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Bonus bets expire one hundred 25 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: and sixty eight hours after issuance. See dkang dot com 26 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: slash b ball for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms and 27 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: responsible gaming resources. All right, welcome to hoop tonight. You're 28 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: at the volume. Happy Tuesday, everybody. Hope all of you 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: guys are having an incredible week. Just a quick show 30 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: this morning since we're going live on YouTube tonight for 31 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: Warriors Lakers. Remember final buzzer Warriors Lakers live on YouTube tonight. 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: But because of that, quickly this morning, we're just gonna 33 00:01:57,720 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: hit the next two teams in my contender rankings. If 34 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: you guys remember yesterday we did ten, nine and eight. 35 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: Ten was a little bit of cheating. We did Heat 36 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: Warriors as like our establishment kind of situation there, and 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: then at nine we had the Minnesota Timberwolves, and at 38 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: eight we had the Milwaukee Bucks hitting seven and six. Today, 39 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: you guys are the Joe four we get started. Subscribe 40 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: to our brand new YouTube channel so you don't miss 41 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: any more of our videos. Don't forget about a podcast 42 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: feed wherever get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. It's also 43 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: super helpful of the LEVA rating and a review on 44 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: that front. Follow me on Twitter, underscore jsnlts you guys, 45 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: don't miss show announcements, as well as the film threads 46 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:34,399 Speaker 1: that I do from time to time. And the last 47 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: but not least, keep dropping mailback questions and the YouTube comments. 48 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: We're gonna hit some mail bags later on in the week. 49 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball. So number seven and again, 50 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: I have to throw this obligatory note out there because 51 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: this happens every single year I've done this. This is my 52 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: third playoff run that I'm getting ready to cover with 53 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: the volume, and my fourth since I've had a daily podcast, 54 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: And this is the most common bit of pushback that 55 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: I get. I don't re act super strongly to regular 56 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: season standings. 57 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 2: I don't. 58 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: I think that there are some specific trends that matter, 59 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: especially as it pertains to the top teams in the league. 60 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: Like I'm a big believer that if you are a 61 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: veteran team that has a top tier superstar and you 62 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: dominate the regular season. That is usually a very strong 63 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: indicator of a team that has a real strong chance 64 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: to win the title. Which is, by the way, why 65 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: Denver and Boston are gonna be near the top on 66 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: my list, or at those two teams are obviously the 67 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: top of my list. I'm never going to bump teams 68 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: like that down for teams that had less impressive seasons 69 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: in the standings. That said pretty much everything beneath that tier. 70 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: Any team that doesn't check those three boxes again, like 71 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: veteran superstar, veteran, consistent veteran presences in the rotation, and 72 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: dominates the regular season. Outside of that specific archetype, everything 73 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: else to me is kind of scrunched together. And I'm 74 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: looking at your personnel, I'm looking at your strengths and weaknesses. 75 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: I'm looking at how you would favor in specific matchups, 76 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: and so yes, number seven, I have a team that 77 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: has dominated the regular season this year, the Oklahoma City Thunder. 78 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: They are fifty three and twenty five, currently the three 79 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: seed in the Western Conference, although only one game back 80 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: of first and still within striking distance there for the season. 81 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: They are fourth in offense and sixth in defense. Their 82 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: strengths their starting lineup has just an enormous amount of 83 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: offensive skill. Shake Gildas Alexander has been one of the 84 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: best primary initiators in the league this year. These are 85 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: his numbers on Synergy for play types including passes in 86 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: the three primary individual creation play types. Pick and roll 87 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: including passes one point one five points per possession that's 88 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: literally awesome. Isolation one point one to three points per 89 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,119 Speaker 1: possession including passes, that's literally awesome. One point two zero 90 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: points per post up including passes all three categories. Is 91 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: in the eighty f fourth percentile or better for volumes, 92 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: so he's been one of the very best versatile shot 93 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: creators in the league this year. Jalen Williams one of 94 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: my favorite young players in the league. He's also been 95 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: a very good individual creator. He himself is at one 96 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: point one zero points per pick and roll including passes. 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: It's also at zero point nine to six points per ISO, 98 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: which is pretty solid. He's only posted up four times 99 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: all season, although he's had a point per possession there 100 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,799 Speaker 1: as well. He's converting spot up possessions as the second 101 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: side guy at one point two to one points per possession, 102 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: which is insane, and he's been the second best pull 103 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: up shooter in basketball this season minimum three hundred attempts. 104 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,679 Speaker 1: Although there's been some jockeying around, CJ. McCollum has actually 105 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: left everybody. He's now in first place. Jalen Williams is 106 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:45,839 Speaker 1: in second, James Harden is now in third place. He's 107 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: also an incredible downhill athletic force, a guy that can 108 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: bring some real matchup issues to the equation. Chet Holmgren 109 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: is the ideal spacing big. He's shooting forty one percent 110 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: on unguarded catch and shoot jumpers this year. Really unlocks 111 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: a lot of this stuff in their five out offense. 112 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: It's also been one of the best rolemen in the 113 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: league this year. There are eleven players that have logged 114 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: at least two hundred role man possessions. Chet is converting 115 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: those at one point twenty seven points per possession, which 116 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: ranks third on that list. Lou Dort shoots forty five 117 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: percent on unguarded catch and shoot jumpers. Giddy is the 118 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: one guy that kind of has some offensive weakness, especially 119 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: off the ball, in that group, but he's shooting a 120 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: lot better than he used to. Since the All Star Break, 121 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: he's shooting forty percent on catch and shoot threes. Forty percent. 122 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: That's really damn good. That's what's at one point two 123 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: points per shot. That's that's a really good result for them. 124 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: And then he's also a really good second side creator, 125 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: especially when one of Shay or Jalen go to the bench. 126 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: He's a seventy eighth percentile pick and role player including passes. 127 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 1: The Oklaoma City Thunder have the second best half court 128 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,799 Speaker 1: offense in basketball according to Cleaning the Glass, the fourth 129 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: most productive transition offense, which takes us to their defensive strength. 130 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: This is an aggressive, playmaking defense. They use their speed, 131 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: they are in passing lanes. They are constantly ford aggressive 132 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: to try to force turnovers and to get out in transition. 133 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,239 Speaker 1: They force sixteen turnovers per game, which is the most 134 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: in the NBA, A big feeder for that transition attack 135 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: that we talked about. They are the only team in 136 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: the NBA this year that scores at least twenty points 137 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: per game off of turnovers. So this is a very fast, 138 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: very skilled offense, a playmaking defense that loves to get 139 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: out in transition. I do not think they're gonna have 140 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: any issues scoring the basketball when they get into the postseason. 141 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: Their weaknesses, though, all of that aggression in the passing 142 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: lanes on defense gives quality three point looks, especially the 143 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: teams that can be calm with good ball handling and 144 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: make quality reads to beat that aggression. They give up 145 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: the eighth most threes in the league this year in 146 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: terms of three point attempts per game. They are also 147 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: a truly bad defensive rebounding team. They have the second 148 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: worst defensive rebounding percentage in the NBA. They allow an 149 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: offensive rebound on more than three thirty percent of their 150 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: opponent's misses, and when they get into clutch situations when 151 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: the scores within five with at least with less than 152 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: five minutes left, that number rises to almost forty percent 153 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: of opponents misses that are getting turned into offensive rebounds. 154 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: They are also really reliant on jump shooting they have 155 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: they're the fourth most frequent jump shooting team in the 156 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: NBA in terms of couwnty jump shots they take her 157 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: one hundred possessions. They are super young and inexperienced. Every 158 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: single one of the eight players who have logged over 159 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: one thousand minutes for them this year is twenty five 160 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: or younger. Four of those guys, including three starters, are 161 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: twenty two or younger. Now, what a lot of people 162 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: are gonna say is what about the twenty twelve Thunder 163 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 1: And what they don't realize is the core was young there, 164 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: but they had a lot of veteran role players in 165 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: the rotation. They had three vets in their top eight, 166 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: including Kendrick Perkins, Tablo Cephalosha and Nick Collison. And then 167 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: at the deadline they added a thirty seven year old 168 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,719 Speaker 1: Derek Fisher who played in every single playoff game for them. 169 00:08:58,720 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 2: So they had young. 170 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: Stars, but their role players were actually a pretty veteran 171 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 1: group aside from like Serge Baka, so they they're not 172 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: really the same type of team that that twenty twelve 173 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: Thunder team was. Then we also have the reality of 174 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: their size predicament. They have tons of length and quickness. 175 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: That's actually strength of their roster in my opinion. They're 176 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 1: the long arms everywhere guys that can compete on the perimeter, 177 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: tons and tons of foot speed. Lou Dort is actually, 178 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: in my opinion, in that top tier of perimeter defenders 179 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: in the NBA. He just has an incredibly low center 180 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 1: of gravity, and he could beat people to spots and 181 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: force them to shoot over the top. He's really good 182 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 1: at disrupting the shooting pocket to force missus against pull 183 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: up shooters. I think that's gonna be really valuable in 184 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: the Western Conference playoff run when you have to go 185 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: through guys like Lebron, James Paul, George Kawhi, Leonard, Kevin Durant. 186 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: You get the point, Just lots of forwards that you 187 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 1: have to contend with out there. Lou Dort is a 188 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: great option there. But outside of lou Dort and Jalen Williams, 189 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: Shay's kind of thin, Josh Gitty's kind of thin, chet 190 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: Holmgren is kind of thin. 191 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 2: They do not have a power forward on the roster. 192 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: They've confronted that issue by going with two big looks, 193 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: including jay Lynn Williams off the bench next to Chet Holmgren. 194 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: But those groups have not nearly scored the ball as 195 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: well as their smaller lineups. And you know, a big 196 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 1: thing here is we're just looking at NBA history those 197 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: last two segments, specifically their lack of size and their 198 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: lack of experience. The only team really that has won 199 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: despite a lack of size. In recent NBA history is 200 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two Warriors. And again, every time we 201 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: run into that specific predicament, I always remind people Steph 202 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: Curry is the exception that makes the rule. He's the 203 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: one guy who was so damn skilled that he could 204 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: lift up a physically limited roster to the point where 205 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: they were able to succeed the way that they did. 206 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: And even then, that team was really long and athletic 207 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: on the perimeter and had a ton of veteran presences 208 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: in the lineup, very very different than this Oklahoma City 209 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: thunder team. NBA history tells us, when you are young 210 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: and when you are small, you're probably not going to win. 211 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: That's what NBA history tells us. They are going to 212 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: run consistently into matchups that look to attack their thinner wings, 213 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: their thinner front line. I think, I think that foul 214 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: trouble is going to be a significant issue for them 215 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: in that front court. It's one of the things I 216 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: have for their specific playoff path, like, is what does 217 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City need to do to make it all the 218 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: way to the Promised Land. One Shane needs to play 219 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: like a superstar in the playoffs. That's a big test. 220 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: There are a lot of players who have dominated NBA 221 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: regular seasons and have gotten to the postseason and it 222 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 1: hasn't translated. There's a long list of players on that list. 223 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: I expect Shae to succeed in that in that test. 224 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: I think Shae's versatility in that he doesn't do the 225 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: same thing every time, he's a lot more unpredictable, and 226 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: the fact that he competes on the defensive end. I 227 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: think those two things are going to maintain Shay's impact 228 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: when he gets into the postseason. But he's a little 229 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: heliocentric in the sense that he can attack and from 230 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: the same spots on the floor with the same type 231 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: of dribble combinations time and time again. And I do 232 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: think some perimeter defenders could figure some stuff out over 233 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: the course of the series to better anticipate his changes 234 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: of pace and direction and try to cut him off. 235 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: That's just the challenge. By the way, I'm not saying 236 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: this is not like a Oshay has a weakness. What 237 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: I'm saying is every single playoff a kind of test 238 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: challenges every player's strengths and weaknesses. That's literally what the 239 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: playoffs do they are the grand revealer of what you 240 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: are as a basketball player. 241 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 2: Well, you're gonna find. 242 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: Out what Shay's real strengths are and what his real 243 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: weaknesses are. I'm excited. I think he's gonna do well, 244 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: but we the Thunder will need him to do extremely 245 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: well to have any chance to get through this. He's 246 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: gonna need to play like flat out a top tier superstar, 247 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: meaning at the same level as Jokic or Jannis did 248 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: in the twenty twenty one and twenty twenty three three 249 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: playoff runs. Same with Jalen Williams. Needs to be a 250 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,959 Speaker 1: legitimate backup start. They have to shoot the ball well. 251 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: Like I talked about earlier, They're the fourth most frequent 252 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: jump shooting team in the NBA, so very reliant on 253 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: jump shot results, So they're gonna have to shoot the 254 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: ball well. Chet has to avoid foul trouble, which I 255 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: think is gonna be a big deal in some of 256 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: their bigger matchups that they'll run into. They just have 257 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 1: to find a way to hold up physically. Really exciting 258 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: young team, a team that I'm a huge believer in 259 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: in the long term. But this is just a simple 260 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: matter of NBA history. This to me, is a young 261 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: team that is dominating in the regular season at this phase. 262 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: Now they have to go through the playoff lumps. That's 263 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: the process. Dominate regular season, take playoff lumps, get over 264 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: the top. That's how it works. There's never been a 265 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: team that's been able to skip those steps. That's not 266 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: how it works. There's never been a team that was 267 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: able to go dominate the regular season as a young team, 268 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: walk into the playoffs and kill everybody and win. That 269 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: just doesn't happen. There's always lumps along the way. This 270 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: is Oklahoma City's first first attempt at that process. 271 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 2: All right. 272 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: Moving on to number six in my list of contenders 273 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: for this playoff run, the Los Angeles Lakers. Now looking 274 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: at their season wide numbers is super confusing because they've 275 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: been three completely different teams this year. From training camp 276 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: to when they hoisted the n Season Tournament Trophy, they 277 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: were fourteen and nine, which was the eighth best record 278 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: in the league at the time fifteen and nine if 279 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: you include the Ncason Tournament win. But that was a 280 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: defensive minded team. They were seventh in defensive rating, eighth 281 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: in defensive rebounding percentage, and twenty second in offense. Right, 282 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: then we go into this terrible n season tournament malaise 283 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: after they hoist the trophy. They just they played like 284 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: shit for a month. 285 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 2: Right. 286 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: They go three to ten, twenty fourth and offense twenty 287 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: first in defense, lost to a bunch of bad teams. 288 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 2: It was ugly. 289 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: But this January seventh run from there to this point 290 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: the twenty eight and fifteen fifth best record in the 291 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: league over that span. But it's a fundamentally different type 292 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: of success than what they had in the early season run. 293 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: Remember early season, good defensive rating, good defensive rebounding team, 294 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: bad offense. Now fourth in offense, twentieth in defense, and 295 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: twentieth in defensive rebounding percentage. So a completely could not 296 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: be more different than what they were to start the season. 297 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: They are outscoring teams, and they're not defending very well, 298 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: and they are not rebounding very well. So even in 299 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: the two separate stretches where they were a good team 300 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: this year, they were good in very different ways. I 301 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: am choosing to look at them as the later version 302 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: is the offensive minded version that can't defend, rather than 303 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: the defensive minded version that couldn't score. Just because we've 304 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: just for one, it's a much larger sample size, it's 305 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: more than half the season, and that more or less 306 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: is the personnel direction that they've gone to as Vanderbilt 307 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: obviously has been hurt and it's been a lot more 308 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: Ruby Hotcha Murrow, who is a better offensive player than 309 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: he is a defensive player. So they're straits. They have 310 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: one of the best two way front courts you could 311 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: ever hope to have in a playoff run twenty six 312 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: and fourteen, in playoff games that both Lebron James and 313 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis were able to finish healthy. There were two 314 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: games against the Phoenix Suns, specifically Game four and Game five, 315 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: that where Anthony Davis was unable to finish the game 316 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: because of his groin injury. But in the games where 317 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis and Lebron were both able to finish twenty 318 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: six and fourteen, they're six to one in playoff series 319 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: that Lebron James and Anthony Davis were both able to 320 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: finish healthy. 321 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: Yes, you heard that correctly. 322 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: Denver's win against the Lakers last year was the very 323 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: first time a team beat Lebron James and Anthony Davis 324 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: in a playoff series except for the one time that 325 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis got hurt, and when he got hurt, the 326 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: Lakers were up to one in the series. So they 327 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: can scale up on both ends of the floor with 328 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: their physicality, especially when things degenerate into a rock fight. 329 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: That is a huge advantage for them. They will have 330 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: consistent matchup advantages on the offensive end and should score 331 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: the ball relatively easy in most matchups. They have an 332 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: inside out attack all year long. They've been a great 333 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: paint offense, third in points in the paint per one 334 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: hundred possessions for the season, second in points in the 335 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: paint per one hundred possessions since January seventh. They are 336 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 1: second in three point percentage since January seventh. It's very 337 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 1: catch and shoot heavy attack. They only take twenty pull 338 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: up jumpers a game, which is the ninth fewest in 339 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: the NBA, but they take a bunch of catch and 340 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: shoot jump shots, and they have a sixty one percent 341 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: effective field goal percentage on catch and shoot jumpers since 342 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: January seventh, which is the second best mark in the league. 343 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 2: But they're not. 344 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: Reliant on jump shooting. They are twenty eighth in jump 345 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: shot frequency. The only two teams that attempt fewer jump 346 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: shots per possession than the Lakers are the Toronto Raptors 347 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: and the Washington Wizards. So to put it simply, no 348 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: team in this playoff runt will rely on jump shot 349 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: variants less than this Los Angeles Lakers team. But when 350 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: they do shoot, they are one of the most efficient 351 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: jump shooting teams, So that to me translates really well 352 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: to them on the offense. 353 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 2: E end. 354 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: To put it simply, I am a huge believer in 355 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: their offense when we get to the postseason. But there's 356 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,439 Speaker 1: a weakness there, and the weakness is they have not 357 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: defended or rebounded well over this run. They are giving 358 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: up the fourth most three point attempts since January seventh, 359 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: the seventh most three point makes since January seventh. They've 360 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: been the seventh worst paint defense since January seventh, So 361 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: they're not doing really anything well on defense right now. 362 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: Their starting lineup is rebounding well, thankfully, so like that 363 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding percentage, it's mainly the non starting lineups. The 364 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 1: Ruey Lebron Anthony Davis frontcourt is rebounding well. Every other 365 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: lineup is getting smashed on the glass, which points me 366 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 1: to the simple solution for the Lakers. I say simple 367 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: because it's easy to do, but it's difficult in execution, 368 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,239 Speaker 1: and that is they're going to have to scale up 369 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: the minutes. 370 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 2: Of their starters. In high leverage situations. 371 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: You're gonna need ad Lebron, Austin d Low, potentially even 372 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: Ruey to get up into the mid forties for minutes 373 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: per game, which could lead to fatigue and could lead 374 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: to some of those things suffering. Now, if you're a 375 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: Lakers fan and you're looking for some sort of silver lining, 376 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: here are a couple ones for you. With Anthony Davis on 377 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: the floor, since February first, which is a twenty eight 378 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: game span, they have a one to ten point eight 379 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: defensive rating, which is actually really good. It's been the 380 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: non ad minutes that have been crushed. So if you're 381 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 1: looking for a way to talk yourself into a better 382 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 1: Laker defense when you get to the postseason, it's hey. 383 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: For basically a third of the season when Anthony Davis 384 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: has been on the floor, we've been good defensively. We 385 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: scale up ads minutes should be fine, right, But again, 386 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: like I talked about earlier, as you scale minutes up, 387 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: effort level tends to dip a little bit with it. 388 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 1: Another small sample size silver lining in the Lakers last 389 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: eleven games, they are sixth in defensive rating and seventh 390 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: in defensive rebounding. Some good teams in that stretch to 391 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: the seventy six Ers, the Pacers, the Bucks, the Pacers, 392 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: the Cavs, and the Timberwolves all in that span, but 393 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: there have been five bad teams in that span as well, 394 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: and it's just way too small of a sample size. 395 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: So I don't see that as enough to convince me 396 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: that the Lakers are going to be a good defense. 397 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: I need to se something from them when we get 398 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: into that first round to believe that that's something that 399 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: they can do. 400 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 2: So really, I think the. 401 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: Lakers are just gonna have to scale up their starters 402 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: minutes and really lean into trying to outscore teams. 403 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 2: And that's trouble. 404 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,199 Speaker 1: They do not have a quality perimeter defender in the 405 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 1: starting group. Austin Reeves kind of like Malik Beasley for 406 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 1: the Bucks, has done an admirable job trying to compete 407 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: defensively as best as he can, but both of those 408 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: guys are just in a physical limitation in most matchups 409 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: on the perimeter. And then lastly, this is one of 410 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: the biggest like matchup specific weaknesses I'm concerned about for 411 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: the Lakers the Clippers. If you guys remember, the Clippers 412 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: were the last team to like really confine, like confound 413 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,719 Speaker 1: the Laker offense. The Lakers have had games where they 414 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: haven't scored as well since January seventh, but it's usually 415 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: like they didn't shoot well or something along those lines, 416 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: or Lebron had a bad night, something along those lines. 417 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: The Clippers game, in particular, was a night where I 418 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: saw the Laker offense literally stall out, and the reason 419 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: why was the Clippers switch. And while Austin Reeves and 420 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell are really good offensive players, while Anthony Davis 421 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: and Ruey Hat Tramura are really good offensive players, the 422 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: problem specifically is Lebron is really the only guy in 423 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 1: that lineup that can consistently and effectively break down a 424 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: switching defense. That's a concern. Anthony Davis not a very 425 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 1: good one on one player anymore. Austin Reeves not like 426 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: straight up against a good defender in one on one situations. 427 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: That's not really his game. He's a ball screen player, right, 428 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: he can make plays in one on one, but not 429 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: at a super super high level. D'Angelo Russell, same sort 430 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: of thing. Ruey Hachimura literally needs a mismatch now. That'll 431 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: be something that they'll attempts to do in those matchups. 432 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: They will attempt to get smaller players on RUI, get 433 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: smaller players on AD, get smaller players on Lebron. But 434 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: in practice, when they've run against a lot of switching 435 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: this year, their offense has stalled out. If you guys 436 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: remember in that Clippers game, the only reason they broke 437 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: it open in the fourth cour was Lebron started picking 438 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,120 Speaker 1: on Daniel Tice and was making his pull up three 439 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: point shot and then everything kind of fell apart from 440 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: there for the Clippers. But that's why I think in 441 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: terms of matchups, that's gonna be something that I think 442 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 1: the Lakers are gonna run into some issues with When 443 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: they run into switching defenses. 444 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 2: It just puts a lot of pressure. 445 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: On Lebron James to bully guys in the post, to 446 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: pull centers out to the perimeter and beat them. And 447 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,120 Speaker 1: that's just a lot to ask. And so I think 448 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: that even as good as their offense can be, I 449 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 1: think that matchups are gonna play a big role in 450 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: their success when they get to the postseason. So again, 451 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: like I viewed them as a classic strengths and weaknesses team, 452 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: all these teams in this tier, by the way, and 453 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: I had a lot of Minnesota fans complaining at me yesterday, 454 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: like how can you have Minnesota all the way down 455 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: at nine? I want to be clear. One two is 456 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: you guys can guess who that's gonna be. But three, four, five, six, seven, 457 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 1: and eight and nine are all this close. You could 458 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: easily talk me into Minnesota being better than the team 459 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: I have in third. You can also talk me into 460 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: the team that third being at nine. They're all this close. 461 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: So if you're looking at this as like Jason thinks 462 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: the Lakers are way better than the Timberwolves, that's not 463 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. I view the Lakers as a slightly 464 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: bigger playoff threat than the Timberwolves because of some of 465 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 1: my long standing beliefs in the way that the NBA 466 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: playoffs tend to play out. That's all this is. So 467 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 1: we're splitting hairs in a lot of different ways Laker's path. 468 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: What do they need to do to win the title? 469 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: First of all, Lebron James and Anthony Davis need to 470 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: play like it's twenty twenty again. That means Lebron in 471 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: ad consistently hitting jump shots over the top. Lebron's held 472 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: up his end of the bargain for the most part 473 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,879 Speaker 1: there this season, but Anthony Davis has not shot the 474 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: ball well for the most part this year. Specifically with Lebron, 475 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: that's a big part of them beating switching defenses. He's 476 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: gonna have to hit shots over the top. Jared Vanderbilt, 477 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: I think, has to come back to give them any 478 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: sort of real chance against some of the better offensive 479 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: teams in the West. Vanderbilt is the only guy on 480 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: the Lakers roster that can incredibly guard Luka Doncic. He's 481 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: gonna be the only guy on the Lakers roster that 482 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: cancredibly guard Jamal Murray. 483 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 2: So like, specifically. 484 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: Denver, I put Denver, Phoenix, Dallas and the Clippers are 485 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: the four teams where I think they're gonna need Jared 486 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt defensively to have a real chance to beat those 487 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 1: teams four times out of seven. So obviously Jared Vanderbilt 488 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: coming back is gonna be big. And then last, I 489 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: think they're gonna have to scale minutes up on a 490 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: lot of their starters, which means they're going to have 491 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: to hold up physically. And I mean that from the 492 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: same point of health. I mean like Lebron and Ad 493 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: are just gonna have to do a lot, and it's 494 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: very possible that their bodies break down before they get 495 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:28,400 Speaker 1: to that point. 496 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 2: But that's the path. 497 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: Scaling up minutes, holding up physically, Jared Vanderbilt coming back, 498 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: Lebron and AD's jump shots in particular being efficient when 499 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: they get to the postseason, and Lebron just being able 500 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: to help break down those switching defenses. So Lakers at six, 501 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City Thunder at seven. We're gonna hit the remainder 502 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,919 Speaker 1: five over the course of the rest of this week. 503 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: It's all I have for today. As always, I sincerely 504 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: appreciate you guys for supporting the show. I'll see you 505 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: guys tonight after the final buzzer of Warriors Lakers Live 506 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: on YouTube. The volume