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We're 31 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: gonna do an instant reaction to the Clippers going into 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: Miami and beating the heat, talking a little bit about 33 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: the hot streak for the Clippers as well as a 34 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: cold streak for the Miami to have lost eight of 35 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: their last ten games. After that, the Golden State Warriors, 36 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: here's a crazy stat for you. They've lost eighteen games 37 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: involving clutch situations, meaning the score was within five with 38 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: less than five minutes left a big issue for them. 39 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: Over the course of this year. 40 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: They have twenty five losses and eighteen of them have 41 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: involved clutch situations. So we're gonna do a deep dive 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: into that after they wasted a sixty point effort from 43 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: Steph Curry in Atlanta against the Hawks. And then after that, 44 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: as we always do, on Monday, we're gonna update our 45 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: power rankings. You guys are the Joe before we get started, 46 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel. It mean a 47 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: lot to me if you guys would take a second 48 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: to scroll down and hit that subscribe button. Don't forget 49 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: about our podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts under 50 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: Hoops tonight. It's also super helpful for us if you 51 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: guys take a couple of seconds to rate and review 52 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: the podcast, that would mean a lot to me as well. 53 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: Don't forget about our Twitter feed at underscore JSNLT. That's 54 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: where I put film breakdowns in the morning as well 55 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: as show announcements and not least keep dropping mail bag 56 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: questions in the YouTube comments. We're gonna hit a mail 57 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: bag on Wednesday. It looks like this week and got 58 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: a jam packed week. Tomorrow morning, I've got to show 59 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: that we're gonna do going over the five biggest trades 60 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: that I want to see this season. Then we will 61 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: actually be going with Colin Cowhard Tuesday night for the 62 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: first time this season. So obviously, as you guys remember 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: last year after the Super Bowl we went pretty regularly 64 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 1: with Colin. We're gonna be starting that back up again. 65 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: That's gonna be fun. And then we'll be live on 66 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: YouTube right after the trade deadline on Thursday as well, 67 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: reacting to what hopefully will be a more interesting trade 68 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: deadline than what the last couple of weeks have looked 69 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: like ever since the Pascal Siakam trade. So jam packed week, excited, 70 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: But let's get into Clippers heat. So the biggest thing 71 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: that stood out to me from this particular game, and 72 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: it's been something that stood out all season, and this 73 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: is gonna be a theme that I talk about. The 74 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: idea of like basketball characters is a concept that I 75 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: talk about on the show, and to me, that is 76 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: like the little intangible kind of like effort, energy, focused, discipline, competitiveness, 77 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: things that I think bear out over the course of 78 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: an eighty two game season and our typical hallmarks for 79 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: a team that goes on to win an NBA championship. 80 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: If you look back through NBA history. It's like last 81 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: year the Denver Nuggets were the one seed in the 82 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: Western Conference. We talk about teams like the Lakers and 83 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: the Warriors, teams that can have potential to go on 84 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: a playoff run, but like the team that kind of 85 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: wallows around in mediocrity during the regular season typically doesn't win. 86 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: That's just what NBA history tells us. That doesn't mean 87 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 1: it can't happen. Obviously, it's not impossible. It's just extremely 88 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: unlikely and NBA history tells us typically not right. And 89 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: you can go further back the Warriors. They were right 90 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: up there with the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline, 91 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: and then Steph Curry hurt his foot and that's why 92 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: they ended up a little bit lower in the standings. 93 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: But they were consistently one of the best teams in 94 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: that regular season. They were forty f nineteen when Steph 95 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: Curry played. The Bucks were a one seed, the Lakers 96 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: were a one seed, the Raptors were two seeds. So 97 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: this is why we look at these trends over the 98 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: course of the regular season. It's important to talk about 99 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: what works in the regular season and what doesn't, what 100 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: translates in those specific kind of like x'es and o's things, 101 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: But in the bigger picture, if you're not actually trying 102 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: to build championship character over eighty two, typically you'll run 103 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: into some trouble. And we're on an extended stretch here 104 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: from the Clippers or they've been the best team in 105 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,239 Speaker 1: the league since November seventeenth. They are thirty and eight. 106 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 1: That is the best record in the league over that span. 107 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: That's basically ever since they started zero to six right 108 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: after the hard and trade, they have been the best 109 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: team in the league. They're just one game back of 110 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: the number one seed in the Western Conference. They're trending 111 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: heavily in that direction. So this is the Clippers are 112 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: paying their dues, and you can see it like this 113 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,359 Speaker 1: is a random road game against the Miami Heat, a 114 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: tough team to play, well coached, always does the right 115 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: thing right. They're gritty to get games down into the 116 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 1: mud and try to expose your weaknesses, and it'd be 117 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: so easy to just bring a lackadaisical effort and do 118 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: the bare minimum to try to win that game, or 119 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: maybe punt a game like that. But like, no, I'm 120 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: watching this game and Paul George is like just contending 121 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 1: on the perimeter against Terry Rogier getting up in his 122 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: business and applying back pressure and disrupting the basketball. He 123 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: was switching on to Bam at a bio and a 124 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: transition crossmatch and getting a stop in the post. I'm 125 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: seeing James Harden wallop Jimmy Butler in a post up 126 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: and stripping him clean underneath the basket. Like from the 127 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: top down, from the Stars, all the way down the roster. 128 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: These guys are so so so locked in on the details, 129 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: and I think that kind of stuff matters when you 130 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: look at it juxtapose with some of these other teams 131 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: where it's like this consistent theme of like conserving energy 132 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 1: and like managing your the regular season and just trying 133 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: to survive it versus attacking it. And NBA history tells 134 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: us it's usually the talented veteran team that attacks the 135 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: regular season that runs away with it at the end 136 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: of the day. And the Clippers, again, they've got some 137 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: question marks. They're not a good defensive, rebounding team. They 138 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: rely heavily on pull up jump shooting. They have some 139 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: of those things that could concern you, but they're doing 140 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: everything they can at least within what's in there under 141 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: their control to maximize themselves within this season, they held 142 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: Miami to just six points from about the ten minute 143 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: mark of the fourth quarter to about the four minute 144 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: mark of the fourth quarter. On the other end of 145 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: the floor, James Harden got his step back three going. 146 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: He had three step back threes, including one going to 147 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,239 Speaker 1: his left, which is one you don't see too often 148 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: from James Harden. 149 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 2: Two of them were and ones. 150 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: James Harden's actually been the very best pull up shooter 151 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: in the league this year, is getting one point one 152 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: seven points per pull up jump shot. That's a fifty 153 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: nine percent effectivegal percentage. They're twenty nine players in the 154 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: NBA who have locked at least two hundred and fifty 155 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: pull up jump shots this season. James Harden is in 156 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: first place in this group. So remember that was where 157 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: we saw that right around sixty sixty one percent effective 158 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: field goal percentage. That's where we saw Steph Curry and 159 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant last year. Both of those guys are down 160 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,679 Speaker 1: this year. James Harden, up at that fifty nine percent, 161 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: is actually at the highest mark. 162 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: In the league at volume. 163 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: Another big guy who made big, a big offensive contribution 164 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: during that run there at the beginning of the fourth 165 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: quarter was Norman Powell, because the heat actually took briefly 166 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: a lead there. Hey what Heiesmith had a layup that 167 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: put him up by one in the early fourth quarter, 168 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: and then the Clippers went on this defensive run and 169 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: James Harden was hitting the step back three, and then 170 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: Norman Powell made a couple of plays out of closeouts 171 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: in the left corner. He had a pull up three 172 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: or a catch and shoot three, i should say, and 173 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: then a wonderable pull up kind of ripping through to 174 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: his right, and next thing you know, they're up by thirteen. 175 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:54,719 Speaker 1: And just like James Harden has been the best pull 176 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: up shooter in the league, Norman Powell has been the 177 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: very best spot. 178 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 2: Up player in the league this year. 179 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: He's getting one point three to eight points per possession. 180 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: There are thirty two players in the NBA this year 181 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: that have logged at least two hundred spot up possessions 182 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: and he's first place on that list. And like again, 183 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: there's a big difference between looking at spot up possessions 184 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: versus just catch and shoot shooting. 185 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 2: A catch and shoot. 186 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: Jump shot is an important part of being able to 187 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: attack a close out, because that's the only thing. If 188 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: you can demonstrate that you can knock that shot down consistently, 189 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: that's what we'll get the defender closing out at you hard. 190 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 2: But I talk about high level close. 191 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 1: Out attacking all the time because against the very best 192 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: defenses in the league, they're typically going to take away 193 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: most of your open catch and shoot opportunities, especially for 194 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: your best shooters. And then from there, if you beat 195 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: a close out, So if a guy chases you off 196 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: the line and you rip past him to the right 197 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: or to the left, usually help the defense is going 198 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: to come over and take away anything for you at 199 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: the rim. And so a lot of times that high 200 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: level close out attacking is the ability to make a 201 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: shot that's in between that catch and shoot, the drive 202 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: and kick or the driving layup. And like Norman Powell 203 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: has just been the very best player in the league 204 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: this year at not just hitting those catch and shoot threes, 205 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: but reading that closeout defender and slashing off of it 206 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: and making plays in the middle like one point three 207 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: to eight points per possession. Think about how insane that is. 208 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: That's another level of But like Michael Porter Junior, last 209 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: year was one of the best in the league, and 210 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: he was below one point three, So that goes to 211 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 1: show you just how insanely good Norman Powell has been 212 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 1: in those spot up situations this year. But like by 213 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 1: the time Kawhi got back into the game in the 214 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: middle of the fourth quarter, they were already up thirteen. 215 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: Game was basically over at that point. Miami made a little, 216 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: little kind of fake late run, but they never truly 217 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: threatened and then they get out of Miami with the win, 218 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: and like again, it is a tough balance between conserving 219 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: energy and building good habits, but in my opinion, it 220 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: is better to aggressively attack the regular season. Obviously, I'm 221 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: not saying play hurt. I'm just saying bringing effort and 222 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: energy rather than trying to conserve effort and energy is 223 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 1: the way to prepare yourself for what is the impossible 224 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: grind of the NBA playoffs to win four times out 225 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: of seven, winning in these two week chunks, beating a 226 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: team four times out of seven, and then turning around 227 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: and doing it again, and then turning around and doing 228 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: it again, and then turning around and doing it again 229 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: against increasingly more difficult opponents. It's a grind. You don't 230 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 1: get to take your time and load managed during that stretch. 231 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: And so again like actually preparing your body for that 232 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: type of grind over the course of the regular season. 233 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: But above and beyond that, even to just the habits 234 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: and the continuity with your lineups, the discipline to actually 235 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: make the right decision on both ends of the floor 236 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: within your scheme. It is an important part of that. 237 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: And I've just been so impressed by the Clippers this year. 238 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: They've just completely and utterly attacked this regular season since 239 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: the James Harden trade. It especially unusual considering some of 240 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: the older veteran players on that roster. Kuhi's MVP case 241 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: is starting to gain steam again. Like we talked about, 242 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: thirty and eight since November seventeenth, best record in the span. 243 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: Over that span, Kawi's only missed four games all season, 244 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: shooting fifty three percent from the field forty five percent 245 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: from three to eighty nine percent from the line. That's 246 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: sixty four percent in true shooting percentage. That is the 247 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: highest mark of his career. He's also having the best 248 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: defensive season he's had in years. As a matter of fact, 249 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: he's getting two point six stocks per game that steals 250 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,959 Speaker 1: plus blocks. That's the most he's had in a single 251 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: season on average since he was with the San Antonio Spurs. 252 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: So you're getting a more engaged defensive version of Kui. 253 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: Another big element of having James Harden to help with 254 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: the ball handling load. And then it's showed up in 255 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: the numbers. The Clippers are twelve points per one hundred 256 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: possessions better when Kawhi is on the floor versus off 257 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: the floor. Now will he win the MVP? It remains 258 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 1: to be seen. The biggest thing that works against him 259 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: on that front is that the Clippers do have a 260 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: lot of talent, and when you look around and you see, 261 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 1: you know, James Harden and Paul George on the court, 262 00:12:57,840 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 1: a lot of times that can kind of sway voters. 263 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: But Kawhi is playing some of the best basketball of 264 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: his career and very much belongs in that conversation. And 265 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: if they keep winning at this rate, I think he 266 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: has a very good chance to win it. But Zubox 267 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: coming back now, he played came back on a minute's restriction. 268 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: It looked like last night's game. A mere coffee is 269 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: another guy I wanted to shout out just another example 270 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: of like kind of a useful two way wing that 271 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: they have coming off the bench, can really shoot the 272 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: basketball and is a good athlete. It has some good 273 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 1: length and bring some speed to that perimeter defense core 274 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: that they're already so deep in. Again, their only red 275 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: flag really is that they still struggle with defensive rebounding 276 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: and they just rely really heavily on pull up jump shooting, 277 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: and so that just adds some variance when they get 278 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: to the postseason. On the Miami front, they've now lost 279 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: eight out of ten games. They just cannot score the 280 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: basketball right now. They have a one zero, seven point 281 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: eight offensive rating over this ten game span. That's twenty 282 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: ninth in the NBA. Only the Grizzlies have been worse 283 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: over the last ten games, and that's just bite Jimmy 284 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: Butler being awesome. Jimmy Butler shoot fifty eight percent from 285 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: the field in fifty eight percent from three over this span, 286 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: but Jimei Hakkez has been slumping a little bit since 287 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: he came back from his injury. Tyler Harrow has been 288 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: shooting below forty percent over this span. Terry Rose year 289 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: since joining the Heat thirty three percent from the field, 290 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: twenty two percent from three, So like they're just struggling 291 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: outside of that Jimmy Butler position. Bam Adebayo is only 292 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: giving you like sixteen points a game over this span. 293 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: And you know, some of this is to be expected 294 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: because when you add a new kind of ball handler 295 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: into the group, it just disrupts the flow of everybody, 296 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: and so some of that just needs to be sorted out. Like, 297 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: do I think Miami's going to be this bad on 298 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: offense this long? Probably not right, But they're also not 299 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: shooting particularly well, Like as a team, they're shooting just 300 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: thirty four percent from three over this ten game span. 301 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: That's bottom five in the league over that stretch. So 302 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: like a lot of it will turn around. I think 303 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: just as they get a little bit more used to 304 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: playing with each other. There's they've added legitimate offensive firepower here, 305 00:14:58,320 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: and I do expect this team to be a better 306 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: offer in the long run. That said, over the span, 307 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: they're also twenty second in defense and twenty first in rebounding, 308 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: So a little bit of a slip here, this kind 309 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: of thing can happen, and we see this like like 310 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: we were just talking about it with the Sacramento Kings, 311 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: Like for most of January they were pretty mediocre, and 312 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden in the last couple of 313 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: weeks they're kind of snapping back into form. This time 314 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: of year, you see lots of ebbs and flows in teams, 315 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 1: especially teams that have made it to the playoffs before 316 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: and can struggle a little bit with motivation over the 317 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: course of the regular season. I can never be out 318 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: on the Miami Heat, but they're definitely playing some bad 319 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: basketball right now. 320 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: All right, let's move on to the Golden State Warriors. 321 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: So the Warriors waste an absolute heater from Steph Curry 322 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: losing in Atlanta in overtime. Steph had sixty points. He 323 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: was just absolutely barbecuing Dejhonte Murray down the stretch of 324 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: this game was killing him and picking roll was killing him. 325 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: In iso there after he got going, stopped calling for 326 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: the ball screen and basically just dribbled up into like 327 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: a high hesitation. It would just if Deonte was giving 328 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: him space, he'd step back. If he wasn't, he would 329 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: just go right him. He was scoring at the rim, 330 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: he was scoring from three. Did the shot he had 331 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: that should have been the go ahead shot in the 332 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: final minute was like a floater after he split a 333 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: ball screen with de Jon de Marty. He was unbelievable 334 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: down the stretch of this game. And he's fully back 335 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: and form now. His last five games, Steph thirty nine 336 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: points per game, fifty three percent from the field and 337 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 1: forty six percent from three, has not missed a free throw. 338 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: So Steph, whatever slumpy was in there in the middle 339 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: of the season seems to be coming out the other 340 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: side of that. But the Warrior still lost that game. 341 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: Why is that for two reasons they couldn't get a stop. 342 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: They had a one seventy one defensive rating in seven 343 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: minutes of clutch basketball against Atlanta, they were really struggling 344 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: with Trey Young in ball screens. They tried guarding him 345 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: straight up, just with like a traditional coverage. Jonathan Camingo 346 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: was struggling with screen navigation. He lost Trey Young for three. 347 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: Then they started blitzing the ball screen. Trey was like 348 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: just dribbling around the blitzer and getting downhill into the 349 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: lane and making floaters. Then they started trying doubling him 350 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: at half court, and they just made quick reads out 351 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: of it on the back end to get baskets. In 352 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: those four on threes, Raymond Green in particular was kind 353 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: of struggling splitting the difference between Trey's floater and getting 354 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,199 Speaker 1: back to anyaka conglu at the basket, and he actually 355 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: lost him on layups a couple of times and then 356 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: also gave up a couple offensive rebounds. So like that 357 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: to me is less on Draymond and more on the 358 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 1: perimeter defense. When your screen defender is constantly having to 359 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,919 Speaker 1: navigate two places at once, you're putting him in no 360 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 1: man's land, and that's just a really difficult place to 361 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: play defense. And one of the biggest issues the for 362 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: the Warriors right now is they're really really struggling to 363 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: contain the ball. This is a big part of why, 364 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: you know, Steve Kurrz talked about Gary Payton the second 365 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: and how like he specifically is one of the most 366 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: important elements coming back post trade deadline is because they 367 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: just need a guard that can actually stay in front 368 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: of some of these guys. It's like, you go with 369 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 1: Brandon Pazemski, he's just not quite athletic enough, right. You 370 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: go with Andrew Wiggins, it comes with all these offensive 371 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: limitations that he's been showing as of late, and so 372 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:00,719 Speaker 1: having Gary Payton back could go along to help them there. 373 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: But they just really really struggled defensively against Atlanta. And 374 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: that's a bigger picture issue that we'll get to in 375 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: a second. But the second reason that they fell apart 376 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: against Atlanta, and this is something I've been talking about 377 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: all season, nobody aside from Steph can contribute offensively for 378 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: them inside of these moments. You probably thought watching that 379 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: game that the Warrior offense was great down the stretch, 380 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: right because Steph was hitting all those damn shots. Nope, 381 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: they had a one hundred offensive rating in seven clutch 382 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: minutes and a big part of that is they went 383 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: cold in overtime. But again, when you're relying on one 384 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: guy to score and no one else can when that 385 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: guy finally starts missing shots or the defense starts to 386 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: get the ball out of his hands, if you can't 387 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: capitalize on the back end, you're going to struggle. And 388 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: like if you look at Jus like again, that game 389 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: is a perfect juxtaposition with Trey and it's Trey's killing 390 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: you and pick and roll. But then boy and Bogdanovitch 391 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: just like or Bogdan Bogdanovitch just like hits a really 392 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: nice step back jump going to his right along the baseline, 393 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: right in Draymond's face, perfectly defended, just knocks down the shot. 394 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 1: De Jontay Murray got his revenge after Steph cooked him 395 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: because tied the game in regulation with the pull up 396 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: jump jumper. Hit a few more pull up jump shots 397 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: in overtime. You're getting significant offensive contribution alongside Trey Young. 398 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: That just makes it that much easier. Basketball is all 399 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: about versatility, not predictability. It's not about being amazing at 400 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: one thing. You've got to be able to win in 401 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: different ways. You have to be able to defend in 402 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 1: different ways with different coverages, and you have to be 403 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: able to score in different ways. Because it doesn't matter 404 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: if the Steph Draymond ballscreen is getting you a few 405 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 1: step back threes with a few minutes left in the 406 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: fourth quarter, if they make an adjustment and they start 407 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: to chase him off of that shot, you got to 408 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:46,719 Speaker 1: have something else you can go to at that point. 409 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: The Warriors have now lost eighteen games involving clutch situations. 410 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: That's the second most in the entire league, only the Pistons, Spurs, 411 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: and Raptors are behind them all having lost nineteen games 412 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: in clutch time. They have a one to six teen 413 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: offensive rating that's very mediocre, and they have a one 414 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,159 Speaker 1: fifteen defensive rating that's very mediocre. And again, this is 415 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: the concerning part. This is despite Steph Curry being amazing 416 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: in clutch situations, think about this. This is crazy. If 417 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: you take Steph Curry's scoring in clutch situations and you 418 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: extrapolated out to a per thirty six metric, meaning if 419 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: you basically looked at the way he's playing in crunch 420 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: time and turned it into a player who plays thirty 421 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: six minutes a game, He's scoring at a rate of 422 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 1: fifty points per thirty six. He's literally like Wilt Chamberlain 423 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: in terms of box score production at the end of 424 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: these games. Think about how insane that is. He has 425 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: forty seven made field goals in clutch time this year. 426 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: Second place is Mikale Bridges at thirty five. Is twelve 427 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: more made field goals in clutch time than anybody else 428 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: in the league. He's shooting fifty two percent from the 429 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: field in those situations, forty nine percent from three, ninety 430 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 1: seven percent from the line, and only one war year 431 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: has given him double digit clutch made field goals and 432 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: support this year Klay Thompson, He's made twelve out of 433 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: forty one shots. That's twenty nine percent from the field. 434 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 1: It's become their biggest issue this season. They constantly end 435 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: up in close games and they can't guard and they 436 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: can't give Stephan any support. And like zoom out a 437 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: little bit, Like think about how frustrating this season has 438 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: been for Warriors fans. You have twenty five losses. Eighteen 439 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: of those twenty five losses were in crunch time? Am 440 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,159 Speaker 1: I right about the twenty five? It might even be 441 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: twenty six? I'm gonna double check real quick. Yeah, twenty 442 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 1: five losses, eighteen of them have been in crunch time. So, like, 443 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: imagine just thinking in the perspective of the standings right now, 444 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: you're six games back of the Suns to be out 445 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: of the play in. Like if instead of losing eighteen 446 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: of those games, you lost fifteen of those games, You're 447 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: now three games closer to your three games out of 448 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: being out of the playan, see how big of a 449 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: difference that can make. It's a significant issue, And like 450 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: it's a defense and rebounding issue. Too, Like we've talked 451 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: about they give up an offensive rebound on thirty nine 452 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,399 Speaker 1: percent of their opponent's missus in clutch situations, thirty nine percent. 453 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: Like if that means if they get ten stops in 454 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: a five minute stretch, they're giving up four offensive rebounds. 455 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: And like Kurrs started to go small at the end 456 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: of these games, like he's used to be that he 457 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: kind of go with Wiggins, and now he's kind of 458 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: going Brandon Pazemski a lot in these situations. And I 459 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: get it, like his Wiggins has been struggling so much offensively, 460 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: although he started to get it going there for a while. 461 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: I had a rough game against Atlanta, But like my 462 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 1: thing is, like it's not like you're leaning on Pozemski 463 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: offensively much anyway, So like, why not just give yourself 464 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: a bigger physical profile, Why not put Wiggins out there 465 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: just to give yourself a better chance to hold up physically. 466 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: I continue to say that I would lean into Steph 467 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: Clay Wiggins and Kaminga and Draymond and one of the 468 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: things too. Jonathan Kamena this year seven for thirteen in 469 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: crunch time, so like he hasn't really had much opportunity, 470 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 1: but he's scored when he has been given that opportunity. 471 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: He drew a foul and a post up down the 472 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 1: stretch against Atlanta. I would be looking to try to 473 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: get somebody else involved a little bit more frequently so 474 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: that when Steph kind of cools off or when they 475 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: take the ball out of his hands, someone else has 476 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: an is an option available for them to go to. 477 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: All right, moving on to our power rankings, So much 478 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: more positive this week compared to last week, Like most 479 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: of the top teams lost one game but then won 480 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: the rest of their games. We did have two teams 481 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 1: dropping out. The Philadelphia seventy six ers, they've lost five 482 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: out of six. Also big picture trends here. After their 483 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: eight and one start, they're just twenty two and seventeen 484 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,120 Speaker 1: for the season. They're just ten and eleven against teams 485 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: that are five hundred or better. So, like a lot 486 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: of it has been easy schedule for them in terms 487 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 1: of where they're at in the standing, they have a 488 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 1: really tough schedule down the stretch this season. And now 489 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid is out for an undetermined amount of time 490 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: due to knee surgery. So obviously, like we were already 491 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,199 Speaker 1: starting to see some of these trends form, and now 492 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: they're in a really tough spot with where they're at 493 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,959 Speaker 1: with the remaining schedule and with Joel Embiid missing at 494 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: least but at least a month of that, if not longer. 495 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: Now on the Joel Embiid injury front, sounds like it's 496 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: going to depend entirely on how. 497 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 2: The surgery goes. 498 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 1: Like it looks like he could be back in time 499 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: for the playoffs or he could be done for the season. 500 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: And in a lot of ways, it kind of simplifies 501 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: their deadline strategy because it looked for a while there 502 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: like they might need to be a little bit more 503 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 1: aggressive to try to bring in some firepower. But now 504 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 1: there's no need to overpay or to like kind of 505 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: rush that process. You can kind of take your time 506 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,399 Speaker 1: with it. Give the keys to Tyrese Maxi. Let him 507 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: run the show here down the stretch of the season. 508 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: See what he's got there, see find out more about 509 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: his development over the course of this stretch. When he 510 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: doesn't have a pick and roll partner the likes of 511 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid, it's gonna be a hard challenge for him. 512 00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: But you're gonna find out a lot more about him 513 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: and what he can mean for you as a foundational piece, 514 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 1: whether or not he's good enough to be your second 515 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: best player. If you're better served for him to be 516 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: your third best player, you can learn a lot. In hell, 517 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: if you find a good deal around this deadline, you 518 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: could jump on it, but you don't have to be 519 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: the desperate team, and that could give them some flexibility. 520 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: I personally hope Joel Embie can come back because I 521 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: want to see him overcome this playoff challenge that he's 522 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: been dealing with. At this phase of his career, I 523 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 1: think he has the potential to be the best player 524 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: in the world, So I'm hoping that he gets a 525 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: good outcome from his knee surgery and that he can 526 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 1: come back and make a run before the end of 527 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 1: the season. But this does simplify some of the urgency 528 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: surrounding Philly because it's no longer just like a kind 529 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: of like a clear runway into the playoffs like you 530 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 1: would hope for in a season like this. And then 531 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:43,639 Speaker 1: the other team that's dropping out for me is the 532 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: Indiana Pacers. They've lost eight of their last thirteen games. 533 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: They've lost three in a row against good teams this week. 534 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: The offense has been mediocre, the defense has been bad, 535 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: the rebounding has been worse. Will dive a little bit 536 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 1: more into the Pacers here in the next couple of weeks, 537 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: but the upside there. They've had one hundred and eighty 538 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: seven sessions with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam on the 539 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: floor together, and in those possessions they are outscoring teams 540 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: by sixteen points for one hundred possessions of one to 541 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: twenty eight offensive rating, which is like insane off the 542 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: charge good in a one thirteen defensive rating, which is 543 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 1: perfectly fine. It's not great, but it's better than what 544 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 1: they've been most of this season. So, without any further ado, 545 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 1: let's get to our power rankings. Number ten the Sacramento Kings. 546 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: They finally seem to have gotten over their January slump. 547 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 1: They've won six out of seven games, mostly on the road. 548 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: They're also ninth in defense over that span and tenth 549 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: in defensive rebounding. There's been a pretty consistent theme this 550 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: year that when the Sacramento Kings actually commit to the 551 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: defensive end. 552 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 2: They win. It's literally that simple. 553 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: As a matter of factor's stat for you, when the 554 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: Kings have held their opponents to one hundred and ten 555 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: or fewer points this year, they are eleven and three, 556 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 1: and then they are eighteen and sixteen in all of 557 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: their other games. So that's a trend to keep an 558 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,000 Speaker 1: eye on the rest of the way, very very much, 559 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: something that I'm sure Mike Brown has been preaching to 560 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: them throughout the season. Number nine the Milwaukee Bucks. So 561 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: after losing to the Jazz last night, Bucks are now 562 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,640 Speaker 1: one in three since Stock Rivers became their head coach. 563 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 1: But it's been the offense that's failed them. I actually 564 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: think their defense statistically it's been right where it was 565 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: before the coaching change, right around a one to sixteen 566 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: defensive rating. But on tape I actually am seeing some strides, 567 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: especially from the guards and just overall commitment. I just 568 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,439 Speaker 1: think they ran into some bad matchups like Denver's the 569 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: defending champion. Utah and Portland are super young and have 570 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: super fast guards, which are like specific matchup issues. For Milwaukee, 571 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: it's the offense that has failed them over this span. 572 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: They have typically or they're around a one to twenty 573 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: offensive rating there and a one fourteen since stock Rivers 574 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: took over Dame was five for eighteen again last night. 575 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: He just continues to just put these really putrid shooting 576 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 1: nights up, and so I'm not really worried about their 577 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: offense in the long run. So I think this is 578 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: more of just like a brief stretch of offensive slumping 579 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: alongside with some bad matchups that have kind of paused 580 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: that one in three start under Doc River. I tend 581 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: to agree with Giannis. I know it's not pretty, but 582 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: I do think better times are on the horizon for 583 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: the Bucks. Number eight the Phoenix Suns rejoining our power rankings. 584 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: Bradley Beal had forty three last night in a win 585 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: against the Washington Wizards. He's been in the lineup for 586 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 1: twenty straight games now and the Suns are fourteen and 587 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: six in those games, and they actually won a game 588 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 1: against Houston right before that, So they're fifteen and six 589 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,919 Speaker 1: in their last twenty one games, fifth best record in 590 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: the league over that span. That's a fourth of the season. 591 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,959 Speaker 1: That's a hefty chunk of games. They are also second 592 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,639 Speaker 1: in offensive rating over that span and fourteenth in defense, 593 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: pretty respectable. Their defensive rebounding is still a little bit 594 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: of a struggle for them. I think they're twenty third 595 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: over that span. Devin Booker also fully back to his 596 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: superstar form last thirteen games, thirty two points, five rebounds, 597 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: and six assists, fifty four percent from the field, forty 598 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: percent from three, and eighty seven percent from the line. 599 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 2: Number seven. 600 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: The Oklahoma City Thunder had bad loss in Detroit, and 601 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: then they dropped a tough one to Minnesota where Anthony 602 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,479 Speaker 1: Edwards and car Towns kind of just out executed them 603 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: down the stretch and their offense stalled against a very 604 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: very good Minnesota defense. But they did get back on 605 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,959 Speaker 1: track against the Nuggets without Yokis are actually three and one 606 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: against the Nuggets this year, and then they beat Charlotte 607 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: in Toronto as well. The Toronto game in particular was 608 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: encouraging because chet Holmgrin, Josh Giddy, and Lou dort all 609 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: kind of got back on track after they'd been slumping 610 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: for a little while. And chet in particular has been 611 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 1: on track for about three games now. He sit ten 612 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: threes in his last three games, savaging just under twenty 613 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: points per game, nine blocks over that span, and double 614 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: digit plus minus in all three of those games. In 615 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: terms of the positive. So Chet seems to be getting 616 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: it back together, got over that little slump that he 617 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: was dealing with there in January. Number six, the Cleveland 618 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: Cavaliers undefeated week lighter stretch of their schedule, but they 619 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: did on Monday notch a big win against the Clippers, 620 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: really really good defensive effort, really contained Paul George Well, 621 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: really contained James Hardenwell got out in transition. We did 622 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: a whole deep dive not just on that game, but 623 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: on everything going on the Cavs with Carter Rodriguez from 624 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: the Chase Down podcast last week on Wednesday, went for 625 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: like forty five minutes. 626 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 2: It was a long pod. 627 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: We did a lot of deep dive analysis on the 628 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: Cleveland Cavaliers to make sure you check that out. A 629 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: little bit further back on our feet. Number five the 630 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: Minnesota Timberwolves, So Chris Finch got on them the other 631 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: night after losing to Orlando, talking about forming some bad 632 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: habits and behaving like a five hundred team. And if 633 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: you zoom out there, like it's actually kind of funny 634 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,239 Speaker 1: because actually look at this as like classic coaching, just 635 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: like really good motivational coaching, trying to like just stay 636 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: on his team, because you gotta think like Minnesota has 637 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: been outstanding all season, and they have some specific things 638 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:42,719 Speaker 1: that bode really well for them for the postseason. They 639 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: have a huge frontline, they're an elite defensive team. They've 640 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: got a Tier one superstar in or at least a 641 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 1: guy who could be a Tier one superstar, and Anthony 642 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 1: Edwards that can is pretty much unguardable in terms of 643 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: getting to his spots, primarily decision making and settling. For him, 644 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: he's got a little bit of the Jason Tatum itis 645 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: where it's like he is the best athlete on the 646 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: floor but just takes a million pull up jump shots 647 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: and he's not particularly efficient with them. But like, really 648 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: it's been it's been mostly good, and I think what 649 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: happens is you end up in a stretch like this 650 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: where it's late January, early February. You drop a couple 651 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: of games you shouldn't have lost, right, Like they lost 652 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: to Charlotte that shouldn't happen, Losing to Orlando at home 653 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 1: probably shouldn't happen, Losing to San Antonio probably shouldn't happen. 654 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 2: But they've been really, really good. 655 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: They were really good against a tough schedule for a 656 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: month before that. This is just classic coaching. Gotta stay 657 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: on top of your guys, got to keep them motivated, 658 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: make them feel like they're in danger even when they're not. 659 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: And that's the best way to get a group to 660 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 1: kind of do what the Clippers are doing, which is 661 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: just attack every single regular season game to make to 662 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: maintain their habits. One concern their offense kind of fell 663 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: apart again late in the game against Orlando. Now like 664 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 1: part of that's Orlando has this ridiculous defensive punch, and 665 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: when they really lock in, they can be tough to 666 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: score on, but zoom out. One of my biggest concerns 667 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: for the Timberwolves all season has been their late execution. 668 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 1: They are twenty seventh in fourth quarter offensive rating this season. 669 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: It's been a major point of concern for me in 670 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: terms of their playoff potential. Number four the New York 671 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 1: Knicks injuries ended their nine game winning streak against the 672 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: Los Angeleslikers, who actually been playing some decent basketball as 673 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: of late. Julius Randall heard his shoulder, then Oji had 674 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: Anobi had some elbow inflammation. Actually have a funny story 675 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 1: about this. When I was living in Charlotte, so this 676 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: would have been like twenty seventeen. I'll never forget. We 677 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: played in like a men's league game and the game 678 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,959 Speaker 1: went fine, there was no issue. But I woke up 679 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: the next morning and I went to the gym to 680 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: go shooting, and I start my shooting workout, just going 681 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: around the world, just like shooting from block to block 682 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 1: to the foul line. It's just a way to kind 683 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 1: of like warm up my elbow, and like I went 684 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: to shoot from the elbow in my I just felt 685 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: this like excruciating pain in my right elbow and it 686 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 1: ended up turning into this huge deal. I had to 687 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: wear like a brace for a while. It was like 688 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: really bad inflammation. I think it might have actually been 689 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: tennis elbow, but like it was gnarly, and it like 690 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: straight up made me stop playing basketball for like a. 691 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 2: Couple of weeks. 692 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: So like when I saw that, I was like, oh, 693 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: I hope OG's not dealing with what I had back 694 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: when I was in Charlotte, because that like legit messed 695 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 1: with my jump shot for like the better part of 696 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: like six months to a year. 697 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 2: So I'm hopeful that they just get. 698 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: In front of that and just let his elbow whatever 699 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 1: that inflammation is, subside, because it's more important for him 700 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: to be ready to go for the postseason. I think 701 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: we've already seen enough from this stretch since og And and 702 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: Obi joined the team to know that they've got a 703 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: real physical imposition that they can bring to the table, 704 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: that they are a real playoff threat. So there's no 705 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,800 Speaker 1: reason to force it back. Take your time, get healthy. 706 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: Jalen Brunson last ten games, by the way, thirty three 707 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 1: points per game, four rebounds, and seven assists on fifty 708 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: two thirty seven eighty four splits. So Jalen Brunston playing 709 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: at a superstar level right now. He's phenomenal. In that 710 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: Lakers game, was drawing crazy double teams the only way 711 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: the Lakers one was basically just a gimmick defense Chase 712 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 1: getting the ball out of his hands. As obviously New 713 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 1: York was playing with lesser players, but he was incredible 714 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 1: down the stretch of the Indiana Pacers game as well. 715 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 1: Kind of insane how much of a hit Jalen Brunson 716 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 1: was as a free agent signing and how it changed 717 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,840 Speaker 1: really the fortunes of that franchise. Number three, the Boston 718 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: Celtics couple hard fought wins against the Pelicans and Pacers, 719 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: and then they drop a game to the Lakers without 720 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davis, and offense has been the 721 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 1: main issue in their losses. A one to oh five 722 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,320 Speaker 1: offensive rating against Milwaukee, a ninety nine offensive rating against 723 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: the Clippers, a one to oh nine offensive rating against 724 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: the Lakers. And the big thing here is they've just 725 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: leaned into variants. They're attaching the fate of their season 726 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 1: to variants. They attempt forty three threes for one hundred possessions, 727 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: that is by far the most in the league. And 728 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 1: when they go in, they beat the hell out of you, 729 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: and when they're not going in, they can be beat 730 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:57,919 Speaker 1: and it's a little I just would like to see 731 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: them add a little bit more variety to the way 732 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 1: that they attack instead of leaning so heavily on driving 733 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: kick basketball and just hunting three point shots whenever they can, 734 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 1: just because I think it would give them a little 735 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 1: bit more offensive resilience. And I would look at some 736 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 1: of these down offensive games, especially against quality opponents, as 737 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: part of the concern there, because it's very clear that 738 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: shooting is contagious for Boston when they lose their confidence, 739 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 1: when teams can kind of get them into one of 740 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: those rough shooting nights, they kind of sulk and it 741 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: almost gets worse for them from there, And like having 742 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:30,280 Speaker 1: another punch you can go to is actually a great 743 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,359 Speaker 1: way to mitigate a rough shooting night if you can 744 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: lean into a different offensive identity, whether it's heavy heavy 745 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum in the post, or whether it's a you 746 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 1: know of going to Porzingis in the post, or leaning 747 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:45,399 Speaker 1: more to pick and pop basketball with Porzingis, to try 748 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: to get more advantage situations like getting out of just 749 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 1: leaning on just driving kick threes and tough transition threes. 750 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 1: Making it so that you have less variance could go 751 00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 1: a long way towards helping them have a little bit 752 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: more resilience in those matchups. Number two, the Denver Nuggets 753 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 1: dropped a game to Oklahoma City without Jokich, but they 754 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: had an undefeated week outside of that. Another classic crunch 755 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:13,440 Speaker 1: time game against Milwaukee, they completely out executed them down 756 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 1: the stretch, despite Doc Rivers throwing some pretty smart defensive 757 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: coverages at them to try to mitigate their advantages. The 758 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:22,919 Speaker 1: Nuggets now have the best clutch net rating in the league. 759 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 1: They're outscoring opponents by twenty three points for one hundred 760 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:29,359 Speaker 1: possessions when the game is within five with less than 761 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: five minutes left. Specifically on the defensive end, they have 762 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: been the very best clutch defense in the league this 763 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,880 Speaker 1: year and then last but not least number one the 764 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Clippers. They dropped a tough game on the 765 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 1: road to that red hot Cavs team like we talked 766 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: about earlier, but they bounced back and one of the 767 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: rest of their games. The Clippers, in my opinion this 768 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,280 Speaker 1: season to this point here at February fifth, have showed 769 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: the best combination of talent and basketball character that I've 770 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: seen this year. What that means is actual firepower on 771 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,840 Speaker 1: the roster and commitment to the details from start to 772 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 1: finish this season. And I'm not just talking about like 773 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: playing hard. I'm even talking about playing smart, leaning into 774 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,120 Speaker 1: their strengths, practicing the things that will lead them home 775 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. I've been I've been 776 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 1: so incredibly impressed by the Clippers. It's it's it's starting 777 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,400 Speaker 1: to look like kind of a like it's starting to 778 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: look like it's their year in a lot of ways, 779 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: and At this point, I think they belong at number 780 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 1: one in the power rankings. I'm like this close to 781 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,280 Speaker 1: moving them into that top tier of contenders with Boston 782 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: and h and Denver. It's it's just been, it's just 783 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: been a hell of a year for the Los Angeles Clippers. 784 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 1: All Right, guys, that is all I have for today. 785 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 1: Like I said, we'll be back tomorrow with our five 786 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:43,200 Speaker 1: the five trades that I most want to see this year, 787 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 1: and then we're also going to have a show with 788 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 1: Colin Coward tomorrow evening, and then don't forget the trade 789 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: deadline reaction on Thursday afternoon. 790 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 2: As always, I appreciate you guys, and we will see 791 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:51,920 Speaker 2: you then. 792 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:20,040 Speaker 1: The volume