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Hope all of you guys had an 33 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: incredible weekend. It is good to be back. I had 34 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: a very fun weekend at the sphere with my wife. 35 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: We went to three Dead shows and just an incredible experience. 36 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: I've seen them. I think I was talking through this 37 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: with my brother last night. I think I've seen nine 38 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: Dead shows now, so I think I officially qualify as 39 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: a deadhead. I've really grown to appreciate that as like 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: one of the final opportunities we have to see in 41 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: old school jam band in their prime. And it's been 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: a lot of fun. That said, it's time to get 43 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: serious about the NBA. We are three. I was thinking 44 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: about this when I was recording with Colin last night. 45 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: And by the way, if you haven't seen that yet, 46 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: go to the Colin Coward podcast YouTube channel. We talked 47 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: last night. We talked a bunch of Celtics, we talked 48 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: a bunch of Thunder, we talked some Lakers, we talked 49 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,119 Speaker 1: to some Cooper Flag. We got to do a bunch 50 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: of stuff, so make sure you guys check that out. 51 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: But while we were talking, we were thinking about the 52 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: next time we're gonna record, and it's gonna be in 53 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: two Sundays. Two Sundays from now, we're gonna know four 54 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 1: of the eight first round series, and that following Sunday 55 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna know all eight of them, and we're gonna 56 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: have series previews and we have the play in tournament. 57 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: There's just so much exciting basketball ahead. It feels very 58 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: very much like the calm before the storm. But that's it. 59 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: I'm glad I got to take a little bit of 60 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: a break and do some traveling, but I'm excited to 61 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: get back to it. Today. We're going to be talking 62 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: a little bit of Lakers after their uneven road trip, 63 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: which has shown a lot of extended stretches of dominance, 64 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: but also some execution lapses, including a catastrophic loss in 65 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: Chicago to the Bulls. Or we're talking a little bit 66 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: about that. I want to shout out Zachary Rissache, who 67 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: had a career high thirty six points last night, and 68 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: there was some stuff with him that was popping in 69 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: a film session I did with him surrounding a Hawk's 70 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: Rockets game about a week ago. So I want to 71 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: kind of talk a little bit about Zachary Rissache's rookie season. 72 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: And then at the tail end of the show, I 73 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: think we finally saw the nail, the final nail go 74 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: in the coffin of the Phoenix Suns last night, as 75 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: they just got demolished by the Houston Rockets. So I 76 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: want to talk a little bit about the Suns at 77 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: the tail end of the show, and then we are 78 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: going live tonight after the TNT Slates so we're going 79 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: to be hitting Celtic's Grizzlies as well as Lakers Rockets 80 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: in tonight's show. You guys are the joke before we 81 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: get started. Subscribe to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels. Miss 82 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: any more of our videos, follow me on Twitter at 83 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: underscore jsonlt so you guys don't miss show announcements. Don't 84 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: forget about a podcast feed wherever you get your podcast 85 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: on our Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if you 86 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: leave a rating and a review on that front. We 87 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: also have brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, 88 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: and Facebook where Jackson's doing some incredible work this year. 89 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: Make sure you guys follow us there, and then, last 90 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: but not least, keep dropping mail bag questions and YouTube 91 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: comments so we can keep getting to them throughout the 92 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: remainder of the season. We're doing a mail bag I 93 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: think I'm recording one tomorrow, so make sure you get 94 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: a bunch of mail bag questions in the comments of 95 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: this video for what we're recording tomorrow, which I believe 96 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: is going to air on Wednesday. All right, let's talk 97 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: some basketball. So after the Pacers game, I talked a 98 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: lot about the idea of the Lakers having these brief 99 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: catastrophic lapses in execution that are costing them games or 100 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: costing them opportunities to close games out more comfortably. Since 101 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: the Pacers game, they lost an absolutely insane game against 102 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: the Bulls. The Bulls made eleven threes in the fourth quarter, 103 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: including a half court shot from Josh Giddy to win it. 104 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: And a win in Memphis against the Grizzlies similarly where 105 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,919 Speaker 1: they led by twenty and then ended up trailing in 106 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter. And the Grizzlies have been spiraling a 107 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: little bit, and they just fired their coach, but they 108 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 1: have a ton of talent. Joan Morant was back. They 109 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: were the five seed, I believe at the time, or 110 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:17,799 Speaker 1: the four to five seed. They had the same record 111 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: as the Lakers, a couple of quality opponents on the 112 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: road that the Lakers dominated for stretches, yet still had 113 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: to manage to almost lose. I talked about those issues 114 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: after the Pacers game, and a couple of great examples 115 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: in the two following games. Again, they've played three good 116 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: teams on the road in this three game span. The 117 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: Pacers had won seven out of eight. The Bulls had 118 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 1: won eight out of ten. And the Grizzlies were in 119 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: a cold spell, like we said, but their five seed 120 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: and they've been great at home all year. The Lakers 121 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 1: led by at least seventeen points in all three of 122 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: those games. They led by twenty against Memphis, they led 123 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: by eighteen in the fourth quarter of the Bulls game. 124 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: Yet they trailed in the fourth quarter of every single 125 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: one of those three games. Actually managed to lose one 126 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 1: of them. And if it wasn't for a Lebron tapping 127 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: at the buzzer against Indiana, they would have gone one 128 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: to two in those three games. Long extended stretches of 129 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: dominance undone with these brief catastrophic laps As an execution 130 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: the Grizzlies game, I was watching it yesterday in the 131 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: morning before we went to the airport. They were up 132 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: fifty to thirty. On a Lebron James shot put them 133 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: up twenty. The Grizzlies cut that twenty point lead to 134 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: six in four minutes. Imagine dominating a team for a 135 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: quarter and a half and losing ninety percent of that 136 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: progress in a four minute span where you let go 137 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: of the rope. It ends up being the same issues 138 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: every single time. One of these two. On offense, they 139 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: walked the ball up the floor slowly. They usually succumbed 140 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 1: to ball pressure and either get too deep into the 141 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 1: shot clock and have to take bad shots, or they 142 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: end up having to face a trap or something like that, 143 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: and Lebron, Luca or Austin will be sloppy with the 144 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: way they handle that ball pressure and they'll turn the 145 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: ball over and they'll end up going the other way 146 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: in transition. On defense, and this is one of the 147 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: most interesting things about this Laker defense. Their defense is 148 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: predicated on keeping the ball in front of a defender, 149 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: always keeping someone between them and the rim, so they 150 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: have to make something over the top. You'll see with 151 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: their dribble penetration the way they handle it like the 152 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: guy on the ball has a job to slide his 153 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: feet and contain the ball. Great example I thought from 154 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: the Grizzlies game was Austin Reeves. I thought Austin just 155 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: did an excellent job for most of the game in 156 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: reps against John Moran and against Desmond Bain, sliding his feet, 157 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: absorbing contact, flattening out drives. That's what you want to do, 158 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: but inevitably you're gonna give up dribble penetration. This Lakers 159 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: team is going to give up dribble penetration. They have 160 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: too many of those slower footed guys on the floor. 161 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: Foot speed is not necessarily the strength this Laker team 162 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: outside of a handful of guys, right So from there 163 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: they have a plan. They're always funneling towards the sideline 164 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: and they're offering help from the baseline. And generally speaking, 165 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: if a guy gets beat off the dribble, that guy 166 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: who's guarding the ball will just bail and run to 167 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: the next rotation and there will be somebody almost to 168 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: like it kind of feels almost like catching, like the 169 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: guy is the helper is catching the drive, sitting in 170 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: his stance, arms out wide, right around like that first block, 171 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: second block, waiting for the guy on the drive in 172 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: help as the team rotates around him. And that's how 173 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: the Lakers deal with dribble penetration. They basically switch on 174 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: the drive. If that makes sense that that's the type 175 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: of scheme requires a lot of hard work. The on 176 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: ball guy has to rotate out of it. The helper 177 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: has to be there in time. There are these brief 178 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: openings where guys have to rotate to shooters. It's a 179 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: lot of running, a lot of reading the play, a 180 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: lot of communication. And when the Lakers do those things 181 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 1: this year, they've been great defensively. They did it consistently 182 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: for a few months there from mid January to early March, 183 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: right and we've seen flashes of it in the last week. 184 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 1: They hold Chicago to seventeen points in that third quarter 185 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: when they go on their big run to take the lead. 186 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: They shut Indy down in that second quarter when they 187 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: first took their big lead in that game. But since 188 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: Lebron's injury, it's been a we'll do it when we 189 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: feel like it kind of thing. And again like when 190 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: in the two main ways that I see them let 191 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: go of the rope in these like kind of catch 192 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: help type of rotation situations, it are like at the 193 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: end of the Indie game, Lucas starts getting beat off 194 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: the dribble, Ruie starts getting beat off the dribble. The 195 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: catches were not there. The Lakers were just hugging up 196 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: off the ball, leaving dudes on an island, and they 197 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: were giving up easy like concession driving lamps. Again, that's 198 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: a fundamental part. So what makes their defense good is 199 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: they're loaded up, they have their help ready, they rotate 200 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: out of it, and they literally almost blew a game 201 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: in Indiana by completely stopping that at the tail end 202 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: of the game. The second way that you'll end up 203 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: seeing it is in overhelp situations. This we saw in 204 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 1: the Bulls game. It's okay to acknowledge that the Bulls 205 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: shot eleven for fourteen from three in the quarter. That's 206 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: insane under any circumstances. A lot of impressive shot making, right, 207 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: but you have to find a way as a defense 208 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: to make guys uncomfortable, to make them miss, And there 209 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: were several execution errors in that quarter which are going 210 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 1: to breed a red hot shooting stretch. They helped off 211 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: of the strong side corner twice in that fourth quarter 212 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 1: against the Bulls. You guys have probably heard this before, 213 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,199 Speaker 1: this concept of don't help off the strong side corner. 214 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: There's a very specific reason why you don't want to 215 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: help off of the strong side corner. It is the 216 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: easiest pass in the world basketball player to make. You're 217 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: funneling guys towards the sideline. Guys on the left wing, 218 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: he rips to the left, the guy sliding with him, 219 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: he's got dribble penetration. What's the easiest pass in the 220 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: world for that guy to make is if the guy 221 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: in the left corner steps over and it's like, okay, 222 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: little ten foot chess pass to a wide open guy 223 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: standing in the corner literally ten feet away, writing clear view, 224 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: it's an easy pass to make. Right what you're supposed 225 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: to do in that situation. That guy, if he wants 226 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: to gap to where he feels comfortable closing out, that's 227 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: one thing where he just reaches and recovers. But that's 228 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: not the guy you ever want to concede the pass to. 229 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: You have help coming from the baseline. When the help 230 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: comes from the baseline, there's a way to beat that help, 231 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 1: but it is a substantially tougher pass. Now imagine a 232 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: different scenario, left wing rip, left dribble penetration. We have 233 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: Lebron on Kevin Herder in the left corner in the 234 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: fourth quarter of the Bulls game. Lebron helped off Kevin 235 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: Herder got a wide open three, and he nailed it. 236 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: Let's say Lebron's gapping but stays in control of Herder. 237 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: Now the help comes from Jackson Hayes along the baseline, 238 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: who's open the skip for a left handed dribbler trying 239 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: to go across his body and acrossed helpers covering twenty 240 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: five feet in the air thirty feet in the air 241 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: to get to the open man. That's why you don't 242 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: help off the strong side corner. It's simply about knowing 243 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: where the help is coming from and making the passer 244 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: make a more difficult pass. A more difficult pass over 245 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 1: a longer stretch of space that's looping or deflected or 246 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: not on target is much easier for your defense to 247 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: rotate out of. That is basketball one oh one. There 248 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: were two strong side corner helps that gave wide open 249 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: threes to Kobe White and Order in that fourth herder 250 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: in that fourth quarter. Those are execution errors. Jackson Hayes 251 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: overhelped on a drive left Nikole Vusovich wide open at 252 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: the top of the key. Again, we talked about this. 253 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: When a guy has a drive flattened out and under control, 254 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: he now has to take a contested, off balance layup 255 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: substantially lower percentage shot on a two. Like if he 256 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: goes forty five percent on that layup, that's zero point 257 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: nine points per shot. Your defense can live with that 258 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: it's the straight line drives where it's like he's going 259 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: to make a layup every time. That's when you need 260 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,719 Speaker 1: to be there and ready to help. You overhelp, give 261 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: up a wide open three to Vusovich. Luka had a 262 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: very similar one where a driver was contained, left Patrick 263 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: Williams wide open at the top of the key. Lebron 264 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: two awful reps in the final minute uh go screen 265 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: from Kevin Herder that the Lakers were switching all night. 266 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: It was a clear switch. Lebron looked like he was 267 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: on the bus because they're up, you know, five or 268 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: six with less than a minute left. He thinks the 269 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: game is over. It's not over. He's lazy. He's on 270 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: He's standing upright out of his stance. Kevin Herder slips 271 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: out of the screen, hits a wide open three the 272 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: possession before the Kobe White three that gave him the lead. 273 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: Lebron overhelps on Avusvich upper like kind of left wing 274 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: area catch, ends up leaving Patrick Williams wide open in 275 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: the left corner right before he threw the ball away 276 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: throwing the ball to Kobe White. These are execution errors. 277 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: I saw a lot of Laker fans saying like, oh, 278 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: I cannot believe the Bulls shot eleven for fourteen from three. 279 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: We have got to get out of this mindset of 280 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: thinking that shooting is all just luck. It is not. 281 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: You can play teams into missus and makes to a 282 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: certain extent, I would argue that process has a much 283 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: bigger role in shot result than luck, even though we 284 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: can acknowledge that luck does play a role. And again, 285 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: like the Lakers, they they have an opportunity to win 286 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: the title this year, but there are certain non negotiables 287 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: things that they absolutely must have tightened up if they're 288 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: gonna get to where they want to go, and one 289 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: of them is they have to be the best defensive 290 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: version of themselves, which is going to require a wire 291 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: to wire level of execution. I know they can do it. 292 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: They held what six or seven straight teams to one 293 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: hundred and two points or fewer. They are capable of 294 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: doing that. They have not been doing that since Lebron 295 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: James came back from injury. I just think it's at 296 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: least worth acknowledging as a trend and something to keep 297 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: an eye on. The bottom line is the Lakers just 298 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: played three good teams on the road, went in methodically 299 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: dominated them to large leads, and yet they were one 300 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: Lebron tip in from going one and two. I'm not 301 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: trying to be all gloom and doom. I'm still super 302 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: high on the Lakers. I was listening while I was 303 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: on the airplane yesterday to Pet and Darius from Laker 304 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: Film Room, and Darius Oreano does great work. He also 305 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: writes for Lakers dot com. He was talking about how 306 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: he viewed these two games, these two kind ugly games 307 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: to Indiana and Chicago, as part of the Lakers returning 308 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: to form before the Lebron injury. I totally agree. I 309 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: do think that these last three games are a sign, 310 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: especially after they looked bad against Orlando and what was 311 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: the of the first Chicago game, they are progressing towards 312 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: being what they were before the Lebron injury. I am 313 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: still super high on this team. I'm still very tempted 314 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: to pick them to win the West when we do 315 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: our playoff predictions in the coming weeks. But I wanted 316 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: to harp on these execution lapses because I do view 317 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: them as a non negotiable thing. If how many champions 318 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: do you know of an NBA history? They had a 319 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: reputation for extended like or like consistent three or four 320 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: minute stretches in every game where they just don't play 321 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: hard and they don't execute and they hemorrhage leads. It 322 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: burns you, it does, don't tell me it doesn't. It's 323 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: happened so many times in NBA history that the Bucks 324 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: Raptors series, when they had that big lead in Game 325 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: four before they blew it the the the Lakers, excuse me, 326 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 1: the Miami Heat blowing that game to the Dallas Mavericks 327 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: in Game two back in twenty eleven. There are so 328 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: many examples in NBA history where series who the trophy 329 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: goes to swings on a team blowing a lead, a 330 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 1: team not finishing the job. Job's not finished until the 331 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 1: buzzer sounds, and that is a very important hallmark trait 332 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: for NBA champions. And I just would like to see 333 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: before we get to mid April, I would like to 334 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: see a week or two stretch where the Lakers show 335 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: that consistent level of execution from buzzer to buzzer again. 336 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: We are going to be covering the Lakers Rockets game 337 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 1: tonight on YouTube, including the Celtics Grizzlies game live on 338 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 1: YouTube after the final buzzer of that last game. Let's 339 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: move on to Zachary Usache in the Hawk. So he 340 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: drops the career high thirty six in a dominant victory 341 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: over the Bucks. So the third game this year he 342 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 1: scored over thirty points. Zach's played twenty seven consecutive games. 343 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: In those games, he's averaging fifteen point two points per game. 344 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: He's shooting fifty two percent from the field forty three 345 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: percent from three on over five attempts per game. He's 346 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: showcasing a little bit more of a quick release against 347 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: the Bucks. Hit a couple of no dip jumpers. Those 348 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: are where the ball is already is caught in the 349 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 1: pocket and you flow immediately into the shot instead of 350 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: having to catch somewhere else and then dip down into 351 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: your release and like kind of restart your chain of 352 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 1: energy from the floor up to the top of the shot. 353 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: He's showing a lot of really high level scoring. I 354 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: want to talk about this concept for a minute because 355 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: I think it's a really important part of team building 356 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: moving forward in the NBA. Scoring is the ultimate compliment 357 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: to playmaking. I've been thinking a lot about this content 358 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: at this season. When you have elite playmaking on your team, 359 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: Guys like Trey Young, guys like Lebron, Luca and Nicola Jokic, 360 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: these really really high level passers. You need elite play 361 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: finishing to pay those sequences off. Whether it's a vertical 362 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: spacer like Aaron Gordon alongside Jokic, or Derek Lively alongside Luca, 363 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: Jackson Hayes alongside Luca, or a deadly spot up guy 364 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: someone like Kyle Korter back with Lebron when he was 365 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: with the Cavs, or Malik Beasley playing with Kid Cunningham. 366 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: Guys that can pay off these sequences from your playmakers. 367 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: But one of the manifestations of that type of player 368 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: that I've been talking a lot about this year, I've 369 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: been referring to it as the weak side scoring forward. 370 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: This is why I went into detail about the strong 371 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: side corner help thing that we talked about earlier. The 372 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 1: same concept is built into pick and roll coverages too. 373 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: There's a reason why they don't offer low man help 374 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: out of the strong side corner. They offer low man 375 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 1: help out of the weak side corner. Why do they 376 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: do that? So that for the same reason on an 377 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,680 Speaker 1: ISO drive, if a guy's getting downhill in a ball screen. 378 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: The opening for him as a playmaker is across the 379 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: court and across his body. That's the goal. You want 380 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: to make it across the court and across the body, 381 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: across as many help defenders as possible to make that 382 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: past difficult, right, but that is ultimately the opening, and 383 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 1: all of the best playmakers in the league consistently capitalize 384 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: on those openings. We've talked about this concept a ton 385 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 1: making reads in pick and roll. What are my reads? 386 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: Big man steps up, I'm making a read based on 387 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 1: the role man or the weak side corner, based on 388 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: what the low man does. If the loeman steps over, 389 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: I'm skipping it. If the one man stays home, excuse me, 390 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: I'm throwing the lob. If the big man drops back 391 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: and the guard is chasing, my read is to shoot 392 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: in the mid range. My read is to get as 393 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: close to the basket for as high percentage of a 394 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: shot as possible. Those are the pick and roll reads. 395 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: And so when these teams, the majority of teams are 396 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: bringing their big up to the level and bringing the 397 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: low man over, that skip passes open, and those skip 398 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: passes are going to be made, especially by Trey young. 399 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: In these sorts of situations, there's a bunch of different 400 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: ways that you can look to score right. It's not 401 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: just hitting spot up threes. It's running your lane in 402 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: transition as an athlete, it's driving closeouts. It's oh, they 403 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: switched a screen or we ran in transition and got 404 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: a cross match, and now there's a guard on this forward. 405 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 1: You need that forward to do a lot more of 406 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 1: this high level scoring. These are professional scorers, but primarily 407 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: in an off ball context. Examples are like Michael Porter, 408 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: Junior og An, Andobi Ruy Hatcha, Mura, DeAndre Hunter, Lori 409 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: Markenen is kind of a high end version of that 410 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: for the Jazz Denny Avdia, even though he's been doing 411 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: more on ball stuff as of late, Kyle Kuzma, PJ Washington, 412 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: this is becoming an extremely important archetype in the NBA. 413 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: Zachary Rissaschet has been doing some of the best week 414 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,959 Speaker 1: side scoring work you'll see out of a rookie four 415 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: starts in transition. I was watching the Rockets Hawks game 416 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: from about a week ago. You can find him on 417 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: my Twitter feed. I shared some clips, but Zachary Rissachet 418 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: was amazing in transition in that game, just literally out 419 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: running everybody up the floor, didn't matter if the rebound 420 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: was captured and he was on the baseline. He was 421 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: sprinting and it was so visually jarring that I clipped 422 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: these examples and I put them on my Twitter feed 423 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: for you guys to see. Watch these three clips. Watch 424 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: the way Zachary Rissache runs. Watch when he gets his 425 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: head of steam, how it literally looks like he's moving 426 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,360 Speaker 1: a different speed than everyone else on the floor. He's 427 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: a gazelle. It's crazy. And he'll get two or three 428 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: wide open attempts at the rim every game just by 429 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: running the floor. And that pairs perfectly with Trey Young, 430 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: who's one of the best hit a head passers in 431 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: the league. I had to coach my last year in 432 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: college at Arizona Christian University. Shout out to Jeff Rudder. 433 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: They just won their conference. Turn him in on a 434 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: buzzer beater, crazy buzzer beater, and then they made it 435 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: to the final four before losing Naia tournament. But he 436 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: used to say to all of us that you can 437 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: manufacture twelve points a game just by getting a transition layup, 438 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 1: running the floor, crashing the offensive glass and getting to 439 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: the foul line once per half. It's such a simple 440 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: way to produce in a basketball game. And even if 441 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: you take the foul line part out, because obviously there's 442 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,959 Speaker 1: some out of your control stuff there with the whistle, 443 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: if you just crash the offensive glass and you just 444 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,639 Speaker 1: run your lane in transition and you get one bucket 445 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: a half each, that's eight points right there. You're one 446 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: bucket away from double figures. It is such a simple 447 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: way to produce in a basketball game. Run every time, 448 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: crash every time. And he presents such a massive passing 449 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: target for Tray because he's so athletic, so rangy and long. 450 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: He caught a behind the back lob from Trey in 451 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: the Bucks game where he dunked it behind his head 452 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: because it's just a massive passing target. Then in the 453 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:04,719 Speaker 1: half court, as we talked about, when they load up 454 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 1: the strong side in those skips, it's just like king 455 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: of the court. When you're playing with your buddies on 456 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,680 Speaker 1: short closeouts, you need to knock down threes. He's starting 457 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: to do that at a really high level. In this 458 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: twenty seven game span, he's at forty three percent on 459 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: over five attempts per game. Now, what's gonna start happening. 460 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: If he can maintain that level of shooting for a 461 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: substantial amount of time, he's gonna start getting chased off 462 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: the line. And that's where I think he has a 463 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 1: ton of potential as a score. He has downhill burst 464 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: attacking close outs. He had a dunk against Shangoon in 465 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: the Rockets game where he drove a close out off 466 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: the left wing and just hammered it with his left 467 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: hand on Shangon's face, a wildly athletic play. He has 468 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: good footwork on like spins in Euros. He had a 469 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,959 Speaker 1: bucket against the Nets. Driving a close out against Nick 470 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,919 Speaker 1: Claxton in the left corner. He jabbed, got back to 471 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: it deep in the corner with a hesitation drib will 472 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: cross back over, got into the lane, pump, faked, pivoted 473 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: over his right shoulder on his step through for a 474 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: left handed finish. That's a really high level scoring move. 475 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: He had one on Harden off the left wing, jabbed left, 476 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: drove right, snatched back to the left, drove high gather 477 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: through zubach and finished at the basket. These are really 478 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: high level scoring moves attacking with an advantage in those 479 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 1: king of the court situations. He had a left to 480 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: right euro against Zubatch a couple weeks ago where he 481 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: drove out of the corner. Like left to right euro 482 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: is one of the most complex footwork pieces you'll see 483 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: for a right handed player. Most guys don't know how 484 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: to do it, and he still has a ton of 485 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: growth in front of him. Shooting hot for a couple 486 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: of months is not the same as being an elite shooter. 487 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: We've all seen it. This guy's shooting forty three percent 488 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: from three over his last whatever. Games. You gotta do 489 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: it for a long stretch of time before teams game 490 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: plan for you in that way. That that will take 491 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: a few years probably, but that will be what truly 492 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: unlocks his off the dribble game, because I don't think 493 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: like as good as he is in the open court 494 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: as an athlete, he's his start stop quickness isn't quite 495 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: as impressive as his athleticism in the open court, which 496 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: is going to make it so it's a little harder 497 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 1: for him to beat people off the dribble unless his 498 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: jumper comes around, which again will take some time, but 499 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: that's part of his development. He still needs a lot 500 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: of improvement on the defensive end too. His athleticism has 501 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: not translated yet as like a really high level off 502 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: ball defender. He's often a bit behind the play on 503 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: his help rotations, which prevents him from having an impact. 504 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: That's about processing speed. That's about like learning the actions 505 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: so well that you know what's gonna happen as it's developing, 506 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: so that you can be there a step earlier. And again, 507 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 1: as we talked about, his start stop quickness isn't as good. 508 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 1: That's why that processing speed is going to be so 509 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 1: important for him because he's gonna need to be there 510 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 1: sooner in terms of the way he's reading these plays. 511 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 1: But the bottom line is he's a rookie that projects 512 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: to be one of the best people at his particular 513 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: job in the NBA, which is being that weak side 514 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 1: scoring forward, which is verying for Hawks fans. I think 515 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: it might officially be over for the Suns. They got 516 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: absolutely smacked by the Rockets last night. Shane Gouon was 517 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: cooking all their bigs again. Jalen Green poured in another 518 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: thirty three points email Udoka in the second quarter brought 519 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: out that zone defense that they that he's been using 520 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: a bunch for the last month or so, and they 521 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: immediately sparked a massive run in that second quarter and 522 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: they never looked back. It was a complete and total 523 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 1: physical domination by Houston. They out rebounded them by six, 524 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 1: They forced nineteen turnovers, They scored thirty four points off 525 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 1: of those turnovers. They won the fast break points battle 526 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: thirty two to eight. Houston scored forty points in transition 527 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: in total in this game. But I want to focus 528 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 1: on Phoenix here for a second, because we're gonna hit 529 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: Houston in tonight's show as they play the Lakers again. 530 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: We're going live on YouTube tonight after the T and 531 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 1: T slate. What did I say about Phoenix a month ago? 532 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: I said they struck me as the stereotypical, older veteran 533 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: team that knows deep down that they don't really have 534 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: a chance to win anything this year. And the way 535 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: that that's gonna manifest is in these short week or 536 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:13,479 Speaker 1: two long bursts where they compete and they look they 537 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: look decent, they defend their rebound, they do their jobs, 538 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: but that they inevitably let go of the rope because 539 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: they can't sustain it, because they don't believe, and that's 540 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: exactly what just happened. They won five out of six, 541 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 1: some quality wins versus the Calves and the Bucks. They 542 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,239 Speaker 1: were defending in rebounding top ten and both. I think 543 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,639 Speaker 1: they might have been top five in both over that span. 544 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 1: But the NBA schedule does not let up. Boston came 545 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: to town without Tatum and kicked their ass. Then it 546 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: was Minnesota, then it was Houston, a couple of these big, 547 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: strong athletic teams that were going to truly test Phoenix's 548 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: commitment to the work, and instead of hanging onto the rope, 549 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: they just completely let go of it. One thirty seven 550 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: point four defensive rating in the last three games, they 551 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: gave an offensive rebound on thirty five percent of opponents misses. 552 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: That's damagingly bad. And now Katie has an ankle sprain, 553 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis is back, and the MAVs are climbing in 554 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: the standings. We talked before the year that there was 555 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: going to be a team that had dead serious championship 556 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: aspirations but that would miss the playoffs entirely, and no 557 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: matter who that would be, it would be a catastrophe. 558 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: And it looks like it's going to be the Suns. 559 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 1: I keep watching them and thinking that it's not a 560 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker problem. But at the same time, 561 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: I do think it's worth mentioning that neither of those 562 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: two guys can really leverage their physical gifts on the game. 563 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: Katie has length and he has mobility that helps him 564 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: on defense, but he carries a massive offensive load, so 565 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 1: he can't devote too many resources to that end, and 566 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: he's not very strong. He can be pushed around, which 567 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: is very very dangerous quality for a front court player. 568 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 1: Defensively on the glass duck ins things along those lines. 569 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: It's tough to do that job. Outside of like rangey 570 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: rotating and rim contests. There's just a limitation when you 571 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:15,959 Speaker 1: can't win the ground battle. And again, it's just one 572 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: of those things where you watch these other teams. It's 573 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 1: like watching Houston Jalen Green can leverage his athleticism to 574 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: get to spots. Shane Gouon is bullying these dudes. When 575 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: you watch these teams that have these players, where it's like, 576 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: I can inflict myself physically on the game to assist 577 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: my team in these key areas that they need help. 578 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: Devin Booker and KD are not necessarily as capable. This 579 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: is why I still believe it's worth exploring the idea 580 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: of keeping those two. They still give you such a 581 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: high offensive floor in terms of shot quality. I would 582 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: still just look to find every discount bruiser I can 583 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: find at every position group and try to breed that 584 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: culture around them, because regardless of what direction you go 585 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: this summer, even if you do choose to get rid 586 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: of Kevin Durant or Devin Booker or both, you still 587 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: need an organizational identity. I talked about this concept after 588 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: the Celtics win against the Suns last week. I talked 589 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: about it with Colin Coward last night on his show. 590 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: You need an organizational identity that is separate from your stars. 591 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: And so regardless of what direction you go, you need 592 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: to begin the process of establishing that new owner, new coach. 593 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: You need to start establishing a basketball culture. This season 594 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: was a massive step back. And so that's the thing, like, 595 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: unless you think there's some magical trade that's going to 596 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: just solve all your problems, which I don't think there is, 597 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: you need to begin the process of changing that culture anyway. 598 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 1: And so from that standpoint, if you tweak things enough 599 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: around those two, that's where Kevin Durant, Devin Booker's upside 600 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: can actually start to lift you to where you want 601 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: to go. But this is a team that is completely 602 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: let go of the rope, and I think I would 603 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: be stunned at this point if we got to see 604 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: them play meaningful basketball here in a couple of weeks. 605 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: All right, guys, that is all I have for today, 606 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: is I should say for this morning. We'll be back 607 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: tonight live on live on YouTube after the T and 608 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: T games. There is always a sincerely appreciate you guys 609 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: for supporting me and supporting the show, and I will 610 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: see you later tonight. What's so guys? As always, I 611 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: appreciate you for listening to and supporting OOPS tonight. They 612 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: would actually be really helpful for us if you guys 613 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 1: would take a second and leave a rating and a review. 614 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if 615 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 1: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really 616 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: appreciate it. The volume