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For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, 29 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: see dkang dot co slash b ball. All right, wellcome 30 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: to him tonight here at the volume heavy Tuesday. Everybody 31 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: ovove you guys are having a great week so far. 32 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: Just got a quick show for you today. We're just 33 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: gonna do a deep dive into the Los Angeles Lakers, who, 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: after their ten and four start, are just two and 35 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: five in their last seven games as they're tumbling down 36 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: the Western Conference standings. Lebron James is playing the worst 37 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: stretch of basketball that he's played in over two decades. 38 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: We're gonna be a deep dive into all of the 39 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: issues that are going wrong for the Lakers and some 40 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: specific things to keep an eye on moving forward this season. 41 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: How much of this is circumstantial and how much of 42 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: this is the reality of their roster. You guys know 43 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: the joke before we get started to subscribe to the 44 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so you miss it. So you 45 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me on 46 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: Twitter at underscore JCNLT so you guys don't miss you announcements. 47 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: Don't forget about our podcast feed wherever you get your 48 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: podcasts on our Hoops Tonight. Don't forget we have new 49 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: social media feeds on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the 50 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight channel where we're releasing more content, So make 51 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: sure you guys follow there, and then keep dropping mail 52 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: bag questions in the YouTube comments. We're gonna keep recording 53 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: a mail bag in the Friday Show later this week. 54 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball. So before we get 55 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: into the Lakers, two things. First of all, if you're 56 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: expecting me to come on here and talk about how 57 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: I was wrong about the Lakers, that's not going to happen. 58 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: All I said before the year is that I thought 59 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: they were a good team, but that they were not 60 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: a top tier championship contender that they needed a trade 61 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: if they wanted to contend for a championship. But I 62 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: said that I thought they'd win fifty games or so, 63 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: assuming relative good health for Lebron and av So, if 64 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: you're expecting me to come on here because they're one 65 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: fourth of the way through the season and they have 66 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: a forty seven win pace instead of a fifty win 67 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: pace and just admit that I was wrong, I'm just 68 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: not going to do that. I'll freely admit when I'm 69 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: wrong about the Lakers. I'm just not there yet. I 70 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: would even agree with some of the Lakers detractors out 71 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: there who say that they're not as good as their record. 72 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: I agree they're not as good as their record. But 73 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: I still feel more or less the same way about 74 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: this team as I did before the season. We'll talk 75 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 1: more about why here in a bit. Secondly, if you're 76 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: expecting me to come on here and say Lebron is finally. 77 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 2: Washed, just not going to. 78 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, he's playing the worst extended stretch of basketball since 79 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: his rookie year, which is over twenty years ago. Yes, 80 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: it's actively hurting the Lakers, and we're going to talk 81 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: about why. But I still don't think he's done. And 82 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: the funniest thing about it is most of the people 83 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: that are out there saying stuff about Lebron finally being 84 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: done are the same people who were wrong last year 85 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: and the year before, in the year before that, in 86 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: the year before that, in the year before that. Those 87 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: people are shameless. They're just you don't get to just 88 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: say a guy's washed every single year, be wrong for 89 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: a half decade, and then finally take a victory lap 90 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: when you're right. So when that does happen, keep an 91 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: eye out for that sort of thing. But I'm not 92 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: here to bury the Lakers. I'm not here to bury Lebron. 93 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: I'm here to talk some basketball. If you guys want 94 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: to get into some basketball some of the specific reasons 95 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: why the Lakers are struggling, you've come to the right place. 96 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 2: Let's go ahead and get into it. 97 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: So, first of all, the numbers, the Lakers started ten 98 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: to four, they were fourth in offense, twenty fifth in defense, 99 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: twenty fourth in rebounding, twenty ninth in opponent fast break 100 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: points scored per game. Since then, they're two and five. 101 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,119 Speaker 1: They're still twenty second in defense, they're still twenty seventh 102 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: in rebounding. They're still twenty third in opponent fast break 103 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: points scored over that span, but they've dropped from fourth 104 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: in offense during the ten and four start to twenty 105 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: eighth in offense during the two and five stretch. Since 106 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: those of you guys who remember my season preview with 107 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: the Lakers and just in general have watched me talk 108 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: about the Lakers of the last couple of years, my 109 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: main point of optimism with this team is that they 110 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: are an elite offense, and with exception of this two 111 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: to five stretch, since January, they have been a top 112 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: five offense. Their top five offense to end the year 113 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: last year over the second half of the season, their 114 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: top five offense to start this year over the first 115 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: fourteen games. The offensive end is where things have fallen apart. Now, 116 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: before we get into the offense, I do want to 117 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: bring just a slight silver lining here those of you 118 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: guys who listened to the postgame presser with Lebron James 119 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: yesterday after the Lakers got blown out by the Timberwolves. 120 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: He talked about how the Lakers have been working really 121 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: hard behind the scenes on their defense, specifically a lot 122 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 1: of film sessions, a lot of discussion changes in scheme, 123 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: changes and roles, things along those lines, and it has 124 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: had some positive returns. Lebron talked about that. One of 125 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: the things he said in the postgame presser is like, 126 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: we spent some time working on our defense. We kind 127 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: of rectified it a bit. Now we need to work 128 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: on our offense. 129 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: And he's right. 130 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 1: In the first seventeen games for the Lakers this year, 131 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: they were twenty seventh in defensive rating, twenty sixth and 132 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: defensive rebound percentage, and the Lakers line four games against 133 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Utah, and Minnesota, they're tenth in 134 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: defensive rating and sixth in defensive rebounding and it matches 135 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: up with the eye test. I don't think there are 136 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: top ten defense. They also played some limited offenses during 137 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: that stretch, but overall, I thought the San Antonio and 138 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: OKAC games were the best stretch of defense this team 139 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: has played all year. And I thought they were pretty 140 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: good in the first half against Minnesota, and in general, 141 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: they're competing a lot better on the defensive class, which 142 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: is such an important part of the scheme that they're playing. 143 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: You saw it a lot against Minnesota again last night, 144 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: Like when the Lakers are solving their problems by allowing 145 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: AD to switch ball screens, that puts AD on the 146 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: perimeter guarding ball handlers. When those guys miss shots, or 147 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 1: when they move away and somebody else misses a shot, 148 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: suddenly the guy AD was guarding underneath the basket is 149 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: pinned against a smaller guard and able to get a 150 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: bunch offensive rebounds, which puts a lot of pressure on 151 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: the team to crash around to get defensive rebounds. They 152 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: have been doing better. So again, there's a tiny little 153 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: silver lining in the two to five start, which is 154 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: that the Lakers looked like a pretty unseious defense and 155 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding team to start the year. They look much 156 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: more like a at least a serious defense and a 157 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: serious defensive rebounding team in the last week or so. Dude, 158 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: I think they're going to be an elite defense. No, 159 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: but again, this is not the pathway for this team. 160 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: The pathway for this team is top five offense, right 161 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: around fifteenth in defense. That's where they need to get, 162 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: and the only way you're gonna get there is through 163 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: playing serious defense. And they've been playing some serious defense. 164 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: So I want to at least shine a little bit 165 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: of a light on that, but the offense has completely 166 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: fallen off of a cliff. So let's get into the 167 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: reasons why. First of all, the Lakers shifted from playing 168 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: more through Ad to playing more through Lebron. Here's some 169 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: crazy stats for you. During the ten and four start, 170 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: when the Lakers were fourth in offense, AD had a 171 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: thirty one point two percent usage rate and Lebron James 172 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: had a twenty six point four percent usage rate. During 173 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: the two to five stretch, since when they're twenty eighth 174 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: in offense, AD's usage rate has dropped to twenty six 175 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: point four percent and Lebron's has risen to thirty point 176 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: five five percent. So they went from Ad having the 177 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: usage of a typical lead superstar and Lebron having the 178 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: eight usage of a typical secondary star to swapping those 179 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: roles and Lebron's doing more of the offensive lift. 180 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 2: Right. 181 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: Here's the problem though, During the stretch where Ad was 182 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: kind of the primary superstar, he averaged thirty one points 183 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: on sixty five percent through shooting during this stretch, the 184 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: seven game stretch where Lebron is more involved, nineteen points 185 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: per game, five turnovers per game just forty eight percent 186 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: in true shooting in the last six games, just seventeen 187 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: points per game forty four percent true shooting. Now, before 188 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: we get into the details with Lebron, it is a 189 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: little more complicated than that. Part of that shift back 190 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: towards fixing the defensive end has caused Anthony Davis to 191 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: spend more energy on the defensive end. They've also faced 192 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: some teams with really athletic guards, and Austin and Dilo 193 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: have missed a couple of games three I think between 194 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: the two of them. So if you're facing matchups that 195 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: kind of make life harder for Austin and Di Loo 196 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: and Austin and Dilo missed time, and Ad is shifting 197 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: more of his energy towards the defensive end. Who's the 198 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: natural guy who's gonna step in and handle more ball 199 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: handling in that situation. Lebron James, and he's been bad, 200 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: and so the offense has fallen apart. So let's dig 201 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: into how Lebron has been bad. Physically, I don't think 202 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: he looks that different than he did last year. I'd 203 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: argue he's a little less spry, not as like engaged 204 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: in the half court, not as many possessions where it 205 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: feels like he really gets ahead of steam, right, but 206 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: not so much that he should be this spat. So 207 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: let's look at the shooting percentages and Lebron's last six games. 208 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: He's got seventeen points per game on forty four percent 209 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,719 Speaker 1: through shooting. Where have the misses been. He's three for 210 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: thirty on threes, and he even lights out on those 211 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: for over a year. And he's just ice cold right now. 212 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 1: The Minnesota game in particular, most of his misses from 213 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: three are on the outside of the rim. That's always 214 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: a dead giveaway. Like Dalton Connect, for instance, had a 215 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: rough shooting night last night. The Dalton Connect misses, they 216 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: were like rattling in the rim and popping out. Lebron 217 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: was like, it's like wide left and just just carroning 218 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: off the side of the rim. He's missing bad right now. 219 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: He's in one of the worst shooting sums I've seen 220 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: him be in. 221 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 2: It's not pretty. 222 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: I think he's missed like nineteen consecutive threes, right, And 223 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 1: to be clear, that generally affects other parts of your game. 224 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: But we'll get into that in a minute. He's eleven 225 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: for twenty three from the mid range, which is actually 226 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: pretty good. That's forty eight percent. That's pretty far above 227 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: league average. He's fine there right, seven for twenty on 228 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: shots in the paint, but outside the restricted area, these 229 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: are your short range touch shots. He was forty two 230 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: percent on those last year, so down a little bit. 231 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: But he makes eight for twenty instead of seven for twenty, 232 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: and suddenly he's at forty percent, so not really much 233 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: of a factor there. He's twenty two for thirty five 234 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: in the restricted area at sixty three percent on six 235 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: attempts per game. Now, last year he was at eight 236 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: attempts per game in the restricted area seventy three percent, 237 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: so ten percent better, and about twenty five about thirty 238 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: three percent more volume increase. Right, So he's down a 239 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,439 Speaker 1: good amount at the rim. But I actually do think 240 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: that has more to do with his jump shot than 241 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: it does with his age. When you go through a 242 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: shooting slump like Lebron is in, it makes the game 243 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: so much harder. Guys don't close out on you as 244 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: hard as they usually do, they don't pressure you as much. 245 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: That makes it harder for you to get downhill. Not 246 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: to mention the mental aspect, like when you're not making shots, 247 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,719 Speaker 1: you start to lose confidence. That causes you to try 248 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: to force the issue a little bit. I saw a 249 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: lot of that last night he gets Minnesota or it 250 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: felt like Lebron was trying to force his way into 251 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: a rhythm. I would actually argue his jumper being off 252 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: is playing a much bigger role in this struggle for 253 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: Lebron than his age is. Then there's the issue that 254 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: with the turnovers, right, some of that's related to his 255 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: shooting too. Just to put it really simply, the less 256 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: effective Lebron is as a jump shooter, the hard it 257 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: is for him to get to the rim. The harder 258 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: it is for Lebron to get to the rim when 259 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: he's also in a shooting slump, The less effective overall 260 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: he is as a scorer. The less effective Lebron is 261 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: overall as a scorer, the less the defense is going 262 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: to overplay him, the less the defense is going to 263 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: overplay him, The harder it's going to be for him 264 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: to find those passing windows, right, those windows get tighter. 265 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: Some of it's also general focus. Lebron has been having 266 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: two or three, like really head scratching turnovers per game 267 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: where he's just clearly not as focused as he needs 268 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: to be. And then, as I mentioned earlier, it's the 269 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: mental aspect too. As you lose your confidence, you start 270 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: to try to force things a little bit. You probably 271 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: have heard Lebron talk a lot in his postgame pressers 272 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: in the last week about rhythm. It's kind of like 273 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: a mythological basketball concept, but it's real. Talk to any 274 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: basketball player, anybody who played at a real level, they 275 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: will tell you it's real, and like when you have 276 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: There's a bunch of different ways that people refer to it, 277 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 1: right Like, I've heard rhythm, I've heard like, I've heard confidence, 278 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: I've heard verve, I've heard flow. You know, it's like 279 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: your mojo as a basketball player. There's a lot of 280 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: different ways to refer to it, but all it is 281 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,319 Speaker 1: basically is that whenever you're playing good basket cake ball, 282 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: it tends to feed on itself and make you play 283 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: even more good basketball. When you play bad basketball, it 284 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: has a tendency to feed on itself and you play 285 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: worse basketball. I'll give you an example. If you're playing 286 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: good basketball, like if Lebron comes out in the game 287 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: tomorrow and I think it's in Miami or Atlanta, I 288 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 1: can't remember exactly where it is. But when he goes 289 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: out on the road in his next game, if he 290 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: comes out and he hits a couple of above the 291 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: break threes early in the game, suddenly he's gonna feel 292 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: more confident. Right Let's say that he catches on the 293 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: wing after that, and he pump fakes and the dude 294 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: chases him off the line because he just made too 295 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 1: and he drives, and when he drives, he drops it 296 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: off to Anthony Davis and Anthony Davis gets a dunk. Now, 297 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 1: Lebron's starting to feel himself a little bit, starting to 298 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 1: feel good. Let's say he goes out on the other end, 299 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: then he like a low man rotation, where maybe if 300 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: he's not in as much of a groove, he's less 301 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,839 Speaker 1: willing to make that rotation. But when he's feeling good 302 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: about himself and he's feeling like I'm having a great 303 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: game right now, he might make a much greater effort 304 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: on a low man rotation and block like bam Adebayo 305 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: on a rim finish or something. And then suddenly he's 306 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: bringing the ball to the floor. In transition, he's spraying 307 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: it out to a shooter and it's like it just 308 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: kind of gains this momentum and it just turns into this, 309 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: like it just turns into this runaway train. In a 310 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: good way, the exact same thing can happen in a 311 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: negative way when things are not going your way like 312 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: a lot of times, like when your SHOT's not falling. 313 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: Is also when you start to force some bad passes. 314 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: Is also when you start to get discouraged and not 315 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: sprint back in transition. Is also when you start to 316 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: lose that confidence and energy that drives you to make 317 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: those extra efforts and extra intentional plays on the defensive 318 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: end of the floor. It all kind of feeds into itself, 319 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: and Lebron right now is just in a really really 320 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: bad place as a basketball player. He's not doing anything 321 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: really that well. He's been okay on the defensive end 322 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: and rebounding over the course of the last week, like 323 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: the rest of the team has been. But I even 324 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: saw a lot of possessions last night where it's like, Okay, 325 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: you're on on the island with Mike Conlay and he's 326 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: just going right around you, like slide those feet. 327 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 2: Man. I mean, I know you're old, but so is he. 328 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 2: You know what? 329 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: I mean like he can be better on that end too. 330 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: It's just he's in a really bad place and so 331 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: he's gonna have to find his way out of it. 332 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: I do think his head is in the right place. 333 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: I think it was Dave mcmanhamon last night asked him like, hey, 334 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: when you're in a struggle like this, like what do 335 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: you do? And Lebron had a lightning quick answer, and 336 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: it's an answer that every young basketball player should pay 337 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: attention to. 338 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 2: Work. Just work. 339 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: The best way for you to gain footing when you're 340 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: in a shooting slump is to shoot the damn basketball 341 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: behind the scenes as much as you possibly can and 342 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: derive confidence from that process. Go into that next above, 343 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: the break three that you take off of that Chicago 344 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: action out of the right corner as you're rising up, 345 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: thinking in the back of your head, I made this 346 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: shot one hundred times this morning. I made it one 347 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: hundred more times yesterday. I made five hundred other threes 348 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: from other spots of the floor over the last couple 349 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: of days. When you feel that confidence, it helps you 350 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: think more about the fact that you've been making this 351 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: shot NonStop for the last two days instead of the 352 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: fact that you missed four of them two days earlier 353 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: when you were playing in Minnesota, right, Like you need 354 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: to gain confidence from your work. It's like that famous 355 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: line from Carmelo Anthony and the commercial, why wouldn't I 356 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: want the last shot when I know I've already taken it? 357 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: And it shows him doing. 358 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: The little drill with the where he's shooting the one 359 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: dribble pull up at the elbow in a gym by himself, 360 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: and that's the truth. That's like, I had a really, 361 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: really bad shooting slump my third year in college. I 362 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: was a very streaky shooter when I was in college 363 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: because I had a lot of issues with my form 364 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: that I hadn't worked out yet. And my second year 365 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: in conference play, shot the ball super well, shot like 366 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 1: just the shade under fifty percent. I'm pretty good volume 367 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: for the entire conference play season in the spring. And 368 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: then I went to an NAII school the next season 369 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: and my role changed started getting some different shots, and 370 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: I shot terribly and I had to stretch in the 371 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: non conference play at the beginning of the season where 372 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: I missed twenty two straight threes and I never got 373 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: to the point where I shot the ball great that 374 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: year but I did shoot the ball better in the 375 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: second half of the season. I was in like the 376 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: mid thirties during conference play, and a big part of 377 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: that was I like was obsessively working behind the scenes 378 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: because I fucking hated being a terrible shooter. I was like, 379 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: I gotta fucking figure this shit out, you know, like 380 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 1: it agonizes you and you've just you have to confront 381 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: it with work. It's the only way to work through 382 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: this kind of thing. The second thing that I would say, 383 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: I also think a great strategy to get out of 384 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: slumps is to focus on making winning plays to build confidence. 385 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 1: And this is where Lebron being such a big athlete 386 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: is such an advantage. Like there was a play in 387 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: the Minnesota game last night where he got inside position 388 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: on a rebound against Nikile Alexander Walker, and he got 389 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: an offensive rebound put back, and it's like, that's worth 390 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: just as many points as him running a well executed 391 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: Spain pick and roll where the threat of his shot 392 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: forces the guy to chase over the top and he 393 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: gets downhill and he dunks the ball right the same points. 394 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: If anything, it's more valuable because you turned a miss 395 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,360 Speaker 1: in two points on an offensive rebound. You turn bad 396 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: offense into good offense. When you make a good play 397 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: like that, it feeds you a little bit of confidence. 398 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: And so by focusing on the defensive end, grabbing key 399 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: defensive rebounds, making key rotations, engagement in terms of your 400 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 1: screening and crashing on the offensive end, to just try 401 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: to squeeze out every little bit of winning basketball you 402 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: can out of your natural gifts that are not dependent 403 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: on making shots. That will build confidence and that will 404 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: bring him out of this. For the record, I'm not 405 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: saying this stuff is some sort of like tip for Lebron. 406 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 2: He knows this shit. 407 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: I was like thinking about this last night, like a 408 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: lot of people are ready to be done with Lebron 409 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: in terms of like him being washed right, And I 410 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: just if I know anything about Lebron, I know that 411 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: his actual is going to be He's gonna be profoundly 412 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: irritated by how poorly he's playing, and he's going to 413 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 1: work obsessively to try to fix it. Does that mean 414 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: he's going to get back to the level that he 415 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: was at at the tail end of last season. I 416 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: don't know. That was a pretty damn high level. That 417 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 1: might have been the last great chance that the Lakers 418 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: had was when Lebron and AD were at the level 419 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: they were last year. Maybe, but I do think Lebron 420 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: is going to get much much better over the course 421 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: of this season. I think he's going to find a 422 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: way out of this stretch. So like to make a 423 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: long story short with the Lebron stuff, though, as it 424 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: pertains to what's wrong with the Lakers now, he took 425 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 1: over a larger portion of the offensive load while playing 426 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: the worst basketball he's played in over two decades, and 427 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: that's gonna nuke just about any offense. But there are 428 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 1: some others with the offense other than d Lo. Every 429 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: other Laker offensive player is kind of in a little 430 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: slump of their own. Like Delo's gain and steam, they 431 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: would have gotten blown out in that first half last 432 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: night if not for him. He had fifteen plus points 433 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: in four straight games. He's twelve for twenty six from 434 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: three in those games. That's forty six percent on six 435 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: attempts per game. Delo's getting out of his slump that 436 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: he was in to start the year. But here are 437 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 1: some other guys in their stats over the two and 438 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: five stretch. AD twenty two points per game, forty nine 439 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,360 Speaker 1: percent from the field, twenty three percent from three. 440 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 2: That's just bad for ad. 441 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves thirteen points per game, forty one percent from 442 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: the field, thirty one percent from three, almost as many 443 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: turnovers as assists. Austin's been down for the most part 444 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: this year. I don't know if he's dealing with some 445 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: stuff physically, but there have been some really big games 446 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: for Austin, but he hasn't been playing like the Austin 447 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: Reeves that we've grown accustomed to. Right Dalton connect twelve 448 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: points per game, thirty three percent from three on seven 449 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: attempts per game. During the two and five stretch, teams 450 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: are starting to guard him more aggressively. I watched Minnesota 451 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: do a lot of top blocking last night, denying face, 452 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: guarding off the ball. These are the types of aggressive 453 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: coverages that good shooters will get, and he's going to 454 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: continue to see them. It's on JJ Reddick to try 455 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: to turn that into opportunities to could get him free 456 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: anyway and to weaponize that attention to help the rest 457 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: of the offense. Getting him out in transition will help 458 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: more like transition is where there's chaos and guys can 459 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 1: get open and then two using him as a screener. More. 460 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: JJ already knows that stuff. I don't have to teach him. 461 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: He's going to be I'm sure he's working on that 462 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: stuff with his staff as we speak. Riya Chimura eleven 463 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: points per game, thirty two percent from three over the stretch. 464 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: Max Christy twenty four percent from three over the stretch. 465 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: That's the big one. Like the whole team is in 466 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: a shooting slump. They're just thirty percent from three over 467 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: the two and five stretch, just twenty ninth in the 468 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: NBA over that span. It's also important to mention what 469 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: I talked about after the Sun's Lakers game. 470 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: If you guys, remember when. 471 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: Your stars aren't playing well, it creates fewer advantages for 472 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 1: your lesser players. When your lesser players are playing with 473 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:51,959 Speaker 1: less of an advantage, it exposes them for having lesser abilities. 474 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: That's just the way basketball works, especially against good teams 475 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: like a lot of Laker tractors. Detractors have rightfully pointed 476 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,480 Speaker 1: out that the Lakers are pretty bad splits against good 477 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: and bad teams this year, and they do. They're seven 478 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: and one against teams that are below five hundred five 479 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: and eight against teams that are five hundred are better. 480 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: But the thing is you're going to struggle to beat 481 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: good teams in this league if your stars don't play well. 482 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 1: Like that's less to me about like the Lakers roster. 483 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: Like I think the Lakers won seventeen games against teams 484 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: that were five hundred better last year, tied to Celtics 485 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: for the most in the NBA. Or excuse me, they 486 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: won seventeen games against teams that were in the top 487 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: ten in point differential according to Cleaning the Glass, which 488 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: was tied for the Celtics for the top of the league. Okay, 489 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: the Lakers were fine against good teams last year, even 490 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: with their roster limitations. Not good enough to win the 491 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: title or anything. 492 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 2: But they did well. 493 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: The Lakers can beat good teams at a small rate 494 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: above five hundred, but not when Lebron's playing this bad, 495 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: and not when Ad is not contributing the way that 496 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 1: he did to start the year. Now, one other thing 497 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: I want to point out before we go big picture. 498 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 1: This has been a tough stretch of schedule for the Lakers. 499 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: Last night was their fifth game and seven nights. Four 500 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: of those five games were on the road, Both of 501 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: their back to backs were on the road, which means 502 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: they had to get on a plane that night. Four 503 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:05,719 Speaker 1: of the five teams they played were over five hundred 504 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: and several guys for their important guys within their rotation 505 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: of miss time, de Lo missed a game, Austin missed 506 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: two games, Ruey missed a game. They'd play our meltroori 507 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: or for four of those games. So what's wrong with 508 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: the Lakers? It's a combination of factors. They refocused on defense, 509 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: which led to Ad devoting more energy in that direction 510 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: instead of offense, where he'd been amazing. The Ad shift 511 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: came with some matchup and injury stuff with the guards 512 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: that forced Lebron James to take more of an ultra 513 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: high usage role, and Lebron has played the worst stretch 514 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: of basketball he's played in over two decades. That poor 515 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: play from Lebron has made life harder on every other 516 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 1: Laker and they have collectively entered into a shooting slum. 517 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 1: And it all took place during one of the toughest 518 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 1: stretches on the schedule that they will face all year 519 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,479 Speaker 1: that cause them to drop a bunch of games. So 520 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: how do I feel about this team moving forward? More 521 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: or less exactly how I felt before the season. I 522 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: think Lebron will play much much better in the long run. 523 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: I do think they'll get Ad back involved in the offense. 524 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: The rest of the roster will benefit from Lebron and 525 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: Ad playing better, which will allow them to play better, 526 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: and they'll look like the Lakers they have looked like 527 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: for the better part of a year now. In the 528 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: big picture, I still think they're way too unathletic on 529 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: the perimeter to win four playoff rounds. If they bring 530 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: in that athleticism through the trade market, specifically at the 531 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: two and three, it will make life easier on Lebron, 532 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: Ad and Austin on the defensive end of the four, 533 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 1: so that they can play at their best on the 534 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: offensive end of the four, which is their pathway to 535 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: becoming a team with two elite units, which is what 536 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: they need right now. They're an elite offense that's playing 537 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 1: really poorly on offense. But that's what this roster is. 538 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: It's an elite offensive roster in a bad defensive roster. 539 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: But they've got some good defensive players, mainly Anthony Davis, 540 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 1: as an anchor to where if they can bring in 541 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: a two and a three that are competent two way players. 542 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: Suddenly they could be a team that is top ten 543 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: in like top five in offense and top fifteen in defense. 544 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 1: That's a pathway for them. But right now they don't 545 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: have those players. It's all theoretical, So it's all about, 546 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: like again, as I kind of process where I'm at 547 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: with the Lakers. Overall, it's still exactly where I was 548 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: before the season, which is if they make If they 549 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: make the right trade, I think they'll be fun. 550 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 2: I've talked about this before. 551 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: With the with so many other teams around the league, 552 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: but like sometimes as an NBA team in an eighty 553 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: two game regular season, the job is to survive and 554 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: to extend out your good stretches as long as possible, 555 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: and to dig your way out of your bad stretches. 556 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 2: As fast as possible. 557 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: Every NBA team it's gonna have three or four stretches 558 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: where they're just not playing very well for various reasons. 559 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 1: Talked about it with the Lakers. Right one of your 560 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: stars is playing really poorly, your other stars kind of 561 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: playing poorly. Schedules, really tough role players all go into 562 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: a shooting slump. You're drop some games, that's gonna happen 563 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: to other teams around the league. Just about digging your 564 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: way out of it. The Lakers schedule does lighten up 565 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:08,439 Speaker 1: a little bit from here. They have no back to 566 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,959 Speaker 1: backs until January, and their next six games are all 567 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: against teams that are currently either five hundred or worse. Now, 568 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: all of them are capable of beating the Lakers. The 569 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: Hawks are capable of beating the Lakers. The Pistons are 570 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: capable of beating the Lakers. The Heat are capable of 571 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: beating the Lakers. The Pistons, or excuse me, the Kings 572 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: are capable of beating the Lakers. So they could just 573 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 1: as easily drop a bunch of these games. But if 574 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: they play better basketball, if Lebron gets back to form, 575 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: they should be able to get back on track. These 576 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: are winnable games for them over the course of the 577 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: next couple of weeks. 578 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: All right, guys, it's all I have for today. 579 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: As always, I sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me 580 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: and supporting the show. Got a jam packed slate tonight. 581 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: We're gonna hit a bunch of teams and a bunch 582 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: of games and some film. 583 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 2: Tomorrow I will see you guys, then the volume What's 584 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 2: so Guys? 585 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 586 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: OOPS tonight. They would actually be really helpful for us. 587 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: Would take a second and leave a rating and a review. 588 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if 589 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really 590 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: appreciate it.