Speaker 1: Welcome to a bonus episode of the Heat Check. Today,
Speaker 1: we've got a special interview with the radio voice of
Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Nets, Chris Carino. This conversation originally took place
Speaker 1: on my betting show called bet MGM Tonight with co
Speaker 1: host PJ. Glasser and Ryan Horvaught. Chris gives us his
Speaker 1: first impression on the Nets, more importantly, how he sees
Speaker 1: Ben Simmons's role on the team, his thoughts on who
Speaker 1: will come out of the East and the West, and
Speaker 1: also which players he's eyeing for MVP. In his first clip,
Speaker 1: Chris gives us his immediate reaction to the first Nets
Speaker 1: preseason game with Kadi, Kyrie and Ben all sharing the floor.
Speaker 1: He's a calm guy. He's trying to keep it together,
Speaker 1: but you could tell he was initially very excited.
Speaker 2: Well, we got to see him all last night together
Speaker 2: in uniform on the court for the first time, which
Speaker 2: was exciting. It was exciting and nothing to see here.
Speaker 2: Everything is exactly the way it was with Ben Simmons
Speaker 2: in the fold now and we'll see how it all
Speaker 2: how it all works out. But I think there's an
Speaker 2: excitement level. I certainly do. I think there was a
Speaker 2: rush early on last night. But if they can defend
Speaker 2: at a high level, they're going to be a very
Speaker 2: good team this year.
Speaker 1: Of course, the big question everyone wants answered, besides all
Speaker 1: that Katie stuff, is how will Ben Simmons fit into
Speaker 1: Brooklyn's offensive and defensive schemes. I ask what Ben's role
Speaker 1: would be. Is he a one? Is he a five?
Speaker 1: Is he an on ball defender who doesn't need to shoot?
Speaker 1: Listen into what Chris had to say.
Speaker 2: I think he's going to be a little of all
Speaker 2: of that. I think he's primarily though, I think it
Speaker 2: to be your half court ball handler. I mean, I
Speaker 2: think he's the ball is going to go through him.
Speaker 2: But the thing that makes him such a great complimentary
Speaker 2: piece to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant is that he
Speaker 2: doesn't want to hold on to it too long. He
Speaker 2: wants to get it out, get it where it's got
Speaker 2: to go. I mean, we saw him making some over
Speaker 2: the shoulder passes, some no look passes. What I loved
Speaker 2: was a pass that he had out of the post
Speaker 2: to the opposite wing for a three pointer. I mean,
Speaker 2: he's got that size and he's got that vision, and
Speaker 2: you'll see him make those drop off passes in transition.
Speaker 2: I mean, I think what's really going to make Ben
Speaker 2: Simmons valuable the team this year is he's going to
Speaker 2: push the pace. You know, they're gonna they want to
Speaker 2: play a little faster, and he's a guy that's going
Speaker 2: to be able to get it up and down the floor.
Speaker 2: And I know he'll play pick and roll. I mean,
Speaker 2: I think the biggest recipient in this offense, and you
Speaker 2: saw it early on last night, is going to be
Speaker 2: Nick Klass. I mean, you know he's just gonna get
Speaker 2: all these dump ball passes for dunks. I mean, how
Speaker 2: many times are he just if he cuts, he's going
Speaker 2: to get dunks. And and I think you saw with
Speaker 2: him last night as well as they and I think
Speaker 2: you'll see this. I think this was a tip. You
Speaker 2: know something they tipped off last night is they'll get
Speaker 2: Simmons out of the game early and then bring him
Speaker 2: back with the second unit guy. So bring him back
Speaker 2: with players like Patty Mills and if Joe Harris comes
Speaker 2: back in the game with him. We didn't see Seth
Speaker 2: Curry last night because he's set out, but I think
Speaker 2: you're going to start to see some of that and
Speaker 2: he'll just be the primary ball handler. I still think
Speaker 2: everything's going to kind of go through him, and I
Speaker 2: you know, they still got stuff to work out. I
Speaker 2: still thought that Kevin Durant didn't get the ball enough
Speaker 2: in the first quarter of the game. You know, you
Speaker 2: can't forget about Kevin Durant. You know you've got to
Speaker 2: play through him a little bit. But there's certainly so
Speaker 2: many options offensively. The big question though, is going to
Speaker 2: be again, they give up forty two points in the
Speaker 2: first quarter last night. I know it's a preseason game,
Speaker 2: this is the Sixers without James hard and Joel Embiid,
Speaker 2: and you let him score forty two in the first quarter.
Speaker 2: So that, to me is the biggest thing they have
Speaker 2: to work on, and if they can get that to
Speaker 2: just be it's like the thing with Ben Simmons, Like
Speaker 2: they don't need Ben Simmons to be a thirty five
Speaker 2: percent three point shooter. They also don't need to be
Speaker 2: in the top five in league defensively. Just be like average,
Speaker 2: just be like the middle of the pack defensively, and
Speaker 2: they can they can win a championship.
Speaker 1: What do you think is the main thing holding them
Speaker 1: back from being a middle of the road team because
Speaker 1: Ben Simmons is one of the best on ball defenders
Speaker 1: in the league. We saw that last night.
Speaker 2: I think that's going to be. I'm not saying they
Speaker 2: can't be, because potentially Ben Simmons was a runner up
Speaker 2: for Defensive Player of the Year one year. He's a
Speaker 2: two time first team All defender. Kevin Durant can be
Speaker 2: a premier defender. He can be a good rim protector.
Speaker 2: Nick Cooxton has been an excellent defender. It's going to be.
Speaker 2: Can you The Sixers lit it up from three in
Speaker 2: the first quarter, And sometimes that's a product of guys
Speaker 2: just getting hot, but a lot of times the factor
Speaker 2: of usually not closing out on shooters, not rotating to shooters.
Speaker 2: And I think sometimes the communication when you get new
Speaker 2: faces and new guys coming together and playing on the
Speaker 2: defensive end, it takes some time, like it takes some
Speaker 2: communication level, and it's about effort, it's about intensity. This
Speaker 2: is a team that's got depth and they've got scoring ability,
Speaker 2: So just give lay all out there on the defensive
Speaker 2: end of the floor. Do I think they have the
Speaker 2: potential of being a decent defensive team, good enough defensive team. Absolutely?
Speaker 2: They absolutely do. And I just think sometimes, well you tend,
Speaker 2: especially early on, you tend to look at, well, how
Speaker 2: do all these guys fit offensively? They'll figure it out offensively,
Speaker 2: it's how do they fit defensively that's, to me is
Speaker 2: the biggest thing, and I think they will. They've got
Speaker 2: really talented, good defensive players that if they can come together.
Speaker 2: You know, even at Kyrie Irving, he can be dazzling
Speaker 2: on the offensive end with his hands, and he can
Speaker 2: be really good with his hands on the defensive end
Speaker 2: of the floor and start some of these transition opportunities.
Speaker 2: But I think the point being is that sometimes the
Speaker 2: last thing to come around is that defensive communication, that
Speaker 2: being together, being on a string defensively, and that's got
Speaker 2: to come around.
Speaker 1: The Eastern Conference is absolutely loaded this year. So my
Speaker 1: guy PJ. Glasser asked him if he saw anyone out
Speaker 1: East who might actually be a surprise team this year.
Speaker 1: Chris's answer was very revealing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's going to be hard for anybody
Speaker 2: to kind of come out of nowhere and contend with
Speaker 2: those top teams that you mentioned. I mean, if you
Speaker 2: want to throw Miami in, there be young up and comers.
Speaker 2: I mean, I look at a team like it Anta,
Speaker 2: who maybe overshot their expectation level a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2: Last year was probably more long where they kind of were.
Speaker 2: I think, you know, going to the conference finals two
Speaker 2: years ago was kind of out of nowhere. But I
Speaker 2: think now when you when you at de Chante Murray,
Speaker 2: that team like that can be a really good team.
Speaker 2: You look at Charlotte, I think Steve Clifford is an
Speaker 2: awesome coach and he's going back there for another stint
Speaker 2: with Charlotte, and he's got a really good young team.
Speaker 2: So they were ready. That's why it's going to be
Speaker 2: such a gauntlet to get through the East. When you
Speaker 2: look at teams like that, I mean, there's no easy teams.
Speaker 2: I mean, I think the Knicks are going to be better.
Speaker 2: They're going to be challenging maybe for a playoff spot.
Speaker 2: You look at what Chicago did last year, and they
Speaker 2: should continue to climb, although Lonzo Ball, I know, is
Speaker 2: having the knee issues, but you know, and then you
Speaker 2: really got good teams at the top. And when you
Speaker 2: look at Milwaukee, you look at Philadelphia, potentially the Nets.
Speaker 2: Talking about Miami, you know, Toronto is another team that's
Speaker 2: always really tough, right, I mean, so you're I think
Speaker 2: I've already named more than eight teams in Cleveland. Then
Speaker 2: you mentioned clee oh my goodness, dress the Cleveland right,
Speaker 2: I mean what they've done and now Donovan Mitchell there,
Speaker 2: I mean they are a top contended to be in
Speaker 2: the top four in the Eastern Conference. When you throw
Speaker 2: in what Evan Mobley did last year and Jared Allen,
Speaker 2: I mean, I can't the East is going to be
Speaker 2: There's going to be a couple of really good teams
Speaker 2: that don't make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 1: It's definitely one of the deepest years we've seen in
Speaker 1: the East. We also asked Chris right here what teams
Speaker 1: we should fade out west. He laughed about me going
Speaker 1: all negative, but I think his answer was spot on.
Speaker 1: Give it a listen.
Speaker 2: I don't know what Phoenix's number is, but you know,
Speaker 2: they've kind of been pushing and contending the last couple
Speaker 2: of years, and Chris Paul is not getting any younger.
Speaker 2: I potentially think they're just because they've played at a
Speaker 2: high level for a few years now, could they kind
Speaker 2: of get overtaken When you think of how much better
Speaker 2: the Clippers are going to be this year, and you know,
Speaker 2: you think the Lakers might be a little bit better,
Speaker 2: although Anthy Davis keeps getting hurt. You know, Denver will
Speaker 2: be better because they'll get Jamal Murray back this year.
Speaker 2: So maybe the Suns might. You know, again, I still
Speaker 2: think they'll be pretty good, but maybe those teams will
Speaker 2: kind of creep up on them and maybe get past them.
Speaker 2: You know, a team like Dallas to me, I know
Speaker 2: they're on the rise with Luca, but Luca has always
Speaker 2: been one of those guys that's a little, I don't
Speaker 2: want to say out of shape, but there's always a
Speaker 2: question about his fitness level and he can tend to
Speaker 2: get those calf strains and things like that, and I
Speaker 2: would I'd be concerned if anything ever happened to him
Speaker 2: where he had to miss an extended period of time.
Speaker 2: Dallas would not be very good. And I think that
Speaker 2: they would probably you know, could not handle that. And
Speaker 2: then they lose a glue guy like Jalen brun Set
Speaker 2: this year, So those are probably guys I would look at. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, in New Orlean's going to be better,
Speaker 2: you know, could in Memphis, I feel is a really
Speaker 2: good up and coming team, but potentially if there would
Speaker 2: be an injury. Even though they played, they played really well.
Speaker 2: With John Morant out of the lineup, he tends to
Speaker 2: miss some games. Can they continue to be that good
Speaker 2: with Jaws out the lineup?
Speaker 1: So yeah, Jar and Jackson either for a while.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's another guy that's always He's always out of
Speaker 2: the lineup. So but again, there are other guys that
Speaker 2: played well. But I think like Phoenix would be the
Speaker 2: team to me that the rest of the pack is
Speaker 2: going to catch up to them a little bit this year.
Speaker 1: Finally, we were all interested in hearing on who Chris
Speaker 1: had on his MVP watch. He's definitely got his eye
Speaker 1: on one player and he gives you also a good
Speaker 1: tip on why you might want to just fade a favorite.
Speaker 2: I've always been of the ilk that you can give
Speaker 2: it to Giannis every year. I mean, he's just not
Speaker 2: only is his talent level is great, but the thing
Speaker 2: about Giannis is his durability, which you need as an
Speaker 2: MVP candidate. Right. The guy is just he's indestructible and
Speaker 2: he always seems to add something every year. And I
Speaker 2: think when you looked at last year, he didn't rest
Speaker 2: on his laurels as a champ winning that rain. He
Speaker 2: was in the gym all summer becoming a better free
Speaker 2: throw share, which was something that he probably added how
Speaker 2: many I don't know if he had to look back
Speaker 2: and on his numbers in terms of his if his
Speaker 2: scoring numbers were up at all much last year, but
Speaker 2: it certainly seemed like free throw shooting was an Achilles
Speaker 2: heal for him even in his MVP years, and he
Speaker 2: went out and he became a good free throw shyear
Speaker 2: last year. I remember he got rid of the hole
Speaker 2: where he used to hold on to the ball for
Speaker 2: like thirteen seconds. And he was actually working quickly last
Speaker 2: year and he was making his trees and it became
Speaker 2: because he put the work in during the off season.
Speaker 2: So I'd be curious to see what does Giannis put
Speaker 2: the work in this summer, because you know it was
Speaker 2: something and you know he's going to improve in some
Speaker 2: aspect of his game. And like I said, Lucas always
Speaker 2: I think questioned Mark to me because of his body,
Speaker 2: and you know, he's another guy that played this summer
Speaker 2: in you know, competitively an international game, which you always
Speaker 2: watch out those guys that play all summer they can
Speaker 2: wear down a little bit.
Speaker 1: Huge thanks to Chris Carrino for giving us his insight
Speaker 1: into the season, so give him a follow on Twitter
Speaker 1: at at Chris Carrino at C h RS C A
Speaker 1: R R I n O. The MGN Tonight airs Monday
Speaker 1: through Friday, live from seven to eleven Eastern Time, Available
Speaker 1: on him, on the Odyssey app and in podcast form
Speaker 1: wherever you find your podcast. Many thanks to my co
Speaker 1: hosts PJ. Glasser and Ryan Horvat and my producer Cameron Gray.
Speaker 1: That is it for a bonus episode of Do You Chuck?
Speaker 1: Check back Monday for an all new episode, and do
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