1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: The volume When it comes to college basketball in March Mania, 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: one thing is for sure. 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 2: Nothing's for sure. 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: Upsets, buzzer beaters, Cinderella is advancing top seeds, going home early. 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: It's all gonna happen. Bet the unexpected, every upset, every 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: day with DraftKings Sportsbook. With live betting, exclusive content, promos, 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: and parlays, Draft Kings is the ultimate college basketball destination 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: for March. Ready to make your first bet, check out 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: the matchups, and pick a team to win. It's that simple. 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: I'm a big arizon A Wildcats fan, born and raised 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: here in Tucson, Arizona. I'm a little skeptical about them 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: on the offensive end of the floor, but they looked 13 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: really good on defense again last night against Kansas, so 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: I'll probably be betting on them this time around. 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: First time. 16 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: Here's something special just for you new Draft Kings customers. 17 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: Bet five dollars to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets. 18 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: Instantly bet the unexpected with Draft Kings Sportsbook. 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Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill 30 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: Casino and Resort in Kansas twenty one plus. Age and 31 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 1: eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. New customers only. 32 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. 33 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKG dot 34 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: co slash audio. All right, welcome to Hoops tonight here 35 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: at the volume heavy Wednesday. Everybody, opeall, if you guys 36 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: are having a great week, got a jam packed show 37 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: for you today. We're gonna hit some NBA storylines off 38 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: the top. We're going to talk a little bit about 39 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: the Damian Lillard news and how it's got me thinking 40 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: a little bit more about the what feels kind of 41 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: like an inevitable blow up of the Bucks that's happening 42 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: in a few years, and a team that I think 43 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: would be really fascinating to go after Giannis. After that, 44 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: I want to talk about some comments Lebron made about 45 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: Giannis dropping two hundred and fifty points per game in 46 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: the seventies. I want to talk about that and how 47 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 1: I don't think it's necessarily good for the situation in 48 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: the way we talked about the game. And then for 49 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 1: our course correction segment, I'm gonna shout out Bronni, who 50 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: had another big game last night, who's really been playing 51 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: some good basketball over the course of the last week. 52 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: After that, we're gonna hit two games from last night slate, 53 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 1: as the two top seeds in the Western Conference got 54 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: impressive wins where they basically blew out their opponents, then 55 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: kind of sort of lost control and then pulled away 56 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: at the end. As the Thunder got a big win 57 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: in Sacramento against the Kings and the Houston Rockets got 58 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: a big win against the Atlanta Hawks. We're gonna be 59 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: breaking down both of those games from the perspective of 60 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: both teams all right before we get started, You guys 61 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: know the drill. Subscribe to Hoops Tonight YouTube channel. So 62 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: you don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me 63 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 1: on Twitter at underscore JCNLTS. You guys, don't mis sho announcements. 64 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: Don't forget about it. Podcast feed wherever you get your podcast, 65 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcast on our Hoops Tonight. It's 66 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: also super helpful if you leave a rating and a 67 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: review on that front. We also bring new social media 68 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: feeds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We're releasing content throughout 69 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: the season. Make sure you guys keep dropping mail bag 70 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: questions in the YouTube comments as well. We are recording 71 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: a mail bag a little bit later today, so it's 72 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 1: too late for that mail bag, but we're gonna be 73 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: doing another one next week, so make sure you guys 74 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: keep dropping questions in the YouTube comments. All right, let's 75 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: talk some basketball. So our first NBA storyline, Damian Lillard 76 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: is out indefinitely due to a blood clot in his 77 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: calf muscle. First of all, this is just a huge 78 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: bummer and let's all just hope that he can be 79 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: back in time for the playoffs because, regardless of how 80 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: we all feel about the Bucks, I would certainly like 81 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: to see them get their chance to show what they 82 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: can do in the postseason at full strength. But this 83 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: situation has me thinking, because things look more than bleak 84 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: for Milwaukee right now, even healthy, I have the Bucks 85 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: firmly outside of my top tier of championship contenders. I 86 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: don't think they're close to good enough on either end 87 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: of the floor to actually win for playoff series. And 88 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: now you add this wrinkle with Dame's condition, which is 89 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: going to have, at the best case scenario, him just 90 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: barely stepping on the floor before they start playing real 91 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: playoff games. So to me, it's just becoming increasingly likely 92 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: that the Bucks have a disappointing playoff performance, and that 93 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: Giannis in the trade buzz surrounding him starts to get 94 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: really loud this summer, because again, I don't think the 95 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: Bucks are close. I like, there's to me if I 96 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: look at the top tier of contenders, and it's going 97 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: to be you know, five, six, seven teams when it's 98 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: all said and done, we'll see. But you know, I 99 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: look at Boston and Oka se as kind of like 100 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: clearly above the rest of the teams in that tier, 101 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: and the team's below there, the teams like Cleveland, Denver, 102 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers, whether it ends up being the Knicks, or 103 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: the Warriors teams like that, I view those teams as 104 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: substantially less likely than Boston and ok Se to win 105 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: the title. And so when you get to the following 106 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: tier after that, I mean we're talking it's pipe dream 107 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: territory for most of these guys. And like that's with 108 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,559 Speaker 1: Gianni's playing as well as he've been he's been playing 109 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: this year, it just doesn't feel like they're close. Jannis 110 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: will have two guaranteed years left as well as a 111 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: player option. Obviously I would view that player option as 112 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: something that he would end up opting out of or 113 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: extending out of. And so realistically, you've got these two 114 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: guaranteed years left this summer, and so if you wait 115 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: an additional summer, now you have the whole like, well, 116 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: what if he doesn't resign problem that's affecting his trade value, 117 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: And so I think it's possible that we end up 118 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: seeing a Jannis and Tenetkumpo trade this summer. And so 119 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: we've talked about a lot of different teams in a 120 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: different places that he could potentially go. But I've talked 121 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 1: a lot about the thunder going after a guy like 122 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: a Kevin Durant or a Lori, Marknen or something. What 123 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: if Yannis is the guy that the Thunder ended up 124 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: going after, they obviously can afford him. He's thirty years old. 125 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: He is a perfect compliment to Chet Holmern. As a 126 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: matter of fact, you could argue that the Hartenstein salary 127 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: is the best vehicle with which to facilitate that sort 128 00:05:57,520 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: of trade. Hartenstein and then throwing in some of the 129 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,799 Speaker 1: younger talent, maybe someone like a case On Wallace and 130 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: maybe one other player with a bunch of draft compensation. 131 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: You can visualize the scenario where the team is built 132 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: around a core of Shay and j Dubb and Chet 133 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: with Giannis, and like Giannis would immediately make them a 134 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: good rebounding team when they've been a terrible rebounding team 135 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: in the shaegifs Alexander Era, I think he's just a 136 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: shoe in basketball fit. In general, with all of those guys, 137 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: he immediately changes the physical profiles of the team and 138 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: makes them that much more bruising on the frontline, especially 139 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: if the Thunder end up struggling this year in the 140 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: postseason and they end up like losing in the second 141 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: round despite someone like Shay having a great series. I 142 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,799 Speaker 1: think it could end up putting more pressure on OKC 143 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: to make a more aggressive type of deal, and you 144 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: could see a trade partnership kind of forming there. And 145 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: like it's like the Wemby problem we talked about with 146 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: San Antonio. If your star is ready to go and 147 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: like ready to win the title, but your guys, like 148 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: your young players around them that are progressing at the 149 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: same time but maybe not at the same rate, and 150 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: it looks like they're not ready, then you end up 151 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: in a situation where it's like, we can't just wade 152 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: around while you know, Victor wemin Yama becomes one of 153 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: the best players in the league and we can't support 154 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: him properly. And that's the thing, Like you don't want 155 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: to run into a situation with Shay where he feels 156 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: like the Thunder are just processing a bunch of young 157 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: talent and they're not really going for it. And so 158 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: if that ends up being the case, you could see 159 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: that pressure start to build and you could see a 160 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: trade partnership start to form, and if they end up 161 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: making a deal for someone like Giannis, they would immediately 162 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: solve all of their weaknesses and I think that would 163 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: make them the most talented team since the twenty eighteen Warriors. 164 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: So that's a dynamic that I see kind of sort 165 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: of taking some shape, and man, that would be a crazy, 166 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:56,679 Speaker 1: league altering type of deal. Lebron goes on Pat McAfee 167 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: show and he starts pontificating about out Giannis and what 168 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: he would average in the seventies, and he says Yiannis 169 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: would average two hundred and fifty points if he played 170 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: back in that era. And like Frankly, I just don't 171 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: see the point in this. For the same reason why 172 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: it's lame when the older players start disrespecting this era, 173 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: I think it's lame for today's players to do the 174 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: same thing with the past. Now, for the record, there's 175 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: a reason why they're doing this. There's a reason why 176 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: JJ Reddick said those guys played against plumbers. There's a 177 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: reason why Lebron James is talking this shit, and it's 178 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: because they're sick and tired of the old guys talking shit. 179 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: I just think it's pointless to stoop down to that level. 180 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: If Frankly, it's just not productive. It doesn't actually solve anything. 181 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: And here's the thing. Would Yannis score two hundred and 182 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: fifty points a game? If he played in the seventies, No, 183 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: but yeah, he kill those guys, he'd average forty probably 184 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: maybe even closer to fifty. But who cares. Comparing eras 185 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: is completely pointless. Jalen Green basically has the same career 186 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: true shooting percentag justs Kobe Bryant. Does that mean Jalen 187 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: Green was just as efficient putting the ball in the 188 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 1: basket as Kobe Bryant. 189 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, in a literal. 190 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: Sense, but not in a realistic sense, because the game 191 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: of basketball is very, very different now. Dudes in the 192 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: seventies had bad shoes, they had shitty flights that they 193 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: took to their road games, they played brutal schedules. They 194 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: had nowhere near the knowledge and understanding we have today 195 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: to make our professional athletes the best they can be. 196 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: Schematics have involved over the years is just more smart 197 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: minds have gotten involved in the game and made their 198 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: imprint strategically. I think it makes absolutely no sense to 199 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: compare basketball from fifty years ago to today, and again, 200 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: even if you justify it with the way that those 201 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: guys have been treated by the older generations, I just 202 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 1: think stooping to that level, all it does is further 203 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: detegrate the game, and now we're in this weird war 204 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: where like the younger players are shit talking the old days, 205 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: and the older dudes are shit talking the young guys, 206 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: and everyone's just being disrespectful to the game of basketball. 207 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: And so I hope that that stops you. And I 208 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: disagreed with Lebron's approach there. But for our third top story, 209 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna do our Microsoft Course Correction segment. Welcome to 210 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: Course Correction, brought to you by Microsoft. Just like star 211 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: players and teams navigating performance hurdles, business decision makers today 212 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: are under immense pressure to get things right. They must 213 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: rise to the occasion, turning challenges into opportunities. Microsoft empowers 214 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: these visionaries with AI solutions, simplified cloud and data management 215 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: and trustworthy responsible AI. And when you're in the NBA 216 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: and you have your own hurdles to face, in this segment, 217 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: we're exploring the challenges faced by teams or star players 218 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: and how they can turn things around. Whatever challenge you're facing, 219 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say bring it on. 220 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: This week, we're discussing Bronni James in his recent surge 221 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: as both an MBA and G League player. So last night, 222 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: Broni hits five more threes, finished with seventeen points, nine rebounds, 223 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 1: and six assists in a win. 224 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 2: This is on the heels of him. 225 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: Dropping a career high thirty nine points in a previous 226 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: G League game a couple days prior, and that was 227 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: on the heels of him dropping seventeen points in a 228 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: real deal NBA game against the Bucks where he made 229 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: a lot of moves that looked very much like a 230 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: well rounded professional basketball player. I thought this was a 231 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: great time for us to just remind everybody that Ronnie 232 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: James was the twentieth ranked prospect in the nation in 233 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 1: his high school class. He was a McDonald's All American. 234 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: He was absolutely, unquestionably on an NBA trajectory before he 235 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: experienced cardiac arrest at usc But then he got his 236 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: NBA opportunity despite struggling for a while after the cardiac 237 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: arrest incident, and as a result, he became one of 238 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: the biggest stories in all of media, not just in 239 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: sports media, but the whole thing got picked up by 240 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,719 Speaker 1: political media because lebron has ventured into that arena a 241 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: few times and obviously made enemies in there. That is 242 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: one hell of a cesspool in political media, and it 243 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: is as contentious as it can be, and there's an 244 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: entire side there that will jump on every little thing 245 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: that Lebron does, and so it became absolutely nasty. Can 246 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: you imagine being Bronny? And again I want you to 247 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: disconnect from Lebron for a second. Bronni James is an 248 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: entirely different human being than Lebron, an entirely different person. 249 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: Anything that he gets as an association from Lebron imagine 250 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: being in his shoes and dealing with that. Can you 251 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: imagine getting on his phone and scrolling Instagram and seeing 252 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: content creators making highlight reels of his mistakes in Summer 253 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: League or in garbage time in an NBA game, or 254 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: in the early G league days, And can you imagine 255 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: the comments underneath those videos and the direct messages that 256 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: he receives. Again, as we've talked about, like when you 257 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: venture into this world, there are perks that greatly outweigh 258 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 1: the negativity you face online. That doesn't make the negativity 259 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: like just go away, or that it's just super easy 260 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: to handle or anything like that. It sucks I on 261 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: a much much smaller level, just as a content creator 262 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 1: in the NBA media face a certain amount of negativity, 263 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: Like you don't wake up one day and like read 264 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: the comment that's talking shit about the way you look 265 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: or the way you sound, and then suddenly just be like, 266 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: oh that's fine. 267 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: No wheries will go about to day. It still sucks, and. 268 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: This kid was getting it at a preposterous volume every 269 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: single day because he suffered an injury and a condition 270 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: that dramatically affected his basketball development. I was thinking about 271 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: I was actually talking about this with my buddy Richmond 272 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 1: Weaver on the radio a little bit earlier this morning. 273 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: I remember when I broke my foot in between my 274 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 1: first two seasons playing in college. I had a really 275 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: rough first semester in non conference play because I was 276 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: struggling with like confidence in my foot, like my ability 277 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: to plant that foot, I you know, play at about 278 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: back in college. I was playing at two hundred and 279 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: twenty five pounds, Like it's just a lot of weight 280 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: to be planting really heavy on a foot that I 281 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: was nervous was gonna give way, and it affected my 282 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: play for months. Can you imagine cardiac arrest? Can you 283 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: imagine like playing hard after cardiac arrest? Can you imagine 284 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: pushing yourself and like feeling your body like start to 285 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: like really get into high heart rates, and how that 286 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: could potentially scare you, how that could affect your willingness 287 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: or ability to compete to a certain extent. Like, I 288 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: just have so much sympathy for what Bronni has been 289 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: through over the course of this last year, in the 290 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: sense that he's been put through hell because of his 291 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: dad and his persona. And look, has Lebron done something 292 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: that has accentuated the amount of attention on his son. Yes, 293 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: he's made some comments, He's done some things. I'm not 294 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: going to sit here and pretend that that hasn't happened. 295 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: But he's Lebron James, So we're not also going to 296 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: pretend that if Lebron shut up that Bronni wouldn't. 297 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: Be a public figure. He still would. 298 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: Lebron could have said nothing, and Bronni would have faced 299 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: ninety nine percent of the exact same circumstances that he's 300 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: faced over the last year, and the fact that his 301 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: entire basketball pedigree and everything he accomplished up until the 302 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: cardiac arrest was just crumpled up and thrown in the trash. 303 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: As part of the way that whole thing was discussed. 304 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: It just was nasty, and I just feel really bad 305 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: for him, and I'm just excited for him that he's 306 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: starting to break through on the other side of this 307 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: and show some of that pedigree that he demonstrated when 308 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: he was in high school. 309 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 2: Now, for the record, this won't be linear. 310 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: The development of young players is not something that just 311 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: goes up and up and up. He'll have stretches where 312 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: he has bad games in the NBA, He'll have bad 313 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: stretches of games in the G League. He'll make mistakes, 314 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: there will be more content creators that have more opportunities 315 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: to slander him for whatever reason. But what you're starting 316 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: to see is the upside. You're starting to see that 317 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: he can shoot. JJ Reddick talked the other day about 318 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: how he expects Brownie in the big picture to be 319 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: a great shooter. You've seen some of the upside with 320 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: him as a defensive playmaker. You've seen some of the 321 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: upside with him as a downhill threat towards the rim. 322 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: As a playmaking talent. He's got ability in there now. 323 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: I still maintain that I think it'll be at least 324 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: a year or two before he can be a guy 325 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: that plays real rotational minutes at the NBA level as 326 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: a guard off the bench for somebody in the NBA. 327 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: I still think he needs quite a bit of time 328 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: to get there, but the potential has always been there. 329 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: It was missing in terms of the production for a 330 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: little while as a result of what happened to him 331 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: at USC and I'm happy that we're all starting to 332 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: see some of that potential start to come to fruition 333 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: right now, because it's just a reminder and quite frankly, 334 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: a resounding statement that most of the stuff that was 335 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: set about Bronnie and set about lebron over the course 336 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: of the year with Bronni in his journey to where 337 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: he has in the NBA was just complete and utter bullshit. 338 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: And Bronnie's just rubbing that in everybody's face right now, 339 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: and I'm happy for him. That's it for this week's 340 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: course correction. Remember Microsoft's AI solutions empower you to take 341 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: bold steps and make informed decisions, sparking new ideas to 342 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 1: help drive your business forward. With Microsoft as your trusted partner, 343 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 1: you can navigate your journey with confidence, finding innovative solutions 344 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: and reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft dot com Slash Challengers 345 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: to learn more. All right, let's get into a couple 346 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: games from last night. The Thunder just completely outclassed the 347 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: King right out of the gate. They put Keegan Murray 348 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: on chet Holmgrin to start in. The Thunder just immediately 349 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: started running him through off ball screens. They ran a 350 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: backscreen on the week side with shy backscreening for Chet. 351 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: Kean Ellis did not want to switch off of Shey. 352 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: Keegan got caught on the screen. Chet got a wide 353 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: open layup that was on the first play of the game. 354 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 1: Second play of the game, they run a Chicago action 355 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: which is just the DHO guys up top and there's 356 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: a screener in front. The screener will pin down, the 357 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: DHO guy will follow, and Check comes off of both 358 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: of those screens. I think it was Dorton Hartenstein if 359 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 1: I remember correctly. So basically two screens, Chet comes flying 360 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: off of him up to the right wing and knocks 361 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: down with three off the catches. Keegan gets run through 362 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: a bunch of screens again. It's Chet is kind of 363 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: a cheat code in these off ball actions for a 364 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: couple of reasons. One, he's a big so teams are 365 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: most likely not going to switch guards on him. So 366 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: if you run screening action for him with guards involved, 367 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: he's probably gonna get some separation because you're probably going 368 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: to guard him with a bigger player. Bigger players notoriously 369 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: struggle with screens. Even a guy like Kei can murray 370 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 1: as good as he is in ISO, he can struggle 371 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: sometimes getting over the top of screens right. And when 372 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: you have a situation where you're not switching because of 373 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 1: a big and a small it just puts big guys 374 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: in position where they have to navigate a bunch of screens, 375 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: and that's difficult. That's why inverted ball screens work so 376 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: well with the Jokic's and some of the other centers 377 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: that run that sort of action throughout the league. Even 378 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: Giannis runs that sort of thing. 379 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 2: Quite a bit. 380 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: The second piece of it, though, is he's a really 381 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: big target. He had another bucket later in the first 382 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: half against Jake Laavia where they ran a kind of 383 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 1: like an off ball action that Check curled into the 384 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: lane and Jake saw it, Jake evaded the screen. Jake 385 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: ran into the lane to guard Chet, but Chet's seven 386 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,439 Speaker 1: feet tall and so Isa Hartenstein, who is the passer 387 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: at the top of the key, just kind of rifled 388 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: up a pass that was up high and to the 389 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: right where Jake had no chance to get it, and Chet, 390 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: in his you know, go go gadget arms, just went 391 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: out and grabbed it and brought it in and by 392 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: the time Jake Larravio was on the ground, Chet was 393 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: dunking it. And that's the thing, Like he's just such 394 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: a big target passing wise, and he's so tall that 395 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: like if he catches anything around the rim, it's just 396 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: an automatic dunk. And I just thought seeing Chet run 397 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 1: all that off ball action was just casual reminder of 398 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: some of the big picture potential this team has offensively. 399 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 1: As Chet continues to develop on that end of the floor, 400 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: their defense was immediately stifling against Sacramento's guards. Started with 401 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: the bigs, like Hartenstein did a wonderful job against the 402 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: bonus as he keeps racking up great defensive nights against 403 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: some really tough defensive matchups. We've been talking about that 404 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: a lot. They were roaming off of Keegan Murray with 405 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 1: Chet Holmgren, and that burned them a little bit. Keegan 406 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: got twenty eight points and most of them were on 407 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: threes when chet was roaming or digging down into the lane. 408 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 1: But the end result was a disaster for DeRozan and 409 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: Levine and the Kings couldn't score. They combined for just 410 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: twenty nine points on thirty one shots between those two guys. 411 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: I thought Caruso in particular, did a great job of 412 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: pressuring Levine, forced him to rush on his drives. Levine 413 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: would be running right into heart and sign at the rim, 414 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: and he just was hesitant to test heart and sign 415 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: at the rim, so he'd like drop it off to 416 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 1: Valenceiunis underneath the basket. But because Hartenstein didn't have to 417 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: jump at the rim, he's just right there and then 418 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: he would just tie up Valenceiunis on the catch. I've 419 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: really been enjoying watching Alex Crusoe on defense lately. He 420 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: just does all the little things that you see the 421 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: great defenders in NBA history do. Starts with pressure off ball. 422 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 1: When he's guarding a score, he's staying attached to the 423 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: body on ball. He's applying pressure as they come up 424 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: the floor. But when you start trying to attack him, 425 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 1: he attacks you. As a defender in every phase of 426 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: the shot you're trying to take. I was watching him 427 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: guard DeMar Derozen on a post up and Damar really 428 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: drops that left shoulder and bumps him and Crusoe absorbs 429 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: the contact, so he kind of disrupts the base a 430 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: little bit. Right Then as Derozen spun into the right 431 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: shoulder fade, he swipes at the gather. So again, as 432 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: the shooter's gathering the ball in the shooting pocket, there's 433 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: a moment where the ball is exposed in front. That's 434 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: a great opportunity for a defender to disrupt the gatherer 435 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: by swiping at the basketball. Then after the gather, DeMar 436 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: DeRozan rises up into the right shoulder fade and Cruzo 437 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: gets a contest on the shot. And I was sitting 438 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:25,959 Speaker 1: there thinking, I was like, every time I watch one 439 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: of the elite defenders in the league, this is the 440 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: way they guard. They you think of a contest. And this, 441 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: by the way, is why you know it's impossible to 442 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,160 Speaker 1: quantify all the little minute details in basketball, and why 443 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: even something silly like like, oh, contested shot percentage versus 444 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: regular shot percentage doesn't factor in what kind of contest 445 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: was it. I'll give you an example I remember when 446 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: KD hit the game winner against not the game winner, 447 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: but the Yeah it was the game winner ended up 448 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:54,719 Speaker 1: being the game winner in game three. I think of 449 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: the twenty seventeen Finals, the one where he hit the 450 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 1: kind of transition hesitation pull up three on Lebron. Bron 451 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: got his hand up. Lebron's there had his hand up. 452 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: That'll go down in the books as a contested three. 453 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: Do you think KD was uncomfortable at all on that shot. No, 454 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: he just rose right up into it in rhythm and 455 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: knocked it down because Lebron did not disrupt Katie's base 456 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: and he did not disrupt Katie's gather. There's all of 457 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: these different phases to a shot that you have to 458 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: disrupt in order to make an offensive player uncomfortable. Bump 459 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: them on the base so that when they get their 460 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: lift it feels different than when they're shooting or alone 461 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: in the gym. If you get any sort of contact 462 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: on the shooting pocket, like if you hit the basketball 463 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: a little bit there, you'll disrupt their energy transfer. That's 464 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: the power that they drive from their feet up through 465 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: their gather up to the top of the shot. Then 466 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: getting a contest on the top of the shot is 467 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: a great way to tie all of that together. Alex 468 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: Cruso is amazing at this concept, this idea of disrupting 469 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: all three phases of a shot, and it's a very 470 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: important detail to what puts a defensive player into another 471 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: stretch at his sphere, making stars and other shot creators uncomfortable. 472 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: The Kings went on a little bit of a run 473 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: in the late third quarter that cut the lead down 474 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: to six, and then shake Gildess Alexander just decided that 475 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: their fund was over. He just drove right past Jake 476 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 1: Laabia for dunk, drove right by him again and drew 477 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: a foul. They switched Keon Ellis onto him, and he 478 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: shot a step back three on the left wing that 479 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: he hit. The lead was right back to eleven. All 480 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: of Sacramento's momentum was gone and they never got that 481 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: close again. This, to me, is one of the defining 482 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: characteristics of a superstar in the NBA, one of the 483 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: biggest responsibilities on the shoulders of players who have that role. 484 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: You are the guy with the superpower. You have the 485 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 1: thing that you do that nobody can stop when things 486 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: are getting messy and your teammates who don't have superpowers 487 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: are struggling to find their footing. Sometimes you have to 488 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 1: force the issue, find a way to make a few 489 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: plays to regain control of the situation. Cha's team needed 490 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: him in that spot to just get a few buckets 491 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 1: to settle things down, his superpower being his downhill driving ability. 492 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: And oh, you switched a smaller guard onto him to 493 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: try to get away from the dribble penetration and he 494 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,159 Speaker 1: hits a jump shot over the top. He just straight 495 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,160 Speaker 1: up forced the issue, generated seven quick points, and any 496 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,919 Speaker 1: momentum that Sacramento had was gone. The Thunder have won 497 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: seven in a row. Now they're the first team in 498 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 1: the league this year to get to sixty wins if 499 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: they go ten, and oh, they'll get to seventy over 500 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: the course of the final couple weeks. They are now 501 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,160 Speaker 1: two games up on Cleveland for the best record in basketball, 502 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 1: starting to really separate. And they're doing all of this 503 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: without j Dubb. Just a remarkable season for the Thunder. 504 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: All right, Hawks, Rockets. So the Rockets handled the Hawks 505 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: at home to win their tenth game and eleven. Trucks 506 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: a little bit of a light stretching the schedule, but 507 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: there's a handful of impressive wins, and they're Jalen Green 508 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: goes off for thirty two points in this one. He's 509 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: getting to the rim at will. He found some matchups 510 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: that he liked throughout the game. He attacked Trey a 511 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: few times. He went at Vit Kretschie quite a bit, 512 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: Garrison Matthews quite a bit. Gave some wild buckets to 513 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: Terrence Man. He had a baseline spin on him that 514 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: like literally left Terrence stuck in the mud. 515 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 2: Threw down a dunk. Had had two nasty dunks. 516 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: In this game, because he had one where he split 517 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: I think it was an an Yeka congu and a 518 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: ball screen where Dyson Daniels was trailing him and ended 519 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: up just going up the elevator at the semi circle 520 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: and throwing down a jackhammer. He also hit one of 521 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: the biggest shots of the game against Terrence Man, like 522 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: a little fifteen foot fade away along the right baseline. 523 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: He had two huge stabilizing buckets after Atlanta made their run. 524 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: Similar to the Sacramento game with OKC, Houston controls the 525 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: game right away from the start, build a big lead. 526 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: They go on a late third quarter run gets the 527 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: lead down. Atlanta actually cut this down to four at 528 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 1: one point. Terrence Man had a nice little scoring run, 529 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: hit a big three, hit a little mid range fade 530 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: away in the lane. They cut it down to four 531 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: and Jalen Green makes four plays down the stretch that 532 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: kind of ice the game. He has a driving layup 533 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: against Vit Kretschie that gets goaltended off the glass. He 534 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: has another driving and one shot against Zachary Rosa Chet, 535 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: a little like kind of fading jump shot after he 536 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: gets some contact on a drive. He attacks Trey Young 537 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 1: in action and draws him into a two on the 538 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: ball situation where Trey hedges and then tries to recover, 539 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: but they swing the ball out of it quickly. And 540 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: against Jabari Smith Junior, a wide open three on the 541 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: right wing that he knocks down that again was generated 542 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: by Atlanta putting two on the ball because of the 543 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: damage that Jalen Green was doing attacking matchups in those situations. 544 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: And then he hit the dagger over Terrence Man. Really 545 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: really impressive game from Jalen Green. He's had at least 546 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: twenty eight points in five of his last eight games. 547 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: I thought Shang gun was a big problem Frontlanta and 548 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: this one. It's crazy how often I've watched the Rockets, 549 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: and the biggest thing that stands out to me is 550 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: that the other team just can't guard Shangun and it 551 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: just changes the dynamic of the game. There is no 552 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: Clint Capella for the Hawks in this game, so it's 553 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: a combination of Nyika Congu, Georges Niang, and Dominic Barlow 554 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: who are getting the Shang assignments, and Shangyun just killed 555 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: those guys. Niang and Barlow especially. He had a couple 556 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: of plays against Niang and Barlow where he scored on 557 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 1: them like one on two, and it just didn't matter 558 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: because he was just going through them. He also made 559 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: a huge play in that late run that we talked about. 560 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:15,439 Speaker 1: He posted a congou in the middle of the floor, 561 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: drew a double team swing swing got a wide open 562 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: three for Jabari Smith. Shout out to Jabari Smith, by 563 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: the way, just three for nine from three in the game, 564 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: but hit some huge ones late in the game that 565 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: were really important. I want to zoom in on the 566 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: defensive end for a minute, though, because the Rockets ran 567 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: a ton of zone in this game, and they've been 568 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: running a ton of zone as of late. This is 569 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 1: actually a crazy stat According to Synergy, the Houston Rockets 570 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: ran zero possessions of zone defense in their first twenty 571 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: nine or excuse me, in their first fifty nine games 572 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: this season, zero possessions of zone in fifty nine games. 573 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: They've run two hundred and forty two possessions of zone 574 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: in the last fourteen games. That's over seventeen possessions of 575 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: zone a game. 576 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 2: Now. 577 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: It's been matchup specific like they've run it over forty 578 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: times in three games specifically against Atlanta or and OKC. 579 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: A lot of like speedy, kind of transition attack types 580 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: of teams. Right, But they're running it at least a 581 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: little bit every game and it's working. They're allowing just 582 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: zero point eighty six points per possession with their zone defense. 583 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: That's the third best in the entire NBA. They're running 584 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: two different variations of it, and they're both built out 585 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: of a two to three base. But they have a 586 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: version with Steven Adams at center where he lags more 587 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 1: back around the rim. It's more of a traditional two 588 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: three zone. And then they have a version where they 589 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: put Jabari Smith Junior at the center position. The de 590 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: facto center position under the basket, and they'll have him 591 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: be much more active coming up the floor, so like he'll, 592 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: like when they're looking to drive on the top guy, 593 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: he'll like be up around the elbow just waiting in help. 594 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: Or if someone flashes to the middle of the floor 595 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: to try to catch, Jabari will come up and the 596 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: two guys on the wing will kind of shrink down 597 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: around him. It's more of like a a Meeba matchup 598 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: zone kind of thing with Jabari Smith out there at 599 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: the at the center position. But like it works because 600 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: the active in their zone. They pressure the ball, meaning 601 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: like they don't just sit back, they get up and 602 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: guard the ball. They move and shift as a unit. 603 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: They ran forty eight possessions of a zone in this 604 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,719 Speaker 1: game against Atlanta, and Atlanta managed to zero point eight 605 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: eight points per possession. As a comparison, Houston attacking Atlanta's 606 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 1: man demand coverage got one point one to one points 607 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: per possessions, or a dominating performance on the heels of 608 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 1: their I should say on the strength of their zone defense. 609 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: It's worth mentioning that the Rockets have played a relatively 610 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:34,959 Speaker 1: light schedule in this ten and one stretch, but It's 611 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: also worth mentioning that they've really been scoring the ball. 612 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: They have a one to nineteen offensive rating in this 613 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: eleven game span that ranks eighth in the NBA. And remember, 614 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 1: even at their best, they've struggled to score this year. 615 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: Still number four in defense over the last eleven games, 616 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: they've been the number one rebounding team in the league 617 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: over that span. The offense is the interesting trend though, 618 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: because if they can continue to maintain that level of 619 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: offensive production against the league competition, they've become way more 620 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,239 Speaker 1: dangerous as a playoff threat. It's been kind of like 621 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: a bi committee sort of thing. They have seven players 622 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:11,239 Speaker 1: averaging double figures. Fred van Vliet is back and he's 623 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: shooting the three ball really well. Dylan Brooks in the 624 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: seven game span, excuse me, in this eleven game span 625 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: is taking over seven threes a game and he's hitting 626 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: forty one percent of them. Shane Goon eighteen points per game, 627 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: fifty four from the field, forty three percent from three 628 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: in that span. Tarry Easen is pouring in fifteen points 629 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: a game in the span. They're just getting a lot 630 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: of contributions around the board, and they're really scoring the ball. Well, 631 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: the Rockets are playing some very good basketball. All right, guys, 632 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: it's all I have for today. As always, this sincerely 633 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 1: appreciate you guys for supporting me and supporting the show, 634 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: the game plan as of right now. We're going live 635 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: tonight on YouTube after the final buzzer of Celtic Suns 636 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: to break that game down as well as the Lakers 637 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: Pacers game. That's going to be a really fun one. 638 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: I think that's a great test to the Lakers because 639 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,239 Speaker 1: they're a fast team that plays in transition a lot, 640 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: and they've got a quick guard, and that's a couple 641 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: of things that have caused the Lakers issues over the 642 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: course of the season. So I'll be really interested to 643 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: watch that one as well. I look forward to seeing 644 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: you guys. Then I will see you guys on YouTube. 645 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 2: Today the volume What's Up? Guys. 646 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 647 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us 648 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second and leave a 649 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys 650 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: supporting us, but if you could take a minute to 651 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: do that, I'd really appreciate it.