1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: The Volume. All right, welcome to hop tonight. You're at 2 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: the Volume. Happy Wednesday, everybody. I hope all of you 3 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: guys are having a great week so far. We are 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: also live on AMPS, so if you're watching on YouTube 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: or listening on the podcast feeds, don't forget that AMP 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: is the very first place that you guys can get 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: these shows. We're continuing our player rankings of the last 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 1: twenty five years today with twenty one, twenty nineteen and eighteen, 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: taking a look back at some guys that have been 10 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: out of the league for a little while. You guys 11 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: know the drip. Before we get started, subscribe to the 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 13 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore Jason lt so you 14 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: guys don't miss an show announcements. And if, for whatever reason, 15 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: you guys miss one of these videos and you can't 16 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: get back over to YouTube to finish, don't forget you 17 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: can find them wherever you get your podcasts under Hoops Tonight, 18 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,639 Speaker 1: Last but not least, before we get started. Last night, 19 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: I got to run up to Phoenix to watch an 20 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: early screening of the Grand Turismo movie based on a 21 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: true story. Super super interesting story about this contest that 22 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: Nissan held where they had all these really good Grand 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: Tarisma players from around the world basically compete for an 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: opportunity to then get to learn how to race real 25 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: cars and then experience real success in the real racing 26 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: scene from that, which is interesting based on the simple 27 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: idea that Grand Arismo was a racing simulator, not a 28 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: game we all played like Need for Speed and Road 29 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: Rash and all those like weird racing games that were 30 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: more you know, comical and over the top and very 31 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: you know, unrealistic, and then if you played Grand Turismo, 32 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: you couldn't just floor it through every single turn you 33 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: had to break. You had to actually embrace some of 34 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: the realities of racing. And so it makes some sense 35 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: that that would translate directly towards the actual racing experience. 36 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: And I thought it was really cool in the beginning 37 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: part of the movie how they kind of broke down 38 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: how the creator of Grand Arismo worked really really hard 39 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: to make it as realistic as possible, which is kind 40 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: of cool how those two things kind of bridged. But 41 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: you know, the entire movie hinges on David Harbor and 42 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: Archie Medeck we're doing just an incredible job acting because 43 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 1: it's such a unique kind of premise, right, and David 44 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: Harbor is just a freak talent and he's absolutely hilarious 45 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: throughout the entire movie. And then I thought Archie kind 46 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: of stole the show. He's super, super talented actor. You 47 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: have to be like super invested in a storyline like 48 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: this as a watcher of the movie to enjoy it, 49 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: and in order for that to happen, you've got to 50 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: have really really high level acting, and Archie just straight 51 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: up knocked it out of the park. The cinematography is 52 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: insaying I highly recommend seeing it in theaters. They use 53 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: a bunch of different camera effects, like drones and different 54 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: camera angles that are up close to the vehicle to 55 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: really capture the intensity of that type of racing. Honestly, 56 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 1: it's like a visceral experience when you're in the theater, 57 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: especially when you're invested in the stakes that are at play, 58 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: but you're like clinging to the seat because it's just 59 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: this intense visceral experience because of the high quality cinematography. 60 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: I thoroughly enjoyed it. Like I said, I highly recommend 61 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:02,399 Speaker 1: you guys see in them theaters. It is a little 62 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: bit of something for everyone. It's also super fast paced 63 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: and keeps you engaged throughout it. I was looking just 64 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: for fun at the Rotten Tomatoes this morning. Ninety eight 65 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: percent of audience members who went to go see it 66 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: gave it a thumbs up rating, which I think is 67 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: not the least bit surprising because my wife and I 68 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a really cool little date night 69 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: for us. Grant There's Mill based on a true story, 70 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: is exclusively in movie theaters tomorrow. Get your tickets today, 71 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: rated PG thirteen. All right, let's talk some basketball. So 72 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: before we get into twenty one, twenty nineteen and eighteen, 73 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: a couple of things that I noticed in the comments. 74 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: As is always the case when I do lists, I 75 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: immediately pissed people off. That's just how it works. I 76 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: had people complaining about Tracy McGrady not being in the list. 77 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: I'd someone say that I was vastly overrated or underrating 78 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: Paul George in this particular discussion, but by far the 79 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: biggest one that people got upset about was Chris Paul. 80 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: So I d to elaborate on that really quick. Again. 81 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: I chose thirty one players for this list, and then 82 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: I had to narrow it down to twenty five. Chris 83 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: Paul was on that list of thirty one players. From there, 84 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: I had a list of criteria that I used, and again, 85 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: like everyone's criteria is different, Like, I'm sorry, but if 86 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: I set different criteria, my list could look completely different, 87 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: and the six guys that don't make it are probably 88 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: going to be a completely different six guys. Just like 89 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: if I gave you guys a list of criteria and 90 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: had you build the list, it could look completely different 91 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: based on what you guys interpret those specific things to be. 92 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: And I had six criteria yesterday that I broke down 93 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: and Chris Paul didn't perform well in those specific six criteria, 94 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: which is why he missed the cut of twenty five. 95 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean he wasn't one of the most impactful 96 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: players of this era. He absolutely was. Obviously I had 97 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: him in that top thirty one, right. But the reality 98 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 1: is anytime I set any sort of parameters, there are 99 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: going to be people that get squeezed. The best example 100 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: I can give you guys as like that. I was 101 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: thinking about this this morning, about the ticket Master kind 102 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 1: of fiasco I personally have had issues with ticket Master 103 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: in the past, and so like I understand the plight 104 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: of like Zach Bryan being like, I'm not gonna use 105 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: ticket Master anymore. I'm gonna use a lottery. And I 106 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: actually happen to get fortunate and win one of those lotteries, 107 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: and I'm going to see Zach Bryan on Friday. But 108 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: like each system has holes, right, Like the ticket Master 109 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: system favors the people with money. So if you're willing 110 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: to pay an arm and a leg to go see 111 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: a show, you can go see whatever you want because 112 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: you can find a ticket at some price based on 113 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: the market value, and you can go see a movie 114 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: but or the show. But the people that get squeezed 115 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: are the people without money, right, And then you go 116 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: to the Zach Bryan method, or it's like we're gonna 117 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: do a lottery and all of a sudden, it's the 118 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: people that are willing to pay more that gets squeezed. 119 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: So you could be the biggest Zach Brian fan in 120 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: the world and you could save up five hundred dollars 121 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: to go see him in Phoenix. But if you lose 122 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: the lottery, you just don't get to see him. And 123 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: so the point is like, no matter where you set 124 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: your criteria, no matter where you set your parameters, there 125 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: are gonna be things that slipped through the cracks. And 126 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: for me, in my list, I was very heavy on, 127 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: you know, playoff accomplishments and big career defining achievements, and 128 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: Chris Paul just doesn't really have one of those. Like 129 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: he hit a really big shot in a first round 130 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: series against the San Antonio Spurs in a Game seven 131 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: to win the series, and then fell apart down the 132 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: stretch in that Houston Rocket series, right, Like, it's just 133 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: with Chris Paul, there's just like there's these big moments, 134 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: but there's just everything is missing, the crescendo. And so again, 135 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: like you guys know how much I value Chris Paul. 136 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: Those of you guys have been listening to the show 137 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: for a while, you probably remember the way I talked 138 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: about him in the playoffs last year as he was 139 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 1: destroying the New Orleans Pelicans and playing so well at 140 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: the beginning of the Maverick series. You guys have heard 141 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: me talk about Chris Paul and how much I appreciate 142 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: and respect him. But within this particular list and the 143 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: specific set of parameters that I set up. He was 144 00:06:58,360 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: one of the people that got squeezed out of a 145 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: list of thirty one players, right, So I just wanted 146 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: to kind of break that down again. Like, if I 147 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: put Chris Paul in and I take Russell Westbrook out, 148 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: there's gonna be a million people pissed off that Russell 149 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: Westbrook's not in it. If I put Chris paul in 150 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: and I take Jimmy Butler out, every single Miami Heat 151 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: fan is gonna be like, what the hell, dude, He 152 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: has eight forty point playoff games and has been the 153 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: best player on two NBA Finals teams. What the hell 154 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: are you doing? Right, Like, there's no satisfying this type 155 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: of list. But for me personally, I'm going to value 156 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: playoff winning over just about anything else. There are players 157 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: on this list that were frequently considered lesser players than 158 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: Chris paul but they were major parts of championship teams. 159 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: A couple of those guys we're going to talk about 160 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: today in a couple of guards, right. So, Like, again, 161 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: this is just my system. It's not a perfect system. 162 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: If I change the parameters, it's gonna turn out different. 163 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: I know some of you guys disagree with me, but 164 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: I just wanted to kind of lay out my pathway 165 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: for you guys so that you understand it a little 166 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: bit better. So yesterday we had four players who had 167 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: never won an NBA championship. In that twenty five, twenty four, 168 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: twenty three, and twenty two. From this point forward, every 169 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: single player except for two is an NBA champion. So 170 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: that kind of gives you an idea of the way 171 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: that I value that specific accomplishment. Also, the two players 172 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: that did not win NBA championships were some of the 173 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: most iconic players from this particular era. Actually, those of 174 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: you guys in the comments, take a guess, there's two 175 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: players in the rest of the list that are not champions. 176 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: I want to see if any of you guys can 177 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: get that right. Put that in the comments, and none 178 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: of them are in today's video, for whatever that's worth. 179 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: All right, let's start with number twenty one, Tony Parker, 180 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: the second best player on three championship teams. There was 181 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 1: a couple of years there where he was a little 182 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: closer to managing nobly, but if you watch the Spurs, 183 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: you always feared Tony Parker a little bit more of 184 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: than Manu. I viewed him as like the definitive second 185 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: best player on that team. Basically from five on. He 186 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: was a four time NBA champion with the Spurs, though 187 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: and three five seven in twenty fourteen, and he was 188 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: the MVP of the two thousand and seven NBA Finals. 189 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: Ever made a first team All NBA, but he did 190 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: make four All NBA teams, including back to back to 191 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: back second team All nbas in the early twenty tens. 192 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: His prime stats. Now again, keeping and those of you 193 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: guys who didn't see the previous video, I'm going to 194 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: talk about their stats and their prime, their claim to fame, 195 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: basically the thing that they're remembered for, their archetype. Just 196 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 1: kind of talk a little bit about what they were 197 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: like as basketball players, their career defining achievement, basically whatever 198 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: their absolute peak was, and the last, but not least, 199 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: the biggest what if of their career. So Tony Parker's 200 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: prime stats. Now, keep in mind the Spurs were kind 201 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: of like the Warriors. Before the Warriors, they were kind 202 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: of equal opportunity, even more so than the Warriors are, 203 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: and a ton of ball movement, a ton of player movement. 204 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: It wasn't a lot of like, just give one guy 205 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: the ball and let him run the entire offense, and 206 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 1: so as a result, their accounting stats were never overly impressive. 207 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: So the two fourteen Spurs, for instance, the last championship 208 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 1: of that dynasty, they didn't have a single player average 209 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: over seventeen points for that entire season, and they won 210 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: the championship. In the two thousand and seven and two 211 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: thousand and five seasons, they didn't have a single player 212 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: average over twenty one points. Tim Duncan was right at 213 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: about twenty in both of those seasons, So statistical production 214 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: with the Spurs is never going to pop like some 215 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: of the other players on this list, But they won 216 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: a shit ton of basketball games, and Tony Parker was 217 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: the second best player on that team. So that's why, again, 218 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: box score numbers can't tell the entire story in this 219 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: particular case. Even like Tim Duncan, who was near the 220 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: top of this list, is a guy that didn't necessarily 221 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,319 Speaker 1: have overwhelmingly eye popping statistical production over the second half 222 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: of his career because of the way that team was 223 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: put together. So I have Tony Parker's prime from two 224 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: thousand and five to twenty fourteen, he had eighteen points, 225 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: three rebounds, and six assists per game in that stretch 226 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: fifty six percent true shooting. In the playoffs, twenty points 227 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: per game, three rebounds, and six assists on fifty three 228 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: percent true shooting. So, like again, as is always the 229 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: case when you get to the later phases of the 230 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: NBA playoffs, a lot of teams that rely heavily on 231 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: motion teams can scout that and get ahead of it 232 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: a little bit and things devolve more into traditional, you know, 233 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: kind of static shot creation, like pick and rolls, post 234 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: ups and ISOs right, and so Tony Parker was actually 235 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: the guy that the Spurs leaned on a lot in 236 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: those particular situations over the second half of their dynasty. 237 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: So the way I look at it, like the Spurs 238 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: dynasty has kind of split into three phases. So there's 239 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: like the first phase where they win the first two titles, 240 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: where Tim Duncan is just arguably the best player in 241 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: the league, depending on who you ask, I think it 242 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: was shocked, but like he was right there with him right. 243 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: It was like basically Shack, Kobe and Tim Duncan were 244 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: the three best players in the league, and it was 245 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan's dominance that really carried the Spurs over that stretch. 246 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: Then there's kind of like this middle phase, and this 247 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: is where you get to the five seven Championships, where 248 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan is still really really good, but man who 249 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: and Tony Parker are on the rise. And as they're 250 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: on the rise, you know, things are starting to become 251 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: a little bit more equal opportunity and those guys are 252 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: getting more touches and big playoff moments, and it's more 253 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: of like a team dynamic rather than leaning heavily heavily 254 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: on Tim Duncan, even though Tim Duncan was clearly the 255 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: best player on the team during that stretch. But then 256 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: there was that stretch in the early twenty tents, right 257 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: where they make it to the NBA Finals and nearly 258 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: win against the Miami Heat and then beat the Miami 259 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: Heat in twenty fourteen. During that stretch, like Tim Duncan 260 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: was still probably the best player on the team depending 261 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,599 Speaker 1: on who you ask, but it was much more convoluted 262 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: and on any given night, Tony Parker could have been 263 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: the best player on their team, and that gap between 264 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: Tony Parker and Tim Duncan was actually very small. And 265 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: so when we say Tony Parker was the second best 266 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: player on a championship team, this is not you know, 267 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: this is not the second best player on the team 268 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: the way that like Andrew Wiggins was for Steph Curry 269 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: last year. Right like this is we have Tim Duncan 270 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: and Tony Parker were pretty close to each other and 271 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: overall impact at this point in their particular career. So 272 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: Tony Parker was pretty resoundingly considered one of the ten 273 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: best players in the league during the span I mean, 274 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: second team All NBA twice, and was one of the 275 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: best playoff players in the league at that particular stretch 276 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: of time. But like I said, like things would break 277 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: down in the playoffs and they'd have to rely more 278 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: on static shock creation than they do in the regular season. 279 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: That's where Tony Parker's value came in big in those situations. 280 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: So Tony's archetype. He was just a blazing quick speed guard, 281 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: just like an absurdly quick little guard. He had one 282 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: of the nastiest spin moves in the league, a spin 283 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: move that I think a lot of players have copied 284 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: from him. There's a specific set of footwork that he 285 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: can use too, like he can do it off with 286 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 1: two feet, but he also had like a one foot 287 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: spin that was kind of ridiculous. Or instead of like 288 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: establishing like firm pivots with both feet, he's kind of 289 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: like pure wetting through the lane off of one leg. 290 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: He had a ridiculously good floater. Everyone called it the 291 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: tear drop at the time, and it's interesting to me 292 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: that no one calls it a tear drop anymore, because 293 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: that was basically just the Tony Parker thing right. Synergy 294 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: did not start tracking floaters until two thousand and eight, 295 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: so I can't pull it up for the early stretch 296 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: of his career. But in two thousand and eight, Tony 297 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 1: Parker shot seventy four percent on floaters. In two thousand 298 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: and nine he shot sixty six percent on floaters, and 299 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: in twenty ten he shot sixty four percent on floaters. 300 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: He was like the Kola Jokic with that little pop 301 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 1: shot in the lane on the drive. He had to 302 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: lean on it a lot more in the early twenty 303 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: tens as he started to slow down a little bit, 304 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: but he was still deadly with it. In twenty thirteen, 305 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: he made ninety four of them at a fifty one 306 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: percent clip, so he's taking them several times a game, 307 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: but he was making more than half of them. He 308 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 1: was always one of the highest volume pick and roll 309 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: guys in the league. Super super gifted passer guys were 310 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: obsessed with kind of going underneath screens on Tony Parker 311 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: to try to cut off his driving lanes and try 312 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: to turn him into a jump shooter. Early in his 313 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: career he struggled with jump shooting, but then he kind 314 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: of figured it out towards the end. In two thousand 315 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: and five, kind of the beginning of his prime, he 316 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: only made sixty six pull up jump shots all year 317 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: and only shot thirty seven percent effective field goal percentage 318 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: on them. But by the time we got to twenty thirteen, 319 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: he made one hundred and fifty nine pull up jump 320 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: shots on forty six percent effective field goal percentage. So 321 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: he just worked incredibly hard to build out a reliable 322 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: mid range pull up jump shot to use against teams 323 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: that would go underneath on pick and roll, and then 324 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: then he really started to use that to weaponize his passing, 325 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: as he would kind of like bait guys into coming out, 326 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: specifically the big man to come out to show on 327 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: that pull up jump shot and then he'd flip it 328 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: down to to Tim Duncan or Thiago Splitter underneath the basket. 329 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: He was really really gifted pick and role player. In 330 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: the twenty thirteen season, there were fifteen players in the league. 331 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: Similar to this year, there were fifteen players in the 332 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: league ran at least one thousand pick and rolls, and 333 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: Tony Parker ranked second in the entire NBA inefficiency. First 334 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: was Chris Paul, which I'm sure all of you Chris 335 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: Paul fans will want to rub in my face to 336 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: further make me pay for my outrageous pick. His crowning 337 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: achievement two thousand and seven NBA Finals MVP, Tim Duncan 338 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: was the best player on that team pretty clearly. Like 339 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: in twenty fourteen, it was up for debate two thousand 340 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: and seven, Tim Duncan was the best player on that team, 341 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: but Tony Parker scoring was a huge part in that 342 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: specific playoff run. It's also one of the big reasons 343 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: why I'm not a huge fan of the Finals MVP 344 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: award as it's currently constructed. To me, the Finals MVP 345 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: should always go to the player who is the best 346 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: player on the championship team, and just because a specific 347 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: matchup leads to one player performing better in an NBA 348 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: Finals shouldn't a lot of times, just statistically, not in 349 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: what's actually happening on the court, because a lot of 350 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: times schematics are what's pushing opportunities to a different player. 351 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: See Andre Gudala in the twenty fifteen finals, right. But 352 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: to me, I would rather call it instead of like 353 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: a Finals MVP, I would just call it like a 354 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: championship MVP. And then whoever wins the championship, you give 355 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: the trophy to the player that's clearly their best player 356 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: from the start of the regular season all the way 357 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: through to the end when they hoist the trophy. To me, 358 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: that's what that trophy should be for. But that's not 359 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: how it works. We have a Finals MVP trophy, and 360 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: Tony Parker was the second best player on that team, 361 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: but he averaged twenty one points per game in that 362 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: playoff run and averaged twenty five points per game in 363 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on sixty 364 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: percent true shooting, winning his first and only Finals MVP award. 365 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: Biggest one if of Tony Parker's career, in my opinion, 366 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: was the Ray Allen three point shot. So I actually 367 00:16:58,040 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: posted a video not of the three but of the 368 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: two shots that preceded it on my Twitter feeds. You 369 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: guys can find it there if you go look. But 370 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 1: this is a huge what if in my opinion, because 371 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: I just broke down kind of for you guys. The 372 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: crowning achievement of Tony Parker. Right, he wins back to 373 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: back to back second team All NBA's right, he's arguably 374 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: the best player, second best player on the twenty thirteen 375 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen Spurs that make it to the finals twice 376 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: and wins the championship in twenty fourteen. But in twenty thirteen, 377 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: there was a moment where the Heat were up by 378 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: three and the series was the series was three to 379 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: two San Antonio, right, and they're in Miami. So San 380 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: Antonio wins, they win the finals, and there's this play. 381 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: I want to say, there's about a minute and a 382 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: half left if I remember correctly, but there's this play 383 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: where Tony Parker's working on Lebron James and you know 384 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: this is prime Lebron, right, Like he's switching onto any 385 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: player that he needs to guard, and he's one of 386 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: the best defensive players in the league, probably the best 387 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: player in the league defensively and offensively at that phase 388 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: in his career. He's switched out on to Tony Parker. 389 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: He's got to shut him down because the game's on 390 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: the line, right Well, they start trying to set picks 391 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: to get somebody else switched on to Tony Parker, and 392 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: Lebron just like screw that. He's fighting through every pick. 393 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: He stays with him, and the shot clock runs out 394 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,360 Speaker 1: and Tony Parker has to take this ridiculous step back 395 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: three from the top of the key and he drains 396 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: it to tie the game. And then on the very 397 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: next possession, he's working in pick and roll and he 398 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: gets downhill on Mario Chalmers, and Chalmers kind of cuts 399 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: him off, and he's stuck with his back to the basket, 400 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: like literally stuck with his left foot pivot foot with 401 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: the rim over here, with his back to the basket, 402 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: and he just kind of pivots over his shoulder and 403 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 1: makes this like ridiculous short right handed jump shot in 404 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: the lane, just a ridiculously difficult shot, and it actually 405 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: puts the Spurs up by two and from there, we 406 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: get into the free throw contest. Lebron has those turnovers, 407 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: but then he get into the free throw contest, and 408 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: then Lebron hits the three, and then I think Kawhi 409 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: misses the free throw on the next one, and then 410 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 1: ray Allen hits the three that ties the game. We 411 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: go to overtime, the Heat win, and then he'd end 412 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: up winning the series. But literally, that entire arena was 413 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: shell shocked after those two shots. The Spurs were up 414 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: by two, and if they would have made their free throws, 415 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: they would have literally won the NBA Championship. I think, 416 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: man who Genobii missed one, and I think Kawhi Leonard 417 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: missed one. Those are the two guys you missed in 418 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: that situation. But let's just pretend that ray Allen doesn't 419 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: make that crazy corner three. Tony Parker has now stolen 420 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 1: the twenty thirteen NBA Finals. And again, like obviously you 421 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: lose that game, Miami's favored in Game seven, they're probably 422 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: gonna win. They end up actually winning in Game seven, right, 423 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: So like game six essentially determines the series, it flips. 424 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: The entire series flips on that particular outcome and Tony 425 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: Parker came this close to stealing it. Now, let me 426 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: reframe this era from the standpoint of Tony Parker making 427 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: back to back to back second team All NBA's a 428 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: two time champion the Finals MVP potentially in two thousand 429 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: and twenty thirteen, and arguably the best player on the 430 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: team during those two years, depending on who you ask. 431 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: Suddenly that vaults Tony Parker into some ridiculous conversations, right, So, 432 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,239 Speaker 1: like that's a really interesting what if. And Tony Parker's curb. 433 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: But he's one of those guys that, like, because of 434 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: his statistical production, he's never gonna be viewed on the 435 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: same level as some of his peers. But like, if 436 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: you were there, you were terrified of Tony Parker when 437 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: he had the ball and there was a big moment 438 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: where he had an opportunity to beat you. I remember, 439 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 1: even after the Ray Allen three, Lebron James guarded Tony 440 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: Parker full court, and I still remember as a fan, 441 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: and you guys, I'm a big Lebron fan. I'm watching 442 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: that like just scared the hell that that Tony Parker's 443 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: gonna dribble down and score. He ends up throwing up 444 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: some crazy shot along the baseline and misses it. But 445 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 1: like Tony Parker was a terrifying player to root against. 446 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: He was one of those guys that in any playoff 447 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: setting could outplay any of the best stars in the league. 448 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: And then if you were there, you'd probably remember Tony 449 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,239 Speaker 1: Parker in a similar fashion. And he's probably a good 450 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: example of that thing I'm talking about with Chris Paul, right, 451 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: because like most gms would probably take Chris Paul over 452 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: those years, right, But like you know, I'm a big 453 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: believer in actual playoff results, and just Tony Arker was 454 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: just there on the biggest stage, just doing it time 455 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: and time again, and it's a big part of why 456 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: he's a four time NBA champion. All Right, number twenty 457 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: Paul Pierce, he was the second best player on one 458 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: championship team, never made a first team All NBA, three 459 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 1: All NBA teams though, and he won the NBA Finals 460 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: MVP in two thousand and eight. This is another kind 461 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: of guy that kind of fits that mold, right, Like 462 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,239 Speaker 1: you look at Paul George and he's got all of 463 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: the All NBA selections more than Paul Pierce does, right, 464 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: And he's you know that the highs or the regular 465 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: season highs with Paul George or so high. Right, But 466 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: like anybody who was in the league during Paul Pierce's 467 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: era thought more highly of Paul Pierce than this era 468 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: thinks of Paul George in terms of how what he's 469 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: capable of relative to his peers. So it's another good 470 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: example of this particular dynamic. His prime stats I put 471 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: his prime down from two thousand and one to twenty thirteen. 472 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: In that stretch, in the regular season, he averaged twenty 473 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: two six to four on fifty seven percent through shooting, 474 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 1: and in the playoffs he average twenty one six and 475 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: four on fifty five percent tru shooting. His claim to fame. 476 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: It's funny I saw this the yesterday or two days 477 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: ago on Twitter, someone like took a video of Paul 478 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: Pierce shooting some random game and someone goes like, man, 479 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: you know, Twitter would have you thinking Paul Pierce was 480 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 1: just another Jimmy Butler or another Paul George. Now, to 481 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: be clear, as you guys know, I obviously have Paul 482 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: Pierce over both, right, because Jimmy Butler is further back 483 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: on this list and Paul George is one of the 484 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: guys who was like in the running but didn't actually 485 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: make it right. So I agree in principle in the 486 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: sense that I view Paul Pierce above those guys. But 487 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 1: I think Jimmy Butler is the perfect cop for Paul Pierce. 488 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say he's the Jimmy Butler of this era. 489 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: I'd say Jimmy Butler is the Paul Pierce of his era, right, 490 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: because Paul Pierce came first, and I think Paul Pierce 491 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,640 Speaker 1: is the better player. But he's another one of those guys. 492 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: It's kind of a super weird archetype and was never 493 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: truly considered to be on the same level as the 494 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 1: guys at the buried top of the league. But in 495 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: any one game setting against those guys, he was capable 496 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: of out playing them. To me, that is like the 497 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: spitting image of that Jimmy Butler type of archetype. And 498 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: I think when I saw that tweet, all I thought 499 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: was like, Oh, people are massively underrating Jimmy Butler. I've 500 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: said this before on the show, but Jimmy Butler has 501 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: scored forty points in a playoff game eight times. He's 502 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: scored thirty points in a playoff game like twenty something 503 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: times and more times than Paul Pierce. I think Paul 504 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: Pierce only has three forty point playoff games. Now, different era, 505 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 1: higher usage, higher pace, all those different things. But the 506 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: point is is, like, it's not an insult to Paul 507 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: Pierce to put him in the same conversation as Jimmy Butler. 508 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 1: You guys know how highly I think of Jimmy Butler. 509 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: I just think Paul Pierce kind of fits a similar 510 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: mold in his particular era. And while I've alway talked 511 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: about Jimmy Butler is kind of like a miniature version 512 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: of Lebron James, to me, Paul Pierce was kind of 513 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: like a chubbier, less athletic version of Kobe Bryant. There 514 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: were a lot of similarities in his footwork and his 515 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: shot form and the types of shots that he used 516 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: to take. Like he kind of attacked in a very 517 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 1: similar style, which is a big part of what made 518 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 1: him so dynamic in playoff situations. He spent the first 519 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: half of his career playing on some limited Celtics teams 520 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:09,679 Speaker 1: and put up a lot of big numbers, had some 521 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: big playoff series, but never really had the talent necessary 522 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: to compete, and then KG and Ray Allen came and 523 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: he finally had an opportunity to demonstrate it on the 524 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: biggest stage, and he immediately did. So I'm just gonna 525 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: go ahead, and I'm going to come back to his archetype. 526 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: I want to skip ahead to his claim to fame 527 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 1: and his just kind of talk a little bit about 528 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: what he accomplished with the Celtics, and then we'll go 529 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,719 Speaker 1: back and talk about what kind of basketball player he was. 530 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: So in the two thousand and eight playoff run, Paul 531 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 1: Pierce average twenty five and five on fifty seven percent 532 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: true shooting. He outplayed a young Lebron James in Game 533 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: seven and a Game seven where Lebron scored forty five points. 534 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 1: In that particular game, Paul Pierce scored forty one points 535 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: on twenty three shots and beat Lebron to a key 536 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: loose ball at the end of the game. Just I 537 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: thought kind of out played him in that particular game. 538 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: And then in the NBA Finals in two thousand and eight, 539 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: I thought he flat out out played Kobe Bryant. Kobe 540 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: averaged twenty five points, but he was super inefficient in 541 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: that particular series, Paul Pierce averaged twenty two to five 542 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: and six on fifty nine percent true shooting in beating 543 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: the Lakers and winning the two thousand and eight NBA 544 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: Finals MVP kind of similar to like we were talking 545 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: about with Tony Parker. I thought Kevin Garnett was the 546 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: best player on that particular team, but it was close, 547 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: and Paul Pierce absolutely played like a superstar on the 548 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: biggest stage and made a lot of the big plays 549 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: in route to them winning a championship. He kind of 550 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: like took on that role as the closer, kind of 551 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: similarly to Tony Parker with the Spurs. His archetype, like 552 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: I said before, it's like it's kind of is just 553 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: like a chubbier, like shifty, like less athletic version of 554 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant. Right. He was only about six seven, but 555 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: he had ridiculously long arms. He had a seven foot 556 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 1: three wingspan. He was kind of strangely coordinated and weirdly agile. 557 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: Still had a lot of poster dunks over the top 558 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: of people, even though he wasn't a great athlete, just 559 00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: because his arms were so damn long and he was 560 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: just one of the best rise in fire guys in 561 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: the league. Now, to me, rise and fire is like, 562 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: get to your spot, even if you don't have a 563 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: ton of separation, just elevate over the top of everyone 564 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: and knock down a jump shot. That, to me is 565 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: what reminds me the most of Kobe. Like, if you 566 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 1: just go pull up a bunch of footage of Paul 567 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:19,159 Speaker 1: Pierce scoring on YouTube, you're gonna notice a lot of 568 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 1: similarities and the footwork and the pivots and the pump 569 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: fakes and the like. Even the long drawn out release 570 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: on his jump shot where he's kind of like elevating 571 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: as high as he can and like holding onto the 572 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 1: ball a little bit longer. That a lot of that 573 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: stuff just kind of reminds me of Kobe. Obviously, Kobe 574 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: is a much better player, but like a lot of 575 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: there were some similarities there, and I think that led 576 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: to some of his high level impact in that specific 577 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: playoff environment. He was consistently viewed as one of the 578 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: fifteen best players in the league during his era and 579 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: one of the ten best playoff players in the league 580 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: during his era. Is also one of the best foul 581 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: drifters in the league, utilize the pump fake extremely well 582 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: to get to the line. Here's a crazy stat for you. 583 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: Paul Pierce made susan nine and eighteen free throws in 584 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:06,440 Speaker 1: his career. That is tenth in NBA history, regardless of era, 585 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: not just last twenty five years, but regardless of era. 586 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: He was just one of those guys you know. And 587 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,479 Speaker 1: again it's a similar kind of thing like those of 588 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: you guys who are in your thirties or older are 589 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: gonna remember that. Like when you had to root against 590 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: Paul Pearson a playoff series, he was terrifying. It was 591 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: just one of those guys, kind of like Jimmy Butler 592 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: that you just knew that, even if you had the 593 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 1: best player in the series, that he was capable of 594 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 1: going toe to toe with your guy in beating you. 595 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: And he did on several occasions over the course of 596 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: his career. Biggest what if of Paul Pierce's career, in 597 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:39,479 Speaker 1: my opinion, what if KG did not get hurt at 598 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 1: the start of the two thousand and nine season. A 599 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: lot of people don't remember this, but the Celtics started 600 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,959 Speaker 1: the year after they won the title. They started twenty 601 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: seven and two. Now, to give you some perspective, the 602 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen Warriors are the best regular season team of 603 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: all time, and they started twenty eight and one, so 604 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 1: they were one game behind the Golden State Warriors to 605 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: start that particular season. Before Kevin Guard goes down with 606 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 1: the injury. You end up missing the playoffs and then 607 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: they end up losing to Orlando in the Conference semis. 608 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: But again, that was the best Celtics team. That was 609 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,640 Speaker 1: better than the two thousand and seven team. And you know, obviously, 610 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: if Paul Pierce becomes a guy with two NBA championships 611 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: and two Finals MVPs, it gets a lot more complicated 612 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: in terms of him in all time conversations, especially if 613 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: you like, we look back at that era as like, 614 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: you know, the Laker Celtics era and Kobe got two, 615 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: Paul Pierce got one. What if it was Paul Pierce 616 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: got two and Kobe got one. You could see how 617 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 1: that would kind of make things a little bit more complicated. 618 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: Number nineteen Chauncey Billups, mister big shot, best player on 619 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: one championship team, never made a first team All NBA, 620 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: but he did make three All NBA teams. He had 621 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: two All Defense teams as well. He also won the 622 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: NBA Finals MVP in two thousand and four. I thought 623 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: he was the best player on the Pistons in that 624 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: particular era. It's obviously, obviously it's convoluted because it's similar 625 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: to the Spurs situation with Tony Parker, where like nobody 626 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: on the team averaged over twenty points in two thousand 627 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: and five, was more equal opportunity. They had a lot 628 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: of really good players on the team. So like, obviously 629 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: it's not the same type of statistical production that you 630 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 1: see from some of his peers. But he was the 631 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: best player on a team the hoisted the trophy, and 632 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: that has to be worth a ton, as you guys know. 633 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,959 Speaker 1: In my particular list, so I put down on his 634 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: prime two thousand and three to twenty ten, seventeen points, 635 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: three rebounds and six assists on fifty nine percent true shooting, 636 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: and then in the playoffs eighteen points, three rebounds and 637 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: six assists on fifty eight percent true shooting. His claim 638 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: to fame. He was the offensive engine of one of 639 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: the best defensive teams of all time, So he filled 640 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: a very important role for a team that tried to 641 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: win with defense but needed to get baskets. Obviously, he 642 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: was the engine that made that all work. Every kind 643 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: of player. You know. It's funny when I think back 644 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: and think about the Detroit Pistons. They were a team 645 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: I watched a lot when I was young, because obviously 646 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: I was rooting for Lebron in the Eastern Conference. And 647 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: I think they made it to five consecutive Eastern Conference 648 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: finals if I remember correctly. But like each they had 649 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: like this perfect starting five where like each guy kind 650 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: of filled a different archetype, right, Like Billups was this 651 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: like unbelievable skill guard who just had this ridiculous pull 652 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 1: up jump shot, and he was kind of the point 653 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: guard ran the show and like ran a lot of 654 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: pick and roll things like that. Richard Hamilton was like 655 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 1: the classic throwback two guard that was just flying off 656 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: of screens. I looked up this stat today. In two 657 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: thousand and five, which is when they started tracking this 658 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: particular data, Rip Hamilton shot two hundred and sixty four 659 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: shots flying off of screens. That's more than nine NBA 660 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: teams did this year. So rich Rip Hamilton by himself 661 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: would have been right around the twenty two spot in 662 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 1: the NBA this year in total off screen attempts going 663 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: against the other thirty NBA team, So that just gives 664 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: you an idea of how the league has changed a lot. 665 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 1: But Rip Hamilton was a lot of off ball stuff, 666 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: a lot of flying off screens. He did a little 667 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: bit of post up ISOs as well. Tayshaun Prince was 668 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: just this terrifying defensive wing with a ridiculous wingspan. He 669 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: did most of his work in transition and in spot 670 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 1: up situations, but he also could score a little bit 671 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: as well. Rashid Wallace was a post up full grumbley 672 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:01,719 Speaker 1: throw the ball down to him on the block a lot. 673 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: He also could knock down a spot up jump shot. 674 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: He was also a great rim protector. And then Ben 675 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: Wallace was just like far and away the best defensive 676 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: player in the league at the time. And so at 677 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: the front line you had Tayshawn Prince who's one of 678 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: the very best defensive players in the league, Rashide Wallace, 679 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: who was an excellent defensive player, and then Ben Wallace, 680 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: who was the best defensive player in the league. And 681 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: those three guys just completely screwed up every single team 682 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: they played against offensively and caused all sorts of problems. 683 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: And that was the bread and butter for how they won. 684 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: But Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups had to carry most 685 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: of the offensive load, and Chauncey in particular did the 686 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: most in terms of scoring and facilitating for his teammates. Now, 687 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: he was a big, strong guard. He was about six 688 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: foot three and weighed in at about two hundred and 689 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: ten pounds. He was an absolutely dead eye pull up shooter. Now, 690 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: pull up shooting data was not tracked on Synergy before 691 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: two thousand and five, so I can't go back that far. 692 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,479 Speaker 1: But in the two thousand and five season, Chauncey Billups 693 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: shot forty five percent on pull up jump shots and 694 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: fifty two percent when you weighed it for threes. He 695 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: had this everything for Jouncey Billups was built out of 696 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: a high hesitation in his left hand, so like he 697 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: would kind of go through his legs or in a 698 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: crossover and he kind of sit in a high hesitation 699 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: in his left hand. This is a move that I 700 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: teach a ton to the younger players that I coach, 701 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: and a big part of it is it's the bridge 702 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: move that bridges everything together. When you're in that high 703 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: hesitation in your left hand, you can rise up into 704 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: a jump shot, you can continue to push the ball 705 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:26,959 Speaker 1: forward as a drive to the left. You can hit 706 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: it in and out dribble, you can cross over to 707 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: the right, you can go between your legs, you can 708 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: go behind the back, you can literally do anything out 709 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: of a high hesitation dribble. It is the bridge move 710 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: that connects everything else. And so with Chauncey, he was 711 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: just like a pretty damn reliable pull up jump shooter 712 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 1: out of that left handed high hesitation. Now he almost 713 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: exclusively drove left. He drove left about seventy percent of 714 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: the time, but it was still too super hard to 715 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: guard because it was a give and to take. You 716 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,239 Speaker 1: could press up to take away the jump shot and 717 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: he's dusting you to your left hand to his left hand, 718 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 1: or you can play off and he's gonna rise up 719 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: up and knocked that shot down. Use that threat of 720 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: that shot to generate a lot of rim pressure. Who 721 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: was also a great passer. He also was pretty big 722 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,640 Speaker 1: and strong, so he's a great post up player among guards. 723 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: Just kind of would like back smaller guards down, get 724 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: closer to the basket, and take like little short fadeaway 725 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: jump shots in lane. It was a big time short 726 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: jump shot maker out of the post. His crowning achievement 727 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: was winning Finals MVP in two thousand and forty. He 728 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 1: averaged twenty one points, three rebounds, and five assists on 729 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: that series on seventy seventy percent through shooting, knocking out 730 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,959 Speaker 1: the vaunted shock Kobe Lakers in five games. The biggest 731 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 1: what if of Chauncey Phillips's career, in my opinion, is 732 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: what if Robert Ori misses the three point shot with 733 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 1: six seconds left in Game five of the two thousand 734 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 1: and five NBA Finals. The Pistons were up by two 735 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: and the series was tied. It too, so they were 736 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: gone to San Antonio with two opportunities to win an 737 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: NBA championship. Now once again, kind of like I was 738 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: talking about with Tony Parker and Paul Pierce, let's reframe 739 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 1: this as a back to back champion in two thousand 740 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: and four to two thousand and five with two finals 741 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: MVPs knock out literally the Spurs and the Lakers along 742 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: the way. You can imagine how that would put Chauncey 743 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: Billups and really that whole Pistons team all time if 744 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: that's how it would have gone down. But that's not 745 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,359 Speaker 1: how it went. Robert ori made the shot, Spurs won 746 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 1: in seven, and the Pistons ended up only getting one championship. 747 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: You know, it's funny, Robert ORRII showed up in a 748 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: lot of like the the filters and stuff that I 749 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: was running as I was tracking championship players and stuff. 750 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: It's just kind of crazy how many big playoff moments 751 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: Robert Oriy has been there for all right, last guy 752 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 1: for today, Number eighteen Pau Gasol, second best player on 753 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: two championship teams. Never made a first team All NBA, 754 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 1: but he made four All NBA teams in his prime 755 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: I put down from two thousand and six to twenty fifteen. 756 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: In the regular season, he averaged nineteen points, ten rebounds, 757 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: and four assists fifty seven percent true shooting. In the playoffs, 758 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: he averaged seventeen points, ten rebounds and four assists on 759 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: fifty six percent true shooting. His claimed to favor really 760 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: as he was the second most skilled big man in 761 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: the league over that era, basically behind Dirk Novitsky. He 762 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: was also the guy who helped hersuscitate Kobe Bryant's career 763 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles. As we know, Kobe threatening straight up 764 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 1: asked for a trade. It looked like that era was 765 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 1: coming too close. Power Gasol comes in gives them the 766 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:08,280 Speaker 1: necessary boost and talent that they needed. Suddenly they become 767 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 1: a championship caliber team. His archetype, he was a classic 768 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:16,400 Speaker 1: throwback post up big man. Over forty percent of his 769 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: shot attempts came out of post up situations. He preferred 770 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 1: the left block. Actually, as a right handed player, he 771 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 1: preferred to take look hooks over his right shoulder with 772 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 1: his left hand. Like his most common post up play 773 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 1: type was just dump it to him on the on 774 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 1: the left block. He'd kind of work with his right 775 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:32,400 Speaker 1: hand into the lane and then he quick spin back 776 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: to his left hand and make a hook shot over 777 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: the top of the defender. But that was just one 778 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,360 Speaker 1: of his go to moves. He obviously had everything. He 779 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: had a left shoulder hook, he had a right shoulder hook. 780 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: He had up in under moves. He had fadeaways over 781 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,919 Speaker 1: both shoulders. He could make pop shots in the lane 782 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:47,279 Speaker 1: out of pick and roll. He was a good pick 783 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,640 Speaker 1: and pop jump shooter as well. Like he just was, 784 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 1: like I said, the second most skilled big man in 785 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: that era. Unfortunately, Synergy did not start tracking hook shots 786 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: until twenty eleven, so I can't pull up his exact accuracy. 787 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 1: But in two twenty ten, which I look at his 788 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: POW's best season as a pro, he shot forty eight 789 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,759 Speaker 1: percent in field goal attempts out of the post, which 790 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: is insanely good for any sort of static half court 791 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: shot creating situation. His crowning achievement was thoroughly out playing 792 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: Kevin Garnett in the twenty ten NBA Finals. He averaged 793 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: nineteen and twelve in that series on fifty six percent 794 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 1: true shooting. He utterly demolished the Celtics on the glass 795 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:27,799 Speaker 1: in that series. It's funny because like early on in 796 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:30,759 Speaker 1: Powe's careers, and this was a reputation that followed a 797 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: lot of European players, but a lot of people looked 798 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: at him as soft, and he didn't play particularly great 799 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 1: in the two thousand and eight season, right specifically in 800 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals, And so as we look forward at 801 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:44,439 Speaker 1: the twenty ten season, it's kind of crazy to see 802 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:48,400 Speaker 1: that transformation because he straight up bullied the Celtics front court. 803 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 1: He had thirty five thirty five offensive rebounds in the 804 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: twenty ten NBA Finals. That's five per game. He had 805 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:00,280 Speaker 1: nine offensive rebounds in Game seven. He had nineteen points 806 00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 1: and eighteen rebounds overall in Game seven, and then he 807 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 1: hit the biggest shot of the series again. This was 808 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 1: Game seven, series tied at three, winner take all. The 809 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:09,879 Speaker 1: Lakers were ugh four with just under two minutes left, 810 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: and he was posting abrasheid Wallace once again on that 811 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: left block like he always likes, spun back towards the 812 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: baseline like he always likes to do, and the Celtics 813 00:37:18,239 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 1: actually came to the triple team. They brought Paul Pierson 814 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: Kevin Garnett over and just smothered him. He ended up 815 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:24,440 Speaker 1: having to double pump and take this weird, kind of 816 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 1: like jump shot as he was falling to the ground, 817 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,320 Speaker 1: but he made it, put the Lakers up six with 818 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:30,839 Speaker 1: a minut and a half left, and that essentially iced 819 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:33,320 Speaker 1: the series as the Lakers went on twin their second 820 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: consecutive NBA championship. He was definitely the best player on 821 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:38,279 Speaker 1: the floor in Game seven of that series, and you 822 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,359 Speaker 1: could even make a case that he was the best 823 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 1: player on the Lakers in that particular series, But that 824 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 1: is a take that I personally disagree with. I tend 825 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 1: to think that Kobe, especially with what Boston was throwing 826 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:50,839 Speaker 1: at him and with all the stuff that he did 827 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:52,640 Speaker 1: throughout the entire season. Kind of back to what we 828 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 1: were talking about with Finals MVP versus Championship MVP, I 829 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:59,000 Speaker 1: thought Kobe was a deserving Finals MVP. Biggest what if 830 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 1: I Paul Pierce's excuse me, Palagassol's career. This was one 831 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:03,400 Speaker 1: that I had a hard time with because I feel 832 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: like Pawa Gasol's career went the way it was supposed to, 833 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 1: Like he kind of learned how to play in the 834 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:12,720 Speaker 1: NBA in Memphis, and then he played his best years 835 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,279 Speaker 1: with a really, really good Lakers team and got to 836 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: experience what his individual ceiling was like. Twenty eleven twenty twelve, 837 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: they clearly just weren't good enough anymore, so they make 838 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: an all in trade for Steve Nash and for Dwight Howard, 839 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:26,800 Speaker 1: and then everyone breaks down that season, Like Dwight Howard 840 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: played all the time, but he wasn't the same Dwight Howard. 841 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: He was just stiffer than he used to be. Steve 842 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 1: Nash was in and out of the lineup with injuries 843 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: all season. Power Gasol himself only played I think forty 844 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 1: nine games in that particular season, and then Kobe ends 845 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 1: up tearing his achilles, and then from there, basically all 846 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,759 Speaker 1: those guys careers were over. Dwight Howard ended up transitioning 847 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 1: with the other three guys were basically done at that point, Right, 848 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:53,439 Speaker 1: So I don't really have a really good one if 849 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 1: just simply based on the fact that the I feel 850 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: like things kind of went the way they were supposed 851 00:38:57,640 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 1: to for Palgasol. But if I had to choose one, 852 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: I'd say, what if the Lakers did not blow Game 853 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: four of the two thousand and eight NBA Finals. They 854 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 1: were up by twenty seventy to fifty in the middle 855 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:07,759 Speaker 1: of the third quarter of Game four, down two games 856 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 1: to one, and they scored just twenty one points over 857 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,200 Speaker 1: the final eighteen minutes of that game as the Celtics 858 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: came back to win and take a three to one 859 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: lead in the series. Obviously, it's not a sure thing 860 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:18,759 Speaker 1: from there, because they would have had to win Game 861 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 1: five at home to go up three to two, and 862 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:21,880 Speaker 1: then they'd have to win a game in Boston. But 863 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 1: they would have been in a commanding position in the 864 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 1: series had they not blown that lead, so it's significant 865 00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:29,000 Speaker 1: what if and then obviously now we're talking about a 866 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: three peat if the Lakers win that particular series. So 867 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,919 Speaker 1: that's all I have for today with Paucasol at number eighteen. 868 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 1: We'll be back tomorrow with number seventeen, sixteen, fifteen, and 869 00:39:38,200 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 1: fourteen the volume