teams have to be. They have to have some sort 1145 00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:25,279 Speaker 1: of like core identity, basic effort based things that they 1146 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:27,680 Speaker 1: can fall back on when they struggle. And this team 1147 00:53:28,040 --> 00:53:31,960 Speaker 1: defends like crazy. They play super slow, so they control 1148 00:53:32,040 --> 00:53:35,040 Speaker 1: the pace and keep it down and uh, they have 1149 00:53:35,520 --> 00:53:37,880 Speaker 1: lots of shooting and defense around and Chris Paul and 1150 00:53:37,920 --> 00:53:40,120 Speaker 1: Devin book are doing their things. And then when they're 1151 00:53:40,239 --> 00:53:42,799 Speaker 1: staggering those minutes when they're off the floor, they run 1152 00:53:43,000 --> 00:53:46,640 Speaker 1: everything through uh Booker when CPS off the floor, and 1153 00:53:46,680 --> 00:53:48,560 Speaker 1: everything through CP three and Bookers off the floor and 1154 00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:51,400 Speaker 1: helps keep them in a rhythm. And uh, and and 1155 00:53:51,480 --> 00:53:54,399 Speaker 1: they're damn good. They're damn good. And and I think 1156 00:53:54,640 --> 00:53:56,520 Speaker 1: and I think they're on the verge of something that 1157 00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:59,319 Speaker 1: could potentially be a problem in a playoff series. Yeah, 1158 00:53:59,360 --> 00:54:04,040 Speaker 1: I wouldn't. Why have them in that Milwaukee Brooklyn tier 1159 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:06,400 Speaker 1: I don't think. I mean, I see the argument for it. 1160 00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:09,560 Speaker 1: I don't think they're quite there, but they have been 1161 00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:12,799 Speaker 1: better lately. And yeah, they're just they're a super balanced team. 1162 00:54:12,840 --> 00:54:14,759 Speaker 1: And they have seven guys averaging ten points a game, 1163 00:54:14,840 --> 00:54:16,839 Speaker 1: or more like, they have a lot of guys who 1164 00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:19,239 Speaker 1: they can rely on. They're almost in a way, they're 1165 00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:21,560 Speaker 1: like just in terms of the balance, they're like, I'm 1166 00:54:21,560 --> 00:54:23,120 Speaker 1: gonna Utah. They don't play anything like them just in 1167 00:54:23,239 --> 00:54:25,239 Speaker 1: terms of like style or pace or anything, because Utah 1168 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:27,120 Speaker 1: plays really fast. But they have a bunch of guys 1169 00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:28,800 Speaker 1: that they can kind of rely on and they basically 1170 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:31,160 Speaker 1: know they're gonna get contributions from every night. Then they 1171 00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:32,920 Speaker 1: have a really good guy at the top. Well, they 1172 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:35,520 Speaker 1: got two really good guys in kind of ISO and 1173 00:54:35,640 --> 00:54:38,720 Speaker 1: creating their own shot situations with CP and Devin Booker, 1174 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:40,440 Speaker 1: and that, I mean, that is a formula for being 1175 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:42,480 Speaker 1: a tough playoff team, especially if you defend, because you're 1176 00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:46,120 Speaker 1: gonna be in those games. And then you know, Bookers 1177 00:54:47,120 --> 00:54:48,760 Speaker 1: kind of able to go toe to toe with almost 1178 00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:50,120 Speaker 1: anybody in the league at the end of the game. 1179 00:54:50,120 --> 00:54:52,200 Speaker 1: So if they can stay close and keep these games 1180 00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:56,239 Speaker 1: tight going into exactly exactly, so can CPS. So they 1181 00:54:56,320 --> 00:54:58,600 Speaker 1: got really two guys who can do it. Um, you 1182 00:54:58,680 --> 00:55:00,839 Speaker 1: know that they're just a really wid team. And they 1183 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:02,960 Speaker 1: had some kind of injury COVID issues early on. They're 1184 00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:04,839 Speaker 1: coming through that a little bit, and that's that's been 1185 00:55:04,920 --> 00:55:06,640 Speaker 1: I think the tough part of maybe doing something like 1186 00:55:06,680 --> 00:55:09,160 Speaker 1: a power ranking so far is there's been so many 1187 00:55:09,239 --> 00:55:12,040 Speaker 1: teams where it's like, well, these guys have had four 1188 00:55:12,120 --> 00:55:17,080 Speaker 1: their top five guys missed seven, eight, nine. Can we 1189 00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:19,600 Speaker 1: say one thing about that though, like in terms of like, 1190 00:55:19,640 --> 00:55:21,839 Speaker 1: because someone was saying the same thing when we were 1191 00:55:21,840 --> 00:55:24,439 Speaker 1: talking the MVP debate earlier, which is the MVP debate 1192 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:28,360 Speaker 1: is different and absolute ship show because because like, no 1193 00:55:28,520 --> 00:55:32,200 Speaker 1: one's being honest, there's a fourth of writers have put 1194 00:55:32,320 --> 00:55:34,440 Speaker 1: Yokich at number one, which is the most as I 1195 00:55:34,520 --> 00:55:36,799 Speaker 1: in thing, and like the history of basketball tape, if 1196 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:38,960 Speaker 1: Yoki has one, then Wise and Steph Curry to like, 1197 00:55:39,120 --> 00:55:40,760 Speaker 1: if we're just gonna because our records are the basically 1198 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:43,120 Speaker 1: the same and steps numbers are just as good, like 1199 00:55:43,239 --> 00:55:45,040 Speaker 1: and I don't see the argument for either guy, And 1200 00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:47,640 Speaker 1: then and Beat fans are acting like Lebron has no case. 1201 00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:49,919 Speaker 1: Lebron fans are acting like in Beat has No Case. 1202 00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:52,279 Speaker 1: It's literally turned into a total ship show. But I 1203 00:55:52,360 --> 00:55:54,320 Speaker 1: was talking about it with somebody this morning. It was like, 1204 00:55:54,760 --> 00:55:57,280 Speaker 1: you can't blame embeat for the COVID stuff, And I agree, 1205 00:55:57,320 --> 00:56:02,040 Speaker 1: but you know, loss Ange, the list has been ramrotted 1206 00:56:02,120 --> 00:56:05,279 Speaker 1: by this COVID thing as bad as any city, and 1207 00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:08,200 Speaker 1: for some reason, the Lakers have been Okay. Now, I 1208 00:56:08,840 --> 00:56:12,160 Speaker 1: don't know what that reason is, but I think it's so. 1209 00:56:12,440 --> 00:56:16,719 Speaker 1: I think it's I think it's possible that the leadership 1210 00:56:17,600 --> 00:56:21,040 Speaker 1: in the Laker organization, starting from Lebron and a d Down, 1211 00:56:21,560 --> 00:56:25,080 Speaker 1: has basically told these guys, don't mess around, stay in 1212 00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:28,680 Speaker 1: your hotel room and uh that this is going to 1213 00:56:28,800 --> 00:56:31,920 Speaker 1: impact our ability to win this season. Uh, we are 1214 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:34,799 Speaker 1: we are here, we're professionals, we are doing a job. 1215 00:56:35,400 --> 00:56:38,879 Speaker 1: Nobody misses a COVID test, you know. Uh, nobody uh 1216 00:56:39,320 --> 00:56:41,719 Speaker 1: breaks the rules. And then I think some of these 1217 00:56:41,760 --> 00:56:43,400 Speaker 1: other teams have been a little bit more relaxed on 1218 00:56:43,480 --> 00:56:47,000 Speaker 1: that stuff. And I don't think it's a coincidence that 1219 00:56:47,239 --> 00:56:50,600 Speaker 1: the Lakers, despite living in literally a crazy city like 1220 00:56:50,680 --> 00:56:53,759 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, where probably half of the Instagram models of 1221 00:56:53,800 --> 00:56:56,960 Speaker 1: the world live, and and I'm serious, I don't think 1222 00:56:56,960 --> 00:56:59,440 Speaker 1: it's a coincidence that they've done better. I think that 1223 00:56:59,520 --> 00:57:01,719 Speaker 1: there's something to be said about leadership in that and 1224 00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:03,560 Speaker 1: and I think that's part of it, Like em beat 1225 00:57:03,640 --> 00:57:05,080 Speaker 1: needs to look these dudes in the face and be like, 1226 00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:07,680 Speaker 1: stay in your damn hotel. We're trying to win a 1227 00:57:07,760 --> 00:57:10,000 Speaker 1: title here, you know what I mean. Like, I think 1228 00:57:10,040 --> 00:57:13,399 Speaker 1: that's something to keep in mind. Sure, Like I don't 1229 00:57:13,440 --> 00:57:15,719 Speaker 1: doubt that Lebron has done that, because he probably I mean, 1230 00:57:15,920 --> 00:57:17,840 Speaker 1: I would put money that he has done something like that, 1231 00:57:17,920 --> 00:57:19,480 Speaker 1: at least in some form or fashion. He probably did 1232 00:57:19,520 --> 00:57:22,120 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the year, having even said that 1233 00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:25,480 Speaker 1: Phillies eighteen and seven and the Lakers are nineteen and six, 1234 00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:28,040 Speaker 1: So it hasn't made a huge difference. I think those 1235 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:32,560 Speaker 1: just saying the Phoenix Suns like people being like, oh, sure, 1236 00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:34,520 Speaker 1: I think that's part of it. I think I think 1237 00:57:34,600 --> 00:57:37,400 Speaker 1: you're a lessue. I'd be shocked. I'd be shocked at 1238 00:57:37,560 --> 00:57:39,440 Speaker 1: if he didn't stay that though. I'd be shocked at 1239 00:57:39,560 --> 00:57:41,440 Speaker 1: if Chris Paul didn't say something like that. Though. I 1240 00:57:41,520 --> 00:57:47,760 Speaker 1: just think Phoenix roster bookers bookers twenty five and famous 1241 00:57:47,840 --> 00:57:51,520 Speaker 1: for famous for dating models like DeAndre Ayden's in his 1242 00:57:51,600 --> 00:57:55,680 Speaker 1: early twenties, um Cameron Payne's kind of early twenties Camp Johnson, 1243 00:57:55,800 --> 00:57:57,760 Speaker 1: like that is a fairly young roster. So I think 1244 00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:01,320 Speaker 1: it's just in restaurant and open to they do. That 1245 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:03,880 Speaker 1: is a very real thing. Absolutely. I got friends that 1246 00:58:03,960 --> 00:58:05,560 Speaker 1: live in the Phoenix area, so I know how open 1247 00:58:05,600 --> 00:58:08,479 Speaker 1: it is out there. Point being like, I don't wanna. 1248 00:58:08,840 --> 00:58:10,640 Speaker 1: It's just been tough overall to do this stuff. But 1249 00:58:10,720 --> 00:58:12,720 Speaker 1: point being, I think Phoenix is kind of coming through 1250 00:58:12,800 --> 00:58:14,480 Speaker 1: some of that, and they're getting healthier, a lot of 1251 00:58:14,520 --> 00:58:17,200 Speaker 1: their guys are playing more games, and I think end 1252 00:58:17,240 --> 00:58:18,680 Speaker 1: of the year they could end up in that in 1253 00:58:18,760 --> 00:58:21,280 Speaker 1: that broken Milwaukee too. I don't have them quite there yet, 1254 00:58:21,440 --> 00:58:23,840 Speaker 1: even though the record says it. Um, I just don't 1255 00:58:23,880 --> 00:58:28,240 Speaker 1: think they've been as overall is good despite the record. So, uh, 1256 00:58:28,480 --> 00:58:30,440 Speaker 1: let's let's uh, there's a couple of teams that I 1257 00:58:30,560 --> 00:58:33,320 Speaker 1: really want to dive into. So let's let's get moving 1258 00:58:33,360 --> 00:58:35,919 Speaker 1: forward here. I have. This is where we get into 1259 00:58:35,920 --> 00:58:37,360 Speaker 1: the mix of all the teams that are right around 1260 00:58:37,400 --> 00:58:41,160 Speaker 1: five hundred at eight. I put Golden State. A couple 1261 00:58:41,200 --> 00:58:42,800 Speaker 1: of things about Golden State because I know they've been 1262 00:58:42,840 --> 00:58:45,800 Speaker 1: really up and down this year. Uh their fourth and 1263 00:58:45,960 --> 00:58:47,960 Speaker 1: net rating in their last ten, and one of the 1264 00:58:48,040 --> 00:58:51,120 Speaker 1: reasons for that is they're losing close games. They're five 1265 00:58:51,160 --> 00:58:54,480 Speaker 1: and five in games that have involved crunch time this season, 1266 00:58:54,920 --> 00:58:57,040 Speaker 1: and part of that has to do with youth and uh. 1267 00:58:57,760 --> 00:58:59,920 Speaker 1: And it's a miracle they've managed to win five crunch 1268 00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:02,960 Speaker 1: time games. And that is to Steph Curry, I should 1269 00:59:02,960 --> 00:59:04,320 Speaker 1: have won the last two. They should have won the 1270 00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:06,760 Speaker 1: Dallas and the San Antonio ones that they dropped exact 1271 00:59:06,800 --> 00:59:08,560 Speaker 1: they had and they just made like you're kind of 1272 00:59:08,600 --> 00:59:11,760 Speaker 1: pointing to dumb, youthful mistakes or just bad player mistakes. 1273 00:59:11,840 --> 00:59:15,120 Speaker 1: Honestly bad players on that roster. But they're good. They're 1274 00:59:15,200 --> 00:59:19,320 Speaker 1: they're a good team because they're losing the close games. Uh. 1275 00:59:19,480 --> 00:59:22,480 Speaker 1: And they're blowing teams out when they play well. Uh. 1276 00:59:22,560 --> 00:59:24,439 Speaker 1: That and that to me is a is a sign 1277 00:59:24,480 --> 00:59:27,080 Speaker 1: of a good team because they're roughly in the close 1278 00:59:27,160 --> 00:59:29,439 Speaker 1: games and then they're winning a lot of blowouts. They're 1279 00:59:29,520 --> 00:59:31,640 Speaker 1: never getting blown out, or at least not as often 1280 00:59:31,680 --> 00:59:33,720 Speaker 1: as they were early in the season. So I think 1281 00:59:33,800 --> 00:59:36,040 Speaker 1: and and then uh, and then one of the biggest 1282 00:59:36,040 --> 00:59:38,120 Speaker 1: reasons I put them above everyone else is in terms 1283 00:59:38,160 --> 00:59:40,360 Speaker 1: of a tiebreaker, you know, in terms of how they 1284 00:59:40,440 --> 00:59:43,800 Speaker 1: project as a postseason team, like Steph Curry has been, 1285 00:59:43,840 --> 00:59:46,480 Speaker 1: in my opinion, the like the second or third best 1286 00:59:46,480 --> 00:59:48,320 Speaker 1: player in basketball this year, which is right about right 1287 00:59:48,320 --> 00:59:50,880 Speaker 1: around where you and I projected him. And I want 1288 00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:53,120 Speaker 1: you to to go into this at length, but I 1289 00:59:53,240 --> 00:59:55,640 Speaker 1: just wanted to pay him the compliment because again, and 1290 00:59:55,680 --> 00:59:57,800 Speaker 1: I've said this two or three times this season, there 1291 00:59:57,960 --> 00:59:59,680 Speaker 1: was a fork in the road this year about the 1292 00:59:59,720 --> 01:00:02,760 Speaker 1: way this season could have gone, and and Steph has 1293 01:00:03,000 --> 01:00:07,360 Speaker 1: resoundingly gone the route of I'm playing every night and 1294 01:00:07,480 --> 01:00:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm not going down without a fight. And and quite frankly, 1295 01:00:10,920 --> 01:00:12,760 Speaker 1: I think this is the best version of Steph Curry 1296 01:00:12,800 --> 01:00:15,920 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. I think he's significantly better than he 1297 01:00:16,040 --> 01:00:18,680 Speaker 1: was in two thousand sixteen. I know people are can't 1298 01:00:19,120 --> 01:00:22,000 Speaker 1: comprehend that because they're so obsessed with the results, and 1299 01:00:22,040 --> 01:00:24,160 Speaker 1: they can't over they can't see over the fact that 1300 01:00:24,240 --> 01:00:27,000 Speaker 1: they won seventy three games in two thousand sixteen. Two 1301 01:00:27,040 --> 01:00:30,360 Speaker 1: thousand twenty one, Steph Curry would wash two thousand sixteen. 1302 01:00:30,400 --> 01:00:32,840 Speaker 1: Steph Curry is such a better command of the game. 1303 01:00:33,160 --> 01:00:35,640 Speaker 1: He sees the floor so much better, he takes better 1304 01:00:35,720 --> 01:00:38,480 Speaker 1: care of the ball, he's he's just a better basketball player. 1305 01:00:38,600 --> 01:00:42,720 Speaker 1: And I just want to, again for the fourth or 1306 01:00:42,760 --> 01:00:44,760 Speaker 1: fifth time this year, just pay him a compliment. And 1307 01:00:45,080 --> 01:00:46,280 Speaker 1: I know you have a bunch of want to say 1308 01:00:46,280 --> 01:00:48,960 Speaker 1: about him, but I've just been blown away. Yeah, so 1309 01:00:50,040 --> 01:00:51,760 Speaker 1: I would agree that he has been that guy the 1310 01:00:51,840 --> 01:00:55,360 Speaker 1: last thirteen games and where I so if we're doing 1311 01:00:55,400 --> 01:00:58,680 Speaker 1: power rankings at the moment, I almost don't disagree, just 1312 01:00:58,840 --> 01:01:02,200 Speaker 1: because they have been really good. Basically since Draymond Green 1313 01:01:02,240 --> 01:01:04,040 Speaker 1: has returned. They took a while to kind of get 1314 01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:06,080 Speaker 1: figured things figured out, like four or five games to 1315 01:01:06,160 --> 01:01:07,840 Speaker 1: really kind of figure out how they wanted to play, 1316 01:01:08,080 --> 01:01:09,680 Speaker 1: how they need to defend, all that stuff when he 1317 01:01:09,720 --> 01:01:12,720 Speaker 1: came back. But since them, like you're pointing to a 1318 01:01:12,760 --> 01:01:14,439 Speaker 1: lot of you said, the last ten games their fourth 1319 01:01:14,440 --> 01:01:17,440 Speaker 1: and net rating, fourth and net rating, yep, So I 1320 01:01:17,520 --> 01:01:19,680 Speaker 1: mean that doesn't surprise. They're only I think they're only 1321 01:01:19,720 --> 01:01:21,360 Speaker 1: five and five in those ten games, but they're fourth 1322 01:01:21,360 --> 01:01:23,440 Speaker 1: and net rating, which goes to what I said earlier. Yeah, 1323 01:01:23,480 --> 01:01:25,160 Speaker 1: they're but they're also very close to being like seven 1324 01:01:25,200 --> 01:01:27,000 Speaker 1: and three or eight and two. So it's just a 1325 01:01:27,080 --> 01:01:29,160 Speaker 1: matter of really figuring out how the late games need 1326 01:01:29,240 --> 01:01:31,760 Speaker 1: to flow, um and what they need to get done, 1327 01:01:31,800 --> 01:01:34,120 Speaker 1: and basically just not make as many stupid mistakes because 1328 01:01:34,160 --> 01:01:37,040 Speaker 1: if they can. Their bench was really good early in 1329 01:01:37,080 --> 01:01:39,280 Speaker 1: the year, and it's actually been really bad lately, Like 1330 01:01:39,360 --> 01:01:42,640 Speaker 1: they're they were actually helping the team staying games early 1331 01:01:42,680 --> 01:01:44,880 Speaker 1: on when that starting lineup was so bad, when the 1332 01:01:44,920 --> 01:01:48,439 Speaker 1: starting lineup was down fifteen every quarter, um every first quarter, 1333 01:01:48,520 --> 01:01:49,760 Speaker 1: and then the bench would have to bring them back. 1334 01:01:49,760 --> 01:01:51,880 Speaker 1: And now the inverses happened. Now that they started the 1335 01:01:52,000 --> 01:01:55,360 Speaker 1: creating leads in the bench has dwindled them away. And 1336 01:01:55,440 --> 01:01:57,080 Speaker 1: I think that's more of just who's playing with what 1337 01:01:57,320 --> 01:01:59,920 Speaker 1: unit more so than anything else. It's more kelly agreement 1338 01:02:00,040 --> 01:02:01,760 Speaker 1: with the second units, and that's when the leads tend 1339 01:02:01,760 --> 01:02:04,880 Speaker 1: to slip away. Um. But point being, they have been 1340 01:02:04,920 --> 01:02:07,880 Speaker 1: a lot better lately, Um and steps specifically so his 1341 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:11,880 Speaker 1: last thirteen games, he is thirty one points a game, 1342 01:02:12,440 --> 01:02:14,440 Speaker 1: five and a half rebounds, five and a half, assist, 1343 01:02:15,200 --> 01:02:21,600 Speaker 1: fifty three seven nineties two from the line. Bananas doesn't 1344 01:02:21,680 --> 01:02:24,400 Speaker 1: even I mean, doesn't even make Remember what I said. 1345 01:02:24,400 --> 01:02:26,200 Speaker 1: I thought he would end the season around the high 1346 01:02:26,280 --> 01:02:28,880 Speaker 1: thirties because of shot quality in terms of his three 1347 01:02:28,920 --> 01:02:32,280 Speaker 1: point percentage. I didn't even disagree with you. But he 1348 01:02:32,440 --> 01:02:35,400 Speaker 1: looks so much. He was already starting to play better too, 1349 01:02:35,520 --> 01:02:40,360 Speaker 1: Like that was because he's he is unfreaking believable. He 1350 01:02:40,840 --> 01:02:43,479 Speaker 1: he looks night end day, from what he did earlier 1351 01:02:43,520 --> 01:02:45,000 Speaker 1: this season. Earlier in the season, it was like he 1352 01:02:45,120 --> 01:02:47,920 Speaker 1: was pump picking white open threes and he was like 1353 01:02:48,160 --> 01:02:50,080 Speaker 1: unsure of when to shoot the ball and when not to, 1354 01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:52,320 Speaker 1: when to get his teammates involved, when not to, And 1355 01:02:52,440 --> 01:02:54,560 Speaker 1: maybe it was all on adjustment period. And something that 1356 01:02:54,640 --> 01:02:57,440 Speaker 1: I was talking about with Sammus Fandiari last night was 1357 01:02:58,320 --> 01:02:59,920 Speaker 1: he's just played twenty games in a row for the 1358 01:03:00,040 --> 01:03:02,720 Speaker 1: first time in two years, Like he hadn't played the 1359 01:03:02,800 --> 01:03:06,120 Speaker 1: most impressive part for me, Yeah, yeah, right, So he's 1360 01:03:06,160 --> 01:03:09,240 Speaker 1: been really healthy, um, and he he has added some 1361 01:03:09,280 --> 01:03:11,160 Speaker 1: book which I actually questioned, but it doesn't seem to 1362 01:03:11,160 --> 01:03:13,320 Speaker 1: be affecting his shot at all. His rhythm coming into 1363 01:03:13,400 --> 01:03:15,840 Speaker 1: his shots is really nice right now. He's he's getting 1364 01:03:15,840 --> 01:03:17,880 Speaker 1: his feet set correctly, which he wasn't doing early in 1365 01:03:17,920 --> 01:03:19,880 Speaker 1: the year. He was taking all these extra little steps 1366 01:03:19,920 --> 01:03:22,320 Speaker 1: and hops, um, and just like weird rhythm things that 1367 01:03:22,360 --> 01:03:24,520 Speaker 1: I had never really seen him do. But all that 1368 01:03:24,560 --> 01:03:27,280 Speaker 1: stuff has gone away now and the added strength just 1369 01:03:27,360 --> 01:03:29,439 Speaker 1: watching him in these past four or five six games, 1370 01:03:29,640 --> 01:03:31,960 Speaker 1: he's really understanding how to use it. He used to 1371 01:03:32,040 --> 01:03:34,760 Speaker 1: be a guy that created separation, kind of going east 1372 01:03:34,800 --> 01:03:37,040 Speaker 1: west right. He give these big kind of sweeping crossovers 1373 01:03:37,160 --> 01:03:39,360 Speaker 1: behind the back moves and he'd have to get distance 1374 01:03:39,400 --> 01:03:41,480 Speaker 1: from the defender moving east or west, and then he'd 1375 01:03:41,480 --> 01:03:43,480 Speaker 1: be able to go north and south. In the in 1376 01:03:43,520 --> 01:03:45,800 Speaker 1: the past four or five games against both Dallas and 1377 01:03:46,240 --> 01:03:49,080 Speaker 1: San Antonio, he's been like just making these tight kind 1378 01:03:49,080 --> 01:03:51,840 Speaker 1: of crossover in between the legs moves, and he's getting 1379 01:03:52,040 --> 01:03:55,320 Speaker 1: into like bigger guys bodies, Rudy Gay, Maxi kleiba Um, 1380 01:03:55,400 --> 01:03:57,280 Speaker 1: a lot of kind of the bigger wings and big 1381 01:03:57,320 --> 01:04:01,040 Speaker 1: men on these teams, and he's like going through their bodies. 1382 01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:03,360 Speaker 1: So he's like driving north and south now and that's 1383 01:04:03,400 --> 01:04:06,520 Speaker 1: making such a difference. And obviously number one, and he's 1384 01:04:06,520 --> 01:04:09,000 Speaker 1: getting to the rim quicker um and defenders are having 1385 01:04:09,080 --> 01:04:10,600 Speaker 1: less time to come over and affect his shots. And 1386 01:04:10,640 --> 01:04:15,040 Speaker 1: then also he's looked incredible lately offensively because Draymond's at 1387 01:04:15,080 --> 01:04:18,760 Speaker 1: the five and spacing is just the ultimate amplifier for 1388 01:04:18,840 --> 01:04:21,560 Speaker 1: superstar stats, right, and this is the James Harden thing. 1389 01:04:21,640 --> 01:04:23,760 Speaker 1: This is why his numbers. I think partially we're so 1390 01:04:23,880 --> 01:04:26,320 Speaker 1: good in Houston for so many years because he had 1391 01:04:26,680 --> 01:04:29,360 Speaker 1: just the most amount of space to work with at 1392 01:04:29,400 --> 01:04:32,800 Speaker 1: all times, and they've given that to step just out 1393 01:04:32,840 --> 01:04:34,800 Speaker 1: of necessity because all they're big men are hurt right 1394 01:04:34,840 --> 01:04:38,200 Speaker 1: now and he's been. He can get a lay up 1395 01:04:38,200 --> 01:04:40,000 Speaker 1: when every once he can get a three when every 1396 01:04:40,080 --> 01:04:42,400 Speaker 1: once he's just he's spectacular right now. Man. I don't 1397 01:04:42,400 --> 01:04:44,360 Speaker 1: know if he's like way better than twenty sixteen, but 1398 01:04:44,440 --> 01:04:47,880 Speaker 1: his command is certainly better. Um, He's not quite as quick, obviously, 1399 01:04:47,960 --> 01:04:49,760 Speaker 1: because you never are at thirty two as you were 1400 01:04:49,800 --> 01:04:53,480 Speaker 1: at twenty seven. But yeah, he he is playing at 1401 01:04:53,480 --> 01:04:55,480 Speaker 1: his highs a level as I've seen him played probably 1402 01:04:55,520 --> 01:04:59,840 Speaker 1: since the two thousand seventeen playoffs, at least everything considered right, 1403 01:05:00,080 --> 01:05:01,640 Speaker 1: he doesn't have the talent around him this year, and 1404 01:05:01,680 --> 01:05:04,160 Speaker 1: then numbers have just been but naz the past month. 1405 01:05:04,760 --> 01:05:06,280 Speaker 1: The last thing I want to say about Steff before 1406 01:05:06,280 --> 01:05:08,200 Speaker 1: we move on is, like I talked about this a 1407 01:05:08,240 --> 01:05:10,560 Speaker 1: little bit on Twitter earlier today, but the most impressive 1408 01:05:10,600 --> 01:05:13,840 Speaker 1: thing to me about what he's doing this year is that, uh, 1409 01:05:14,120 --> 01:05:17,120 Speaker 1: he's adapting faster than the league is, which is which 1410 01:05:17,200 --> 01:05:19,280 Speaker 1: is wild because you know, you and I talked a 1411 01:05:19,360 --> 01:05:22,360 Speaker 1: lot in a in a previous podcast about how in 1412 01:05:22,400 --> 01:05:23,960 Speaker 1: two thousand and sixteen, if you look at the way 1413 01:05:24,000 --> 01:05:27,520 Speaker 1: these teams regarding him the way they're regarding him more 1414 01:05:27,600 --> 01:05:30,200 Speaker 1: like a traditional guard using traditional pick and roll coverage 1415 01:05:30,280 --> 01:05:33,600 Speaker 1: is not picking him up until he got to ft 1416 01:05:33,640 --> 01:05:36,040 Speaker 1: and he was just killing teams by taking advantage of 1417 01:05:36,120 --> 01:05:39,600 Speaker 1: their uh, you know, lack of awareness and their their 1418 01:05:39,640 --> 01:05:42,400 Speaker 1: inability to anticipate what he was about to do. Well, 1419 01:05:42,560 --> 01:05:45,480 Speaker 1: now you fast forward a half decade, and everybody knows 1420 01:05:45,520 --> 01:05:48,200 Speaker 1: what he's gonna do, and every pick and roll coverage 1421 01:05:48,200 --> 01:05:51,760 Speaker 1: in the entire league has been completely transformed into how 1422 01:05:51,840 --> 01:05:54,640 Speaker 1: to stop Steph Curry, which has become a league wide 1423 01:05:54,680 --> 01:05:57,240 Speaker 1: thing because so many other guards have started copying him 1424 01:05:57,280 --> 01:05:59,440 Speaker 1: in his ability to you know, be aggressive as a 1425 01:05:59,480 --> 01:06:01,920 Speaker 1: jump shoot, as a ball handler, coming off of screens 1426 01:06:02,040 --> 01:06:05,120 Speaker 1: and from great distances. But all of this stuff has 1427 01:06:05,160 --> 01:06:08,960 Speaker 1: been has been transformed into how do we stop Steph Curry? 1428 01:06:09,560 --> 01:06:12,200 Speaker 1: And he stayed one step ahead of him And to me, 1429 01:06:12,320 --> 01:06:14,440 Speaker 1: that and to me, that's why he's better and and 1430 01:06:14,600 --> 01:06:17,200 Speaker 1: and you know, like you you mentioned like, oh, maybe 1431 01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:19,840 Speaker 1: his mental uh grip of the game is a little 1432 01:06:19,840 --> 01:06:21,800 Speaker 1: bit better. Well, to me, that is the one of 1433 01:06:21,840 --> 01:06:24,240 Speaker 1: the biggest parts of the game. It's it's why I've 1434 01:06:24,280 --> 01:06:25,720 Speaker 1: been you know, it's one of the things I've been 1435 01:06:25,760 --> 01:06:28,360 Speaker 1: I've been beaten the drum with the m v p 1436 01:06:28,680 --> 01:06:31,040 Speaker 1: U debate as it pertains to Lebron as everyone's like, oh, 1437 01:06:31,080 --> 01:06:34,160 Speaker 1: he's only averaging eight, and I'm like, looking at how 1438 01:06:34,160 --> 01:06:35,840 Speaker 1: many guys in the league are averaging over twenty five 1439 01:06:35,880 --> 01:06:39,080 Speaker 1: points now, Like we have to stop watching box scores here, people, 1440 01:06:39,120 --> 01:06:41,560 Speaker 1: because it's just not a tell for how much a 1441 01:06:41,640 --> 01:06:46,000 Speaker 1: person is impacting winning, because you know, Steph Curry stats 1442 01:06:46,480 --> 01:06:48,440 Speaker 1: are are more or less the same as they were 1443 01:06:48,480 --> 01:06:51,960 Speaker 1: in two thousand and sixteen, but his impact on winning now, 1444 01:06:52,200 --> 01:06:57,160 Speaker 1: in my opinion, is so much greater. His ability to 1445 01:06:57,200 --> 01:06:59,520 Speaker 1: control these games, and I think it starts from here. 1446 01:07:00,120 --> 01:07:02,040 Speaker 1: And what I'd say is it wasn't that way early 1447 01:07:02,120 --> 01:07:04,160 Speaker 1: in this season. And it's been interesting how quickly he's 1448 01:07:04,160 --> 01:07:07,360 Speaker 1: adapt adapted, because earlier in the season, these games like 1449 01:07:07,400 --> 01:07:09,040 Speaker 1: get out of hand early, and it would just be like, dude, 1450 01:07:09,040 --> 01:07:10,880 Speaker 1: you gotta get aggressive, man, Like you gotta start doing 1451 01:07:10,960 --> 01:07:13,600 Speaker 1: something else. This game is gonna be gone over over 1452 01:07:13,720 --> 01:07:15,600 Speaker 1: kind of the weekend against Dallas and then last night 1453 01:07:15,640 --> 01:07:18,880 Speaker 1: against San Antonio, he sensed the game getting away early 1454 01:07:18,960 --> 01:07:20,800 Speaker 1: and he's like, Okay, I just gotta be aggressive, Like 1455 01:07:20,800 --> 01:07:22,920 Speaker 1: I just gotta go. And I know it's early in 1456 01:07:22,960 --> 01:07:24,400 Speaker 1: the game, and I don't want to burn myself out, 1457 01:07:24,440 --> 01:07:26,480 Speaker 1: but I just gotta start scoring, and he did. He 1458 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:28,600 Speaker 1: wasn't even making threes last night against San Antonio to 1459 01:07:28,640 --> 01:07:29,960 Speaker 1: start that game. He's like, all right, I'm just gonna 1460 01:07:30,000 --> 01:07:31,680 Speaker 1: go get four or five layups and keep us in 1461 01:07:31,760 --> 01:07:33,800 Speaker 1: this thing. Whereas early in the season he was just 1462 01:07:33,920 --> 01:07:35,920 Speaker 1: kind of like getting off the ball and kind of 1463 01:07:35,960 --> 01:07:37,720 Speaker 1: putting his hands up and being like, oh, I don't 1464 01:07:37,720 --> 01:07:38,920 Speaker 1: want to deal with this. I just kind of want 1465 01:07:38,920 --> 01:07:41,080 Speaker 1: to want to play basketball how I want to. But 1466 01:07:41,240 --> 01:07:43,200 Speaker 1: he's figured out, all right, I just gotta be more 1467 01:07:43,240 --> 01:07:45,520 Speaker 1: aggressive in certain spots and keep this team in games, 1468 01:07:45,520 --> 01:07:47,280 Speaker 1: because if I do, and I can get the game 1469 01:07:47,360 --> 01:07:49,680 Speaker 1: close in the end, then I like my chances against 1470 01:07:49,720 --> 01:07:52,080 Speaker 1: basically anybody in the league. Well one thing, one thing 1471 01:07:52,160 --> 01:07:54,560 Speaker 1: I'll cut him from Slack four is and I said 1472 01:07:54,600 --> 01:07:56,760 Speaker 1: this from the very beginning. He was bound to struggle 1473 01:07:56,840 --> 01:08:00,280 Speaker 1: to start this season because basketball's rhythm sport and he 1474 01:08:00,400 --> 01:08:01,919 Speaker 1: was away from the game for a really long time, 1475 01:08:02,360 --> 01:08:06,920 Speaker 1: and so like, you know, uh, I attribute it to 1476 01:08:07,200 --> 01:08:09,560 Speaker 1: learning a new roster, learning how to win with this roster, 1477 01:08:09,720 --> 01:08:13,720 Speaker 1: but also just like Okay, playing NBA basketball is really hard, 1478 01:08:13,840 --> 01:08:15,520 Speaker 1: and I didn't do it for three years and I 1479 01:08:15,600 --> 01:08:17,400 Speaker 1: think almost three years, so I think I think that's 1480 01:08:17,400 --> 01:08:19,280 Speaker 1: a big part of it. So really quickly here that 1481 01:08:19,479 --> 01:08:21,439 Speaker 1: we talked about how there's this big mess of teams 1482 01:08:21,600 --> 01:08:23,759 Speaker 1: and and we had Golden State at the top because 1483 01:08:23,880 --> 01:08:26,840 Speaker 1: of of Steph Curry. The two teams that I picked out, 1484 01:08:26,840 --> 01:08:28,320 Speaker 1: these are the teams I had ninth and tent, the 1485 01:08:28,400 --> 01:08:31,599 Speaker 1: two teams that I picked out from that crowd of teams. Again, 1486 01:08:31,640 --> 01:08:33,800 Speaker 1: this is ahead ahead of teams like Denver, ahead of 1487 01:08:33,800 --> 01:08:37,439 Speaker 1: teams like Portland's where Sacramento in Toronto, Toronto, I had 1488 01:08:37,520 --> 01:08:40,200 Speaker 1: ten because they've gone nine and five in their last 1489 01:08:40,240 --> 01:08:42,839 Speaker 1: four teen games during that span, their sixth and offense 1490 01:08:42,920 --> 01:08:44,920 Speaker 1: and seventh and net rating. They're starting to look more 1491 01:08:45,040 --> 01:08:47,400 Speaker 1: like the old Toronto Raptors. Pascal Siak, I'm starting to 1492 01:08:47,439 --> 01:08:50,280 Speaker 1: play better, you know. Uh, they're more or less the 1493 01:08:50,320 --> 01:08:52,639 Speaker 1: same identity that they had. Nick Nurse as an amazing 1494 01:08:52,680 --> 01:08:54,600 Speaker 1: coach man. Oh yeah, just figures it out. And it 1495 01:08:54,640 --> 01:08:56,360 Speaker 1: took him ten or fifteen games, but he's like, all right, 1496 01:08:56,400 --> 01:08:57,720 Speaker 1: I know what I gotta do to win with this roster. 1497 01:08:57,800 --> 01:08:59,560 Speaker 1: And now they look great, and he kept him dialed in. 1498 01:08:59,680 --> 01:09:01,439 Speaker 1: That could have slipped off the rails really quickly and 1499 01:09:01,479 --> 01:09:04,200 Speaker 1: they could have gone into tanking. Um uh and the 1500 01:09:04,320 --> 01:09:05,880 Speaker 1: ninth and I want to talk about them more after 1501 01:09:05,920 --> 01:09:07,400 Speaker 1: you give me your last two teams. But I put 1502 01:09:07,439 --> 01:09:10,280 Speaker 1: Sacramento ninth. Their seven and three in their last ten, 1503 01:09:10,320 --> 01:09:12,920 Speaker 1: they're one of They're the only team in the bottom 1504 01:09:12,960 --> 01:09:15,120 Speaker 1: half of the league or the bottom two thirds of 1505 01:09:15,160 --> 01:09:17,280 Speaker 1: the league that is better than six and four in 1506 01:09:17,280 --> 01:09:19,840 Speaker 1: their last ten, because everybody just continues to hover around 1507 01:09:19,880 --> 01:09:22,519 Speaker 1: five hundred in this ridiculously talented league. But in this 1508 01:09:22,680 --> 01:09:26,439 Speaker 1: seven wins, they beat the Clippers, they beat the Nuggets, 1509 01:09:26,840 --> 01:09:29,360 Speaker 1: they beat the Celtics, they beat the Pelicans, who have 1510 01:09:29,439 --> 01:09:31,479 Speaker 1: been almost as good as them in the past ten games, 1511 01:09:31,760 --> 01:09:33,720 Speaker 1: and they beat the Raptors, who, again who have been 1512 01:09:33,760 --> 01:09:36,840 Speaker 1: dialed in over the last fourteen games. They have a 1513 01:09:37,000 --> 01:09:39,719 Speaker 1: mountain of quality wins that's coming in. There are eleventh 1514 01:09:39,760 --> 01:09:43,040 Speaker 1: in the league in defense over that span, so they're 1515 01:09:43,040 --> 01:09:45,760 Speaker 1: playing a lot better defense from where they were to 1516 01:09:45,840 --> 01:09:48,479 Speaker 1: start the season, which was historically bad. So I put 1517 01:09:48,520 --> 01:09:51,320 Speaker 1: Sacramento at ninth before we dive into Sacramento, because I 1518 01:09:51,320 --> 01:09:52,680 Speaker 1: do want to talk about them a little bit more. 1519 01:09:53,160 --> 01:09:56,240 Speaker 1: Did you have any different teams in nine oh ten? Yeah, 1520 01:09:56,360 --> 01:09:58,200 Speaker 1: I mean I had two different teams. I just went, 1521 01:09:58,320 --> 01:10:02,840 Speaker 1: I went, I went, Boston and Denver just on. I think, 1522 01:10:03,439 --> 01:10:05,280 Speaker 1: like you said, there's a glood of teams right there, 1523 01:10:05,520 --> 01:10:08,320 Speaker 1: right and for the same reasons that we gave for 1524 01:10:08,400 --> 01:10:10,400 Speaker 1: Golden State being above the rest of these teams, which 1525 01:10:10,400 --> 01:10:13,800 Speaker 1: I wouldn't necessarily have. But look, I'm a Warriors fan, 1526 01:10:13,880 --> 01:10:18,080 Speaker 1: so I'll just outside with that. Um No, I think 1527 01:10:18,240 --> 01:10:20,280 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, Yo Kich is one 1528 01:10:20,320 --> 01:10:22,320 Speaker 1: of the top six or seven players in the league, 1529 01:10:22,320 --> 01:10:23,960 Speaker 1: get worse, and if it came down to it in 1530 01:10:24,000 --> 01:10:26,840 Speaker 1: a series against Sacramento or any other kind of West 1531 01:10:26,880 --> 01:10:30,400 Speaker 1: playoff team behind Golden State, I would probably take Denver um. 1532 01:10:30,560 --> 01:10:32,080 Speaker 1: And if we're just doing tie breakers, I'm going to 1533 01:10:32,200 --> 01:10:34,040 Speaker 1: kind of base it on that. So I have Denver 1534 01:10:34,240 --> 01:10:36,360 Speaker 1: and then Boston for and and Boston for kind of 1535 01:10:36,640 --> 01:10:39,599 Speaker 1: the same reasons. I think Tatum has been really good 1536 01:10:39,680 --> 01:10:41,439 Speaker 1: once again this year, and Jaylen Brown has taken just 1537 01:10:41,520 --> 01:10:45,120 Speaker 1: in a Banana's level leap. I don't even understand how 1538 01:10:45,120 --> 01:10:46,559 Speaker 1: he did it because they didn't even have a long 1539 01:10:46,600 --> 01:10:49,439 Speaker 1: off season like he is so much better this year 1540 01:10:49,479 --> 01:10:51,320 Speaker 1: and he's just really gotten mores in the bubble. I 1541 01:10:51,360 --> 01:10:53,479 Speaker 1: think the bubble was an off season for some of 1542 01:10:53,520 --> 01:10:56,080 Speaker 1: those guys, and they were playing games, but it was 1543 01:10:56,120 --> 01:10:59,240 Speaker 1: almost like there their normal off season, like pick up, right, 1544 01:10:59,520 --> 01:11:01,400 Speaker 1: but they were doing it in a more kind of 1545 01:11:01,560 --> 01:11:03,960 Speaker 1: organized environment, so they were actually getting instruction while it 1546 01:11:04,000 --> 01:11:05,360 Speaker 1: was happening. We've seen kind of the same thing with 1547 01:11:05,400 --> 01:11:07,559 Speaker 1: BAM because Band's gotten a lot of better too, Um 1548 01:11:08,000 --> 01:11:11,679 Speaker 1: but often destroyed by injuries too. And Covid. Yeah, JN 1549 01:11:11,760 --> 01:11:13,320 Speaker 1: was out with the sordiny for a while. They lost 1550 01:11:13,360 --> 01:11:15,040 Speaker 1: Hadum for a while there in the in the smarts 1551 01:11:15,040 --> 01:11:18,760 Speaker 1: out right now, the propplled his calf. Yeah, they're in trouble. Yeah, 1552 01:11:18,840 --> 01:11:20,760 Speaker 1: if they get healthy, I think they'll still be I 1553 01:11:20,840 --> 01:11:22,920 Speaker 1: don't think they're like a contender contender, but they're still 1554 01:11:22,920 --> 01:11:24,400 Speaker 1: gonna be a really good playoff team at the end 1555 01:11:24,400 --> 01:11:26,080 Speaker 1: of the day. So that it was like that so 1556 01:11:26,200 --> 01:11:28,840 Speaker 1: far down by the way is just a testament to 1557 01:11:28,880 --> 01:11:31,680 Speaker 1: how ridiculously good the league is right now. Yep, yep, 1558 01:11:31,840 --> 01:11:34,320 Speaker 1: exactly know. Those are two super talented teams. Denver has 1559 01:11:34,360 --> 01:11:36,479 Speaker 1: the same issues that we've touched on. They can't really 1560 01:11:36,520 --> 01:11:39,920 Speaker 1: guard anybody, even though it has been better lately. Um, yeah, 1561 01:11:39,960 --> 01:11:41,800 Speaker 1: I think they're just gonna get Denvers, just gonna get 1562 01:11:41,840 --> 01:11:44,000 Speaker 1: ran by good teams because they their defense isn't good enough. 1563 01:11:44,080 --> 01:11:45,920 Speaker 1: That kind of their saving grace last year was that 1564 01:11:46,000 --> 01:11:48,080 Speaker 1: they did have Tory Craig and Jeremy Grant to throw 1565 01:11:48,160 --> 01:11:49,880 Speaker 1: at other teams. You know, if they needed to go 1566 01:11:49,880 --> 01:11:51,519 Speaker 1: a little bit more defensive minded, they could. They don't 1567 01:11:51,560 --> 01:11:53,519 Speaker 1: even really have that option this year. They've like gone 1568 01:11:53,560 --> 01:11:56,760 Speaker 1: all in on offense. And then Jamal Murray is who 1569 01:11:57,320 --> 01:11:59,720 Speaker 1: all of us who were Jamal Murray doubters kind of thought. 1570 01:11:59,760 --> 01:12:02,280 Speaker 1: He It's like he still has a chance to be 1571 01:12:02,320 --> 01:12:04,120 Speaker 1: a really good player. He's still really young. I don't 1572 01:12:04,160 --> 01:12:05,519 Speaker 1: want to come in too hard on the guy, but 1573 01:12:05,920 --> 01:12:07,479 Speaker 1: he wasn't the guy that we saw in the bubble. 1574 01:12:07,920 --> 01:12:10,799 Speaker 1: So and unless he like gets in another playoff scenario 1575 01:12:10,880 --> 01:12:13,040 Speaker 1: this year and it's like similar again and it's like, Okay, 1576 01:12:13,080 --> 01:12:15,519 Speaker 1: he's just one of these weird guys who's gonna be 1577 01:12:15,560 --> 01:12:18,280 Speaker 1: averaging during the regular season that amazing in the playoffs, 1578 01:12:20,080 --> 01:12:22,439 Speaker 1: their ultimate ceiling is going to be somewhat limited if 1579 01:12:22,439 --> 01:12:25,320 Speaker 1: they don't get a lot better defensively. They you know, 1580 01:12:25,520 --> 01:12:30,080 Speaker 1: I watched that Laker Denver game twice. In the Lakers 1581 01:12:30,479 --> 01:12:35,080 Speaker 1: turning it up and absolutely obliterating them kind of took 1582 01:12:35,120 --> 01:12:37,280 Speaker 1: the shine off the apple of what was actually a 1583 01:12:37,320 --> 01:12:41,920 Speaker 1: pretty solid Denver performance. You know, through through two and 1584 01:12:41,960 --> 01:12:44,880 Speaker 1: a half quarters, Denver took it to them, and they 1585 01:12:44,960 --> 01:12:48,559 Speaker 1: present real problems like Jamal Murray is still really really 1586 01:12:48,640 --> 01:12:51,400 Speaker 1: good when he's playing well. I mean he's he's inconsistent, 1587 01:12:51,479 --> 01:12:55,439 Speaker 1: but insist what he's playing well. They they have, you know, 1588 01:12:55,520 --> 01:12:57,880 Speaker 1: when Will Barton's healthy, who he was not healthy in 1589 01:12:57,880 --> 01:13:02,040 Speaker 1: the playoffs last year, he's really a defensively um. You know, 1590 01:13:02,160 --> 01:13:04,479 Speaker 1: Monte Morris is as good a bench guard as you'll 1591 01:13:04,520 --> 01:13:07,559 Speaker 1: find in the league. You know, Michael Porter Jr. Uh 1592 01:13:08,040 --> 01:13:11,479 Speaker 1: is starting to figure out his his offensive role alongside 1593 01:13:11,560 --> 01:13:14,800 Speaker 1: Yokichen Murray. They have a lot to build on. But 1594 01:13:14,920 --> 01:13:17,960 Speaker 1: twelve Yeah, to me, uh, they just have a long 1595 01:13:18,000 --> 01:13:19,479 Speaker 1: way to go in terms of figuring out how to 1596 01:13:19,840 --> 01:13:23,000 Speaker 1: how to overcompensate for their their their defensive shortcomings. In 1597 01:13:23,080 --> 01:13:25,479 Speaker 1: my opinion, I think they need a scheme in a 1598 01:13:25,560 --> 01:13:28,320 Speaker 1: way more similar to what the Lakers do and and 1599 01:13:28,479 --> 01:13:30,519 Speaker 1: kind of over pressure the three point line with their 1600 01:13:30,560 --> 01:13:34,120 Speaker 1: guards and try to funnel everything into Yokis, who's actually 1601 01:13:34,160 --> 01:13:36,160 Speaker 1: okay as long as he's under the basket waiting for 1602 01:13:36,240 --> 01:13:39,040 Speaker 1: people and not guarding out in space. Yeah, he's in space, 1603 01:13:39,080 --> 01:13:41,120 Speaker 1: it's a nightmare. But he's he's so smart and he 1604 01:13:41,240 --> 01:13:42,920 Speaker 1: uses his length really well when he's around the rim, 1605 01:13:42,960 --> 01:13:44,320 Speaker 1: like he gets a lot of deflections and he can 1606 01:13:44,560 --> 01:13:46,880 Speaker 1: kind of just bothers shots and like almost a weirdly 1607 01:13:47,000 --> 01:13:49,799 Speaker 1: Draymond Green manner, Like he's not as good as Draymond 1608 01:13:49,840 --> 01:13:52,080 Speaker 1: obviously on that end, but like it's the same type 1609 01:13:52,080 --> 01:13:54,000 Speaker 1: of thing where it's like wow that you don't really 1610 01:13:54,080 --> 01:13:56,599 Speaker 1: see it just like normally because he's not super athletic. 1611 01:13:56,680 --> 01:13:59,880 Speaker 1: He's not like gonna just absolutely destroy people physically, but 1612 01:13:59,920 --> 01:14:01,840 Speaker 1: he's just uses his length really well and he's super 1613 01:14:01,920 --> 01:14:04,320 Speaker 1: duper smart. He visits himself well, he rotates at the 1614 01:14:04,360 --> 01:14:06,679 Speaker 1: correct times, he takes away two guys at the same time. 1615 01:14:06,960 --> 01:14:08,719 Speaker 1: Like he is really smart. But it's just you gotta 1616 01:14:08,760 --> 01:14:10,240 Speaker 1: keep him under the rim because if he gets in space, 1617 01:14:10,280 --> 01:14:13,120 Speaker 1: it's a nightmare for sure, so quickly before we get 1618 01:14:13,160 --> 01:14:14,960 Speaker 1: out of here. So we did agree on our last 1619 01:14:15,200 --> 01:14:17,200 Speaker 1: We did disagree on our last two. I had Sacramento 1620 01:14:17,240 --> 01:14:19,920 Speaker 1: and in Toronto, you at Boston and Denver. UM. But 1621 01:14:20,040 --> 01:14:21,720 Speaker 1: we did say we wanted to talk about Sacramento for 1622 01:14:21,800 --> 01:14:25,559 Speaker 1: a second. So UM, like we said, five really quality 1623 01:14:25,600 --> 01:14:27,880 Speaker 1: wins in their last seven wins, seven wins in their 1624 01:14:27,960 --> 01:14:31,840 Speaker 1: last ten games. UM. Zach Low did a deep dive 1625 01:14:32,080 --> 01:14:35,639 Speaker 1: with uh Deer and Fox in an interview the other day. 1626 01:14:35,680 --> 01:14:37,439 Speaker 1: If you haven't listened to that yet, listen to it, 1627 01:14:37,560 --> 01:14:40,080 Speaker 1: dear and Fox is just about as likable of guys 1628 01:14:40,120 --> 01:14:42,240 Speaker 1: you'll find in the league. You could tell he's just 1629 01:14:42,479 --> 01:14:47,240 Speaker 1: an absolute hoops junkie. He's uh loves the game. He's 1630 01:14:47,320 --> 01:14:49,760 Speaker 1: enjoying every minute of what they're doing out there. Uh 1631 01:14:50,439 --> 01:14:53,280 Speaker 1: and and uh he's not like, you know, bogged down 1632 01:14:53,360 --> 01:14:55,799 Speaker 1: in the complaining about the league right now and stuff 1633 01:14:55,800 --> 01:14:56,920 Speaker 1: like that. He's just you could just tell he's a 1634 01:14:57,000 --> 01:14:59,600 Speaker 1: kid who was jubilant and and just loves and just 1635 01:14:59,680 --> 01:15:01,880 Speaker 1: loves playing basketball. And then one of the things that 1636 01:15:01,960 --> 01:15:04,280 Speaker 1: zach Low touched on that I thought was really interesting 1637 01:15:04,400 --> 01:15:07,720 Speaker 1: is one, they're playing better defense, um, which when you 1638 01:15:07,800 --> 01:15:10,280 Speaker 1: watch them it makes sense to uh to the naked eye. 1639 01:15:10,800 --> 01:15:13,960 Speaker 1: And then too, they found a closing lineup that works. 1640 01:15:14,479 --> 01:15:18,400 Speaker 1: They're playing Rashawn Holmes at center, very athletic, very switchable, 1641 01:15:18,439 --> 01:15:22,800 Speaker 1: really really good player. Um. He's great finishing around the rim, 1642 01:15:22,840 --> 01:15:24,720 Speaker 1: which is crazy because he was not like that when 1643 01:15:24,760 --> 01:15:27,240 Speaker 1: he was in Philly. He was a dunker. He's kind 1644 01:15:27,240 --> 01:15:28,599 Speaker 1: of more like a Kelly you Bery kind of guy, 1645 01:15:28,680 --> 01:15:30,120 Speaker 1: like if he was throwing it down at the rim. 1646 01:15:30,280 --> 01:15:32,360 Speaker 1: He was making everything, but he couldn't he couldn't finish 1647 01:15:32,360 --> 01:15:34,720 Speaker 1: around the room other than that. Um. And then they're 1648 01:15:34,720 --> 01:15:37,800 Speaker 1: playing Harrison Barnes at the four, and then they're playing 1649 01:15:37,920 --> 01:15:41,400 Speaker 1: Buddy Hill, Yrise Halliburton and dear and Fox. But the 1650 01:15:41,680 --> 01:15:44,360 Speaker 1: primary reason why they've been so good is Dearren Foxes 1651 01:15:44,400 --> 01:15:46,760 Speaker 1: all of a sudden a superstar. And it's not like, 1652 01:15:47,400 --> 01:15:50,080 Speaker 1: you know, it's not quite Derrick Rose in two thousand eleven. 1653 01:15:50,880 --> 01:15:53,080 Speaker 1: But I can't remember a guard in the last few 1654 01:15:53,160 --> 01:15:55,200 Speaker 1: years pretty much since like Russell Westbrook when he was 1655 01:15:55,400 --> 01:15:58,600 Speaker 1: at his athletic peak, who you just can't stay in 1656 01:15:58,680 --> 01:16:01,519 Speaker 1: front of him, and and and the only way to 1657 01:16:01,600 --> 01:16:04,479 Speaker 1: stay in front of him is to essentially run a 1658 01:16:04,560 --> 01:16:07,880 Speaker 1: drop coverage, in which case he's added this arsenal of 1659 01:16:08,120 --> 01:16:10,680 Speaker 1: floaters and step backs and stuff from like five to 1660 01:16:10,760 --> 01:16:12,960 Speaker 1: ten feet where he can finish over the top and 1661 01:16:13,400 --> 01:16:16,640 Speaker 1: and he's flat out become a star, and that in 1662 01:16:16,720 --> 01:16:19,719 Speaker 1: combination with finding some lineups that work and then playing defense, 1663 01:16:20,120 --> 01:16:22,320 Speaker 1: has led to a lot of really quality wins. And 1664 01:16:22,360 --> 01:16:24,320 Speaker 1: the Lakers have Sacramento coming up on the schedule. I 1665 01:16:24,360 --> 01:16:25,920 Speaker 1: think here and I think in a couple of days, 1666 01:16:26,000 --> 01:16:28,280 Speaker 1: and that is an infinitely more interesting game now than 1667 01:16:28,360 --> 01:16:30,200 Speaker 1: it was a few days ago. They're just a really 1668 01:16:30,240 --> 01:16:33,400 Speaker 1: fun team man specifically like that closing lineup. But he's 1669 01:16:33,439 --> 01:16:36,840 Speaker 1: an incredible shooter, like just one of like in again 1670 01:16:36,920 --> 01:16:39,160 Speaker 1: after buying out. Yeah, one of these just like the 1671 01:16:39,240 --> 01:16:41,920 Speaker 1: most unconscious like gunners in the league, but just in 1672 01:16:41,960 --> 01:16:44,120 Speaker 1: the most fun way possible because he really shoots it well, 1673 01:16:44,439 --> 01:16:46,479 Speaker 1: Like he doesn't care if he's missed his last seven shots. 1674 01:16:46,479 --> 01:16:48,360 Speaker 1: He's letting the next one fly. He like he never 1675 01:16:48,479 --> 01:16:49,920 Speaker 1: thinks twice about it, and he's good enough of a 1676 01:16:49,960 --> 01:16:53,000 Speaker 1: shooter to like make that work. Um, Haliburton is just 1677 01:16:53,080 --> 01:16:55,800 Speaker 1: super fun for a rookie, way beyond his year's I 1678 01:16:55,920 --> 01:17:00,479 Speaker 1: qise a really good passer, smart team defender time. Right, 1679 01:17:00,520 --> 01:17:02,160 Speaker 1: do you remember, No, just two years he was just 1680 01:17:02,200 --> 01:17:04,320 Speaker 1: two years guy, ad I always stay to your guy 1681 01:17:04,320 --> 01:17:06,760 Speaker 1: at Iowa State. Um, he was a he was a 1682 01:17:06,800 --> 01:17:09,320 Speaker 1: big guy on draft Twitter. I was obviously following a 1683 01:17:09,360 --> 01:17:11,160 Speaker 1: lot of the NBA draft stuff last year because the 1684 01:17:11,160 --> 01:17:13,080 Speaker 1: Warriors were going to have one of the best picks 1685 01:17:13,120 --> 01:17:15,519 Speaker 1: in the league. Um, he was a darling of all 1686 01:17:15,560 --> 01:17:18,639 Speaker 1: the NBA Draft Twitter guys. Um, just just a super 1687 01:17:18,720 --> 01:17:22,000 Speaker 1: smart player, like a guy who will absolutely played for 1688 01:17:22,040 --> 01:17:24,080 Speaker 1: a championship team at some point in his career. Like, 1689 01:17:24,680 --> 01:17:26,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if the people of a young player 1690 01:17:26,280 --> 01:17:27,960 Speaker 1: comes into league knowing how to play off the ball, 1691 01:17:28,040 --> 01:17:30,120 Speaker 1: which is extremely right. He's like he was like early 1692 01:17:30,200 --> 01:17:31,880 Speaker 1: in their games this year, he was like directing traffic 1693 01:17:31,960 --> 01:17:34,960 Speaker 1: and like telling guys where to go offensively latent in games. 1694 01:17:35,000 --> 01:17:36,400 Speaker 1: I was like, dude, who is this kid? He's only 1695 01:17:37,160 --> 01:17:43,040 Speaker 1: years old. He's super impressive obviously at that He's got 1696 01:17:43,080 --> 01:17:44,880 Speaker 1: good size though too. Yeah, the touch is like, the 1697 01:17:44,960 --> 01:17:47,840 Speaker 1: touch is good. He's always historically in college like now, 1698 01:17:47,920 --> 01:17:50,200 Speaker 1: he's above eighty percent from the line. So I mean, 1699 01:17:50,240 --> 01:17:51,880 Speaker 1: I think he's gonna be fine as a shooter. He'll 1700 01:17:51,880 --> 01:17:54,040 Speaker 1: never be a super dynamic off the dribble guy just 1701 01:17:54,160 --> 01:17:56,280 Speaker 1: because of their limiting factors of the form unless he 1702 01:17:56,360 --> 01:17:58,439 Speaker 1: really changes something. But he's just gonna be a really 1703 01:17:58,479 --> 01:18:00,040 Speaker 1: good player for a long time, like a guy it 1704 01:18:00,120 --> 01:18:02,120 Speaker 1: ends up on a championship team at some point just 1705 01:18:02,200 --> 01:18:04,960 Speaker 1: because he does so many things. Well, Um, Harrison Barnes 1706 01:18:05,080 --> 01:18:07,640 Speaker 1: is just having like almost a mid career renaissance. Like 1707 01:18:07,680 --> 01:18:10,360 Speaker 1: he's a good passer now and like he's savvy veteran 1708 01:18:10,400 --> 01:18:12,280 Speaker 1: and he makes all he's like winning play. It's like 1709 01:18:12,760 --> 01:18:15,599 Speaker 1: it's hilarious. He hit this offensive rebound put back against 1710 01:18:15,600 --> 01:18:17,280 Speaker 1: the Clippers the other night where I was like, first 1711 01:18:17,280 --> 01:18:19,000 Speaker 1: of all, how the hell did he do that? And 1712 01:18:19,080 --> 01:18:21,280 Speaker 1: then second of all, like that's the play. Eight nine 1713 01:18:21,360 --> 01:18:23,840 Speaker 1: percent of the league quits on Like he just go 1714 01:18:24,000 --> 01:18:25,559 Speaker 1: back on defense and he's like, no, no, no, I'm 1715 01:18:25,560 --> 01:18:27,920 Speaker 1: gonna go over the top of Kawai freaking Leonard and 1716 01:18:28,000 --> 01:18:29,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to put this ball in the basket. And 1717 01:18:29,680 --> 01:18:32,160 Speaker 1: Kauai is like one of the best contested rebounders ever 1718 01:18:32,400 --> 01:18:35,840 Speaker 1: for his size. You know, yeah, Like I love it, man, 1719 01:18:35,960 --> 01:18:40,040 Speaker 1: Like obviously, Harrison Barnes was a point of patriot for 1720 01:18:40,080 --> 01:18:42,400 Speaker 1: many Warriors fans after the twenty sixteen finals after not 1721 01:18:42,479 --> 01:18:45,040 Speaker 1: being able to make anything, but that dude, he's reinvented himself. 1722 01:18:45,040 --> 01:18:47,320 Speaker 1: He's having an incredible year and I would I'd love 1723 01:18:47,360 --> 01:18:49,400 Speaker 1: to have him back on the Warriors now. He'd be 1724 01:18:49,600 --> 01:18:51,840 Speaker 1: an incredible He's an incredible piece for any good team. 1725 01:18:52,240 --> 01:18:54,880 Speaker 1: But ultimately it does come down to Deer and Fox, 1726 01:18:54,920 --> 01:18:57,639 Speaker 1: who has just been insane. I want to say he's 1727 01:18:57,640 --> 01:19:01,160 Speaker 1: like game on fifty five eighties something from the field, 1728 01:19:01,360 --> 01:19:04,680 Speaker 1: eight assists for rebounds. What he has really learned how 1729 01:19:04,720 --> 01:19:07,280 Speaker 1: to do. When I was watching that Philly game last night, 1730 01:19:09,000 --> 01:19:11,080 Speaker 1: He's obviously one of the fastest guys in the league, 1731 01:19:11,080 --> 01:19:13,960 Speaker 1: like everybody knows that, But what he's learned how to 1732 01:19:14,040 --> 01:19:17,599 Speaker 1: do is change speeds and control his pace to where 1733 01:19:17,640 --> 01:19:20,080 Speaker 1: it's like, you have no idea when he's going like 1734 01:19:20,200 --> 01:19:22,040 Speaker 1: when he's gonna go slower, when he's gonna go fast. 1735 01:19:22,120 --> 01:19:24,040 Speaker 1: And that's when you see the real mastery by these 1736 01:19:24,080 --> 01:19:27,760 Speaker 1: super quick guards when they learn, Okay, I am one 1737 01:19:27,760 --> 01:19:30,080 Speaker 1: of the fastest guys on the floor no matter who 1738 01:19:30,120 --> 01:19:32,360 Speaker 1: I'm playing against, but I also know how to use 1739 01:19:32,400 --> 01:19:34,439 Speaker 1: that to my advantage, right, Like I know how to 1740 01:19:34,520 --> 01:19:36,920 Speaker 1: change speeds enough to where you're always gonna be off balance, 1741 01:19:37,040 --> 01:19:38,280 Speaker 1: and if I can just keep you a little bit 1742 01:19:38,280 --> 01:19:40,599 Speaker 1: off balance, I'm gonna blow by you basically every time. 1743 01:19:40,600 --> 01:19:43,000 Speaker 1: Because my top end speed is so much faster than yours. 1744 01:19:43,200 --> 01:19:46,160 Speaker 1: He's just he's a delight to watch man, and like 1745 01:19:46,240 --> 01:19:48,160 Speaker 1: you said, he's one of the best personalities in the NBA. 1746 01:19:48,200 --> 01:19:49,920 Speaker 1: It's it kind of sucks that he's stuck in Sacramento 1747 01:19:50,000 --> 01:19:52,439 Speaker 1: because it's not it's not a big market, and he'll 1748 01:19:52,479 --> 01:19:55,360 Speaker 1: just never get that much media coverage. But no, he's 1749 01:19:55,400 --> 01:19:59,080 Speaker 1: just he's a super fun player person like in every way, 1750 01:19:59,160 --> 01:20:00,840 Speaker 1: like you just want to route for that dude, even 1751 01:20:00,880 --> 01:20:04,040 Speaker 1: if he's not on your team. He's he's amazing. He's amazing. 1752 01:20:04,439 --> 01:20:07,200 Speaker 1: I thought he he said something I I'm I'm a 1753 01:20:07,280 --> 01:20:10,320 Speaker 1: hoops nerd, so I I always get excited about stuff 1754 01:20:10,320 --> 01:20:12,040 Speaker 1: like this, but he he said something that was super 1755 01:20:12,120 --> 01:20:15,479 Speaker 1: fascinating in that interview was Zaklow that I thought was 1756 01:20:15,520 --> 01:20:17,960 Speaker 1: a really interesting thing as in terms of a league 1757 01:20:18,000 --> 01:20:22,160 Speaker 1: wide trend. He basically said, when I got into the league, 1758 01:20:22,920 --> 01:20:26,439 Speaker 1: guys went under screens on me, and he's and he's like, 1759 01:20:26,960 --> 01:20:28,960 Speaker 1: he's like, I'm I'm a better shooter now than I 1760 01:20:29,160 --> 01:20:32,360 Speaker 1: was then. But he's like, I think he basically said 1761 01:20:32,400 --> 01:20:35,160 Speaker 1: that every team in the league goes over the top 1762 01:20:35,240 --> 01:20:38,080 Speaker 1: of screen and roll now like and this is a 1763 01:20:38,120 --> 01:20:40,720 Speaker 1: steph Curry thing. This is the thing that this is 1764 01:20:40,760 --> 01:20:43,040 Speaker 1: the thing that Steph Curry changed about the NBA. He 1765 01:20:43,200 --> 01:20:46,000 Speaker 1: changed the way these teams defend. And he's like, he's like, 1766 01:20:46,280 --> 01:20:49,000 Speaker 1: I am getting into the paint better than I ever 1767 01:20:49,120 --> 01:20:51,880 Speaker 1: have in my life because no matter who I play, 1768 01:20:52,479 --> 01:20:55,160 Speaker 1: these teams are practicing going over the top of screen 1769 01:20:55,240 --> 01:20:57,800 Speaker 1: and roll and so you know, now this is where 1770 01:20:57,840 --> 01:21:00,680 Speaker 1: I'm kind of adding to that, like he's a good 1771 01:21:00,800 --> 01:21:03,240 Speaker 1: not great shooter, so that he's not a player that 1772 01:21:03,320 --> 01:21:05,240 Speaker 1: I personally would go over the top of screen and 1773 01:21:05,360 --> 01:21:08,160 Speaker 1: roll on. But because teams are just no, it'll be 1774 01:21:08,200 --> 01:21:10,000 Speaker 1: an interesting thing in a playoff series. I think I 1775 01:21:10,120 --> 01:21:12,240 Speaker 1: was just about to say that, right, Like, a smart 1776 01:21:12,280 --> 01:21:14,600 Speaker 1: team is probably gonna like during the year, you're just 1777 01:21:14,640 --> 01:21:16,080 Speaker 1: working on the stuff that you're gonna do a lot, 1778 01:21:16,120 --> 01:21:17,920 Speaker 1: because that's how you have to guard everybody. It's easier 1779 01:21:17,920 --> 01:21:20,160 Speaker 1: to just keep kind of uniform principles on a night 1780 01:21:20,240 --> 01:21:22,320 Speaker 1: tonight basis and not really all just for him those 1781 01:21:22,439 --> 01:21:24,479 Speaker 1: much a smart coach is gonna be like, we're just 1782 01:21:24,520 --> 01:21:27,000 Speaker 1: gonna go under screens on them, and then that's gonna 1783 01:21:27,040 --> 01:21:29,960 Speaker 1: be when either he turns the next corner and becomes 1784 01:21:30,000 --> 01:21:32,040 Speaker 1: a true superstar, and he can punish you when you 1785 01:21:32,120 --> 01:21:34,920 Speaker 1: go under, or he's so smart and so crafty that 1786 01:21:35,000 --> 01:21:36,880 Speaker 1: even when you are going under, he learns how to 1787 01:21:36,920 --> 01:21:38,560 Speaker 1: work re screens well enough, and he learns how he 1788 01:21:38,800 --> 01:21:40,800 Speaker 1: to use kind of this guy on his craft on 1789 01:21:40,960 --> 01:21:43,559 Speaker 1: top of his speed to really create advantages no matter 1790 01:21:43,600 --> 01:21:46,519 Speaker 1: how teams are guarding him. Yeah, and and and and 1791 01:21:46,640 --> 01:21:49,040 Speaker 1: I I thought the same thing when he said that, 1792 01:21:49,400 --> 01:21:51,200 Speaker 1: and Zachlo actually brought it up in the thing. He's like, 1793 01:21:51,240 --> 01:21:53,080 Speaker 1: you know, these teams are gonna make you make jumpshots, right, 1794 01:21:53,120 --> 01:21:55,600 Speaker 1: And he's like, yeah. But but the part of that 1795 01:21:55,720 --> 01:21:59,120 Speaker 1: that was interesting is it's an important context to try 1796 01:21:59,200 --> 01:22:04,880 Speaker 1: to frame regular season basketball because you know, like we 1797 01:22:04,960 --> 01:22:07,240 Speaker 1: talk all the time about, you know, the Milwaukee Bucks 1798 01:22:07,320 --> 01:22:09,479 Speaker 1: and their lack of adjustments, but I think, I think, 1799 01:22:09,640 --> 01:22:12,840 Speaker 1: I think there are rare teams that really try to 1800 01:22:12,920 --> 01:22:15,439 Speaker 1: adjust on a game to game basis in the regular season. 1801 01:22:15,479 --> 01:22:17,280 Speaker 1: I think the Lakers are an example of this, and 1802 01:22:17,320 --> 01:22:19,040 Speaker 1: I think that's why they're the number one defense in 1803 01:22:19,080 --> 01:22:23,080 Speaker 1: the league. Frank Vogel approaches every single regular season game 1804 01:22:23,400 --> 01:22:26,120 Speaker 1: like it's a playoff game. He builds a custom scouting 1805 01:22:26,160 --> 01:22:30,040 Speaker 1: report and a custom defensive game plan. But I think 1806 01:22:30,080 --> 01:22:32,560 Speaker 1: a lot of these teams in the grind of the 1807 01:22:32,640 --> 01:22:36,720 Speaker 1: regular season, trust a basic set of principles, and so 1808 01:22:36,880 --> 01:22:38,840 Speaker 1: that's an example of that. And I think Darren Fox 1809 01:22:39,080 --> 01:22:41,160 Speaker 1: kind of like tattletaled on the rest of the league 1810 01:22:41,160 --> 01:22:44,320 Speaker 1: in a way because he basically said, like, like, all 1811 01:22:44,400 --> 01:22:47,639 Speaker 1: of these teams are guarding the same way, and they're 1812 01:22:47,640 --> 01:22:49,719 Speaker 1: seeing it on they're seeing it on film, and it's like, Okay, 1813 01:22:50,160 --> 01:22:52,519 Speaker 1: we're we're on the road in Sacramento tonight. What like, 1814 01:22:52,600 --> 01:22:54,599 Speaker 1: what what's the game plan. Okay, we're gonna do our 1815 01:22:55,160 --> 01:22:58,400 Speaker 1: stock you know, pick and roll coverage. You know, we're 1816 01:22:58,400 --> 01:23:01,280 Speaker 1: gonna do you know, We're gonna just on these you know, 1817 01:23:01,479 --> 01:23:04,560 Speaker 1: based concepts all game long. And there's an advantage to 1818 01:23:04,640 --> 01:23:07,559 Speaker 1: that as it pertains to hiding your cards, so to speak. 1819 01:23:07,600 --> 01:23:11,240 Speaker 1: Although that's a big Steve Kerr thing that I like, 1820 01:23:11,439 --> 01:23:13,280 Speaker 1: Kurr never really outright says that, but I know he 1821 01:23:13,320 --> 01:23:15,280 Speaker 1: doesn't make a ton of adjustments during the regular season 1822 01:23:15,439 --> 01:23:17,240 Speaker 1: because he doesn't want to show his cards too early, 1823 01:23:17,320 --> 01:23:20,679 Speaker 1: and but it makes sense in the NBA, though he honestly, 1824 01:23:20,800 --> 01:23:24,120 Speaker 1: he honestly waits. He waits too long in playoff series 1825 01:23:24,160 --> 01:23:26,040 Speaker 1: to adjust so that always pisces me off to like 1826 01:23:26,080 --> 01:23:28,080 Speaker 1: he'll wait till the last possible moment to make the 1827 01:23:28,120 --> 01:23:30,040 Speaker 1: biggest adjustment. It's like to just do it earlier so 1828 01:23:30,120 --> 01:23:32,960 Speaker 1: you can get the series over with. Um Yeah, I mean, 1829 01:23:33,800 --> 01:23:37,439 Speaker 1: I don't know. My thing is, I think for a 1830 01:23:37,520 --> 01:23:39,320 Speaker 1: lot of rosters it is tough to adjust on a 1831 01:23:39,400 --> 01:23:41,920 Speaker 1: night to night basis, Like a roster like the Lakers 1832 01:23:42,439 --> 01:23:44,160 Speaker 1: or the Bucks or the Sixers where they like a 1833 01:23:44,240 --> 01:23:47,200 Speaker 1: lot of good, really smart players. Sure you can adjust 1834 01:23:47,200 --> 01:23:48,960 Speaker 1: on a night to night basis, but for your run 1835 01:23:49,040 --> 01:23:51,360 Speaker 1: of the mill NBA roster, like I'm watching it with 1836 01:23:51,439 --> 01:23:53,160 Speaker 1: the Warriors this year, a lot of these guys I 1837 01:23:53,160 --> 01:23:55,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't trust to make game the game adjustments, Like I 1838 01:23:55,479 --> 01:23:58,200 Speaker 1: just wouldn't. It would run the wrong game plan. They 1839 01:23:58,280 --> 01:24:00,120 Speaker 1: just think, oh, we've been playing drop coverage of the 1840 01:24:00,200 --> 01:24:02,479 Speaker 1: last three games, and tonight we're you know, we're either 1841 01:24:02,800 --> 01:24:06,200 Speaker 1: going under or we're um, we're hard hedging. And they 1842 01:24:06,240 --> 01:24:09,200 Speaker 1: would just totally forget and now we're all out of 1843 01:24:09,320 --> 01:24:12,519 Speaker 1: rotation because Kelly Ubery once again forgot what coverage were playing. 1844 01:24:12,600 --> 01:24:15,639 Speaker 1: Like Yeah, Like, I think I think there's an important 1845 01:24:15,640 --> 01:24:18,040 Speaker 1: distinction to make between like good smart teams and then 1846 01:24:18,080 --> 01:24:20,920 Speaker 1: just kind of your average or below average NBA teams. Yeah, 1847 01:24:20,960 --> 01:24:23,519 Speaker 1: I think I just think it's funny. I I think 1848 01:24:23,560 --> 01:24:26,760 Speaker 1: it makes more sense to Uh, I think it makes 1849 01:24:26,840 --> 01:24:29,720 Speaker 1: more sense to you know, you're right to cater it 1850 01:24:29,760 --> 01:24:31,640 Speaker 1: to your specific roster. And maybe with a group of 1851 01:24:31,720 --> 01:24:34,200 Speaker 1: young guys, you're more focused on discipline, so it makes 1852 01:24:34,240 --> 01:24:35,640 Speaker 1: more sense to get them just to try to do 1853 01:24:35,720 --> 01:24:37,160 Speaker 1: the same thing over and over again. But with the 1854 01:24:37,240 --> 01:24:40,040 Speaker 1: veteran teams are smarter, it's kind of like practice for 1855 01:24:40,080 --> 01:24:42,519 Speaker 1: the playoffs to teach them to play different types of defense. 1856 01:24:42,680 --> 01:24:45,040 Speaker 1: I would probably go with that second option. And uh. 1857 01:24:45,120 --> 01:24:47,479 Speaker 1: And and I'm a big believer in what the Lakers 1858 01:24:47,520 --> 01:24:50,200 Speaker 1: do defensively. Uh. And then as far as hiding things go, 1859 01:24:50,360 --> 01:24:52,040 Speaker 1: like it makes a ton of sense in the NFL 1860 01:24:52,200 --> 01:24:54,679 Speaker 1: because you're you're you're getting somebody in a one game setting, 1861 01:24:55,080 --> 01:24:57,320 Speaker 1: and you know, if you bring something out and it 1862 01:24:57,400 --> 01:25:00,280 Speaker 1: can help you control half, it could literally swing. Uh. 1863 01:25:00,560 --> 01:25:03,400 Speaker 1: You know, like they talked about how Todd Bowles did 1864 01:25:03,479 --> 01:25:06,400 Speaker 1: that for the Buccaneers. Basically like he was always a 1865 01:25:06,400 --> 01:25:09,880 Speaker 1: guy who blitz. He blitzed over downs for the most 1866 01:25:09,960 --> 01:25:12,640 Speaker 1: part leading into that game, and then suddenly in the 1867 01:25:12,640 --> 01:25:15,360 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, He's like, nope, four man, rush to safety's back. 1868 01:25:15,439 --> 01:25:17,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna say we're just taking away tyree kill. He's 1869 01:25:17,720 --> 01:25:19,240 Speaker 1: not gonna catch out anything over the top. And it 1870 01:25:19,320 --> 01:25:21,559 Speaker 1: obviously messed the Chiefs up enough to where Tampa Bay 1871 01:25:21,600 --> 01:25:23,960 Speaker 1: controlled that game. Yeah, Whereas if they played it again, 1872 01:25:24,000 --> 01:25:26,919 Speaker 1: maybe the Tampa Bay, maybe Kansas City can make an adjustment. 1873 01:25:26,920 --> 01:25:29,160 Speaker 1: But in the NBA, it's like it's like, you know 1874 01:25:29,439 --> 01:25:31,120 Speaker 1: you can you can get caught with your pants down 1875 01:25:31,160 --> 01:25:33,599 Speaker 1: in game one and then control the series by game three. 1876 01:25:33,720 --> 01:25:36,920 Speaker 1: So like it's it's it's totally it's totally different. But uh, 1877 01:25:37,080 --> 01:25:39,600 Speaker 1: really really good stuff. Today. We actually did manage to 1878 01:25:39,640 --> 01:25:41,400 Speaker 1: get through all pen although we did go an hour 1879 01:25:41,479 --> 01:25:43,880 Speaker 1: in twenty six minutes, and uh, you and I probably 1880 01:25:43,960 --> 01:25:45,960 Speaker 1: both have some work to do, so we're gonna call 1881 01:25:46,040 --> 01:25:48,920 Speaker 1: it a day. But thank you guys, all of you 1882 01:25:49,120 --> 01:25:52,360 Speaker 1: for listening. Podcast version coming later Tommy. As always, I 1883 01:25:52,400 --> 01:25:55,200 Speaker 1: appreciate your help, man, and I appreciate your support, and 1884 01:25:55,400 --> 01:25:58,000 Speaker 1: we will see you early next week. Thanks man. Sounds good. 1885 01:25:58,080 --> 01:25:58,439 Speaker 1: Can't wait.