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All right, Wellcoon hoops and I here 26 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: at the volume. Happy Tuesday, everybody. Hope all of you 27 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 1: guys are having an incredible week. In case you missed 28 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: it earlier today, Chris Mannix came on the show and 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: we did a deep dive on the Boston Celtics as 30 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: well as kind of the league at large, looking at 31 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: the contenders, and we did some talk on the n 32 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: season tournament. You can find that a little bit further 33 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: back on the feeds. In this show. We're just going 34 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: to be hitting Tuesday Night slate. I have brief thoughts 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: on three different games. We're gonna talk Warriors, Suns, Lakers, MAVs, 36 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: and Clippers Kings, and then I have a rant about 37 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: officiating that I want to get to at the end 38 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: of the show as well. You guys are the Joe. 39 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: Before we get started subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel. 40 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: I mean a lot to me if you guys would 41 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: take a second to scroll down and hit that subscribe button. 42 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: Don't forget about our podcast feeds. Wherever you get your 43 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: podcast under Hoops Tonight. Follow me on Twitter at underscore 44 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,959 Speaker 1: json lt so you guys don't miss any SHO announcements 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: or film threads. And then, last but not least, keep 46 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: dropping mailbag questions in the YouTube comments so we can 47 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: hit them throughout the rest of the season. All right, 48 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So we got to see Bradley 49 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: Beal again. Looked a lot more spry in this particular game. 50 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: Definitely took his time to get one hundred percent healthy, 51 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: which was important. I think one of the things that 52 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: stood out immediately, and we've seen this in the handful 53 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: of appearances he's had this year too. But it's a 54 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 1: real different type of perimeter initiator than what you get 55 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: from Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. You know, Devin Booker 56 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: is a good rim attacker for most guards, but he's 57 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: not an excellent, you know, straight line athlete. He just 58 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: does it by weaponizing his pull up shooting, his incredible 59 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: touch around the basket. It's more of like a skill 60 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: based rim attack. And then Kevin Durant saying thing super 61 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: efficient around the rim, but he doesn't go there a lot, right, Well, 62 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: Bradley Beal is a real straight line athlete, and you 63 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: know they use him in a bunch of different ways. 64 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: You saw they kept running him off of that Nurkic 65 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: screen around the post where they try to get him 66 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: to curl around, and then if he didn't get the 67 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: pass off that curl, then he would quick flow into 68 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: another screen, and so he's going into an action running 69 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: full speed. And he's just such a great athlete at 70 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: that position. Like you know, like Devin Booker is a 71 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: top ten player in this league and incredible, not a 72 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: top tier athlete at his position. Bradley Beal is a 73 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: top tier athlete at his position, and like brings real 74 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: downhill pressure. I thought he was awesome orchestrating the offense, 75 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: particularly as the sun started to pull away there in 76 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: the early fourth quarter. Then Devin Boker comes in and 77 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: closes the deal. Frank Vogel talked to the other day 78 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: about how he wanted Devin Booker to shoot more pull 79 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: up threes. He made two more pull up threes in 80 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: the in the mid fourth quarter as the sun's kind 81 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: of built a little bit of margin there. And you know, 82 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: it's it's interesting because, like, to me, pull up threes 83 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: are a bad shot for mediocre shooters, but they're a 84 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: great shot for great shooters. You know, Like you look 85 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: at guys like like Jason Tatum, for instance, who just 86 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: take a lot of pull up jump shots, but they 87 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: in terms of points per shot basis, it's not actually 88 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: a very efficient shot, and it feels like he's settling. 89 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,359 Speaker 1: And Jason Tatum is such a great athlete and he 90 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: has such great physical tools that you're like leaving points 91 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: on the table by settling for that type of shot. 92 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: For Devin Booker, though, he's such an unbelievably gifted pull 93 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: up three point shooter, like you're gonna get one point 94 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: two one point two and a half points per shot 95 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: on that kind of look, right, And so I think 96 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: it is important for him to hunt that type of shot. 97 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: You know, you see this with like Steph Curry as well, 98 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: where like those really good shooters that are also excellent 99 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: ball handlers, we think of an off the dribble shot 100 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: is a tougher shot and don't get me wrong, it 101 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: is tough in the sense that like it takes a 102 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 1: lot of effort and energy and dedicated work to get 103 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: to the point where you can knock it down at 104 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: that rate. But when you're in rhythm, it actually is 105 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: a very easy shot for a good shooter who's in rhythm, 106 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: Like when the ball feels good in your hands because 107 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: you've been dribbling it, when you have that footwork down 108 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 1: so well to where when you get into that footwork 109 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: it feels like a shot you've practiced hundreds of times. 110 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: You can rise up and you can knock it down. 111 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: And and like Booker said something to that effect after 112 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 1: he hit that game winner over the knicks, like when 113 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: I get to my you know, left right, going to 114 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: the right and I can elevate, He's like, I feel 115 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: like I've got a really good chance of making that shot. 116 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: And I do think it's a good idea for him 117 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: to keep hunting that. The one other thing I wanted 118 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: to shout out on the Sun's front use of Nurkice 119 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: in his passing ability really starting to shine through here 120 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: in the last couple of weeks. He had another seven 121 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: assists in this game, specifically making plays out of the 122 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: short role. You got to keep in mind, like whether 123 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: it's Beal flying off of a dribble handoff or some 124 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: sort of off ball screen, or Devin Booker coming off 125 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: of a pick and roll or kd coming off of 126 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: a wide pin down, the vast majority of defenses are 127 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: going to use the screen defender to show high in 128 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: some way, shape or form. Whether it's a blitz, a show, 129 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: a hedge and recover, whatever it might be, they're gonna 130 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: bring that screen defender up. And so it's vitally important 131 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: for Nurkic to be able to make plays out of 132 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: the pass that comes from those actions, and he's been 133 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: doing a really good job of that. He also had 134 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: a really nice pass on a back door lob. I 135 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: can't remember who it was he threw it to, but 136 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: in that late game sequence where the Warriors were throwing 137 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: all that full court pressure to try to get back 138 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: into the game, had a really nice read on a 139 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: back door lib on the weak side. He got a 140 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: little carried away when he threw that one rifle pass 141 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: that led to the Jonathan kmminga dunk as things kind 142 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: of got a little out of hand down the stretch, 143 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: but things are coming together for Phoenix in a lot 144 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: of ways. I also thought this was one they're better 145 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: defensive efforts in the last couple of weeks. I would 146 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,919 Speaker 1: love to see all three of them together. Hopefully we 147 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: could see that soon. I apparently KD did a pregame 148 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: workout and he's still feeling a little bit of discomfort 149 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: as he's trying to get to his spots with that ankle. 150 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: So hopefully KD can get it together quickly and not 151 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: too much longer. After that, we'll get to see these 152 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: three guys together. And then I guess Grayson Allen's dealing 153 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: with some growing stuff as well, So got to see 154 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: the Suns get healthy before we can really judge what 155 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: they're capable of. On the Warriors front, they were up 156 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 1: six when Draymond Green punched youse Ofnrkits in the face, 157 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: and like, you know, my wife and I talked about 158 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: this all the time, Like life has a tendency to 159 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: throw curveballs at you right like an unexpected expense, medical issue, 160 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: you know, some sort of family drama, some sort of 161 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: friends drama, whatever it might be. There's all this stuff 162 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: that can like be thrown your way. That's out of 163 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: your control, and so like, don't expect, like, don't make 164 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: the problem worse by inflicting self inflicted wounds. Right. Like, 165 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: so my wife and I have this like a talk 166 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: that we have every once in a while. It's like, 167 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, you don't text when you drive, you uber 168 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: instead of driving when you've had a few drinks. You 169 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: do all these basic discipline things to prevent self inflicted 170 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: wounds so that you just deal with the curveballs that 171 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: life throws you instead of having to deal with like 172 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: that plus all of this self inflicted damage. Right, And 173 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: that's the thing that's tough with this Draymond situation is 174 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: it's like you've had so much stuff that's out of 175 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: your control that's gone poorly for you guys this year, Like, 176 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: guess what Sons are another above five hundred team that 177 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: the Warriors had to play? Did you guys know that 178 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: the Warriors have played three games all season, three games 179 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: against teams that are below five hundred. They've been given 180 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: a hllacious schedule to start the year. As a point 181 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: of reference, the Sons have played fourteen such games against 182 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: below five hundred teams. So, like, you've had a rough schedule, 183 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: there have been injuries. Andrew Wiggins is like still completely 184 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: it was awful again tonight. He's like completely checked out. 185 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: Right now. You've had Kevin Looney's really struggling, all of 186 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: these things that have been working against you. You drop 187 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: a couple of games because Steph's knee it flares up 188 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: a few weeks back, Like all of these things that 189 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: are working against you that are out of your control, 190 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: Like there's literally nothing you can do about it as 191 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,079 Speaker 1: a franchise, Like, you just gotta hope Andrew gets it together, right, 192 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: You just gotta you gotta hope you stay healthy. You know, 193 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: you gotta hope that you know, when the schedule lightens up, 194 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: you can rack up some wins and regain some ground 195 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: in the standings. And like, here's the thing, Draymond like 196 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: he was it was like a post up battle. It 197 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: looked like Nurkis's right hand was on your hip a 198 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:54,719 Speaker 1: little bit, but like that's typical post contact that you're 199 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: gonna see down there. And he just spazzed out and 200 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: punched him in the head, like like what are you doing? 201 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: I like you were up six or up five. I 202 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: think it was sixty five sixty when that happened and 203 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: you effectively took now all of a sudden, it's early 204 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: fourth quarter and there's trace Jackson Davis out there on 205 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: the floor by himself, getting posted up by use of 206 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: nurkice getting buried under the basket for and ones, and 207 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: it's like, this just shouldn't be the case. This shouldn't 208 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: be happening. That is a self inflicted wound. And like, 209 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: you know, here's the thing with Draymond that's frustrating. Is 210 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: he shooting the ball so well this season? And he 211 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: still is. I Mean, there's issues with the Warriors starting lineup, 212 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: and we're gonna talk about that in a minute, but 213 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: I still think the best version of this Warrior's team 214 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: includes Draymond Green and the way he's playing on that 215 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: front line. But you gotta stay on the floor. This 216 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: team is desperate to get some continuity and to put 217 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 1: some good basketball together. And it's very possible that we 218 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: wake up tomorrow and Draymond faces another suspension. And so 219 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 1: I thought it was I thought it was clear cut. 220 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: He wasn't the benefit of a he wasn't targeted by 221 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: the officials in this one. He wound up and punched 222 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: the guy in the face and now he's gonna potentially 223 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 1: take himself away from the team for a little while. 224 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: It's a self inflicted wound for a team that can 225 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 1: afford a self inflicted wound right now. And honestly, like 226 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: you guys know how much i am a fan of 227 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: Draymond Green. I'm a huge fan. I'm such a huge 228 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: believer in everything he does to help this team win 229 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: basketball games, like just a flat out winner, a dude 230 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: you want to have in the trenches with you in 231 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: a real battle. And this season he's just he's doing 232 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: too much and it's hurting the team and he's got 233 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: to get it together because this whole dynasty is teetering 234 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: on blow it up or invest in it and move forward. 235 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: And when it's teetering, when he does stuff like that, 236 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: it pushes weight on the other direction, and that's not 237 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: what this team needs. Right now, they're starting line up. 238 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: You know, it's super interesting to see the difference between 239 00:11:58,120 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: last year and this year. If you guys remember last year, 240 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: the starting lineup was one of the best lineups in basketball. 241 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: And one of the big things that you saw was like, 242 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: as the bench was struggling, Kerr was trying to tweak 243 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 1: and stagger the starting lineup differently to try to anchor 244 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: those bench lineups better to give them a better chance 245 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: of succeeding. It's been an entirely different deal this year. 246 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: Like the Warriors have a positive point differential with Steph 247 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: Curry off the floor, which is amazing, and it comes 248 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: down to Chris Paul orchestrating those units, getting key defensive 249 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: contributions from guys like Moses Moody, like Brandon Pazemski has 250 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: been like a revelation. He's awesome. Like that's a huge 251 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: silver lining. Is like you've got a great bench and 252 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: you found like a bona fide rotation player in Pozemski 253 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: in that group. So it's like there's lots to be 254 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: encouraged about, but that starting lineup's not working anymore. And 255 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: what we're seeing here is like when Wiggins is at 256 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: the level he was at in twenty twenty two, and 257 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson is at the level he was at in 258 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two playoff, and Steph Curry's at that level, 259 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: When all three of those guys are at that level, 260 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: then the Draymond Looney thing works because there's just so 261 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: much offensive skill around there. But as you're seeing, as 262 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson has kind of tailed off a little bit, 263 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: as Andrew Wiggins has tailed off a little bit over 264 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: the course of last year and this year, it's put 265 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 1: it to the point now where like the total amount 266 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: of offensive skill on the floor just isn't enough, And 267 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: now the Draymond Looney thing is becoming a problem. And 268 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: what they're doing again, like we saw the Lakers do 269 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: the book is out. You ignore Draymond and Looney a 270 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 1: top lock as best as you can to avoid them 271 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 1: using the screens. But if you are in a lock 272 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: and trail position, you just have to run like hell 273 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: around these screens and funnel them into your interior where 274 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: the guys who are ignoring Raymond Graen and Kevin Luoney 275 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: are waiting. And so again I think it's I do 276 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: we did see in closing time here by going with 277 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: Pozemski instead, by going with Kaminga instead, like you're seeing 278 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: Steve Kerr start to kind of identify these things. But 279 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, like like that, you know, 280 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: one of the key kind of talking points from this 281 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: particular show that we're gonna talk about is stubbornness and 282 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: coaching and the willingness to make adjustments. And like, I 283 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: think it's important to identify that that lineup's not working anymore, 284 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: didn't work in the playoffs last year, right, you're probably 285 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: gonna have to go away from it again in the playoffs. Anyway, 286 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: even if the lineup was playing well, it's time to 287 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: start experimenting with that starting lineup and try to make 288 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: something different happen. One other thing I wanted to hit 289 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: on the Sun's front before we move on with the 290 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: Bradley Beal piece. So, like, diversity of shot creation is 291 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: an important element to me in my opinion when it 292 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: comes to playoff success. So, for instance, like the Indiana Pacers, 293 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: they rely on Tyres Saliburton to create absolutely everything. So 294 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: when the Lakers were able to come up with a 295 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: defensive scheme that kind of removed a good amount of 296 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: Tyree s Alliburton's effectiveness, there was no second punch there, Right. 297 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: Sacramento Kings got their ass kicked by the Clippers tonight. 298 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: They also got their ass kicked by the Pelicans three times. 299 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: They also got their ass kicked by the Rockets a 300 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: few times. One of the things that's standing out to 301 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: me about the Kings is like, if you can contain 302 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: them on the perimeter, they don't really have a CounterPunch. Like, 303 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: if you can prevent Malik Monk and Deer and Fox 304 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: from slicing and dicing you off the dribble, you can 305 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: really slow down their offense. And so having a guy 306 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: that's like, oh, like this team is quick and lanky 307 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: on the perimeter, Well, what if we have a different 308 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: way to attack. So, for instance, a guy like Lebron 309 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: being able to bully his way to the basket as 310 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: a post up player when the Austin Reeves pick and 311 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: rolls are not working. That's a diversity of shot creation. 312 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: That's kind of the way I feel about Bradley Beal. 313 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are kind of redundant in 314 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: a lot of ways. They're two you know, Kevin Durant 315 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: post Achilles is not a guy that's a dominant slasher, 316 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: right and Devin Booker, like we talked about earlier, not 317 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: a top tier athlete. So those guys are skill perimeter 318 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: initiators that are going to work a lot in ice 319 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: own pick and roll and take a lot of pull 320 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: up jump shots right, Beal provides diversity in the sense 321 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: that he's a real slasher. He's a top tier athlete 322 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: slasher that can make pull up jump shots, and so 323 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: I actually like the idea of him being out there 324 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: essentially is just you know, because he'll have impact as 325 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: an off ball player running off actions and occupying help defenders, 326 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: but in on ball situations, and when he does get 327 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: the ball running off of an off ball action, it's 328 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: just going to provide a different type of offensive punch 329 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: and another counter that the Suns can go to when 330 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: certain things stop working. All right, moving on to Lakers MAVs, 331 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: so make I thought the MAVs did an excellent job 332 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: in this game of making the Lakers pay for their 333 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: game plan. So one of the things that Lakers did 334 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: in the first half of this game is they were 335 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: showing high applying basically blitz ating like a soft blitz 336 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: on Luka Doncic to get the ball out of his hands, 337 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: and the Lakers were bringing that low man over to 338 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: tag the roller wide open shooters on the weak side. 339 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: That was where you were seeing guys like Dante xim 340 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: and Grant Williams get wide open threes. But then later 341 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: in the game, the Lakers went bigger. They brought Ruyacha 342 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 1: Murray into the lineup and they started switching everything. And 343 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 1: the Lakers actually had some success in that stretch where 344 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: they were forcing Luca into really tough shots and long ISOs, 345 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: meaning like he's isoing from twenty six twenty seven feet 346 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: from the basket, and the Lakers were able to kind 347 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 1: of help and rotate out of it, force him into 348 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: tough shots and it was working well. One of the 349 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: things they did, and I'm not sure if it was 350 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: Jason Kidd's adjustment or if it was Luka Danci's adjustment, 351 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: but what they started doing is having Luca run his ISOs, 352 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: get the switch, and then basically give them the ball 353 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: on the elbow. And so just to kind of draw 354 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: the geometry of it for you, imagine Luca on the 355 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: right elbow with you know, somebody on him, whether it's 356 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: Ruyatcha Mura, whether it's Austin Reeves, whoever, it might be right. 357 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: And then what they did is they took Derek Lively 358 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: and they moved him a few steps outside the dunker spots, 359 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: so not really right in that dunker spot right outside 360 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: the block, but a few steps outside. Why does that matter, 361 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: Because if Derek Lively is standing right outside the block 362 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: on the dunker spot area, then Anthony Davis can sit 363 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: right under the basket and help without getting a defensive 364 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: three seconds because he's technically guarding Derek Lively. As soon 365 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: as Derek Lively took those extra few steps further out 366 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: towards the corner. Now Anthony Davis is in a bind 367 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: because he has two options at that point. He can 368 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: either step all the way outside that outside block and 369 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: kind of step in and out and in and out 370 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: to try to avoid a defensive three seconds call, where 371 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: Luca could easily just wait for him while he's taking 372 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: that step out and then drive by, or Anthony Davis 373 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: would have to full zone up, meaning ignore Derek Lively 374 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 1: and go to the opposite end of the block and 375 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: basically wait for the drive there. Here's the problem with that. 376 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 1: You now have a two on one on the weak 377 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: side with the shooter in the corner and Derek Lively 378 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: in the dunker spot, and if the guy guarding the 379 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: shooter in the corner wants to get in front of 380 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: Derek Lively and box him out to prevent the lob 381 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: it's a skip pass to a wide open shooter every 382 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: single time. If that guy's not there and he's on 383 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: the back side of Derek Lively, Luca just has to 384 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: go boop right up to the front of the rim, 385 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: and Derek Lively's gonna go up and he's gonna dounk 386 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: it in. Right. He's a really smart setup. And again 387 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: talking about capitalizing on Darvin Ham's game plan, one of 388 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: the things the Lakers were doing is they did not 389 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: want Luka Doncic to take pull up jump shots. Now, 390 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: Lucas shooting his pull up jump shot extremely well this year, right, 391 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: But they were pressing up on Luca, and Luca's so 392 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: big and he's one of the best. When I'm talking 393 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: to my young kids, as you guys know, I coach 394 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: high school ball here in town, and I primarily work 395 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: with skills development because I work so much at night, 396 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: so I do these morning workouts with the kids where 397 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: we do skills development. And when I'm talking about ball handling, 398 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: I always point to Luca as the best example to 399 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: follow because he's not flashy with the basketball in terms 400 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: of like the way he dribbles, like he's not doing 401 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 1: giant sweeping crossovers and wild dribble combinations. It's really basic stuff. 402 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: It's push crosses, it's between the legs dribbles, it's using 403 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 1: spin moves. It's all real basic. But what he does 404 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: is he sells things really well with his eyes. So 405 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: like he'll if he's planning on crossing over the left, 406 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 1: he'll have his full body position this way and the 407 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: ball kind of in a push cross position like this, 408 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: and as his whole body is facing the other way, 409 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,880 Speaker 1: he'll then cross over. And he's not doing anything dramatic 410 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: with the basketball, but when he opens up like that, 411 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: the defender opens up, and so then when he crosses over, 412 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: he gets a tiny bit of an angle, and now 413 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 1: he's using his size to beat you through that tiny 414 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: little bit of an angle. It's the same thing with 415 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 1: this between the legs dribble. He's going to set you 416 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: up like he's going left and then he's gonna basically 417 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 1: scissor cross through back to the right, and he does 418 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: it in such an efficient way without having to move 419 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: the ball very far, and he just got buys those 420 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: tiny angles and he shoots through those gaps. And then 421 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: essentially when his triple threat situations there at the elbow. 422 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: It's just it's just a rip through, basically. But they 423 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: were pressing so far up on him to stop him 424 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: from taking those pull up jump shots that he was 425 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: able to just rip right through. From there, he's either 426 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: getting to those little short floaters that he can make 427 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,680 Speaker 1: at a high rate, or making those skip passes out 428 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: to the outside. He just they're one soul on that 429 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: rot on that team that could guard him. I think 430 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: it's I think for this particular matchup that Lakers really 431 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: missed Jared Vanderbilt. I did think that they We'll talk 432 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 1: about the Lakers in a little bit, but like, without 433 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt, there's just one the guy on the team 434 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: other than maybe Lebron and Anthony Davis that could do 435 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: a decent job guarding Luca. But even in the switches 436 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: with ad Ham had ad way up taking away the 437 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: jump shot and Luca was just going right around a D. 438 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: And when he go around a D, it's there's no help. 439 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: There's no real athleticism on the week side. Without Jared 440 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt out there, they were running. They were running a 441 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 1: d Lo and Austin for a good chunk of this 442 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: game too, And it's like there's just not enough athleticism 443 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: on that week side to rotate out of it, right. 444 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: I thought Luca was unbelievable in this game. I know 445 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: he took twenty eight shots, but again, like down Kyrie Irving, 446 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: he needs to be more aggressive and take more bailout 447 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: shots and things like that. I thought he was fantastic. 448 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: A couple of other shout outs. They did a really 449 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: good job, especially in the first half of running off 450 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: of Lakers and misses at the rim. Got Tim Hardaway, 451 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: got going in transition in this way, which I thought 452 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: paid dividends down the line. And then Derek Lively had 453 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: a clutch situation late in the game. He had a 454 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: huge offensive rebound over Anthony Davis that was a pivotal 455 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: play in this game that led to a bucket, and 456 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 1: then he had three blocks, bothered a lot of shots 457 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: at the rim, and then set. He just does a 458 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: basic thing that a lot of big struggle with, which 459 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:23,719 Speaker 1: is set good screens, roll hard to the rim, like 460 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: roll hard every single time, you know, because when the 461 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: Lakers are are bringing multiple defenders to the ball, you 462 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: guys remember that ridiculous like Dwight Howard slob that he 463 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: had like way back here out from the top, Luca 464 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: came off of the right wing into a ball screen. 465 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: Lakers sent two to the ball ad was out showing, 466 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: and so the only way Luca could get the pass 467 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: over was to take the ball way out wide and 468 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: basically throw a hook pass, which again was just an 469 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: absurdly difficult pass that Luca just put on the money 470 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: because he's incredible. But the only way it was gonna 471 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: work is if Lively bailed out of the screen quickly 472 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: and rolled hard to the rim and has the athleticism 473 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: to get up that high, which he was able to 474 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: do and finish. I mean, as for a rookie, you 475 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,199 Speaker 1: could not be more happy with how Derek Lively's been 476 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: playing this year on the Lakers front. Again, I understand 477 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: the game plan. Where I disagree is the lack of 478 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: the adjustment. So, for instance, like all the Laker fans 479 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: are like, oh my gosh, Dante Exum was twenty eight 480 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: percent from three this year, is why is he making 481 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: all of these threes? Now, you guys know how I 482 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: feel about this kind of thing, Like you can play 483 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: the numbers with that kind of thing and ignore a shooter, 484 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: but you need to identify when that shooter is now 485 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: confident versus when he's not. So this can go both ways. So, 486 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 1: for instance, I talked about before the Pacers game, I 487 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: was like, the Lakers are almost certainly going to ignore 488 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: Myles Turner on his pick and pops until he makes 489 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: a couple. He didn't make him. He went one for 490 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 1: five or whatever, so it worked out okay. And there 491 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: are versions of that where you ignore that guy and 492 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: he misses a couple and then you can see he's 493 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 1: in his head and then it's over right. But there 494 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: are also versions of that where it goes in like 495 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: I'm a much better shooter now than when I was 496 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 1: in college. Like I have a coach that I used 497 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: to work with who would say you're either a shooter 498 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:13,439 Speaker 1: or a maker. And I've worked really hard in my 499 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: lifetime to become a good shooter. When I was in college, 500 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,199 Speaker 1: I was a very streaky shooter. Like I had a 501 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: season where I shot fifty percent in conference play and 502 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: then I had like another season where I missed twenty 503 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 1: two threes in a row and like literally couldn't make 504 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: a damn shot to save my life. I was super, 505 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: super streaky, and like, what is it with a streaky 506 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,719 Speaker 1: shooter that makes them streaky. What it is is like 507 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: when they are confident, when they're feeling good, they get 508 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: really good lyft and they trust their mechanics and the 509 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: shots go in. But then they can also spiral out 510 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: of control, and when they start missing, they start tinkering 511 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: with their mechanics and they don't trust their form, and 512 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: then the bottom can fall out. Well, here's the thing. 513 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: Back in college, if you just gave me a bunch 514 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: of wide open looks, like eventually I could get hot. 515 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: There were stretches where I'd get hot and make a 516 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,239 Speaker 1: bunch of threes, and then there'd be stretches where I'd 517 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: miss him. Right. I was one of those guys. I 518 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: was one of those guys in college that, like you'd 519 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: probably especially my last year in n AIA, when I 520 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: was playing so much off the ball, like you would 521 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: you would concede the shot to me, you know what 522 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: I mean, And like, I understand that from a game 523 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: plan perspective, But the point is is like at a 524 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 1: certain point you have to adjust to what's taking place. 525 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: So for instance, Luka Doncic, he hit some tough pull 526 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: up jump shots in this game. Not a lot of them, 527 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 1: and Dante Exum was feeling great, made seven threes, Grant 528 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: Williams was feeling great, made five threes. Tim Hardaway Junior 529 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: was feeling great, made five threes. So at what point 530 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: do you look at the situation and go like, hey, 531 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: you know, Dante feels good right now, this is going in. 532 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: Why don't we maybe try making Luca into a pull 533 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: up jump shooter by giving more space on these switch 534 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,679 Speaker 1: ISOs and baiting him into taking step back jump shots 535 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: and then maybe if Luca makes two or three more 536 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: in a row, then you can react at that point. 537 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: And so that's my thing, Like I understand the game plan, 538 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: but yeah, at a certain point you've got to adjust 539 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: to the fact that Dante's pro who's now on fire, 540 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And for whatever it's worth, 541 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: he was forty two percent last year in Europe on 542 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: catch and shoot jump shots, the year before that playing 543 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 1: in Spain, fifty four percent on catch and shoot jump shots, 544 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: and he's been shooting well for the Australian national team 545 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 1: and this year now after tonight, he's up to forty 546 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: one percent on catch and shoot jumpers, and so like again, 547 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 1: like I don't think it's that surprising. Now, I'm not 548 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: super irritated on the Lakers front, because I had a 549 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: feeling this kind of thing was going to happen, meaning 550 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: like you win then n Season Tournament championship, and then 551 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,959 Speaker 1: you play on Tuesday, you know, and like and like 552 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: you're on the road against a team that's decimated by injuries. 553 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 1: Like they're literally playing all these guys that are not 554 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: usually in their rotation, and they just laid an egg. 555 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: For lack of a better term, I thought it was 556 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: their worst defensive effort in a couple of weeks, especially 557 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: in that first half, and then the Lakers turned it 558 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: up defensively in that second half. But this is another 559 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 1: thing that I've seen a lot in my time playing 560 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: the game, coaching the game, covering the game, Like when 561 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: you let guys get comfortable early, they'll be confident late. 562 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: So for instance, there were a couple of those threes 563 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: that Dante Exam made that were contested. Tim Hardaway Junior 564 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:20,719 Speaker 1: made some contested shots. Tim Hardaway Junior and Dante Exam 565 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: both made really nice right handed scoop shots high off 566 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,440 Speaker 1: the glass that were like heavily contested. A big part 567 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 1: of that is early in the game. You weren't rotating, 568 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,479 Speaker 1: you weren't contesting threes. These guys were taking practice shots. 569 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: And so now imagine you're Tim Hardaway junior and you've 570 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 1: got the ball on the wing, and it's like, dude, 571 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: I've got twenty five points tonight. I'm an NBA player 572 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: with twenty five points. Like, you need me to create 573 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: a bucket with five seconds on the shot clock, You 574 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: bet your ass, I'm going to Tonight's my night. And 575 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: that's how they feel when they drive to the rim 576 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 1: and they make those shots, right, Like, it's all part 577 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: of that that like, But in my opinion, when people 578 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,160 Speaker 1: start talking about shot result, is there some luck involved? Yes, 579 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: But if I'll always preach that it's more processed than luck. 580 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: You will get better shots when you play better basketball 581 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: than the other team, and then usually you will make 582 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: more of them. The Lakers have been, they've been shooting 583 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: the ball a lot better as of late. They've been 584 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: I want to say they were thirteenth and three point 585 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: percentage over their previous fifteen games before tonight. A big 586 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,479 Speaker 1: part of that, in my opinion, was defending better and 587 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: then playing with more force offensively, getting higher quality catch 588 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: and shoot looks like I do. Tend to think these 589 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 1: things are connected, and so like I think it's it's 590 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: lazy to come out of that game and be like, oh, 591 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: the MAVs just made all their shots, like you know, 592 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: they got us tonight. It's like, no, No, they played 593 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: better basketball than you and as a result of that, 594 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: they were feeling better down the stretch and they made 595 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: some of the tougher shots that you didn't make. Doesn't 596 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 1: mean anything to me in the big picture as it 597 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,959 Speaker 1: pertains to the Lakers, I expect a lot of this. 598 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: Like Laker fans, I've been saying this all season. If 599 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: they're not going to bring consistent effort every night, they're 600 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: going to be a team that wins, you know, forty six, 601 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: forty seven games like that, that's what they're gonna be 602 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: because the NBA is too deep. Before before tonight, there 603 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: were nineteen NBA teams that were over five hundred. So like, 604 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, like like this, this 605 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: team effort is going to be a huge indicator for 606 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: their regular season's success. But I'm always gonna feel confident 607 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 1: that they're gonna be able to hit a two a 608 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: ceiling like they did in the n season tournament. That's 609 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: going to keep them in my championship contender tier. And 610 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: quite frankly, like when guys like Jared Vanderbilt are out, 611 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: those are gonna be the nights when you're gonna see 612 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: their defense suffer because the Lakers don't have a lot 613 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: of natural motor guys, right, Like Lebron's not a natural 614 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: motor guy. AD's not a natural motor guy. Austin Reeves 615 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 1: is not a natural motor guy. Neither is Dan Angel Russell, 616 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: neither is Torrian Prince. Like it's pretty much like Max 617 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: Christie Jackson Hayes who fouls all the time, and and 618 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt, Like even Ruja ch Mur is not really 619 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: a natural motor guy. They don't have a guys a 620 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: lot of guys that like or to their basketball DNA 621 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 1: is like, they play hard all the time, and so 622 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: when when their high motor guys are out, they're going 623 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: to struggle. It's pretty much like Camratis plays hard, Jared 624 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt plays hard, Max Christi plays hard, and like when 625 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: those three guys are heavily involved in the rotation, you're 626 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 1: gonna see them have more, you know, a higher baseline 627 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: and their night to night effort. And when you know, 628 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: I thought Jared Vanderbilt being out was a big factor, 629 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: and just the overall lethargy that they played with in 630 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: this particular game. All right, moving on to the Clippers. 631 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: I only passively watch this game because I was primarily 632 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: focusing on Sun's Warriors, but I did catch a good 633 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 1: chunk of it just paying attention. I don't want to 634 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: talk too much Clippers tonight because I want to do 635 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: a deep dive on them soon. I have a friend 636 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: of mine who works for the Athletic that I met 637 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: in Vegas playing basketball. Actually this past July, I'm gonna 638 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: have him come on the show Low Murray. You guys 639 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: may or may not know who he is. If you 640 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: guys are Clippers fans, I'm gonna have him come on 641 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: the show. I'm gonna reach out to him and see 642 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: if we can get him on and break down the 643 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: Clippers in depth, because I want to get him talk 644 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: about them in a bigger picture. But they are ten 645 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: and three in their last thirteen games. These metrics are 646 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: not including tonight, but in their previous twelve games fourth 647 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: and defense and fifth and net rating, eighteenth and defensive rebounding, 648 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: which is better than they had been doing at the 649 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: beginning of the trade, but not great. But the defense 650 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: is really coming around now and the offense is starting 651 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: to pick up. They were really bad at first, but 652 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: they're up to fourteenth now over their last twelve games, 653 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: and I do believe it'll continue to get better. But 654 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 1: the big thing that stood out to me right away 655 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: is like the basic geometry of what makes this team 656 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: work is their excellent defensive team. They are a one 657 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: of the best athletic perimeter teams that you'll see around 658 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: the league. When you've got Norman Power, Russell Westbrook, and 659 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: Terrence Man at the guard position, which are all excellent 660 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,239 Speaker 1: athletes at the guard position, right, and then you've got 661 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, two of the best wing 662 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: athletes that we have in this league. That is like 663 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: the perimeter foundation. Now, what the Clippers do defensively is 664 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: they switch everything except for when Zoo box on the floor. 665 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: Then they run a drop coverage, right. And what I've 666 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: always talked about with drop coverages, drop coverages are not 667 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: doomed to fail on their face. It's just about execution. 668 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: As long as the guy on the ball, can do 669 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: a good job of navigating that screen and staying attached 670 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 1: on the backside and offer a good rear view contest 671 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: or back pressure, whatever you want to call it, it'll 672 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: work as long as you've got a big man that's 673 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 1: got enough size to be somewhat of a rim deterrent 674 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: and has enough instinct and athleticism to step up and 675 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: contest floaters and pull up mid range jump shots and 676 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: things along those lines, right, And you see that in 677 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: this King's Game in particular, where it's like, okay, here 678 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: comes Keegan Murray off of a dribble hand off and 679 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: some bonus is rolling to the rim after except for 680 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: it's Kawhi Leonard, and Kawhi Leonard does a good job 681 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: navigating the screen and he's attached on the backside, and 682 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: he's pressuring Keegan Murray and now he's rushing the floater 683 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: and he's shooting it hard and it ricks off the glass. 684 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 1: Right that it's just different than if you've got a 685 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: guy who dies on the screen or can't stay attached 686 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: or doesn't have the size to really bother with back pressure, 687 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: and now he can settle into a calm, easy floater 688 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: that he practices when he's doing his shooting drills. Right. 689 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: That's a fundamental difference. Right. There is a play where 690 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: Dearon Fox is going off of a dribble hand off 691 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: with Sabonis and Paul George is attached on the backside, 692 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: and as Sabonis is rolling down there's Zubac waiting. Because 693 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: Paul George is attached, Deeron Fox can't slow down and 694 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: operate in the mid range, so he's going barreling downhill. 695 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: Paul is funneling him into Zubac at the rim, right, 696 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 1: and Paul George is also athletic enough that when Zubac 697 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: contests that shot and forces the miss, PG can bury 698 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: Sabonis underneath the basket and get the defensive rebound. That's 699 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: the other piece of it too, is like in these 700 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: coverages often that on ball guy has to peel off 701 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,320 Speaker 1: and box out the big man, which is something that 702 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 1: their wings, even their guards are capable of doing. And 703 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: so it starts on the defensive end. This is an 704 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: excellent defensive team because of their perimeter defense. I'm still 705 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: worried about them in terms of the bigger teams in 706 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: the conference, Teams like Denver Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, like teams 707 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 1: that could really punish them on the glass. Those are 708 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: the things that would concern me. But in terms of 709 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 1: the regular season, you know, they're gonna get enough stops. 710 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: And like I, as I said during the losing streak, 711 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 1: like I didn't look at the Clippers as really any 712 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: sort of regular season issue because I view them more. 713 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: I just there's just no way that those guys weren't 714 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 1: going to figure it out offensively, and they still have 715 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: so much better that they can get. It's more like 716 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:43,399 Speaker 1: physical limitations and a seven game series against the top 717 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: tier opponents in the league, which is a separate conversation, 718 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:47,800 Speaker 1: and you know, we'll get into that when we do 719 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: our Clippers deep dive, but within the context of like 720 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: these regular season games when they can contain most of 721 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: these teams on the perimeter, and then you've seen you're 722 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 1: seeing the natural offensive fit like James Haran's doing an 723 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 1: excellent job kind of orchestrating things while still making sure 724 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,720 Speaker 1: that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the featured offensive players. 725 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: They've got Paul George running on a lot of off 726 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,279 Speaker 1: ball actions right now, and he's getting a lot of 727 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:15,720 Speaker 1: really clean catch and shoot looks. And then like Russell 728 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: Westbrook in his fit, like he's getting ignored in the 729 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: weakside corner, but he's doing a really nice job crashing 730 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,760 Speaker 1: out of that weekside corner. I have multiple offensive rebounds, 731 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 1: including a tip dunk against Sacramento coming out of that 732 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 1: week side corner. They're going to get better and better 733 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,840 Speaker 1: on that end. I do think this Clippers team is 734 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 1: gonna win a lot of regular season games, especially with 735 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: the motor that they're playing with, like their stars are competing. 736 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 1: I think that was one of the good things about 737 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: thath to five or oh to six stretch is it 738 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: just brought real urgency to the situation and they're playing 739 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 1: really hard every night and they're having a lot of 740 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: success because of it. But again, we will do a 741 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: deep dive on the Clippers soon. I'll probably try to 742 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: get to them next week. On the Kings front again, 743 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:56,560 Speaker 1: just like I talked about with Houston, just like I 744 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 1: talked about New Orleans, these elite perimeter defense team that 745 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,479 Speaker 1: can turn these screening actions that they run into really 746 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 1: high difficulty plays, high difficulty shots. They're offense tanks in 747 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:11,359 Speaker 1: these situations, and like what we're seeing because I talked 748 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: about their zero to five against New Orleans and against Houston. 749 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,839 Speaker 1: Well in three of those five games that got held 750 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 1: underneath a hundred points. Well, here we go another elite 751 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: perimeter defense team and the Clippers hold them under one 752 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 1: hundred points. And this is a team that lives and 753 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: breathes on the offensive end of the floor. And so 754 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: what's concerning to me about that is because the Bonus 755 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 1: has not been a good enough, consistent, you know, matchup 756 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: attacker down low, they just don't really have another offensive 757 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: punch they can go to when teams can contain Fox 758 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 1: and Monk and Herder and Murray, right, and like that's 759 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:47,719 Speaker 1: where you're seeing these problems. It's something to keep in 760 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: mind as we look forward. It's a matchup thing. Like again, 761 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 1: like when you're really really good, when you're one of 762 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 1: those top tier contenders, you can win in different types 763 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: of matchups and have success even when things don't go 764 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 1: your way. But in that tier below that, it's very 765 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:07,200 Speaker 1: matchup based. If the Kings face the Warriors, do I 766 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,359 Speaker 1: think they can beat them, sure, But if they run 767 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:15,360 Speaker 1: into these excellent perimeter defense teams, teams like the Clippers, 768 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,399 Speaker 1: for instance, teams like the Lakers, for instance, I think 769 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: the Kings are gonna have a lot of problems, and 770 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: it's just something to keep him. I know the Kings 771 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 1: won a couple of games against the Lakers earlier this season, 772 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: but you know, you know how the King the Lakers 773 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,320 Speaker 1: were playing earlier this season. But it's just something to 774 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: keep in mind from a matchup standpoint when we get 775 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,239 Speaker 1: to the postseason, as we're trying to make predictions, who 776 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 1: are the Kings playing. Are they playing a team that 777 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: has good matchups for their perimeter initiators? Because if they do, 778 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: their offense could stall out and it could be a 779 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: death sentence for them. All. Right, before we get out 780 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: of here, I want to bitch and moan about officials 781 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:49,839 Speaker 1: for a couple seconds. So we had Nikola Jokic get 782 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 1: kicked out for arguing with an official, and all these 783 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,799 Speaker 1: people that paid all this money for in Chicago to 784 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: go see Nikola Jokic had to watch other people play basketball, 785 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:02,200 Speaker 1: which is really frustrated. I saw in the Dallas Mavericks game, 786 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:06,360 Speaker 1: we had I think it was Tim Hardaway Junior on 787 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: a fast break, a basic two hand dunk where he 788 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:12,960 Speaker 1: did a basic dismount and he got teed up for 789 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 1: hanging on the rim between that championship game, which I 790 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: didn't even complain about because I was trying to keep 791 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:23,360 Speaker 1: it focused on the Lakers. But excuse me. That n 792 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: Season Tournament championship game was literally one of the worst 793 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: officiated games I've ever seen. There was there was no 794 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,719 Speaker 1: flow to the game at all whatsoever. And I think 795 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: there was like twenty eight foul calls just in the 796 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: first half, So we're talking about over one foul call 797 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:43,240 Speaker 1: per minute. Think about that, twenty four minutes and a half. 798 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: We had twenty eight foul calls in the first half 799 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 1: of that Pacers Lakers game. There are two major issues 800 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,520 Speaker 1: with officiating right now that I think are a big 801 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: problem league wide. One the ego of these dudes. They 802 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:57,920 Speaker 1: are they are so wrapped up in their stature as 803 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: NBA officials everything associated with that, that they are allowing 804 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:06,760 Speaker 1: that to bleed over into the television product. That's a problem. 805 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: No one's there to see you, They're there to see Jokic. 806 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 1: That there has to be a better way for you 807 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: to rectify whatever issue there is there. I don't know 808 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:18,439 Speaker 1: if you have to work with it. The league behind 809 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: the scenes to levy a fine if there's a player 810 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:23,360 Speaker 1: that is disrespectful or what the deal is. But you 811 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,760 Speaker 1: getting all worked up and getting up in your feelings 812 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 1: and kicking the best player in the world out of 813 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,359 Speaker 1: a game early on because he's complaining about a foul call. 814 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:31,879 Speaker 1: By the way, I watched the fat of the play, 815 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 1: he got fouled, got fouled on the play, so he's irritated. 816 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 1: A competitor got in your face and yelled at you 817 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,600 Speaker 1: because you missed a call and you kicked him out 818 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 1: of the damn game when everybody in that arena, twenty 819 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: thousand people paid money to see him, not you him. 820 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,839 Speaker 1: So like, that's a big problem. The rim technicals are 821 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,520 Speaker 1: completely out of control. And then in the basketball element 822 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,759 Speaker 1: of it, it really comes down to this. For me, 823 00:39:55,880 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 1: there is to me referees play a very specific role 824 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: in NBA games. They facilitate basketball games, meaning like they 825 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: are a tool with which we get through basketball games smoothly. 826 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, the NBA is 827 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: an entertainment product. What that means is it's not their 828 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 1: job to hyper analyze the rules and buy the book, 829 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:23,960 Speaker 1: go through every single possession it's your job to make 830 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,799 Speaker 1: sure this NBA game goes on and it feels like 831 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,840 Speaker 1: two teams competing against each other, not gamesmanship, and not 832 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 1: an officiating contest. See what I'm saying now. Specifically, there 833 00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:38,280 Speaker 1: are two things that I look at. One really nitpicky stuff, 834 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 1: so like little bits of contact when guys are moving 835 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:43,440 Speaker 1: around the floor that are super normal in a basketball 836 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,759 Speaker 1: game that like, yeah, buy the book. That might be 837 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:48,759 Speaker 1: a handcheck or that might be a blocking foul. But dude, like, 838 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: let the game go on. You're stopping an NBA game 839 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:54,040 Speaker 1: and you're ruining the flow. And then the second piece 840 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 1: of it is they have absolutely no control over this 841 00:40:56,760 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 1: non basketball play thing what they'll do. There's like a 842 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 1: dozen different variations of this. The big one I've been 843 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: complaining about is the like hard dribble to the right 844 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:08,239 Speaker 1: guy kind of meets him at a spot, they lightly 845 00:41:08,239 --> 00:41:09,960 Speaker 1: bump into each other. The guy just throws the ball 846 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:11,719 Speaker 1: up at the room and gets a bucket. Here's what 847 00:41:11,719 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: I would do. It's the easiest fix in the entire world. 848 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:18,720 Speaker 1: Never ever ever reward a non basketball play with a foul, 849 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:21,879 Speaker 1: even if it's clearly a foul. So if the dude 850 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,000 Speaker 1: goes and throws up some bullshit foul grifty shot and 851 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 1: gets clearly hacked across the arm. Let it go. Don't 852 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 1: reward bad basketball, reward good basketball. At the end of 853 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,719 Speaker 1: the day, we're trying to facilitate the highest quality basketball 854 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:38,839 Speaker 1: games that we can for the health of the league. 855 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:42,000 Speaker 1: And it's frustrating because talent is at an all time high. 856 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:47,360 Speaker 1: The entertainment product when the game is flowing is extremely high. 857 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:50,360 Speaker 1: This is one of the major problems. The refs have 858 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: too much ego, and they can't stop. They can't quit 859 00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:55,399 Speaker 1: stopping the flow of these games because they have no 860 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,400 Speaker 1: control over the non basketball play thing. And again, I 861 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:02,680 Speaker 1: promise you if you look at I'm not gonna say 862 00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 1: any specific player, but if you look at a specific 863 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,080 Speaker 1: player and you're like, yeah, you're right, you did get foul, 864 00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:08,799 Speaker 1: but that's not a real basketball play. And I'm not 865 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,560 Speaker 1: calling that anymore. If you did that around the league 866 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,840 Speaker 1: for like two weeks, they'd all stop, they'd all stop, 867 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:18,680 Speaker 1: none of them would do it anymore. They do it 868 00:42:18,719 --> 00:42:23,239 Speaker 1: because it gets rewarded, end of story. And it's just 869 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,719 Speaker 1: like it's just such a shit show right now, and 870 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:28,920 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, I have a friend, Ben Dausa, 871 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:32,280 Speaker 1: who's done a lot of work to research behind the scenes, 872 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,279 Speaker 1: how they do the officials do their process and the 873 00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 1: casebook and all the different things they do to try 874 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: to tweak interpretations, and like, I have no doubt that 875 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:46,880 Speaker 1: the refs try, but sometimes there's an entity that's trying 876 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:49,720 Speaker 1: and it's not good enough. And right now the officials 877 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:52,960 Speaker 1: are trying, but it's not good enough, and it's ruining 878 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:57,439 Speaker 1: a game the game, and I'm fucking sick of it. Man, 879 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:00,879 Speaker 1: It's driving me crazy, and I hope they can get 880 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:02,759 Speaker 1: control of it. All right, guys, that's all I have 881 00:43:02,840 --> 00:43:06,040 Speaker 1: for tonight. I appreciate you guys' support. We're taking tomorrow off. 882 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:08,760 Speaker 1: We'll be back for two more film sessions on Thursday 883 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 1: and Friday, breaking down games from Wednesday and Thursday night. 884 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: I will see you guys. Then the volume