1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: The volume, blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: octane world of sports. Vice Sports brings an exciting and 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: diverse range of programming that goes beyond the game. From 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: action pack live events to gripping behind the scenes documentaries, 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: to hard hitting investigative pieces and in depth profiles of athletes, coaches, teams. 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Vice Sports captures the raw energy, drama, and passion that 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: makes sports truly unforgettable. Catch live events and other exclusive 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: sports programs only on Vice Tv. Go to vicetv dot 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: com to find your cable channel. 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: The NBA eighty two game grind is done. Now the 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 2: real fun begins. The NBA Playoffs are here and it's 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 2: time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments, and 13 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 2: jaw dropping plays. I can't wait. If you're looking to 14 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: make the playoffs even more exciting, DraftKings Sportsbook has you 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA 16 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: from the playing games all the way through to the finals. 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: Now's the time to back your favorite players and teams 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: as they chase glory. All season long. 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The 45 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: NBA Playoffs have been very good to us this year 46 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 2: as we continue to just get incredible night of hoops. 47 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: After incredible night of hoops, the Cleveland Cavaliers go into 48 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: Indiana and look like the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first 49 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: time in this series. We're gonna be breaking that game 50 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 2: down at the tail end of the show, but we're 51 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: gonna be starting with yet another classic between the Denver 52 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. We were joking, the 53 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: guys that iver joking before we started the show. The 54 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: Nuggets have now won probably the best game I've ever 55 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: seen Yokic play and the worst game I've ever seen 56 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 2: Yokic play in the same series, which was super fascinating. 57 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: So many different angles to get into a bunch of 58 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 2: guys for Denver stepped up some really exciting stuff for 59 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City in their future, but then some of the 60 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 2: classic concerns surrounding the team coming to the surface late 61 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: in the game as their offense generates just twenty one 62 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: points in the last seventeen minutes of the game. A 63 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 2: lot of really ugly high ISO stuff. We're gonna be 64 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 2: breaking that down. We'll get into both of those games 65 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 2: from the perspective of both teams. At the tail end 66 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: of the show, we'll take about ten minutes of questions 67 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 2: from the chat, So make sure you guys in the 68 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: stream here subscribe to the Hoops and Night YouTube channel. 69 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: Drop your questions in there. We'll get to the chat 70 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: at the tail end, and then when we are done 71 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: here tonight, we'll be heading over to playback for our 72 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 2: after show. We have the link in the description here. 73 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: It's just playback dot tv slash Hoops Tonight. We'll be 74 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: hanging out there for an extra half hour forty five 75 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: minutes or so, taking some questions. We can take callers 76 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 2: or watch some film what they can do. A bunch 77 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 2: of stuff in the after show. You guys have the jop. 78 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: Before we started subscribe to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channel. 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: You don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me 80 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 2: on Twitter and underscore jcnlts. You guys, don't mis sho announcements. 81 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: Don't forget about our podcast few wherever you get your 82 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: podcast under Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if you 83 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 2: leave a rating and a review on that front. Don't 84 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: forget about our social media feeds Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or 85 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: Jackson's releasing content throughout the year. Make sure you guys 86 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: subscribe or excuse me, follow us there the last minute. Least, 87 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: keep dropping those mail bag questions for the chat at 88 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 2: the tail end of the show. So that was probably 89 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: the worst Yokitch game I've ever seen, Shades of the 90 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: Minnesota Timberwolves series last year where his jump shot completely 91 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 2: leaves him. You know, I thought Jokic made a concerted 92 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: effort early in this game to try to hunt scoring opportunities. 93 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: It kind of like became one of those things where 94 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 2: at first he was hunting scoring because he knew that 95 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,679 Speaker 2: that was what his team needed, and then it became 96 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: almost like a come hell or high water, I'm finding 97 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: a way to make a jump shot, and he just 98 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: he just couldn't get one to go, and it was 99 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: he was also just struggling making reads. Okay, see, he 100 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 2: was bringing some baseline doubles and doing a good job 101 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 2: gapping on the weak side in the two on one, 102 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: and so Jokicic was turning the ball over and getting 103 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 2: himself into some trouble. He was struggling to finish around 104 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 2: the rim, smoked several shots at like point blank range 105 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: right at the front of the rim. And yet here 106 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 2: we are, Denver's up two to one in this series 107 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: and in a really strong position when you consider the 108 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 2: fact that it's highly likely that Nikola Jokic has a 109 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 2: massive bounce back type of game in Game four, a 110 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 2: very very important game of this series. My guess is 111 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 2: that whoever wins Game four will win this series. And 112 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: if Denver's going to win, they're gonna need a much 113 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,840 Speaker 2: better effort from Jokics. That said, I want to give 114 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 2: Yoga some credit. He wanted some defensive battles late, he 115 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: won some rebounding battles late, and he did get two 116 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: big buckets in ot But I want to focus on 117 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: a couple of other nuggets that I thought stepped up 118 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 2: in a big way down the stretch of this game, 119 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 2: first of all, Jamal Murray, as it became obvious that 120 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 2: Jokis was not able to generate a quality look for himself, 121 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: at least not one that he could knock down. Down 122 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: the stretch of this game, Jamal Murray had to really 123 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: hit the gas as a score and it wasn't always pretty. Again, 124 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 2: like people, when you're playing against a defense like this, 125 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: especially as a guard, it's not gonna be pretty. It's 126 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,679 Speaker 2: not gonna be super efficient, it's gonna be a chore. 127 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 2: Jamal Murray missed more shots than he made tonight. There 128 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 2: were some ugly ones. He had a couple shots around 129 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 2: the room. He had an airball layup, he had a 130 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: spinning like he tried to like shoot a three sixty 131 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 2: layup in traffic that he kind of just threw into 132 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 2: the bottom of the rim. They were difficult shots because 133 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: there were a lot of late clock situations where he 134 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: had to generate something. But then there were also situations 135 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: where he was able to make something happen. A little 136 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: step back over Isaiah Hartenstein along the left baseline, big 137 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 2: threes at a couple of points in this game. He 138 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: was just found a way to generate offense. He's been 139 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 2: always a very gifted finisher in traffic to a couple 140 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 2: of nifty finishes right at the front of the rim. 141 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: And then Aaron Gordon. There are so many players in 142 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: the league this year that have just in this playoff run, 143 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: that have just been consistently great in the clutch, over 144 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 2: and over again. Tyres Halliburton, Jalen Brunson, Aaron Gordon. Again, 145 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 2: he's already had two game winners in this postseason run. 146 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 2: Hits the three that sends this to overtime and extends 147 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: the game. I want to shout out Aaron Gordon defensively 148 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: as well. He got cooked a little bit by j 149 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: Dubb at various points in the fourth quarter, but he 150 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: was playing good defense. To his credit. He was hitting 151 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 2: some tough, contested shots and then he got several stops 152 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: late when he needed to. And then I also have 153 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 2: to shine the light on Christian Brown. I thought, Christian Brown, 154 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 2: you know, it's been interesting. There have been two stretches 155 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: of this series where I feel like he's played good 156 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 2: defense on Shae Gildes Alexander crunch time of Game one, 157 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 2: crunch time of Game three. Now, I think there's kind 158 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 2: of an overarching theme there involving slow down half court basketball, 159 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 2: and we'll dive further into that concept a little bit 160 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 2: later on in the show, But there was a stretch 161 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: there in that third quarter where I'm like, he's just 162 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 2: not doing a good enough job on Shae or Jdev. 163 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 2: He's just getting beat to the spot over and over 164 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 2: again at the point of attack. A lot of times 165 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 2: he wasn't even offering any sort of physical contact or 166 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 2: resistance until Shaye or Jadev were in the lane. He 167 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: just wasn't doing a good enough job. But they are 168 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: in crunch time over and over again, beating Shaye to 169 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,559 Speaker 2: the spot on multiple occasions, actually forcing Shaye into trying 170 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: to grip for fouls, which obviously wasn't going to work 171 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 2: in this type of game. Late Christian Brown Two's credit 172 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 2: I talk about all the time the playoffs are about 173 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: solving puzzles, and while he struggled in the meat and 174 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 2: potatoes of this series, there have been two pivotal stretches 175 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,079 Speaker 2: or he's been able to get multiple stops against Shake 176 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 2: Gildess Alexander, solving the puzzle in that sort of situation, 177 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: and honestly, guys, like if we zoom out on this series. 178 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 2: It's a whole lot of okc outplaying Denver and Denver 179 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: just pulling these games out late. And there's two different 180 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 2: ways to look at that. Right, there's the obvious fact 181 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: that Oklahoma City is very, very good and that they're 182 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: going to be very difficult to put out of their misery. 183 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 2: This is not a oh, you're up to one, you're 184 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 2: in control. This is they win game four that things 185 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 2: going back to Oklahoma City, You're probably not winning this series. 186 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: So like everything still hangs in the balance. But the 187 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 2: flip side to look at that is there's a lot 188 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 2: of opportunity for Denver to play better. I thought Oklahoma 189 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: City outworked Denver tonight. I thought they played with more 190 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 2: force throughout the game tonight they got Denver got demolished 191 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 2: on the glass again, giving up eighteen offensive rebounds if 192 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 2: they only got five offensive rebounds, and if we go back, 193 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: because even further back into game two, they didn't have 194 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: much success on the offensive glass relative to Game one. 195 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 2: In that game either, they had more rebounds offensively in 196 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: game one than they did in Game two in game 197 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 2: three combined, and so ok See has like completely flipped 198 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 2: the script on the whole Yokic dominating inside dynamic. They 199 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 2: flipped the script on the whole offensive rebounding dynamic. They've 200 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 2: taken the two arguably the two biggest advantages that Denver 201 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 2: has in this series, and they've flipped them in their direction, 202 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: as Yokich has been pretty bad the last two games 203 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 2: and they haven't been able to do much damage on 204 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: the offensive glass. And so again there's two ways to 205 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: look at that. There's okay se has clear advantages that 206 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 2: they're showing, and and then there's this all obvious fact 207 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 2: that Denver can play much better. Denver is capable of 208 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 2: doing more physical damage on the glass than they've been doing. 209 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 2: Yokich is obviously capable of playing a lot better. I 210 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 2: talked about this after Game two. The advantages for the 211 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 2: two teams are pretty clear, right Like for ok see 212 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 2: it's dribble penetration. They are dominating these games, and the 213 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 2: meat and potatoes just in those semi transition pushes with 214 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 2: Shay and j dubb quickly within like the first you know, 215 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: seven to ten seconds of the shot clock getting deep 216 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: dribble penetration, and then everything really pascating from there, all 217 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 2: of a sudden you're drawing tons of helpers, which is 218 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 2: putting your defense in rotation. Okay See, outside of crunch 219 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: time in the series, has passed the ball very well. 220 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: They're moving the ball out of those dribble penetration situations. 221 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 2: As Denver's rotating, okay See is getting offensive rebounds because 222 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: guys aren't matched up to box out because they're in rotation. 223 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: There's a lot of damage that Oklahoma City is doing 224 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: early in possessions with their dribble penetration that is trickling 225 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,319 Speaker 2: down to all of these other elements of the game. 226 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 2: And for Denver, their advantage is very clearly the size 227 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: with Jokic on the interior and their ability to contend 228 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 2: on the offensive glass. And what's crazy is, for the 229 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 2: most part throughout this series, okay See has done a 230 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 2: better job of leveraging their advantages. But Denver, over and 231 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: over again, as long as they're within striking distance late, 232 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 2: has been the better half court team. And that's where 233 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 2: we got to dig into it a little bit deeper. 234 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 2: So JDub had a beautiful game tonight. I thought he 235 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 2: was in command of the floor. Moved the ball well 236 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 2: on ball and off ball, scoring good on ball, playmaking. 237 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 2: Jadub had a great game, but once again, when things 238 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 2: got slowed down, when things really slowed down late in 239 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 2: the game, those semi transition opportunities aren't there. I've got 240 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 2: a head of steam because I started my drive out 241 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: fifty feet from the basket and Christian Brown's picking me 242 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 2: up at the foul line. That's not there anymore. It's 243 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 2: slowed down. It's a knockdown, dragout half court fight. And 244 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: in those situations in both games, in game one, in 245 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 2: Game two, it's turned into a lot of high ISOs, 246 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 2: a lot of high ISOs for JDub, a lot of 247 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 2: high ISOs for Shay, a lot of tough in traffic, 248 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 2: contested shots in the middle of the floor, not a 249 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 2: lot of kickouts. How many times did you see a 250 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: kickout out of those clutch situations for the Thunder, they're 251 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 2: not there. So similar to Game one, Denver was consistently 252 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 2: able to offer late help. A lot of these shots 253 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 2: are being shot over double teams, over late secondary contests, 254 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: just a lot of traffic in the middle of the floor, 255 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: whereas with Denver there's like a solid two man game 256 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: taking place in the middle of the floor where you 257 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 2: don't know where it's gonna go. It might be Jamal 258 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 2: running action and looking for something from the three point line, 259 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 2: something in the mid range. It might be Yo kitch 260 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: in the pocket. It might be Yo kitchen the post. 261 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 2: Oh you overplayed yokich on a roll and left Aaron 262 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 2: Gordon wide open in the left corner. He's gonna hit 263 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 2: a three to burn you and tie the game. There's 264 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: more variety, there's more consistency. There is a better, more reliable, 265 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:45,959 Speaker 2: clutch offense for Denver in this series, and so that's 266 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 2: really where this is gonna swing. I think if it's 267 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 2: close in Game four late, Denver's gonna win, and they're 268 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 2: probably gonna win the series. Oklahoma City does have a 269 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 2: pathway though, with their speed, with their defense to build 270 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 2: margin against this team. It's kind of similar to the 271 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: way I felt about the Clippers series. There's just not 272 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 2: a team in the league that's gonna be able to 273 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 2: execute the way Denver does in the half court Layton games. 274 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 2: They're just the very best at it. You know, I 275 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 2: used to, you know, I have a lot of like 276 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 2: random basketball debates with my friends who covered different teams 277 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 2: around the league, And I remember samis fondi Ario covers 278 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 2: the Warriors. He texted me once after the Lakers lost 279 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: that regular season game, the late regular season game, the 280 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 2: first Luka Doncic game against the Warriors, and he goes, 281 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: he just said to me, he goes, like, I love 282 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 2: it when teams go small ball against the Warriors because 283 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 2: just no one's ever going to play small ball as 284 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 2: well as we do. And it's such a simple idea, 285 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 2: but it's so true because the Warriors have been doing 286 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 2: the Draymond at center thing literally since twenty fourteen. Like that, 287 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 2: They've been doing it over a decade. They have every 288 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 2: detail of that style of game down pat same thing 289 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: goes for Denver. You're just not gonna eat them in 290 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 2: the clutch when you do. It's bizarre. What was the 291 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: game they lost to the Clippers. You had Aaron Gordon 292 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 2: missed a wide open dunk right under the rim. I 293 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: can't remember what mistake Jokic made, but Jokic made a 294 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 2: big mistake down the stretch of that game. They just 295 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 2: that was like the exception. Every other time you end 296 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 2: up in these close games against Denver, I've I've been 297 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 2: on the wrong side of this, guys. I've rooted for 298 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 2: the Lakers the last couple of years, so like they 299 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: are just completely indomitable in a tie game with five 300 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: minutes left. It's it's one of the crazier things I've 301 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 2: seen in my time following the league. And they just 302 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: got it done again tonight against Oklahoma City. And like, 303 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 2: there's obvious the main thing if you're looking at it 304 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 2: from Okac's standpoint, in the way that they can try 305 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 2: to avoid that slow down environment. Can't change the way 306 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 2: you play. Can't change the way you play just because 307 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: it slows down late, especially when you're going against Denver. 308 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 2: You gotta keep pushing in transition, you gotta attack early 309 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 2: in possessions. You got to move the ball. A good 310 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 2: semi transition drive that kicks leads to an advantage. Yeah, 311 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 2: you're right. You're gonna have to count on somebody like 312 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 2: a lou Dort to drive a close out, but you're 313 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 2: gonna start the engine, and your speed is such an 314 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 2: advantage when you're in motion, when there's ball in player 315 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: movement against this team, But when you just stare down 316 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: Jamal Murray in an ISO at the top of the 317 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 2: key and you can gap into driving lanes, it's just 318 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: an easier thing for Denver to deal with. You're playing 319 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: into their style of game, and so that's gonna be 320 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: the main thing that they're gonna have to flip again 321 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 2: moving forward in the series. I left Game two feeling 322 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 2: coin flip slight edge OKC. Now at Game three, I'm 323 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 2: coin flip slight edge Denver. Denver will be likely. I'm 324 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 2: not even sure what the lion is in game four. 325 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 2: I haven't looked yet, but I give Denver a slightly 326 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 2: better than a coin flip chance of winning Game four 327 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 2: at home. And if they win that game, I think 328 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 2: they're gonna win the series, because all of a sudden, 329 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 2: OKC has to win three games in a row and 330 00:16:58,240 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: Denver just has the best player in the world on 331 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 2: the time, and it can go either way. But I mean, 332 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 2: you gotta be kicking yourself if you're a thunderfan, because 333 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 2: you played well enough to win all three of these 334 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 2: games and you're down to one in this series. And like, 335 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 2: I've gotten into this argument a lot with a bunch 336 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 2: of people, and like I want to be clear, this 337 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 2: series is not over. I would not be the slightest 338 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 2: bit surprised if Oklahoma City won this series. And with 339 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 2: the way Boston's playing, guys, you could talk me into 340 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City right now being the most likely team to 341 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 2: win the championship. So this is not some sort of 342 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: big sweeping Oklahoma City's bad kind of take. But I've 343 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 2: been preaching this all year. The team full of early 344 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 2: twenty year olds that's gonna play way harder than everybody 345 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: in the regular season, that's going to put up dramatic 346 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 2: statistical markers, that are going to do things like Jackson, 347 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 2: what was the odds before it was minus six hundred 348 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: after minus yeah, after Game one when Denver won Oka, 349 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 2: See was minus six hundred to win the series, Like, 350 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 2: the odds are being fed by these number and it's everyone. 351 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 2: It's breaking everybody's brain. Greatest net rating in NBA history 352 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: and all this kind of stuff, And all year long, 353 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:11,479 Speaker 2: I've said, yeah, they're awesome. But young basketball players, I've 354 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 2: been preaching this for years. What are young basketball players? 355 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 2: What is the behavior of young basketball players? They struggle 356 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 2: to have success and then replicate it, and they struggle 357 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 2: to have failure, identify it, and avoid it. Veteran basketball 358 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 2: teams have succeeded and failed so many times that when 359 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 2: they identify success, they hammer it, and when they see failure, 360 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 2: they quickly identify it and they remove it from their diet. 361 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 2: They trim the fat. That is the difference between grown 362 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 2: ass men playing basketball and dudes in their early twenties. 363 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: And again that does not mean okay, so you can't 364 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 2: win the series. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised 365 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 2: if they won Game four, won Game five, one, game six, 366 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 2: beat the shit out of Minnesota, went into the finals, 367 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 2: and beat Boston or New York or Indiana or Cleveland, 368 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 2: whoever it is that comes out, I would not be surprised. 369 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 2: But they are vulnerable, and they are vulnerable because when 370 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 2: they get into these situations, they are young and inexperienced, 371 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 2: and the veteran older team who's been here a million times, 372 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 2: is very comfortable in these settings. And they have lost 373 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 2: two games that they should have won in this series. 374 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 2: And so like that's that's that is why, like the 375 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 2: next time this happens, the next time we see a 376 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,719 Speaker 2: team full of early twenty year olds that win sixty 377 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 2: something games and dominates in the regular season. That is 378 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,679 Speaker 2: why I bring this talking point up. It is not 379 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 2: a attempting to prevent them from getting the shine they deserve. 380 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 2: It is simply just something I've learned from a long 381 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 2: time watching basketball. The older veteran teams are just way 382 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 2: more comfortable in adversity than the younger basketball teams. And 383 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: maybe this will be the lesson, Maybe this will be 384 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 2: the one that triggers it. And maybe they beat the 385 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 2: Thunder six times in the series, or maybe they beat 386 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 2: the Nuggets six times in this series. But I just 387 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 2: think it's a really fascinating concept that the Thunder were 388 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 2: torching the Nuggets with a high variety attack, moving the ball, 389 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 2: driving kick hitting cutters, hitting shooters, and then they went 390 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 2: brain dead late in the game and played high io. 391 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 2: Because that's the kind of thing that can happen with 392 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 2: a young basketball team in those sorts of settings. All right, 393 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 2: let's move on to Cavs Pacers. Donovan Mitchell just logged 394 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 2: back to back forty point games in the playoffs for 395 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 2: the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time since Lebron James 396 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 2: did so in the twenty sixteen NBA Finals. Finally got 397 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 2: his three point shot going a little bit. He was 398 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 2: two for eighteen in the first two games, but he 399 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 2: got several clean catch and shoot looks that helped him 400 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 2: build that rhythm. He got one on the left wing 401 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 2: and transitioned a couple ones on like other transition sequences. 402 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 2: Just those easy catch and shoot threes are great ways 403 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 2: to build rhythm as a three point shooter. He actually 404 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 2: hit five in this game, and he was able to 405 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 2: go to one of his patented step backs after the 406 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 2: Pacers cut the lead down to eleven in the early 407 00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: fourth quarter. It was kind of like it felt like 408 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: one of those Pacers runs was coming. He had a 409 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 2: huge step back three that kind of stymied them, brought 410 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: it back to fourteen. They never got that close again. 411 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: That three point shot is a big piece of it 412 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 2: because especially when you're in a high volume offensive role 413 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,199 Speaker 2: like he was before Garland got in the series, and 414 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 2: even now with Garland being in kind of a smaller role, 415 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 2: he's just leaned on for so much offensively, and if 416 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: you can step into threes and not come down, it's 417 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 2: such a great way to provide scoring without having to 418 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 2: like really exert yourself physically. But we got to emphasize 419 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 2: the job he was doing athletically. Donovan's moving probably like 420 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 2: he's always been an elite athlete, but it looks to 421 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 2: me like he's moving as well as ever, and he's 422 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 2: having these insane contact finishes in this series where he's 423 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: like it's almost like he gets that first angle and 424 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 2: then he just pops off the ground and just improvises, 425 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 2: like he pops off the ground, and then the ball 426 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 2: just starts win milling around at all these different angles 427 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 2: and then he finds a finishing angle to get a 428 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 2: shot off, whether it's like below the rim scoop or 429 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 2: he shoots like a really soft almost like floater layup 430 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 2: that he'll get a lot of really good roles on 431 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 2: right at the front of the rim. I just thought 432 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 2: he was fantastic tonight as he goes for a second 433 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 2: consecutive forty point game. Strus had his second consecutive twenty 434 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 2: point game. A little bit of everything, open catch and 435 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 2: shoot jump shots, contested catch and shoot jump shots, cutting, driving, closeouts, 436 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 2: running second side action, you know, big transition dunk there 437 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 2: in the fourth quarter. Darius Carland came back and like 438 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: he was a little rusty, but you could just tell 439 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: how much of greases the wheels for the offense. He 440 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 2: brings the ball up with pace, hits some sort of 441 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 2: action early in the possession and usually we'll get the 442 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 2: defense in rotation. And again, look beyond the box score. 443 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 2: The Calves logged a one thirty five offensive rating tonight 444 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 2: when Darius Garland was on the floor. But what I 445 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 2: want to zoom in on tonight is the defensive end 446 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 2: for the Cavs, because this is what I thought was 447 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 2: the ultimate, like kind of revealing thing that came out 448 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 2: of this game. We knew that the Calves could score 449 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 2: in this matchup. Donovan's been pretty comfortable all series. Obviously, 450 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 2: even down bodies, they were in position to win Game two. 451 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 2: But one of the things we talked about after Game 452 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 2: two is like their defense got cut to pieces in 453 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 2: Game one. And yeah, they came out in the first 454 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 2: quarter of Game two and they held the Pacers down, 455 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 2: but then for three straight quarters after that they gave 456 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: up at least thirty four points. They hadn't had any 457 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 2: sort of sustained success defensively against Indiana. Tonight they finally did. 458 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: They held him to just thirty eight points total in 459 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: the second and fourth quarters combined, when they built the 460 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 2: first big lead and when they put the game away. 461 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 2: So another way of looking at it is this was 462 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 2: the first time the Cavs had some defensive success against 463 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 2: the Pacers. So let's talk about how there's three concepts 464 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 2: that I want to get into. One the denial of 465 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 2: Tyres Halliburn to the zone defense that worked tonight, and 466 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 2: then three the job that Evan Mobley and Jared Allen 467 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 2: did on the back line tonight. So the denial of Haliburton. 468 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 2: This has been the Cavs game playing the entire series. 469 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 2: Started in Game one with sam Merril. They just in 470 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 2: the early part of that game didn't take the ball 471 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 2: out of the net enough times for them to be 472 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 2: able to do it as effectively. But basically what they're 473 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 2: doing is just trying to prevent Tyre's Halliburton from ever 474 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 2: having the basketball. So any made basket or defensive rebound, 475 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 2: whoever is closest to Halliburton will just run up and 476 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:29,879 Speaker 2: basically hug him, like position themselves directly between Haliburton and 477 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,239 Speaker 2: the ball and just not let him go get it. 478 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 2: Then on any ballscreen action, they're coming up super aggressive 479 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 2: and high to get him to get rid of the 480 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:40,479 Speaker 2: ball if he ever does get the ball. So like 481 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 2: Tyree's will just sometimes just do a little shove off 482 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 2: move he'll get the ball, they'll run a ball screen, 483 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 2: they'll just immediately get the ball out of his hands. 484 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 2: And it's worked to varying degrees in this series. In 485 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 2: Game one, they tried Merrill on him, and Hollie still 486 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 2: got into a rhythm and he was still great. Game two, 487 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 2: they switched Truce on to him and it worked much better, 488 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: but then they lost control of Haliburton late in the game. 489 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 2: You could tell the difference between Struce and Meryl Strus 490 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 2: when he's kind of like bear hug denying Halliburton. He's 491 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,120 Speaker 2: just stronger. So when Haliburtn tries to shed him through 492 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 2: that off ball contact, he's just having a harder time 493 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 2: than he did on Sam Meryl. But it succeeded in 494 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 2: a big way tonight in Game three, and it succeeded 495 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 2: in that it just killed his aggression. After taking fifteen 496 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 2: shots in game one, he's taken just nineteen shots total 497 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 2: in the last two games. Took only eight shots Tonight, 498 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 2: finished with just four points and five assists. A couple 499 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 2: of things. You can tell that even when he has 500 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 2: the ball, he's rushing, he's missing reads that he doesn't 501 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 2: usually miss, and he's not looking to be aggressive to score. 502 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 2: So the game plan is working. It's psyching Haliburton out. 503 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 2: We'll talk about Halliburton and how he can adjust to 504 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 2: that later, but that's the first piece of how the 505 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 2: Cavs are finally getting some defensive success against Indiana, denying 506 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 2: Tyre's Haliburton the basketball whenever they can. The second piece 507 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 2: of it was his own defense. We saw it to night. 508 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 2: In the second quarter, with about eleven minutes left, the 509 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 2: game was tied at thirty four, the Calves ran fifteen 510 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 2: possessions of a three to two zone. We'll get into 511 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,159 Speaker 2: that concept here in a minute. The Pacers scored just 512 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 2: seven points on those fifteen possessions of zone. By the 513 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 2: end of the of the second quarter of the Calves 514 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,120 Speaker 2: were up by twenty one points, so from a tie 515 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 2: game to a blowout, in large part because the Pacers 516 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 2: couldn't score against the zone. Now, a three to two 517 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 2: zone is very different from a two three zone. A 518 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 2: two three zone is built around taking away the rim, 519 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 2: and usually if you move the ball well against it, 520 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 2: you'll get wide open catch and shoot threes. Essentially, you 521 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 2: have the middle man whose responsibility it is to cover 522 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 2: the basket and depending on the scheme up to the elbows, 523 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 2: So like anybody who catches in the middle, sometimes the 524 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 2: middle guy will cover that. Sometimes different zones will use 525 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 2: different guys to cover that when they want to keep 526 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 2: someone at the basket, like we saw Houston in games 527 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,679 Speaker 2: when they weren't playing Steph Curry, they would have Steven 528 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 2: Adams just sit right underneath the basket in their zone. 529 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: But a three to two zone is very different because 530 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 2: in a two three zone, the other four guys are 531 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 2: splitting the remainder of the three point line right, but 532 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 2: in a three to two zone, both of the bottom guys, 533 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 2: so again there's three guys up top, guy on the top, 534 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 2: guy on the wings, two guys that are on the bottom. 535 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 2: Both of those bottom guys are actually responsible for the corner. 536 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 2: So as a result, all five players have responsibility at 537 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 2: the three point line. And with the way that the 538 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 2: Cavs were doing it too, it's kind of similar to 539 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 2: what Houston was doing in the sense that, like as 540 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 2: ball and player movement would occur, guys would be willing 541 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 2: to change spots to make the whole thing function. But 542 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 2: there are opportunities against a three to two zone in 543 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 2: the interior that are not there against the outside and 544 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 2: it just flummixed Indiana early in the game. They did 545 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 2: do much better in the second half. They scored eleven 546 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 2: points in just nine possessions against the three to two, 547 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 2: so they did have some success there. The main thing 548 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 2: they started doing is two things. One high ball screens. 549 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 2: They started just screening the top man and having that 550 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 2: man roll into the middle of the floor, so they 551 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: were able to get some pocket passes into the middle 552 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 2: of the floor. They also got like a deep seal 553 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 2: for Thomas Bryant on a play where they had a 554 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,440 Speaker 2: shooter in one corner that occupied one of the low 555 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 2: men and then they had Thomas Bryant just seal the 556 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 2: other low man, so it created a very big passing window. 557 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 2: They were able to throw them the ball and he got 558 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 2: a big dunk. So they kind of figured it out 559 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 2: in the second half. And I don't think we're going 560 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 2: to see a ton of that zone moving forward. I 561 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 2: think we'll see it a little bit here and there. 562 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 2: But again, as I often talked about, the zone defenses 563 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 2: are not meant to like permanently flummix NBA teams. If 564 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 2: they do, you stick with it, and we will see 565 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 2: that from time to time, Like you'll see long stretches 566 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 2: of it, like shot a lot today. You'll see it, 567 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 2: you know, like in what was a Game six against 568 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 2: the Warriors when the Rockets ran a bunch of their zone. 569 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 2: But like it's primarily its primary purpose is to just 570 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: disrupt rhythm. Oh you're used to playing this way, Well 571 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 2: how about we just you know, throw a giant wrench 572 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 2: in things and make you play a very different style 573 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 2: of basketball. And it worked for fifteen possessions in the 574 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 2: second quarter. It threw the Pacers out of whack. Yeah, 575 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: they eventually figured it out, but it didn't matter because 576 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 2: they were already down twenty one at that point. So like, 577 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 2: just this is why, like when I talk about with 578 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 2: coaches mixing up coverages, like you cats just run the 579 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 2: same damn thing every time. You got to do something 580 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 2: that just kind of disrupts the flow. It's like you 581 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 2: can't just you know, run high drop ten possessions in 582 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 2: a row, then low drop ten possessions in a row 583 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 2: in an adjustment. A lot of time, the best coaches 584 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 2: will mix in various different coverages multiple times in the 585 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,719 Speaker 2: same quarter just to keep an offensive player or an 586 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 2: entire offense off balance. The third piece of it Evan 587 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 2: Mobley and Jared Allen multiple efforts at the rim. Defensively, 588 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 2: those two guys are pretty rough in game one, and 589 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:48,959 Speaker 2: they've had their playoff moments where they haven't been very 590 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,239 Speaker 2: good defensively over the years, but I thought they were 591 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 2: amazing tonight. This Indiana Pacers team applies so much rim 592 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 2: pressure with their speed, and they're just in a lot 593 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 2: of positions. In a lot of times, they're expected to 594 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 2: be in multiple places at once, step up and contest 595 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 2: a driver, then recover to someone at the basket. They 596 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 2: forced a bunch of misses at the rim or near 597 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 2: the rim for the Pacers tonight with their activity. All 598 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 2: three of those guys just did are really excuse me? 599 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 2: All three of those factors, I should say, Mobile and 600 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 2: Allen on the back line. The zone defense, the denial 601 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:26,479 Speaker 2: of Halliburton finally had some sustained success slowing down Indiana's offense, 602 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 2: which I thought was the main takeaway from tonight's game. 603 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,959 Speaker 2: And then for the Pacers moving forward, Tyres Halliburn's got 604 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,479 Speaker 2: to find a way to get involved. The opportunities are 605 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 2: still there when he is aggressive to the ball, he 606 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 2: can still get a catch, he can shed the deny. 607 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 2: Then once they get up the floor, he's rushing against 608 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 2: the blitzes. He's usually so comfortable he's like rushing that 609 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 2: pass and not putting it into a place where they 610 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 2: can quickly compromise the defense. He missed two floaters early 611 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 2: in the game, one where he got blocked and one 612 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 2: where he missed it long, and on both of them 613 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 2: there were kickout reads, but he's like rushed. You can 614 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 2: tell like this is legitimately just kind of getting him 615 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 2: out of sorts. And so some of this is like 616 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 2: Haliburton just needs to take a deep breath, understand the 617 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 2: coverage and what it's doing, and find a way to 618 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 2: be impactful anyway, meaning like overcome that circumstance we talked 619 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: about shedding the deny and still looking to be aggressive 620 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 2: making the proper reads. There's also when you're being face guarded, 621 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 2: that guy is most likely not going to help as 622 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 2: on a screening action. I would like to see Carlisle 623 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 2: really be aggressive with Haliburton as a screener in game 624 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 2: four to try to just generate some openings for him there. 625 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 2: If he sets good screens, Struce will have no choice 626 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 2: but to help. If Streuce doesn't help, if he sets 627 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 2: a good screen, then there's an opportunity for someone to 628 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 2: drive downhill. Just I would just run a bunch of 629 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 2: Siakam Halliburton inverted pick and roll and just try to 630 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: get Siakam going downhill, or get Struce off of Halliburton 631 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 2: with a slower defender on Halliburton so that he can 632 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 2: get going with the dribble. But your offense is pre 633 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 2: dedicated on ty rees and his advantage creation, and right 634 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 2: now he's all out of whack and you gotta find 635 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 2: a way to get that right. All right, For about 636 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 2: ten minutes before we get out here, we're gonna take 637 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 2: some questions from the chat. We're gonna bring Jackson up 638 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 2: on stage. Let's do it. 639 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 3: First question is about Shake Gilles Alexander, who also had 640 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 3: a bit of a stinker tonight. Do you believe that 641 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 3: s J can solve the puzzles against elite Slash Smart 642 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 3: Defenses Slash. What is he actually struggling with so far 643 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:26,719 Speaker 3: in this series? 644 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 2: You know, it's interesting because I feel like j Dubb 645 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 2: has been more the player that has been like the 646 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 2: get the defense and rotation guy. He's bringing a lot 647 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 2: of downhill force, He's moving the ball quickly through action, 648 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 2: and it feels like Shay is more leaning on his 649 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 2: shot making in this series. That said, I did think 650 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 2: there were sequences in this game where he passed the 651 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 2: ball well, it was mostly in that late game sequence 652 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 2: where he just completely went away from the player movement. Also, secondarily, 653 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 2: I thought that he and you know, Jackson, you and 654 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 2: I were talking about this texting while the game is 655 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 2: still going, but he kind of got into like the 656 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 2: foul baity thing late against Christian Brown, and like that 657 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 2: just wasn't the right approach in that sort of situation, 658 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 2: especially since like he hit some shots, like there was 659 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 2: a Shane and Jada kind of had a nice shot 660 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 2: making fourth quarter there there were like five or six 661 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 2: like pretty tough jump shots that those dudes hit. But 662 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: in general, the two of them, you know, we talked 663 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: about this a lot on the show, like there's a 664 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 2: flow of the game piece that comes from a ball handler, 665 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: Like you've got to be in charge of the flow 666 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 2: of the game, and when you've got Chaed Holmgren on 667 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:33,479 Speaker 2: the floor, you got to find a way to keep 668 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:35,959 Speaker 2: him involved in those late game sequences when you like, 669 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 2: you've just got to keep that flow, keep that motion 670 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 2: late in games. And that's the main thing is in 671 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 2: both of these games that they've lost, Shay is kind 672 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 2: of hijacked things into a slow, high ISO attack, and 673 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 2: I just don't think it's been the right move. 674 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree, it does feel like they're and they're 675 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 3: choosing to drag the pace of it down at the 676 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:00,120 Speaker 3: end of the those possession at the end of the game. 677 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 2: Why why are they doing that? 678 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 3: They don't need to do that, That's not where they 679 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 3: have advantagies. Why are you let Why Why Isosha against 680 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 3: Christian Brown, who you know, who isn't a perfect defender, 681 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 3: but is their best defender for Shay, Why not involve 682 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,319 Speaker 3: Jokchin the pick and roll? Why not try to do 683 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 3: something on the second side. It's it seems like from 684 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:22,719 Speaker 3: a strategic standpoint, whether it's coaching or Shay, they're they're there. 685 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 3: It seems like they're intentionally putting themselves in tougher spots. 686 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 2: No, they absolutely are. It's a there's a very difficult 687 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 2: way to play basketball. Trust me, I've figured this out 688 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 2: with the with the Lakers this year. You know, like 689 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 2: everyone keeps wondering like what's going on, Like why is 690 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 2: it that Golden State is causing so many more problems 691 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 2: for Minnesota? And it's like, here's the thing. I've watched 692 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:47,919 Speaker 2: Luca before do this spam helio centric thing, and I've 693 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,839 Speaker 2: seen it work, but it hasn't worked in a championship context. 694 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 2: And really, the only player ever in NBA history that's 695 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 2: won a championship with the heliocentric style is Lebron James. 696 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 2: And even then and then he became a very good 697 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: off ball player played off of Kyrie Irving and that 698 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 2: sort of thing, and he's probably the most conditioned athlete 699 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: in the history of the sport. So like that's an exception. 700 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 2: The truth is that's just a really hard way to 701 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 2: play basketball. It's a really hard way to play basketball 702 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 2: to hunt matchups in the middle of the floor, especially 703 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 2: against these elite defenses that and that's the thing, like 704 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 2: even Denver, a weaker defense that doesn't have elite defensive 705 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 2: personnel can have success when you become predictable with the 706 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 2: way that you attack, especially when the physicality is allowed. 707 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 2: And so it's like, ultimately the way they need to 708 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 2: approach these late game situations is the scale through the 709 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:43,360 Speaker 2: scope of advantage creation. So if they're just gonna switch 710 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:48,880 Speaker 2: any action with Shane J. Dubb And or Dort for instance, 711 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 2: bring up Jokic into the screening action, find a way 712 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,839 Speaker 2: to get the defense in rotation and play the drive 713 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 2: and kick style that was actually giving you the success 714 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 2: you were having throughout the rest of the game. 715 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, one hundred percent. Sort of on this note, can 716 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 3: you evaluate? Question is can you evaluate Mark Dagenall after 717 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 3: fouling early in the game in game one and then 718 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 3: tonight he had the weird challenge he didn't call time 719 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:14,360 Speaker 3: out at the end of the fourth quarter and then 720 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 3: he started overtime with chat on the bench. Where how 721 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 3: do you feel like he's handled the series so far? 722 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 2: I don't necessarily have an issue with the lack of 723 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 2: the time out there because Jadab it's kind of a 724 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 2: similar concept to what you do with Tatum on that 725 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 2: game winning attempt in the second Knicks game. In that situation, 726 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 2: you're going high. I soo obviously that's the game plan, 727 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 2: that's what they were doing, And there's something to be 728 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 2: said about, like Dad Jenn't needs to do a better 729 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 2: job of kind of like orchestrating the offense from the 730 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:52,359 Speaker 2: sideline and being like, hey, guys, if we do this, 731 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 2: we're playing directly into their hands. But like I thought, 732 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 2: where they went wrong on that possession is they gave 733 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:00,160 Speaker 2: the ball to JDub on the inbound and then Jup 734 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,920 Speaker 2: gave the ball to Shay and like, even though she 735 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 2: hit a couple of shots in that stretch, I thought 736 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:07,880 Speaker 2: Jay Dubb had a better matchup and was in better rhythm, 737 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 2: and so that was where it got weird. But you know, 738 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 2: in a lot of these situations, you know how it 739 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 2: is with me, guys, Like when it comes to on 740 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 2: court decision making, I primarily focus on the players, right 741 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:26,440 Speaker 2: the challenge piece, the Chet Homer piece. Chet wasn't involved 742 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:29,520 Speaker 2: in the offense at all at that point in the game, 743 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,959 Speaker 2: so like, I kind of see where he's probably just thinking, 744 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 2: I want to get an extra like perimeter defender on 745 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 2: the floor in that situation, especially since Jamal Murray was 746 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:39,919 Speaker 2: attacking the way that he was attacking at that point 747 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 2: in the game. I'm just not going to be as 748 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 2: on the coach for the decisions the players are making 749 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 2: on the floor, if that makes sense. But yeah, Mark 750 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 2: does need to do a good job in the off 751 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,839 Speaker 2: day here of expressing to his team how they need 752 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 2: to change their approach when they end up in these 753 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:57,839 Speaker 2: late game situations for sure. 754 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:01,760 Speaker 3: Next question, what does Minnesota have that OKAC is seemingly 755 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 3: unable to replicate against Denver? It seems like okay See 756 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 3: has more weapons and talent and skill almost across the board. 757 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 3: Is it just Gobert? What's the why does Minnesota seem 758 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:11,000 Speaker 3: to have Denver's number? 759 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 2: Comparative size, Minnesota is substantially bigger than Oklahoma City, substantially bigger. 760 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 2: It was like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Junior and 761 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:25,360 Speaker 2: all these guys, all of their individual matchups are several 762 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 2: inches taller than what you have in the OKAC matchup. 763 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,920 Speaker 2: It's just there's also a frontline depth piece. Like it's 764 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 2: all higher heart and sign and chet. You had a 765 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 2: steady diet of Karl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and 766 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:40,319 Speaker 2: nasried in that series. They were just cycling bigs in 767 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 2: to just beat the shit out of Jokic. But like, 768 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:48,839 Speaker 2: I mean, the other thing too, is like the there 769 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 2: is a little bit of a rim pressure piece with 770 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:54,840 Speaker 2: ant that is very different than the rim pressure piece 771 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 2: you get from even Shay and J Dubb like ant 772 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 2: cut Denver to pieces that series. And like even in 773 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:04,880 Speaker 2: Game seven, when he wasn't putting up the big numbers 774 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 2: necessarily like efficiency wise, in that second half, he was 775 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 2: in attack mode and he was getting that defense in 776 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 2: rotation consistently, and like there's a little bit of like 777 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:15,880 Speaker 2: when this game slowed down, it's like, oh, way, J 778 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 2: Dub is an elite athlete, but he's not like ant athlete. 779 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 2: And Shae's an elite athlete, but he's not like ant athlete, 780 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 2: and they can actually kind of manage that dynamic a 781 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 2: little bit better. But I just the simple answer to 782 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 2: your question is just that Minnesota's defense is substantially bigger 783 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 2: than oklahoma sagy for sure. 784 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:33,279 Speaker 3: Let's do one more question and then we'll go over 785 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 3: to playback for a bit. Aaron Gordon has now hit 786 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 3: obviously the game winning three in Game one, hit a 787 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 3: very very clutch three again tonight. Have you ever seen 788 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,840 Speaker 3: a shooting turnaround this drastic? 789 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 2: Okay, let's have some fun here, Jackson. What are examples 790 00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 2: of guys in our lives that we can remember that 791 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,960 Speaker 2: sucked at shooting and then became good at it? 792 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:54,759 Speaker 3: Kawhi Leonard is one that pops the mind from me. 793 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:56,360 Speaker 2: KWHI Leonard is a great example. 794 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 3: I don't know statistically whether if it's as drastic, but 795 00:39:59,080 --> 00:39:59,920 Speaker 3: he pops the mind from me. 796 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:05,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm trying to think like Jason Kidd, that's a 797 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:10,360 Speaker 2: good one towards the tail end of his career. Who's 798 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:11,880 Speaker 2: the big Brook Lopez. 799 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:15,839 Speaker 3: I don't think Kawhi is even the best example. Why 800 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 3: is shockingly good three point percentage early on in his career. 801 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 3: He I don't know if he's even the best example, right. 802 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 2: No, Yeah, you're right. Yeah, it was like weirdly good 803 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:27,439 Speaker 2: with touch. He just wasn't a volume shooter until yeah 804 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:30,239 Speaker 2: in his career. Well that I remember. That was the 805 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:31,960 Speaker 2: thing with Kawhi is everyone was like in his pre 806 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:33,880 Speaker 2: draft workout he'd made like eighty five percent of his 807 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 2: free throws or something, and everyone was, wow, this means 808 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:36,960 Speaker 2: he can shoot. 809 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 1: Right right right. 810 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 3: One that came to mind for me is uh, not 811 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:42,600 Speaker 3: as obvious one, but just as I watched it a 812 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 3: lot as Derek White the season that he was not 813 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:47,080 Speaker 3: that he was as bad of a shooter as Aaron 814 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 3: Gordon was, but he was like low thirties thirty one percent, 815 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 3: thirty percent, and then in that finals year that they 816 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:54,840 Speaker 3: lost the Warriors, it was like, we're going to just 817 00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 3: let him shoot it in the corner, and he missed 818 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:59,439 Speaker 3: a bunch of shots, and now he's like thirty eight. 819 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 2: That's a good one. Now, Derek White's a good one there. Yeah, 820 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:04,600 Speaker 2: this is a this is a good question. But Aaron 821 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:06,800 Speaker 2: Gordon is one of the classic ones in the sense 822 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,960 Speaker 2: that it wasn't like typical player development, like I mean, 823 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:11,840 Speaker 2: you could be like you could go to like Lebron 824 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:13,640 Speaker 2: became a better shooter over the course of his career, 825 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 2: but it's like he never was that bad, you know, 826 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 2: he just got Aaron Gordon was a guy that like 827 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 2: that you would just leave completely wide open, and now 828 00:41:21,239 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 2: he's become a guy that like legitimately is a knockdown 829 00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:25,880 Speaker 2: three point shooter, and I feel like it's gonna go 830 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,320 Speaker 2: in every time. Sneaky guy on this list too is 831 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:30,279 Speaker 2: Russell Westbrook at this point in his career is like 832 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 2: suddenly becoming a guy that, like he had a big 833 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:34,799 Speaker 2: three out of the left corner or was it out 834 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 2: of the right corner in tonight's game. But that's a 835 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,680 Speaker 2: very good question, all right, guys, we're gonna head over 836 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 2: to playback again playback dot tv slash Hoops tonight. We're 837 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 2: gonna go a little bit shorter tonight, just for about 838 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,920 Speaker 2: a half hour forty five minutes, but we'll meet you 839 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:48,359 Speaker 2: guys over there in just a few minutes. We'll take 840 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:50,759 Speaker 2: some callers, we'll take some questions from the chat, we 841 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:52,720 Speaker 2: may watch a little bit of film again. I always 842 00:41:52,719 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 2: appreciate you guys for rocking with us and walking rocking 843 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,120 Speaker 2: with the show. We will see you guys over on playback. So, guys, 844 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 2: as always, I appreciate you for listening and supporting Hoops tonight. 845 00:42:01,719 --> 00:42:03,719 Speaker 2: It would actually be really helpful for us if you 846 00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:06,359 Speaker 2: guys would take a second and leave a rating and 847 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 2: a review. As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us. 848 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 2: But if you could take a minute to do that, 849 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:14,320 Speaker 2: I'd really appreciate it. The volume