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It means a lot 38 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: to me. I'm glad we were able to get out there. Specifically, 39 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving is the holiday I think about the most when 40 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: I think about my grandmother, because my family lives out 41 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: here in Tucson, my mom and dad, but both of 42 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: their families are in the Dallas Fort Worth area, and 43 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 1: so when we were kids, we went to Texas every 44 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: single year for Thanksgiving, sometimes driving sixteen hours if the 45 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: flights were too full, right, And we had Thanksgiving at 46 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: my grandma's house, and she was this amazing cook from 47 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: the Midwest. And I still have these like vivid memories 48 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: of me like playing with my cousins in the yard 49 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: or in the living room as my grandmother was directing 50 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: traffic in the kitchen. I just hear her voice in 51 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: the background. And she was this truly incredible woman and 52 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: a rock for my dad's family. And so obviously it 53 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: was sad for her for us all to not have 54 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: her there. But at the same time, I think we 55 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: did what she would have wanted us to do, and 56 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: we kind of just had a throwback timp gathering for 57 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving out in Texas, and so I think that was 58 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: important for everybody in my family to be out there. 59 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,839 Speaker 1: I'm really thankful that I was able to get out there, 60 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: and then we came home and we celebrated Thanksgiving with 61 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 1: my wife's family as well. Got to have a little 62 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: bit of a break. Obviously, we haven't worked since last Friday. 63 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: As you guys know, it's not just me, it's everyone 64 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: behind the scenes as well that makes the show tick. 65 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: And we've just been going crazy, like We've done almost 66 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: seven shows a week since I got back from Japan 67 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: in July. That's just the pace that we've been going. 68 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: And so obviously it was important for us to take 69 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: a little bit of a break, and I'm glad we 70 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: were able to do so. But I'm excited to be 71 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: back and I'm excited to talk some basketball today. We're 72 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: going to be hitting briefly on all six of our contenders. 73 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: It's gonna be like a contender check in show today. 74 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: So we had six teams in our contender list to 75 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: start the season. If you remember, it was number one, 76 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: the Nuggets, two Bucks, three Celtics, four Lakers, five Sons, 77 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: six Warriors. Briefly touch on all of them. Then there 78 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: are five teams that I considered to be surprises here 79 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: early in the season with how successful they've been we're 80 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: gonna do brief brief touches on all of them as well. 81 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: And then there's one of those teams that we're gonna 82 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: be bumping into the contender tier to increase the size 83 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: of that tier up to seven teams. So we're gonna 84 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: be hitting on eleven teams today. Then we're gonna take 85 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: Saturday Sunday off, and then we'll be back Monday to 86 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: get back into our power rankings and back into our 87 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: usual routine as we move forward from there, you guys 88 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: are the job. Before we get started, subscribe to our 89 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: brand new YouTube channel. We mean a lot to me 90 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second to scroll down 91 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 1: and hit that subscribe button. Don't forget about our podcast 92 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 1: feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops Tonight, follow 93 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: me on Twitter at underscore json lt for video analysis 94 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: as well as showing announcements. And then, last but not least, 95 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 1: don't forget to keep dropping mailback questions in the YouTube 96 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 1: comments so we can keep hitting them at the end 97 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: of our shows. All right, let's talk some basketball, all right, 98 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: Before we get to our contenders, I want to take 99 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: a quick look at these five surprises. There are five 100 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: teams this year that I think have exceeded expectations in 101 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: a big way. The Minnesota Twerwolves at eleven and three, 102 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: the Oklahoma City Thunder at eleven and four, the Magic 103 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: at ten and five, the Mavericks at ten and five, 104 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: and then the Sixers after the hard and trade. Having 105 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: them at ten and five, I would say is a 106 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: little bit of surprise this early in the season as well. Now, 107 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: four of those five teams are teams that I talked 108 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: about before the season. I talked about the Timberwolves as 109 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: being a team I expected to be better this year. 110 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: Same for OKC, same for Orlando, same for Dallas. That said, 111 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: even within that context, I think all four of those 112 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: teams are ahead of where I even expected them to 113 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: be at this point. So I want to take brief 114 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: touches on all five of those teams, and then one 115 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: of those teams I'm going to be moving into our 116 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: contender tier, and that team is the first team on 117 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: that list, the Minnesota Timberwolves. So they still have the 118 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: best defense in the league by defensive rating, allowing just 119 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 1: one hundred and six point two points per one hundred possessions. 120 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,119 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards has cooled off a little bit in terms 121 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: of efficiency from where he was to start the year, 122 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: but that was kind of to be expected because he 123 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: was hitting his shot, his pull jump shot in particular, 124 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: at just a preposterous rate to start the year, and 125 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: so THELF was inevitable. But it hasn't really mattered. They've 126 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: kept winning. Carl Towns has been a huge bright spot 127 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: the you know, Carl Town's was one of the guys 128 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: before the season that I talked about is kind of 129 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: the odd man out because if you look at this 130 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: group as a identity, it's this combination of perimeter defense 131 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 1: and rim protection rights. It's what Anthony Edwards and Jaden 132 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: McDaniels and Kyle Anderson and Nikhil Alexander Walker and all 133 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: these guys are capable of on the perimeter anchored by 134 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: Rudy Gobert at the rim, and when you put Kat 135 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: in there at the for it kind of fundamentally changes 136 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: the overall foot speed of the lineup and what they're 137 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: capable of in rotation and a bunch of different things. Right, 138 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: But it's worked really well for two reasons in my opinion. 139 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: First of all, he's been much needed for them on 140 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: the offensive end, of the floor as a shot creator, 141 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: especially in static situations when the defense is loaded up 142 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: on him. In fact, he's run ninety five post ups 143 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: and ISOs this year, and including passes, that's amounted to 144 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: one hundred and two points, which is very good. Anytime 145 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: you're getting over a point per possession in static half 146 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: court shot creation, that's a legitimate boost to any offense 147 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: when you're trying to break a defense down right. But 148 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: most importantly, his defensive effort, not just on not just 149 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: in like help side situations, but also on the glass 150 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: as well, has been better than where it was in 151 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: recent years. He's been good as a low man, offering 152 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: help at the rim and cleaning up the defensive glasses. 153 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: His deflections are up, his steels are up, his blocks 154 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: are up, his defensive rebounds are up. Like he just 155 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: all in all has been more active on that side 156 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: of the floor. And so when you combine him being 157 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: kind of like a good offensive number two next to 158 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards with him just being better defensively and on 159 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: the glass than we're accustomed to seeing, it's actually made 160 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: him a very useful part of this team. He's hitting 161 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: fifty seven percent in effective field goal percentage on catch 162 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: and shoot jump shots. He's consistently drawing double teams on 163 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: post ups than the posts where he's been most effective. 164 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: He's been a little bless effective in ISO, but he's 165 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: been pretty good there as well. And you know, that 166 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 1: kind of thing is just it's still early. I'm really 167 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: curious to see where we're at with the Cat dynamic 168 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: when we get closer to the trade deadline, because I think, 169 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: like all signs still point to him as being like 170 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: the one guy that kind of doesn't necessarily make sense 171 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: within the identity of the team, But if he keeps 172 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: defending like this and he keeps being a productive offensive player, 173 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it just makes sense to keep him there 174 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: as that number four next to Ruby Gobert. Right, Jada 175 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: McDaniels has been out with this Grade one ankle spraining. 176 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: We're expecting to see him back within a week or two. 177 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: Nas Reid is still giving them consistent double figure production 178 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: off the bench, and they're starting to force more turnovers. 179 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: If you guys remember at the beginning of the season 180 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: that was my one critique in their defense is that 181 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: with as good as they are on the ball, they 182 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: should be more disruptive than they are, but in recent 183 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: weeks they've been better. Now they're all the way up 184 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: to tenth in opponent turnovers per one hundred possessions. Now 185 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 1: I am moving the Timberwolves into that top tier of contenders. 186 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: Here's why number one, This defense is real. It's not 187 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 1: Foogle's goal. This is a real, top tier, championship level defense. 188 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: They are nearly perfect in terms of defensive personnel. They 189 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: don't have point of attack defenders, but they have multiple 190 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: different kinds of point of attack defenders. You could literally 191 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: take Nikhil Alexander Walker, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Kyle 192 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: Anderson and they all kind of slot into a different 193 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: type of position group. Right, Like Anthony Edwards is a 194 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: guard defender, but he also is so damn strong and 195 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: has such a low center of gravity, and as such 196 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: top tier athlete, he can guard bigger wings. We've seen 197 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: him have success on bigger Star wings this year. Right, 198 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: Nikhil Alexander Walker is more of a traditional guard defender, 199 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,719 Speaker 1: a little slider, but he's good navigating screens and has 200 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: tons of length. Then you have Jaden McDaniels, who's your 201 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: stereotypical perimeter wing and then you have Kyle Anderson, who's 202 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: your stereotypical bigger wing, right, and so they kind of 203 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: have a body for everybody, you know. And then even 204 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: when we look in the front court, as you look 205 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: into like athletic front court players, Rudy Gobert is, you know, 206 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: arguably one of the very best options you could have 207 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: in a situation like that when you get into the 208 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: bigger bodies and stuff like we saw in the Nuggets game. 209 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: They've even been able to use Karl Anthony Towns. Essentially 210 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: is that big, you know, that fire hydrant version of 211 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: the post defender that can kind of prevent bullyball plays 212 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: from happening. And when you slot Rudy Gobert behind him 213 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: as a help defender, that can be impactful. So in 214 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: terms of defensive personnel and versatility, I don't think there's 215 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: a team right now that marches out the type of 216 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: personnel that they put out there. And so the defense 217 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: is real that's not going anywhere, and I think that's 218 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: a big indicator of the fact that this team has 219 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: championship potential because they flat out have a championship defense 220 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: and that is not going anywhere on any given night. 221 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: And if you want to beat this team four times 222 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: out of seven, you're going to have to contend with 223 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: what they're capable of on the defensive end of the floor. 224 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: They are also thriving in a very difficult schedule. The 225 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: opponent winning percentage from Minnesota is fifty five percent, that's 226 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: the third highest in the league. And they're seven to 227 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: two versus teams that are five hundred or better, which 228 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: is the best record in the league against teams that 229 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: are five hundred or better. So again, like just in 230 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: terms of what they've accomplished within the scope of this 231 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: regular season so far, they are passing every test along 232 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: the way. And then lastly, the biggest thing that stands 233 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: out to me on film, and this has been for years, 234 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: but it's even more so this year. And when you 235 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,959 Speaker 1: couple that with what this defense is capable of capable of, 236 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: it gets me excited. And that is the simple fact 237 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: that nobody can stop Anthony Edwards from getting to his spots. 238 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: His ability to as an athlete get to spots makes 239 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: it so that defenders have to give him space, which 240 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: is effectively conceding to him high quality pull up jump 241 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 1: shots that he's been hitting at a high rate in 242 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: the playoffs, right, And so what I imagine is this 243 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: incredible defense that can throw you into your worst tendencies, 244 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: while on the other end of the floor, Anthony Edwards 245 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: is gonna get great looks and it's just a question 246 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: of whether he can make enough pull up jump shots 247 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: or if he can make enough reads when the defense 248 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: loads up on him, and there's still is occasional possessions. 249 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: There's a play. There was a play the other day 250 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: in the Sixers game when they played the Sixers without 251 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: Embiid where he drove down into the lane and tried 252 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: to attack three Sixers in the paint when Shake Milton 253 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: was completely unguarded on the right wing and he missed 254 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: that kickout. And I'm like, Okay, these are little things 255 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: you can do that will make the game easier for you. 256 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: Just make that pass because you're just gonna get the 257 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: ball next possession, and then that dude won't help as 258 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: much and then you'll have more opportunity to work, right, 259 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: And like, even then, though, he's doing better with that 260 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: stuff than he did in years past, and so like, 261 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: I just see all signs pointing to the fact that 262 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: this team is every bit as good even within the 263 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: playoff context as the teams that are in that championship tier, 264 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: and so I think they belong there for the time being. 265 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: The second team on our Surprises list at eleven and 266 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: four is the Oklahoma City Thunder. You're seeing a lot 267 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: of the outstanding, you know, offensive potential of this team 268 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 1: with all their ball handling, shooting and passing in their 269 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: five out attack right like you're seeing the potential of 270 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: the the potential of the defense anchored by excellent perimeter defenders. 271 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: When you've got lou Doord out there, Jalen Williams and 272 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,239 Speaker 1: Shake Kills of Alexander with all that length and athleticism 273 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: and size on the perimeter, they can cause a lot 274 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: of problem for teams at the point of attack, right 275 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: And then we've even seen that with Keason Wallace as 276 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: an additional perimeter defender off the bench, and so lots 277 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: of exciting stuff there. They're protecting the paint well. Chet 278 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 1: Holmgren has helped them anchor down a good paint defense, 279 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: which they did not have last year. They are eighth 280 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: in opponents points in the paint per one hundred possessions. 281 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: But the reason why I don't have super high expectations 282 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: for this team in the big picture is they're still 283 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: too small on that front line. They're twenty ninth in 284 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding, and again I still think that ideally you 285 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: need to have a really big forward slotted next to 286 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: chet Holmgren to physically hold up against some of the bigger, 287 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: stronger teams that you have to contend with at the 288 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: top of both conferences. Now, question is why are they 289 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: still winning despite being twenty ninth and rebounding easy schedule. 290 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: The Thunder have an opponent winning percentage of forty seven 291 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: point nine percent. That is one of the somewhere in 292 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:51,719 Speaker 1: the bottom ten I can't remember exactly where. And they've 293 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 1: played eight games against blow five hundred teams and they're 294 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: seven in one of those games. So that's given them 295 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: enough on the in the standing, so to speak. But 296 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 1: we've seen consistently when they've run into better teams, specifically 297 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: teams with bigger front lines, that they've struggled to contend physically. 298 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: Max is the Dallas Mavericks a ten and five same 299 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: type of thing as the Thunder, Right, Like, you're seeing 300 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: the incredible just how difficult it is to guard this 301 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 1: team when they spread you out and all their top 302 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: tier ball handling, and they're shooting better than you've expected. 303 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: They're defending a little better than I expected them to 304 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: this year, but they're still too small and and that 305 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: to me, is going to continue to cause problems as 306 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: they play better teams. They played seven teams that are 307 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: five hundred or better at this point. They're just three 308 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: and four in those matchups, and they were down two 309 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: against the Lakers until that Kyrie Irving jumps out. Otherwise 310 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: they'd be two and five against teams that are five 311 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: hundred are better. So a lot to be excited about 312 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: with Dallas. They're better than where I expected them to 313 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: be in the standings at this point. But more or less, 314 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: they're demonstrating what I expected to this point, which is 315 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: they are a lot better than they were last year. 316 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: And they're certainly gonna have a puncher's chance to beat 317 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: anybody in any one series. It's just in order to 318 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: win four of them, to beat great teams four times 319 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: in a row, four out of seven times, I'm a 320 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: little worried about that. Overall personnel shortcoming in the front 321 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: court in terms of size and athleticism, the Dallas, excuse me, 322 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: the Orlando Magic ten to five, coming off a huge 323 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: win over Denver, albeit without Jamal Murray. Their third in defense, 324 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: fifth and offensive rebounding. They're huge, and they're athletic, and 325 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: they're a royal pain in the ass to deal with 326 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: in the regular season because of what they do to 327 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: you at the point of attack, because of their overall 328 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: size on the front line, because of how relentless they 329 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: are attacking the offensive glass, because of how relentless they 330 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: are in transition. They're just a difficult team to deal with. 331 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: A young and big and athletic, right, they just really 332 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: struggle to score in the half court. Only the Detroit Pistons, 333 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, and Portland Trail Blazers 334 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: have scored worse in the half court according to Cleaning 335 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: the Glass. So that's the big thing holding me back 336 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: from taking them, like really seriously as a contender, right 337 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: but obviously having a ton of success this season. They 338 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: were a team that I expected to go up the 339 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: level this year and to make the playoffs, and it 340 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: looks like they're on track to do so. Pallo in 341 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: his last eleven games twenty two points seven rebounds and 342 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: four assists with two stocks on fifty percent from the 343 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: field and fifty one percent from three, So really encouraging 344 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: play from him as well. The three point shooting in 345 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: particular is exciting because that was one of the big 346 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: knocks on him coming into the draft. Right. And then 347 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: lastly the Philadelphia seventy six Ers again ten and five, 348 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: and the Sixers were, you know, traditionally a good team. 349 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: That said, without James Harden, I think it's a little 350 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: bit of a surprise. Now. Some of it is is 351 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: their schedule has been a little light, and as they've 352 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: gone into a tougher schedule, they've looked a little bit 353 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: more limited, right, Like, they've lost four of their last six. 354 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: They beat the Hawks and Nets in that span, and 355 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: they lost to Indy, Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota, four really 356 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: good teams. Right, So again to me, it's firepower issue. Defensively, 357 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: they've regressed a little bit over the course the last 358 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: couple of weeks, not as good at the point of attack, 359 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: not as good in rotation in particular, But overall, this 360 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: is gonna be something you see consistently throughout this season, 361 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: is they're gonna be one of those teams is we'll 362 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: coach and as good players, but they just lack that 363 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: little bit of extra offensive firepower to be able to 364 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: beat the best of the best. And that's going to 365 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: be something I think we continue to see throughout the season. 366 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: That said, I think a trade, the right trade, could 367 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: go a long way towards propelling them into the contender 368 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: tier at some point during the season. All right, moving 369 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: on to our list of contenders. So again, this is 370 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: going to be very very different than my power rankings. 371 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: Power rankings are very much just within the scope of 372 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: the regular season. This is my list of contenders, ranked 373 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: in order of how likely I think they are just 374 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: to win the championship. So this is strictly within the 375 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: postseason context. And again, as you guys know, I am 376 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: not mister overreact to regular season basketball, never really have been, 377 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: so not a lot of changes. As a matter of fact, 378 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: we've added one new team, but everyone else is in 379 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: the same order, except or I flipped two teams. And 380 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 1: so again that's just a good indicator to you guys 381 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: of the fact that, like, even just through fifteen regular 382 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: season games, I'm not ready to redefine completely the way 383 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: that I view some of these teams that said, as 384 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: we go through the list, I'm gonna give brief touches 385 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: on all of them and just talk about how they've 386 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: been playing as of late. All Right, so number seven 387 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: on this list the Golden State Warriors. It's seven and nine. 388 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: So the obvious question is, Jason, the Warriors are below 389 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: five hundred, they've lost seven of their last eight games, 390 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: how in the world would you consider them to be 391 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: a contender. And the answer is really simple. Things have 392 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: gone horribly, horribly wrong and they're seven and nine. So no, 393 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: I'm not going to freak out. Now. I've seen a 394 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: lot of freak out from Warriors fans. A lot of 395 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: people calling for curR to be fired, which is ridiculous, 396 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: He's the second best coach in the NBA. A lot 397 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: of people saying that massive trades need to be made, 398 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: and Klay Thompson should be traded, and Andrew Wigans should 399 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 1: be traded. Basically everybody that's not Steph Curry should be traded. Right, 400 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: I've just seen all sorts of negativity. Now here are 401 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: four reasons why every single Warriors fan needs to just 402 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: take a deep breath and relax. Number One, Steph hurt 403 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: his knee and missed two games, and they were both losses. 404 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: So they're actually seven and seven when their best player plays. 405 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: Number two, Draymond Green, has barely played. The Warriors have 406 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 1: played seven hundred and seventy three minutes this year. Draymond 407 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: has only played two hundred, and he's your defensive anchor. 408 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: He's probably your second or third best player, depending on 409 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: who you ask. With how poorly Wiggins has been playing, 410 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: he's probably your second best player. Right, So your second 411 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: or third best player overall has missed basically three fourths 412 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: of the season. That's a huge punch to the gut. 413 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: Right third, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins will both play 414 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: much much better over the course of the season. Through 415 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: thirteen games, So, going into the Oklahoma City game, through 416 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: thirteen games, neither one of them had logged a single 417 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,239 Speaker 1: twenty point game. I saw that stat the other day 418 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: and I was completely mind blown. But in their last 419 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: three games they've done it three times. So Klay Thompson 420 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: is back to back twenty point games. They're clearly trending 421 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: in the right direction. And then, lastly, this schedule will 422 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: get a lot easier. The Warriors' opponents so far this 423 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,640 Speaker 1: season have won fifty seven percent of their games, which 424 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 1: is by far the highest market in the league. They've played, 425 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: by far the hardest schedule. They've played one below five 426 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: hundred team all season. It was the Detroit Pistons and 427 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: they beat him. So again. Steph missed two games, so 428 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: that's two losses. Draymond Green's missed three fourths of the season. 429 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson and Injrew Wiggins have played like crap. And 430 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: you've played an impossible schedule and you're still seven to nine. 431 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: So everybody just relax and take a deep breath. What 432 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: if I always said about good and bad stretches in 433 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: the NBA. Good stretches typically are a confluence of getting 434 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: your guys healthy and playing a lighter schedule. Whenever you 435 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: win eight, nine, ten games in a row, that's what happens. 436 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: Nobody just goes on the road and beats the Cells 437 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: and beats the Bucks, and then beats the Sixers and 438 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: then beat like No one just rips off winning streaks 439 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: against all the best teams in the league. No one does. 440 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 1: Doesn't happen. Win streaks are almost always lighter schedule, good health, luck. 441 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: Bad stretches like when you lose seven out of eight, 442 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:21,360 Speaker 1: they're usually bad health, luck, tough schedule, and Steph miss 443 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: time and Draymond's been missing time, and you've played really 444 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 1: tough games, and some other guys aren't playing well. They 445 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: lost some games. As a matter of fact, ESPN's RPI, 446 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: which is basically just like the standings ranked based on 447 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: strength of schedule, has them at ninth right now. So yeah, 448 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna be making any giant, sweeping declarations or 449 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: significant calls about the Warriors and what they're capable of 450 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: in the big picture after this fifteen games or sixteen games, 451 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 1: Like maybe in the long run, maybe we can have 452 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: another conversation at the deadline, But this is the wrong time. 453 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: Now is the absolute worst time to make serious decisions 454 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: about the Warriors future, because Draymond will come back from 455 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: his suspension, and Klay Thompson will play better, and Andrew Wiggins 456 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,479 Speaker 1: will play better, and they will face a normal schedule. 457 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: I think they have the second easiest remaining schedule in 458 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: the NBA, So like I would imagine they're gonna rip 459 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: off some wins soon and then maybe we'll see how 460 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: things go. Now, again, what did I say before the season. 461 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 1: My biggest concern with the Warriors was offensive firepower outside 462 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: of Steph. Have we seen anything this year that makes 463 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: us think that they fix that problem. No, So that's 464 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: why I have him down to seven. And that's why 465 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: I'm not more optimistic about the team than I was 466 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 1: to start the year. We need to see key offensive 467 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: players start to play better, but there's just no reason 468 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: to remove them from this tier over really bad evidence. 469 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: Just evident, Like you know what I've learned about the 470 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: Nuggets over the course in the last few weeks, that 471 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: they can't win the title without Jamal Murray. That's not 472 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: a sweeping declaration. That's not some sort of huge surprise. 473 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 1: I've learned about the Warriors that they can be pretty 474 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: bad when they play a bunch of good teams in 475 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: a row without their second or third best player and 476 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: with a bunch of their key guys not playing well, 477 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't reveal anything. And so that's why I still 478 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: have them in my contender tier for right now. Number 479 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: six Minnesota Timberwolves. We already discussed the main reason why 480 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,399 Speaker 1: I have them this low is their half court offense. 481 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: Eighteenth and a half court offense, and you know, a 482 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 1: championship run from this team would basically require Anthony Edwards 483 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 1: to have an all time great playoff run, which is 484 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: certainly on the table. But there are better likely i 485 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: should say more likely things to happen higher up on 486 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: the list, which is why I have them down at 487 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: number six, but in the contender tier where I didn't 488 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: have them to start the year. Number five the Phoenix Suns. 489 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: The start has not been super encouraging in my opinion 490 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: nine and six. They are seventh in offense, but they've 491 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: played the second easiest schedule in the NBA so far. 492 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,400 Speaker 1: Sun's opponents have just a forty four percent winning percentage, 493 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: just one win in five tries against teams that are 494 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: five hundred or better, and their defense is tailing off. 495 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: Their twenty seventh in their last five games and they've 496 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: dropped to twentieth for the season, and then also for 497 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: the season, they're twenty sixth in defensive rebounding, so a 498 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: lot of concerns on that front, right, But once again, 499 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: not a lot of this is relevant to the potential 500 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: playoff sealing of this team. Their big three is yet 501 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: to play a single minute together. Bradley Beal had an 502 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: aggravation of his back injury, it repairs to be potentially 503 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: even getting worse. So but they shout him down for 504 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: like three weeks. My guess is they're gonna take a 505 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: sweet time getting back, which is smart. Devin Booker and 506 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: KD have shared the floor for just five of their 507 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: fifteen games and just one hundred and eight minutes out 508 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 1: of the seven hundred and thirty five minutes the Sons 509 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: have played. And in those minutes, they're killing people. They're 510 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: outscoring teams by twenty one point four points per one 511 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 1: hundred possessions. The defense is okay and the offense is 512 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: off the charts good. Those two are scoring together one 513 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty four points per one hundred possessions as 514 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,479 Speaker 1: a team. That's so like, I'm not again with this 515 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: particular team. Once again, we have to think within the 516 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: big picture of what this team is gonna look like 517 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: in May. And in May, they very well could possibly 518 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: have Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the 519 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: floor together, which has demonstrated to be a different beast 520 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 1: than some of the stuff that we've seen in recent weeks. Right, 521 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: So don't overreact to that. Eric Gordon has been really 522 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,479 Speaker 1: good for them, and likely in all likelihood, I think 523 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 1: he's going to be like your fifth guy alongside the 524 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: big three in Nurkic. That's been kind of the question 525 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: early in the season, who's going to be that fifth guy. 526 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Eric Gordon's giving them reliable spot up shooting, reliable production, 527 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 1: and he's a better defensive option and more virtatle defensive 528 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: option with his ability to switch on to bigger players 529 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: than some of the other guys they have in that lineup. 530 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: So right now, I think in the big picture, there's 531 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: still a lot of potential there, but I haven't seen 532 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: anything that that would push me to believe that they 533 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: should be higher on this list based simply on the 534 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,199 Speaker 1: fact that they're not rebounding and they're not defending as 535 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: well as they need to win at this point in 536 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: the season. Now, again, we saw at the start of 537 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: the season they did defend it at a much higher 538 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: level that to me as an indicator of what this 539 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 1: team is capable of. Right Also, that Minnesota game in particular, 540 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: they did an excellent job defensively in that game. They 541 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 1: took an elite defense in Minnesota and spaced them out 542 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: and got a lot of easy shots. They looked pretty 543 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 1: unguardable on offense in that game, so a lot there 544 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: are enough indicators kind of mixed in in that nine 545 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: and six stretch, despite the week schedule, despite the struggles 546 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: against good teams for me to especially given the return 547 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 1: of Bradley Beal in the long run and how good 548 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: the team has been with KD and Devin Booker, to 549 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: not write this team off and so again you're not 550 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: gonna get overreactions out of me from regular season basketball. 551 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: I still have them as a top five contender at 552 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: this point in the season. Number four. The Los Angeles 553 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: Lakers still have them at four. They had a disappointing 554 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: loss to Dallas the other night on the tail end 555 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 1: of a back to back. Also their third game in 556 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: four nights played a significant role in my opinion. They're 557 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: also missing their two best point of attack defenders for 558 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,360 Speaker 1: that game. If you're gonna play Dallas, you really want 559 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: your point of attack defenders, and Jared Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish, 560 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 1: who have been the two best point of attack defenders 561 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 1: for the Lakers to start the season, miss the game. 562 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: So obviously tough handed cards, but they still had a 563 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 1: chance late and ended up losing on that Kyrie Irving 564 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: game winner, but they are playing some solid basketball, like 565 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: the Lakers have won six of their last eight games. 566 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: Some similarities to what I was talking about in terms 567 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: of good and bad basketball, like ruiy Hachimura coming back 568 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: really helped Anthony Davis missed some time he came back. 569 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 1: They're playing some easier opponents in this stretch whilst the 570 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: wins start coming right. So again, that's kind of the 571 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: natural pathway of the regular season that we need to 572 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,719 Speaker 1: get used to. They are third in defensive rating and 573 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: sixth in net rating over their last eight games, have 574 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: a couple of quality wins in there as well, against 575 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: Phoenix and against Houston. They are up to nine and 576 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: seven for the season. They are up to ninth in 577 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: defensive rating for the season, which I think is encouraging, 578 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: and when you consider how poor the point of attack 579 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: defense has been with Jared Vanderbilt being out, for them 580 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: to be at ninth and defensive rating is super super encouraging. 581 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: They are slowly but surely making progress in a bunch 582 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 1: of key areas, but they still have a long way 583 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,479 Speaker 1: to go. They've played a pretty tough schedule, but they 584 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: haven't fared well against the bad teams. Eleven of their 585 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:12,479 Speaker 1: sixteen games against have been against teams that are five 586 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: hundred or better, but they're just four and seven in 587 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: those games. And it's been a pretty consistent theme, like 588 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 1: what you saw in that Dallas game, with exception of 589 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: the Houston game, which was the one time where like 590 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: from start to finish, they looked competitive in a game 591 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: against a good team. Outside of that, it's been the 592 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: same thing. They come out and get slacked for three quarters, 593 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: and they look up and they're down like fifteen to 594 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: twenty points, and then they either lose by twenty like 595 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: they did against Orlando or against Sacramento, or they have 596 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: this hillacious effort in the late third fourth quarter to 597 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: come back and make it a really close game. And 598 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: they've won a lot of those games, like most of 599 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: their wins have looked like that. But you know, like 600 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: that Dallas game, sometimes it goes the other way. Sometimes 601 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 1: they fight all the way back and they lose, like 602 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: they did to Dallas. Sometimes they fight all the way 603 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: back and they lose like they did to the Kings 604 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: earlier in the season. And so that's been kind of 605 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: their mo at this point is whenever they play a 606 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: good team, they come out laxa daisical, they come out 607 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: low energy, they don't play with a lot of force. 608 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: They find themselves down big, and then they just lock 609 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 1: in and play this crazy, frightening defense, and all of 610 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 1: a sudden, it's like, holy shit, Lebron James and Anthony 611 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: Davis with with their perimeter players playing hard is actually 612 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: kind of a pain in the ass to deal with, 613 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: and they start to have some success. But I think 614 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: I think it's a bad trend for this Lakers team 615 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: that they're not taking the beginnings of games particularly seriously. 616 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: This has been again we're not talking like two or 617 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,479 Speaker 1: three times, like we've had almost ten games this year 618 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: where the Lakers have played bizarre basketball for two or 619 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: three quarters and then suddenly they lock in in the 620 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: second half and next thing you know, you're playing a 621 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: tight game in crunch time. And so that's been kind 622 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: of the identity of the team here. Early they're giving 623 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: up a lot of wide open threes. Be part of 624 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: that as their point of attack defense, they're losing shooters 625 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: off ball. It's a big example of that at the 626 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: end of the Dallas game when Austin Reeves so to 627 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: his credit, owned it after the game, but dug down 628 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: on Luca when when Torre and Prince had him kind 629 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: of sort of contained and gave up a wide open 630 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: catch and shoot three to Kyrie Irving. That's been an issue, 631 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: but Jared Vanderbilt coming back should help. Cam Reddish has 632 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 1: been pretty solid as a point of attach defender. Hopefully 633 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: he's growing injury doesn't keep him out too long. The 634 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: rebounding is improving. They are seventy two percent in defensive 635 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 1: rebounding percentage over their last eight games, which ranks twelfth 636 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: in the NBA. And again, the one thing that makes 637 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: me super optimistic about this team compared to last year 638 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 1: is Lebron James just looks incredible. And it's not about 639 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,959 Speaker 1: the statistics, because I know the statistics are not, you know, 640 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: incredibly stand out statistics compared to what we've seen in 641 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: recent years. But I think this version of Lebron James 642 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,719 Speaker 1: is better than any version of Lebron we saw in 643 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: each of the last two seasons in terms of overall 644 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,959 Speaker 1: winning impact. His command of the game has just at 645 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: a much much higher level than it was in the 646 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: last couple of years. I think that that's incredibly encouraging 647 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: for this team's potential playoff ceiling. And the stats have 648 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: been pretty impressive last thirteen games. Twenty seven points, eight rebounds, 649 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: and seven assists for Lebron in thirteen games on fifty 650 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: eight percent of the from the field and forty four 651 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: percent from the three point line. That's incredible. He's been 652 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: especially great in clutch situations. He made a bad read 653 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: at the end of that MAVs game that Lobb to ad. 654 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: Had he thrown it a little bit higher, he might 655 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: have had a chance, but a higher percentage played. In 656 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: my opinion, is that right shoulder fade that I keep 657 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: begging him to take. He had Kyrie Irving. It's a 658 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: size mismatch, he had space. Take that little right shoulder fade. 659 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: That's a shot that you can make. You've been shooting 660 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: jump shots really well this season, So again, that was 661 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,959 Speaker 1: not his best decision. But for the most part this season, 662 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 1: he's been incredible in the clutch. He was incredible in 663 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: the clutch before that play. So, like, I don't think 664 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: it's much worth overreacting to, and I think in general, 665 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: second guessing Lebron's crunch time decision making is just stupid. 666 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: He still has the most clutch field goals made in 667 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: the league with fifteen, shooting sixty five percent from the 668 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: field in clutch situations, which is outrageous. His jump shot 669 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: in general this season is awesome. He's been one of 670 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: the best jump shooters in the league. To start this year. 671 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: A Lebron James jump shot has been worth one point 672 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 1: one point eight points per shot. Out of fifty nine 673 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: players in the NBA to attempt at least a hundred 674 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: jump shots, that ranks fifth. So Lebron's jump shot and 675 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: how good he's been in crunch time and just how 676 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: good he's been in general is a huge encouraging note. 677 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: Because a lot of this other stuff is fixable. Jared 678 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt will come back. This team is positioned to be 679 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: able to make a trade to upgrade their point of 680 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: attack defense. Anthony Davis is playing like shit on the 681 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: offensive end of the floor since his injury, so like 682 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 1: a lot of other stuff is gonna erectify itself. Anthony 683 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,959 Speaker 1: Davis thing is clearly still being bothered by his hip injury. 684 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: Before the injury, he scored twenty six points or more 685 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 1: in five consecutive games. Since the injury, he failed to 686 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: score at least twenty six points in six of the 687 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: nine games, so clearly is dealing with that. Kind of 688 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: looked like he was coming out of it there. He 689 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: had twenty seven against Houston, in the twenty six against Utah, 690 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: but then third game in four nights dealing with an injury. 691 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: You're gonna have a bad night in there. Ten points 692 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: against Dallas, right, One thing with him just ten for 693 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: thirty seven on jump shots this year at zero points 694 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 1: six to two points per jump shot. Out of the 695 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: two hundred and seventeen players in the NBA to log 696 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: at least thirty five jump shots, he ranks two hundred 697 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 1: and fifteenth. Only A sar Thompson and Theo Maladan are 698 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: behind him. So that obviously is concerning because he's getting 699 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: a lot of these like and he got a couple 700 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: of them late against Dallas. He's like easy pocket passes 701 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:23,640 Speaker 1: for these like twelve foot jump shots and he just 702 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: can't make them, and he has to make that shot. 703 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: It's just so important for your roleman to be a 704 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: threat there in the middle of the floor in order 705 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 1: for anything to work and pick and roll, and he 706 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 1: just hasn't been doing his part there. So Hopefully he'll 707 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: get it together, but I think the Lakers will continue 708 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: to improve over the course of the coming month. Number 709 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:42,959 Speaker 1: three the Milwaukee Bucks. This is my one big switch 710 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: on this list, besides moving to the Timberwolves on board. 711 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: I have the Bucks at third in the Celtics at second, 712 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 1: and I'll explain why in a minute. A big picture 713 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: for Milwaukee ten and five, fifth in offense, twenty second 714 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 1: in defense, eighth in defensive rebounding, four and four against 715 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: teams that are five hundred are better. Nothing that's insanely 716 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: concerning there. Obviously, the defense has to get better, but 717 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 1: we have a feeling they will. Right really not a 718 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: bad place to be considering the newness of the roster construction. 719 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: Right Like, Dame has started to play a little better, 720 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: but he still hasn't quite figured out where he fits 721 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: in offensively with his team. Still isn't hitting his pull 722 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,359 Speaker 1: up jump shot at the rate that he did last year. 723 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: I still think they need to upgrade the two spot. 724 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: Molik Beasley's been shooting the shit out of the basketball, 725 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 1: shooting way better than he did in a Laker jersey. 726 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: But at the same time, I think defensively and from 727 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: an athleticism standpoint, you need something a little bit more 728 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 1: in that position, and he's better coming off the bench. 729 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: Giannis has been better from the perimeter. That's exciting is 730 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: four for twelve on catch and shoot threes this year. 731 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: That's a point per shot, so if that's exciting. In general, 732 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,919 Speaker 1: he's been better outside of the restricted area. He shot 733 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,839 Speaker 1: nineteen hooks this year. That's already more than half as 734 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: many as he took all year last year. He took 735 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: thirty seven all year last year. Now he was only 736 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 1: eight for nineteen, which is just forty two percent. But 737 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: if he can just get that up to fifty percent 738 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 1: and keep leaning on that shot a little more frequently, 739 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: I think that's going to be a huge weapon for 740 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 1: him in the playoffs. Bobby Portis has been playing really 741 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 1: well over this recent stretch. He's giving him like a 742 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: what I think about fourteen and eight a game coming 743 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 1: off the bench, but dropping them behind Boston. And here's why. 744 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: They simply have way more that needs to go right 745 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 1: in order for them to get out of the Eastern 746 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,759 Speaker 1: Conference in my opinion, right like Dame has to consistently 747 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 1: get back to where he was last year, and he 748 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 1: just hasn't been even in this five and one stretch. 749 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 1: Twenty five points per game on forty percent from the 750 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 1: field in thirty six percent from three. That's good, but 751 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 1: that's not Dame, right. Chris Middleton, his knee has to 752 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: hold up long enough for him to get into a groove. 753 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: They're limiting his minutes a lot, but that the high 754 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: firepower that we saw from Chris Middleton in the playoffs 755 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: just isn't there. He hasn't had a single twenty point 756 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 1: game yet this season. They need to anchor their perimeter 757 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 1: defense with an upgrade at the two spots. So that 758 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:54,279 Speaker 1: has to get That has to be a hit at 759 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,240 Speaker 1: some point, and they straight up cannot afford an injury 760 00:35:57,239 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 1: to any of their core players. Like if Dame or 761 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 1: Chris or Giannis or go down, they're so weak in 762 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: those position groups that they're basically screwed. That's just not 763 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: the case with Boston. Like, first of all, for the 764 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: Dame thing, Jason Tatum's been so good this season that 765 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: I'm not even sure there's as much of a gap 766 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: as we're used to seeing in a playoff series. In 767 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 1: overall superstar play between Jason Tatum and whoever the other 768 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,000 Speaker 1: guy is that gap has been shrinking every year and 769 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: it very well might be non existent at this point, right, So, 770 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: like that's part of it. They don't need to make 771 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: a trade to anchor any sort of position group. They 772 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: can afford an injury basically to anybody, but Jason Tatum, Like, 773 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:39,400 Speaker 1: if they lose one of the guards, they're still a 774 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: championship contender. If they lose Porzingis, there's still a championship contender. 775 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: If they lose Horford, there's still a championship contender. They 776 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: lose Brown, they're still a championship contender. It's they have 777 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 1: so much more margin for error. They're a little thin 778 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: on the front line, but you still would need to 779 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: see both of those guys to get get hurt for 780 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,239 Speaker 1: them to be in any real trouble. Right, So, like 781 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: they're just in they're just in a better spot. And 782 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: beyond all of that, they're just flat out playing better 783 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: basketball right now than Milwaukee. And so to me, like, 784 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: and look, we're gonna reevaluate this over the course of 785 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 1: the season, and we'll see how we feel when we 786 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:12,720 Speaker 1: get to the playoffs. But at this point, doesn't Boston 787 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: just feel like it's safer bet even if we all 788 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: agree that if all those things go well, if Chris 789 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,720 Speaker 1: Middleton gets back to twenty twenty one form, if Damian 790 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 1: Lillard gets back to last year's form, if they anchor 791 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: that two guard spot, if they stay healthy throughout the season, 792 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 1: and they were going into a series against Boston, like, 793 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: do I think they could beat Boston? Absolutely might even 794 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:33,399 Speaker 1: pick them, But the odds of all that stuff going right, 795 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:37,880 Speaker 1: it just is a longer shot than Boston's version of 796 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:40,719 Speaker 1: that story right, And so for me, I just think, 797 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: like again, we'll make a call when we get closer, 798 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: But for right now, I've seen enough to within my 799 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: contender tier move Boston past Milwaukee for the time being. 800 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 1: Boston twelve and three, despite playing the fifth toughest schedule 801 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 1: in the league so far, There's sixth and offense second 802 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:59,840 Speaker 1: in defense. They got revenge on the Sixers last week. 803 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: They beat up the Bucks the other night. I watched 804 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,440 Speaker 1: that game this morning. They look very clearly like the 805 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 1: best team in the Eastern Conference. They beat They beat 806 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:10,839 Speaker 1: Milwaukee in the way that I expected them to beat Milwaukee, right, 807 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: Like Drew Holliday and Derek White just hounding Damian Lillard 808 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:19,480 Speaker 1: all over the floor, forcing him into extremely difficult shots. 809 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: Like again, Dame can make difficult shots, but what makes 810 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 1: him Dame is he can also generate a lot of 811 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: really easy ones and hit those at a high rate. 812 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 1: And Boston's got the point of attack defense to really, 813 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: really really make Dame work right, And that goes a 814 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 1: long way. You saw on the other end of the 815 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:39,880 Speaker 1: floor of their ability to just space out Milwaukee and 816 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: you know, punish. Porzingis had a big game in this 817 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:47,120 Speaker 1: particular game. Every single time Jannis or Brook Lopez or 818 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: or Bobby Portis would help off of Chris Tops Porzingis, 819 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 1: he's open at the three point line. It's not just 820 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 1: shooting he's making he's making shots that made a big 821 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,279 Speaker 1: one in the fourth quarter, but it's also driving those 822 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,880 Speaker 1: closeouts and getting into the lane and knocking down shots 823 00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:02,560 Speaker 1: like that. Porzingis piece just goes a long way towards 824 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 1: their ability to really space the Bucks out. Tatum was 825 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 1: matchup hunting the smaller Milwaukee guards and having success. And 826 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,640 Speaker 1: I even thought Tatum held up pretty well guarding Giannis 827 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 1: on a couple of specific possessions. He's just a lot 828 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:17,719 Speaker 1: bigger and stronger than he used to be. And he 829 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,840 Speaker 1: can actually hold up physically up against Giannis in a 830 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 1: better way than he used to be able to. Right now, 831 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:26,399 Speaker 1: still some of the same stuff, right, Like in that 832 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 1: late first quarter run where Milwaukee kind of made it 833 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: a game. You see, it's like Derek White and Drew 834 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 1: Holliday take like three transition threes and six possessions, and 835 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:36,959 Speaker 1: you're like why, Like why? You know, that's the curse 836 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:39,480 Speaker 1: with the Celtics team is they're so damn good that 837 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:43,280 Speaker 1: they sometimes settle for shots that are not great shots. 838 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: You know, Doris Burke, I thought in the broadcast, did 839 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:46,839 Speaker 1: a really nice job explaining the difference between a good 840 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:49,320 Speaker 1: shot and a great shot. Right, I'll give you an example. 841 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:53,479 Speaker 1: Like I play pick up basketball at Tucson, Arizona. There's 842 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 1: a good amount of talent here, but it's not like 843 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,239 Speaker 1: as talented as when I lived in Phoenix or in Charlotte, Right, 844 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:01,279 Speaker 1: and so like, I'm big and more athletic than most 845 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 1: of the players I go against. Right, and so like, 846 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: I can dribble up the floor and shoot a pull 847 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: up three every time I want, and I could probably 848 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 1: hit it at a decent percentage because I can get 849 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:11,320 Speaker 1: good separation. But like, does that mean that's what I 850 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,640 Speaker 1: should do every time? Probably not. I'ld probably use that 851 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: as a fallback, right, Like I should probably hunt easier 852 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:18,279 Speaker 1: shots along the way and then use that as kind 853 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:20,840 Speaker 1: of a counter, right. And the Celtics have a tendency 854 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:22,920 Speaker 1: to fall victim to their own talent in a lot 855 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,919 Speaker 1: of different ways, where like they're so much better down 856 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:28,879 Speaker 1: the roster than other teams that like, you've got guys 857 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:30,399 Speaker 1: that are dribbling up the floor and it's like, man, 858 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 1: he's kind of backpedaling on me. And I have a 859 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 1: decent look here, and I practice this shot, I can 860 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:38,759 Speaker 1: hit this and it'll be Derek White rising up into 861 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:40,960 Speaker 1: a pull up three. And it's like Boston's at their 862 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: best when they drive and kick for fantastic shots, for 863 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:48,320 Speaker 1: wide open catch and shoot threes in for layups, and 864 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,160 Speaker 1: again like those the tough shot making piece that's a 865 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: ceiling razor, but it should never be your foundation. And 866 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: so there's a little bit of that stuff there, but 867 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:59,080 Speaker 1: overall it's just their marching for error is so massive 868 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 1: as a virtue of their big talent advantage that they 869 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:06,360 Speaker 1: have and their overall depth and ability to build functional 870 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:08,760 Speaker 1: basketball lineups. Even when core players are out of the lineup, 871 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:11,560 Speaker 1: like they're just they're just really freaking good, for lack 872 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 1: of a better term, And I think at this point 873 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:17,080 Speaker 1: they're very clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference. Again, 874 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:19,600 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum playing like a bona fide superstar goes such 875 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:23,160 Speaker 1: a long way towards alleviating some of the other concerns 876 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:26,760 Speaker 1: surrounding that team and all of the you know takes 877 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 1: that we had this summer about half court shot creation 878 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:31,399 Speaker 1: and whether or not Dame could push the team over 879 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 1: the top against Boston. It's like, none of that really 880 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:36,399 Speaker 1: matters if Jason Tatum becomes that guy, and I'm still 881 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,600 Speaker 1: seeing a ton from him that is super encouraging on 882 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: that front. And we LA's not at least the Denver 883 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 1: Nuggets ten and five, ninth in offense, tenth in defense, 884 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:47,200 Speaker 1: still so still defending at a high level. Just four 885 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,879 Speaker 1: and four since the Jamal Murray injury. Reggie Jackson's done 886 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,000 Speaker 1: an okay job filling in for him fourteen points per game, 887 00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: forty eight percent from the field, thirty seven percent from three. 888 00:41:56,600 --> 00:42:00,200 Speaker 1: Jokic has been missing his three point shot, a big 889 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,440 Speaker 1: one He's taken high volumes, taking over five of them 890 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:05,239 Speaker 1: a game over this span. That's been a big way 891 00:42:05,239 --> 00:42:07,359 Speaker 1: that he's been trying to bolster the scoring without Jamal 892 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,359 Speaker 1: Murray in the lineup. But yeah, I remember he's hitting 893 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:11,239 Speaker 1: him close to fifty percent in the playoffs and he's 894 00:42:11,239 --> 00:42:13,319 Speaker 1: been hitting about a fourth of them in this span, 895 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:14,759 Speaker 1: and that's kind of a long way towards kind of 896 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,680 Speaker 1: limiting their offensive potential without Jamal Murray in there. But 897 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 1: what does this recent stretch tell us Nothing, really doesn't 898 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:23,920 Speaker 1: really tell us anything. They can't win without Jamal Murray, 899 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,399 Speaker 1: like a championship, of course not. There's not a team 900 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:30,480 Speaker 1: in this league that can lose their second best player 901 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:32,880 Speaker 1: and win the championship, except for maybe the Boston Celtics. 902 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:36,120 Speaker 1: And it's because they've got six guys that are really, 903 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 1: really really good, right, So, Like, I don't really think 904 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:41,919 Speaker 1: that says much. And in the big picture, their core 905 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:43,920 Speaker 1: five players still look every bit is good, if not 906 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: better than they did last year. Christian Brown has been 907 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,440 Speaker 1: awesome and has provided a lot of that like athletic 908 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:53,080 Speaker 1: force that Bruce Brown did last year. Their bench sucks, 909 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:55,600 Speaker 1: but it did last year too, Like they're getting outscored 910 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 1: by fourteen points per one hundre possessions without Nicole Yocic 911 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:01,360 Speaker 1: on the floor this year. They got outscored by twelve 912 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 1: points per one hundred possession Withoutyokic last year. So it's 913 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 1: not really that much of a difference, right, And like again, 914 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:09,080 Speaker 1: this has been a long road trip on the road 915 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:11,120 Speaker 1: in Houston without Jamal Murray. That's a tough game to win. 916 00:43:11,239 --> 00:43:12,959 Speaker 1: And they lost it on the road in New Orleans 917 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: without Jamal Murray. That's a tough game to win. And 918 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,400 Speaker 1: they lost it on the road in Cleveland without Jamal Murray. 919 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:19,319 Speaker 1: That's a tough game to win. And they lost it 920 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:21,799 Speaker 1: on the road in Orlando without Jamal Murray. That's a 921 00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:23,919 Speaker 1: tough game to win. And they lost it tonight. They're 922 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:26,160 Speaker 1: on the road in Houston again without Jamal Murray. That's 923 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:29,440 Speaker 1: a tough game. They might lose it. That doesn't again 924 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:34,759 Speaker 1: take his deep breath, zoom out core players missing tough 925 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 1: stretch of the schedule, probably gonna drop some games, and 926 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:40,759 Speaker 1: that's what they're doing. And even then, they've been five 927 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:44,600 Speaker 1: hundred over this spin. So I haven't seen anything to 928 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 1: persuade me that Denver is no longer the top tier 929 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 1: I should even say just championship favorite that they were 930 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:52,560 Speaker 1: to start the season. All right, guys, that is all 931 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:54,759 Speaker 1: I have for today. As always, I appreciate you guys 932 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:56,239 Speaker 1: for supporting the show. We're gonna take the rest of 933 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:58,640 Speaker 1: the weekend off and we'll be back Monday with power rankings, 934 00:43:58,680 --> 00:44:02,000 Speaker 1: and then we're gonna do ins and reactions and deep 935 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 1: dives of teams as we go throughout the week. As always, 936 00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys, and we'll see you then. M 937 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:21,279 Speaker 1: the volume m HM.