1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: The volume. The roller coaster of an NFL season is 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: moving right along, and it promises to be a month 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,120 Speaker 1: full of tricks, treats, and of course, touchdowns. DraftKings Sportsbook 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: and official sports betting partner of the NFL, is the 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: number one place to bet touchdowns. Running it in from 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: the one or at eighty yard bomb. We don't care 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: how they score touchdowns, we want to bet on them. 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 1: DraftKings hurt us and is delivering Ready to place your 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: first bet. Try betting on something simple like a player 10 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: to score a touchdown. 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If you guys are having a 35 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: great week so far, got a jampackshow for you today. 36 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,279 Speaker 1: We're continuing our season previews with the New York Knicks 37 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: today at number four in our power rankings. And then 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: at the tail end of the show, I've got a 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: mailbag that we're gonna hit. We're gonna bunce around the 40 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: league answer some of you guys's questions. You guys are 41 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: the drill before we get started. Subscribe to Hoops Tonight 42 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 43 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore JCNLTS. You guys don't 44 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: miss you announcement, So don't forget about podcast few where 45 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: you get your podcast on Hoops Tonight. Don't forget it's helpful. 46 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: V leve a rating and a review on that front. 47 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: And then, last, but not out least, keep dropping mail 48 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: back questions in the YouTube comments so we can keep 49 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: hitting them throughout the rest of the season. And then, last, 50 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: but not least, before we get started, I wanted to 51 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: talk to you guys about game time for a second. 52 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: Just an incredible ticket buying experience. 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Game Time? 79 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball. So we have moved 80 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: into our top tier of championship contenders. As I talked 81 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: about when we started the power Ranking series, I had 82 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: a group of teams that I thought were good, that 83 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: didn't really have a realistic chance to win the title. 84 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: And then from eleven to five that group of seven 85 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: teams there, which I believe was Grizzlies, and then I 86 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: think it was like it was like Suns and Lakers 87 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: and Bucks, and there was the Timberwolves that were in there. 88 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: The uh we had the Dallas Mavericks in there, and 89 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: then there's one that I'm missing. But we hit a 90 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: bunch of teams in that specific tier right then we 91 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: move into this top tier of contenders. This is a 92 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: group of teams that I think should all feel really 93 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 1: good about their chances to win the title. Like the 94 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: teams in that five to eleven group, they have this 95 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: like thought in the back of their head, like, yeah, 96 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: we might be able to do this if some things 97 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: go our way, you know, catch some favorable matchups, maybe 98 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: we hit on a trade, Maybe this young guy pops, 99 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: maybe this guy like starts playing better than he did 100 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: last year. There's some pathways where things might go their 101 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: way and maybe they can make a run. These four 102 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: teams in no particular order, the Nuggets and Thunder out West, 103 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: and the Nickson Celtics out East. Those four teams should 104 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: feel really good about their chances to win the title. 105 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: So why why is that the case? Why do I 106 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: feel like these four teams have separated themselves in terms 107 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: of a tier from that group that I had at 108 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: five through eleven. So I wanted to go into some 109 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: of those specific characteristics. Number One, they're elite on both 110 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: ends of the floor. Interestingly enough, those four teams, the Nuggets, 111 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: the Thunder, the Celtics, and the Knicks were the only 112 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: four teams in the NBA last year to finish in 113 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: the top ten for both offense and defense. And that's 114 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: fascinating considering the Knicks and Thunder in particular have added 115 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: a substantial amount of talent since then. But last year 116 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: these were the only four teams that could confidently state 117 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: they had an elite unit on both ends of the floor, 118 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: two tons of half court shot creation. Denver has Jokic, 119 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: who I think is the best offensive player in the world. 120 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City has shake Kills with Alexander who's in that 121 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: tier of offensive players, but is also surrounded by what 122 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: I think is the most talented roster in the Western Conference. 123 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: Boston has the most talent in the NBA by a 124 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: wide margin, and the Knicks have three players who have 125 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: averaged twenty five points per game at some point in 126 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: their career, and they're all in their prime right now. 127 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: So tons of half court offensive firepower for all four 128 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: of those teams. Three tons of physical side Boston's not 129 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: particularly big on the front line except for when they're 130 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: perfectly healthy, but Boston is huge on the perimeter. Right. 131 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: Drew Holliday, big and strong, can guard up on fords. 132 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: Derek White long arms is a guy that can guard 133 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: a couple of different types of perimeter initiators. Right. Jalen 134 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: Brown and Jason Tatum two of the most versatile defensive 135 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: forwards in the league, but there are both big, strong athletes. Right. 136 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City has the one of the best and most 137 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 1: physical perimeter defender duos in the league with Alex Crusoe 138 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: and Loudor right combined with two centers that can play 139 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: alongside each other. Now, they dramatically improved their physical their 140 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: physical profile in one summer, and the only weaknesses for 141 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: the Thunder were like experience, which now they have a 142 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: year of additional experience, and they brought in some veteran experience, 143 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: and two that physical profile, which they just dramatically improved 144 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: with those particular deals. Denver has Michael Porter Junior, Aaron 145 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: Gordon and Jokic. You're going six ten six ten seven 146 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: foot on the front line, and Aaron Gordon and Nicole 147 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: Jokic in particular are incredibly big and strong. Now that 148 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: you add Christian Brown into that lineup too, they're actually 149 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: bigger and stronger in the in the starting lineup than 150 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: they were last year. That is a physically imposing group. 151 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: And then the Knicks put Josh Hart, McHale, Bridges og 152 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: And and Obi and Karl Anthony Towns out there. That's quite 153 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: a bit, quite a bit of size and strength as well. 154 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: To win four playoff series, you have to be able 155 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: to win rock fights. You have to be able to 156 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: win when things get ugly, and rock fights take size, 157 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: strength and athleticism. That's a strength for all four of 158 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: those teams. And then lastly, you have to be able 159 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: to play different ways. Boston can play two centers. They 160 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: can go small, they can drive and kick you to death, 161 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: but they also can hunt matchups better than most teams 162 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: because they have so many different guys that can initiate 163 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: offense for them. On defense, they have the ability to 164 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: put length at the rim with Porzingis and run drop coverage, 165 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: but they also have Tatum who can guard centers and 166 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: legitimately throw a wrench and a lot of other teams 167 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: offensive attacks. Horford at center gives them a switch look 168 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: where they can switch one through five and really shut 169 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: down screening actions. They can change their defense or their 170 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: offense to meet the challenge, the unique challenge that is 171 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: in front of them. The Knicks, they will have Cat 172 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: at center looks, and they'll have Cat at the power 173 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: forward looks with an extra center on the floor. They'll 174 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: have switch looks, they'll have drop books. They were one 175 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: dimensional offensively last year, but by bringing in Michale Bridges 176 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 1: Karl Anthony Towns, that makes them much more versatile offensively 177 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: this year. They will have many different ways to attack offensively, 178 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: which we're going to talk about here in a minute. 179 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City now they have a two big look, but 180 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: when they go chat at the five, they still have 181 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: this look with tons of speed and skill that they 182 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: can go to as well. They'll even have a bunch 183 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: of different looks they can go to in closing lineups. 184 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: Like you can imagine a scenario where they go with 185 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: the same closing lineup as last year, but instead of 186 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: having you know, Aaron Wiggins in instead of Josh Giddy 187 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: Josh Giddy in there, they can have Alex Cruso in there. 188 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: They can have a big lineup where they go Chetton Hartenstein, 189 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: and they can decide whether they want to go to 190 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,359 Speaker 1: Dort or Caruso depending on the matchup and what specifically 191 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: is needed there. Like, there's so many different ways that 192 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: they can kind of construct things for them, and they 193 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: have three different dudes who can legitimately initiate offense for 194 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: them at a high level. They are very versatile. They 195 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: can change to meet the challenge in front of them. 196 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: And then Denver they have a good deep drop look 197 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: and they have a good high drop look. Again, I 198 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: think a lot of people don't realize this, but Denver 199 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: was top ten in defense last year. With Christian Brown 200 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,479 Speaker 1: in the starting group too, they're going to be better defensively. 201 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: He is able to guard some bigger forwards in a 202 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: way that Kentavious call what Pope was not. This is 203 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: one of the things that allows them to keep Aaron 204 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: Gordon in help more often, which will make them even 205 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: better on the defensive end of the floor. And then 206 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: on offense, they have so many different ways they can 207 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: attack you. Jokics post ups, Jokich Murray two man game. 208 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: They have like a well rounded five out attack where 209 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: they get lots of off screen stuff for Jamal Murray 210 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: and Michael Porter Junior. Like look at Game one of 211 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: the Finals in twenty twenty three where they just spam 212 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon post ups because they like a matchup. Like 213 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: the Nuggets just have a ton of different ways that 214 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: they can play on both ends of the four. Again, 215 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: versatility wins because you have to face four likely very 216 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: different types of opponents on your way to the trophy, 217 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: and having that malley ability is a big part of 218 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: what allows you to beat four different types of team teams. Again, 219 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: these are the differentiators for these four teams, elite on 220 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: both ends of the floor, tons of half court shot creation, 221 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: tons of size and strength in the ability to play 222 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 1: different ways. Those are the things that these teams have 223 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: that the teams in that next tier are lacking in 224 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: various ways. All Right, let's start once again. Power Ranking 225 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: Style number four The New York Knicks an offseason recap 226 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: for them. They lost boy In mcdonovich, Alec Burkstante Di Vincenzo, 227 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: ISAIH Hartenstein, and Julius Randall. They added mckail Bridges, campaign 228 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: Landry Shammitt, Karl Anthony Towns, and some end of the 229 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: bench guys, which we'll see how they panned out pan 230 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: out over the course of the season. On the Cat Deal, 231 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: I've talked about this bunch on the show we've done. 232 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 1: I did a really deep dive with Sam Vessini on 233 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 1: his podcast about a week ago, so you guys can 234 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: check that out. We talked about it in detail during 235 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: the Minnesota pod as well as the Night of the Trades. 236 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: We've got lots of that content out there really quick synopsis. 237 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: They needed a center, and you can't do much better 238 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: than Karl Anthony Towns. He has his defensive limitations, which 239 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: we're going to get into in a minute. We're gonna 240 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: have a whole segment of the show. How do you 241 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: guard with Karl Anthony Towns at center? We're going to 242 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: get into that. But he's just one of the most 243 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,719 Speaker 1: talented players in the league at that position. He can 244 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: shoot well enough that he can play alongside another big, 245 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: so he gives you a ton of lineup flexibility, and 246 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: if you can work it out with him at center, 247 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: he gives you a bunch of ammo for some legit 248 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 1: matchup problems For some of the other teams in Eastern Conference, 249 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: like with Philly, that pick and pop is an excellent 250 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: counter for a deep drop big like Joel Embiid right 251 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: for the Pacers. Same thing for Miles Turner, who's a 252 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: rim protector wants to drop to the basket for Milwaukee. 253 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: Same thing against Brook Lopez. Lopez and Embiid in particular 254 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: can really struggle to cover ground in rotation, and that's 255 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 1: something where having Kat's ability to pick and pop and 256 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: get them in rotation consistently and have those big, slow 257 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: bigs closing out at him could be something that really helps. 258 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: Or if they rotate from the weakside closing out on 259 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: other shooters. Right, Boston, It's complicated. It depends on whether 260 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: or not you can actually get Porzingis to guard Cat. 261 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,079 Speaker 1: But we're gonna get into that more detail because I 262 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: have a whole segment just on the matchup with Boston 263 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: that we're going to do at the tail end of 264 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 1: of this power ranking sect. But that's the thing, is like, 265 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: you're just going to get legitimate matchup advantages that you 266 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: didn't have last year without a stretch big, and you 267 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: have a different look that you didn't have last year 268 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: with two bigs that you can go to by virtue 269 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: of this when Mitchell Robinson comes back, if they end 270 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: up keeping him again, Mitch and Kat together that should 271 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: be a very physically imposing group that still provides a 272 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 1: decent amount of spacing the las of Devincenzo. Obviously, it hurts. 273 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: I mean, Dante Devincenzo's awesome Knicks fans don't need me 274 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,079 Speaker 1: to tell him that. I think he's one of my 275 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: favorite two way guards in the league right now. But 276 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 1: good players are expensive, and Kat is going to do 277 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: more to help the Knicks than Devincenzo. Leaving is going 278 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: to hurt the Knicks in my opinion, And thank you, 279 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: thankfully you have options that you can go to. Right 280 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: Josh Hart is big and physical and can do a 281 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: lot of switching with McHale, Bridges and oj Anoby, so 282 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 1: that's kind of an interesting look. I love Duce McBride. 283 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: I still like to see Duce McBride with those guys 284 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: quite a bit. He played alongside Brunson a lot in 285 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: the playoffs last year and had a pretty successful two 286 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: man game with him. As a matter of fact, he 287 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: logged eleven role man possessions in the playoffs and scored 288 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: fourteen points on him. All of them were ghost screens 289 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 1: with Brunson shot forty six percent on unguarded catch and 290 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: shoot jump shots in the playoffs, over forty percent if 291 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: I think he was like forty five percent ish on 292 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,839 Speaker 1: above the break threes in particular, just I think he's 293 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: an interesting look for them to go to there. And 294 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: then the other thing they can do is that can 295 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: size up with two big so like having Dante DiVincenzo 296 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: out of the lineup makes him get a little creative. 297 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: But they have a bunch of different directions that they 298 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: can go and most importantly, they have improved offensive flexibility. 299 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: Last year was like a two thousand and one Alan 300 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: Iverson esque approach to offense with Jalen Brunson. He logged 301 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,079 Speaker 1: a usage rate of thirty six point four percent in 302 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: the playoffs that was by far the by far the 303 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: highest out of anyone who played at least ten playoff 304 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: games last year Luka doncitz by comparison thirty two point 305 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: four percent, So like, that was pretty crazy high usage 306 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: from Brunson, and as a result his efficiency suffered. He 307 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: went down to fifty three point six percent true shooting 308 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: in the postseason. That was about six percent down from 309 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: what he was in the regular season. This year, they 310 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: will not need him to do that. He can function 311 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: more as a initiator, just a guy who gets the 312 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: initial advantage and then all of their talent can capitalize 313 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: on it. The cat two man game even above the 314 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: like the pick and pop, is the most simple concept 315 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: of it. Right talked about this at length. Every drop 316 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: coverage involves the big having to keep the ball handler 317 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: in front of them, right, and so if the big man, 318 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: instead of rolling into the drop coverage, big pops out 319 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: to the three point line, it's like the ultimate counter 320 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: to a pick and roll coverage. You're either going to 321 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: have to have your center close out from the drop 322 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: coverage to the top of the key, which is a nightmare, 323 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: or you have to rotate from the weak side, which 324 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: can leave openings on skip passes. Right, Like the pick 325 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: and pop is like just such a great weapon to 326 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: have in the back, But I think they can also 327 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: use it to set cat up with advantage situations. Just 328 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: simple basic ISOs, right, Like this is what Tyres Max 329 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: and Joel Embiid do, right, run the ball screen pocket pass, 330 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: Embiid goes to work from the elbow area, right. I 331 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: think you can do similar stuff with that with Kat 332 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: above the break. Just have him run most of his 333 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: ISOs out of two man game where he catches with 334 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: the guy closing out of him. Basically, have him be 335 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: an initiator who already has an advantage. We saw already 336 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: in the preseason game examples of Brunson operating as a screener. 337 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: You can't really do that if you don't have scoring 338 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: threats off of him that can capitalize on the attention 339 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: that Jalen Brunson. Gardner's right, Like, this is something they'll 340 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: be able to do this year. They ran Brunson as 341 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: a screener on the first play of the preseason game 342 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: and almost got Ojan and Obi a wide open layup 343 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: out of it. Like that's something that they'll be able 344 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: to get to. Five out concepts, not a whole lot 345 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: like there were five out concepts last year, just without 346 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: the necessary firepower to make it really work. Having Ognnobi 347 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: and Michale Bridges in there as a bunch of additional 348 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: ball handling and scoring ability kind of lock some of 349 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: those five out concepts. Posting switches. This was something that 350 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: because of the Anonobe injury and because of the centers 351 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: that the Knicks had, not something they could consistently get 352 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: to last year. In the postseason, Ognobi and Karl Anthony 353 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: town should be able to post mismatches in situations where 354 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: they screened for Brunson and get switches. So just a 355 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: ton of additional offensive flexibility compared to what they had 356 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: last year. How do you build a defense around Kat? 357 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: I would think of it from the perspective of the 358 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: way that the Denver Nuggets defend with Nicole Yogis to 359 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: a greater extent, because Jokic is a better rim protector 360 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: than Kat. But don't ask a guy that's not gonna 361 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: be some big vertical deterrent to protect the rim. Ask 362 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: him to be active with his hands on the ball 363 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: handler instead. This is where I would use him in 364 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: more of a high drop, meaning I would bring in 365 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: ball screens. Towns further out and ask him to primarily 366 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: work on disrupting the ball handler. That leaves you in rotation. 367 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,479 Speaker 1: But you have lots of backside athleticism, right, So in 368 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: that case, that means the role man is going to 369 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: get behind Kat a lot. But if you've got ogn 370 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: and Obi kind of setting up as that lowman tagging 371 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 1: the roller and rotating, and you've got Michael Bridges and 372 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,439 Speaker 1: all of his foot speed and Josh Hard Orduce mcgride 373 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: whoever it ends up being, or if they go big 374 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: and it's precious to Chuwa or whatever it is, they 375 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: have lots of speed on that backside. That is a 376 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: way that you can account for Karl Anthony Towns's limitations. Obviously, 377 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: it depends on the matchup. If you're playing against a 378 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 1: team that doesn't have great guard play, they're running ball 379 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: screens and you're not worried about getting torched from the 380 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: mid range or torched by a dude and downhill at 381 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: you at the rim, then yeah, maybe you can run 382 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 1: a deeper drop and try to stay at a rotation. 383 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: But in terms of the tougher matchups in the league 384 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: with higher quality pick and roll ball handlers, I would 385 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: just bring Cat up to the level as much as possible. 386 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: I think they need to do more switching two through four. 387 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: In the preseason game, they were having McHale Bridges chase 388 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: even in guard guard screens like that involved Josh Hart 389 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: or O Jannobi. That's not something I agree with. I 390 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 1: would not have any unnecessary screen navigation in this group, 391 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: especially when you're already going to get into rotation. Some 392 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: with CAT the most importantly have to contain the ball. 393 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: If you contain the ball, you don't need to protect 394 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: the rim as much. If there aren't straight line drives 395 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: with guys really getting ahead of steam, rim protection isn't 396 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: as important. This is just kind of like a general 397 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: philosophy I have about basketball. It's like I always talk 398 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: about things in terms of a bracket. If you have 399 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 1: in a pick and roll coverage, if you have a 400 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: great guy chasing over the top of the screen and 401 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: makes the drop coverage his job easier. Right, So if 402 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: mkale Bridges is chasing over the top, that makes Cat's 403 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: job easier. Same thing goes with just a simple driving 404 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: kick attack. The bracket of your perimeter defense versus the 405 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: bracket of your ability to protect the rim, the better 406 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,400 Speaker 1: you are at the perimeter at the point of attack, 407 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: the less there is stress on your back line to 408 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: cover ground at the rim or cover vertical territory at 409 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: the rim. Right. So, like again, I think it's gonna 410 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: be a lot of stuff involving rotation and chasing guys 411 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: off the line. But I would bring Kat up to 412 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: the level and use him more as a guy that 413 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: is attacking the ball handler than protecting the rim. What's 414 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: my outlook on this team. I think they'll win a 415 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: lot of regular season games. The East is super weak 416 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: and its bottom half. The Knicks have a ton of talent, 417 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: all in their athletic prime. The fan base is all 418 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: jazzed up. They're gonna have a great home court advantage. 419 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: I think they're gonna get the two seed behind Boston. 420 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: I think they'll finish above Philly and Milwaukee in the standings. 421 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: As for the playoffs, I think they match up super 422 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: well with Philly and Milwaukee. Kat is just such a 423 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: nice counter for slow footed centers. As we talked about earlier, 424 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: ogn andob is one of the better bodies that you 425 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: can throw in the league at you be honest, McHale, 426 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: Bridges and Duce McBride are a couple great options for 427 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: Damian Lillard. Tyrese Maxey went off on them, but they 428 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: put Ojan Andobi on him a lot, and he'd likely 429 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: guard Paul George in this type of matchup. McHale Bridges 430 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: is the guy that's gonna end up getting that matchup. Now. 431 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 1: I think that's a better option for them. I think 432 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: Philly probably presents more issues for them than Milwaukee does, 433 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: just because of the embiid problem and them not really 434 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: being able to match up with him super well. But 435 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,880 Speaker 1: as we saw the especially at the end of games, 436 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: they were able to really swarm Embead into limit his 437 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: effectiveness last year. So like I think they match up 438 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: pretty well with Philly and Milwaukee. Let's talk about Boston though. 439 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: Boston is why you get this aggressive. Boston is why 440 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: you make these types of deals. They are the ultimate 441 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: barrier to a finals run for the Knicks. Right. The 442 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: main question for me in this matchup is can they 443 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: get Boston in rotation? This means can they actually force 444 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: Boston to consistently put two on the ball so you 445 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: can get quality catch and drive, catch and shoot, catch 446 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,439 Speaker 1: and pass situations on the weak side. If the Knicks 447 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: go with their starters. Let's talk about Cat for a second, 448 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: because Cat is the key here. If they go with 449 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: what they started the preseason with with Josh Hart in 450 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: the lineup, we know how the Celtics will guard that. 451 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: They'll put Tatum on Cat, they will switch the Brunson 452 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: cat two man game, and they'll put Porzingis on Josh Hart, 453 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: and they will dare Josh Hart to make above the 454 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: break threes. We just know that's what they're gonna do. 455 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: It's what they do to everybody, right. I also think 456 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: if they go with Horford at center, they'll just switch everything. 457 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: But we'll get to that more here in a minute. 458 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: So let's say that the Knicks counter this by going 459 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: to duce McBride instead of Josh Hart. Duce McBride shot 460 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: forty five percent on above the break threes in the 461 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: playoffs last year, pretty decent volume, shot forty percent on 462 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: above the break threes in the regular season. You put 463 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: him out there, You're not putting Porzingis on duce McBride. Now, 464 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: Porzingis is probably on Karl Anthony Towns at that point. 465 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: Now you're opening up the pick and pop. Now Boston 466 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: is putting two on the ball with Kat, with a 467 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: Brunson in a ball screen with Cat. Every time down 468 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 1: the floor. That is where you have the potential to 469 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: play Porzingis off the floor. Why is it important to 470 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: play Porzingis off the floor because he is one of 471 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: the best switch beaters in the entire NBA. To attack 472 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: your mismatches on the other end of the floor, I 473 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: think the key to guarding Boston well is to switch 474 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,679 Speaker 1: and contain the ball. If you let them get to 475 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: their easy screening actions, they're going to get you into 476 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: rotation with just a ghost screen or a pick and pop, 477 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,120 Speaker 1: and then they're gonna pick you apart in their driving kick. Right. 478 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: Anything you have to hedge or drop against, they're gonna 479 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: get you in rotation. But if you can switch and 480 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 1: you can contain the basketball, that's where you can potentially 481 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: get them to settle for jump shots, maybe take some 482 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 1: lower quality threes, go cold, and then you have the 483 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: opportunity for brunts and to potentially alpha dog them on 484 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: the other end of the floor. Right then on the 485 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: other end of the floor, you can turn it into 486 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,880 Speaker 1: take them trying to attack Cat and Iso Tatum trying 487 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: to attack Brunson and Iso, and then you have Michael Bridges, 488 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: Oh Jan Andobi, guys like Juce McBride that can cover 489 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: ground in rotation on the weak side when they get 490 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: beat right. But if Porzingis is off, the Celtics will 491 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: likely go to Horford at center, and with that group 492 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: they switch everything. And now Brunson's probably going to have 493 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: to attack Horford every time. And Boston, similar to the Knicks, 494 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: has a lot of length and speed on the back 495 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: end to rotate as well, with Derek White, Drew Holliday, 496 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. So honestly, like, the more 497 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: and more I try to talk myself into a Knicks 498 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: defeat of Boston, the more and more I just think 499 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: Boston is the better team. I think Kat is a 500 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: slightly better player than Porzingis, but Porzingis is better at 501 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: some specific things that make him particularly valuable to Boston. 502 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: For instance, Porzingis is better at posting switches than Kat. 503 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: That's a significant thing that Boston can use in the 504 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,360 Speaker 1: playoffs when things bog down in the half court. He's 505 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,400 Speaker 1: also better at protecting the rim than Kat. O Jan 506 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: Andobi and Michale Bridges are two very good forwards, but 507 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: Tatum and Brown are substantially better, and Jalen Brunson is 508 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: obviously better than Boston's guards. But the two Boston guards together, 509 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: Jew Holiday and Derek White, they kind of keep that 510 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 1: battle pretty close. Brunson is the key. He's the one 511 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: guy who's capable of out executing Jason Tatum in the 512 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: half court at the end of these games. But the 513 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: Knicks have to keep it close for that to be 514 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: a possibility. And Tatum is no slouch. He's just as 515 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 1: capable of out executing Brunson in those situations. So there's 516 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: a path. You can see the path right play play 517 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: chrisops porzingis off the floor, get into a lot of 518 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: switching on defense, bait Boston into taking bad shots. Brunson 519 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 1: starts picking on Horford on the other end, keep the 520 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: games close. Brunton out executes Tatum in the clutch. That's 521 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: kind of like the pathway, but it feels like a 522 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: very slim pathway among all the possible outcomes. The Knicks 523 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: are certainly closer to Boston than they were, and I 524 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 1: think they do have, in all likelihood the best chance 525 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: of getting this done, but the talent is stacked against them. 526 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: It's going to be a challenge. So how can the 527 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,479 Speaker 1: Knicks increase their chances? How can the Knicks make it 528 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: more likely that they catch the smaller of those outcomes, 529 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: which is them finding that pathway to victory. I would 530 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: just attack the regular season like nobody's business. Boston is 531 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: the defending champion, they have massive talent advantage over the 532 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: rest of the league. It's possible that they approach the 533 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: season with a little bit more of a lackadaisical attitude. 534 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:30,959 Speaker 1: I personally think Boston will stay locked in. I think 535 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: they're pissed off at everybody because they're not getting enough 536 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: respect for their title. But there's a chance that they 537 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: come into the season with a more lackadaisical attitude. You 538 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: have to be playing better basketball than Boston will when 539 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: you get to that matchup in May, in early May 540 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 1: or late May, right, and that's going to require an 541 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:52,679 Speaker 1: obsessive attention to detail that starts now. One of the 542 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: big things I'm gonna be looking at with the Knicks 543 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: early in the season is just how dominant they are. 544 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: The example I want you guys to think of is 545 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: Houston in twenty eighteen. They were sharper than Golden State 546 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: all year. We all knew Golden State was better, but 547 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 1: they were sharper than Golden State all year. They stayed 548 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: significantly above them in the standings. They had the best 549 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: record in the league. If I remember correctly, I think 550 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: they won sixty five games, and so when they ran 551 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: into Golden State they were able to jump them a 552 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: little bit. Now they ended up losing, but maybe if 553 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: CP three doesn't get hurt, it goes differently. I think 554 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: Golden State so wins no matter what. But Houston gave them, 555 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: gave themselves a really good chance to win by just 556 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: taking the regular season more seriously than Golden State did. 557 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: And I don't think these Celtics are really good. I 558 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: don't think they're as good as the KD Staph Warriors. 559 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: So like control the controllables, attack the regular season, be 560 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: sharper and jump Boston when you get there in May. 561 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: That I think is the best way for them to 562 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 1: increase their chances, just attacking the regular season and being 563 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 1: one of those truly dedicated day in, day out types 564 00:26:53,680 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: of teams. All right, let's move on to our mail. 565 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: Bick Melbag I think Dre needs to play the five 566 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 1: most of the season when he's paired with Trace or Loon, 567 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: there's not enough shooting on the court. Maybe in three 568 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: guard lineups with Steph Healed and whoever their third best 569 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: shooter is, but you put Dre at the five, and 570 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: there's a lot of space for JK Wigs, Steph and 571 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,160 Speaker 1: the other guard to operate. The Warrior season crumbled last 572 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: year with dray and Lune playing together without enough shooting, 573 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: too easy to double off them. Trace might pair a 574 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: little better with Dre, given he's a lop threat, but 575 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: it still gives two players defenders that can that defenders 576 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: can ignore and focus on Steph. So we all agree 577 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: that I think most Warriors fans agree that Draymond at 578 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,360 Speaker 1: center is going to be their best look, there's no doubt, 579 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 1: and they're going to close games with that. It'll be 580 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: Wiggins coming and Draymond and Steph and whichever guard makes 581 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 1: the most sense, whether that's you know, Buddy Heal's red 582 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: hot tonight he's closing, or it's the Anthony Melton, or 583 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: it's Brandon Patiemski, whoever ends up being. They're going to 584 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: do some combination of that, right, But it's about eating 585 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: innings in the regular season. When you're smaller, you have 586 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 1: to compensate with obsessive effort because you're constantly covering ground 587 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: to make up for it, whether it's in transition or 588 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: in rotation. But when you're big, you're big no matter what. 589 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: And so the idea behind going big is you make 590 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: it easier on a night in and night out basis 591 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,679 Speaker 1: for you to do your job because you don't have 592 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: to cover as much ground when you're big. Just being 593 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 1: big vertically, by just standing, you're able to get to 594 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: more defensive rebounds, You're able to protect the rim a 595 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: little bit better, You're able to absorb contact a little 596 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: bit better. So that's the idea. It's about being big 597 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: for the sake of eating innings over the course of 598 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: eighty two games, which I understand. Again, we all know 599 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: that what they have to do when it comes down 600 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: to winning time. But this is just about treating the 601 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: eighty two game season with the appropriate level of like 602 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: conservative nature to make sure that you have all your 603 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: guys when you need them, and that I do understand. 604 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: I do lean Tray Jackson Davis over Kevon Loony just 605 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: because I think Trace brings motor and I think he 606 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: brings speed, and I think that gives them the ability 607 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: to kind of convert defense into offense. And I do 608 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: think this team is going to be able to force 609 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: a lot of turnovers and get out on transition, especially 610 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: with Draymond playing helpside defense more this year as a 611 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: four man. So I am curious to see how it 612 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: all turns out. But I do understand why they have 613 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: to go big to start the year. I genuinely cannot 614 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: fathom how the Nuggets are above the MAVs, So let 615 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: me just explain why I have the Nuggets above the MAVs. 616 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: I just think the Nuggets are a more talented team. 617 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: I think Jokic is slightly better than Luca. I do 618 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 1: think Kyrie is slightly better than Jamal Murray, but I 619 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: do think that Murray and Jokic compliment each other a 620 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: little bit better and have more pop as a two 621 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: man game, So I'm gonna give them the slight edge 622 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 1: after that though, I think Gordon is a better player 623 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: than PJ. Washington. I think Michael Porter Junior, at this 624 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: point in his career, is a better player than Klay 625 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: Thompsonnuggets will have a better defense than Dallas this year. 626 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: I think Mike Malone is a better coach than Jason Kidd, 627 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: So like, I also think the Nuggets just present more 628 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: matchup issues to teams because of the Jokics problem. So 629 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: I just think the Nuggets are a better basketball team. 630 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: That's why I have the Nuggets over Dallas right now. 631 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 1: This guy refused to explain how the Nuggets and Thunder 632 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: beat Dallas and instead goes on about the Celtics, who 633 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: they can only play in the finals. Denver ran into 634 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: a matchup issue with Minnesota, and that was exacerbated by 635 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: the fact that both KCP and Jamal Murray got hurt 636 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: in the Lakers series, and the Nuggets were a bit 637 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 1: worn down, a bit like worn down just by a 638 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: long playoff run the year before, long season hard series 639 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: against the Lakers in the first round. Right, like they 640 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: get worn down, they break down officially in that Minnesota series, 641 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: Like imagine that too, Like your guards are how you 642 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,520 Speaker 1: navigate Minnesota's ball pressure. And both of them were dealing 643 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: with bad wheels and then KCP was an ankle and 644 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray was a calf. Just makes things harder, right, 645 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: But here's the thing, they were still up twenty in 646 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: Game seven. They just blew it right. If they had survived, 647 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: I would have picked them against Dallas because Dallas doesn't 648 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: have a soul who can remotely guard Jokic and Aaron 649 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: Gordon is one of the best options in the league 650 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: to throw at Luka Doncic. So like Okay and then 651 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: as far as Oklahoma City goes, Oklahoma City was a 652 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: free throw away from playing Dallas in Game seven at home. 653 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: They had a lot dunked to Chet that put them 654 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: up by one heading into the final possession. In Game 655 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: six in Dallas, Dallas one, Dallas one, fair and square, 656 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:34,959 Speaker 1: Luca made a play. PJ. Washington got fouled. He made 657 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 1: the free throws game over right, but that was a 658 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: very small margin. If Oklahoma City gets a stop on 659 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: that last possession, we're heading to Oklahoma City for Game seven, 660 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 1: where they're favored. And they added this summer two additional 661 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: role players that are high level veterans that will help 662 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: them on both ends of the floor and address specific 663 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: needs for them. I think Oklahoma City would beat Dallas 664 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: in a series this year, So there you go. Like 665 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: I I didn't explain it in the last one, but 666 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: I think the Nuggets present more matchup issues for Boston. 667 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: I would pick Denver over Dallas right now. I would 668 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: pick Oklahoma City over Dallas right now. And I just 669 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: gave you some of the basketball reasons why. There was 670 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 1: an interview with Jason Kidd this week in which he 671 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: talked about applying some triangle offense concepts with the MAVs 672 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: after visiting Phil Jackson. He really specifically emphasized less dribbling 673 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: and more quick passes instead of holding the ball as 674 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: a key takeaway. Besides that, he also mentioned wanting someone 675 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: other than Luca to bring the ball up and to 676 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 1: have Luca attack from different areas on the court. Beat 677 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: writers have speculated this might mean more mid post and 678 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: low post touches for Luca, as well as more handoffs. 679 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: Since Kyrie and Luca ranked first and second among fifty 680 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: seven players are ran at least three hundred handoffs last year. 681 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:48,320 Speaker 1: Do you think these are things that are beneficial ways 682 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: to improve the Dallas offense. As for defense, I think Dallas' 683 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: potential woes have been a little overstated. Clay is no 684 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 1: longer elite defensively, but he isn't below average or a cone. 685 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: By the way, I know, MAVs fans sound a little 686 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: salty in the comment, but it's because it feels like 687 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: everyone is underrating the moves we made and our chances, 688 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: just like last season. Hope you aren't too annoyed with 689 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 1: the comments, Jason, thanks for the breakout. Don't worry about 690 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: the comments. I've been doing this for like what two 691 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 1: and a half years now. February first will be three 692 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: years since I started with the volume, so I'm kind 693 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: of used to it at this point. I've just basically 694 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: learned that every fan base is mad all the time. 695 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: Like literally every video up to this point has had 696 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: fans complaining about where teams are ranked. So like it 697 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: is what it is, like, go look at the Minnesota 698 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: video or like the Milwaukee video, Like everyone's pissed off 699 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: all the time. I'm kind of just used to it. 700 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: Every fan base thinks their team gets unfair coverage, so 701 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: I never take that sort of thing personally. Also, I 702 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: know that for every one person who complains in the comments, 703 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: there's you know, a thousand or so that actually watched 704 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: the video and don't complain, so I try not to 705 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 1: read too much into that. I do love the idea 706 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: of having Lucas start possessions off the ball and specifically 707 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 1: coming off of handoffs. This is actually a five out concept, 708 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 1: and this is an example of an easy five out 709 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: concept they could add this year to kind of juice 710 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: things up for them offensively. It saves wear and tear 711 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: from ball pressure. There's just no reason to have Luca 712 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: bring the ball up the floor against the guy who's 713 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: gonna turn him once or twice and make him make 714 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 1: all those additional cuts over the course of a game. 715 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: That's another forty another fifty cuts that can wear a 716 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:15,279 Speaker 1: guy down. I'm not saying you don't have him bring 717 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 1: the ball up at all, but I think it is 718 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 1: helpful to have Lucas start some possessions in the corner 719 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 1: and then literally have the ball handler bring up the 720 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 1: floor the ball at the floor, and then just run 721 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: that like kind of five out delay action, like a 722 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: Chicago action where like Kyrie brings the ball up the 723 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 1: left wing, Luca's in the right corner, Klay Thompson is 724 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: on the right wing. You have Kyrie bring it up 725 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: the left wing, you dump it to Lively who's trailing 726 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: at the top of the key. Derek Glively turns towards 727 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,760 Speaker 1: the right corner, Klay Thompson pins down and screens for Luca. 728 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: Luca then comes off of Clay and off the dribble 729 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: hand off and comes downhill into the lane. It's the 730 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: same type of reads that Luca makes in his ball screen, right, 731 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: like Lively's rolling off that dribble handoff going to the 732 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,919 Speaker 1: rim for a dunk. Inevitably, by virtue of Chicago action, 733 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson is probably going to be open on a 734 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:07,320 Speaker 1: skip back, right. Like, I love involving Clay in screening 735 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 1: actions with Luca as much as possible, but it's just 736 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: a simple way to like save him wear and tear 737 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: and ball pressure, have him attack with a little bit 738 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 1: more of a complication. And once again one of the 739 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 1: things I talked about yesterday, Remember, running action just makes 740 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 1: it so that there's more like more likelihood that the 741 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 1: defense will make a mistake. If you bring the ball 742 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: to the floor and just run a ball screen. It 743 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 1: all of a sudden just becomes entirely about Luca's superpowers. 744 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 1: And we all know that Luca has great superpowers, but 745 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: running offense is what forces defense to make lots of 746 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:36,799 Speaker 1: decisions which can lead to more mistakes. Well, what I 747 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: want to see is I want to see lucas superpower 748 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 1: combined with defenses making mistakes. That's what I want to 749 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,440 Speaker 1: see because that's where I think you can squeeze a 750 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 1: little bit more out of that sponge. So, like, I 751 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:48,360 Speaker 1: think that makes a lot of sense. You can always 752 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: default back to Luca ball at the end of possessions. 753 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: You run some stuff doesn't work, Oh there's ten on 754 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: the shot clock. Throw it to Lucas at a ball screen. 755 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: Now we're playing, right. But like, I think, just exploring 756 00:35:57,880 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: more of those five out concepts will just help juice 757 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: their off a little bit, might increase their pace a 758 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 1: little bit too, because Luca tends to bring the ball 759 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:05,279 Speaker 1: to the floor a little slowly. Have someone else bring 760 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: up the ball at the floor. That might be a 761 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: little bit more pace to the offense. It's so fun 762 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 1: to watch the Lakers actually drop plays instead of freestyling 763 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 1: all season. So a couple things. The Lakers actually ran 764 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,479 Speaker 1: plenty of action last year. In fact, even though JJ 765 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: Redick has added some stuff, those those dribble weave concepts 766 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: we were talking about in the Monday Show, a lot 767 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,280 Speaker 1: of the stuff they ran in the first two preseason 768 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 1: games were the same concepts that they were running last year, 769 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: some like post up split cut stuff and some like 770 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 1: horn sets that they run Like a lot of that 771 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: was the same stuff they were running last year. The 772 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: key is running action more frequently, which they have, and 773 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: two adding complications and counters, which will take time. These 774 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,879 Speaker 1: are like little wrinkles that you add to sets, both 775 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 1: on and off the ball, depending on what a defense 776 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 1: is doing to cover it. Right, Those are things that 777 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: take time though to implement, and then most importantly overall 778 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: attention to detail and accountability. So like, for instance, one 779 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: of the things that JJ Reddick's been talking a lot 780 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: about in his press conference is a screening. So like 781 00:36:58,520 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 1: one of the things I talk about all the time is, like, 782 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,719 Speaker 1: you know, focusing on sets is important because they obviously 783 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,439 Speaker 1: bring value and all the things we talked about by 784 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,919 Speaker 1: promoting more mistakes from the defense, things along those lines, right, 785 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: But like the most important thing is how well you 786 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,400 Speaker 1: actually run the set. Like if we run a basic 787 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: ball screen, but my guard does a really good job 788 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 1: of setting his man up for the screen by selling 789 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: one way to then come back the other way, and 790 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 1: I get a really good screen, Like a really good screen, 791 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 1: Like that's gonna get me better offense than if we 792 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 1: run a beautiful five out set but no one fucking screens, right, Like, 793 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,160 Speaker 1: those are little details that matter. Setting up your man 794 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 1: for a screen screening properly, actually coming off of that 795 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 1: screen with power, like coming off with force. If you 796 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,440 Speaker 1: come off the screen soft, you're not gonna engage the 797 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 1: screen defender. There's all these like little details that make 798 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 1: sets effective. And that's the thing. Like they can run 799 00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 1: the same shit they ran last year as long as 800 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 1: they run it better with more attention to detail and 801 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:04,600 Speaker 1: more frequently, and so like those are all these like 802 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 1: little details that get Like basketball at its very core 803 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 1: is fundamental. If you like literally just run your lanes 804 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: and transition really hard, make kickout passes when they're available, 805 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: and drive closeouts properly. You can get good shots. Just 806 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: by playing drive in kick and transition push basketball. You 807 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 1: can be successful, like we talked about in spamming ball screens, 808 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:28,239 Speaker 1: if you're just really good with your details in the 809 00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: ball springs. Details matter, and so you have to coach details. 810 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,000 Speaker 1: You have to hold people accountable on details. You have 811 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:39,600 Speaker 1: to that. That is the type of obsessiveness that every 812 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: good basketball team has. All right, last one at some point, 813 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 1: this guy needs to be honest about the Lakers. Here 814 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:49,439 Speaker 1: are the facts. Lakers twenty twenty three twenty twenty four 815 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:53,040 Speaker 1: season offense was not good. Playing team swept first round. 816 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 1: Offensive rating one sixteen fifteenth out of thirty, defensive rating 817 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:58,879 Speaker 1: one fifteen sixteenth out of thirty, Net rating plus point 818 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: zero six nineteen thoutd of thirty. Again, this is just 819 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:04,920 Speaker 1: a really dishonest way to characterize the Lakers season. Over 820 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:07,879 Speaker 1: the Lakers last forty six games, they had the fourth 821 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: best record in the league in the third best offense. 822 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 1: That's not just a stretch run. That's not just the 823 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: end of the year when the best teams are preparing 824 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 1: for the postseason and the bad teams are tanking. That's 825 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,480 Speaker 1: forty six games. That's fifty six percent of the entire season. 826 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:24,239 Speaker 1: And that's not just stacking wins against bad teams. That 827 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 1: seventeen wins against the top ten in point differential teams, 828 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 1: which is tied with Boston for the most in the NBA. 829 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:32,919 Speaker 1: And that's bracketed on the other end by them winning 830 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:35,920 Speaker 1: the nd season tournament. They were bad for less than 831 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 1: a month. Now here's the thing. A three to ten 832 00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: stretch in a remarkably talented Western conference will be very damaging. 833 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:47,359 Speaker 1: And that is what colored the Lakers the way they did, 834 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 1: and that's why most of the casual fans who weren't 835 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: watching them very closely didn't think they were very good. 836 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 1: But they were very good in all of the games 837 00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:57,359 Speaker 1: spanning that Just again, you can't afford to go three 838 00:39:57,400 --> 00:40:01,480 Speaker 1: to ten out west forty seven games though. Just look 839 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:04,000 Speaker 1: at that three and ten, right, that's thirteen games. Let's 840 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 1: say that they just go like with their normal win 841 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,640 Speaker 1: percentage of the season. So let's say they go seven 842 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:14,919 Speaker 1: and seven and six. That's less than their normal winning 843 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,319 Speaker 1: percentage of the season. Let's just say they go seven 844 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: and six, so barely over five hundred in that three 845 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: and ten stretch. Now they're a fifty one win team. 846 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:26,360 Speaker 1: And again, during that stretch, they were actively trying to 847 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 1: get their coach fired, like pouting, not playing hard, leaking 848 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,719 Speaker 1: stuff to the press. It was an ugly stretch, I'm 849 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 1: not debating that, but it was a forty six game 850 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:39,560 Speaker 1: stretch after that where they took off and were awesome. 851 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: Not to mention the fact that it had a lot 852 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:44,120 Speaker 1: to do with the fact that they started using a 853 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:47,399 Speaker 1: lineup that never played before January. The lineup of Austin Dilo, 854 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,240 Speaker 1: Rui Braun and Anthony Davis, the one that carried them 855 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:54,240 Speaker 1: to that forty six game stretch, did not play at all. 856 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,240 Speaker 1: In the first half of the season, did not play. 857 00:40:57,600 --> 00:41:00,160 Speaker 1: So here's the truth. They were bad for less than 858 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 1: a month, but they were mostly awesome the majority of 859 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:06,160 Speaker 1: the season. Are the Lakers in the inner circle contenders? No, 860 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 1: they have too many flaws, but they absolutely belong in 861 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: that next tier of teams. And I've been consistent about that. 862 00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: I didn't say I picked the Denver Nuggets to beat 863 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers last year in the postseason. I don't have 864 00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:19,759 Speaker 1: any delusions of grandeur with the Lakers. I think that 865 00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: they're another one of the good teams below the contender tier. 866 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: But they have a really strong foundation in Lebron James 867 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,760 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis. So if they can hit on a trade, 868 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:31,040 Speaker 1: if they attack the season with the appropriate level of 869 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,359 Speaker 1: attention to detail, they can crack into that group potentially 870 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,040 Speaker 1: if some things go their way, which is the same 871 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:39,200 Speaker 1: thing that can be said about every other team that's 872 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:40,920 Speaker 1: in that tier. All right, guys, that's all I have 873 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: for today as always, I sincerely appreciate you guys for 874 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 1: supporting the show. We will be back. I'm actually later 875 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:49,680 Speaker 1: this afternoon recording with Claire Dalon about the GM survey 876 00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 1: that's coming out on Friday. Tomorrow is going to be 877 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 1: a bunch of preseason reactions, So preseason reaction tomorrow, GM 878 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 1: Survey stuff on Friday. Then we have one more week 879 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:01,080 Speaker 1: before we get into the regular season. Again, as always, 880 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys, and I'll see you tomorrow the 881 00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 1: volume What's Up guys? As always, I appreciate you for 882 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: listening to and supporting Hoops tonight. It would actually be 883 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 1: really helpful for us if you guys would take a 884 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: second and leave a rating and a review. As always, 885 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:18,279 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if you could 886 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:20,799 Speaker 1: take a minute to do that, I'd really appreciate it.