1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: The volume. NFL Week one is here, and a new 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: season means new ways to get in on the action. 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: At Draft Kings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: the NFL, fans have spoken, we want to bet on touchdowns. 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: DraftKings hurt us and is delivering. Draft Kings Sportsbook is 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: the number one place to bet touchdowns. Ready to place 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: your first bet, Try betting on something simple like picking 8 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: a player to score a touchdown. The first game of 9 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: the season is coming up on Thursday. Kansas City is 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: currently favored by three. Ready to do a touchdown dance 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: of your own. New Draft Kings customers bet five dollars 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: to get two hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: instantly plus one month of NFL plus Premium on us. 14 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: Download the Draft King Sportsbook app and use code hoops. 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: That's hops. That's code hoops for new customers to get 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets when you 17 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: bet just five bucks and get one month of NFL 18 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: plus Premium on US. Offer as September nineteenth, only on DraftKings. 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: The Crown is yours gambling problem called one eight hundred 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,839 Speaker 1: Gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight Hope 21 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: and Why, or text hope and Why to four six 22 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: seven three sixty nine. In Connecticut, help us available for 23 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: problem gambling call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven 24 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play 25 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas 26 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void 27 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: in New Hampshire, Oregon and Ontario. Bonus bets expire one 28 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. For additional terms 29 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG dot co. Slash ft Ball. 30 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 1: NFL Plus Premium offer available only to new and former 31 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: NFL Plus subscribers. Additional NFL Plus premium terms at NFL 32 00:01:47,880 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: dot com slash terms. All right, welcome to hoop tonight 33 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: here at the volumeil of all. If you guys are 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: having a great week so far, we are moving on 35 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: with their player rankings. Today we have two more videos. 36 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: Today we're hitting number three at number two. Tomorrow will 37 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:12,839 Speaker 1: be hit or Friday, I should say we'll be hitting 38 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: number one. And the next week I have three different 39 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: follow up videos that we're going to be doing from 40 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: this list. I've got the guys from Nerd SESSH coming 41 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: on and we're going to kind of debate the top eleven. 42 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: If any of them have any disagreements with me, we're 43 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: going to kind of get into that, and then we're 44 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: going to have that bragging rights video I told you about, 45 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: where we just talk about ranking the top end of 46 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: the players strictly based on what they accomplished last year. 47 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: And then I also wanted to hit the GM Survey. 48 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:40,399 Speaker 1: That's always a fun way to kind of get into 49 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: some topics about the beginning of next season. So we'll 50 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: do that as our three shows next week, and then 51 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: after that we're getting into our season previews and we're 52 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: going to just go team by team, power ranking style 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: up the list, talking about their off seasons and what 54 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: we expect them to do heading into next season. So 55 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: that's basically our September, and then from there we're going 56 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: to be covering actual real basketball games. Today, it was 57 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: actually the first time this summer where I really started 58 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: to miss NBA basketball. I always used to miss it 59 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: a ton before I started to do this for a living, 60 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: but obviously I just I put in so much work 61 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: during the playoffs that like, I actually could kind of 62 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: look forward to the break when we get into the summer. 63 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: And just this morning, I just got that little bit 64 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: of an itch of like I was watching some Synergy 65 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,239 Speaker 1: footage of Yannis scoring in ball screens, and I was like, man, 66 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 1: I miss just watching NBA games, and so I'm really 67 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: excited to get back into that. One month from today, 68 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna be like knee deep in training camp and 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: like with actual regular season basketball games just two weeks 70 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: away at that point. So I'm really really excited. But 71 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: today number three and number two, and then I got 72 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: a mail bag for the tail end of the show 73 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: as well. You guys in the job before we get started, 74 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: subscribed to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels. You don't miss 75 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter. I 76 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: underscore jcnlts. You guys don't miss show announcements. Don't forget 77 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: about a podcast feed wherever you get your podcast on 78 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: our Hoops Tonight. Don't forget it's also helpful. Fore leave 79 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: it in a review on that front. And the last, 80 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: not least, keep dropping mailbag questions in those YouTube comments 81 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: so we can keep hitting them at the tail end 82 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: of these rankings shows. Specifically, if you disagree with the 83 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: ranking and you want to make a basketball case for 84 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: why you disagree, drop it in those comments and we'll 85 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: hit it at the tail end of these shows. All right, 86 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: without any further ado, let's hit it. Number three. Janis 87 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: on Tennecoompbo seventy three games played last year, finished fourth 88 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: in MVP voting. This is actually a crazy stat. Janis's 89 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: sixth consecutive season finishing in the top five of MVP voting, 90 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 1: So talking about a perennial MVP candidate doesn't get more 91 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 1: consistent than Yannis on that front. Thirty point four points 92 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: per game, eleven point five rebounds per game, a career 93 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: high six point five assists per game, while also dropping 94 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: his turnovers from three point nine to three point four 95 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: year over year, although obviously Dame helps on that front. 96 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: He also got two point three stocks per game. Missed 97 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: the All Defense team for the second consecutive year after 98 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: making First Team All Defense four years in a row. 99 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: Shooting splits, he shot sixty one percent from the field. 100 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: That's a career high twenty seven percent from three sixty 101 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: two percent in effective field goal percentage, which is also 102 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: a career high and sixty five percent in true shooting percentage, 103 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: which is also a career high. So adding Dame to 104 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: the equation relieving Yanis of some of the lower percentage 105 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: shots that he had to take, predictably led into a 106 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: massive increase in his efficiency. His shooting stats per Sentergy 107 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: zero point seven to two points per jump shot, and 108 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: he's trending in the wrong direction. He was zero point 109 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: seven to seven the year before that, zero point eight 110 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: seven the year before that, and he's about to turn 111 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 1: thirty this year. So I think we can go ahead 112 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: and right off the whole gianis ever being a good 113 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: jump shooter thing. He's just going in the wrong direction 114 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: on that front, which is fine. As I've said, it's 115 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: been way more about short range shot making like hook 116 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: shots and stuff like that. We're gonna get more into 117 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: that in a little bit, as well as his playmaking 118 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: that are more important counters to his rim pressure than 119 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: actually hitting jump shots. He took forty catch and shoot 120 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: jump shots last year, only made ten of them. Thirty 121 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: eight of those forty were completely unguarded as well, So 122 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: it's it's just even when he's standing still with all day, 123 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: he just can't knock those shots down. Did. He took 124 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: two hundred and ninety two pull up jump shots, made 125 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: thirty four percent of them, but they were mostly pull 126 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: up twos, so that's only zero point eighty seven points 127 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: per shot, which obviously is not very efficient on a 128 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: pull up jump shot. Fifty three percent on floaters, but 129 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: he only took seventeen all years. That's not really a 130 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: part of his game. Forty two percent on hooks and 131 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: he only took fifty seven of them all year. This 132 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: is the shot that I've been begging on him to 133 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,119 Speaker 1: work a work on, just like a simple like post 134 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: up on the left block with the ball in his 135 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: right hand, like a drop step into the lane, just 136 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: a little left shoulder hook over the top. I don't 137 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: think anybody can guard it, and I think it's a 138 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: shot he could actually get to the point where he 139 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: hits fifty to fifty five percent of them if he 140 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: put the work in. But for whatever reason, that just 141 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: does not really come together as a shot for him, 142 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: and specifically in the playoffs. I just view that as 143 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: a shot that he could use, but it just hasn't 144 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: really come together. But yeah, honest is still the most 145 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: devastating attacking the rim in the league, and it's not close. 146 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: Here are three stats to demonstrate that fact to you, guys. 147 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: Yiannis made nine point one shots in the restricted area 148 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: per game last year. Second place was Zion at six 149 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: point nine, so by far the most made field goals 150 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: in the restricted area in the league. Among the fifty 151 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: nine players who attempted at least three shots in the 152 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: restricted area per game, Jannis was third in field goal 153 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: percentage in the restricted area at seventy seven point five percent. 154 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: The only two guys that were ahead of him were 155 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: Lively in Gafford, the two centers for Dallas, which are 156 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: just getting spoon fed dunking opportunities on lobs and cuts, 157 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: And so basically, out of fifty nine players that are 158 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: high volume finishers around the rim, Giannis is the most 159 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: efficient guy that's creating those opportunities, mostly for himself or 160 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: at least partially for himself. Jannis finishes a lot on 161 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: rolls and cuts, which we'll get into in a minute. 162 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: But but the guys that are ahead of him are 163 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: only scoring on cuts and rolls. Jannis is just as 164 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: efficient as those guys on massive volume despite creating a 165 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: lot of those opportunities for himself. He also had two 166 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty one dunks, which was the most in 167 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: the entire NBA. So, as we mentioned, Jannis the most 168 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: devastating downhill force in the NBA, in conjunction with him 169 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: having his best passing season of his career, that's where 170 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: he derives the majority of his offense. Now, as far 171 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: as play types go, the majority of Giannis's offensive value 172 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: comes on the margins. He made one hundred and ninety 173 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: eight baskets in transition, that was the most in the NBA. Yeah, 174 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: one point two to three points per transition push. So 175 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: every Yannis transition push is worth a one to twenty 176 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: three offensive rating. Now to keep it to give you 177 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: guys some perspective, remember the Pacers when they were cooking 178 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: with Greece with the before Halliburton heard his hamstring, they 179 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: were at a one to twenty four offensive rating, I think, 180 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 1: and they were the best offense in the league at 181 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: that point. So basically, Yanni's transition push is still one 182 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: of the most devastating and efficient play types in the NBA. 183 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: And that's why defensively, you have to build that wall. 184 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: When Yanna starts to get his head of steam. He 185 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: made one hundred and eighteen baskets on cuts or dropoffs, 186 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: that was the sixth most in the entire NBA. And 187 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: he made seventy five baskets on rolls the rim in 188 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: ball screens. For a perspective, this is a lot having 189 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: to do with Dame. He only had forty five the 190 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: previous year, so almost twice as many shots that he 191 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: made on rolls to the rim in ball screens. As 192 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: a virtue of bringing Dame into the equation, I expect 193 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: that to get even better this next year. Is there 194 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: are some pretty basic things that Milwaukee can do to 195 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: make some adjustments in the way that they set up 196 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: their pick and roll, which I think will work better. 197 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: Specifically just more to the empty side so that Jannis 198 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: has easier reads to make when he's rolling. There was 199 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: some struggles there with the way that they ran their 200 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: pick and roll last year that we've obviously gone over 201 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: at length on this show. Made seventy four baskets on 202 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: offensive rebounds, which is the ninth most in the entire NBA. 203 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: So if you had those together on just offensive rebounds, cuts, rolls, 204 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: and transitions, so all just like kind of on the 205 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: margins of basketball, four hundred and sixty five total makes. 206 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: So to give you an idea, fifty six percent of 207 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: Giannis's total made baskets this year fell into those four categories, 208 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: and so I wanted to give you guys some like 209 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: an example as a comparison. So fifty six percent of 210 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: Gianni's made baskets were offensive rebounds, cuts and rolls, or 211 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 1: transition pushes. Right, So let's the closest that I could 212 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: come up to as a guy like Lebron. And the 213 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: reason why I looked at Lebron is one, he's a 214 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: big forward who plays kind of the same position to 215 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: a lot of transition pushes. Like to this is a 216 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: crazy Lebron stat. So Jannis had one hundred and ninety 217 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,439 Speaker 1: eight made baskets in transition, Lebron had like one hundred 218 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: and seventy five, which goes which is like crazy that 219 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: a thirty nine year old was nearly as effective a 220 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: transition weapons as Jannis was Just a completely insane stat. 221 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: But Lebron's the second best player or the best player 222 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: of all time in my opinion. So there you go. 223 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: That's going to take a while for me to learn 224 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: how to say that properly, But anyway, he had a 225 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 1: big forward, a lot of transition pushes, does a lot 226 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: of work functioning as a big like ever since the 227 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: Lakers brought in Austin Reeves and D'Angelo Russell, Lebron will 228 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 1: set a lot of ball screens similar to Giannis does, 229 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: And so I thought that he was among Giannis is 230 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: a unicorn and Lebron is not like Giannis. But among 231 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 1: all the players in the league that play his position, 232 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 1: Lebron's probably the closest in terms of like the way 233 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: he functions in the Lakers offense transition pushes, functions as 234 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: a big blah blah blah. Obviously, Lebron is so much 235 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: more of like a surgical perimeter initiator than Yannis is. 236 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: But he also just isn't the same athletic wrecking ball 237 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: that Giannis is. Right, so they're not the same, But 238 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: this is closest I can come up with. He made. 239 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: Lebron made six hundred and eighty five field goals last year. 240 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: Two hundred and ninety six of his field goals were 241 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: transition cuts, rolls, or offensive rebounds, which was just forty 242 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: three percent of his total made field goals. So to 243 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: give you an idea, like a player that kind of 244 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: plays a somewhat similar kind of role. Lebron about forty 245 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: three percent of his baskets on the margin, Yannis at 246 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 1: fifty six percent. So I just did that to try 247 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: to give you guys some perspective on just how much 248 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: Giannis relies on that basically just getting garbage baskets that 249 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: are in transition or in cuts and rolls or offensive rebound. So, 250 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: Yiannis is somewhat of an unusual superstar to rank on 251 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: this list because he's actually a pretty limited half court 252 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: shot creator, which we're going to get into in a minute. 253 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: But he's pouring in thirty points per game on sixty 254 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: five percent true shooting, So like, like, how do you 255 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: factor that sort of thing in? He's like, we're going 256 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: to talk about his offensive limitations, and this guy's one 257 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: of the highest volume in efficiency scorers in the NBA, 258 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: and so that's where it gets a little bit complicated. 259 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: But in the half court, that's where we see some 260 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: of Giannis's limitations. Actually had a pretty solid pick and 261 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: roll season last year. He got one point zero seven 262 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: points per possession including passes on four hundred and twenty six. 263 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,559 Speaker 1: The main thing there is he just got way better 264 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: at identifying opportunities to get downhill in ball screens, and 265 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: so it looked a little different, right, So like in 266 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: four or five ball screens, meaning when Yannis was the 267 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: four and he that brook Lopez set the pick for him, 268 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: most teams would either switch it or run a drop coverage. 269 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: And so if there's a drop coverage, the guy who's 270 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: guarding Gianis has to be big and strong enough to 271 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 1: guard Yanis, and so that guy is gonna struggle to 272 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: get over the top of that screen. Now Giannis is 273 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: going downhill at your center, and your center is gonna 274 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: be probably a slow footed guy that you matched up 275 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: with brook Lopez for obvious reasons, right, and Giannis will 276 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 1: just swallow him around that guy and get all the 277 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: way into the rim and lay it up, or you 278 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: have to just completely pack the paint, which opens up 279 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: those passing rereads. Right. But the guard guard screens are 280 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: where I was actually most impressed by Giannis last year. 281 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: And the main thing that I noticed is like most 282 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: teams will have a hedge in that situation, right, So 283 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 1: Giannis has the ball being guarded by a big Ford 284 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna have a guard come up and set the 285 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: screen right, because you're trying to bring that guard into 286 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: the action as Jannis comes off. The guard who's guarding 287 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: the guard is almost always going to hedge in that 288 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: case and come way outside, right, and the big man 289 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: is going to be fighting over the top of that 290 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: screen to try to get back in front of Yiannis. 291 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: And Giannis got really good at like opening up his 292 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: hips like he was about to go off that screen 293 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: and then whipping it back to the other side with 294 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: the crossover. And now you're fucked because the guy guarding 295 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: the ball is now engaged with the screener and trying 296 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: to fight over the top, and the other defender is 297 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: in a hedge, so he's all the way on the 298 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: opposite side of the screen. And so Giannis was able 299 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: to come just cleanly downhill off of those types of 300 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: actions and get a ton of really good looks in 301 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: the in the paint. So he personally shot sixty one 302 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: percent on ball screens, got one point zero seven points 303 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: per possession, which is actually really good but somewhat low 304 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: volume though only four hundred and twenty six reps in 305 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: ISO three hundred and sixty six points on three hundred 306 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: and sixty six possessions including passes. You guys can do 307 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: the math there. That ranks sixteenth out of twenty four 308 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: players to attempt at least two hundred and fifty so 309 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: on the lower end, in the lower third among high 310 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: volume ISO players. And then four hundred and eleven post 311 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: steps for four hundred and twenty three points one point 312 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: zero three points per possession. That ranked tenth out of 313 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: the eighteen players to attempt at least two hundred and 314 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: fifty post ups in our high volume post up list. 315 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: So bottom third ISO player, high volume, bottom half post 316 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: up player in the high volume list. So his total 317 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: half court possessions two hundred and three possessions one two 318 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: hundred and forty four points. That's one point zero three 319 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: points per possession. That's basically the worst out of all 320 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: the guys that are in this list. In that top eleven, 321 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: even Anthony Edwards in his regular season numbers where he was, 322 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: but that was before he took his leap in the 323 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: postseason with substantially less offensive talent around him more of 324 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: a defensive minded roster. Even Ant was more efficient. I like, 325 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: I think a solid two or three percent more than 326 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: Yannis was as a half court initiator. So that's really 327 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: the only weakness with Yiannis, right, Like, we're gonna talk 328 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: about his defense here in a minute, and I still 329 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: think he's top tier for defensive impact and versatility, especially 330 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: in the postseason, which we'll get into more detail here 331 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: in a minute. But the main downside with Giannis is 332 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: that even though he's a statistical monster on offense, like 333 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: thirty points per game on sixty five percent of shooting 334 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: is like literally insane, but the reality is is that 335 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: his style that a plus downhill rim pressure mixed with 336 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: like average too slightly above average playmaking like b B 337 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: plus playmaking that eventually runs into a ceiling when he 338 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: hits the best defenses in the league, when the game 339 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: slows down in the half court, like when he runs 340 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: into a front court that is big and strong and 341 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: fast enough to just keep away his easy rim opportunities, 342 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: and then a defensive scheme that takes away some of 343 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: his easier passing reads. Suddenly it becomes about making more 344 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: advanced reads as a passer and about hitting shots over 345 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: the top of really good defenders, and both of those 346 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: things are weaknesses for Yiannis. His best go to over 347 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: the top shot when he has to shoot over a 348 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: defender is a left should hook, and he's only making 349 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: that about forty two percent of the time right now, 350 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: which is worth about zero point eighty four points per shot. 351 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,479 Speaker 1: And he's become a good passer, but he's he's not 352 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 1: good enough to make up for the lack of that 353 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,959 Speaker 1: solid over the top shot. He's not a surgical passer, 354 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: and so most of Giannis's playoff failures have come down 355 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: to him ending up in close games late and just 356 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: not really having a consistent way to attack and generate 357 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: quality shots, Like even as recently as two years ago 358 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: when he was playing against the Heat. We saw what 359 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: happened in that series. It was Jimmy Butler going the 360 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: other way and just surgically demolishing them with over the 361 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: top shot making, while Jannis goes down in bricks a 362 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 1: left shoulder hook over bam Adebayo because he can't cleanly 363 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: beat him to the rim the way he can. Most 364 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: of the lesser defenders that are in the league right now, 365 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: for the purpose of the bucks, they have dame now, 366 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: so that counters a lot of these specific issues. But 367 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: for the purpose of this exercise, which again remember the 368 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: criteria is we're drafting from scratch, and Dame is also 369 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: in the top twenty five, so he'd get drafted by 370 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: a different team, which means that as we're kind of 371 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: like drafting among this like kind of a vacant list 372 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: of teams with all of the league's players available, as 373 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: we're drafting for this upcoming season, when I'm building around 374 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: Yannis as my third overall pick, I've got to fill 375 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: in that half court offensive initiation piece, and that's a 376 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,959 Speaker 1: challenging piece, especially when I'm gonna be circling back around 377 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: with a guy who's outside of the top thirty in 378 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: the NBA, and so it's a little challenging. Get to 379 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: take it further, if I had the third overall pick, 380 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: theoretically in a snake draft, I would have pick what 381 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,439 Speaker 1: what's that pick? Fifty seven or fifty eight, right, So 382 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: like I'm gonna get the I'm gonna get Yanis, and 383 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get the fifty eighth best player in the league, 384 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: and is the fifty eighth best player in the league, 385 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: gonna be someone that can help me address Giannis's limitations 386 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: as a shot creator. That's just something that has to 387 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 1: be factored in. And that's the main reason why I 388 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: have him behind Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. And I've 389 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 1: gone over this in more detail before, but like it's 390 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: it's really this simple to me, Like, if I'm building 391 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: from scratch, I think it's easier to take a limited 392 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: defensive player and craft him a small defensive role while 393 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: building a functional defense around him with role players than 394 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: it is to do the opposite, which is to take 395 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: a limited offensive player and plug him into a and 396 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: somehow like account for his weaknesses with role players in scheme. 397 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,400 Speaker 1: On the offensive end, like elite high end offensive shot 398 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 1: creation is a superpower that is impossible to replicate, whereas 399 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: like elite team defense is something that I can do 400 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: even with some limited offensive players. And so that's the 401 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: main ethos for me that drives having a guy like 402 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: Yannis behind guys like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. As 403 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: for the defensive end, Yiannis is an incredibly versatile frontline defender. 404 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: You can use him in ball screens as like the 405 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: screen defender. We've seen amazing reps of that. Specifically, if 406 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 1: you guys remember in the twenty twenty one finals. That 407 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: was like one of the big ways that Yannas swung 408 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: that series late was just just being a devastating ball 409 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: screen defender, being able to get up on the ball 410 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: handler while also recovering back to the lob threat. Famously, 411 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: he had that huge block on the DeAndre Ayton lob. 412 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: I think that was in game four, see the game 413 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: four game. No, he was in game five or six, 414 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 1: I can't remember exactly which game it was of that series, 415 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: but it's a very good ball screen defender, just an 416 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 1: absolute devastating lowman. That's probably his best role. Meaning like 417 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: if brook Lopez is on the screen and he's coming 418 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: up to the level, Jannis has the roller brook Lopez's 419 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: roller getting behind him, He's got to split the difference 420 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,439 Speaker 1: between the roleman and the guy in that week side corner. 421 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 1: And there's few players in the league that are even 422 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: close to as impactful as Giannis in terms of stepping 423 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 1: up and bothering that role man in some way, shape 424 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 1: or form. But also if the skip pass is made 425 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: or if the roller makes the skip pass, being able 426 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: to RecA to the corner. One of my favorite examples 427 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: of that was a game against the Mavericks a few 428 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: years back, where I watched Luka Doncicic deliberately bring Yiannis 429 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: into the action in switches just so that he didn't 430 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 1: have to use him as the low man had no 431 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: interest in shooting over. Jiannis wasn't even trying, but was 432 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: just making sure that the guy he was throwing the 433 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: skip pass over was a different guy than Yannis because 434 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: he was so scared of Yannis's ability to scared the 435 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 1: wrong word, but because he was concerned about Yannis's ability 436 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: to shut that action down. You can use him in 437 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: a switching scheme. I don't think he's as great on 438 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: the perimeter guarding some quicker players as some of the 439 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: other big guys in the league, guys like Ad, guys 440 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: like guys like even Gobert, even guys like Bam, but 441 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: he's still really good at it. He's just not as 442 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: good as some of the guys at the top of 443 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: the league. But you can certainly use him in a 444 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 1: switching scheme. And he's an elite defensive rebounders like so 445 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: like with When you combine all that together, it just 446 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: makes an incredible defensive foundation, and specifically that ability to 447 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: be in two places at once is what unlocks aggressive coverages. 448 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: So if you've got a guy that in a ball 449 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: screen can guard the ball handler but also recover to 450 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: the lob, or a guy that as the lowman can recover, 451 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 1: or that can shut down the lob threat but also 452 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: recover to the corner. That makes it so that you 453 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: can give up a four on three without having to 454 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 1: worry about actually giving up an open shot. Right. What 455 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: that means is you can put two on the ball. 456 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: That's an amazing bit of flexibility. Right, Like in a 457 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: low man situation, you can have Brooke come way out 458 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: to the level of the screen because Giannis is one 459 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: of the best in the world at being two places 460 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: at once on that back line. And then as far 461 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: as the ball handler goes in ball screens, if Yiannis 462 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: is in the action as the screen defender, his ability 463 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: to split the difference between those two guys makes it 464 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: so that you don't have to use your lowman. You 465 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: can keep your lowman in the corner at least closer 466 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: to the corner, which allows you to kind of keep 467 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 1: your defense out of rotation. It's a huge value. Like 468 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: when you're building a a team from scratch. You can't 469 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: do much better than Janis Santana Kumpo as a defensive foundation. 470 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 1: But as I said, the reason why that does it 471 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: because that's the inevitable question, right Jason. If Giannis is 472 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: a much better defensive foundation than Luka Jokic, why is 473 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: any above them. That's where we get into that bit. 474 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: I was just talking to you guys about as it 475 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: pertains to building an offense around a limited offensive player 476 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: versus building a defense around a limited defensive player. One 477 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 1: other issue with janis that is somewhat concerning. He's starting 478 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: to encounter some more health issues, specifically with his knee, 479 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,199 Speaker 1: which is scary and a crazy stat To demonstrate this 480 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: to you guys, Giannis has been available to play in 481 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: just three of Milwaukee's last eleven playoff games, and he 482 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: played just eleven minutes in one of those games. So 483 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: he's played in basically two and a half playoff games 484 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: total in the last twenty seven months. That's sketchy, that's 485 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: a little bit concerning. He's also in his last five 486 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: years averaging only sixty five regular season games played, so 487 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: Yiannis is no longer what I would consider to be 488 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: like a sure thing. In terms of availability, like he's 489 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: closer to Ad than he is to Joki in terms 490 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: of like actual being actually being ready to play all 491 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: of the time. And so I think that that's become 492 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: an interesting little curveball to throw in here. But in summer, 493 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 1: Yiannis is a rock solid foundation to build around. He's 494 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: one of the top five defensive players in the world, 495 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 1: with an abundance of different ways to use him, which 496 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: obviously helps for roster building. And you can just book 497 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 1: him for thirty points per game on sixty plus ture 498 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,400 Speaker 1: shooting every single year, and that is incredibly steady production 499 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: that you can take and build around, and it makes 500 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: for an easier job for the GM. But his weakness 501 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: as a half court shot creator and that strange availability 502 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: issue that I just talked about, excuse me, put him 503 00:24:48,680 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: behind the top two guys for the time being. Number 504 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: two Luca don Chic seventy games played thirty three point 505 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: nine points per game, that was our scoring champion last year, 506 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 1: most in the NBA, nine point two rebounds per game, 507 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: nine point eight assists per game that was third in 508 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: the NBA behind Trey Young and Tyrese Haliburton. He got 509 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: one point nine stocks per game one point four steals 510 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: per game, did some really solid work as a weak 511 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: side defender, playing passing lanes like Luca. Did take significant 512 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: strides as an off ball defender this year. Most of 513 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: his defensive issues were on the ball, particularly in switches, 514 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: which we'll get into more later. His shooting splits forty 515 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 1: eight point seven percent from the field, thirty eight point 516 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: two percent from three on ten point six attempts. That 517 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: was the major revelation last year, massive increase in three 518 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: point volume in efficiency, had a step back three going 519 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: like never before. I think he shot thirty eight percent 520 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: on step back threes during the regular season last year, 521 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: seventy nine percent in free throws, fifty seven percent in 522 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: field goal percent effective field goal percentage, and just under 523 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: sixty two percent in true shooting. The shooting stats perc 524 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: energy one point zero eight points per jump shot, one 525 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: point one two points per catch and shoot jump shot shot, 526 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: forty eight percent field goals when he was unguarded. That 527 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: was a really useful thing, alongside Kyrie Irving seventy two 528 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 1: percent in catch and shoot unguarded jump shots. When you 529 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: count for threes, that's when you weigh it for threes. 530 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: Luca was the best pull up jump shooter in all 531 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 1: of basketball last year. He got one point zero nine 532 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: points per shot. Among the sixteen players in the NBA 533 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: to attempt at least five hundred, Luca was first. He 534 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: also made the most in the league at three hundred 535 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: and fifty eight, so the highest volume and efficiency pulled 536 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: up jump shooter in the league last year. That's a 537 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 1: really impressive stat. He got one point zero six points 538 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: per face up jumper took about two per game last year, 539 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 1: so that was a really effective shot for him. And 540 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 1: then his go too shot in ball screens fifty five 541 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: percent on floaters, he made eighty three of them. The 542 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: deadly move. He just come over the top of the screen, 543 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: put the defender and jail on his backside, kind of 544 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: work his way up that right lane line, and then 545 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: just shoot that little floater into lane. He can just 546 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 1: make it at such a high rate. And then he 547 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: shot seventy one percent at the rim. But he doesn't 548 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: get there a ton. He had two point nine makes 549 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: in the restricted area per game, less than you'd hope 550 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: for a big Ford, but at the same time, kind 551 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: of somewhat what you'd expect for a guy who's not 552 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,880 Speaker 1: necessarily a great athlete. I want to dive some more 553 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: into Luca, like putting defenders in jail in the way 554 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 1: that he scores. Here at a minute, when we get 555 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: done with their play type data. So playtype data, this 556 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: is Luca's claim to fame. Right, fifteen hundred ball screens 557 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: including passes for sixteen hundred and fifty six points. That's 558 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: one point one zero points per possession. That ranked fifth 559 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: out of the fifteen players to log at least a 560 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: thousand reps this year. He ran the most ISOs in 561 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: the league, with seven hundred and thirty six, eighty more 562 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: than the second person on that list, which was Shay 563 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: Gil Just Alexander still got one point zero nine points 564 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: per possession. That was seventh out of the twenty four 565 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 1: players to run at least two hundred fifty and then 566 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: he ran two hundred and thirty three post ups for 567 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty points including passes. That's one point 568 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: zero seven points per possession. That's in the sixty fourth percentile. 569 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 1: So if you total those all together, Luca ran two 570 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: four hundred and sixty nine possessions of half court shot creation. 571 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: That's more than twice as much as Gianni's just for 572 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: some perspective, one point one zero points per possession including passes. 573 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: That's a massive volume, obviously, but like the efficiency is 574 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: obviously crazy, one point one zero points per possession. But 575 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: I don't think people realize how crazy that that straight 576 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,919 Speaker 1: up total number of possessions is almost twenty five hundred 577 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 1: pick and rolls, ISOs and post ups. That is that 578 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: that's a one man offense the likes of which we 579 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: haven't seen since James Harden, and without the playoff limitations 580 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: that James Harden has because lucas so much more versatile offensively. 581 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: So what is the secret what makes Luca such a 582 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: deadly half court shot creator? And to me, it comes 583 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: down to the size and strength that allows him to 584 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: get to his spots, combined with the footwork to make 585 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: sure he's getting there efficiently in terms of movement, and 586 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: then the playmaking is attached to it. So I want 587 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:01,719 Speaker 1: you to think give it from a very basic standpoint. 588 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: When Luca is faced up with the defender one on one, 589 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: even though he's not particularly quick, his ability to change 590 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: direction by selling moves is what allows him to beat 591 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: people off the dribble. Luca I've said this a lot 592 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: to my young players, the ones that I train in 593 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: high school. They when you're learning how to dribble, it's 594 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: less about making big, sweeping crossover dribbles and more about 595 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 1: when you were facing to the right, where your eyes 596 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: to the right, where your shoulders to the right, or 597 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: your hips to the right, did you look like you 598 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: were going to go to the right before you brought 599 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: the ball back to the left, Because that matters way 600 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: more than how nifty your actual ball ball handling move is. 601 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: It's about selling a change of direction right, and Luca 602 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: is the best at this in my opinion. Luca will 603 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: hit multiple dribble combinations and if you watch him, he 604 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: will literally in slow motion. He will sell every single 605 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: part of every single move with every part of his body. 606 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: I think he's an excellent player to watch if you're 607 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: a young basketball player out there in terms of just 608 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: learning how to disguise your moves better. So that's piece 609 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: number one. Then there's the size and strength piece. So 610 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: one of the things that Luca does that kills everyone 611 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: is putting a defender in jail. So think of it 612 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: like this, If you go underneath the ball screen, Lucas 613 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: just gonna hit a pull up three. Right. He shot 614 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: thirty eight percent ou on him last year. That's one 615 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: point one four points per shot. Just not a good idea. 616 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: He can't go under the ball screen on Luca, so 617 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,959 Speaker 1: you have to chase him over the top. Now, as 618 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: soon as you chase him over the top, here's the 619 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: ball screen, right, Lucas coming off shoulder to shoulder with 620 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: that screener. So if he comes off shoulder to shoulder, 621 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: there's no gap in there for you to beat him 622 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: around and get in front of him. Right, So now 623 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: you're behind him. But then what Luca does instead, Like 624 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: like guys like Anthony Edwards and other downhill athletes, they'll 625 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: come off shoulder to shoulder and then they'll attack immediately. 626 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: And that's because that's their advantage. Their biggest advantage is 627 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: just trying to get downhill with real force and speed. Right, 628 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: Lucas not a downhill force and speed guy. So what 629 00:30:58,440 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: he does is as soon as he comes off that 630 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 1: ball screen, and this is what he did to Jada 631 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: McDaniels the entire Western Conference finals. Now Jada McDaniels is 632 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: behind him, and Luca is just so much bigger and 633 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: stronger than him. He's basically doing a reverse post up. 634 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: So like in a post up, Luca is gonna be 635 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: backing a guy like Jada McDaniels down right and using 636 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: power dribbles to get closer and closer to the rim. 637 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: He's doing the opposite in those ball screens. He's coming 638 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:23,719 Speaker 1: off the ball screens and Jayden is behind him, and 639 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: he's taking slow dribbles forward while also sealing with his 640 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: backside and his shoulders to make sure Jaden stays behind him. 641 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: From there, he's just gonna work downhill while reading the 642 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 1: screen defender. So in this case, Go Bear right and 643 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: all he's doing is he's sitting there and he's reading 644 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: Gobart as he's got Jaden trapped on his backside. He's 645 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: getting downhill. If Go Bear steps up, boom lob pass 646 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: to Lively or Gafford. If Go Bear steps up and 647 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 1: you know someone like a Karl Anthony Towns like steps 648 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: over and checks the roll man, that's when he's throwing 649 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: that looping skip pass over the top to the weak 650 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,719 Speaker 1: side corner. And then if Gobert stays back and the 651 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: lowman cat stays back, he's just gonna keep working with 652 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 1: Jaden on his backside until he gets about seven eight 653 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: feet from the basket, and that's where he's gonna take 654 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 1: that little floater that he's hitting at damn near fifty 655 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: five percent right now. And so that's really what makes 656 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: him so devastating is there's not really a coverage that 657 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: you can use against him if you blitz him. They 658 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: have such wonderful four out spacing that it's gonna be 659 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: Derek Lively catching on the roll with two options in 660 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: the corner, and there's only going to be two guys 661 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 1: to guard those three guys, right because Lively's man is 662 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: on Luca now, So all you have is a read 663 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: in the corner or read in the corner, or you 664 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 1: as the role man going downhill. If they don't tag him, 665 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: he's dunking. If they do tag him, he's throwing an 666 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: easy swing pass out to the corner. That's one of 667 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: the for all of the downsides of four out spacing, 668 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: one of the upsides of four out spacing is it 669 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 1: it's like really set up easy for reads out of 670 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: a blitz because it's so spread out and the reads 671 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: are just very simple. As Luca comes off the screen 672 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: and gets the double he's gonna throw it to Lively 673 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: over the top, and Lively just has a simple three 674 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: on two to make at that point because Kyrie's above 675 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 1: the break on the left wing and he's probably not 676 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: going to get helped off of it, and if he does, 677 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: it's just an extra pass out of the corner. So 678 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 1: you really can't blitz. They're gonna score to high right there. 679 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: If you duck under picks, he's hitting thirty eight percent 680 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: of off the dribble threes. If you chase over the top, 681 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: he's gonna get you trapped in trail position and work 682 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: downhill until he can make a read. And then if 683 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: you do switch, he's a deadly io and post up thread. 684 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: He's damn near one point one points per io and 685 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: post ups. So like there's just not really like a 686 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: defensive scheme that you can throw at him that will 687 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 1: shut him down. Like even in the Boston series, like 688 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: it specifically came down to Boston tilting those attempts towards 689 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 1: above the break threes for limited shooters, but that was 690 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: more about the roster, like to be clear, Like if 691 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: you put Luca in Boston in Jason Tatum spot and 692 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: he runs the exact same ball screen sequence with Chris 693 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 1: hops Porzingis, and it's always Derek White or Drew Holliday 694 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: or Jalen Brown that's catching above the break threes out 695 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 1: of that, like those are gonna all of a sudden 696 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: be great shots that Luca's demonstrating. So like there's another 697 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: conversation to have about roster building and like whether or 698 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 1: not some of the offensive limitations of those guys that 699 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,800 Speaker 1: created the elite Dallas defense that if there's like a 700 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: give and take that comes with that. But in terms 701 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: of just strictly in a vacuum, if I'm building a 702 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 1: roster from scratch, Luca is the best perimeter initiator in 703 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: the league right now, and and there's no coverage that 704 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: works against him, and it creates these small, easy opportunities 705 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: for your offensive players, which like it's like there's a 706 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: lack of versatility with Luca, right Like with Luca, I 707 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 1: kind of have to play four out and I kind 708 00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: of have to be heliocentric. Luca is not exactly Remember 709 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 1: those stats that I read to you with uh with 710 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: Yannis about Remember those stats I read to you about 711 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: Giannis about the percentage of his buckets that came as 712 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 1: a play finisher, So fifty six percent of Yannis's buckets 713 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:00,240 Speaker 1: came as a plate play play finisher. Sixty five percent 714 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 1: of Luca's made baskets came directly out of post ups, 715 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: ISOs and pick and rolls as the shooter. So like 716 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: that there is there's some truth to the fact that, 717 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: like he has some limitations in terms of the way 718 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: you can build around him. But at the same time, 719 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 1: I can flip that around and be like, Okay, there's 720 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: only one way to build, but it's pretty simple, Like, 721 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: give me a secondary shot creator that can run the 722 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: offense when Luca's on the bench, and run the offense 723 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: when Luca needs a possession off and then I need 724 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:29,439 Speaker 1: a couple of guys who can screen and roll hard 725 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: to the rim as like vertical spacers. And then I 726 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: just need three and D guys. I need guys that 727 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: can guard and go stand in the corner and just 728 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: make really simple reads and so like there's a lack 729 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,760 Speaker 1: of versatility. But the flip side is like his method 730 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: is a proven method. Give me an elite defense and 731 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 1: a legit secondary shot creator with Luca, and I have 732 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:48,799 Speaker 1: a really good chance to win the title. And that's 733 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 1: the main reason why I have him up at number 734 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: two on this list. He this was the first Finals 735 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: run of Luca's career. He averaged twenty nine points, ten rebounds, 736 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 1: and eight assists on fifty six percent and true shooting. 737 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:03,879 Speaker 1: Struggled a bit with efficiency, that's a six percent drop 738 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:05,799 Speaker 1: in true shooting. But he also was a bit banged up. 739 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:07,399 Speaker 1: I'm not going to get into that right now, though, 740 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:09,839 Speaker 1: we'll get into that later when we're talking about his weaknesses. 741 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 1: But he had several big moments. He went crazy in 742 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter against against the Clippers in Game two, 743 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: if you remember, that's when he hit the pair of 744 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: step back threes and assisted a couple more in that stretch. 745 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,479 Speaker 1: He made the raid to PJ Washington in Game six 746 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 1: against the thunder that got the that essentially ended up 747 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: winning the series for Dallas. He hit the game winner 748 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: over Rudy Gobert in Game two against Minnesota, and they 749 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: also had that crazy scoring burst in the first quarter 750 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:39,640 Speaker 1: of a Game five against Minnesota that basically executed the 751 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 1: Timberwolves at that point. So like, really really impressive playoffrun, 752 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:44,360 Speaker 1: although he did run into some issues in the finals. 753 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 1: We'll get more into that in a minute. Basically proved 754 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 1: though to that point that I was making that if 755 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,800 Speaker 1: you give Luca an elite defense and a secondary shot creator, 756 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: you just have a really good chance to win the title. 757 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: And that's a strong foundation to build off now weaknesses. 758 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:02,920 Speaker 1: Everything for Luke in terms of untapped potential comes down 759 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: to his physical conditioning. There are two primary reasons that 760 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 1: are areas I should say where he runs into issues 761 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: with his physical conditioning fatigue and on ball defense. Let's 762 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 1: talk about fatigue first, Luca pretty consistently wore down at 763 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:21,880 Speaker 1: the end of playoff games this year. He shot just 764 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: six for seventeen in clutch situations in the finals run. 765 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 1: I think that's like right around thirty five percent, and 766 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 1: he shot just two for eight from three in clutch 767 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: situations again, anytime the game was within five with less 768 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 1: than five minutes left. Luca's efficiency tanked as he struggled 769 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: to get separation and lyft on his jump shot. He 770 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: also shot just three for twenty four from three over 771 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 1: the final three games of the NBA Finals, And like 772 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,919 Speaker 1: most of that to me, especially on the eye test 773 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: as you're watching, he's just not getting the same amount 774 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 1: of lift in separation that he needs to get. Now, 775 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: obviously there's a health element to that. Will get more 776 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,600 Speaker 1: into that here in just a minute. The second thing, 777 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 1: the second area where we see Luca's lack of conditioning 778 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 1: manifest is on the defensive end. And I thought he 779 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:09,520 Speaker 1: had the most embarrassingly bad defensive performance I've ever seen 780 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,759 Speaker 1: in the finals against Boston. They were routinely putting him 781 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:14,800 Speaker 1: in action and beating him off the dribble to get 782 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: their defense into rotation. And from there, obviously you're dead 783 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: against Boston because they have so much shooting in ball handling. Now, 784 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 1: the conversation around Luke on the defensive end is complicated 785 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 1: because there's on the ball and then there's off the ball, right, 786 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,880 Speaker 1: the off ball situation like playing passing lanes and like 787 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: reading the ball handler. He's actually been very very good. 788 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 1: I shouldn't say very very good, but he's been useful, right, 789 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:38,759 Speaker 1: And he has some big plays like that. You guys 790 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: remember the big steal on the lob pass against Minnesota 791 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 1: where he baited Mike Conley into not taking the floater, 792 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: but then like stepped back and got the steal on 793 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 1: the lob pass. Like that's him understanding reading the ball 794 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: handler and baiting and making a defensive play like he's 795 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 1: actually become a useful off ball player but on the ball, 796 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 1: which we primarily saw against the Clippers and Celtics. And 797 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:01,160 Speaker 1: that's there's some truth to the match part of this, right, 798 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,360 Speaker 1: Like certain teams are space you out and attack matchup teams, 799 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 1: and other teams are kind of like running a different 800 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 1: type of offensive style, right, And so the Clippers and 801 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,400 Speaker 1: Celtics are both like drive and kick teams, and so 802 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: they were hunting matchups. And one of the unique things 803 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,760 Speaker 1: about Luca is like, usually when you're trying to save 804 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,719 Speaker 1: a on ball defender that can't guard, you want to 805 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 1: do a hedge and recover scheme. We see this a 806 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 1: ton with guards, right, Like Steph Curry's been doing this 807 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 1: with the Warriors forever. Oh, you're trying to pick on 808 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 1: Steph in a switch. All he's gonna do is as 809 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:34,880 Speaker 1: you're coming off that like, as you're coming off the 810 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: screen this side, he's gonna throw a hedge to force 811 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,280 Speaker 1: you to take a negative dribble away from the basket, 812 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 1: and then he's going to recover to the screener because 813 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 1: as that screener sets the screen he's slipping out of 814 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:47,919 Speaker 1: it to the three point line. So the hedge is here, 815 00:39:48,280 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: and this guy's running all the way over here to 816 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,440 Speaker 1: shoot right. So Steph will throw the hedge and then 817 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:56,359 Speaker 1: he'll sprint back to the shooter right. Well, Luca is 818 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,799 Speaker 1: so slow footed that you can't hedge with him. If 819 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 1: he he hedges out here and that guy slips to 820 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:05,040 Speaker 1: the three point line, he's just gonna be wide open 821 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 1: because lukea is not the kind of guy that can 822 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,640 Speaker 1: throw a hedge and then sprint back out on a closeout. 823 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,240 Speaker 1: That makes it so he pretty much has to switch 824 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 1: and from there, like, there are some good possessions to 825 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 1: his credit. He had some big stops against Paul George 826 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:22,440 Speaker 1: in the first round series in ISO. However, Paul George 827 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:25,280 Speaker 1: is a pull up shooting wing who attempted who made 828 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 1: just one point nine shots in the restricted area per 829 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,879 Speaker 1: game last year. He's a guy who basically doesn't drive 830 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:33,399 Speaker 1: to the basket right. And when he ran into real 831 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:37,400 Speaker 1: driving guards and wings against Boston, he had serious issues 832 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: and he was giving blowbys up to everybody right, and 833 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:42,600 Speaker 1: that was the main issue. And like that I think 834 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:46,480 Speaker 1: does come down to his conditioning, just like the just 835 00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:48,799 Speaker 1: like the tailing off at the tail end of games 836 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: like we saw in the postseason run. Now I heard 837 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: three main excuses from MAVs fans for the stuff with 838 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:58,759 Speaker 1: Luca's health and his defense. The first one i'd hear 839 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:00,960 Speaker 1: would be his job is to get beat off the 840 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,720 Speaker 1: dribble and to funnel guys into rim protection. That's literally 841 00:41:04,760 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: not a thing. It's actually one of the most absurd 842 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:10,440 Speaker 1: excuses I've ever heard. Yes, coaching staffs will set up 843 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 1: their weakest perimeter defenders with lots of backside help in 844 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,840 Speaker 1: case they do get beat, but they still have a 845 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:20,040 Speaker 1: job to try to flatten out drives as much as possible, 846 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 1: meaning instead of giving up a straight line drive, you 847 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:23,880 Speaker 1: need to flatten them out and make them go laterally 848 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 1: as much as possible. And Luca just didn't do a 849 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: good job of that. And Jason Kidd, the head coach 850 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,360 Speaker 1: of his team, specifically called Luca out in the playoff 851 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,600 Speaker 1: run for not defending well enough, which is something he 852 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:39,480 Speaker 1: wouldn't do if he was, you know, schematically being asked 853 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 1: to give up blowbys like that's completely absurd. The second 854 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 1: big excuse I heard from Mavms fans was he was injured, 855 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 1: Yes he was, but he also looked chunky and out 856 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:51,319 Speaker 1: of shape most of the last few seasons. Those things 857 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:55,400 Speaker 1: are directly related. Like, if Luca was in keeik physical 858 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 1: condition like most of his peers are, he'd be less 859 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,960 Speaker 1: susceptible to injuries. That's just to fact. And then the 860 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,279 Speaker 1: third excuse, if Luca was in better shape, he'd be 861 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 1: smaller and he wouldn't be able to bully guys the 862 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:10,879 Speaker 1: way that he does. And that's based on the fact 863 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: that Luca's been getting bigger each year, not smaller, right, Like, 864 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: Luca's not losing weight, he's actually putting weight on, right, 865 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:21,200 Speaker 1: And the counterexamples to that are like, if you look 866 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 1: up video of him in the bubble cooking the clippers, 867 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,600 Speaker 1: he looks small and thin and quick. If you look 868 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:28,319 Speaker 1: up that video that was going around of him as 869 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:31,400 Speaker 1: a rookie having all those dunks, he looks small in 870 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: thin and quick and so like, there's a lot of 871 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 1: like uh uh, there's a lot of like focus on 872 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,839 Speaker 1: him being bigger and stronger than everybody. But here's the thing. 873 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: First of all, if he trimmed his body fat and 874 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: replaced that with functional muscle mass, he would be big 875 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:53,280 Speaker 1: and strong enough to bully people while also being mobile 876 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: enough and conditioned enough to defend and to stay strong 877 00:42:57,239 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 1: late into games. So like, that's the thing. Is like, 878 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,719 Speaker 1: that's not a valid excuse in my opinion. And then 879 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 1: there's a bonus excuse, which I've heard from a lot 880 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,600 Speaker 1: of people, which is like, this is just this is 881 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,480 Speaker 1: just what happens when you get older, you put on weight. Yeah, 882 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:13,120 Speaker 1: regular dudes who are not professional athletes get a little 883 00:43:13,239 --> 00:43:17,080 Speaker 1: dowe in their mid twenties. That's a thing, but that's 884 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 1: not a thing for professional athletes. Luca's twenty five years old. 885 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:22,480 Speaker 1: He should be in the best shape of his life, 886 00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:26,239 Speaker 1: and he's just not. He's and he's seeing some diminishing 887 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,120 Speaker 1: returns there. It feels silly to say because he's the 888 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:30,560 Speaker 1: second best basketball player in the world, but it's all 889 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:35,399 Speaker 1: about unfulfilled potential. Luca is already the second best player 890 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:38,239 Speaker 1: in the world, despite not putting in the work behind 891 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:41,319 Speaker 1: the scenes that he needs to directify those issues. I 892 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:45,680 Speaker 1: think Luca could literally rule this league, like run this 893 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:49,040 Speaker 1: damn league the way the all time greats do if 894 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:51,600 Speaker 1: he pushed himself to the next level in terms of 895 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 1: his physical conditioning. I think it's valid criticism. So in summary, 896 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:57,960 Speaker 1: Luca has some shortcomings. He doesn't take as good a 897 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:00,560 Speaker 1: care of body as he needs to, he's not super versatile, 898 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: there aren't many defensive roles he can fill, and he 899 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,080 Speaker 1: kind of is stuck in four out one in helio 900 00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: centric offense at this point, so building around him does 901 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:10,239 Speaker 1: kind of require you to go one specific direction on 902 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:12,759 Speaker 1: both ends of the floor. But he is such a 903 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:16,480 Speaker 1: profoundly gifted offensive initiator that building a championship contender around 904 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,960 Speaker 1: him is easier than it is for almost every other 905 00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:20,840 Speaker 1: player in the league. You just need a handful of 906 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:24,160 Speaker 1: things secondary JACQ creator to run the offense when Luca's 907 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: off the floor and when he needs a break, rim 908 00:44:26,239 --> 00:44:28,719 Speaker 1: running screener, and then three and D play finishers guys 909 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: that they don't have to initiate offense. They don't have 910 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:33,200 Speaker 1: to run action, they don't have to make reads. All 911 00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: they have to do is guard on the other end 912 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:36,560 Speaker 1: of the floor and go stand in the corner until 913 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:39,439 Speaker 1: Lucas Spoon feeds you threes, and just like that, you're 914 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:41,239 Speaker 1: automatically one of the top seven or eight teams in 915 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:42,719 Speaker 1: the league, which gives you a good chance to win 916 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:45,000 Speaker 1: the title. So to put it simply, I like my 917 00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:48,880 Speaker 1: chances to win a title building from scratch around Luca 918 00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:51,920 Speaker 1: this year, more than any player in the league except 919 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:54,520 Speaker 1: for Nicola Jokitch, which is why I've put him at 920 00:44:54,600 --> 00:45:11,560 Speaker 1: number two. All right, let's get to the mail bag 921 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 1: and then we'll get out of here for the day. 922 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:21,640 Speaker 1: Out of just sheer curiosity, Say Tatum almost completely shuts 923 00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:23,719 Speaker 1: off the stupid pull up threes and just spends the 924 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:26,759 Speaker 1: entire season attacking the rim while improving his net three 925 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:29,880 Speaker 1: point percentage to close to close to his catch and 926 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:32,520 Speaker 1: shoot one of about thirty nine point six percent. Say 927 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: he becomes a thirty eight percent three point shooter and 928 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:36,720 Speaker 1: a like a fifty to fifty two percent overall shooter. 929 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,200 Speaker 1: Where would you say he'd ran a rank at that point? 930 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:41,680 Speaker 1: Because if the projection is ant is awful in the 931 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 1: wait hold on, because if the projection is ant, is 932 00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:46,359 Speaker 1: somehow going to magically do that when we haven't seen 933 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:48,359 Speaker 1: it apart from short bursts in the playoffs. Remember Aunt 934 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:51,719 Speaker 1: was awful in the Western Conference finals, whereas Tatum legitimately 935 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:55,560 Speaker 1: could get to that point if he eliminates some of 936 00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:57,759 Speaker 1: the Kobe shots from his game. I think, to me, 937 00:45:57,800 --> 00:45:59,440 Speaker 1: it makes more sense to have Tatum above him, not 938 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:01,000 Speaker 1: saying you'll ever actually do that, but if we were 939 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: to make the effort, he probably could get to that 940 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:05,880 Speaker 1: elite offensive engine status. So it's tricky because you can't 941 00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:07,880 Speaker 1: completely stop taking pull up threes because you got to 942 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:09,919 Speaker 1: take certain amount of him to keep the defense honest. Right. 943 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:12,120 Speaker 1: The best example I use is Lebron, Right, Like, Tatum 944 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:13,799 Speaker 1: takes about seven and a half pull up jump shots 945 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:15,640 Speaker 1: in a game. Lebron takes about three and a half. 946 00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:19,880 Speaker 1: Lebron's like he's only getting like zero point nine to 947 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:23,040 Speaker 1: seven points per possession, which is like solid but not great. 948 00:46:23,080 --> 00:46:25,120 Speaker 1: But it's like that's not the purpose. He's not doing 949 00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:27,560 Speaker 1: that to like drive his offense. He's using as it 950 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:30,359 Speaker 1: as a counter to keep the defense honest. Right, That's 951 00:46:30,400 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 1: what I want Tatum to get down to, is like 952 00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:34,719 Speaker 1: right around that three to four pull up jump shot 953 00:46:34,719 --> 00:46:37,759 Speaker 1: attempts per game. But if he did that, he would 954 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:40,120 Speaker 1: become more efficient, especially in the postseason. Here's a real 955 00:46:40,160 --> 00:46:43,280 Speaker 1: basic stat to demonstrate this to you, guys. Jason Tatum 956 00:46:43,280 --> 00:46:46,640 Speaker 1: has never had a playoff run over fifty nine percent 957 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:49,640 Speaker 1: true shooting, which by the way, Anthony Edwards just did. 958 00:46:50,080 --> 00:46:52,239 Speaker 1: But his peers at the ford position have all done 959 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:55,640 Speaker 1: it pretty consistently. Lebron has done it seven times, KD 960 00:46:55,760 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 1: has done it seven times, Kawhi has done it nine times. 961 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:03,279 Speaker 1: Tatum's done it bagel times in seven playoff runs. And 962 00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:05,480 Speaker 1: that comes down to the fact that he's not getting 963 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:09,399 Speaker 1: enough of the high value efficient shots closer to the rim. 964 00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:12,600 Speaker 1: So like if Jason Tatum took four pull up jump 965 00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,640 Speaker 1: shots a game less than he usually did and directed 966 00:47:15,640 --> 00:47:18,400 Speaker 1: those all towards post up attempts, drives additional things that 967 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:22,040 Speaker 1: kind of drive more efficient shot shot types. I do 968 00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:25,359 Speaker 1: think he could enter into a higher echelon of efficiency 969 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:28,839 Speaker 1: in the postseason, but I don't think he'll ever enter 970 00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:32,080 Speaker 1: the ranks of like the great offensive engines, just simply 971 00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:35,040 Speaker 1: because he doesn't have an A plus offensive skill, Like 972 00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:37,920 Speaker 1: he's just pretty good at everything, but he's not great 973 00:47:38,080 --> 00:47:40,600 Speaker 1: at anything on the offensive ends. So what that means 974 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:43,920 Speaker 1: is he'll inevitably run into an elite defense that can 975 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:46,400 Speaker 1: stop him from getting to his spots consistently. And then 976 00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:50,160 Speaker 1: when that happens, that's where his efficiency can run into 977 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:53,239 Speaker 1: some issues. Compared to the regular season. Just to mention, 978 00:47:53,360 --> 00:47:55,840 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum is a career eighty four percent free throw shooter, 979 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:57,640 Speaker 1: never shot below eighty one percent in a season. Just 980 00:47:57,640 --> 00:47:59,640 Speaker 1: thought it was worth bringing up in reference to Ant's 981 00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:02,120 Speaker 1: best fe throw shooting season in the connection with overall shooting. 982 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:04,080 Speaker 1: For the record, I've said this many times. I think 983 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:06,200 Speaker 1: Tatum is a good shooter who's just in a slump. 984 00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:08,239 Speaker 1: Do I think he's a good pull up shooter. No, 985 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:09,839 Speaker 1: but there are some reasons there. I think the main 986 00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:11,640 Speaker 1: reason for Tatum not being a good pull up shooter 987 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 1: is he has a really long mechanical gather, Like he 988 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:17,520 Speaker 1: really tucks that elbow and gets the ball up underneath 989 00:48:17,560 --> 00:48:20,680 Speaker 1: before he rises up, and that just stops fluidity and 990 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:23,759 Speaker 1: stops energy transfer. Like, really good pull up shooters are 991 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:26,279 Speaker 1: usually super fluid and there's no hitch and they have 992 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:28,759 Speaker 1: a quick gather, which Tatum just doesn't have. So like, 993 00:48:28,960 --> 00:48:30,440 Speaker 1: do I think Tatum will ever be a great pull 994 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:32,880 Speaker 1: up shooter at volume? Probably not. I think he'll have 995 00:48:32,920 --> 00:48:34,799 Speaker 1: good seasons and good playoff runs over the course of 996 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:36,480 Speaker 1: his career because he just works so hard on it, 997 00:48:36,680 --> 00:48:38,360 Speaker 1: But I don't think it'll be something that ever becomes 998 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:41,680 Speaker 1: a consistent foundational skill for him. But I do think 999 00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:44,240 Speaker 1: he's a very good shooter. He's just in a shooting 1000 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:46,359 Speaker 1: slump right now and he will eventually get out of it. 1001 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:50,440 Speaker 1: I think the idea of ant getting exposed comes from 1002 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: him finally playing a team with good rim protection and 1003 00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:57,240 Speaker 1: not doing well. Teams are going to exploit that. Again, Guys, 1004 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,880 Speaker 1: he averaged twenty five nine to eight in the conference finals, 1005 00:49:00,960 --> 00:49:04,160 Speaker 1: so like, it's not like he like completely fell flat 1006 00:49:04,200 --> 00:49:07,000 Speaker 1: on his ass. He really struggled in the first two games, 1007 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:08,839 Speaker 1: and then I want to say, he was like, what 1008 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,160 Speaker 1: was he like twenty eight, ten and eight or something 1009 00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:13,000 Speaker 1: in the final three games of that series, Like he 1010 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:16,200 Speaker 1: was still putting up crazy numbers, and like, rim protection 1011 00:49:16,360 --> 00:49:19,280 Speaker 1: certainly makes things tougher for everybody, Like elite rim protection 1012 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:22,200 Speaker 1: has historically won in the NBA for a long time, right, 1013 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:25,920 Speaker 1: Like that goes without saying, especially with already Gobert on 1014 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:29,120 Speaker 1: the floor. But that was only part of the issue. 1015 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 1: The major issue was actually not about rim protection. It 1016 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:33,440 Speaker 1: was more about just getting the ball out of Anthony 1017 00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:36,080 Speaker 1: Edwards's hands, and that started at the tail end of 1018 00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:38,680 Speaker 1: the Denver series when they started getting really aggressive with 1019 00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:42,399 Speaker 1: Jokic up to the level of the screen, bringing two 1020 00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:45,759 Speaker 1: defenders on ant in ball screens and then go Bear 1021 00:49:46,120 --> 00:49:49,600 Speaker 1: and Nikil, Alexander Walker and Jade McDaniels and Kyle Anderson 1022 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:51,879 Speaker 1: and some of their limited offensive players not being able 1023 00:49:51,920 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 1: to convert those four on threes. That was the real 1024 00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:57,279 Speaker 1: issue that was hurting Minnesota as much as anything else. 1025 00:49:57,320 --> 00:49:59,759 Speaker 1: My main criticism with Ant is in the first two 1026 00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:01,959 Speaker 1: game of that series, in particular, he just was really 1027 00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:05,360 Speaker 1: passive when Dallas was forcing the ball out of his hands. 1028 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,600 Speaker 1: People are too focused on how high Ant is. They 1029 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:12,640 Speaker 1: are completely ignoring how fucking high Shade is as well, 1030 00:50:12,719 --> 00:50:15,880 Speaker 1: relative to his accomplishments or lack thereof. Remember, guys, this 1031 00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:18,560 Speaker 1: list is not about accomplishments at all whatsoever. It is 1032 00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:23,640 Speaker 1: entirely about projection for this coming October through June. All 1033 00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:25,960 Speaker 1: of these people complaining in the comments about your Anthony 1034 00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:28,200 Speaker 1: Edwards ranking, but you dropped the video ten minutes ago. 1035 00:50:28,239 --> 00:50:30,200 Speaker 1: They didn't watch anything you said. This is a super 1036 00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:33,000 Speaker 1: common thing that I see on the show. People just 1037 00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:35,399 Speaker 1: complain for the sake of complaining. They don't actually ever 1038 00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:37,360 Speaker 1: hear me out and what I have to say. But 1039 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:39,640 Speaker 1: for the record, like, that's kind of an inherent part 1040 00:50:39,640 --> 00:50:42,920 Speaker 1: of this business. I've experienced that ever since I started 1041 00:50:43,239 --> 00:50:46,239 Speaker 1: podcasting or even just talking about basketball on Twitter. Like 1042 00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:49,080 Speaker 1: there's good faith debating, and then there's bad faith debating. 1043 00:50:49,239 --> 00:50:51,480 Speaker 1: There are people that are like, hey, I disagree with you, 1044 00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:53,960 Speaker 1: here's why, and then there's the fuck you, you asshole, you're wrong. 1045 00:50:54,600 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 1: Like that's an eternal part of this business that will 1046 00:50:57,480 --> 00:50:59,120 Speaker 1: never go away. No matter how much work I put in, 1047 00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:01,359 Speaker 1: no matter how much I defend my stances, no matter 1048 00:51:01,400 --> 00:51:03,360 Speaker 1: how open minded I try to be, no matter how 1049 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:06,120 Speaker 1: unbiased I try to be, there will always be angry 1050 00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:07,920 Speaker 1: people yelling in the comments. It's just kind of a 1051 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: natural part of this job. It just comes with the territory. 1052 00:51:11,120 --> 00:51:14,120 Speaker 1: Tatum has been and is already a perennial MVP candidate. 1053 00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:17,040 Speaker 1: He has one top five MVP finish in seven seasons. 1054 00:51:17,760 --> 00:51:20,920 Speaker 1: Right now, DraftKings has Anthony Edwards at plus twelve hundred 1055 00:51:20,960 --> 00:51:23,240 Speaker 1: to win MVP and they have Tatum at plus eighteen 1056 00:51:23,320 --> 00:51:26,360 Speaker 1: hundred to win MVP. So I mean, that's pretty strong 1057 00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:29,279 Speaker 1: indicator that Tatum's just not in that group of guys 1058 00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:32,120 Speaker 1: that we would consider to be perennial MVP candidates. There 1059 00:51:32,120 --> 00:51:34,560 Speaker 1: are zero things that Aunt does better than Jason Tatum 1060 00:51:34,600 --> 00:51:37,880 Speaker 1: on a basketball court. Zero. I'm saving this video and 1061 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:42,399 Speaker 1: coming back in next June. Two things. Ant is substantially 1062 00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:44,920 Speaker 1: quicker with his first step and is a better pull 1063 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:47,560 Speaker 1: up shooter. Those are two very simple things on offense 1064 00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:49,160 Speaker 1: that he's better than Tatum. I don't have to get 1065 00:51:49,160 --> 00:51:51,960 Speaker 1: any further into it. Second piece, I also think Tatum 1066 00:51:51,960 --> 00:51:54,800 Speaker 1: will be playing in June, and I think Ant probably 1067 00:51:54,840 --> 00:51:57,200 Speaker 1: won't because the Celtics have the most talent in the 1068 00:51:57,280 --> 00:51:59,480 Speaker 1: league by far, and the Wolves have a roster with 1069 00:51:59,520 --> 00:52:02,400 Speaker 1: several limits. I'm worried with Gobert that they'll ever be 1070 00:52:02,440 --> 00:52:04,319 Speaker 1: able to win at the highest levels because he just 1071 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 1: clogs things up for their offense. Last question, how do 1072 00:52:08,080 --> 00:52:10,400 Speaker 1: you think Minnesota and OKC would fare? This is a 1073 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,720 Speaker 1: really interesting question. How do you think Minnesota and OKAC 1074 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:16,600 Speaker 1: would fare if they switched superstars for the twenty twenty 1075 00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:19,160 Speaker 1: four to twenty twenty five season in playoffs? Ant with 1076 00:52:19,239 --> 00:52:23,160 Speaker 1: more spacing and SGA with a more experienced cast. Weirdly enough, 1077 00:52:23,200 --> 00:52:25,120 Speaker 1: I actually think both teams would be better. And this 1078 00:52:25,160 --> 00:52:27,960 Speaker 1: is a super interesting kind of like thought exercise with basketball. 1079 00:52:28,520 --> 00:52:31,960 Speaker 1: Ant is a downhill driving force, so putting him in 1080 00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:35,479 Speaker 1: real five out spacing would unlock that in a major way. 1081 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:40,239 Speaker 1: Do you Timberwolves because they have such limited offensive personnel 1082 00:52:41,160 --> 00:52:43,000 Speaker 1: like guys on the floor like Jaden and like we 1083 00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:46,120 Speaker 1: talked about so many times, those guys actually make it 1084 00:52:46,160 --> 00:52:48,200 Speaker 1: so that you have to be more surgical on offense. 1085 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:51,440 Speaker 1: So like I look at it like this, Ant in 1086 00:52:51,480 --> 00:52:54,880 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City would be more valuable because of the spacing, 1087 00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:59,560 Speaker 1: and Shay in Minnesota alongside that elite defense would be 1088 00:52:59,560 --> 00:53:01,920 Speaker 1: more value well because he could be the surgical offensive 1089 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:05,560 Speaker 1: player to create something out of nothing in bad spacing situation. 1090 00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:08,319 Speaker 1: So like ironically, like I did give you swat both 1091 00:53:08,320 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 1: of them, I think Minnesota and Oklahoma City both get better, 1092 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:13,919 Speaker 1: which is a really interesting basketball concept. All right, guys, 1093 00:53:13,920 --> 00:53:15,400 Speaker 1: that is all I have for today. Is always a 1094 00:53:15,440 --> 00:53:17,640 Speaker 1: sincerely appreciate you for supporting the show. If you're a 1095 00:53:17,640 --> 00:53:20,200 Speaker 1: Lord of the Rings fan, I did a reaction with 1096 00:53:20,200 --> 00:53:22,480 Speaker 1: my buddy Luke on the first three episode of Rings 1097 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:25,160 Speaker 1: of Power. You can find that we're on YouTube under 1098 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,399 Speaker 1: two Sons Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast under 1099 00:53:28,400 --> 00:53:31,680 Speaker 1: two Sons podcast And then tomorrow will be recording a 1100 00:53:31,719 --> 00:53:35,080 Speaker 1: reaction to the episode four as well, so make sure 1101 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:37,600 Speaker 1: you guys check that out again. We'll be back on 1102 00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 1: Friday with number one on this list, and the next 1103 00:53:40,000 --> 00:53:41,520 Speaker 1: week we have some fun stuff before we get into 1104 00:53:41,520 --> 00:53:44,000 Speaker 1: our season previews. Again. I appreciate you guys for supporting 1105 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:45,719 Speaker 1: the show and for rocking with me, and I'll see 1106 00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:51,120 Speaker 1: you guys in a couple of days the volume What's 1107 00:53:51,160 --> 00:53:53,440 Speaker 1: Up guys? As always, I appreciate you for listening to 1108 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:56,640 Speaker 1: and supporting OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful 1109 00:53:56,640 --> 00:53:58,279 Speaker 1: for us if you guys would take a second and 1110 00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:01,280 Speaker 1: leave a rating and a review. As always, I appreciate 1111 00:54:01,280 --> 00:54:02,719 Speaker 1: you guys supporting us, but if you could take a 1112 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:05,000 Speaker 1: minute to do that, I'd really appreciate it.