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Oh, 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: all of you guys had an incredible week to this point. 30 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: As promised from yesterday, we're gonna be doing a deep 31 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: dive on one of the most impressive teams here in 32 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: the early going of the NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves, 33 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: so continue to notch impressive win after impressive win. The 34 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: only team that has a victory against the two best 35 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: teams in the league in my opinion through the early going, 36 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: which is the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets taking 37 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: care of business against both of them. So we're gonna 38 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: do a deep dive into the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then we're 39 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: gonna do a heavy mail bag at the end of 40 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: the show. I have eleven mail bag questions that allow 41 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: us to kind of bounce around the league and hit 42 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: a bunch of different stuff and get to some of 43 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: the questions that you guys wanted answered. You guys know 44 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,679 Speaker 1: the joke before we get started. Subscribe to our brand 45 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: new YouTube channel as we try to get this thing 46 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: off the ground. It would mean a lot to me 47 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second to scroll down 48 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: and hit that subscribe button and then don't forget if 49 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: you live in the Los Angeles area and you have 50 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: subscribed to the channel, screenshot just something that shows that 51 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: you've subscribed. Go to my Twitter feed find the tweet 52 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: from the volume that is talking about the giveaway. We're 53 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: giving a tickets to a Blazers Lakers game. I believe 54 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: that takes place on Sunday nights, So you're gonna want 55 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,679 Speaker 1: to get out and drop that screenshot soon so we 56 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: can get that giveaway done. Don't forget about our podcast feed, 57 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: where we get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. Social media 58 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: follow me on Twitter, TikTok, and instagrams from posting video 59 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: content as well as show announcements. In the last but 60 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: not least, keep dropping mail bag questions in the comments 61 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: on YouTube so we can keep hitting them at the 62 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: end of these shows. All right, let's talk some basketball. So, 63 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: if you guys remember Timberwolves fans coming into this season, 64 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: I had a feeling that the Timberwolves were going to 65 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: play extremely well. They were one of the most impressive 66 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: teams in my opinion at the tail end of last year, 67 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: and there was this recurring theme that kept happening. It 68 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: was like especially at the end of games, because that 69 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: would be when Aunt in particular was more defensively engaged. 70 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: But you saw it through the whole game as well, 71 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: but particularly at the end of games. You'd see Anthony 72 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: Edwards and Jade McDaniel's guard the other to the other 73 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: team's two best perimeter players and just make life a 74 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: living hell for them. And then they also have the 75 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: benefit of being able to be very aggressive because of 76 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: the incredible back line that is anchored by Rudy Gobert 77 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: and that unique combination of perimeter defense with interior defense 78 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: just makes it really difficult to score on them, right, 79 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: And then even when they go to their bench, it's 80 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,239 Speaker 1: like here comes Nikhil, Alexander Walker and Kyle Anderson, guys 81 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: that are lesser versions of Anton Jayden, but guys that 82 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: bring a similar one to two punch instead in terms 83 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: of like a longer athlete that can guard on the 84 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: perimeter and then a quick guard that can navigate screens 85 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: and apply physical ball pressure. Right. So, like we saw 86 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: that over the course of the tail end of last season, 87 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: they were a huge pain in the ass for the 88 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: Lakers in the playing game. Then they were a huge 89 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 1: pain in the ass for the Denver Nuggets and a 90 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: five game gentleman suite. But it was a five game 91 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: gentlemen sweet that was very competitive where the Timberwolves, you know, 92 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: had several key moments. There's a game they lost where 93 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: they went on a big run towards the end and 94 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: the race to Big League. Then obviously in Game five, 95 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards had a shot to tie it at the end. 96 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: It was a competitive series, right, So my theory coming 97 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: out of that, I remember I put Ant at fifteen 98 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: in my player rankings, and my thought process was like, 99 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: this dude is just right on the precipice of ascending 100 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: to superstardom. And then he went into the tm UOSA 101 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: camp and was clearly the best player on the team, 102 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: better than players that a lot of people had previously 103 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: assumed were better than Ant, and then he just immediately 104 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: rose to the top of that pile. Right. It's funny 105 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: how that kind of that whole Team USA experience just 106 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: kind of shined a bright light on like how good 107 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: Ant already is. And then it was kind of a 108 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: great example for all of the non Lakers fans out 109 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: there that Austin Reeves is actually a really good player 110 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: that can play at the highest level. Right, Like the 111 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: TMUOSA camps always ended up being a great way to 112 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: kind of learn more about what these players are capable of. Right. 113 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: So then we come into the season, and my thought 114 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: process was pretty simple. They've kind of discovered this defensive 115 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: formula with their perimeter defense and Rudy Gobert anchoring things 116 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 1: on the back line, and Anthony Edwards is poised to 117 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: become potentially a top ten player in the NBA this year, 118 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: and I simply thought that if they could combine an 119 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: all time great defense or all times a strong word, 120 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 1: but like a truly transcendently great defense. With a top 121 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: ten player that can generate quality shots in the half court, 122 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: it'll push them over the top. Right. But what those 123 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: of you guys who did listen back then, you might 124 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: remember with Ant there was a very specific thing that 125 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: I was looking to see from him this year, and 126 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: it was an improvement in his playmaking. Anthony Edwards has 127 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: a great downhill rim pressuring presence, right, and that naturally 128 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: just sucks the defense in. It's actually kind of comical 129 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 1: how much defenses react to him because of his downhill 130 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: athleticism and just how aggressive he is as a score took. 131 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be referencing a bunch of plays from the 132 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: Timberwolves today, and I clipped all these plays and put 133 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: them on my Twitter feed, put them in a thread, 134 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: a thread of all these reads that Anthony Edwards makes. 135 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: So if you're following a lot at home, following along 136 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: at home, you might want to go on Twitter and 137 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: just kind of pull up those videos so you can 138 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: see what I'm talking about. But there's a screenshot in 139 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: particular that I grabbed where Aunt came off of a 140 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: ball screen going to his right hand going to the 141 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: right wing, and three Pelicans followed him, including strong help 142 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: out of the strong side corner from brandon Ingram, and 143 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: he ended up making an easy bounce past to shake 144 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: Milton in the corner that he missed the three. But 145 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: the point there is is like Ant's just drawing a 146 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: lot of attention, and he's always drawn a lot of attention, 147 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: but like there's a difference in his approach this year 148 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: compared to last year. It's actually funny. A complete and 149 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: total accident. So I log into Synergy this morning and 150 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: I click on the Timberwolves Pelicans game to watch it. 151 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: It was something that I wanted to watch yesterday I 152 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: didn't get time to I wanted to spend today as 153 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: like a Timberwolves day, right, So I pull it up 154 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: and I'm watching and Aunt is just jacking up threes 155 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: in the first few minutes. I think he got up 156 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: like four threes in the first three or four minutes, 157 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: and they weren't great shots, and he was looking to 158 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: get his teammates involved at all. And then it dawned 159 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: on me. I'm like, wait a second, CJ. McCollum's out there. 160 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: He has a collapse slung. Trey Murphy's out there, He's in, 161 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: And then it dawned on me. I'd accidentally clicked on 162 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three Pelicans Timberwolves 163 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: game that happened at the very end of last year, 164 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: and like Synergy lists the games by most recent, so 165 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: I clicked on it because I thought it was the 166 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: one from the other night, but it ended up being 167 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: the one from last year, and I was like, oh, no, wonder, 168 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: like I've watched this game before. So I quickly back 169 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: out of it, and I go to the twenty twenty 170 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: four game, and I get the right game. There were 171 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: completely different jerseys. Obviously, it's a totally different Pelican squad. 172 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: They're dealing with a lot of injuries right now. Zion 173 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: Williamson's out too, Trey Murphy's out, CJ mccom's out, so 174 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: it's kind of skeleton crew for the Pelicans. But so 175 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: I start watching that game and and Ant is just 176 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: picking the Pelicans apart with his passing through the first half, 177 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: and it's like it's it was. It was an accidental 178 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: juxtaposition of two different versions of the same player. Literally, 179 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: just what six or seven months apart, right, And that's 180 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: the thing, because like Ant's scoring is off the charge good. 181 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: Twenty eight points per game, that's a career high. Six 182 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: point one rebounds per game, that's a career high. Sixty 183 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: one percent true shooting percentage, that's a career high. He's 184 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: shooting outrageously well. He's taken sixty seven pull up jumpers 185 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: so far this year and he's made thirty four of them. 186 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: That's insane. He is making pull up jump shots at 187 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: the same efficiency that Steph Curry did last year, when 188 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: Steph was the best player in the league at that 189 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: specific shot, and Anthony Edwards pull up jump shot this 190 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: season has been worth one point two to two points 191 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: per possession. That's insane. He's been good in catch and 192 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: shoot situations as well. Fifty four percent in effective field 193 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: goal percentage, seventy two percent in the restricted area, which 194 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: is outrageous. Three point three mix per game, which is 195 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: perfectly fine, especially when you factor in some of the 196 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: spacing limitations of that roster. Right. Oh, that's great, but 197 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: that was all stuff that we knew Anthony Edwards was 198 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 1: capable of. I think I think the one thing that's 199 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,079 Speaker 1: been a real revelation in terms of the scoring side 200 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: of things for ant for me and I started to 201 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: notice this with Team USA, mostly in the scrimmage clips, 202 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: but you saw a little bit of it in the 203 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: games as well. But is kind of like become a 204 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: very polished and nimble, good footwork move, counter move type 205 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: of score in the short to mid range. And ironically, 206 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 1: as someone who's been compared to Michael Jordan over the years, 207 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: he kind of has a lot of that MJ kind 208 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: of scoring like versatility in that short to mid range. 209 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: He had another play against the Pelicans in that game 210 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: where he kind of did a reverse pivot into a 211 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: pump fake and then stepped through and made a bank 212 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: shot like that. That was the classic MJ was the 213 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: fake fade away into the step through right, And so 214 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: like he's got a lot of that stuff and that's 215 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: been a surprise. But more or less, like we've known 216 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: that he's been a capable pull up jump shuter he's 217 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: done in the playoffs the last two years. We've known 218 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: he's a good downhill rim presence. But the problem was 219 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: is like he just never really weaponized that downhill rim 220 00:10:56,160 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: presence to generate quality looks for his teammates. Well, his 221 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: assists are up this year to a career high five 222 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: point three assists per game. He has a career high 223 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: one point four to seven assists to turnover ratio. And 224 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: he's been one of the best pick and roll players 225 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: in the league. And I want to zoom in on 226 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: this pick and roll play making piece for a minute. 227 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: So he's averaging one point two to two points per 228 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: possession in pick and roll including passes. Now, that's outstanding. 229 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: To give you an idea. Out of the thirty five 230 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 1: players in the league to run at least seventy five 231 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: pick and roll so far this year, he ranks third 232 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: inefficiency out of those thirty five players. So he's been 233 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: one of the very best and most efficient pick and 234 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: roll shot creators in the league so far this year. Now, 235 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: to me, it comes down to he when it comes 236 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: to pick and roll. Most young pick and roll ball 237 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: handlers only see their two man game, meaning like they're 238 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: reading the screen defender and like, if they have an 239 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: opportunity to take to make the pocket pass, they'll throw 240 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: the pocket pass. And then if the biggest sagging back 241 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 1: and they get enough separation, they'll take some kind of 242 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: you know, pull up jump shot in the mid range, 243 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: but they really struggle to see anything outside of just 244 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: their two man game, right, And one of the advances 245 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: you'll see in a pick and roll shot creator is 246 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: when they start to look past the screen defender and 247 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: start to pay attention to the lowman, because the lowman 248 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: really is the key indicator of what's going to be open. 249 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: Because again, like when it comes to working downhill, if 250 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: you're too late to identify that the lowman came over 251 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: and you throw the pocket pass, the lowman can kind 252 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: of blow that play up, right, So like you have 253 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: to hit the pocket pass in the sweet spot where 254 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: where the rollman or the lowman is on his way 255 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: to come tag the roller but isn't quite there yet. 256 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: That way the pass can get through and the guy 257 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: has enough time to kind of like make that decision 258 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: to kick to the corner or identify that the lowman's 259 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: going to be too slow as he goes to the rim. 260 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: So like it's a really delicate read because if the 261 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: lowman jumps the roleman, meaning he comes over quickly, then 262 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: the pocket path isn't there and you have to throw 263 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: the skip pass over the top. And like in this 264 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: particular game, the new Orleans Pelicans game, and I clipped 265 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: a bunch of examples and the Pelicans actually offered low 266 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: man help out of both sides of the floor. They 267 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: helped out the weak side and at a strong side 268 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: at different points during this During this game, and Ant 269 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: just perpetually kept making the right read. It was like 270 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: help out of the left corner on a right wing 271 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: pick and roll, so a weak side corner low man help. 272 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: This is the first clip in the thread that I 273 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: put out there. He identifies that Brandon Ingram's coming over 274 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: immediately and just rifles a pass across the court that 275 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: hits Mike Conley right in the shooting pocket as he 276 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,719 Speaker 1: knocks down a three. Then there's another one where he 277 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: runs the pick and roll out of the left side 278 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: of the floor and as he's working towards his right, 279 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: the low man comes out of the strong side corner 280 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: and he just whips it across his body like this, 281 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: and it's a tougher pass and Carl Towns had to 282 00:13:57,880 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: kind of come over to grab it and then set 283 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: his feet, but he was so damn open because he 284 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: timed it perfectly. As Jeremiah Robinson Earl was coming over 285 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 1: that he was able to give Carl Towns enough time 286 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: to set his feet knock down the shot right. Then 287 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: there was another one later on. This is in that 288 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: same thread where he's working in pick and roll and 289 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: he identifies that the lowman hasn't come over yet but 290 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: is about to, but he already sees the pocket pass. 291 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: So instead of throwing the pass to the corner, which 292 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: would have been an easy rotation, I think it was 293 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: Jordan Hawkins in this case, Jordan Hawkins could have easily 294 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: made the rotation. Instead, he throws the ball to go 295 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: Bear on the pocket pass, and Go Bear then activates 296 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: or kind of like grabs the attention of Jordan Hawkins, 297 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: and then he makes the kickout pass to the corner 298 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: for someone I think it was Shake Milton this time 299 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: to knock down with three. So like again, these are 300 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: like it is getting really good now and looking past 301 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: the two man game and seeing the lowman on either 302 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: side of the floor and basically identifying where his passing 303 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: reads are. And then it goes down to like just 304 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: simple driving kick stuff. A play where he did a 305 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: little kind of give and go action with with Gobert 306 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: at the top of the key where he pump faked 307 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: and on the pump fake brandon Ingram left his shoes, 308 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: just took a hard dribble into the basket. Jonas Falatunas 309 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: stepped over Boom, easy swing pass to the corner to 310 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: nas Reed for a wide open three. And so again, 311 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: like what's really intense, Like I should say, exciting is 312 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: the right expression. What's really exciting about that, as it 313 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: pertains to Aunt is like these are easy, easy, easy 314 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: passes for him to make because he does such a 315 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: good job of engaging the defense. A lot of the 316 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: better pick and roll playmakers in the league, it's not 317 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: about their ability to make the read or make the pass. 318 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: It's about actually engaging the lowman. And the only way 319 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: you're going to engage the lowman is if you're dangerous 320 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: enough as a score and as a rim pressuring threat 321 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: to actually pull defenders towards like in your direction essentially 322 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: your gravity right and so like has always had the 323 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: gravity in terms of his ability to bring people over. 324 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: It's even more dramatic now with his pull up shooting 325 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: and how accurate he's been, and when you add to 326 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: that his ability to make the reads, it makes him 327 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: a very dangerous player. Here's a crazy stat for you guys. 328 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: There are in seven games so far this year, Anthony 329 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: Edwards has four games with at least seven assists. It 330 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: took him twenty six games last year to notch four 331 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: seven assist games. That gives you an idea of just 332 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: how far ahead of last year he is as a playmaker. 333 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: Had two games this year where he had one assist 334 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: that kind of pulled him down, and they were early 335 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: in the season. He's been passing the ball better as 336 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: of late. I think that's a really strong indicator, and 337 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: it looks like he's sending his superstardom in our eyes, 338 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: right before our eyes. I want to hit on a 339 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: couple of other offensive players for Minnesota. Carl Town's not 340 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: shooting the ball super well this year. He's twelve for 341 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: thirty six on catch and shoot threes, but his post 342 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: up attack has been a nice entry point for their offense. 343 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: He's shooting sixty three percent on hook shots this season, 344 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: and a Carl Towns post up is good for one 345 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: point zero nine points per possession, middle of the pack 346 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: for his volume. Fourteen players in the League of run 347 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: at least thirty and he's sixth place inefficiency, so that's 348 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: kind of turned into a decent little entry point for 349 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: their offense. Jaden McDaniels has been really good attacking, with 350 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: an advantage one point two to three points per possession 351 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: in spot up situations. Obviously, he's hitting his catch and 352 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: shoot three this year, but a big part of it 353 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: is like he's got that like catch on the left wing, 354 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 1: ripped to his left, and then he'll shoot these like 355 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: drifting pull up jump shots that are pretty close to 356 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: the rim, like in that ten to twelve foot range. 357 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: He banked in one against New Orleans the other day. 358 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: He's shooting eight for fifteen this year on pull up 359 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 1: jump shots. Mike Conley has thirty assists with one turnover. 360 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: There are sixty seven players in the NBA so far 361 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: this year that have at least thirty assists, and Conley 362 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: has one turnover. Second fewest turnovers on that list is 363 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: Chris paul Is seven. So kind of a you know, 364 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: completely unique strike of high level play making while taking 365 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: care of the basketball from Mike Conley. And then the 366 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: last guy I wanted to shout out was Nas Red. 367 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: It has been unbelievable attacking closeouts. He's actually been their 368 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: third leading score coming off the bench. He's given them 369 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: fifteen points per game off the bench, and part of 370 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,919 Speaker 1: it's the catch and shot jumper, and he'shooting really well. 371 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: He's ten for twenty two on catch and shoot jump 372 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: shots when he's spotting up so far this year. But 373 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: he's driving the closeouts really well. And he has a 374 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: little bit of slow mo in him in the sense 375 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:33,360 Speaker 1: that he just slows down and kind of meanders into 376 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 1: the lane, and he's so much bigger than whoever's guarding 377 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: him that he's able to kind of just like get 378 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: close and then shoot little push shots off the glass. 379 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: He actually had a driving bank shot out of the 380 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: right corner attacking a close out in the first half 381 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: against New Orleans. He is four for five from the 382 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: field this year when he shoots driving out of a closeout, 383 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,439 Speaker 1: fifteen points per game on sixty nine percent for shooting. 384 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: Can't do much better off the bench than Nasried is doing. Again, 385 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: on the defensive end, we did a deep dive into 386 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: some of the defense metrics last week, so I won't 387 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 1: get into the metrics. They are number one in defensive 388 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 1: rating and number one and half court defense, but they're 389 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: just good at everything they do. They kind of have 390 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: like different pick and roll coverages for go Beart and 391 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: for Cat. So like with Carl Towns, he's sitting more 392 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: in a deeper drop with Carl excuse me, with Rudy Gobert, 393 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: he's sitting in a deeper drop. With Carl Towns, he's 394 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: coming higher into the ball screen because he's obviously not 395 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: much of a rim protector, so they're using him to 396 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: kind of get rid of the basketball. And then what 397 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: they'll do is Rudy Gobert is typically guarding a non 398 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: shooter well essentially come over as the low man and 399 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: operate as that drop coverage big as the ball is 400 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: coming downhill in a pocket pass or anything like that. 401 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: And then basically as soon as the ball advances past 402 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: Carl Towns, Carl Towns just sprints and rotates to Rudy 403 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: Gobert's man. And that's been kind of working for them 404 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: because it allows Carl Towns to basically force the ball 405 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 1: handler to get rid of the ball. Rudy Gobert can 406 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: kind of just contain that pocket pass action. And then 407 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: Kat's been really good about getting back into the play 408 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: so that they don't give up an offensive rebound in 409 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: the process, But it's just a steady diet of perimeter defense. 410 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: It's Jaden and Ant to start the game, and then 411 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: it's Nikhil, Alexander Walker and Kyle Anderson coming off the 412 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: bench and bringing that intensity. Even their weaker perimeter defenders, 413 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: guys like Shake Milton and Mike Conley are just competing 414 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: and doing their job. They're doing a good job of 415 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: leaving the right shooters open. Because again, like a lot 416 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: of people are saying, oh, teams aren't shooting well against 417 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 1: the Timberwolves, and it's true. The Timberwolves have the league 418 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: best opponent three point percentage they're giving up I want 419 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: to say, like the fifteenth or sixteenth most threes in 420 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: the league, So they're pretty middle of the pack in 421 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: terms of giving up threes. But teams are shooting a 422 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: really low percentage on them. And like, again, I tend 423 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 1: to think that process is a part of it. Like 424 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: it's always a little bit of both, right, Like, will 425 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: teams shoot thirty one percent against the Timberwolves all year? No, 426 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: But this is an example of what elite defense can 427 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 1: do in a small sample size. Like I do think 428 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 1: that your physical point of attack defense, throwing people out 429 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: of rhythm helps. I do think that just in general, 430 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: the length and athleticism you have in rotation and the 431 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: effect that Jada McDaniels and Edwards can have offering late 432 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: contests as freak athletes the way that they are, I 433 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: think that that stuff plays a role. We've talked about 434 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: this with the Lakers. It's like, do their guards need 435 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: to make shots? Yeah, but I think what'll actually help 436 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: them make shots is that they get better quality shots, right, Like, 437 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: I do think these things are are very intricately related. Right, So, 438 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: perimeter defense, solid rotations, excellent rimp protection. That's a recipe 439 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: for one of the best defenses of this era. And 440 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: when you combine that with the ascendants, with the assent 441 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: to superstart him from Anthony Edwards and the solid contributions 442 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: they're getting around him, you have yourself a damn good 443 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: basketball team. Again, like this early in the season, to 444 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: already have wins against Boston and Denver, who have pretty 445 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: much looked dominant against everybody else. Can't do much better 446 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: than that to start the year. All right, eleven mail 447 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,199 Speaker 1: bag questions before we get out of here today. So, 448 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: first one, you mentioned how you can't bet on the Celtics, 449 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 1: with Tatum as their number one option, with which I 450 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: agree with. What would be the path for a team 451 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,360 Speaker 1: like that who has a good enough supporting cast win 452 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: but just don't seem like they ever will with their 453 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: current number one guy. Should Boston try and do what 454 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: Toronto did with the Kawhi trade and trade Tatum for 455 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: someone who can actually lead them, pray for good circumstances 456 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: and push like the MAVs did with Dirk, or just 457 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: accept that, regardless of overall talent, with Tatum as the 458 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: number one, championship won't be really feasible in the current 459 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: era basketball. So there are three teams right now that 460 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: I look at that are kind of in the middle 461 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 1: of this sort of predicament, and it's the Celtics, the Hawks, 462 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 1: and the Sixers. The difference is is like each team 463 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: is kind of in a different situation. Like I genuinely 464 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: believe Tatum will be good enough one day, So I 465 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: have advocated that patience is the appropriate strategy for the Celtics. 466 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: They should wait see if Tatum develops. Trey Young to me, 467 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: it's pretty clear that he's not. Like, if Trey Young 468 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: is the best player on your team, I just don't 469 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: think you can win a championship. Trey Young's awesome made 470 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: another incredibly high level pass in pick and roll fading 471 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: out of bounds last night, that hook pass to the 472 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: corner to Dejonta Murray that basically ended up being the 473 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: game winner last night against the Magic God knows. I 474 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: respect and believe in what Trey Young can do as 475 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 1: a basketball player, but strictly within the context of the 476 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 1: championship goal, I think if he's your best player, there's 477 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: a limitation there. So as a franchise, you either need 478 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 1: to accept that as long as he's there, that's not 479 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: really an option and kind of adjust your expectations or 480 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: try to go get one of those guys. Now. To 481 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: be clear, like when you really look down down the league, 482 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 1: like in NBA history, there's always one of those guys 483 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: leading the way, right, you absolutely have to have that guy. 484 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: So again, to me, it's about the expectations of your franchise. 485 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: If you're just trying to be good, then a guy 486 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 1: like Trey Young's fine, and you can keep him forever 487 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,479 Speaker 1: and you'll have some fun playoff runs and you'll never 488 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: get the trophy, right, But if you're if you're the 489 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics, and that's clearly a failure for you. You 490 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 1: need to make a decis about your star. But again, 491 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 1: I think Tatum's going to be that guy. I think 492 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 1: there's enough information there just from what we've seen He's 493 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: eventually going to be that guy. Joel Embiid is like, 494 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: it's a question. My thing would be if he goes 495 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: into the playoffs again this year and he again has 496 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: some sort of nagging injury, and he again seems to 497 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: get stonewalled by a decent, big foard defender in the playoffs, 498 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 1: and again he can't trust his jump shot, and again 499 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: his scoring craters into the low twenties. As a franchise, 500 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: you got to ask yourself, like, do we want to 501 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: be the next Houston Rockets that are really good? But 502 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: every time we run into another one of the top 503 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: tier superstars, our James hard and Joel Embiid, whoever it is, 504 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: ends up coming up short to a better player, right, 505 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: And that's the thing, Like, I think the Sixers are 506 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: our right to keep trying. But if after this season 507 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: it happens again, now you've got to look back and 508 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: be like, man, that's three consecutive seasons in the heart 509 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: of Joel Embiid's prime where he completely fell apart in 510 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: the playoffs, and you'd have to have a conversation with yourself, right. 511 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: Same thing goes with Trey Young. But as far as 512 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum goes, I think it's pretty clear that he's 513 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: going to be one of those guys. Here's a Lakers question. 514 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: Since four out was working so well last season, why 515 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: the did they implement the five out this season? Obviously 516 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: they don't have the personnel to run five out and 517 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: it's shown just eight games in historically the worst first 518 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: quarter team through eight games last and three point percentage 519 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: twenty ninth in mid threes per game. So we talked 520 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,399 Speaker 1: a little bit about this at the end of the 521 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: show yesterday, but again a quick refresher for those who 522 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: don't realize, like a five out offenses is like what 523 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors run. And we talked about this 524 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: a lot on this show when we talked about the Warriors. 525 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: But basically, it's like it's a motion offense, a steady 526 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: diet of wide pinned downs, dribble handoffs, ball screens and 527 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 1: everything mixed around, like consistent motion from five players on 528 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: the perimeter. Right and even when a defender or when 529 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: an offensive player rolls to the rim or cuts to 530 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: the rim, they immediately relocate back out to the perimeter. 531 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: And the idea is the Again, like if you look 532 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: at the teams that run five out offense teams like 533 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: you know Sacramento and Golden State or just a couple 534 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: of examples, they are they have really high level shot 535 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: makers and they have guards that are super quick that 536 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: can get downhill and make kickout reads. Right, So like 537 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: you have Malik Munk and Deer and Fox who can 538 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,120 Speaker 1: consistently beat people off the dribble and they're kicking out 539 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: to guys like Kevin Herder and and a Keegan Murray. 540 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 1: You are excellent spot up shooters, right, although Kevin Herder 541 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,959 Speaker 1: struggling to shoot this year. Then then in addition to that, 542 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: like Keegan Murray and Kevin Herder are guys that like 543 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: to come off of screens and dribble handoffs and rise 544 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,880 Speaker 1: and fire. So it works right. For Golden State, it's 545 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: a little different. It's less about their the quickness of 546 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: their guards and it's more about just the outrageous shooting. 547 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: Like Stephan Klay are just so damn good at shooting. 548 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: That they constantly can get slips to the rim for 549 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:01,920 Speaker 1: their other players as defenses overreact to them, and then 550 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: even when it comes to dribble penetration, it's easier for 551 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: them because they're such outstanding shooters. The Lakers are in 552 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: an awkward position where their guards on the wing that 553 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: are playing let's just look at their their their one, 554 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: two three. So if we look at Reeves Dlo Torrian Prince, 555 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: Reeves is a good shot maker, not a great shot maker, 556 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 1: and he's an average athlete that's not going to toast 557 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: people off the dribble. D Lo good shot maker, not 558 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: great shot shot maker, decent athlete or like an average 559 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: athlete that's going to struggle to beat people off the dribble. 560 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: Torrian Prince, he's a good off ball player, good catch 561 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: and shoot player, but when it comes to taking tougher 562 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: shots off the move, he's only okay at it. He's 563 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: good at it, but he's not great at it, right, 564 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 1: And he's another guy who's not an outstanding athlete who 565 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: can beat people off the dribble. So, like part of 566 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,479 Speaker 1: the issue for me with the with the five out 567 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: approach for the for the Lakers is simply that they 568 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 1: are not good enough at making tough contested shots or 569 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: off the move, off the dribble shots, and they're not 570 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: good enough at beating people off the dribble to actually 571 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: run that offense. What they have, that's what they have 572 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 1: that's really good is they have two backcourt pick and 573 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: roll guys who, when they're given space to operate, are 574 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: pretty solid throughout the course of the regular season at 575 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: generating quality shots, meaning like they can get to a 576 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:23,439 Speaker 1: mid range pull up jump shot, they can hit the 577 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: pocket pass, they can make kickout reads on the weak 578 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: side right they're both pretty good at that when they 579 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 1: have space. And again, just imagine a cleared side pick 580 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 1: and roll. So I've got a shooter in the corner 581 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: wing kind of like elbow extended to the top of 582 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: the key, and I'm running like a Reeves Anthony Davis 583 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: pick and roll on the right side. There's just a 584 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: ton of space to operate. And Austin's really shifty, and 585 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: he's good at drawing fouls, and he's good at making 586 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: shots when he's getting fouled, and when you get ad 587 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: a pocket pass when there's lots of space, he can 588 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: have some success there. But when it's like a cluster 589 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: fuck for lack of a better term, and you're running 590 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: a ball screen or dribble handoff, and you've got guys 591 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 1: just equally spread out along the perimeter. They're all the 592 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: space is underneath the basket. And what's hard about that 593 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: is in order to take advantage of that, you have 594 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: to be good at beating people off the dribble, and 595 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves and D'Angelo Russell are not straight line athletes. 596 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: Even Anthony Davis is not a straight line athlete, and 597 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: so like that's why they've been so good with Lebron 598 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: James on the floor offensively, is he's one of the 599 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: guys that can kind of actually generate that rim pressure. 600 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: So like, for me, it makes more sense with this 601 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: team to spread the floor in a four out concept, 602 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: So shooters in the corners, shooters on the wings, and 603 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: then come run that pick and roll with Anthony Davis 604 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: so that they have the entire side of the floor 605 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: to work with, or maybe even clear the side entirely 606 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: by moving that corner shooter over to the other side 607 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 1: and let those guys work two man game. Like we've 608 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: talked about this a lot. The idea of a brute 609 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: force offense versus like a system offense. Right, And to me, 610 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: the five out teams that succeed, they are teams that 611 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: actually have the the talent to run that kind of 612 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,959 Speaker 1: system offense. But like to me, the Lakers are very 613 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: much a brute force offense. They have a couple of 614 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: guys who are really good as long as the circumstances 615 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: favor them in terms of spacing. Right, like Lebron James 616 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: still to this day, if you let him post up, 617 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: he's gonna get a quality shot. Right, Anthony Davis has 618 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: been well over a point per possession and post up 619 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: each of the last post ups each of the last 620 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: two years. So like those two guys screening and rolling 621 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: to the rim and a spread floor, operating in a 622 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: post up situation in the spread floor, that's great even 623 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: now imagine the off ball situation. Dangel Russell and Austin 624 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: Reeves excellent catch and shoot players. Dangel Russell and Austin 625 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: Reeves average pull up jump shooters, So like lean into 626 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: them getting more catch and shoot opportunities by operating off 627 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: the ball in a spread floor pick and roll situation 628 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: rather than doing this read and react five out thing 629 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: where none of them are particularly good at the things 630 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: you need to be good at in order to make 631 00:30:57,680 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: that work. That's kind of where I'm at with the 632 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 1: with the Lakers offense at this point. We'll continue to 633 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 1: kind of flush out that concept as we get further 634 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 1: into the season. Next meil By question, I wanted to 635 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: ask why core players tend to play a significant amount 636 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: of minutes in the third and fourth quarter even if 637 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: their team is leading by a big market margin, for example, 638 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: twenty plus points. For example, I watched the timber Wolves 639 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 1: as Pelicans today. Anthony Edwards and Gobert still played the 640 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: third and fourth and both ended up playing thirty two 641 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: minutes for the whole game. I feel to Norman the NBA, 642 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: but why core players don't take more rest even if 643 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: a game is already decided. They usually do towards the 644 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: tail end of the year. To me, this is related 645 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: to the start of the year. I think most NBA 646 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: teams right now are pushing minutes a little bit higher, 647 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: even when they don't necessarily need to, as a result 648 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 1: of just trying to get guys into NBA season shape. Remember, 649 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: we've seen a lot of guys Julius Randall Jalen Brunson, 650 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: Damian Lillard. These are all guys that came into the 651 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: season and now they're playing their way into shape. And 652 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 1: when they're not practicing, they don't literally have an opportunity 653 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: to work on these things except for within games, and 654 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: so I think that's why they're pushing their minute right now. 655 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: Next mail back questions from Malcolm. Hey, Jason, what do 656 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: you think of Asar Thompson's potential? He didn't get as 657 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: much attention as a men on Overtime, Elite or in 658 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: the draft. I think he can be a better version 659 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,719 Speaker 1: of a men, and I think I think he can 660 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: be better than a man, and think he can be 661 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: a better version of Iguadala on the Warriors. What do 662 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: you think? So, I obviously haven't watched the Pistons as 663 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: closely as I've watched some other teams that I've watched 664 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 1: two games of them so far this year, and then 665 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: I watched their preseason games because we scouted Asar over 666 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: the preseason. We did a whole video on that, and 667 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: then I scouted him this summer. To put it simply, 668 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: he's not a very good basketball player right now, just 669 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: because he's so limited on the offensive end as a 670 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: shot maker and as a decision maker, there's still like 671 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: there was a random play at the end of the 672 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: Bucks game where he just try to transition push at 673 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:44,959 Speaker 1: the end of the game and challenged a rim protector, 674 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: and it's like, dude, calm down, right, you know, But 675 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 1: when it comes to young players, you almost want to 676 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: put the bad aside and just focus on the good 677 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: because most of the bad stuff is just typical for 678 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: all young basketball players and can be flushed out over time. 679 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: Right he's averaging four offensive rebounds and two blocks per 680 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: game thirty two minutes. I think he's probably the best 681 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: perimeter defender prospect I personally have scouted in the last 682 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: few years. Mind you, I haven't done this very long, 683 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: but in the time that I've been doing this, I 684 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: can't remember seeing a perimeter defender that showed a better 685 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: combination of like lateral quickness, first and second jump ability 686 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: meaning like to contest shots either under the basket or 687 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: after being broken down off of a move, the ability 688 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: to navigate screens, natural length like that. There was a 689 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: play at the end of the Bucks game where Damian 690 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: Lillard is on a freaking heater, like he's just going 691 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: and he hits Asar Thompson with a hard dribble to 692 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: his left step back jump shot does like another one 693 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: of those like slide steps like the hard and step back. 694 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 1: After he does the step back gets all the way 695 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: to the three point line in a SAR blocked the 696 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: damn shot. A SAR blocked it. And like like, there 697 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: are some clips of him navigating screens or blocking perimeter 698 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 1: players that are truly jarring for it for his position. 699 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: So again, like it's gonna be what kind of person 700 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:03,960 Speaker 1: he becomes player he becomes in the big picture will 701 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: come come down to his offensive development, but his his 702 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: perimeter defense potential is off the charts, and that's super 703 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:15,800 Speaker 1: super exciting, especially when you really a factor in the team, 704 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: right And like, I don't know if it's gonna be 705 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 1: Jaden Ivy or Killian Hayes that flanks k Cunningham over 706 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 1: the years, but if Arsar Thompson can take primary point 707 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 1: of attack assignments and do it well, you know, that's 708 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:30,799 Speaker 1: just a huge asset for your team to have. It 709 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: allows you to you know, kind of conserve some energy 710 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: in your backcourt, so to speak. Which new coach do 711 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,680 Speaker 1: you think has had the best impact on their new team. 712 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: I think this one's pretty obviously email Udoka here in 713 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: the early going, as the Rockets have looked really good, 714 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: he had a he's just an excellent motivator. That was 715 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 1: the big story coming out of the Celtics when he 716 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 1: was there. He just basically made them tough. He said 717 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 1: after the Lakers game that he basically went up to 718 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 1: Jalen Green and was like, hey, dude, you were on 719 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: the Select team. Austin Reeves was on the on Team USA, 720 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 1: and like, like, why don't you go show that you're better 721 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: than him? Right? And like, is Austin Reeves better than 722 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,440 Speaker 1: Jalen Green. I'm not even gonna answer that question, but 723 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 1: like he managed to piss off Jalen Green because he 724 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: went out in that game and he kicked Austin's ass. 725 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: And so again, like he's just an excellent motivator. I 726 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,720 Speaker 1: think he's done a really good job kind of rebuilding 727 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 1: the culture in Houston and they look like a winner 728 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 1: right now. Next question from Dalvin Jason. This was funny. 729 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 1: This isn't really a question. It was just someone talking shit, 730 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 1: but I wanted to address it. From Dalvin Jason. While 731 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:29,839 Speaker 1: I love and appreciate your glowing praise of the best 732 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: player in the league, Jokic and the ragning champions Nuggets. 733 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: I cannot help but remember all the instances you shot 734 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: on them in the last two years. Didn't lose me 735 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 1: as a fan or subscriber, but I didn't forget and 736 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: I didn't appreciate. So this is actually one of my 737 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,879 Speaker 1: biggest pet peeves. And don't take this personally, Dalvin. I'm 738 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 1: just this is something that I've that's annoyed me for 739 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:48,799 Speaker 1: a while, and I just want to kind of give 740 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 1: my take on it. Why is it that anytime anybody 741 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 1: doesn't heap praise on somebody, they're now shitting on them. 742 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,720 Speaker 1: Because I don't remember ever saying that I thought Jokic 743 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: was a bad basketball player. I don't remember saying that 744 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: the Nuggets can't win the championship. I said two things consistently, 745 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 1: as it pertains to Jokic himself. I always said, in 746 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:17,400 Speaker 1: the modern era, I'm concerned about centers like plotting centers 747 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,400 Speaker 1: because of the way they can get spread out, in 748 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 1: the way they can struggle in transition. I ended up 749 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 1: being wrong about that. But the best indicator of future 750 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: performance is past performance. And we were literally seeing in 751 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 1: every playoff run, every slow flooted center get it played 752 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: off the floor. It was happening every single playoff run. 753 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: Jokic is just so damn good. He was able to 754 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: overcome that couple of particular ways. One, he's an excellent 755 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:48,240 Speaker 1: transition player, so like literally he has just by sheer 756 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: force of habit and will, he sprints up and down 757 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 1: the floor so well in transition that he never struggles there. 758 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: In fact, he actually beats more athletic centers up and 759 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 1: down the floor in transition. Looking at the defensive end 760 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: and spreading him out. He's shown that he can be 761 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:09,000 Speaker 1: a good enough defender that it isn't a problem. So again, 762 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: like I was making a like, all I said was 763 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: Jokich is a superstar. I just have other superstars above 764 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 1: him because I leaned towards perimeter players because of their 765 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 1: playoff versatility. That's all I said. Then we move on 766 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:27,280 Speaker 1: to the Nuggets piece. What did I say? NBA history 767 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,880 Speaker 1: tells us that you do not win the championship unless 768 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 1: you are a top ten defense, unless you're the defending champions. 769 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: The Rockets in the mid nineties, the Lakers in the 770 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 1: early two thousands, and then the Warriors in twenty eighteen. 771 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: They were all defending champions, and they were the only 772 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: three champions that weren't top ten defenses. And again the 773 00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:50,800 Speaker 1: clear indicator there was they were top ten defenses before 774 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: and in that following season they were classic trying to repeat, 775 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 1: a little less motivated, a little less locked in, but 776 00:37:58,120 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: then they got to the playoffs and then they re 777 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,520 Speaker 1: locked in. Right, So again I'm gonna repeat the same thing. 778 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 1: I just said, the best indicator of future performance is 779 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 1: past performance. I was making a prediction based on actual 780 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: NBA historical data. Just because Jokics broke the mold for 781 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:20,040 Speaker 1: centers and the Nuggets broke the mold for championship teams 782 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that I shit on the Nuggets. That's just 783 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: that's completely ridiculous. If I shit on the Nuggets, I 784 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 1: would have said the Nuggets suck, they can't win. Never 785 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:31,839 Speaker 1: said that. Going into the playoffs last year, I said 786 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 1: they can win. I'm just skeptical because of NBA history, 787 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 1: right when Jokic, When I had Jokics ranked below the 788 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:42,839 Speaker 1: other superstars, I literally had him and MB down there 789 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:46,879 Speaker 1: and I said, I it's just because of my philosophy, 790 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:51,359 Speaker 1: my overarching basketball philosophy surrounding slower footed centers as it 791 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 1: pertains to the perimeter oriented stars at the top of 792 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: the league. Now I've and like and again all all 793 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 1: I will promise to do, which is the truth, Like 794 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:03,080 Speaker 1: this is this is the way that I make predictions. 795 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,800 Speaker 1: I take previous data and I use that to inform 796 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 1: my my my predictions. Right, But when new data comes 797 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: in and the new data goes crosswise with what the 798 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 1: old data was, I'm always willing to embrace that as 799 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: a potential change. And that's the thing. Now I see, 800 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 1: now that Jokic has the trophy, I'm i I can 801 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:29,319 Speaker 1: like see all of these specific reasons why he was 802 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:31,760 Speaker 1: able to kind of flip the mold, right, And again, 803 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:34,880 Speaker 1: you have to you have to think of it really simply, 804 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,360 Speaker 1: like what about what have I always said were my 805 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:40,120 Speaker 1: kind of rules, like with my player rankings, like get 806 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: the trophy and I'll defend you forever. But before you 807 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 1: have the trophy, I'm always going to revert to the 808 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:48,239 Speaker 1: guys with the trophy. That's just my approach. You're either 809 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:50,880 Speaker 1: you're either the guy who's trying to jump on the 810 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,000 Speaker 1: bandwagon as soon as possible, or you're the guy that 811 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:56,680 Speaker 1: gets on the bandwagon a little later, and I'd always 812 00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 1: rather be a guy who gets on the bandwagon a 813 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 1: little late as a homage or respect towards the guys 814 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: who've already done it. That that, to me, is just 815 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: my personal approach. Had nothing to do with disliking the Nuggets. 816 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:11,000 Speaker 1: And again, like I want to push back on that. 817 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: In general, if I say something that is somewhat critical 818 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 1: of your favorite team or player, it does not mean 819 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:20,400 Speaker 1: that I hate your favorite team or player and that 820 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:24,520 Speaker 1: I think they're incapable of achieving anything. I'm just putting 821 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:28,399 Speaker 1: basketball analysis out there, and my analysis always changes based 822 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 1: on new information. If you have a good team out 823 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 1: there and you guys start playing great basketball, I'm never 824 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:36,319 Speaker 1: going to overlook that because I hate your team. It's 825 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: just it's just it's just not an emotion that I 826 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:41,359 Speaker 1: am capable of experiencing. For whatever I love, I just 827 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:43,719 Speaker 1: I love basketball so much that like, I pretty much 828 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:45,920 Speaker 1: find things that I love in every team. Like Dylan 829 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,319 Speaker 1: Brooks I find to be mostly reprehensible, but I have 830 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:50,960 Speaker 1: so much appreciation for what he can do as a 831 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:53,320 Speaker 1: basketball player that I still kind of like him. You 832 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 1: kind of get the point, is what I'm talking about here. 833 00:40:56,719 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: I mean, Harden and Bea are great examples of that too, Jason, 834 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,960 Speaker 1: when you describe Dylan Brooks, if I wasn't listening, all 835 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: those points could be made about Draymond. If anything, Dylan 836 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:08,240 Speaker 1: never kicks someone in the nuts or in the stomach 837 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:10,399 Speaker 1: or punch teammate. If you're saying things with a straight 838 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 1: face about Dylan but pretend to ignore what Draymond has 839 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 1: been doing for years, that's a lack of integrity. Not 840 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 1: that I expected it from you, who's a lebron Draymond 841 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 1: will skip over the expletive, but still it's painful to 842 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 1: listen to delusion and agenda. So this is not the 843 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 1: first person who's said this and just put it simply. 844 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:35,920 Speaker 1: They're not the same. Draymond is really physical. He fouls 845 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:40,400 Speaker 1: a lot. He does occasionally commit hard fouls. Here's what 846 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 1: I've never seen Draymond do. I have never seen Draymond 847 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,880 Speaker 1: attack a defenseless player going up for a layup in 848 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,360 Speaker 1: transition by clotheslining him over the neck and breaking his 849 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:54,839 Speaker 1: freaking elbow. I've never seen Draymond do that. Here's another 850 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:57,399 Speaker 1: thing I've never seen Draymond do. I have never seen 851 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 1: Raymond Green on the ground deliver do a dramatic barrel 852 00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:05,680 Speaker 1: roll into another player's legs and nearly hurt the player's 853 00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: ankle and knee. Dylan Brooks did that to Donovan Mitchell. 854 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: Dylan Brooks engages in deeply dangerous behaviors that can injure 855 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:17,359 Speaker 1: basketball players. That is not the same as being like 856 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:21,839 Speaker 1: overly physical, because I would agree Draymond's overly physical. He's 857 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:26,320 Speaker 1: also very emotional. And I literally came out after he punched. 858 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:29,759 Speaker 1: He works from our damn company, and I came out 859 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:33,319 Speaker 1: after he punched Dylan Jordan Poole and said it was 860 00:42:33,719 --> 00:42:35,799 Speaker 1: bad leadership, straight up came out and said that I 861 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:39,320 Speaker 1: was very critical of Draymond Green after the punch. Okay, 862 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,200 Speaker 1: so like again, like this is this is not this 863 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:44,640 Speaker 1: does not take a lot of critical thinking. Here find 864 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:46,799 Speaker 1: the If I'm wrong, If there is some clip of 865 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:51,920 Speaker 1: Draymond Green deliberately doing something that could severely injure a player, 866 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:54,359 Speaker 1: send it to me and then I will come up 867 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:57,360 Speaker 1: here and I'll apologize. But as far as I'm concerned, 868 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 1: there is a line, and the line is like there 869 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,120 Speaker 1: are a lot of players in the NBA that play 870 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:05,759 Speaker 1: a physical brand of basketball, that grab and and and 871 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:08,960 Speaker 1: pull jerseys and and hit guys and do all these 872 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:12,960 Speaker 1: different things, but they're not hurting people. There's a difference. 873 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:17,560 Speaker 1: The difference is they're hurting and like Dylan Brooks on 874 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:22,920 Speaker 1: multiple occasions has done deliberate things that had the potential 875 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:26,200 Speaker 1: hurt I remember watching that that Donovan Mitchell play, and 876 00:43:26,239 --> 00:43:28,280 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh my god, he did that on purpose. 877 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:33,399 Speaker 1: He literally did a full barrel role multiple times into 878 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:39,120 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell's legs, and thankfully Donovan didn't get hurt. So again, like, 879 00:43:39,239 --> 00:43:43,080 Speaker 1: let's let let's cut the shit here and let's let's 880 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:46,359 Speaker 1: let's draw a clear line in the sand between a 881 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:50,000 Speaker 1: physical basketball player and a guy who's actually made attempts 882 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 1: to hurt people in the past. And actually like he 883 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,760 Speaker 1: actually removed Gary Payton from the playoffs, actually removed him, 884 00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:59,680 Speaker 1: and he like saw him, like saw him and was like, yeah, 885 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:01,840 Speaker 1: I'm I'm gonna closeline this dude in the head in 886 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 1: the middle of a playoff game. Like that's the kind 887 00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:06,080 Speaker 1: of person he is, And I have a huge problem 888 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 1: with it. I don't know what else to tell you, 889 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: all right, next mail back question, what do you think, 890 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:13,320 Speaker 1: other than getting a Lonzo back, could the Bulls do 891 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:16,759 Speaker 1: to make the team better? Is there a trade that 892 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:20,200 Speaker 1: can be made, like Levine for ojnnob or Damar or 893 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,800 Speaker 1: excuse me, Levine for Ojana Andobi or Damar for Austin Reeves. 894 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,759 Speaker 1: So I lean towards a full rebuild for the Chicago Bulls, 895 00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:29,000 Speaker 1: And the main reason is this, they don't have a 896 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 1: single player on the roster who projects to even maybe 897 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 1: be a true superstar in the future. Do I like 898 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:39,200 Speaker 1: Patrick Williams, Yeah, good player, not a superstar. Do I 899 00:44:39,280 --> 00:44:42,480 Speaker 1: like Zach Levine, Yeah, very good player, not a superstar. 900 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 1: Demarto Rosen is literally in his thirties, Like he is 901 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:47,200 Speaker 1: what he is at this point, you know, so like 902 00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:49,560 Speaker 1: and like they have some interesting young players, right, like 903 00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:52,920 Speaker 1: Kobe White's interesting Io dessume was interesting, Like Alex Cruso 904 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:54,399 Speaker 1: is one of the best role players in the league 905 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,160 Speaker 1: in my opinion. But they simply do not have a 906 00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:00,880 Speaker 1: single player on the roster that even projects to maybe 907 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:04,239 Speaker 1: be a superstar. So like, at some point you've got 908 00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:06,120 Speaker 1: to kind of identify that. And before you say, like, oh, 909 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:08,000 Speaker 1: it's a small market, we don't have the ability to 910 00:45:08,239 --> 00:45:10,520 Speaker 1: get those types of players. That's not true either. Oklahoma 911 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:13,960 Speaker 1: City small market, they have Sha Shae Giljas Alexander projects 912 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:17,120 Speaker 1: to be a bonafide superstar. Minnesota Timberwolves if Anthony Edwards 913 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:20,400 Speaker 1: projects to be a bonafide superstar, Sacramento as Deer and 914 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:24,800 Speaker 1: Fox at least might be a bonafide superstar. Right Cleveland 915 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:28,600 Speaker 1: as Donovan Mitchell at least might be a bonafide superstar. 916 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,640 Speaker 1: Denver has Jokic best player in the world, Milwaukee is 917 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:34,400 Speaker 1: Jiannis second best player in the world. Memphis Grizzlies have 918 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:37,479 Speaker 1: John Moran projects to be a bonafide superstar. So again, 919 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:39,319 Speaker 1: like these are all small markets that have that guy. 920 00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:42,600 Speaker 1: So if you don't have one of those guys, everything 921 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 1: you do needs to be geared around getting one of 922 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:49,520 Speaker 1: those guys. Now is has a Chicago ever demonstrated a 923 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:53,840 Speaker 1: you know, Miami heat esque or you know the Lakers 924 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:55,160 Speaker 1: have been good at this over the years too. But 925 00:45:55,239 --> 00:45:58,160 Speaker 1: like finding star level players are very very very good 926 00:45:58,200 --> 00:46:00,400 Speaker 1: players in the margin, No, Chicago is not one of 927 00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:02,960 Speaker 1: those teams. So, like to me, you really need to 928 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 1: be making all your moves geared around trying to find 929 00:46:05,239 --> 00:46:07,120 Speaker 1: who that guy is, so I would be just trying 930 00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:09,719 Speaker 1: to bring in as much draft capital as possible. So 931 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:13,560 Speaker 1: I lean full rebuild for Chicago. That's what makes the 932 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 1: most sense to me. If you had to do a 933 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:21,160 Speaker 1: soft rebuild, rebuild around Levine, flip DeRozan, flip Vusvich, get 934 00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 1: dominant defensive front court personnel, and see if Levine can 935 00:46:25,239 --> 00:46:27,400 Speaker 1: kind of push you enough offensively over the top. But 936 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 1: whatever their current strategy is, I simply don't understand. All right, 937 00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:36,759 Speaker 1: we have three more mailback questions. Do you think gms 938 00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:43,279 Speaker 1: should willingly one more note on the the bulls thing. 939 00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:46,919 Speaker 1: Once you do find one of those guys, that's when 940 00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 1: you start trying to build the roster around the margins, right, 941 00:46:51,239 --> 00:46:53,799 Speaker 1: And it's about what that player's strengths and weaknesses are. 942 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:56,719 Speaker 1: So you gotta find out who your guy is, and 943 00:46:56,760 --> 00:46:59,040 Speaker 1: then what is your guy good at and bad at? 944 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:01,120 Speaker 1: What does he need around it? It's like Luca, Like 945 00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:04,120 Speaker 1: they know they need shooting around Luca, and they need 946 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:06,279 Speaker 1: good role man around Luca. So that's the kind of 947 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:09,160 Speaker 1: player that they target, right, Like that, that's just what 948 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:12,279 Speaker 1: makes the most sense. Right, if you're Anthony Davis, what 949 00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:14,080 Speaker 1: if the Lakers tried to do give them a bunch 950 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:16,520 Speaker 1: of pick and roll ball handlers because they know Anthony 951 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:18,279 Speaker 1: Davis can't run his own offense. So like, you have 952 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:21,759 Speaker 1: to identify strengths and weaknesses based around your star, all right. 953 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:25,480 Speaker 1: This question is kind of related to that. Do you 954 00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:28,360 Speaker 1: think gms should willingly give up more talent in return 955 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:30,920 Speaker 1: for players who are less talented or have less potential 956 00:47:31,239 --> 00:47:33,560 Speaker 1: but fit their team better instead of seeking the best 957 00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:37,880 Speaker 1: talent potential when making moves. For example, Jordan Poole is 958 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 1: definitely more talented than Chris Paul at this stage of 959 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:43,359 Speaker 1: his career. The trade seems to have paid off, but 960 00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:46,880 Speaker 1: the Warriors definitely gave up way more talent than they received. Again, 961 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:49,680 Speaker 1: depends on the window. So like, the Warriors are in 962 00:47:49,719 --> 00:47:52,520 Speaker 1: a very tight championship window based on Steph Curry being 963 00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:56,640 Speaker 1: thirty five years old, right, That's why it makes sense 964 00:47:56,640 --> 00:47:59,000 Speaker 1: for them to give up long term potential for a 965 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: player who might fit them better right now, right, But 966 00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:04,960 Speaker 1: it just depends, and you've got to make that decision 967 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:07,719 Speaker 1: based on like, for instance, if you're the Thunder, your 968 00:48:07,760 --> 00:48:11,120 Speaker 1: windows way longer, So it would be terrible to like, 969 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:14,120 Speaker 1: let's say that the Thunder went and like, I don't know, 970 00:48:14,200 --> 00:48:16,800 Speaker 1: found some way to piece salaries together and they were like, 971 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:20,480 Speaker 1: we want to upgrade, you know, Jalen Williams into a 972 00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:25,360 Speaker 1: veteran forward that can play next to Chet, and so 973 00:48:25,400 --> 00:48:28,880 Speaker 1: they trade for Jeremy Grant. That'd be stupid because the 974 00:48:28,960 --> 00:48:32,279 Speaker 1: Thunder have a much wider timeline and like, there's a 975 00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:34,480 Speaker 1: version of this two years from now where Jalen Williams 976 00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:36,840 Speaker 1: is better than Jeremy Grant. You know, it might not 977 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:38,279 Speaker 1: even take that long for him to get there, because 978 00:48:38,480 --> 00:48:40,920 Speaker 1: Jalen Williams is really good. So maybe that's a bad example, 979 00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:43,360 Speaker 1: but the point is is like your timeline dictates how 980 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:45,640 Speaker 1: much your urgency, how much urgency you have, and your 981 00:48:45,719 --> 00:48:48,560 Speaker 1: urgency dictates how much long term potential you'd be willing 982 00:48:48,600 --> 00:48:52,080 Speaker 1: to give up. Hey, Jason bigfan, can you talk about 983 00:48:52,080 --> 00:48:53,759 Speaker 1: the Celtics and how they seem to be using Drew 984 00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:55,719 Speaker 1: Holliday to start the season. This is now the third 985 00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:58,120 Speaker 1: time that they've used him that they've started him out 986 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:01,520 Speaker 1: guarding a bigger star. It starts guarding Julius Randall the 987 00:49:01,520 --> 00:49:04,120 Speaker 1: whole game. Then against the Wolves he straight up started 988 00:49:04,120 --> 00:49:06,600 Speaker 1: on Carl Towns and then yesterday against the Sixers, they 989 00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 1: started hit him on Embiid for several possessions. Haven't really 990 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:11,040 Speaker 1: heard anybody talk about it in detail at all, but 991 00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:13,040 Speaker 1: I find it super interesting that they're playing like they 992 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:16,760 Speaker 1: would like they would Marcus Smart who although both elite defenders, 993 00:49:16,760 --> 00:49:19,160 Speaker 1: are both different kinds of defenders with different strengths. So 994 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:22,160 Speaker 1: we did talk about Drew Holliday guarding Embiid and yesterday's show, 995 00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 1: but we can dive into it a little bit more 996 00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:28,160 Speaker 1: in depth, because, like, what sticks out to you the 997 00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:31,759 Speaker 1: most about those three names that you said? So I 998 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:35,440 Speaker 1: have Embiid who is a power post player. I have 999 00:49:35,600 --> 00:49:38,120 Speaker 1: Julius Randall, who more or less is a wing that 1000 00:49:38,640 --> 00:49:40,960 Speaker 1: or power forward but operates kind of more from the wing, 1001 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,120 Speaker 1: but is more or less a power player. And then 1002 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:45,680 Speaker 1: Carl Towns who's a power player. But what else is 1003 00:49:45,680 --> 00:49:48,160 Speaker 1: interesting about all three of them? All three of them 1004 00:49:48,239 --> 00:49:52,480 Speaker 1: are bad passers. Joel Embiid notoriously struggles to deal with 1005 00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:55,839 Speaker 1: double teams. Carl Towns has more turnovers than assists this year. 1006 00:49:56,080 --> 00:49:57,880 Speaker 1: Julius Randall the same kind of thing, a little bit 1007 00:49:57,920 --> 00:49:59,480 Speaker 1: of a tunnel vision guy that kind of barrels his 1008 00:49:59,480 --> 00:50:03,120 Speaker 1: way downhill. So the reason why it works in these 1009 00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:07,920 Speaker 1: matchups is they're already expecting to send help. So Drew 1010 00:50:08,040 --> 00:50:10,360 Speaker 1: is a great disruptor. He's good at fronting the post. 1011 00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:13,320 Speaker 1: He's good at attacking the basketball, attacking your base, and 1012 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:15,680 Speaker 1: attacking your shooting pocket. He's not trying to bother these 1013 00:50:15,680 --> 00:50:18,399 Speaker 1: guys up top. He's trying to bother them down low, right. 1014 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:22,400 Speaker 1: And so if you're already planning on sending help because 1015 00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:25,200 Speaker 1: of the fact that there's literally a much easier time 1016 00:50:25,320 --> 00:50:27,840 Speaker 1: rotating on the back end because these guys aren't great passers, 1017 00:50:28,480 --> 00:50:31,479 Speaker 1: might as well have your primary defender be a guy 1018 00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:34,520 Speaker 1: that can disrupt down low, who can front the post, 1019 00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:37,160 Speaker 1: who can disrupt the shooting pocket, because he's going to 1020 00:50:37,320 --> 00:50:40,360 Speaker 1: even if they manage to get up around Drew down low, 1021 00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:42,479 Speaker 1: they're going to come up into that help defender who's 1022 00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:45,279 Speaker 1: probably going to be a bigger player because everybody else 1023 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 1: on the floor is bigger than Drew Holliday, right, So 1024 00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,360 Speaker 1: that is the interesting element to it. I would be 1025 00:50:51,400 --> 00:50:53,040 Speaker 1: really curious to see if they could do it against 1026 00:50:53,080 --> 00:50:55,520 Speaker 1: better passing bigs, So like when we see the Celtics 1027 00:50:55,520 --> 00:50:57,440 Speaker 1: play the Nuggets, I'd be really curious to see if 1028 00:50:57,440 --> 00:50:59,560 Speaker 1: they try Drew Holiday on Jokich. My guess is they 1029 00:50:59,600 --> 00:51:05,960 Speaker 1: won't because they'll probably try to end up putting Porzingis 1030 00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:08,320 Speaker 1: on him. Right, but for that simple purpose of like, 1031 00:51:08,360 --> 00:51:10,560 Speaker 1: they're gonna try to be able to rotate quickly on 1032 00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:12,880 Speaker 1: the back end because he's a great passer. So I 1033 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:17,000 Speaker 1: think it's an interesting combination of like of taking advantage 1034 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:18,880 Speaker 1: of the fact that these guys aren't good passers and 1035 00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:21,839 Speaker 1: Drew's ability to disrupt them down low as they try 1036 00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 1: to power their way to the basket. All right, last 1037 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:27,720 Speaker 1: mail back question. I just listened to your most recent 1038 00:51:27,719 --> 00:51:31,640 Speaker 1: Star Wars podcast about Luke Skywalker in the Imperial Remnant. 1039 00:51:32,200 --> 00:51:34,800 Speaker 1: It led to a topic about you guys in wemby 1040 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:38,040 Speaker 1: ranking Star Wars movies and your surprising take on Rogue One. 1041 00:51:38,680 --> 00:51:41,360 Speaker 1: My mail back question is what's your Star Wars movie's ranking? 1042 00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:44,319 Speaker 1: So this was on my Star Wars podcast that it's 1043 00:51:44,360 --> 00:51:46,719 Speaker 1: not really a Star Wars podcast, it's Everything podcast, but 1044 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:49,280 Speaker 1: we also cover Star Wars. It's called Two Suns podcasts. 1045 00:51:49,320 --> 00:51:53,759 Speaker 1: It's you could see the little logo thing right here, 1046 00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:56,920 Speaker 1: but we do videos about once a week on YouTube 1047 00:51:57,160 --> 00:51:59,239 Speaker 1: and on the podcast feed and we just talked about 1048 00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:02,400 Speaker 1: everything right now, going through some Star Wars books, but 1049 00:52:02,440 --> 00:52:08,160 Speaker 1: we'll be covering the basically every major movie release slash 1050 00:52:08,320 --> 00:52:10,640 Speaker 1: you know, like Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, 1051 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:13,799 Speaker 1: I should say, you know, the last of us Star 1052 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:15,279 Speaker 1: Wars or big Star Wars fans. We do a lot 1053 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:17,680 Speaker 1: of Star Wars stuff. We basically do everything Star Wars 1054 00:52:17,719 --> 00:52:21,960 Speaker 1: in terms of like the exded extended universe. So anyway, 1055 00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:25,200 Speaker 1: we were talking about how Victor Weben Yama is also 1056 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:29,200 Speaker 1: a diehard Star Wars fan who also completely disowns the 1057 00:52:29,200 --> 00:52:31,319 Speaker 1: sequel trilogy, just like I do, and just like my 1058 00:52:31,360 --> 00:52:34,240 Speaker 1: buddy Luke does. And he ranked his favorite Star Wars 1059 00:52:34,239 --> 00:52:36,279 Speaker 1: movies and I'm going to give you the exact same three. 1060 00:52:36,360 --> 00:52:39,839 Speaker 1: So Wemby said his three favorite were Revenge of the Sith, 1061 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:42,000 Speaker 1: Attack of the Clones, and Empire Strikes Back. And I 1062 00:52:42,080 --> 00:52:44,640 Speaker 1: literally agree perfectly. The reason why I love Attack of 1063 00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:48,120 Speaker 1: the Clones and Revenge of the Sith is like, in 1064 00:52:48,120 --> 00:52:52,000 Speaker 1: my opinion, the coolest Star Wars story in the entire 1065 00:52:52,200 --> 00:52:56,200 Speaker 1: lore is what's called the Sith Grand Plan, which starts 1066 00:52:56,239 --> 00:53:00,319 Speaker 1: with Darth Baine a thousand years before Palpatine and basely 1067 00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:02,520 Speaker 1: goes all the way through all these Sith lords, and 1068 00:53:02,560 --> 00:53:06,520 Speaker 1: it goes to Darth Plagis, who is Darth Ciitius Palpatine's master, 1069 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:10,960 Speaker 1: and it culminates in Order sixty six, right, and in 1070 00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:14,440 Speaker 1: them basically overthrowing the Republic. Right. But it actually is 1071 00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:18,600 Speaker 1: like an incredibly intricate plan, very well thought out by 1072 00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:22,200 Speaker 1: George Lucas or conceptualized by George Lucas. And Attack of 1073 00:53:22,239 --> 00:53:24,839 Speaker 1: the Clones and Revenge of the Sith are really fun 1074 00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:27,279 Speaker 1: to go back and rewatch and just look at all 1075 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:31,160 Speaker 1: the little bits and pieces of manipulation that Palpatine is 1076 00:53:31,239 --> 00:53:33,640 Speaker 1: using to kind of like overthrow everything. So those two 1077 00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:37,399 Speaker 1: movies I've always loved for that reason. Empire Strikes Back 1078 00:53:37,560 --> 00:53:40,920 Speaker 1: is just is just it's it basically takes what was 1079 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,399 Speaker 1: because A New Hope was very much like a very 1080 00:53:43,480 --> 00:53:46,520 Speaker 1: rudimentary movie. There's not a whole lot that happens in it. Right. 1081 00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:52,120 Speaker 1: They Luke finds Han Solo and Obi Wan and they leave, 1082 00:53:52,239 --> 00:53:55,759 Speaker 1: They go to the Death Star, they escape the Death 1083 00:53:55,760 --> 00:53:59,919 Speaker 1: Star with the with Lea, then they go to yav 1084 00:54:00,080 --> 00:54:02,799 Speaker 1: and then they have the battle for they blow up 1085 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:04,879 Speaker 1: the down. That's literally the movie. It's very very basic right, 1086 00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:09,400 Speaker 1: Empire strikes back, introduces the Emperor, introduces Yoda, dives into 1087 00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:14,440 Speaker 1: like Jedi lore. There, it's very dark and disturbing. There's 1088 00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:19,200 Speaker 1: twists and turns, there's tragedy in it, like just it's 1089 00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:21,440 Speaker 1: it's just It's to me is like the peak of 1090 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:25,759 Speaker 1: of of Star Wars content. So a good question though, 1091 00:54:25,800 --> 00:54:29,080 Speaker 1: And again if you're looking for basically me talking about 1092 00:54:29,120 --> 00:54:32,400 Speaker 1: anything that's not basketball, that's the place to check out 1093 00:54:32,440 --> 00:54:34,520 Speaker 1: the show right now. Again, we're doing some books, so 1094 00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:38,160 Speaker 1: it's less frequent and a little more slow, but uh, 1095 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,440 Speaker 1: but we get up. We will get a lot busier 1096 00:54:40,480 --> 00:54:42,759 Speaker 1: as as time goes along. All right, guys, that is 1097 00:54:42,800 --> 00:54:44,560 Speaker 1: all I have for today. We are actually going to 1098 00:54:44,600 --> 00:54:48,160 Speaker 1: be coming back later tonight to break down the Friday 1099 00:54:48,239 --> 00:54:50,440 Speaker 1: night slate of games after Lakers Sun, So I will 1100 00:54:50,440 --> 00:55:21,400 Speaker 1: see you guys later this evening. The volume