1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: The volume. Who's scoring big in the NBA this season? 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: You are with all the new ways to get in 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: on the action at Draft Kings sports Book, an official 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: sports betting partner of the NBA. From Monster Slams to 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: dishing the rock to cleaning the glass, get behind your 6 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,959 Speaker 1: favorite players and the prop bets you can make on DraftKings, 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: the home of NBA player props. Ready to place your 8 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: first bet, Try betting on something simple like picking how 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: many points your favorite player will have. Go to the 10 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: Draft Kings Sportsbook app and make your pick right now. 11 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: The Oklahoma City Thunder have supplanted the Celtics as the 12 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: favorite on DraftKings to win the title at plus two thirty. 13 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: The Celtics and second at plus two to fifty, and 14 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Lakers leapt all the way up to 15 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: the fifth best title odds right now at plus fifteen hundred. 16 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: First time, here's something special just for you new DraftKings customers. 17 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: Bet five dollars to get one hundred and fifty dollars 18 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: in bonus bets. Instantly take it to the rack with 19 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: DraftKings sports Book, Every point counts. Download the Draft Kings 20 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: sports Book gap and use code hoops, that's hoops, that's 21 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: code hoops for new customers to get one hundred and 22 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: fifty dollars in bonus bets when you bet five bucks 23 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Gambling problem called 24 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: one hundred Gambler in New York call eight seven seven 25 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: eight hope and why, or text hope and why to 26 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: four six seven three six nine. In Connecticut, help us 27 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight 28 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. 29 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort 30 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 1: in Kansas twenty one plus age in eligibility varies by jurisdiction. 31 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 1: Void in Ontario. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty 32 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: eight hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, 33 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: see DKG dot co slash b Ball. Welcome to the 34 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: Best of Hoops Tonight, featuring my top takes from recent shows. 35 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: Luca's debut with the Lakers a really weird game because 36 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: the Jazz are just really bad, and the Jazz are 37 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: also a legit like switch everything one through five no 38 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: matter what type of team, and so all your ball 39 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 1: screen actions are kind of shut down, and the only 40 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: way you're really gonna get advantages is by like slipping 41 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: out of switches, sealing switches, or attacking one on one 42 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: and drawing hell right, And the biggest thing that stood 43 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: out to me in this game was their ability to 44 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: consistently get dribble penetration. There was good action too. JJ 45 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: talked about in the postgame press or how they ran 46 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: a three man horn set with Luca Lebron in Austin 47 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: one time in the game and got a wide open 48 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: shot for Ruey Hatchamurra and it was they made so 49 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: Austin was at the top, Lebron and Luca were at 50 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: the elbows. Luca's on the left elbow. Austin makes a 51 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: post entry to Luca and then cuts off of Lebron, 52 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: And when he cuts off Lebron, Lebron sets a good 53 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: screen that obviously triggers the switch. But Jordan Clarkson was 54 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: guarding Austin. Lebron just sealed him and created that over 55 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: the top passing angle. Luca threw it to him. Now, 56 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, Jordan Clarkson's trapped on Lebron's backside, 57 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: so there's nobody in front of him. If you don't 58 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: step up, Lebron's gonna go to the rim. Ruey Ha 59 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: Timura's man who was in the corner, steps over to 60 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: help on Lebron. Lebron makes the kickout past to Ruey 61 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: wide open three. That's the type of action that they'll 62 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: have to run more frequently against some of the better 63 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: teams in the league when it's just a little bit 64 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 1: harder to break down individual defenders. But they did get 65 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: good stuff out out of action. There were some other examples, 66 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 1: like Ruy's first dunk in the game. Along the baseline, 67 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: Luca set a screen for Ruy along the baseline. Isaiah 68 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: Collier was guarding Luca and was really hesitant to switch 69 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: off of Luca, and so he did it. John Collins 70 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: got caught on the screen. Ruey Haachimura got a dunk, 71 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,839 Speaker 1: even the LB dunk that Jackson Hayes got to start 72 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: the second half, same sort of concept, a little wide 73 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: screen between Luca and Jackson Hayes. Isaiah Collier did not 74 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: want to switch off of Luca. He was kind of 75 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: hesitant on that, but they did switch off of Jackson Hayes, 76 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: so Luca just threw the lob right up to Jackson 77 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: and he got a dunk. There were examples of them 78 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: getting good stuff out of action, and especially against more 79 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: traditional coverages, they're going to get a lot of stuff 80 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: out of action. But again, by far, the big thing 81 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: that stood out to me was their ability to get 82 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: dribble penetration. Luca has this remarkable ability to turn any 83 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: small gap or small angle into a full blown drive 84 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: to the rim. And part of it is his incredible 85 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: ability to use fakes. He just says he's really good 86 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: at like I talk about this all the time when 87 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: he was in Dallas. But he will sell every part 88 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: of every move with every part of his body. So, 89 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: like I talk about this all the time, instead of 90 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: like doing a big sweeping crossover, it makes more sense 91 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: just to face this way and then completely change direction. 92 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: If you sell it with your eyes and you sell 93 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: it with your shoulders and you sell it with your hips, 94 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: the defender is going to react. Most good defenders don't 95 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: watch the ball. They watch like your center of gravity 96 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: to see where your body's going, and you sell that 97 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: direction change and then you pull the ball back across right. 98 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,239 Speaker 1: Like It's more about those little head fakes and body 99 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: fakes to get players out of position. He's great with 100 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: he's great with pump fakes, he's great with pass fakes. 101 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: He can do all these things to get guys out 102 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: of position. And once he gets that tiny little angle, 103 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: that's where his strength takes over. He's just so big 104 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: and so strong that he can turn a small gap 105 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: into like a lumbering drive to the rim because he 106 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: gets you caught on his shoulder or caught on his backside. 107 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: And his drives have a tendency to bring in a 108 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: ton of help because they are slow. He like rumbles 109 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: downhill and everybody reacts to it. And because he's such 110 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: a threat to throw the lob pass, everyone kind of 111 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: overreacts to stuff in the paint, and that's what opens 112 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: up those kickout reads. Did you notice how much Lebron 113 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: was pressuring the rim last night. A big part of 114 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: that is because he doesn't have to create every single shot, 115 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to worry about burning himself out. He's 116 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: also clearly very excited right now. That plays a role 117 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: in it. But did you notice that he was like 118 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: on those switches, being aggressive downhill, pressuring the rim. He 119 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: kind of gets choppy with his feet and tries to 120 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: get ahead of steam so that he gets his body 121 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: weight going downhill, and guys just don't want to get 122 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: in the way of him. Like there's a certain amount 123 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: of energy that Lebron can afford to expand on each 124 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: individual iso, on each individual post up, on each individual 125 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: ball screen, simply because he has less to do on 126 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: the offensive end of the floor. I thought Lebron was 127 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: fantastic in this game. He's been great for a while. 128 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: JJ Reddick talked after the game about how ever, since 129 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: the Miami game, they had a talk and now, if 130 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: you guys remember the Miami game was when I had 131 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 1: my meltdown and I was like, what the hell is 132 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: wrong with these guys? You know, and JJ sat down 133 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: with Lebron, and ever since then, he's been fantastic. I 134 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: dug into the numbers. Since that Miami game, he's averaging 135 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: twenty six point four points per game, eight rebounds per game, 136 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: nine assists per game, fifty four percent from the field, 137 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: forty three percent from three eight thirty point games, four 138 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: triple doubles. He's playing at a top five level right now, 139 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: which is what's so exciting about partnering him with Lebron 140 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: James with the other talent on this roster. I thought 141 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: Austin was fantastic. Again, he had to lead a unit 142 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: in the early second quarter with Lebron, excuse me, in 143 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: the late first quarter with Lebron and Luca both off 144 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: the floor because Luca was on a minute'st Now, I 145 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: would expect that it'll be like all three of them 146 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: to start games. Then Lebron will come out and it'll 147 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: be Luca and Austin right in that like mid first 148 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: quarter stretch, and then one of those guys will come out, 149 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: probably probably Luca, and it'll be Austin and Lebron to 150 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: end the first quarter, and then they'll probably start the 151 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: second quarter with Lebron and Luca. Then Lebron will come 152 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: out in the middle of the second quarter, it'll be 153 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: Luca and Austin, and then it'll be all three of 154 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: them at the end. Right, that's probably going to be 155 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: the normal progression. You're probably always going to have to 156 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: deal with two of those guys, right, And that's the 157 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: exciting part about this in the big picture, And I 158 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: was literally thinking about it last night, like there's been 159 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: a lot of time over the course of the last 160 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: couple of weeks where the Lakers have been playing really 161 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: good basketball, but over the course of games, teams will 162 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: ball pressure Austin and ball pressure Lebron and wear them down. 163 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: And Lebron is forty and Austin is a little bit 164 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: susceptible to strength and athleticism from time and from time 165 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: to time, and they will wear down. And they've been 166 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: playing so great that they've still been winning, and Austin 167 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: still made enough plays in the Pacers game to get 168 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: the job done, and they do what they need to 169 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: do to get the win. But there's clearly like a 170 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: little bit of like a Okay, we're running out of 171 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: gas offensively here, where adding Luca just immediately doesn't just 172 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: address that but turns you into the most resilient shot 173 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: creation team in the league. To just be dealing with 174 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: waves of all three of them, and then Luca and Austin, 175 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: and then Luca and Lebron, and then Luca and then 176 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: all three of them again, and it's just gonna be 177 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,239 Speaker 1: Lebron and Austin here and all these just these groups 178 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: that have so much shot creation on the floor, they're 179 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: just gonna have such a resilient offense. But again, because 180 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: of Luca's minutes restriction, Austin had to lead a unit 181 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,839 Speaker 1: by himself, and guess what, He's been doing that a 182 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: lot this year, and he did it amazingly well again 183 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: last night in that first quarter stretch. One of the 184 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: biggest things, though, that I was excited about after this 185 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: trade was the play finishing that is on this roster. Okay, 186 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: like Luca's an indomitable force, there are a handful of 187 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: guys in the league that can make him work harder 188 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: than you usual. I think of like lou Dort, I 189 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: think of like Andrew Wiggins, who's not even in the 190 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: conference anymore. But even some of the best perimeter defenders 191 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: in the league, guys like Jaden McDaniels right in the 192 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: Western Conference finals, those guys can't keep him from getting 193 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: to his spots. As a matter of fact, he kind 194 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: of gets where he wants to easily against them. That 195 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: is the superpower that will help this offense when things 196 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: get really tough. But the other guys do have some limitations. 197 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: Right Lebron's forty. There's a couple times last night where 198 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: he tried to like turn the corner on Lourie markin 199 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: In and just couldn't get there. Laurie was like blocking 200 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: him off the glass or forcing him into bad misses 201 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: five years ago. He's dunking on his head. But he's forty, right, 202 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: and he can wear down a little bit physically over 203 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: the course of games. Although to Lebron's credit, he's been 204 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: fantastic out of late. As of late, and that's the 205 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: optimism with this group, But Lebron is forty years old. 206 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves, for example, not a great athlete. He can 207 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: struggle under ball pressure sometimes ruey if it's not a 208 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: dunk under the rim, like he's shooting under fifty percent 209 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: on layups right, and his jumper under contests can get 210 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: a little finicky sometimes. Point being, they're awesome offensive players, 211 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: but they have some limit pations when they're in lead roles. 212 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: For all three of those guys, right, but once you 213 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: give them an advantage, if you let Lebron have someone 214 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: sprinting at him and now he's playing driving kick basketball. 215 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: If you let Lebron slip out of screens to where 216 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: he can lead a four on three, If you put 217 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: Austin on the perimeter with the guy sprinting at him, 218 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: where he could show the ball and drive left or right. 219 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 1: If you put Ruey wide open, where he's shooting fifty 220 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: three percent on unguarded catch and shoot jump shots this 221 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: year field goal percentage, meaning he's making more than half 222 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: of them. With what he can do driving closeouts. Gabe 223 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: has been playing super well again. He was a big 224 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: part of that Austin solo unit that did so well. 225 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: Dorian Finney Smith can knock down and open three. Jackson Hayes, 226 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: Like I talked a lot after the Mark Williams trade 227 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: went through or fell through about how like not having 228 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: Mark as like a roleman threat could be a significant 229 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: hit to this offense. After watching last night, like I thought, 230 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: Jackson did just find capitalizing on all the vertical spacing opportunities. 231 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: I believe he was six for six from the field 232 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: if I remember correctly. Like, I think he's not as 233 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: good as Mark Williams, but I think he's gonna do 234 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: just fine unlocking that vertical spacing. The point is is 235 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: there's just a ton of play finishing on this roster. 236 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: So if you have Luca, who against the very best 237 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: defenses in the league, and against the very best defenders 238 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: in the league, can still create advantages and Lebron, who 239 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 1: kind of looks like he's still doing it for whatever reason. 240 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: And let's say, let's even pretend for a second that 241 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: Lebron eventually kind of wears down over the course of 242 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: a playoff run and doesn't look like top five Lebron 243 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: but looks like top ten Lebron. Even if that happens, 244 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: Luca is there to create the initial advantage. Once he 245 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: creates that initial advantage. Lebron and Austin and Gabe and 246 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 1: Dorian Finney Smith and Ruy, those guys are incredible at 247 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: this driving kick thing, and they're just gonna take those 248 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: advantages in either score out of them or drive them 249 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,559 Speaker 1: and draw another defender and create an even better shot. 250 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: There were so many sequences last night where the Lakers 251 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 1: continued to break down the defense and would get like 252 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: a really good look with like two or three seconds 253 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: on the shot clock. It's like, oh, Lebron's driving on 254 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 1: like the fourth driving kick of the possession and whipping 255 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: a pass back across the court to Gabe Vincent who 256 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: knocks it down, or all of the possession is great 257 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: defense from the Jazz and everything's covered, but Walker Kessler 258 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: is on Austin In a switch on the left wing 259 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 1: and Austin just pump fakes on a close out. You 260 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: get the end of the possession is you get a 261 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: short close out for Austin on the left wing against 262 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,599 Speaker 1: Walker Kessler. Austin shows the ball, Walker over pursues that 263 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: pump fake, Austin drives and hits a little bank shot 264 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: with like two on the shot clock. That is play finishing. 265 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: I talk about this all the time when you go 266 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: into lower levels. It's dramatic the difference at the high 267 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: school level. If I let the guys play king of 268 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: the court with a set defender versus a king of 269 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: the court with a guy out at them, their ability 270 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: to score like quadruples and when you give them that advantage. 271 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: Now again at the NBA level, it's a smaller advantage. 272 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: It's more like maybe twenty to thirty percent more efficient 273 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: per possession. But that's a substantial increase that you can 274 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: benefit from because now you have the best set of 275 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: advantage creators that are in the NBA. So on the 276 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: Warriors front, I'm talking a lot with respect to Lebron 277 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: about the concept of belief. Right Like, playing championship level 278 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 1: basketball is really hard and takes a pretty desperate commitment 279 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: to work that's not even necessarily fun. It's fun in 280 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: the context of winning, but playing championship basketball includes a 281 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: lot of really difficult things to do on the court, 282 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: a certain level of exertion that is difficult, and so 283 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: if you don't actually think you're gonna get rewarded for 284 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: it by actually believing there's an opportunity to accomplish something, 285 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: it's going to be difficult even for the best players 286 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: in the world to really get invested in that context. 287 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: About four games ago, early last week, it became abundantly 288 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: clear that the Warriors were going to trade for somebody. 289 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: I don't know if it was just the humiliation of 290 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: missing out on Kevin Durant or what the deal was, 291 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: but it became clear that they were going to get somebody. 292 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: In the four games since then since that intel came down, 293 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: Steph is averaging thirty five points, five rebounds, and five 294 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: assists per game. In the two games since Jimmy Butler 295 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: actually started playing and making life easier for Steph, he 296 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: just logged back to back games with at least thirty 297 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: points on at least fifty percent shooting for the first 298 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: time since the Dallas and Oklahoma City wins. Way back 299 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: in early November, I talked about how the thing I 300 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: was most excited about this deal. I do think that 301 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: this Warriors team has a small window to maybe capitalize 302 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: on an opportunity to win a championship here. But more 303 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: than anything, it went from a team that was most 304 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: likely not going to play any meaningful basketball, Like without 305 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: a trade, that team is probably going to lose in 306 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: the play in just like last year. But with Jimmy 307 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: Butler in the mix, they're almost certainly going to get 308 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: out of that mess and get into a first round series, 309 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: which means we're going to get another opportunity to watch 310 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: Steph Curry play meaningful basketball. That's what I'm excited about. 311 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: Steph said after the game, We've got an opportunity to 312 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: do something pretty special considering where we've been this season, 313 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: and he's right. There are lineups that they can put 314 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: together now that have Steph, that have Jimmy, that have Draymond, 315 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: that have Jonathan Kamingo when he comes back, and it 316 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: looks like he's probably gonna be coming back after the 317 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: All Star break, where they have enough talent now to 318 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: actually present some problems to some of these teams. And 319 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: that's like, when it comes to the playoffs, so much 320 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: of it comes down to, like, what do we do 321 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: that the other team sucks at? What do they do 322 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: that we suck at? What can they capitalize on in 323 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: terms of weaknesses and vice versa, And just bringing in 324 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: a weapon like Jimmy Butler just puts them in a 325 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: situation where they're going to be a more precarious type 326 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: of matchup to deal with. And like, God, if we 327 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: can get if the Warriors end up matching up with 328 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: somebody like the two seed, they end up getting a Memphis, 329 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: that's a matchup that they're capable of winning. And how 330 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: great would it be if we got to see another 331 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: month of high level playoff basketball out of Steph Curry, 332 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: even with an opportunity to potentially do more. Like I said, 333 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: it's not guaranteed. There could be injuries, there could be 334 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: things that go wrong, they could miss the playoffs, right, 335 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: but by virtue of making this deal, I find it 336 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: far more likely than not that they're going to make 337 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: it out of the play in tournament and get into 338 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: a legitimate playoff series And give me Steph, Jimmy and 339 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: Draymond in a playoff series, and I think that that's 340 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: going to be a fascinating couple of weeks. And if 341 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: they win, we could get to see another extended playoff 342 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: runt from one of the greatest players in the history 343 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: of the game. And that's why I'm excited. It's about belief. 344 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: Like Steph looks engaged, he doesn't say that after the 345 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: game unless he believes that this team can do something. 346 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: Jimmy Butler, I think has been an amazing fit right away. 347 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: I wasn't worried about it. I know there were some 348 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: Warriors fans that were. I just think Jimmy's too smart 349 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: of a basketball player that brings too many complimentary traits 350 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: to what Steph Curry does. I want to talk a 351 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: little bit about middle of the floor processing. This is 352 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: something that I've talked a lot about on this show 353 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: with respect to like mediocre playmakers, in the sense that 354 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: when you're in the middle of the floor, there's just 355 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: you can only see, you know, maybe one fourth of 356 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: what's happening around you. Uh, there's always like a lot 357 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: of moving parts that can get confusing in the middle 358 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: of the floor. It's a spot where a lot of 359 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: players struggle and it's why, like when it comes to 360 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: the mediocre playmakers, you kind of want to clear the 361 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: side then have them operate so the whole floors in 362 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: front of them, just so that they have an easier 363 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: time making reads. But when you have a player who 364 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: knows what to do there, when you have a player 365 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: that doesn't panic, it's like that famous basketball you know, ism, 366 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: whatever you want to call it, be quick but don't hurry. Right. 367 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: If you can get a player that can quickly process 368 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,719 Speaker 1: without rushing and making mistakes in the middle of the floor, 369 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 1: all sorts of good things can happen to your offense. 370 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: An example from late first half last night against the Bucks, 371 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: Steph Jimmy two man game. Top of the key. Kuzma 372 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: goes out with Steph. There's two guys on Steph. Jimmy 373 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: catches in the middle of the floor. When he catches 374 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 1: in the middle of the floor, Draymon's man steps up 375 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: closer to Jimmy, and now there's a two on one 376 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: that's formed with Draymond underneath the basket, Buddy Healed on 377 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 1: the wing, with Damian Lillard kind of splitting the difference 378 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: between the two. Jimmy just calmly turns in, pivots and 379 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: looks at Buddy healed. When he turns and pivots and 380 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: looks at Buddy healed. There goes Dame running out to 381 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: go to Buddy because he's biting on that headfake or 382 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: pass fake whatever. You just Jimmy acknowledging Buddy's presence gets 383 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: Dame to jump out. Then he just pivots again and 384 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: looks there's Draymond boot bounce past easy layup right underneath 385 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: the basket. He just looks so calm and comfortable operating there. 386 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: Here's why that's important. Last night you actually saw it 387 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: in some zone. Looks got to get the ball in 388 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 1: the middle of the zone, and the Warriors consistently got 389 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: it to Jimmy there. They scored eight points on four 390 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: zone possessions in that game, and the Bucks just stop. 391 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: Stop trying it. You can't run his zone if they're 392 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: getting two points per possession. So that's part of it. 393 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: But the biggest part, the most meaningful part within the 394 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: playoff context, is the Steph Jimmy two man game. When 395 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: you run the Steph Jimmy two man game, it's going 396 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: to create advantages in three different ways. One is like 397 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: that sequence I just told you about. Jimmy sets a screen. 398 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: Both guys run with Steph. Now Jimmy's the role man, 399 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: and it's a four on three where Draymond is absolutely 400 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: an offensive threat in the dunker spot. Jimmy is a 401 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 1: threat to score in the middle of the floor and 402 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: to play make out of it. And you've got guys 403 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: like Moses Moody in the corner, who has just been 404 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: fantastic since Andrew Wiggins injury. It just or injury, excuse 405 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: me trade. Since the Andrew Wiggins trade, it's given Moses 406 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 1: Moody opportunity and he's just been capitalizing on it as 407 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: a big range wing on the perimeter that can knock 408 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: down threes, drive close outs, and play defense and rebound. 409 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: And it's just it's he's taken advantage of his opportunity 410 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: and he's crushing. But like you get into those four 411 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: on threes, if they put two on the ball with Steph, 412 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: that's where Jimmy can operate in the middle of the floor. 413 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: The second thing that will happen with the Steph Jimmy 414 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: two main game is inside position ceiling on switches. So 415 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 1: imagine a guy's guarding Steph one on one faced up 416 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: with him and Jimmy. This is the defender. Jimmy comes 417 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: up and screens on the backside, and it triggers a switch. Okay, 418 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: if they switch, Jimmy can then seal and create that 419 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: over the top passing angle. We talked I believe in 420 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 1: Yester on the Sunday Show about just how dynamic Jimmy 421 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: is in those inside seals at creating a passing angle 422 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: and high pointing the basketball and catching it. That accomplishes 423 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: the same goal, the same four on three. So like 424 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: if if you screen for Steph and your defender runs 425 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,919 Speaker 1: out onto Steph, but now you've got Steph's defender sealed 426 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: on your top side and you get a catch over 427 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: the top, it is an identical four on three because 428 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: when you catch, all of a sudden, your defender's behind you, 429 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: so you can just go right to the rim, which 430 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: is going to force somebody to step up. There's your 431 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: four on three. Now you have a three on two 432 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 1: on the backside once that guy steps up to you 433 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: after you catch on that inside seal, So you can 434 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: get four on threes out of getting two onto Steph 435 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: and just slipping out of it, you can get four 436 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: on threes, out of inside seals on switches. Now, what 437 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:33,200 Speaker 1: about when they well execute a switch? So they switch, 438 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: but the guy who's guarding Steph just quickly dives around 439 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: with some good swim move or something and gets behind Jimmy. Well, 440 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,880 Speaker 1: who's the guard that's quick enough to guard Steph? Now 441 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: he's got to guard Jimmy in the post. Wait until 442 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: Jonathan Kaminge's back out there, and again it looks like 443 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 1: he's gonna be coming back. Sometime shortly after the All 444 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: Star break, Jonathan Kamenka comes back. Where are the athletes at? 445 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: Where are you putting your athletes? Well, if you put 446 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: your best forward athlete on Jimmy, that means your second 447 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: best forward athlete is now guarding Jonathan Kaminga. Who's gonna 448 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: just be a massive athletic mismatch that you can attack. 449 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: If you have the best forward athlete on Jonathan Kminga, 450 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: now you got your third best perimeter defender overall guarding 451 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: Jimmy Butler, Like, that's gonna put you in a bind 452 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: in terms of matchups. That's gonna make that Steph Jimmy 453 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: two man game even harder to account for. But again, 454 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,239 Speaker 1: what unlocks all of it is anytime they put two 455 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: on the ball, anytime they botch a switch or they 456 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: get sealed top side on Jimmy, He's gonna be able 457 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: to operate out of the middle of the floor better 458 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: than any other player on this roster could. Draymond could 459 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: do all the playmaking out of that position, but he 460 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,479 Speaker 1: couldn't bring the scoring out of that position. There are 461 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: going to be times where Jimmy catches on the roll 462 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: and everyone stays home and he's gonna have to attack 463 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,199 Speaker 1: the rim and maybe finish in a little bit of 464 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,160 Speaker 1: traffic or hit something there in the middle of the floor. 465 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:01,679 Speaker 1: He can do that. He can do that at a 466 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: really high rate. But I think to early returns from 467 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: this have been beautiful in terms of just demonstrating the 468 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: simple fact that Jimmy is not only a very complimentary 469 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: athlete to Steph, but he also represents a gaping hole 470 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,120 Speaker 1: in the roster that was there before the deal, which 471 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: is just having a really high level dribble a guy 472 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 1: who can dribble, shoot, and pass on the floor. That 473 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,199 Speaker 1: just greases the wheels for everything that you try to 474 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: do on offense. I was amazed watching Kevin Durray last night. 475 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: The Suns were an absolute mess. They had several guys 476 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: playing that probably shouldn't be in the rotation for a 477 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: serious NBA team. They looked incredibly sloppy and undisciplined, one 478 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: of the worst transition defense performances I've seen. They gave 479 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 1: up twenty offensive rebounds. But like a shining light in 480 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: that darkness was Kevin Durant. Thirty four points on eighteen shots, 481 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: only one turnover, five blocks, battling with Jaron Jackson trying 482 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: to box him out on the glass all night long, 483 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: and to top it off, in the process, he enters 484 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: into rare territory. Kevin Durant is only the eighth player 485 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: in NBA history to score thirty thousand points in an 486 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: NBA career, rarefied air. There a group of guys that 487 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: it's an honor to be associated with. But to me, 488 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: the most impressive part of all of this is the 489 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: circumstances he overcame to get here. Kevin Durant suffered the 490 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 1: most terrifying injury that a basketball player can suffer, an 491 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: Achilles rupture, right at the peak of his powers. He 492 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 1: was playing so incredibly well when he took that little 493 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: baseline jumper that he knocked down where he originally suffered 494 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: the calf injury, and then he played amazing in his 495 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 1: first few minutes in the NBA Finals before he went down. 496 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 1: You can't imagine a more discouraging set of circumstances for 497 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: a basketball player, and instead of letting that injury be 498 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: a signal of the end, he came back every bit 499 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 1: as good as ever on the other side of the injury. 500 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: Seven thousand and sixty eight of those thirty thousand and 501 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: eight points that he's scored so far came after the 502 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:18,680 Speaker 1: achilles tear, and he's done it on higher volume in 503 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: efficiency than he was doing before the injury. In the 504 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 1: five seasons before Kevin Durant's injury, he averaged twenty six 505 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: points per game on just under sixty four percent for shooting. 506 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: In the five seasons since, he's averaging twenty eight points 507 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: per game on over sixty four percent for shooting. Any 508 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,119 Speaker 1: drop in his athleticism, he's more than made up for 509 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: with a mastery of the modern game as a playmaker 510 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 1: and as a floor general. I was really amazed by 511 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: this in the Brooklyn Nets days as the league kind 512 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: of shifted to like, really good spacing in the spread 513 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: pick and roll attack. He was so incredibly good at 514 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: picking teams apart as a pick and roll ball handler 515 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: with the nets, and we've seen that extend throughout this 516 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: late phase of his career. Like he's just the product 517 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: of a consistent pursuit of excellence. He's got a legendary 518 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:09,439 Speaker 1: work ethic. His shooting workouts are the example set for 519 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: all pros around the world. Still, when I'm talking to 520 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: the kids that I train in high school, I talk 521 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 1: about doing every single rep at game speed, something that 522 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant has been preaching. He's just Katie is one 523 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: of the best ambassadors to the game of basketball that 524 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: has ever come into this league. And I'm thankful for him, 525 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 1: and I just wanted to take a second before we 526 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: talked about that game last night to congratulate him on 527 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 1: overcoming the adversity of his injury and to enter into 528 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: rarefied air and NBA history. I thought Jason Tatum just 529 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: completely dominated the first quarter of that Spurs game. Set 530 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: the tone, built that initial advantage, and it was something 531 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: that the Spurs just couldn't overcome. On the defensive end 532 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: of the floor, Boston had a switching group out there 533 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: that was just doing a really nice job just staying attacked, 534 00:26:56,359 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: shutting down screening actions. Switching puts an MP assists on 535 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: running action, good action that confuses switching, like three man action, 536 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 1: lots of ball in player movement to try to get 537 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: guys to make mistakes. And then when teams successfully switch, 538 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: you've got to be aggressive against those switches getting to 539 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: the basket to get super high value shots or to 540 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: draw multiple defenders. You can run into a trap where 541 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,239 Speaker 1: you start settling, and that was what happened in that 542 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,880 Speaker 1: first quarter. There was a few examples of good action. 543 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: There was like a little Chicago action like a downscreen 544 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: into a dribble handoff where they pitched it back to 545 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: Julian Champagnee on the right wing and knocked down a three. 546 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: There were a couple examples like that, but it was 547 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: a lot of like deeron Fox contested pull up jump shots, 548 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 1: Victor wembin Yama contested pull up jump shots. They weren't 549 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: doing a very good job of attacking the switching. And 550 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: then on the other end of the floor in the 551 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: first quarter, Jason Tatum goes for fourteen points, six rebounds, 552 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: and three assists, with zero turnovers, did a ton of 553 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: scoring in that short to mid range, attacking the spurs 554 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: all their players when they get switched onto him mismatches. 555 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: There was a stretch in the late first quarter where 556 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: they started spamming a stack, pick and roll action with 557 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,440 Speaker 1: Luke Cornette and Peyton Pritchard. Just a ball screen with 558 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 1: Tatum and Cornette with Pritchard backscreening generated a wide open 559 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: three for Pritchard at the top of the key that 560 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: he happened to miss. He ended up hitting a pull 561 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: up three on the right wing when they botched a 562 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: switch again. Three man action is a great way to 563 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: get teams to botch switches, and Victor Wenbinyamo was basically 564 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: just sticking with the screen the guy who was backscreening 565 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: him in the action instead of dealing with Tatum coming 566 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: off of that screen. He just stepped into it knockdown 567 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: at three. He finished the quarter off with a beautiful 568 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: driving kick like sweeping hook pass over to the left 569 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: wing to al Horford. Tatum just immediately looked like by far, 570 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: the best player on the floor in a game that 571 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: had two players that are considered top twenty five players 572 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: in the league. In my opinion, and Deer Fox and 573 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,959 Speaker 1: Deeron Fox and Victor Wenbinyama and Tatum was just completely 574 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: outclassing them to start the game. And this is just 575 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: that's the groove that Jayson Tatum's in right now. During 576 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: this three game winning streak, He's averaging thirty five points 577 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: per game on sixty one percent true shooting. Jason Tatum 578 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: has just been consistently great. I've seen a lot of 579 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: talk about I've seen a lot of talk of late 580 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: about like a Celtics fans calling Jason Tatum the best 581 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: forward since Lebron And when I when I first heard that, 582 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:25,959 Speaker 1: I had this like kind of reflex that came up 583 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: in me that it was like, well, what about Kawhi 584 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: And like what about Kevin Durant? And I think Kevin 585 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: Durant would be the guy that I'd probably still put 586 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: over Tatum in the sense that, like, in that like 587 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen to twenty twenty one stretch, he was just 588 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 1: like and that's like spanning with an achilles injury in 589 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: the middle, but in that like I should say, like 590 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen to twenty twenty one stretch, he was just 591 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: so incredibly good on both ends of the floor. I'm 592 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: not quite there, but I do think he's been better 593 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: than Kawhi if you like piece everything together, because like 594 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: what Tatum is to me is he's a Swiss army 595 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: knife type of forward in the same vein as a 596 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: Lebron James. So, for instance, like Kevin Durant has a 597 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: lot of impact, I think Kevin Durant has arguably just 598 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: as good of an impact on the defensive end in 599 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: terms of his ability to protect the rim, defensive rebound, 600 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: switch out onto the perimeter. But Kevin Durant has a 601 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: little bit of a susceptibility to size and strength. We 602 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: saw that in the Memphis game two nights ago when 603 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: Jared Jackson was able to just kind of toss Katie 604 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: around at certain times and he got two easy buckets 605 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: on him the post late in the game, or an 606 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: easy bucket and a foul late in the game, where 607 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: I think Tatum's a little bit sturdier for that type 608 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: of matchup. But I think Katie also is a little 609 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: bit longer, a little bit better rim protector. So the 610 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: two of them are more or less even on the 611 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:46,719 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor. But I do think that 612 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: Tatum has a certain Swiss Army Knife quality in terms 613 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: of just his ability to keep the ball moving his 614 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: playmaking ability. Jason Tatum has become a really, really gifted 615 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: playmaker in this league. And so we can debate whether 616 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: or not Tatum has reached a level that's higher than 617 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: Kawhi or higher than Katie. I'm hesitant to go that far, 618 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: but what I will say is that Tatum is becoming 619 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: the Swiss Army Knife of this generation, which is what 620 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: Lebron was in his generation. It's a type of player 621 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: that I'm drawn to because I think it demonstrates a 622 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: first of all, a versatility, but also just a commitment 623 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: to winning. There's a lot of stuff in there that 624 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: guys aren't willing to do. A simple example is like, 625 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 1: as good as Kevin Duran has been defensively, I think 626 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 1: he's kind of underachieved on that end over the course 627 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: of his career, whereas Tatum, you can tell, is maximizing 628 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: his potential on that end of the floor. I think 629 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: it's just a testament to the type of leader he is, 630 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: the type of competitor that he is. Again, a lot 631 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: of times we see guys like that that are a 632 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: little bit more mellow and not as like loud and 633 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 1: boisterous with their personality, and we or even guys that 634 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: are boisterous that are but that are positive, we think 635 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: of them as like not competitors because they're not Kobe 636 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: Bryant type assholes. And the truth of the matter is 637 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: is like that. The work that Jason Tatum does is 638 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: a pretty clear demonstration of the type of competitor that 639 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 1: he is, and he stepped up big time over the 640 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: course of this recent stretch the volume. What's Up guys, 641 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 642 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: Hoops tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us 643 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:16,959 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second and leave a 644 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys 645 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 1: supporting us, but if you could take a minute to 646 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: do that, I'd really appreciate it.