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I hope all of you guys had 36 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: a great weekend. We're getting into the nitty gritty of 37 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: our top twenty five NBA players list. We did number 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: five Luca dont yesterday. Today we'll be doing number four. 39 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: You guys know the joke before we get started. Subscribe 40 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: to the volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any more 41 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore Jason 42 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: lt so you guys don't miss any show announcements. The 43 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: last but not least, if you miss one of these 44 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: videos and you can't get back to YouTube to finish it, 45 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: we always released the audio form of them wherever you 46 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Under Hoops tonight, all right, let's get 47 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: into it. Number four, My personal favorite player of all time, 48 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: Mr Lebron James. Now, you guys know the drill um 49 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna be do and strengths and weaknesses. We're gonna 50 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: be doing the biggest hopes, biggest fears and then biggest 51 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: what if of his career. Starting with strengths. So Lebron 52 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: average thirty eight and six on six true shooting last year. 53 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: That's obviously excellent, albeit in only fifty six games. He 54 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: did not make it to the postseason. Obviously, but Lebron 55 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: is in the rare class of people that you have 56 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: to give a lot of leeway. They're kind of like 57 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: Steph in the previous two seasons because you know, for 58 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: a fact that what he does translates to the postseason, 59 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: and that then missing the playoffs largely had to do 60 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: with the roster and the available talent next to him. 61 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: Kind of a weird parallels there throughout Lebron James and 62 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:45,119 Speaker 1: Steph's career. So when we're talking about Lebron strengths, there 63 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: is no place we can start other than him attacking 64 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: the basket spend the bread and butter of his entire 65 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: NBA career, and even through nineteen seasons, it's still is 66 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: what he does best, and he does it better than 67 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: basically everybody in the league except for one guy. So 68 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: if I asked you who led the league in restricted 69 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: area makes last year, you'd probably say honest right, and 70 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: you'd be right. He averaged six point six restricted area 71 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: makes per game and finished them at seventy six point six. Now, 72 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: those of you guys who have been listening to this 73 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: entire list from five on, when I come to when 74 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: it comes to bigger wings and big forwards, I've been 75 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: looking for at least two makes per game and at 76 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: least se and the good ones have been around three 77 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: makes per game, right, and then the great ones are 78 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: right around like four Nice is at almost seven per 79 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: game and he's making almost seventy seven percent of him. 80 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: That's ridiculous. But what if I asked you who number 81 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: two on that list was, It's Lebron James. He averaged 82 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: six point five restricted area makes per games, so only 83 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: one fewer than Janice, and he made them at seventy 84 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: five point three percent. So basically, Lebron James through nineteen seasons, 85 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: with all the mileage on his body, with the horrific 86 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: spacing that the Lakers had last year with Russell Westbrook 87 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: on the court, the twenty two ranked three point efficiency 88 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: team in the league, with all of those factors working 89 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: against him, he was basically every bit as productive and 90 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: efficient getting to the basket as Janice. That that's outrageous, 91 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: and it just is the the latest example of just 92 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: how much of an alien Lebron James is. Now. I 93 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: wanted to take a second here to talk about the 94 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 1: value of rim pressure because we spent a lot of 95 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: time over the postseason talking about Curry, Steph Curry and 96 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 1: his gravity. Right, I have said that Lebron and Steph, 97 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: in my opinion, are the two best offensive engines that 98 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: I've ever seen, and I believe they are the two 99 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: best offensive engines of all time, but the way they 100 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: do it couldn't be more different, you know, like with 101 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: Steph the uniqueness of his gravity. Because all stars generate attention, 102 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: it goes without saying there's not a player on this 103 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: list that game plans aren't dictating sending multiple defenders too, 104 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: So there's no uniqueness in the double team. The uniqueness 105 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: is in the way with which players send attention. Teams 106 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: send attention to Lebron James and Steph Curry. Now with Steph, 107 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: it's away from the basket. The panic that defenders have 108 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,119 Speaker 1: as they see Steph preparing to catch the basketball somewhere 109 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: and with any light of day to shoot, drives defenders 110 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: away from the basket. That opens up lots of four 111 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: on three opportunities to finish around the rim, sometimes even 112 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: one on o opportunities as a player breaks wide open 113 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: underneath the basket because of a defensive mistake. That's the 114 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: way that curries gravity manifest it's at the basket. With Lebron, 115 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: it's been a more traditional format. He collapses the paint 116 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: and is always kicking out two shooters. That's the proven 117 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: Lebron James formula of the last decade. If you got 118 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: Lebron James healthy on the basketball court, with shooting and 119 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: guys that can play defense, you have a very good 120 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: chance of winning an NBA championship. And at one point one, 121 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: I believe four out of eight or something crazy like that, 122 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: or four out of nine and something like that. But 123 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: that's the way that Lebron's rim pressure manifest You think 124 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: of it as like obviously getting to the basket almost 125 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: seven times a game and making them that's offensive production there. 126 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: There's obviously getting to the foul line. There's obviously the 127 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: defense collapsing in him kicking out two shooters. But there 128 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: are a couple of other elements there too. The value 129 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: of impressure manifesting offensive rebounding. If Lebron James beats the 130 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: defender to the basket and the rim protector has to 131 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,559 Speaker 1: step over to help, even if he misses a lamp 132 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: which he misses one out of four of them, right, 133 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: even if he misses a layup, chances are because the 134 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: rim protector had to step over to help on Lebron, 135 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: that's your big man is now unguarded underneath basket and 136 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: in many cases, over the course of the last few 137 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: years that's been Anthony Davis, and that's been an easy 138 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:11,559 Speaker 1: offensive rebound putback. The rim pressure just continually impacts winning 139 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: on so many different levels. I always talked about I 140 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: talked about this a lot last year in the playoff 141 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: runt as it pertained to Janice, particularly with the Boston Celtics. 142 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: The idea of rim pressure fatigue on a defense. What 143 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: happened in the first three games of the series, it 144 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: was like, oh, man, Grant Williams and Al Horford can 145 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: guard your honest one on one. This is amazing. But 146 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: then what happened is the series progressed. Even Al Horford 147 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: and Grant Williams basically became tissue paper by game four, 148 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 1: and you honest was getting wherever he wanted, and then 149 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: his numbers took off from there. When you've got guys 150 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: like Lebron who's six nine to seventy and Janice, who's 151 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: like seven foot and I don't even know how much 152 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: he weighs. Those guys when they drive at you, it's 153 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: you can get in front of them one time, you 154 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: can get in front of them two times. He might 155 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: even be able to get in front of them three times, 156 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: maybe more but there will be a point where he 157 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 1: keeps coming at you and you will relent, and you 158 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 1: will start to give ground, and he will start to 159 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: finish at the rim. This is what makes Lebron such 160 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: a like, such a dependable playoff player. In the battle 161 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: of wills of trying to keep him from getting to 162 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: the rim or him trying to get to the rim, 163 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: he's the bigger, stronger, more resilient athlete and he's going 164 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: to win nine times out of ten in that pursuit 165 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: of getting to the basket. So when we're talking about 166 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:36,599 Speaker 1: Lebron strengths, that's the that's the only place that we 167 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: can start attacking the basket. But Lebron James is absolutely 168 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: one of the best three level scorers in basketball right now. 169 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: Even through nineteen seasons, he shot on three point three 170 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: mid range attempts per game. That's really good scoring from 171 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: the mid range. On above the break threes, he took 172 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: se even point four per game and made thirty six 173 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: point four percent of them. That's really good. The best 174 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: above the break three point shooters in the league are 175 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 1: going to shoot around high volume ones, okay, So Lebron 176 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: in terms of high volume three point shooting is about 177 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: as efficient as you'll find from the good players in 178 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: the league. He took seven pull up jumpers per game 179 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: and made thirty seven point four percent of them. I 180 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: think this is Lebron's biggest edition in the late phase 181 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: of his career. Obviously, in two thousand thirteen he became 182 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: a reliable jump shooter, but back then there was a 183 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: lot of catch and shoot, a lot of face up 184 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: jab steps, not a lot of off the dribble stuff. 185 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: We talked about this a lot earlier in the list, 186 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,359 Speaker 1: but there's a certain amount of fluidity with the basketball 187 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: that you're required to have to be a good off 188 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: the dribble jump shooter. Transitioning from any dribble combination into 189 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,599 Speaker 1: your shooting shooting pocket with good energy transfer so that 190 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: you flow up into a jump shot that you have 191 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: a high percentage chance of making takes a great combination 192 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: of ball handling a bill the in shooting ability that's 193 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: been the best increase in Lebron's career. I started to 194 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: notice that in the late phase of Lebron's career, should 195 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 1: say I started to notice that right around two thousand eighteen, 196 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: where I was like, oh, like Lebron's like straight up 197 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: now a fluid pull up jump shooter in the same 198 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: class as like a Paul George or Kevin Durant things 199 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: along those lines. Doesn't quite have the same level of 200 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: fluidity as those guys. But in terms of the result, 201 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: you can't argue with the results. Like in NBA games 202 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: facing NBA defenses, if you're taking seven pull up threes 203 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: seven pull up jumpers a game and you're making over 204 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: thirty percent of them, you're a good pull up jump shooter, 205 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 1: but you can't argue with the results there. You guys 206 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: might remember a game earlier this season, I think it 207 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: was against the Warriors where Lebron had a monster score game. 208 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: He might even had fifty. And if you guys remember 209 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant, he's either on Instagram or on Twitter, but 210 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: shouted out Lebron for his shot making display in that 211 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: particular game. So what what is shot making as opposed 212 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,719 Speaker 1: to any other type of made field goal? To me, 213 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: shot making is about the improvisation, and it's been another 214 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: thing that Lebron is added later in his career that 215 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: has helped, especially in clutch situations and in some of 216 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,599 Speaker 1: the volume scoring away from the basket. So to me, 217 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 1: if I was working with high school kids like I 218 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 1: do every morning during the week, I would work on 219 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: shots that would come within the flow of an offense. 220 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: Right like we have a ball screen offense, and then 221 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: we have a five out offense and the ball screen offense. 222 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: I'll have them work on shooting jump shots as they 223 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: come off of the ball screen, if the making a read, 224 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: if the defender backs down, I build everything off of 225 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: a high hesitation so that they can always flow into 226 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: the next move. If you're in high hesitation, you can 227 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: go to the rim, you can go left, you can 228 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: go right, you can cross over, you can step back, 229 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: you can straight up pull up. It's like the ultimate 230 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: kind of like barrier movers, I should say like bridge 231 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: move between all moves. Those are shots that come within 232 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: the flow of the offense. Oh, he's way off of me. 233 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: Let me raise up and knock this down. Shot making 234 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: is about improvisation. Shot making is about like I don't 235 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: have as much time on the shot clock, or I 236 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: happen to find myself in an opening here, but my 237 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: feet are somewhat unorthodox, Like I don't have my feet 238 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: set normally. Maybe the ball is not in its normal 239 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: spot in my shooting pocket. Maybe the defender is contesting 240 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: in a different way, so I need to shoot higher 241 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: over the top, or you know, whatever the whatever the 242 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: specific parameters are, it's about cultivating a unique shot to 243 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: fit your situation. When it comes to shot making, no 244 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: two shots are alike. It's kind of just like I said, improvisational, 245 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: and it specifically helps you in bailout possessions at the 246 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: end of shot clocks and at the end of basketball games, 247 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: when defenses are so locked in that you're in rhythm. 248 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: Shots don't really exist anywhere on the court. You're not 249 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: going to come down with a minute left in the 250 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: game or on a high pick and roll and get 251 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 1: a wide open three out of it. That's what's gonna happen. 252 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 1: It might involve you hitting an unorthodox triple combination to 253 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: get to a specific spot on the floor where you 254 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: see a little bit of an opening and the defenders 255 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: still contests you really well, and you have to adjust 256 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: your release, maybe shoot with more arc or whatever it 257 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: is to get it over the top and to get 258 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: into score. That is high end shot making. If I 259 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: was describing the best shot maker that I had ever 260 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: seen in NBA history, this is what Kobe Bryant was 261 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: best at the improvisational scoring, the ability to adjust different 262 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 1: elements of his skill set to fit really bizarre single scenarios, 263 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: whether it's like three pump fakes before rising over the top, 264 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: switching to his left hand in the lane to make 265 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: a shot, the wild array of our the wild array 266 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 1: of jump shots that he made in his career. That 267 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: was what Kobe did better than anybody who ever did 268 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: it was shot making. But that's another thing that Lebron 269 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: added a lot towards the end, towards this phase of 270 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: his career, And I thought it was cool that Kevin 271 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: Durant pointed that out after that specifical and State Warriors game. 272 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: Like I said, all those things that I just pointed 273 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: out amounts to Lebron being as good of a three 274 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: level score as we have in the league right now, 275 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: even after nineteen years. He's the best post up wing 276 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: in basketball. There are better post up players, but they're 277 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: usually bigs. In all. Among all players who had at 278 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: least three post up possessions per game this year, Lebron 279 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: ranked fifth and points per possession per post up, and 280 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: the four guys ahead of him were all centers and 281 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: They're all names that you could guess your kitchen beat 282 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: eight and so on and so forth. Lebron is the 283 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: best wing at posting up that we have in the 284 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: league that specifically helps him as a passer. We talked 285 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: to yesterday a little bit about the difference between with Luca. 286 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: We talked about the difference between high end playmaking and 287 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: like kind of like regular making reads right, and I 288 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: talked about how with the high end play playmaking, it's 289 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: anticipatory it rather than reactive. It's not like you see 290 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: an opening. You see a potential to create an opening, 291 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: and then you manipulate the defense to get them where 292 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: you need them to be for you to make that opening. 293 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: Why are so many big bad passing out of the 294 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: post because they actually see where the defense is at, 295 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: but they don't see the opening because the defense is 296 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: playing in a passing lane or something, and so they'll 297 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: panic and they'll kick the ball out. Lebron will see 298 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: that he'll be on the right block, right, and they'll 299 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: be helping out of the week side corner, so left corner, 300 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: and they might be positioned in a way where the 301 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: opening is not there. But rather than panic and pass 302 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: it out, he'll work a little bit deeper into the lane, 303 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: or he'll attack the double team to get a little 304 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: bit better of an angle to find that shooter in 305 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: a spot where he can actually get him the basketball. 306 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: I always talk about this when I'm talking to Anthony Davison. 307 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: His passing, there's a huge there's a huge element of 308 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: patients when it comes to attacking double teams. When you panic, 309 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: you won't be able to make them pay. But if 310 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: you're methodical and embrace the double team, you will be 311 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: able to find the openings and make them pay for 312 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: double teaming you. This is what makes Lebron such a 313 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: devastate post up player. If you leave him on an 314 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: island to score, he's gonna score better than any wing 315 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: in all of basketball. If you send the double team, 316 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: he's gonna methodically wait until he has an opening, and 317 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: he's going to make you pay for doing it. Obviously, 318 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: flowing kind of further into his his passing ability. We 319 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 1: talked a lot about game management when we were talking 320 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: about the Boston Celtics. If you guys remember um and 321 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: their inability to understand the flow of a basketball game, 322 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: like obviously, in an NBA game, you have like maybe 323 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: a hundred possessions. As a player who plays a normal shift, 324 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: a set of shifts you're gonna have maybe eighty possessions. 325 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: You have to understand the value of all those eighty 326 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: possessions together rather than one specific possession. Lebron, in my opinion, 327 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: is the best game manager in basketball. Nobody understands pace 328 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: and flow more than him. Nobody understands rhythm more than him. 329 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: Nobody understands role player confidence and how to feed guys 330 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: and keep them feeling good about themselves. Lebron also has 331 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: an amazing understanding of pivotal moments, like understanding the right 332 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: time in the game to hit the gas versus the 333 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: time to pull back and let things go there. It's 334 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: a matter of conserving energy and understanding the different levels 335 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: of impact for each basket. Two points is not just 336 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: two points. Two points in a specific moment in a 337 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: game can be lethal. My favorite example of this two eighteen, 338 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: first round of the playoffs. Pacers are up two games 339 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: to one, the Calves are on the road in Indiana. 340 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: Lebron is clearly tired. If you remember how this series progressed, 341 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: Indiana was so much more athletic that Cleveland would pretty 342 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: frequently get out to big starts, but then Indiana would 343 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: creep back up at the end of each game, and 344 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: then it became a dogfight at the end, even as 345 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 1: the series progressed later on. But in this particular game, 346 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: the same thing happened. Calves jumped out to a big start, 347 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: Indiana came out like gangbusters end of the third quarter, 348 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: early fourth, and the Calves were in some trouble and 349 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: lebron you could tell what was running out of gas 350 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: and he was being guarded by boy On Bogdanovitch. She 351 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: was pretty good at guarding big forwards, like we talked 352 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: about when we were talking about the potential Jazz Lakers 353 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: trade earlier last week. But as that game was progressing, 354 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: I think lebron knew that he only had a handful 355 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: of explosive moves left in the gas tank, and I 356 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 1: was wondering why he wasn't attacking boy On Bogdanovitch enough, 357 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 1: Like I felt like there was some missed opportunity there. 358 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: But then Kyle Korver hit a couple of threes, and 359 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: when he hit the couple of three, suddenly the Calves 360 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: were up by four with I think like two minutes 361 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: left or something like that, and suddenly they get a 362 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:39,919 Speaker 1: stop and Lebron dribbles the ball up the right wing 363 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: of the floor and I'll never forget it. He just 364 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: no hesitation, didn't wait for the team to get into 365 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: his set. He just did a hard right handed dribble 366 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: into his left hand and then spun around boy On 367 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: Bogdanovitch and finished at the rim. It's completely unstoppable. Boyan 368 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: had no chance. All of a sudden, they're up six 369 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: with two minutes left. That six with two minutes left 370 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: feels kind of like the game is over. Suddenly the 371 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: energy got sucked out of the Indiana Arena. Suddenly you 372 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: could see all the young players on Indiana, like Victor Oladipo, 373 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 1: get tight and struggle in that setting that was in. 374 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: That was two points from Lebron that carried a massive 375 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: amount of impact on the tenor and tone of the game. 376 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 1: Those are little game management pieces. He could have hit 377 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: that same move earlier in the fourth quarter when the 378 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: game was tied, or when they were down by two 379 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: or whatever it was, But if he did it then, 380 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,880 Speaker 1: it wouldn't have had the same psychological impact and would 381 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: have still drained his gas tank. The way those super 382 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: aggressive moves to the rim do. That's that's game management. 383 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: That's understanding the impact of each individual basket. That's understanding 384 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: the flow of the game. I believe Lebron knew that 385 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: he was gonna need his teammates to make some shots 386 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: in order to have a chance to win that game. 387 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: I think he believed that they would, and he was 388 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: deliberately holding something in reserve because he knew he would 389 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: need it at the end of the game. The best 390 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: game manager in all of basketball. Last thing, on his passing. 391 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: We talked about this a little bit yesterday with Luca, 392 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: but I talked about with the top tier playmakers with Luca, Lebron, Yokich, 393 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: and Chris Paul. It's not just that they make advanced reads, 394 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: it's that they are relentless in doing so. When you 395 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: are relentless in making reads, it makes it so that 396 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: teams are panicked to are terrified of actually sending help. 397 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: That is what allows Lebron to be as he finished, 398 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 1: as efficient and productive of a rim finisher. Is the 399 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: honest Jane is many times the athlete that Lebron is 400 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: at this point in his career. Yet Lebron is just 401 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: as impactful getting to the rim. Why is that? It's 402 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: literally because of his passing ability. This is why I 403 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: always say with Joannice that the number one thing that 404 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: I'm watching for his development is his asking ability. This 405 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: is why I said in the Boston Celtics series that 406 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: the reason why I'm all in on you honest now 407 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: is I saw a lot of higher level playmaking from 408 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: Janice there. Paranoying teams into thinking they cannot send help 409 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: will allow you to operate on an island more frequently. 410 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 1: And when you operate on an island and your Lebron James, 411 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: you're going to get to the rim at will and 412 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: you're going to finish. Obviously, everything Lebron James with that 413 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: does with the basketball translates to the playoffs. I I 414 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: would argue that Lebron is the most consistent playoff performer 415 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 1: of all time. You know, MJ's my personal greatest player 416 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: of all time. But MJ had some shooting volatility, right Like, 417 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: if you caught him, you know, probably once or twice 418 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 1: a series, he just wouldn't shoot well, and that would 419 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: massively impact his overall massively massively limit his overall impact 420 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: on the game. There is no player in the game 421 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: of basketball that I've ever seen that if they were 422 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: walking into a big game, I would feel more confident 423 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: in their ability to come through for their team. Why 424 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: is that all of the things that I have said 425 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: that I value most about playoff basketball. He's strong, so 426 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: he thrives in the physicality. He's versatile on both ends 427 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: of the floor. On offense, he can attack you from 428 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 1: literally any spot on the floor, and he's efficient from 429 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: literally all of the spots. On defense, he can help 430 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: you defensively and literally any spot on the floor and 431 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 1: literally all against any type of player. He can guard 432 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: Jamaal Murray, he can guard Nicola Yokich, he can help 433 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: at the rim, he can make defensive rotations and close 434 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 1: out on shooters. He can do absolutely anything defensively, and 435 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: then he's got the high end playmaking to complement his 436 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:44,439 Speaker 1: offensive scoring ability. Those are all that's checking every box 437 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: for playoff effect, for impacting winning in the playoffs, and 438 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: that is why he is the most consistent playoff performer 439 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: of all time in terms of you know, we're gonna 440 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: talk a lot about Lebron's leadership today, especially when we 441 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: get to his weaknesses. Um, but there is no better 442 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 1: leader you could have for a team with real championship potential, 443 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: Like if you've got a team like the Lakers, where 444 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,479 Speaker 1: you've got a legitimate co star, really solid role players, 445 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: good coach that fits the talent and and and healthy 446 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: and everything kind of just comes together in that scenario, 447 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: you could not have a better leader. Because Lebron understands 448 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: the highs and the lows. He understands the bigger picture 449 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: of the two game regular season and the sixteen wins 450 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: that you need to win an NBA championship. In the playoffs, 451 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: he understands playoff chess matches. I've done this before. I 452 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: don't know the numbers off the top of my head, 453 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,640 Speaker 1: but Lebron James's record in late series games like Game five, six, 454 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: and seven is insane. He falls behind and almost every 455 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: playoff series he plays, it seems like but it's because 456 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: he will feel things out. Like as he gets down 457 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: one oh in a series, he doesn't panic. As he 458 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 1: gets down to one in a series, he doesn't panic. 459 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: He just makes reads on what's happening. Okay, this is 460 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: where they're killing us. These are where areas of opportunities 461 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: are areas of opportunity are I'm gonna outlast this guy physically. 462 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: You know, if I can just win this game and 463 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: get us back home, we might be able to steal 464 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: this series. That That is the thing that Lebron James 465 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,680 Speaker 1: does best. He understands the flow of those playoffs series. 466 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: He's as good a playoff chess master master that we 467 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 1: have in the game. All of this amounts to, as 468 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 1: we get to the end of his strengths here, he's 469 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: still a top two offensive engine in all of basketball 470 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: when healthy, in my opinion, him and staff. Now, Yokis 471 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: fans were all over my case yesterday as the volume 472 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: tweeted out our ten through six and and look, guys 473 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: like you should know in advance. This is the way 474 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: I do player evaluations. I'm always going to give Creed 475 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: instant leeway to the guys who've been there longer. And 476 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: here it goes both ways. Ten years from now, if 477 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: Yokich is still in the conversation for the best player 478 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: in the world, I will be advocating for him when 479 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: everyone else is trying to push the next young guy 480 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 1: to the top of the list. This is just the 481 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: way that I'm gonna error on the side of giving 482 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: additional leeway to the guys who have been there and 483 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 1: done that so many times before. So as good as 484 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 1: I think Yokich is. If it's a if it's a 485 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: playoff series where I've got two good basketball teams that 486 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 1: are pretty equal in talent, and I've got Yoki leading 487 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,120 Speaker 1: one team and I've got a healthy Lebron James leading 488 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,959 Speaker 1: the other, I'm picking Lebron James. I don't think that's crazy. 489 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: I don't think that's disrespectful to Yokich. I think that's 490 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: just the reality of the way that I see the 491 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: game and the things that I value um defensively. Last 492 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: note for Lebron on the positives. When he's engaged, he's 493 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: an all defense level defender. When he's engaged. He struggles 494 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: with dribble contain a lot more than he used to 495 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 1: as he's lost a little bit of foot speed, but 496 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: he's also gotten a lot better as a back line defender, 497 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 1: particularly as a communicator and quarterback of the defense. Had 498 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: a lot of good games like that this year, few 499 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: and far between as a result of his lack of 500 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: defensive effort overall. But we're gonna get to that and 501 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 1: the weaknesses, all right, Lebron's weaknesses. I tried really hard 502 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: to come up with some some a list here, because 503 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,439 Speaker 1: he's a player that doesn't really have a lot of weaknesses, 504 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: and even his weaknesses are more like weak relative to 505 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 1: his strengths rather than weak relative to the rest of 506 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: the league. So, for instance, Lebron's health is on on 507 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: his list of weaknesses. We would argue that Lebron started 508 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: to show some examples of unreliable health this year, right, 509 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: and he still played fifty six games. Like a down 510 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: year for Lebron for health resulted in him playing a 511 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 1: lot more than the vast majority of players who have 512 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 1: had injury problems throughout their career. The big one that 513 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: concerned me this year was the nie swelling at the 514 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: end of the year. You know, there's a difference between like, oh, 515 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,679 Speaker 1: I sprained my ankle, you know, like last year when 516 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: someone fell into his ankle, like there's not a whole 517 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: lot you can do about that, and then literally you're 518 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,879 Speaker 1: just playing basketball and one day your nie swells up. 519 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: Like that was concerning Lebron literally towards the end of 520 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: the year year last year, his knee just swelled up, 521 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 1: swelled up, and he had to stop playing for a 522 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 1: little while. That sounds like an old man injury. So 523 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: there's definitely some some concern on the health front with Lebron. 524 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,959 Speaker 1: Ankle sprains also seemed to be lasting longer. Lebron used 525 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: to sprain his ankle and be fine before the game 526 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,959 Speaker 1: was over. Many times he'd stay in the game right 527 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: after the sprain, but it just seemed like when he 528 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 1: would sprain his ankle this last year, he'd missed time. 529 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: That's very unusual compared to the way Lebron is. Health 530 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: is absolutely weakness at this point in Lebron's career. This one, 531 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: this is probably Lebron's biggest weakness right now, and I 532 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: understand it, but it can be some of the most 533 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: frustrating things. It could be the it's one of the 534 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: most frustrating things about watching him though. He just goes 535 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: through these extended stretches of regular season malaise, and that 536 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: specifically manifests on the defensive end of the floor. You 537 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: know what, one of the most one of the debates 538 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 1: that we have all the time on Twitter is is 539 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: Lebron James a good defensive player? And that's a loaded 540 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: question because when he's trying, he's an all defense level defender. 541 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: But last year he wasn't trying on about of nights. 542 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: So I think that means you're a bad defensive player 543 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: in the regular season, like unless Lebron shows us differently 544 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: this year. If we're trying to project the level of 545 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: defensive impact Lebron will have on the Lakers this year, 546 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: it's probably going to be a negative because of what 547 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: we saw last year with his super inconsistent defensive effort. Now, 548 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: he did say in that um excuse me and that 549 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 1: Chris Haynes piece, he did say that he believes that 550 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: the night and night out consistent effort is a legit 551 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: area of opportunity for the this year's Lakers team. So 552 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: maybe he will recapture what he was in. But I 553 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: would argue that's Lebron's biggest weakness right now, night in 554 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: night out in the regular season. He doesn't care enough 555 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: to try on the defensive end of the floor, and 556 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: there's a good reason for that. I think he gets 557 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: bored in the two game regular season. I think he 558 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: sees the bigger picture almost too well. I think he's 559 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: played in thousands of NBA basketball games and doesn't get 560 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: adrenaline anymore. I think there are a bunch of reasons why, 561 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: but the reality is is he doesn't try hard enough, 562 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: consistently enough on the defensive end of the floor. This 563 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: is where I have to get into his leadership again, 564 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: because I believe that Lebron's inconsistent defensive effort last year 565 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: actually was a huge driving force behind the rest of 566 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: the team not defending, because if you're Carmelo Anthony and 567 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: you're trying to decide whether or not to really lock 568 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: in on a defensive possession and your buddy Lebron is not, 569 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: you're probably not going too Even good defensive players like 570 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: Avery Bradley from this year was a bad defensive player 571 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. I would argue that has a lot 572 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: to do with Lebron James and the example that he 573 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: set from the top down, Anthony Davis stopped making extra 574 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: effort plays that he made. I believe a lot of 575 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 1: that has to do with Lebron James. As the leader, 576 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: it is your job to set the tone so that 577 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: your teammates follow and then as a team you can 578 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: be a great defensive unit. This is this is where 579 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: we have to get into his leadership because, like I 580 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, Lebron is probably the best leader you could 581 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: have on a team that actually has championship capability, But 582 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: he's probably the worst leader you can have on a 583 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 1: team that doesn't have championship capability. If Lebron James does 584 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: not believe his team can win, you can absolutely guarantee 585 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: a handful of things are gonna happen, and there's a 586 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 1: good chance some other things are going to happen. Okay, 587 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: here's what we can guarantee is going to happen. If 588 00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: he's on a team that he doesn't believe in, he 589 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: will let the defensive rope, he will have really bad 590 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: body language and appeared to be blaming his teammates for 591 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: a lot of things that take place over the course 592 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: of the game, even things that are his fault from 593 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 1: time to time. Those are facts. And then there's also 594 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: some possibility for passive aggressiveness and pouting. Now, he did 595 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: not do that last year, to his credit. That was 596 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: more of an earlier Lebron James problem, particularly when he 597 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: was in Cleveland the second time. But when Lebron doesn't 598 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: believe in his team, you can count on him letting 599 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 1: go of the defensive rope. You can count on him 600 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: having bad body language, and he might resort to some 601 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: pouting and passive aggressiveness. That means you're a bad leader 602 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: for that specific situation. I've always called Lebron a fair 603 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: weather leader and and and I think again, the way 604 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 1: Lebron would probably describe it to you as like who 605 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:52,360 Speaker 1: cares we didn't have a chance to win that year? 606 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: And you know what, he's not wrong, But there are 607 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: going to be people that are turned off by that 608 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: because they would prefer the co me Brian approach, approach 609 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: where he goes down with the ship, meaning like, even 610 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: if he doesn't believe in his team, he just is 611 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: gonna try like hell to win every single game, because 612 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: that's just what his character is. But I've talked to 613 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: many Lakers fans who have told me that they wish 614 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: they could go on a time machine and go back 615 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: to two thousand thirteen and tell Kobe to stop and 616 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 1: to give up because his body broke trying to save 617 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: that sinking ship. So again, different types of leadership styles. 618 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: But like Lebron is the kind of guy when the 619 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,840 Speaker 1: going gets really tough, like unsalvageably tough. He's not a 620 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: foxhole guy. That's just kind of the reality. We talked 621 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: about this earlier, but on defense, he can start to 622 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: he's at this phase of his career he struggles to 623 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: contain quicker players off the dribble, and then you know, 624 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,959 Speaker 1: I'm getting pretty nippicky here. But he's a below average 625 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: free throw shooter. Last year he actually did get up 626 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: to seventy from three from the free throw line, which 627 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: is a nice little sign of improvement. But he was 628 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: on three consecutive seasons in the sixties before that. It's 629 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: funny people would always tell me, like, oh, Lebron is 630 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: not clutch. Look at he missed that clutch free throw, 631 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: and I'd be like, it's not a clutch thing, it's 632 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 1: a bad free throw shooting thing. Like Lebron is one 633 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: of the both the best clutch basketball players of all time. 634 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,400 Speaker 1: Why would he be not scared in any clutch situation 635 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: but then be terrified at the free throw line. That's 636 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: not the case. He's just he's a sixties six percent 637 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,239 Speaker 1: free throw shooter during those years, and so if you're 638 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,879 Speaker 1: taking two free throws, there's a very good chance he's 639 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: gonna miss one statistically, because that's just what that that 640 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 1: you're gonna miss literally, uh, you know what, what is 641 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: that thirty three out of every hundred free throws, Like, 642 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: that's just that's just what's gonna happen. And then and last, 643 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: but not least again really nitpicky, but his end of 644 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: the game shot selection, he can be a little bit 645 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 1: like Lebron will pound the air out of the basketball 646 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: at the end of games, work to clock down and 647 00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: take a step back three Now, I I think that 648 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,719 Speaker 1: it disrupts the flow of his own offense a little bit. 649 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: Lebron would probably counter that it disrupts their offense as well, 650 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: and he's right. When you strangle the pace of the game, 651 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 1: it affects the rhythm of every player on the floor. 652 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 1: But there are times where I wish he didn't settle 653 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: so much for tough step back three point shots at 654 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 1: the end of games. That's all really nitpicky, Like look, 655 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 1: I mean, look at that. We just went through Lebron's weaknesses, 656 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,840 Speaker 1: and it's health. He was only able to play fifties 657 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:29,080 Speaker 1: six games last year regular season. Malaise happens to just 658 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: about every veteran player and consider inconsistent leader unlimited teams. 659 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:36,440 Speaker 1: The teams are limited anyway, he struggles to dribble contained, 660 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: but he's a good defensive player when he's locked in. 661 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,240 Speaker 1: He's a below average free throw shooter, but he seems 662 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: to have fixed it last year, and he can be 663 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,360 Speaker 1: a little tricky with any game shot selection. Lebron's weaknesses, 664 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:50,120 Speaker 1: they're all small weaknesses. It's just a reality, and that's 665 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: why he's a top five player in this league. Alright. 666 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:58,840 Speaker 1: Greatest hopes, I would, I sincerely hope that Lebron is 667 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 1: able to stay healthy for you more years, because I 668 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:03,399 Speaker 1: do believe We talked about this before, but I believe 669 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,239 Speaker 1: he has the potential for a really productive post prime 670 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: because of his ability to pass the basketball and because 671 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 1: of his size and strength, he can become a twenty 672 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,840 Speaker 1: point per game point forward that is a super productive 673 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: top fIF team player in this league and capable of 674 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,759 Speaker 1: being the second best player on a championship team. Which 675 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:27,280 Speaker 1: brings us to Anthony Davis, because obviously the ideal outcome 676 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,279 Speaker 1: for Lebron as he wins a couple more championships as 677 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: a Laker, but that does not happen without Anthony Davis. 678 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: And I don't mean Anthony Davis just in general. I 679 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:41,399 Speaker 1: mean the version of Anthony Davis He is the key 680 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: to the end of Lebron James career. No player, not 681 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 1: even the greatest stars in NBA history, can consistently win 682 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: without great talent surrounding them, and the Lakers do not 683 00:36:55,040 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: have great supporting talent, so they need Anthony Davis to 684 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:02,840 Speaker 1: be the top five player he was in the bubble 685 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 1: for Lebron to be able to have enough talent around 686 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 1: him for him to be able to win championships as 687 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: he gets into closer to his forties. And then obviously 688 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving would help. I was thinking about this a 689 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: lot earlier today as I was diving into Lebron's numbers. 690 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: You know, some of that late game shot selection stuff. 691 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,439 Speaker 1: He can have Kyrie help in those situations. There's there's 692 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 1: skill sets compliment each other so well, like we saw 693 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: from Cleveland, what what an What an excellent addition to 694 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: potentially help Lebron age more gracefully. And then obviously, if 695 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,000 Speaker 1: Lebron gets a couple more titles, he has a legitimate 696 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: goat case. Lebron's case has always been longevity in the 697 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:43,920 Speaker 1: variety of his success, but MG's got this dominance factor. 698 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: It's like six titles in eight years that's ridiculous, And 699 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: the only other player has ever mentioned that that conversation 700 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 1: is Kareem who has six titles, but towards the end, 701 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,440 Speaker 1: he wasn't the best player on those teams, and in 702 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 1: many cases wasn't even really a star. He was just 703 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: kind of like a role player. Right. Well, if le 704 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: Bron James gets two more championships as a legitimate bona 705 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 1: fide star and is receiving finals MVP votes, maybe even 706 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:09,680 Speaker 1: winning Finals MVP, that could be what gets him to 707 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 1: the point where he can match MJ's dominance and have 708 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:16,520 Speaker 1: the longevity that puts him over the top. My greatest 709 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: fear with Lebron is the Lakers incompetence. You know, obviously 710 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 1: the Lakers have a responsibility to them first, and I'm 711 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 1: a big team overplayer guy just in general, because I 712 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:31,440 Speaker 1: don't think you can win unless you have that approach. However, 713 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:34,960 Speaker 1: I don't think you could pick a worse group of 714 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:38,799 Speaker 1: individuals to oversee the end of Lebron James's career than 715 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:43,400 Speaker 1: Rob Polink and Jeannie Buss. And that's really unfortunate because 716 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 1: everything that I just talked about involving this potential post 717 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: prime where Lebron wins a couple more championships that relies 718 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 1: on competence, that depends on savvy moves being made, and 719 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:58,359 Speaker 1: I just I just don't see a universe where those 720 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 1: moves are made. And that's and that's really unfortunate. But 721 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: but who knows. Maybe maybe this Kyrie Irving thing will 722 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:10,120 Speaker 1: allow Rob Blinky, Rob Blink and Jennie Bust to fall 723 00:39:10,239 --> 00:39:13,760 Speaker 1: asked backwards into a good basketball team and Lebron, Kyrie 724 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: and a D will be able to cover up all 725 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: the flaws. Again, I guess we'll see. The other big 726 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: one is a d s lack of motivation. Like I 727 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 1: talked about earlier, they need Anthony Davis to be a 728 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:26,239 Speaker 1: top tier superstar in order to win championships. A D 729 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 1: hasn't cared much since the bubble. That's what it caused 730 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,399 Speaker 1: him to show up in camp out of shape two 731 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:35,799 Speaker 1: years in a row. You don't shoot eighteen percent from 732 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: three over the course of the season unless you're not 733 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:45,240 Speaker 1: working hard enough on your jump shot, and that's clearly 734 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:47,799 Speaker 1: what is going on with Anthony Davis. Obviously, injuries play 735 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,440 Speaker 1: a role, but if he was more diligent with his work, 736 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,000 Speaker 1: he would be a better three point shooter. That's just 737 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:57,319 Speaker 1: that's just the reality, and so a d S lack 738 00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 1: of motivation is one of my greatest fears for the 739 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:04,400 Speaker 1: end of Lebron James career. And lastly, injuries. Obviously, it 740 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if any of these things go right if 741 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: in your twenty Lebron has some sort of season ending injury, 742 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,840 Speaker 1: and obviously all it takes is one of those to 743 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: disrupt the health of the body enough to end someone's career, 744 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: just like it happened with Kobe Bryant. All right. Lastly, 745 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:24,759 Speaker 1: the biggest what if of Lebron's career, Now, there's a 746 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 1: bunch of them, like, for instance, what if Dwyane Wade 747 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:32,480 Speaker 1: stayed healthy, then he probably never leaves Miami and they 748 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:36,359 Speaker 1: probably win more. What if Katie doesn't go to Golden State, 749 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 1: Calves probably win in two thousand seventeen, at least maybe twoeen. 750 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:43,880 Speaker 1: What if Kyrie and Kevin Love stay healthy in two 751 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:46,880 Speaker 1: thousand fifteen, I think Calves win that championship if they do. 752 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,000 Speaker 1: Those are there's a lot of what ifs there. Lebron 753 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:51,560 Speaker 1: has had a long career and he's won a lot 754 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:53,279 Speaker 1: of basketball games, so there's obviously gonna be a lot 755 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 1: of what IL is, but I wanted to go. It 756 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: was something that we haven't already talked about at length, 757 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: uh in some other capacity else we're on the show. 758 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 1: So here's my greatest one. If if I was Lebron, 759 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:08,160 Speaker 1: what if Cleveland got him a legit co star early on? 760 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:13,880 Speaker 1: You know when when when we're comparing Kobe and Michael 761 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 1: Jordan and step and Lebron, too often people will say 762 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:18,800 Speaker 1: things like, well, Lebron's mercenary. All he wants to do 763 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:21,200 Speaker 1: is go from one team to the next. Every time 764 00:41:21,239 --> 00:41:22,799 Speaker 1: things don't go right, he wants to shuffle the deck. 765 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: You probably all heard that in some capacity before, obviously 766 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:30,640 Speaker 1: glossing over the simple fact that m J got Scottie 767 00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:34,200 Speaker 1: Pippen right away, well not right away, but pretty quickly 768 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:36,720 Speaker 1: when he got into Chicago, and he always was playing 769 00:41:36,719 --> 00:41:40,120 Speaker 1: alongside a bona fide star, so he had no reason 770 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:43,319 Speaker 1: to want to go elsewhere. He always had enough talent 771 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: to win. Kobe Bryant literally played next to Shaquille O'Neal. 772 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 1: Then when he lost Shock, he went on sports radio 773 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:55,640 Speaker 1: like every day demanding a trade. And then he got 774 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:59,480 Speaker 1: Palla Gasol and one again and he was happy. So 775 00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:03,320 Speaker 1: would Kobe have been a mercenary too if he didn't 776 00:42:03,400 --> 00:42:06,560 Speaker 1: have Shack or would he actually have been if they 777 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 1: didn't get pau Gasol, And then looking at Steph Curry, 778 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:13,880 Speaker 1: obviously they're one of the most well run organized organizations 779 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: in the NBA, arguably the most well run organization. And 780 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:19,600 Speaker 1: he has consistently been at a talent advantage throughout his career. 781 00:42:20,040 --> 00:42:21,840 Speaker 1: This last year was one of the few seasons in 782 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:24,759 Speaker 1: his career where he kind of overcame a talent disadvantage 783 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,280 Speaker 1: two steps credit. That's why he's a top six player 784 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:31,120 Speaker 1: of all time. But the point is is Lebron was 785 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: a victim of his circumstance in a lot of ways. 786 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:35,759 Speaker 1: They did not get him a Scottie Pippen, or at 787 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson and Dremond Green, or Shaquille O'Neil, or a 788 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: Pau Gasol early on. He did not have that, and 789 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,360 Speaker 1: he wasted seven years of his career trying to float 790 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:48,480 Speaker 1: way overmatched rosters, two lofty goals of trying to win 791 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 1: a championship. And I believe that that actually led to 792 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:56,320 Speaker 1: Lebron's mistrust in organizations that caused him to behave the 793 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:58,720 Speaker 1: way he did over the course of the next a decade, 794 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:01,520 Speaker 1: being mistrust full of pat Riley and wanting to leave 795 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:05,440 Speaker 1: because he wanted to cut Mike Miller, for instance, or 796 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:08,000 Speaker 1: doing one and once the entire time he was in 797 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:12,480 Speaker 1: Cleveland except for the end, or even now with him 798 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:15,400 Speaker 1: withholding his extension potentially to try to leverage the Lakers 799 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 1: into making moves. I believe that the Calves being so 800 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:26,120 Speaker 1: incompetent early led to Lebron mistrusting organizations and then feeling 801 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:29,360 Speaker 1: like he had to do it himself, feeling like he 802 00:43:29,480 --> 00:43:31,560 Speaker 1: had to be the one to communicate with Dwayne Wade, 803 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,160 Speaker 1: to communicate with Anthony Davis, to communicate with Kevin Love, 804 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:38,520 Speaker 1: to communicate with Kyrie Irving. He felt like he had 805 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:42,080 Speaker 1: to be the g M. And so even though Lebron's 806 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:46,600 Speaker 1: had a remarkably successful career with that strategy, I think 807 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:50,319 Speaker 1: it's a really interesting what if. What if Lebron got 808 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:55,239 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis in his third season and played his entire 809 00:43:55,320 --> 00:44:00,320 Speaker 1: career alongside Anthony Davis. He probably never leaves Cleveland. He 810 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:04,120 Speaker 1: probably still wins at least four championships, and the entire 811 00:44:04,719 --> 00:44:07,480 Speaker 1: kind of like aura of his career as a different 812 00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:09,799 Speaker 1: vibe than the one it has now. I think it's 813 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 1: a really interesting one if he's one of the few 814 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:14,040 Speaker 1: players that's if we if we're going at the if 815 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 1: we're going down the list of the best players of 816 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:18,879 Speaker 1: all time, all of them were drafted alongside all time 817 00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:24,640 Speaker 1: great players MJ with Scottie Pippen, right like Magic Johnson 818 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:28,920 Speaker 1: with Kareem Larry Bird, with everybody that was playing for 819 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:33,800 Speaker 1: the Celtics. You know, Kobe Bryant was shock. Lebron's the 820 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:36,919 Speaker 1: odd one out there. Lebron is the one that spent 821 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:39,920 Speaker 1: the first near decade of his career playing alongside very 822 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 1: limited talent, and it would be really interesting to see 823 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:45,919 Speaker 1: where his career is right now if that wasn't the case. 824 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:50,359 Speaker 1: Last note on Lebron. You know, when when it comes 825 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:53,360 Speaker 1: to these player rankings, it's really difficult to do because 826 00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:56,960 Speaker 1: everyone's so crazy. Like Lebron fans still think he's the 827 00:44:57,000 --> 00:44:59,760 Speaker 1: best player in the world, most of them, and that's crazy. 828 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:01,440 Speaker 1: He is going to be in his twentieth season and 829 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:04,040 Speaker 1: honest is just better than him right now, you know. 830 00:45:04,640 --> 00:45:07,359 Speaker 1: But then Lebron detractors don't even think he's top five, 831 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:11,399 Speaker 1: which is a massive disrespect to what he can still 832 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:14,000 Speaker 1: do on the basketball court when he's healthy. I feel 833 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,719 Speaker 1: like four is safe for me. What I'm trying to 834 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,480 Speaker 1: accomplish there by by putting him at four is expressing 835 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:23,719 Speaker 1: the obvious fact that he's not the best player in 836 00:45:23,719 --> 00:45:27,600 Speaker 1: the world anymore. But on any given night, if he's 837 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:30,439 Speaker 1: got the pieces, he can be better than the best guy. 838 00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:34,120 Speaker 1: And if your team is going against Lebron James with 839 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:38,200 Speaker 1: talent in a playoff series, you're you're you're scared to 840 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 1: death because you know what he's capable of. And I 841 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 1: don't think he can be any lower then where he's at, 842 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:47,200 Speaker 1: and I believe that that's a that's a fair place 843 00:45:47,239 --> 00:45:48,840 Speaker 1: to put him. All right, guys, that's all I have 844 00:45:48,920 --> 00:46:18,759 Speaker 1: for today. We'll be back tomorrow at number three. The 845 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:19,360 Speaker 1: volume