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Speaker 1: The volume. It's the Colin Coward Podcast presented by FanDuel.

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Speaker 1: West Virginia, Hi. Everybody welcome in. Jason Timphin ten Minutes

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Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight, podcaster at the Volume Bucks Celtics. Interesting thoughts

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Speaker 1: on that. So I watched two baseball games and two

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Speaker 1: things were very noticeable. The game really moves now the

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Speaker 1: pitch clock speeds it up about twenty to twenty five

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Speaker 1: minutes a game. It is very noticeable. It moves. It's swift,

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Speaker 1: which sports should be. And also there were more base runners.

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Speaker 1: I can't prove that, but I noticed in the games

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Speaker 1: I watched more stolen bases, more activity. You know that

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Speaker 1: thing people like to watch called action. Those were the

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Speaker 1: two problems with baseball over the last decade, declining attendance

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Speaker 1: and declining TV ratings. The games were too long and

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Speaker 1: didn't have enough activity. Hockey is over three hours, lots

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Speaker 1: of activity. Football over three hours, lots of plays, fewer huddles,

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Speaker 1: more activity. Baseball was getting up around three hours. No

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Speaker 1: base runners, so you needed to change the defensive shift.

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Speaker 1: Those outs now becomes singles and doubles, more runners on,

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Speaker 1: more stolen bases, more first a third, more into home,

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Speaker 1: more activity. It was noticeable in the two games I watched.

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Speaker 1: But here's the thing about baseball. Football is different. I've

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Speaker 1: never gone to a football game and not tailgated college

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Speaker 1: or pro. Ever, I've never just shown up and gone

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Speaker 1: to a game. You tailgate. It's understood you give half

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Speaker 1: a day to a full day. If you're a Patriot

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Speaker 1: fan in Foxboro, you get up, you have breakfast, you're

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Speaker 1: gonna tailgate, and then you're gonna go to the game,

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Speaker 1: and then you're probably because Foxboro's hard to get out of,

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Speaker 1: knocked down a beer or a brought before you go home.

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Speaker 1: You give the day to football, so time becomes less crucial.

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Speaker 1: Sundays in the fall eight home games. Those are eight

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Speaker 1: sacred family and friend moments, pictures, videos, food. But the

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Speaker 1: more games you have, the less it becomes an event.

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Speaker 1: Basketball forty one home games. I've never tailgated for about

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Speaker 1: basketball game. Baseball eighty one home games. Too many games

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Speaker 1: for the games not to be succinct. It doesn't matter

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Speaker 1: if it's a Broadway play, it doesn't matter if it's

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Speaker 1: a movie. You go to a movie once a month,

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Speaker 1: you're gonna give it two hours. You get a bite

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Speaker 1: to eat before the movie, you go to the movie.

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Speaker 1: After the movie, you go out and get a glass

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Speaker 1: on wine with your wife. You know you do that

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Speaker 1: once a month. If you went to a movie four

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Speaker 1: days a week, five days a week, you're not gonna

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Speaker 1: do that. It's too costly. You don't have that time.

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Speaker 1: So the die hards will bitch and complain, and that's fine.

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Speaker 1: They always do. I mean, go to Twitter, go to

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Speaker 1: social media for five minutes. There are people on there.

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Speaker 1: Their entire feed is about complaining. I don't think it's

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Speaker 1: just to get clicks. I think they're miserable. Some people

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Speaker 1: aren't happy unless they're unhappy, and so people come complain. Hey, Colin,

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Speaker 1: you don't worry about it. You and the TikTok generation.

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Speaker 1: I'm fifty nine years old and I think baseball is slow.

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Speaker 1: I'm not on TikTok. I'm barely on Twitter. I'm never

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Speaker 1: on Instagram. I have eight social media accounts. I don't

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Speaker 1: have a password to any of them. They're run by

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Speaker 1: my staff. I occasionally post on Twitter that's it. Baseball

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Speaker 1: was too slow, and it's a killer with eighty one

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Speaker 1: home games and one hundred and sixty two minimum over

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Speaker 1: the course of a season. So people are going to complain.

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Speaker 1: The diehards. They're irrelevant. They're not going anywhere. They're scorpions

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Speaker 1: in the desert. You can't kill them. The bottom line

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Speaker 1: is keep it moving, more base runners, more fun, and

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Speaker 1: about the only downside in the stadium. You know you

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Speaker 1: always go to a baseball game. You have a couple

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Speaker 1: of beers. You may not have time for a third. Now,

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Speaker 1: beer sales might decrease slightly. I think the sport Budweiser

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Speaker 1: Stella Corona will survive, but I noticed it about a

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Speaker 1: month ago. I got in my car from my house

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Speaker 1: to go to the grocery store. It's about an eight

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Speaker 1: minute drive. It was a Dodger game and they got

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Speaker 1: through an entire inning. And I thought to myself, the

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Speaker 1: late Vince Scully, what would he have done with a

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Speaker 1: sport that moved so quickly? His stories there would have

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Speaker 1: been no time, but Vince Scully would have made his

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Speaker 1: stories more succinct to fit in to the time. I

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Speaker 1: will watch significantly more baseball this year. And by the way,

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Speaker 1: die hard guy, you're not going anywhere. You'll still watch two.

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Speaker 1: So baseball got both of us. Love the feedback I

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Speaker 1: got interviewing Nick Con on the Volume podcast Colin Coward podcast,

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Speaker 1: the CEO of the WWE, I am told I got

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Speaker 1: a lot of pushback from WWE fans because years ago

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Speaker 1: I called him booker eaters, Colin, how could you be

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Speaker 1: a hypocrite? And talked to Nick Well. I talked to

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Speaker 1: nit Con every year since I've owned the volume. I

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Speaker 1: am fascinated by the spectacle and the business operation and

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Speaker 1: the production side of WWE WrestleMania's That's why I went

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Speaker 1: to one in Vegas. That's why I'm going to the

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Speaker 1: one in Los Angeles. I don't really care about the outcomes.

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Speaker 1: I mean I watched the stars. I watch how they're marketed,

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Speaker 1: I watch how they're promoted, I watch kind of the again,

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Speaker 1: just the holistic nature of the sport. I said this

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Speaker 1: on the air at Fox, and I'll say it again.

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Speaker 1: I think anybody in the media, in any platform should

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Speaker 1: go to WrestleMania at so Far over the weekend and

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Speaker 1: watch how production at the highest level works. I don't

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Speaker 1: care about outcomes. I mean, I know Charlotte Flair and

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Speaker 1: I like her. I think John Cena is a really

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Speaker 1: good guy. But we all know it scripted. I'm not

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Speaker 1: losing sleep on that. But I've said this before. I've

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Speaker 1: gone to a lot of sporting events and I'm not

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Speaker 1: sure I've ever seen anything more impressive in person, the

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Speaker 1: way it unfolds the communication while it's happening. Remember these

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Speaker 1: are scripted, so choreography is essential. And then when it's over,

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Speaker 1: how they close up shop, get it on a truck

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Speaker 1: and they're off to the next city. So I went

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Speaker 1: backstage in a couple of events so Far with the WWE,

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Speaker 1: and it's jaw dropping. And you know, when I created

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Speaker 1: the volume, I consume media differently than a lot of fans. Do.

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Speaker 1: I don't care about outcomes. I'm looking how does this

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Speaker 1: company do it? How do they do it? What works,

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Speaker 1: what doesn't, Mistakes, strengths, liabilities, weaknesses. That's how I look

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Speaker 1: at stuff now, and so WWE. Nick CON's a friend,

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Speaker 1: one of my better friends, my consigliari in my career.

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Speaker 1: We joke he is somebody I lean on for big

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Speaker 1: decisions for the first you know, my ESPN career. And

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Speaker 1: now he's a friend who I don't have the access

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Speaker 1: to now because he runs WWE, but somebody if I

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Speaker 1: ever have a question, He's always got a definitive answer,

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Speaker 1: and it's always the smartest one in the room. So

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Speaker 1: I will forever support my friend Nick Cohn and the WWE.

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Speaker 1: It is truly these russellmannias are truly a production spectacle.

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Speaker 1: Fascinating to watch him pull it off. All right, Welcome

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Speaker 1: to Hoops Tonight, presented by FanDuel Here at the volume.

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Speaker 1: Happy Thursday, everybody. We are live on AMPS. Don't forget

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Speaker 1: if you're watching on YouTube or listening on our podcast

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Speaker 1: feeds that AMP is the very first place that you

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Speaker 1: guys can get these shows. We're not going to waste

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Speaker 1: any time today. We're going to bring on the great

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Speaker 1: Colin Cowhert to discuss that stinker of a nationally televised

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Speaker 1: ass kicking from the Boston Celtics in Milwaukee against the Bucks,

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Speaker 1: and then we're going to cover a bunch of big

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Speaker 1: picture NBA topics. Colin. It is good to see you again.

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Speaker 1: How are you today? Good? I was thinking as I

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Speaker 1: was watching, and it was decent first quarter and then

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Speaker 1: it was a disaster, and I thought, you know, Jason,

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Speaker 1: generally you don't have dynasties in all these pro sports.

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Speaker 1: Patriots had two really significant like six year runs, but

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Speaker 1: ten years in the middle that they didn't win a

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Speaker 1: Super Bowl, and that's the longest dynasty. But you know,

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Speaker 1: I was thinking about the NBA. So you have the

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Speaker 1: Russell back in the sixties and then the seventies it

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Speaker 1: was wide open, and then you had the Celtics Lakers

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Speaker 1: dominate the eighties, and you had the Bulls to three

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Speaker 1: year runs. I think Shack and Kobe, three Warriors you know,

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Speaker 1: have not they've won what four titles, but you know

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Speaker 1: it title lost, couple k d lost, disappeared back. One

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Speaker 1: is that generally in NBA history, we don't have an

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Speaker 1: all time great team. And I think we have to

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Speaker 1: come to terms with the Warriors because of age. Even

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Speaker 1: if Wiggins came back, have kind of moved out of

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Speaker 1: all time great team stuff. Boston's not there yet. They

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Speaker 1: need to be another dependable score. Although Brogden's been a

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Speaker 1: nice fit. And I watched Milwaukee tonight, and you know,

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Speaker 1: it's a little bit like the Seahawks. When the Seahawks

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Speaker 1: won with Russell Wilson and at defense, we were all like, oh,

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Speaker 1: we're getting four. Here, we get one. They kind of

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Speaker 1: blew the second and it fizzles out. And then watched

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Speaker 1: Milwaukee and I like Chris Middleton, but hurt early. He's

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Speaker 1: not the same player. He's simply not. He's down to

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Speaker 1: about fifteen a game. He's still Jason a good shooter.

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Speaker 1: He was never the most vertical player, but he's not

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Speaker 1: the same player. That's why they've leaned more on Brook

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Speaker 1: Lopez and Drew Holliday this year. They've leaned on him more.

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Speaker 1: And so as I watched them tonight and middle Chris

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Speaker 1: Middleton kind of walks off, I'm like, yeah, this is

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Speaker 1: I thought we were gonna get three four, and I'm like,

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Speaker 1: they're gonna be in a riddle. They're gonna be in

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Speaker 1: a real battle with a Cleveland, you know, by the

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Speaker 1: second round potentially. That's my take is that I thought

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Speaker 1: this was going to be more night dynamic, but Middleton's injury,

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Speaker 1: you know, it's it's kind of like Janis who stunk

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Speaker 1: to night and then be Guys, That's what it feels

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Speaker 1: like to me. You know, it was so interesting about

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Speaker 1: this game is I Milwaukee really lost their cool. And

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Speaker 1: I'm not talking about like emotionally. We did have that

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Speaker 1: one little blow up from Middleton where he got on

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Speaker 1: the ref and got the tech, but aside from that,

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Speaker 1: it was a implosion mentally with their approach to the game.

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Speaker 1: You talk about this a lot on your show on Fox,

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Speaker 1: this idea of like the way the game of basketball

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Speaker 1: is changed to where shot result like jump shooting result,

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Speaker 1: swings the games wildly and like, you know, my team

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Speaker 1: makes their threes, other team misses their three, Suddenly you

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Speaker 1: got to blow out and like, you know, it's so funny.

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Speaker 1: Is a lot of the analytics guys over the years

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Speaker 1: have tried to kill this idea of like the hot

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Speaker 1: hand theory, like there's no such thing as getting hot.

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Speaker 1: It's one hundred percent random, But I could not disagree more.

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Speaker 1: I actually think the hot hand theory expands out to teams.

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Speaker 1: And what was so interesting is in that first quarter,

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Speaker 1: it's like Tatum's making his pull up threes and Brown's

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Speaker 1: making his pull up threes, and the Celtics are really

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Speaker 1: packing the paint and Jannis is making those kickout passes

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Speaker 1: and they're just missing everything, and you could see it

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Speaker 1: kind of got in their head. But what's so interesting

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Speaker 1: is the really good teams they see the difference between

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Speaker 1: process and results usually and the Bucks are usually one

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Speaker 1: of those teams, and you go, hey, we're just missing.

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Speaker 1: Eventually these shots are going to start falling. Then we'll

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Speaker 1: regain control of this game. But no, in that second quarter,

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Speaker 1: they completely lost their cool in terms of their execution,

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Speaker 1: just dribbling up the floor. Joanna's just dribbling up the

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Speaker 1: floor and shooting pull up jump shots even though none

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Speaker 1: of them were going in. Drew Holidays dribbling up the

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Speaker 1: shooting shot. Chris Middleton's like they got away from what

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Speaker 1: was getting them the good looks in the first quarter

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Speaker 1: that they just happened to be missing. And I was

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Speaker 1: actually messaging a couple of people that I talked about

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Speaker 1: talk with during the games, and I was saying, like,

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Speaker 1: you know, this is actually a little bit fools gold

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Speaker 1: for Boston early because they were taking contested pull up threes,

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Speaker 1: Tatum and Brown were and they were going in and

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Speaker 1: I actually thought the script would flip in the second

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Speaker 1: quarter if Milwick, if Milwaukee stayed with their process, but

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Speaker 1: they did not. And that's what's so interesting, is like

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Speaker 1: if Boston is a team that we've always kind of

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Speaker 1: gotten on for being a team that struggles with execution,

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Speaker 1: but that was the opposite of the script in this

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Speaker 1: particular game. And the narrative coming out of last year's

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Speaker 1: Eastern Conference semifinal series between those two teams was very

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Speaker 1: much like Boston got away with one, Middleton was out,

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Speaker 1: Jani's almost beat them by themselves. But really all season long,

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Speaker 1: Boston's looked great against Milwaukee. Though there's clearly no mental

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Speaker 1: advantage there, Boston likes their chances in that match up. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: it Monny, about the West this year is about who

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Speaker 1: hasn't played a d missus time lebron kds out, Andrew Wiggins,

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Speaker 1: you know, Kawhi, Paul George now is hurt the East

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Speaker 1: is actually the opposite. The East is about are they

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Speaker 1: going to get Tatum rest you know, the new Celtics coach,

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Speaker 1: they want to get Jaylen Brown all NBA, so they're

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Speaker 1: you know, inserting him Like tonight the Celtics got their

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Speaker 1: guys out, but there's been a real push in Boston.

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Speaker 1: Why is Jaylen Brown and Tatum in these games late? Well,

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Speaker 1: I mean the word around the league is they want

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Speaker 1: to get Jaylen Brown and all NBA bonus, you know,

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Speaker 1: I mean to foster chemistry with a new coach in

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Speaker 1: a room. You want to make sure the guys like you.

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Speaker 1: And also, you know, Tatum too many minutes embad? Should

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Speaker 1: you be resting embad? And hardened down the stretch. Harden

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Speaker 1: we've seen because of his ball centric style, although he's

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Speaker 1: a better distributor, this year we've seen him kind of

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Speaker 1: lag off. So I feel like I get a true

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Speaker 1: test of what the East is. Cleveland matches up very

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Speaker 1: well with Boston, very well. Boston this year matches up

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Speaker 1: very well with Milwaukee. Chris Middleton is not the same player,

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Speaker 1: so Brook Low. You know, they're a very good defensive

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Speaker 1: team on most nights. Lopez, Drew and Jannas are tremendous

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Speaker 1: defensive players. But I do feel like I know what

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Speaker 1: the East is the West. When Lebron and a d

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Speaker 1: are playing and now Austin Reeves has emerged, You're like, oh, Okay,

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Speaker 1: that's different. Austin Reeves is a real three in this league.

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Speaker 1: So I kind of feel like, I know, I kind

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Speaker 1: of feel like if Cleveland faces New York, Nicks don't

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Speaker 1: have enough shot makers, Cleveland's win in that series. And

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Speaker 1: I kind of feel I think Philadelphia, not that they're

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Speaker 1: fools gold, I don't trust them situationally, I feel I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna get Milwaukee and Boston in the year point. The

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Speaker 1: Celtics have matched up really well with them. Yeah, and

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Speaker 1: that that little bit of extra ball handling with Malcolm Brogden,

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Speaker 1: you know, is interesting. One of the big things that's

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Speaker 1: I want to give the Bucks a little bit of slack.

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Speaker 1: They were on the tail end of a back to back.

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Speaker 1: This is two times in a row that the NBA

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Speaker 1: has handed them major national television matchups, the Nuggets game

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Speaker 1: and this game on the tail end of a back

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Speaker 1: to back for whatever reason, which I would hope that

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Speaker 1: if we were having this conversation ten years from now

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Speaker 1: they get rid of back to backs because it's just

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Speaker 1: so bad for the television product and a bunch of

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Speaker 1: different things. But Milwaukee was really struggling to contain Boston's

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Speaker 1: ball handlers. And you know what's funny is the Milwaukee

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Speaker 1: has never been a super athletic or quick team compared

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Speaker 1: to some of the other teams in the conference. But

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Speaker 1: they have this system right like, it's okay, you don't

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Speaker 1: need to keep everybody in front. All you gotta do

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Speaker 1: is funnel him the Brook. But then it's like Boston's

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Speaker 1: gonna park Al Horford out past the three point line,

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Speaker 1: and now Brooke can't hang out by the rim the

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Speaker 1: way he usually does, and it kind of forces guys

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Speaker 1: to slide their feet, and all of a sudden, guys

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Speaker 1: like Joe Ingles and Jake Crowder look pretty slow and

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Speaker 1: they can't keep anybody in front, and that becomes an issue.

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Speaker 1: Then on the other end of the floor, Boston's just

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Speaker 1: containing all of that jubile penetration from Milwaukee. I've talked

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Speaker 1: about this with you before, but I always look at

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Speaker 1: perimeter defense as like the line play in the NFL.

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Speaker 1: It's like that seeing battle that not enough people pay

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Speaker 1: attention to whether or not you're containing ball handlers versus

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Speaker 1: giving up a bunch of straight line drives. Is usually

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Speaker 1: the difference between whether or not your defense has a

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Speaker 1: fighting chance or not. I'm surprised you're so low on Philly, though,

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Speaker 1: you know, Philly's had a couple of major national television

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Speaker 1: games where they've shown up. I've actually been really impressed

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Speaker 1: with Embid and Harden's fight in their competitiveness. Although I'm

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Speaker 1: disappointed mb for sitting out that Nuggets game, but I

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Speaker 1: actually give them a little bit of a puncher's chance,

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Speaker 1: especially against a team like Milwaukee. I just don't like

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Speaker 1: their chances against Boston. That's the one matchup I don't

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Speaker 1: like for Philly well. And also here's it's not that

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Speaker 1: I don't think since December, like mid December, they I

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Speaker 1: think Philly is like the first or second best team

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Speaker 1: in the league's early Maxie's highly athletic, Harden's become I

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Speaker 1: think a better team player. Embiid is I wish you

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Speaker 1: would have played against Yokai is my number two MVP

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Speaker 1: to my you know, I mean Doc Rivers is Joe

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Speaker 1: Tory great managing egos He's really good with that, always

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Speaker 1: has been. If you go back to Joe Tory was

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Speaker 1: never great situationally, but man Steinbrenner a Rod Jeter, they

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Speaker 1: had to switch positions for Era as a lot of

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Speaker 1: moving parts. Joe Tory was the stepdad nobody ever wanted

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Speaker 1: to disappoint. Like everybody liked Joe had Don Zimmer next

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Speaker 1: to him. You never thought Dutch Doc Rivers. I don't

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Speaker 1: think Doc laid as Eric Spoelstra. I don't think he's

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Speaker 1: tailu late. I think Spoelstra kur. But he's really good

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Speaker 1: at managing a room for six months, so I have

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Speaker 1: and I like Doc. But situationally, boy, he's blown some

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Speaker 1: leads some late games, and not that they're fools gold

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Speaker 1: but when you haven't won a ring, you do tend

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Speaker 1: to play harder consistently in the regular season. You're seeing

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Speaker 1: it now with Cleveland they play hard. First of all,

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Speaker 1: their average age for their starters about twenty three and

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Speaker 1: a half, so they're playing their ass off and you

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Speaker 1: see it, and you see it by the way you

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Speaker 1: see it with Denver, you see it with Sacramento. Whereas

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Speaker 1: you know Golden State, even Phoenix, you know they they've

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Speaker 1: been to a final. So it's not that I don't

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Speaker 1: it's not that I don't believe. You know, I argue

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Speaker 1: this for years with friends and Bill Simmons. The NBA

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Speaker 1: is two seasons. Football's not is one game a week.

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Speaker 1: If you're not serious, you get hurt Sam in hockey,

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Speaker 1: But it's it's different in basketball. It's two sports, and

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Speaker 1: I am always just reluctant to embrace teams that haven't

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Speaker 1: won a title with talent. So I honestly think Cleveland,

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Speaker 1: if they matched up eventually with Philly, could be a

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Speaker 1: real problem, could be a real problem. Yeah, that's specific matchup.

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Speaker 1: The East is going to entirely come down to matchups

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Speaker 1: and who plays who in any of those teams has

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Speaker 1: a chance should they catch the right matchup. You're right, though,

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Speaker 1: the Western Conference is so much more wide open. I

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Speaker 1: Denver starting to get it together a little bit, but

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Speaker 1: I still fundamentally, I still fundamentally don't like some of

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Speaker 1: their core basketball identity things, with the fact that they

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Speaker 1: don't have a great defensive front court. We talked about

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Speaker 1: an hour last show about how in NBA history you

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Speaker 1: just need to have at that four or five position

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Speaker 1: all time great defensive players to have a fighting chance,

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Speaker 1: and they just don't. And Jamal Murray runs hot and cold,

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Speaker 1: which is concerning, and I think that me it kind

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Speaker 1: of continues to flare up for him from time to time.

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Speaker 1: Sacramento is actually tailing off and their defense is getting

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Speaker 1: worse and worse as time goes along. Memphis again, they're

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Speaker 1: getting it together, but without Brandon Clark, it's a depth issue.

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Speaker 1: And I still don't trust their half court offense. And

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Speaker 1: then again, it really just everything points me back to

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Speaker 1: the Warriors and the Lakers, and I keep coming back

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Speaker 1: to two things for each team. For the Warriors, can

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Speaker 1: they win without Andrew Wiggins? And for the Lakers, I

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Speaker 1: don't think they can. I just don't think they can.

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Speaker 1: You know what's interesting is with the Wiggins piece in particular,

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Speaker 1: like and it's almost a testament to how great that

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Speaker 1: core is that they've managed to win as much as

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Speaker 1: they have, but they they're coming back from major deficits

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Speaker 1: in all of these games. Like they beat the Pelicans,

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Speaker 1: they were down twenty, They beat the Sixers, they were

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Speaker 1: down eleven in the fourth quarter. They came back and

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Speaker 1: almost beat the Timberwolves. They were down nine early in

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Speaker 1: the fourth quarter in that game, you know, even that

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Speaker 1: Bucks game, like they were down eight with two minutes left,

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Speaker 1: like Steph and Clay and Draymond and Steve Kerry, they're

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Speaker 1: just grinding out wins. And it's crazy because when you're

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Speaker 1: looking from the standpoint of the standings, you're like, they're

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Speaker 1: actually in good position to potentially get the five seed.

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Speaker 1: Especially with the Clippers remaining schedule, they might end up

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Speaker 1: getting the five seed. And I actually like that matchup

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Speaker 1: with Phoenix because Phoenix is such a bad perimeter defense team.

404
00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,600
Speaker 1: But the thing is is when they get to those

405
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Speaker 1: higher level, high pressure situations and late rounds of the playoffs,

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Speaker 1: you just need Andrew Wiggins, you do. One of the

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Speaker 1: most underrated parts of their playoff runline last year was

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Speaker 1: the job he did on Luca don chich In, the

409
00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,320
Speaker 1: job that he did on Jason Tatum, and taking him

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Speaker 1: out of that equation makes everything so much more difficult

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Speaker 1: for them. And I want to so bad believe in

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Speaker 1: what they can do. But here's the thing. If Wiggins

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Speaker 1: isn't coming back, I just don't think they can do

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Speaker 1: it well. And also, Jason is Wiggins in shape, no,

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Speaker 1: so let so I was told he wasn't going to

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Speaker 1: play for the regular season. He was Nobody knew about

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Speaker 1: the playoffs, and nobody knew at the time I reported it.

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Speaker 1: Nobody knew if they were going to make the playoffs. Right,

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Speaker 1: So let's say he comes back and is not in shape.

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Speaker 1: This is the NBA. It's hard enough in November to

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Speaker 1: enter the season not in shape. You can't play yourself

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Speaker 1: into shape in the playoffs. And he's their best on

423
00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:50,360
Speaker 1: ball defender, high IQ, super twitchy, I mean Jason. They

424
00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:54,840
Speaker 1: have no front court scoring none, so I mean Weisman.

425
00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,000
Speaker 1: They moved off him eventually because you know, he just

426
00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,600
Speaker 1: didn't fit the time. Everything with them, I been told

427
00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,760
Speaker 1: Kurs feeling is as long as Steph is great, they're

428
00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,240
Speaker 1: gonna do whatever it takes for Steph to have a

429
00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,760
Speaker 1: chance to win a title. The organization, I've been told

430
00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,359
Speaker 1: Steve feels we owe Steph just as many titles as

431
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,159
Speaker 1: we can give him. So they're gonna make moves in

432
00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,240
Speaker 1: bail on young guys. Now, the good thing about Wiggins

433
00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,800
Speaker 1: out is Koominga has gotten more of a chance. But

434
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:27,119
Speaker 1: he's so raw, he's so inconsistent. I mean, that's the

435
00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,640
Speaker 1: difference between talent and wisdom. Jordan Pool's good but has

436
00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,760
Speaker 1: bad nights. You kind of know what you get from

437
00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:38,359
Speaker 1: Steph Kominga again, crazy twitchy, but there are nights you

438
00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,359
Speaker 1: get sixteen minutes and six points and he's just not there.

439
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,080
Speaker 1: So I think in the building they know they can't

440
00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,480
Speaker 1: win without Wiggins. I've been told they know that it

441
00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,119
Speaker 1: just doesn't work. Yeah, with the community thing, it's funny.

442
00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:52,800
Speaker 1: I always always joke like, as a young basketball player,

443
00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,719
Speaker 1: every time you have a good game, you kind of

444
00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:57,960
Speaker 1: look back and you think about what caused you to

445
00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,560
Speaker 1: have a good game, and you kind of commit that

446
00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,280
Speaker 1: to memory. And every time you have a bad game,

447
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,320
Speaker 1: you kind of think about what caused you to have

448
00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,760
Speaker 1: a bad game. You know, this specific process thing that

449
00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,520
Speaker 1: you did poorly, or this specific thing with your form

450
00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,719
Speaker 1: that got out of whack. And over the years, as

451
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,840
Speaker 1: you become a more experienced player, that's what causes you

452
00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,159
Speaker 1: to become more consistent, as you learn how to avoid

453
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,240
Speaker 1: the things that lead to bad games, and you learn

454
00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,359
Speaker 1: how to replicate the things that lead to good games.

455
00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:21,480
Speaker 1: And that's the thing. Cominga has actually done a lot

456
00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,800
Speaker 1: of Wiggins esque stuff. He's done some isolation scoring at

457
00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,000
Speaker 1: the end of shot clocks. He's done a really good

458
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,640
Speaker 1: on ball defense, like he did a pretty damn good

459
00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,680
Speaker 1: job on Luca the other night when he was guarding him.

460
00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:35,919
Speaker 1: And then he's working really well in the Warrior system,

461
00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,240
Speaker 1: cutting and finding ways to be impactful offensively. But the

462
00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,000
Speaker 1: problem is is then he'll have a night where he

463
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,040
Speaker 1: goes one for seven and gets a trust a little

464
00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,679
Speaker 1: bit off the ball. So that's the inconsistency piece. The

465
00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:50,600
Speaker 1: Suns are undefeated with Kevin Durant in the lineup, Chris Paul,

466
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,560
Speaker 1: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and DeAndre and I have played

467
00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,840
Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty four possessions together and they are

468
00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,800
Speaker 1: outscoring teams by thirty points per one hundred possessions and

469
00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,199
Speaker 1: they're amazing on both ends of the floor. Are you

470
00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:07,000
Speaker 1: buying Phoenix. I'm a little bit worried about them being

471
00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,600
Speaker 1: thin and it's easy to push them around a little bit,

472
00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,840
Speaker 1: and then their perimeter defense is a legitimate concern from

473
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:17,040
Speaker 1: a matchup standpoint. But whatever I'm saying, the scoreboard says

474
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,400
Speaker 1: they're kicking everyone's ass. So where are you at with Phoenix?

475
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,280
Speaker 1: Their bench scoring is tenth so they have Warren Craig

476
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:30,119
Speaker 1: t Ross. It's okay, it's not dynamic, but you know this,

477
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,480
Speaker 1: go to the finals last year, seven guys for the

478
00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,240
Speaker 1: Warriors and seven guys for the Celtics got big minutes.

479
00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,920
Speaker 1: You shrink that thing fast. I think the concern Chris

480
00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,240
Speaker 1: Mannox was on my show today and I think he's right.

481
00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,719
Speaker 1: My concern is they have a lot of elements. I

482
00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:49,119
Speaker 1: like an experienced coach, two dynamic scores, semidecent length and

483
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:55,080
Speaker 1: rim protection. The issues Chris Paul like, there have been

484
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,320
Speaker 1: nights like he's not close and this happens to NFL

485
00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:03,160
Speaker 1: wide receiver. They hit thirty four and it's like, who's

486
00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,919
Speaker 1: that he can't separate? Like, that's a position where you

487
00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,879
Speaker 1: fall up a cliff fat there's gradual for a left tackle,

488
00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,840
Speaker 1: you know Andrewworth for the Rams, it's very slight, very gradual.

489
00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,800
Speaker 1: Receivers fall off cliffs. Chris like, if you went into

490
00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,080
Speaker 1: a series and you took a one oh lead, there's

491
00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,639
Speaker 1: an argument to be made you could rest him in

492
00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,159
Speaker 1: game two for game three, Like it don't you almost

493
00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,320
Speaker 1: get to a point where you lead a series three

494
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 1: one you just rest him. So and by the way,

495
00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,320
Speaker 1: this is I mean, I can remember great players. Barkley

496
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,560
Speaker 1: at the end just wasn't the same. He needed an

497
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:41,359
Speaker 1: extra day's rest. So the question is they can win

498
00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,440
Speaker 1: a series like that? Can they win three? Probably not

499
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,159
Speaker 1: because but everybody's got a little bit of this. Robert

500
00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:53,399
Speaker 1: Williams for the Celtics, huge concern right in terms of health,

501
00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,040
Speaker 1: k d and Chris Paul, big concern Kawai and Paul George.

502
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 1: I mean, Denver is one of the few teams we

503
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,680
Speaker 1: don't really worry about that there guys are going to

504
00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,159
Speaker 1: play most of you, yeah, I mean most of your

505
00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,040
Speaker 1: good teams in the league. I mean I'm one of those.

506
00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,120
Speaker 1: You know, Embid it's always a finger crosser to mad

507
00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,960
Speaker 1: like he I've seen it, the way he plays fast

508
00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:19,919
Speaker 1: and hard and Anthony Davis right, So I'd like most

509
00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,719
Speaker 1: teams in this league have a guy that is a

510
00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,679
Speaker 1: health or age liability, and I think that's the Phoenix issue.

511
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,760
Speaker 1: I think the bench is good enough. Yeah, you know,

512
00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,240
Speaker 1: Chris Paul has actually become a target. I remember I

513
00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,080
Speaker 1: was watching a game like a week and a half

514
00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,720
Speaker 1: ago or so where I was watching Joe Ingles just

515
00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,080
Speaker 1: barbecue like he couldn't keep Joe ingles in front, and

516
00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:42,480
Speaker 1: then I was like, Oh, like, this is this is

517
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:43,880
Speaker 1: a this is a problem. I mean, that is going

518
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:45,840
Speaker 1: to be the big question mark I think this offseason

519
00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,360
Speaker 1: is whether or not they're better off trying to use

520
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:50,960
Speaker 1: Chris Paul's salary as a vehicle with which to bring

521
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,200
Speaker 1: back some higher level role players for a team that

522
00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,480
Speaker 1: needs more, you know, kind of like an adult in

523
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,800
Speaker 1: the room ball handler. So I'll be interested to see

524
00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,200
Speaker 1: what they do there. The one of the major concern

525
00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,040
Speaker 1: I have with Phoenix is they do not generate rim pressure.

526
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,440
Speaker 1: All three of their guys, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and

527
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:06,560
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant are driving to pull up, so when they

528
00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,880
Speaker 1: come over those ball screens, they're constantly getting that ten

529
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,160
Speaker 1: fifteen foot area and they're trying to pull up. And

530
00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,880
Speaker 1: the inability to have a guy on the roster who's

531
00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,959
Speaker 1: relentlessly attacking the rim, which collapses the defense and creates

532
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,560
Speaker 1: closeout opportunities for your teammates, that's the one thing that

533
00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,400
Speaker 1: kind of concerns me because when you're a heavily let's

534
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,280
Speaker 1: just put it this way, the Suns were already the

535
00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,520
Speaker 1: team that took the second most pull up jump shots

536
00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,120
Speaker 1: in the entire league off the drible jump shots that

537
00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,760
Speaker 1: was before Kevin Durant came, and Kevin Durant is the

538
00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:36,840
Speaker 1: most prolific pull up jump shooter in the league. So

539
00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,440
Speaker 1: the thing is is if they're pull up jump shots

540
00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,960
Speaker 1: don't fall, do they have a second punch And that'll

541
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,400
Speaker 1: be the one that if they do lose. I think

542
00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,680
Speaker 1: that's how it'll happen. It'll be all their pull up

543
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,720
Speaker 1: jump shooting going cold, probably in a physical matchup where

544
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,040
Speaker 1: guys like Devin Booker and Kevin Durant gets fatigued by

545
00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:55,840
Speaker 1: constantly having to fight for every inch of position and

546
00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,360
Speaker 1: them not getting enough lift on those shots and not

547
00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:03,600
Speaker 1: knocking them down. Looking to get more out of the

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Speaker 1: we move on, I wanted to ask you, did you

578
00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,840
Speaker 1: see that quote from Charles Barkley directed towards kyd Or

579
00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,120
Speaker 1: He said he is sensitive. It's weird, I said to

580
00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,000
Speaker 1: you for three or four years now. I'm not sure

581
00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:06,800
Speaker 1: why he reacted to it. Again. I don't care where

582
00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:08,880
Speaker 1: it goes. He's a great, great player. I think he's

583
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,200
Speaker 1: a good guy too. He's sensitive, and I'm not worried

584
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,680
Speaker 1: about it. Did you did you see that altercation between

585
00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,240
Speaker 1: those two guys? Yeah, I've always thought, you know, I've

586
00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,040
Speaker 1: got kids, so some people are just more sensitive. Like

587
00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:22,240
Speaker 1: when I was in my twenties, like I just didn't

588
00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:25,320
Speaker 1: get it. I was kind of a relentless, full steam ahead.

589
00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,040
Speaker 1: Then you have kids in your realize I got six

590
00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,440
Speaker 1: two biological four steps. Some kids are more sensitive. You know.

591
00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:34,640
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers is really sensitive to criticism. Kyler Murray and

592
00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:38,280
Speaker 1: his people are Kevin Durant is It's okay? He's in

593
00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:40,440
Speaker 1: touch with who he is. I have a soft spot

594
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:45,480
Speaker 1: for Kevin Durant. I think he's I think he is

595
00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,080
Speaker 1: the only player in the league take centers out if

596
00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:50,880
Speaker 1: you had a one on one tournament in the history

597
00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,760
Speaker 1: of the league. I think Durant's the only person that

598
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:57,920
Speaker 1: would beat Lebron and Michael Jordan. I think he's just.

599
00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:00,640
Speaker 1: I think he is just. He can put it on

600
00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,560
Speaker 1: the deck, you know, take centers out. You know, I

601
00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,960
Speaker 1: don't want to see Kareem against Ray Allen or something.

602
00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,400
Speaker 1: He is insane. But if you're talking like you know,

603
00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:11,120
Speaker 1: Dirk Navitsky, Durant, Jannis or the high end, I think

604
00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:15,280
Speaker 1: Kevin's one of the greatest scorers. He's also a willing defender.

605
00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:18,080
Speaker 1: I think he's really smart. But he's a different cat,

606
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,800
Speaker 1: you know, his upbringing. He's just different. And it's like,

607
00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:25,240
Speaker 1: I'm going to accept that everybody comes from different backgrounds

608
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,640
Speaker 1: and Barkley's you know, listen, I think about this all

609
00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,440
Speaker 1: the time. If I was a pro basketball player and

610
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:36,840
Speaker 1: literally one of the greatest players ever was ripping me

611
00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,720
Speaker 1: on television and all my friends are dmming me. Like

612
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:42,840
Speaker 1: Adam Silver said a year ago, he was my players

613
00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:47,200
Speaker 1: are miserable, So I'm old. I don't. I don't care

614
00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,320
Speaker 1: right like, and I don't sit on the internet. But

615
00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,040
Speaker 1: I didn't generationally Jason grow up with a phone. I'm

616
00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:55,000
Speaker 1: not on it all the time. I mean, I Friday,

617
00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,200
Speaker 1: when I leave work till Sunday, I'm not even on

618
00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,360
Speaker 1: my phone. I got my staff said, I'm not even

619
00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,120
Speaker 1: close to it. That Kevin grew up and that you

620
00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,360
Speaker 1: did in the iPhone generation, it's a magnet. My kid's

621
00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:07,680
Speaker 1: eyes are on it all the time, and he gets

622
00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,160
Speaker 1: a little beat up by it. So I'm sympathetic. He

623
00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:15,200
Speaker 1: is sensitive, but I'm gonna embrace that. I would love

624
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,440
Speaker 1: to see him win in Phoenix. I really would love it.

625
00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:22,920
Speaker 1: I think it would be it would validate a lot

626
00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:26,000
Speaker 1: of because listen, we both knew this when he left

627
00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,640
Speaker 1: Golden State. It was a it was a really bad

628
00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,600
Speaker 1: career decision. I've compared it to Mahomes saying I've got

629
00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:35,440
Speaker 1: a buddy, I'm gonna go to the Jets. No, don't

630
00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:39,440
Speaker 1: do that. Don't. It was the same thing. But in basketball,

631
00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,359
Speaker 1: we tend to give the star a little bit more

632
00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:45,640
Speaker 1: of a mobility edge. The shoe sales, it's more of

633
00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,759
Speaker 1: an individual game. There's not the team construct. You know,

634
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,920
Speaker 1: we Lebron leaves. Of course he does Mahomes leaves. You're like,

635
00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,839
Speaker 1: why so I find myself I'm not supposed to root,

636
00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,240
Speaker 1: but I find myself sort of rooting for Kevin to succeed.

637
00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,440
Speaker 1: I'm for him too. I think I think gets such

638
00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,880
Speaker 1: low hanging fruit to be like he only one with Steph,

639
00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,560
Speaker 1: therefore he's not a real champion. Like to me, Kevin

640
00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:08,160
Speaker 1: Durant's always been a phenomenal basketball player who just got

641
00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:11,279
Speaker 1: partnered with two extremely volatile point guards Russell Westbrook on

642
00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:13,759
Speaker 1: the floor, Kyrie Irving off the floor. That ended up

643
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,960
Speaker 1: being kind of what submarined a lot of point Yeah,

644
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,000
Speaker 1: and I am rooting for him to have that legitimizing title,

645
00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,839
Speaker 1: just like I rooted for it with Steph in last

646
00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,759
Speaker 1: year's playoff run, because a lot of people undercut some

647
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,759
Speaker 1: of his success because of Kevin Durant, which I thought

648
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,040
Speaker 1: was ridiculous. You know, Katie went after the whole concept

649
00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,680
Speaker 1: of these older players being disrespectful, and you know what's

650
00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,240
Speaker 1: so interesting to me about that, Colin is like, usually

651
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,879
Speaker 1: there's a camaraderie with the players, like our job by

652
00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,440
Speaker 1: virtue of our need to be authentic demands that we criticize.

653
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,400
Speaker 1: That is part of what we have to do. But

654
00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,320
Speaker 1: what's interesting is players in the league are typically pretty

655
00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:54,400
Speaker 1: tight knit with criticism. For instance, Russell Westbrook was objectively

656
00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:56,520
Speaker 1: awful with the Lakers for a year and a half.

657
00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:58,839
Speaker 1: You couldn't find a player in the league who would

658
00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,080
Speaker 1: throw him under the bus every time someone would interview

659
00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:02,080
Speaker 1: them and they'd be like, what do you think about

660
00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,800
Speaker 1: rust with the Lakers? Russ is a former MVP, is

661
00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:07,440
Speaker 1: in Hall of Famer. Love that guy, you know, I'm

662
00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:09,400
Speaker 1: rooting for him. He's like, no one would criticize it,

663
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,759
Speaker 1: because like there's this tight knit like respect among the

664
00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:15,319
Speaker 1: players where generally speaking, they speak positively of each other

665
00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,719
Speaker 1: in a way that the media has a little bit

666
00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:20,360
Speaker 1: more free reign to be critical. That's what's so weird

667
00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,200
Speaker 1: with this older generation. And I'm so glad Kevin Durant's

668
00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:26,640
Speaker 1: going at it. It is bizarre the sheer amount of

669
00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:31,040
Speaker 1: these older players that are being outwardly disrespectful of these players.

670
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:34,799
Speaker 1: They do not feel the same level of obligation to

671
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:38,440
Speaker 1: kind of keep that tight knit like kind of mutual respect.

672
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,839
Speaker 1: And I do find that super interesting. Do you buy

673
00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:43,959
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant when he says that he doesn't care about

674
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:48,600
Speaker 1: legacy anymore? No, every No, he cares. Everybody cares. I mean,

675
00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,239
Speaker 1: I you know, legacy is a lot of vanity, but

676
00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:53,839
Speaker 1: and I don't spend a lot of time on it.

677
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,160
Speaker 1: But I don't want to end my career poorly, right.

678
00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:59,360
Speaker 1: I want to end it having some control, you know,

679
00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:02,239
Speaker 1: being part of the volume when a network kicks me

680
00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,560
Speaker 1: off the air because my hair is even grayer than this.

681
00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,640
Speaker 1: So I think, I think everybody you know, as you age,

682
00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,719
Speaker 1: you just you think about that stuff. And you know,

683
00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:13,480
Speaker 1: Brady at the end wanted to have more control, wanted

684
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:14,799
Speaker 1: to end it. So he picked a team with a

685
00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,080
Speaker 1: bunch of good receivers and an offensive coach. I mean,

686
00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:21,120
Speaker 1: he knew what he was doing. He Tom Brady figured out, Listen,

687
00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,000
Speaker 1: I can't carry the load anymore. I'm going to go

688
00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:26,200
Speaker 1: to a team with a bunch of really good receivers

689
00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:30,000
Speaker 1: in Tampa, really good tight ends. Bring Antonio Brown and Gronk,

690
00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:32,520
Speaker 1: and I'm not going to have to lift as much.

691
00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,799
Speaker 1: Like Matt Stafford got old, Oh, I got McVeagh as

692
00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,520
Speaker 1: a coach. Oh, I've got Cooper Cup. Oh, I've got

693
00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:41,640
Speaker 1: Like I think you know, as you age, you still

694
00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:45,440
Speaker 1: have it. You just don't have it forty eight minutes

695
00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,960
Speaker 1: a game as an NBA player or seventeen games relentless

696
00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,520
Speaker 1: as a quarterback. So I think I think Kevin is

697
00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,360
Speaker 1: aware of his legacy, and his legacy is going to

698
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,239
Speaker 1: be a better version of Dirk Navitsky. I mean to me,

699
00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,760
Speaker 1: he's going to be a more well rounded version Dirt Navitsky,

700
00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:05,160
Speaker 1: a more lethal version with more titles. And that's a

701
00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:08,000
Speaker 1: pretty good spot. Dirk's an Altimer. He's gonna be a

702
00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:09,879
Speaker 1: better version of that, sort of like Michael's a better

703
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,000
Speaker 1: version of Kobe. It's a pretty good space to be.

704
00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 1: That's an Alteimer. Yeah, you know, I buy him to

705
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:19,480
Speaker 1: a certain extent, Like I do think he cares about

706
00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,720
Speaker 1: legacy at least a little bit, but I do believe

707
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:24,840
Speaker 1: him that he I think he's just the way I

708
00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,680
Speaker 1: would describe it is similar to what we go through

709
00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:30,280
Speaker 1: as members of the media. You obviously with a million

710
00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,080
Speaker 1: a ton more experience, but you know, how like, I'm

711
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:35,239
Speaker 1: not sure what it was like for you when you

712
00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:37,120
Speaker 1: first got into the business, because I know there wasn't

713
00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:40,440
Speaker 1: social media, but like, obviously I came in right with

714
00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:43,440
Speaker 1: the Twitter trolls and the relentless social media harassment. So

715
00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:45,719
Speaker 1: I've got lots of people that would DM me and

716
00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:48,919
Speaker 1: talk shit and say all these awful things. And what's

717
00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,160
Speaker 1: funny is like it pretty quickly, within about a year,

718
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:55,880
Speaker 1: I realized, like, oh, like there's a significant segment that

719
00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,640
Speaker 1: you will never satisfy, Like you're just they're they're gonna

720
00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:00,640
Speaker 1: hate you no matter what you say, and you can

721
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:03,040
Speaker 1: never win. So just focus on doing your job and

722
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,120
Speaker 1: look at the results. There's way more people who support

723
00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:09,000
Speaker 1: you than don't. And I think Kevin Durant has kind

724
00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:12,279
Speaker 1: of come to a similar realization. I think he realizes

725
00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:14,480
Speaker 1: now that there is a segment of people that no

726
00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,839
Speaker 1: matter what he does, no matter where he wins, no

727
00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:19,680
Speaker 1: matter how much he succeeds on the basketball court, they'll

728
00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,280
Speaker 1: call him a cupcake, and they'll say that he doesn't defend,

729
00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,759
Speaker 1: and they'll say that he jumped on Steph's bandwagon. I

730
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,160
Speaker 1: think Kevin Durant has just come to terms with the

731
00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,320
Speaker 1: fact that he's never going to be able to satisfy everybody.

732
00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:33,120
Speaker 1: And I think that he's I really do believe that

733
00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:35,360
Speaker 1: he has come to the other side of things where

734
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:37,440
Speaker 1: he's like, I'm just going to play the best I

735
00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:40,200
Speaker 1: can and I'm going to win as much as I can,

736
00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:43,200
Speaker 1: and whatever happens in terms of the legacy is clearly

737
00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:45,880
Speaker 1: outside of my control. So I'm at peace with that.

738
00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:48,160
Speaker 1: I do think he cares about his legacy, but I

739
00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:49,839
Speaker 1: think he's at peace with the fact that he can't

740
00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,160
Speaker 1: control it. Yeah, and I think, I mean, the most

741
00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:58,279
Speaker 1: criticized player in the NBA is Lebron James. I mean,

742
00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:01,960
Speaker 1: I said this about Barack Obama. You didn't have to

743
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,879
Speaker 1: agree with his policies. You can't get worked up because

744
00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,960
Speaker 1: once he wore a Baize suit as a beautiful family

745
00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:11,759
Speaker 1: smart guy. If that really ruined your day, fuck out

746
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:13,759
Speaker 1: of here. You're just a miserable person. Like that's just

747
00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,759
Speaker 1: not good enough, right, You don't have to like his policies.

748
00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:22,080
Speaker 1: But he wasn't weaponizing social media, so you know they're durst.

749
00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:28,080
Speaker 1: I think I always figure like, you know, like we

750
00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,719
Speaker 1: forgot about Joe Montana very quickly, and I mean went

751
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:35,680
Speaker 1: from you know, Montana was the goat Brady beats Atlanta.

752
00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:38,600
Speaker 1: We've never talked Joe Montana since it went like Brady

753
00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:41,719
Speaker 1: to Mahomes and Joe Montana's out there. Hey, I got

754
00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:46,720
Speaker 1: four right. But I think Joe Montana is so happy

755
00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:48,560
Speaker 1: in his personal life. If you ever see him around

756
00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,239
Speaker 1: his wife, they're like teenagers cud league kiss he I mean,

757
00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,200
Speaker 1: this cutest couple. And I think the happier you are

758
00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:57,719
Speaker 1: in your personal life, none of that stuff matters. Joe

759
00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,359
Speaker 1: knows who he is. I mean we literally he went

760
00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:04,640
Speaker 1: from Brady, we talked Rogers Mahomes. It is like Joe

761
00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:10,919
Speaker 1: Montana never played. It's insane. And and I think as

762
00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:15,879
Speaker 1: Kevin ages, I think young people tend to think they've

763
00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:17,959
Speaker 1: got it made. They're not married, no kids, they're happy

764
00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:20,880
Speaker 1: in their twentiest. Research shows you get happier as you

765
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:24,320
Speaker 1: age because there's less societal pressure. You kind of prune

766
00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,680
Speaker 1: your tree. You don't really care who cares about you.

767
00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:30,440
Speaker 1: I think as as Kevin is aged, this is very human.

768
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:34,480
Speaker 1: He's he's more comfortable with who he is, and it's

769
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,440
Speaker 1: been clearly defined who he is. He is, you know,

770
00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:39,759
Speaker 1: I would say this, He's one of the ten best

771
00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:43,200
Speaker 1: basketball players I've ever seen, and I've I've been watching

772
00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:45,560
Speaker 1: since Wilton nineteen seventy two, seventy three. He's one of

773
00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:49,600
Speaker 1: the ten best basketball players on his good nights I've

774
00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:52,000
Speaker 1: ever seen. Injuries have not helped him in the last

775
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:54,839
Speaker 1: four or five years. He is brittle now, so it's

776
00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:56,560
Speaker 1: it's it's hard to put him on that top five

777
00:41:56,640 --> 00:42:00,879
Speaker 1: or six. He's probably would say top twelve, but he

778
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:04,000
Speaker 1: is really he's kind of a one on one I mean,

779
00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:07,520
Speaker 1: he's easy unique. I mean Mark fu coach gun Zaga,

780
00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,359
Speaker 1: he coached on those Olympic teams, and I think I've

781
00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:11,880
Speaker 1: told this story. I was talking to him one time

782
00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:15,000
Speaker 1: about what it's like and I said, anybody surprised you?

783
00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:20,319
Speaker 1: He said, even among great players, Kevin Durant's ridiculous. Like

784
00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:22,880
Speaker 1: even among all the great players, they got to work

785
00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:26,640
Speaker 1: to get their shot. Durant just gets it, gets a

786
00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,240
Speaker 1: great shot, not a good one, a great one against

787
00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:33,560
Speaker 1: our greatest players. Every time down the floor. He's like

788
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:35,680
Speaker 1: Colin I've seen a lot of basketball. There's just nothing

789
00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:39,480
Speaker 1: like Kevin Durant. Yeah. The putting him all time all

790
00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:42,640
Speaker 1: time list gets so convoluted by centers because they're just

791
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:45,239
Speaker 1: they play. I take him out almost me too. I

792
00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:48,400
Speaker 1: keep a completely separate list. It's like, just here's all

793
00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:50,359
Speaker 1: the best perimeter players of all time, and I think

794
00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:53,200
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant is clearly one of the ten best perimeter

795
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:55,239
Speaker 1: players of all time. How do you even compare him

796
00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:58,400
Speaker 1: to someone like Will It's a completely different sport. I

797
00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,320
Speaker 1: think you make an interesting point though. It's really this simple.

798
00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:04,480
Speaker 1: If you become secure in who you are and what

799
00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:07,560
Speaker 1: you've accomplished, then you're never going to allow some stranger

800
00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:10,600
Speaker 1: to convince you you're something less than that. And again,

801
00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:13,960
Speaker 1: I do believe that Kevin Durant in a previous version

802
00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:16,000
Speaker 1: of himself, you know, five seven years ago, I think

803
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,240
Speaker 1: he did buy into that stuff a little too much

804
00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:20,319
Speaker 1: and he let the noise get to him a little bit.

805
00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:22,799
Speaker 1: But I do believe him that he's made a little

806
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:25,439
Speaker 1: bit of a transition into a new phase, or he's

807
00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:27,480
Speaker 1: more kind of at peace with the fact that he

808
00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:31,160
Speaker 1: can't control that stuff. So I want to talk about

809
00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:33,360
Speaker 1: the Lakers for a minute, because Colin, I'm gonna be

810
00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:37,400
Speaker 1: honest with you, every time I watched them, especially with

811
00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:41,239
Speaker 1: Lebron with him being back, I am so tempted to

812
00:43:41,239 --> 00:43:43,799
Speaker 1: pick them to come out of the West. They are

813
00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:47,239
Speaker 1: four and one when Lebron is played post deadline. That

814
00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:49,880
Speaker 1: one loss was a loss to the Bulls that they

815
00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:52,719
Speaker 1: immediately avenged and kind of kicked the shit out of him.

816
00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:56,120
Speaker 1: And in that game, Anthony Davis had a weird game.

817
00:43:56,120 --> 00:43:58,000
Speaker 1: He only took eight shots. It was just a weird

818
00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:01,200
Speaker 1: loss for the Lakers. On Sunday, they are outscoring teams

819
00:44:01,239 --> 00:44:04,440
Speaker 1: with Lebron on the floor by twenty points per one

820
00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:07,040
Speaker 1: hundred possessions since the deadline. That is the same type

821
00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:08,920
Speaker 1: of number that I was giving you with the Warriors

822
00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,759
Speaker 1: in their top five starting lineup Metric. Now, again a

823
00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:14,840
Speaker 1: small sample size, but they've been dominant. Here's a crazy

824
00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:18,520
Speaker 1: staff for you. The Lakers starters against the Bulls, by

825
00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:19,880
Speaker 1: the way the Bulls came into that game, is the

826
00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:23,120
Speaker 1: fifth best defense in the league. They are an amazing

827
00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:25,680
Speaker 1: perimeter defense. They contain the basketball better than just about

828
00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:29,600
Speaker 1: any team in the league. The Lakers starters scored at

829
00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:32,200
Speaker 1: a rate of one hundred and fifty five points per

830
00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:35,760
Speaker 1: one hundred possessions against that Bulls unit. With that starting lineup,

831
00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:40,080
Speaker 1: the combination of amazing off ball offensive skill with guys

832
00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:44,000
Speaker 1: like Austin Reeves and D'Angelo Russell, and then Lebron James

833
00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,280
Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis just being two of the biggest walking

834
00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:50,400
Speaker 1: mismatches in the league. How awesome is that that? It's like, Oh,

835
00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:52,959
Speaker 1: our guards are struggling with the Bulls ball pressure. We'll

836
00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:55,720
Speaker 1: just have Anthony Davis bring the ball up the floor

837
00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:58,400
Speaker 1: because Vussovic can't guard him, and then we'll post up

838
00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,439
Speaker 1: Lebron James on Alex Cruzoe and get fantastic shots every

839
00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:04,080
Speaker 1: single time. I think they're gonna get mismatches like that

840
00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:07,440
Speaker 1: in every single series in this playoff run. Should they

841
00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:11,800
Speaker 1: stay healthy? So I again, there's two things that concern

842
00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:16,200
Speaker 1: me Lebron's health, Anthony Davis is inconsistency and health, because

843
00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:18,000
Speaker 1: he is the kind of guy that'll take eight shots

844
00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,400
Speaker 1: one night against the Bulls, even though he's being guarded

845
00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:23,240
Speaker 1: by like Derek Jones Jr. And then take twenty shots

846
00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:25,480
Speaker 1: and score thirty eight against the same team the next night.

847
00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:28,319
Speaker 1: That's definitely a wild card. But I do think when

848
00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:30,520
Speaker 1: they're clicking on all cylinders, I think they have a

849
00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:33,480
Speaker 1: higher two way ceiling than any of these teams in

850
00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:35,600
Speaker 1: the Western Conference. Am I too high on them? Or

851
00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:39,200
Speaker 1: do you agree? Well, there's one thing they do exceedingly well.

852
00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,719
Speaker 1: And this is where they're the opposite of Phoenix. They're

853
00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:44,800
Speaker 1: gonna get a lot of free throws. Anthony Davis attacks

854
00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:48,440
Speaker 1: the basket. Lebron attacks the basket. Usually Austin Reeves attacks

855
00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:50,800
Speaker 1: the basket. So they're the opposite of Phoenix. Phoenix is

856
00:45:50,800 --> 00:45:53,560
Speaker 1: always bitching about free throw opportunities. Lakers are going to

857
00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,359
Speaker 1: get to the line. Everybody's gonna say it's rigged. Now.

858
00:45:56,440 --> 00:45:59,800
Speaker 1: This is what they do. They don't pull up read

859
00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:05,440
Speaker 1: He's a contact machine. He's always eliciting contact. You know

860
00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:09,240
Speaker 1: again the other night, I mean Anthony Davis shot one three.

861
00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,799
Speaker 1: He gets to the line, but Lebroun puts his mind

862
00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:14,160
Speaker 1: to it. He does, so they're gonna get a lot

863
00:46:14,239 --> 00:46:18,360
Speaker 1: of free throws. The downside is that's a lot of contact.

864
00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:22,960
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis hits the floor, so I kind of know

865
00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,440
Speaker 1: what I see. They're gonna get people in the foul trouble.

866
00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:30,959
Speaker 1: Darvinham is an excellent defensive coach. The minute Westbrook left,

867
00:46:31,000 --> 00:46:34,279
Speaker 1: he got buy in from the role players and their

868
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:38,120
Speaker 1: defensive efficiency went through the roof. So they play real defense.

869
00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:40,480
Speaker 1: They have a defensive Coachel Vogel was a pretty good

870
00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:43,720
Speaker 1: defensive coach, defensive coach. They have guys that attack the basket.

871
00:46:43,719 --> 00:46:45,840
Speaker 1: They're gonna get free throws, meaning they're gonna be fairly

872
00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:49,200
Speaker 1: consistent on offense. What I see is the liability, and

873
00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:52,320
Speaker 1: I don't believe role players win titles. Molik Beasley, where

874
00:46:52,320 --> 00:46:55,399
Speaker 1: did he go? Ruey can play twelve minutes and give

875
00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:57,239
Speaker 1: you one shot and no points. I mean, he's just

876
00:46:57,960 --> 00:47:04,839
Speaker 1: that's why he moves their bench at times. Is just

877
00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:08,359
Speaker 1: not there now. They tend to be guys that will

878
00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:13,120
Speaker 1: commit on the defensive end. But I think you're gonna

879
00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,000
Speaker 1: get a very consistent effort. They'll play good defense, they'll

880
00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:18,320
Speaker 1: get to the free throw line. They're gonna be in games,

881
00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:21,480
Speaker 1: absolutely going to be in games. Whereas you watch, you

882
00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:23,680
Speaker 1: know there are teams like if Phoenix doesn't hit shots,

883
00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:26,200
Speaker 1: they don't get to the line as much. They're gonna

884
00:47:26,200 --> 00:47:29,839
Speaker 1: get blown out. By the way, the Warriors don't get

885
00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:32,759
Speaker 1: much front core scoring. They settle on jumpers. They're gonna

886
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:35,160
Speaker 1: have nights. They don't get to the free throw line.

887
00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:39,840
Speaker 1: So anytime. The Lakers actually have the worst style, considering

888
00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:43,960
Speaker 1: they have injured players. They're constantly in contact. Their players

889
00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:46,799
Speaker 1: create it so the good news is they're gonna get

890
00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:48,879
Speaker 1: to the free throne line. And if you do that,

891
00:47:49,719 --> 00:47:52,560
Speaker 1: you force other teams to make substitutions, You get them

892
00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:54,520
Speaker 1: out of their game because of foul trouble. So I

893
00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:58,200
Speaker 1: think the Lakers will be really a really consistent team.

894
00:47:58,239 --> 00:48:01,520
Speaker 1: And you just cross your fingers on help Reeves. You know,

895
00:48:01,520 --> 00:48:03,560
Speaker 1: when it first started, I thought, is he Jeremy Lynn

896
00:48:04,239 --> 00:48:08,640
Speaker 1: a limited player who's getting minutes because they just because

897
00:48:08,719 --> 00:48:12,600
Speaker 1: Carmelo's out, Jeremy Lynn's they just need his energy, right,

898
00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:17,480
Speaker 1: And I thought, okay, Lebron that they just need his energy.

899
00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:21,239
Speaker 1: But he really is an excellent passer, gets the free

900
00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:25,000
Speaker 1: throw line. But commit he's a willing I always say,

901
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:28,760
Speaker 1: is he a willing defender? Westbrook's a terrible defender, Kyrie's

902
00:48:28,760 --> 00:48:33,040
Speaker 1: a terrible Lucas a terrible defender. Reeves is gonna stick.

903
00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:36,040
Speaker 1: He's a real player. He's a starting NBA player. You know,

904
00:48:36,040 --> 00:48:37,680
Speaker 1: it's funny. The free throw thing is so funny to

905
00:48:37,719 --> 00:48:39,840
Speaker 1: me when I was when I was growing up listening

906
00:48:39,840 --> 00:48:41,600
Speaker 1: to you, Colin used to all the time go after

907
00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:44,359
Speaker 1: conspiracy theorists and you'd be like, what I hate about

908
00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:47,839
Speaker 1: conspiracies is there's always one giant hole and you'd be like, like,

909
00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:50,360
Speaker 1: the why didn't we ever find a big foot, you know,

910
00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:53,680
Speaker 1: carcass somewhere one of these days, you know. To me,

911
00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:56,320
Speaker 1: that's the thing with the Laker free throw debate is

912
00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,399
Speaker 1: it's like, Okay, the league is just trying to rig

913
00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:02,200
Speaker 1: these games against the Lakers. It's like, then, why didn't

914
00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:04,360
Speaker 1: Lebron get the call against Tatum at the end of

915
00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:07,040
Speaker 1: the game against Boston, Why didn't Lebron get the call

916
00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:09,320
Speaker 1: against Christian Wood at the end of the game against Dallas?

917
00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:12,279
Speaker 1: Like if it was rigged for the Lakers, why they're

918
00:49:12,280 --> 00:49:14,279
Speaker 1: getting the wrong calls wrong? You know what I mean.

919
00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:16,720
Speaker 1: So I've never really bought into that. It's really this simple.

920
00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:18,839
Speaker 1: They're one of the best teams in the league at

921
00:49:18,880 --> 00:49:21,479
Speaker 1: defending without fouling, and they're one of the best teams

922
00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:23,040
Speaker 1: in the league at getting to the free throw line.

923
00:49:23,360 --> 00:49:26,200
Speaker 1: Therefore you're going to have a massive differential. The second

924
00:49:26,239 --> 00:49:28,719
Speaker 1: best tree throw differential team is the Miami Heat, and

925
00:49:28,800 --> 00:49:30,959
Speaker 1: they don't generate a lot of free throws. So again,

926
00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:33,120
Speaker 1: they're the only team that's good at both. That's why

927
00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:35,400
Speaker 1: they have the big deficit. It's the most simple explanation

928
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,640
Speaker 1: in the entire world. Now, the bench thing is super interesting,

929
00:49:38,640 --> 00:49:40,520
Speaker 1: and this is where Darvin Ham, I think has kind

930
00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:42,840
Speaker 1: of dropped the ball a little bit post deadline. The

931
00:49:42,920 --> 00:49:46,560
Speaker 1: Lakers have five really really good shot creators Lebron, James,

932
00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:50,280
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves, the Angela Russell, and Dennis Schroeder.

933
00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:52,600
Speaker 1: And one of the things that but Darvin Ham has

934
00:49:52,640 --> 00:49:55,240
Speaker 1: been doing is he's been going with the line shift

935
00:49:55,280 --> 00:49:59,440
Speaker 1: approach with his subs. So he'll take Danzel, Russell, Austin Reeves, Lebron,

936
00:49:59,480 --> 00:50:01,680
Speaker 1: and Davis all out of the game at the same time.

937
00:50:01,719 --> 00:50:03,840
Speaker 1: And then they ran a unit against the Bulls yesterday

938
00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:06,479
Speaker 1: with Dennis Schroeder and four bench guys, and like, that's

939
00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:08,600
Speaker 1: just you're setting yourself up for failure. I always say

940
00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,400
Speaker 1: that role players, if you can create for them small roles,

941
00:50:12,080 --> 00:50:14,759
Speaker 1: they will thrive and knock those roles out of the park.

942
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:17,520
Speaker 1: As soon as you grow their roles, they have to

943
00:50:17,520 --> 00:50:19,839
Speaker 1: OutKick their coverage. They're not capable of it. They start

944
00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:21,640
Speaker 1: to be in over their skis and they make mistakes,

945
00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:23,640
Speaker 1: and so they need to have two or three of

946
00:50:23,640 --> 00:50:26,040
Speaker 1: those guys on the floor at all times to have

947
00:50:26,080 --> 00:50:28,359
Speaker 1: a chance to succeed in Darvin Ham just hasn't really

948
00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:31,600
Speaker 1: done I think a good enough job of staggering that

949
00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:35,960
Speaker 1: said up in everybody's minutes. You know, Malik Beasley is

950
00:50:36,120 --> 00:50:40,279
Speaker 1: completely off the reservation like it's and you know, this

951
00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:42,879
Speaker 1: is a recurring theme with the Lakers. They're a high

952
00:50:42,960 --> 00:50:48,360
Speaker 1: pressure franchise. Their fan basis ravenous and like like I'll

953
00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:51,799
Speaker 1: give you an example, DeAngelo Russell. And maybe it's because

954
00:50:51,840 --> 00:50:53,279
Speaker 1: he was there when he was a kid in his

955
00:50:53,360 --> 00:50:58,279
Speaker 1: formative years. He is thriving under that la pressure. But

956
00:50:58,360 --> 00:51:00,920
Speaker 1: Malik Beasley is falling upon art underneath it, and it's

957
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:02,840
Speaker 1: getting to the point where now he's like there was

958
00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:04,239
Speaker 1: a play yesterday, I don't know if you saw it

959
00:51:04,239 --> 00:51:06,000
Speaker 1: in the Bulls game where he was dribbling up the floor.

960
00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:09,040
Speaker 1: Malik was and he just dribbled into Anthony Davis and

961
00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:12,120
Speaker 1: fell over and lost the ball like it like, he's

962
00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:14,719
Speaker 1: completely off the reservation. And I actually think they need

963
00:51:14,760 --> 00:51:17,080
Speaker 1: to try to pull him entirely from the rotation at

964
00:51:17,120 --> 00:51:19,239
Speaker 1: this point, either up the other guards minutes or go

965
00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:21,640
Speaker 1: with Lonnie Walker. But so they definitely have some stuff

966
00:51:21,640 --> 00:51:23,360
Speaker 1: they got to iron out in terms of the rotation

967
00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:27,160
Speaker 1: but I love their combination of rock fight front court

968
00:51:27,239 --> 00:51:31,360
Speaker 1: physicality with Labron jac and Anthony Davis supplemented by real

969
00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,680
Speaker 1: skill in the backcourt and forwards that can do the

970
00:51:34,719 --> 00:51:37,680
Speaker 1: dirty Wark and Jared Vanderbilt and when you Gabriel in particular,

971
00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:42,120
Speaker 1: and so really the vulnerability is the health and you

972
00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:46,600
Speaker 1: made a great point. They play a style that requires

973
00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:50,040
Speaker 1: you to be resilient physically. The best example of this

974
00:51:50,120 --> 00:51:54,640
Speaker 1: is that Sun series two years ago. Anthony Davis obliterated

975
00:51:54,680 --> 00:51:57,760
Speaker 1: them in game two in game three just by killing

976
00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:00,960
Speaker 1: them on the offensive glass, fighting for every rebound. Like

977
00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:03,279
Speaker 1: it wasn't like he was hitting Iso jumpers in that game. No,

978
00:52:03,400 --> 00:52:07,479
Speaker 1: he killed them physically at the rim and then broke

979
00:52:07,560 --> 00:52:10,360
Speaker 1: down in game four. And so that's where it's like,

980
00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,520
Speaker 1: when you're asking them to go through four rounds. You

981
00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:15,040
Speaker 1: know where you're playing, you have to be the team

982
00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:17,160
Speaker 1: four times in two weeks, four times in a row.

983
00:52:17,440 --> 00:52:19,480
Speaker 1: It is a lot to ask. And that's why, like

984
00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:20,799
Speaker 1: if you ask me, gun to my head right now,

985
00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:23,200
Speaker 1: who's gonna win the West? I go Denver just because

986
00:52:23,239 --> 00:52:25,880
Speaker 1: no one else deserves that faith. You know, I'd go

987
00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:28,480
Speaker 1: Denver and then probably Phoenix. But like all those other teams,

988
00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:31,520
Speaker 1: it's like, yeah, if Wiggins comes back, Warrior's Court, like,

989
00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:34,280
Speaker 1: let's go, they're gonna do it. Lakers, Lebron, James, Anthony

990
00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:37,200
Speaker 1: Davis stay healthy. Of course they can do it. Kevin Durant,

991
00:52:37,200 --> 00:52:39,960
Speaker 1: Devin Booker get hot. Yeah, the Suns can win. But

992
00:52:40,080 --> 00:52:42,520
Speaker 1: there's so many question marks with those groups, Whereas Denver

993
00:52:42,600 --> 00:52:44,959
Speaker 1: has just been good all year and at what point

994
00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:49,839
Speaker 1: does that become the safest pet Well, I think the

995
00:52:49,880 --> 00:52:54,279
Speaker 1: West all season is about who's healthy is winning. Why

996
00:52:54,360 --> 00:52:57,840
Speaker 1: would it change in the playoffs. I think the playoffs

997
00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:00,080
Speaker 1: are going to be the regular season. If Lebron on

998
00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:03,959
Speaker 1: an eighty year healthy, watch out Denver probably healthy, watch

999
00:53:04,040 --> 00:53:08,480
Speaker 1: out Um Clippers probably won't be Wiggins probably won't come back,

1000
00:53:08,719 --> 00:53:11,920
Speaker 1: and Chris Paul or Kevin Durant get dinged. So I mean,

1001
00:53:12,480 --> 00:53:14,920
Speaker 1: if something this is what it's been all regular season, Like,

1002
00:53:15,520 --> 00:53:20,040
Speaker 1: let's be honest, Memphis has depth. They lost John Morant

1003
00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:22,759
Speaker 1: for a spell, but they have real depth. They've won

1004
00:53:22,760 --> 00:53:26,520
Speaker 1: a lot of games. You know, Denver, we can we

1005
00:53:26,520 --> 00:53:28,360
Speaker 1: can talk about are they built for the playoffs, but

1006
00:53:28,400 --> 00:53:30,399
Speaker 1: they've they've got pretty good depth. They got about seven

1007
00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:33,000
Speaker 1: eight guys that already play, so my guess is that's

1008
00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:39,040
Speaker 1: the playoffs, and you know it. I really do like Phoenix. Um.

1009
00:53:40,320 --> 00:53:43,799
Speaker 1: I think the thing with that's interesting with Denver is

1010
00:53:43,960 --> 00:53:47,680
Speaker 1: Draymond Green. His game doesn't get in Yoki's head because

1011
00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:50,759
Speaker 1: he plays so far away from the basket. So Draymond's

1012
00:53:51,040 --> 00:53:56,600
Speaker 1: really changes your offense. He's really he's like Rodman, but

1013
00:53:56,719 --> 00:53:59,799
Speaker 1: a catalyst on offense as well. He's a better version

1014
00:53:59,840 --> 00:54:02,640
Speaker 1: of Rodman, not the rebounder, but the better overall player.

1015
00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,640
Speaker 1: But it doesn't really work against the Yoki because he's

1016
00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:09,640
Speaker 1: so far out, so you kind of take Draymond out

1017
00:54:09,719 --> 00:54:12,880
Speaker 1: of space. And if you take Looney away from the basket,

1018
00:54:12,960 --> 00:54:17,359
Speaker 1: they're tiny. I mean, they are just so vulnerable on

1019
00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:21,560
Speaker 1: the glass. So I like Golden State if Wiggins came back,

1020
00:54:21,600 --> 00:54:24,320
Speaker 1: but if he doesn't, you know, I think the Lakers

1021
00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:27,279
Speaker 1: would beat Denver in a seven game series. I think

1022
00:54:27,280 --> 00:54:29,640
Speaker 1: they're a weird matchup for the Warriors, and I think

1023
00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:32,399
Speaker 1: the Warriors know it. I don't think they want any

1024
00:54:32,440 --> 00:54:35,080
Speaker 1: part of Denver. I think they want Phoenix. I think

1025
00:54:35,120 --> 00:54:37,759
Speaker 1: the Warriors want Phoenix. I don't think they want any

1026
00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:41,239
Speaker 1: part of Denver. Yoki is just a you know, he's

1027
00:54:41,280 --> 00:54:44,840
Speaker 1: such an unemotional player, so the Draymond stuff, it just doesn't.

1028
00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:46,799
Speaker 1: It doesn't. I was talking to the t Wolves coach

1029
00:54:46,840 --> 00:54:49,759
Speaker 1: about this off the air. He loves Draymond, you know,

1030
00:54:49,800 --> 00:54:54,759
Speaker 1: and he just said, Yokis doesn't buy into any of it.

1031
00:54:55,040 --> 00:54:58,520
Speaker 1: He's not an emotional player like that. And you know

1032
00:54:58,600 --> 00:55:01,239
Speaker 1: you said this earlier. There are teams that match up

1033
00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:04,040
Speaker 1: really well with other teams, and I think you're gonna

1034
00:55:04,080 --> 00:55:07,160
Speaker 1: see matchups in health will dictate the West. Yeah, that's

1035
00:55:07,160 --> 00:55:09,359
Speaker 1: what's so interesting about then potentially getting the five seed

1036
00:55:09,600 --> 00:55:13,240
Speaker 1: is I like their matchup against Golden State against Phoenix,

1037
00:55:13,840 --> 00:55:16,960
Speaker 1: but your reward for beating Phoenix would be Denver in

1038
00:55:17,040 --> 00:55:20,319
Speaker 1: round two. And I like them as a team that

1039
00:55:20,360 --> 00:55:22,880
Speaker 1: can beat Denver with Wiggins, but without Wiggins, I just

1040
00:55:22,960 --> 00:55:24,680
Speaker 1: I just don't think they have the size to hang.

1041
00:55:24,960 --> 00:55:28,399
Speaker 1: It's too small. They're just too small. Yea. All right, guys,

1042
00:55:28,520 --> 00:55:30,080
Speaker 1: that is all we have for tonight. Colin, thank you

1043
00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:31,960
Speaker 1: so much for taking the time to hang out tonight.

1044
00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:34,160
Speaker 1: It's always fun talking basketball with you. Oh it's great.

1045
00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:54,040
Speaker 1: I enjoyed it. Talk to somebody the volume. Make sure

1046
00:55:54,040 --> 00:55:57,279
Speaker 1: to check out the dram on Green Show. I brought

1047
00:55:57,360 --> 00:55:59,560
Speaker 1: Draymond Green into the Volume because one of the more

1048
00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:03,920
Speaker 1: entertaining voices in sports. Unique perspective understands behind the rope

1049
00:56:04,360 --> 00:56:07,800
Speaker 1: also chops up with guests like Gary Peyton, Zach Levine,

1050
00:56:07,880 --> 00:56:12,160
Speaker 1: Tracy McGrady. Make sure download The Draymond Green Show wherever

1051
00:56:12,320 --> 00:56:17,360
Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, only on the Volume podcast Network.