1
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,520
Speaker 1: The volume. The eighty two game preseason is in the books,

2
00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,920
Speaker 1: and now it's finally time for the real season. Don't

3
00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,200
Speaker 1: miss out on any of the NBA playoff action at

4
00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,800
Speaker 1: DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA.

5
00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,200
Speaker 1: From the play in tournament through the finals, DraftKings Sportsbook

6
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,160
Speaker 1: has you covered with same game parlays, live betting odds, boosts,

7
00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,960
Speaker 1: and so much more. The Boston Celtics are currently the

8
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,600
Speaker 1: favorite at plus one sixty, but the team that's third

9
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,599
Speaker 1: in my championship rankings the Dallas Mavericks. You can get

10
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,640
Speaker 1: them on DraftKings right now at plus sixteen hundred. To

11
00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,559
Speaker 1: win the title. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use

12
00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:44,400
Speaker 1: code hoops. That's Hops. New customers bet five dollars and

13
00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,520
Speaker 1: get two hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly. That's code

14
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,080
Speaker 1: hoops hops only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours gambling

15
00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,160
Speaker 1: problem called one eight hundred Gambler or in West Virginia

16
00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,360
Speaker 1: visit www dot one eight hundred gambler dot net York

17
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,880
Speaker 1: call eight seven seven eight hope and why, or text

18
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,479
Speaker 1: hope and Why to four six seven three six nine

19
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,119
Speaker 1: In Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling call eight

20
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,840
Speaker 1: eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or

21
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,959
Speaker 1: visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of

22
00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,600
Speaker 1: Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas. Twenty one plus age

23
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,360
Speaker 1: varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Bonus bets expire one

24
00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,479
Speaker 1: hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. See dkang dot

25
00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,319
Speaker 1: co slash bball for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms and

26
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:49,360
Speaker 1: responsible gaming resources. All right, welcome to Hoops to Night

27
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,440
Speaker 1: here at the Vallume. Happy Wednesday, everybody. Hope all of

28
00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,800
Speaker 1: you guys are having an incredible week. Well, we have

29
00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,480
Speaker 1: another series review for you guys today. After last night,

30
00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,280
Speaker 1: the Los Angeleslkers beat the New Orleans Pelicans and so

31
00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,520
Speaker 1: we're going to be breaking down the four games sweep

32
00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,280
Speaker 1: in the Western Conference Finals last year, the Denver Nuggets

33
00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,960
Speaker 1: versus the Los Angeles Lakers. You guys know the Joe

34
00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,040
Speaker 1: fobergaz sart and subscribe to a brand of YouTube channels

35
00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:11,519
Speaker 1: you don't miss any more of a videos. Follow me

36
00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,000
Speaker 1: on Twitter at underscore json Lt so you guys don't

37
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,440
Speaker 1: miss any show announcements as well as the film threads

38
00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,200
Speaker 1: that I do from time to time. Don't forget about

39
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,520
Speaker 1: our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops tonight.

40
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,280
Speaker 1: And the last, but not least, keep following me on Twitter.

41
00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,200
Speaker 1: Excuse me, keep leaving mailbag questions in the YouTube comments

42
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,000
Speaker 1: so we can keep hitting some mail bags over the

43
00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,800
Speaker 1: course of the rest of this week. All right, on

44
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,000
Speaker 1: that note, let's talk some basketball. So the Nuggets won

45
00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,160
Speaker 1: the season series three to zero. I believe they've won

46
00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,760
Speaker 1: eight in a row, dating back to their final regular

47
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,320
Speaker 1: season matchup from last year, the four games sweep and

48
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,840
Speaker 1: then three to ohero this year. In terms of per

49
00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,720
Speaker 1: possession basis this year, in three games, the Denver Nuggets

50
00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,120
Speaker 1: are getting one hundred and twenty five points per one

51
00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,640
Speaker 1: hundred possessions and the Lakers are getting one hundred and

52
00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,760
Speaker 1: fifteen points per one hundred posessions. But most of that

53
00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,639
Speaker 1: has been in the clutch. In seven minutes of clutch

54
00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,320
Speaker 1: basketball this season, and again qualifies as anything inside of

55
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,160
Speaker 1: five minutes inside of five points, and in seven minutes

56
00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,880
Speaker 1: of clutch basketball this season, the Nuggets have outscored the

57
00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,520
Speaker 1: Lakers twenty seven to ten, So that's a pretty much

58
00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,360
Speaker 1: a beat down in that environment. Last year in the postseason,

59
00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,519
Speaker 1: in eleven minutes of clutch basketball, they outscored the Lakers

60
00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,680
Speaker 1: twenty eight to thirteen. That's basically been the difference between

61
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,919
Speaker 1: these two teams in that matchup. The Lakers, they are

62
00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,120
Speaker 1: capable of attacking Denver in the paint, they get a

63
00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,840
Speaker 1: bunch of good shots, they keep the game close, and

64
00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,560
Speaker 1: then late they just can't keep up with them in

65
00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,320
Speaker 1: the half court and the Nuggets just execute and pull away.

66
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,080
Speaker 1: It's a problem that the Nuggets give most teams in

67
00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,120
Speaker 1: the league, but the Lakers in particular, it's not even

68
00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:42,320
Speaker 1: one of those things where it's like, oh, they get

69
00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:43,840
Speaker 1: us two out of three times. No, they get them

70
00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,800
Speaker 1: every single time. And that's been the main dynamic that

71
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,640
Speaker 1: has swung this matchup over the course of the last

72
00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,920
Speaker 1: couple of years. Last year it was mostly the defense.

73
00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,160
Speaker 1: They held the Lakers to a sixty eight point four

74
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,920
Speaker 1: offensive rating and crunch time during the four game sweep.

75
00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,880
Speaker 1: This year, it's mostly about Denver's offense. During the regular season.

76
00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,760
Speaker 1: They're scoring one hundred and ninety three points per one

77
00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,000
Speaker 1: hundred clutch possessions in those three games, So that's where

78
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,800
Speaker 1: the difference has been on the gambling front. The Nuggets

79
00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,599
Speaker 1: are minus three to ten to win the series. According

80
00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,200
Speaker 1: to DraftKings, that is the biggest first round favorite so

81
00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,839
Speaker 1: far of the five series that are set by far.

82
00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,480
Speaker 1: The Cleveland Cavaliers at minus one ninety five over the

83
00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,359
Speaker 1: Orlando Magic, are the second biggest favorite that we have

84
00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,240
Speaker 1: in the first round. So Vegas views Denver as a

85
00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,960
Speaker 1: shoe in to move on. The biggest difference between this

86
00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,000
Speaker 1: series and last year is that the Lakers are much

87
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,280
Speaker 1: more of an offensive minded team than they were last year.

88
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,520
Speaker 1: To give you an idea, last year, the line of

89
00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,320
Speaker 1: delineation was the Westbrook trade. After the Westbrook trade, the

90
00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,840
Speaker 1: Lakers won eighteen to eight. They were second best record

91
00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,359
Speaker 1: in the league. Over that span. They were fourteenth in

92
00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,679
Speaker 1: offense and second in defense. It was a defensive minded

93
00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,359
Speaker 1: team and they rode that twins versus the Grizzlies and

94
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,800
Speaker 1: the Warriors before they went into that Nuggets juggernaut. This year,

95
00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,839
Speaker 1: for me, the line of delineation is January seventh, and

96
00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,680
Speaker 1: basically what it was was they completely let go of

97
00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,920
Speaker 1: the rope after the n season tournament, and that was

98
00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,800
Speaker 1: a game against the Clippers that kind of re engaged

99
00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,240
Speaker 1: the Lakers, and from that point on in the season,

100
00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,279
Speaker 1: they went thirty to sixteen. They were the fourth best

101
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,479
Speaker 1: record in the league over that forty six game span,

102
00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,960
Speaker 1: and they were third in offense in twenty second in defense.

103
00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,520
Speaker 1: So to look at that again, they were second in defense,

104
00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,720
Speaker 1: fourteenth in offense last year in their stretch run this year,

105
00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:33,880
Speaker 1: third in offense, twenty second in defense. So fundamentally different

106
00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,040
Speaker 1: type of team. One little line of optimism for Lakers

107
00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:39,960
Speaker 1: fans who were worried about their defense, because I do

108
00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,400
Speaker 1: think the Lakers are a little bit better defensively than

109
00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,039
Speaker 1: their numbers show. They have a one tozh four defensive

110
00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,320
Speaker 1: rating in their last ten games with Anthony Davis on

111
00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,400
Speaker 1: the floor, which is very good. And you saw the

112
00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,479
Speaker 1: high level defense that they showed versus the Pelicans first stretches.

113
00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:00,080
Speaker 1: That's trending in the right direction. But even though to

114
00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,280
Speaker 1: to kind of like tie it all together, I do

115
00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,080
Speaker 1: think the Lakers are a little better than they were

116
00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,280
Speaker 1: last year, and so from that standpoint, I would be

117
00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,320
Speaker 1: shocked if Denver swept them. We could skip ahead to

118
00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,000
Speaker 1: the end here, I'm going to be picking Denver to

119
00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,640
Speaker 1: win the series. Everybody should even if you think the

120
00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,880
Speaker 1: Lakers have a chance to win the series, it is

121
00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,040
Speaker 1: the unlikely scenario compared to Denver holding serve and moving on.

122
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,440
Speaker 1: So I would be surprised if I saw anybody legitimately

123
00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,000
Speaker 1: saying they thought the Lakers were likely to win the series.

124
00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,280
Speaker 1: I'm picking Denver that said. I don't think they're just

125
00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,160
Speaker 1: gonna run rough shot over them the way that they

126
00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,600
Speaker 1: did last year. I think it will be a longer series,

127
00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,480
Speaker 1: and that is the main reason why. I just think

128
00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,039
Speaker 1: it's a better Laker team. Lebron's better, the offense is

129
00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,920
Speaker 1: way better. We'll get into some of the details here

130
00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,919
Speaker 1: in just a minute, So let's start with the Lakers

131
00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,159
Speaker 1: on offense. Third in offense over the last forty six games.

132
00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,120
Speaker 1: Like I mentioned how it's a relentless paint attack in

133
00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,680
Speaker 1: deadly three point shooting, the Lakers are second in points

134
00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,040
Speaker 1: in the paint per one hundred possessions since January seventh.

135
00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,719
Speaker 1: They've been second for the entire season. Really, but they're

136
00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,840
Speaker 1: also shooting much better that the main thing that kind

137
00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,120
Speaker 1: of pushed them over the top. They're shooting thirty nine

138
00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,800
Speaker 1: point six percent from three in that forty six game span,

139
00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,080
Speaker 1: second best mark in the league, behind the Boston Celtics,

140
00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,040
Speaker 1: who I think are at thirty nine point nine percent,

141
00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,400
Speaker 1: So they're both right there around forty percent. The Lakers

142
00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:15,880
Speaker 1: have been one of the best three point shooting teams

143
00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,680
Speaker 1: in the league. Just imagine five out sets, guys rolling

144
00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,080
Speaker 1: and cutting towards the paint, tons of shooting on the perimeter.

145
00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,000
Speaker 1: Everybody in the lineup except for Anthony Davis is a

146
00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,880
Speaker 1: knockdown three point shooter. Ruby Hachimura is a knockdown three

147
00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,360
Speaker 1: point shooter. Lebron James is a knockdown three point shooter.

148
00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,880
Speaker 1: So is d Low, so is Austin and so that

149
00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,960
Speaker 1: kind of is the foundation of what makes the offense work,

150
00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,000
Speaker 1: screening and rolling and cutting, knocking down shots. When the

151
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,760
Speaker 1: defense reacts and they're really good at playing advantage basketball,

152
00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:44,920
Speaker 1: typically what they'll do is they'll run some kind of

153
00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,760
Speaker 1: horn set, usually some kind of three man action around

154
00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,840
Speaker 1: the top of the key, whether it's a double drag

155
00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:52,640
Speaker 1: or whether it's a screen the screen or type of action.

156
00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,360
Speaker 1: You guys will see some examples when we get into

157
00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,720
Speaker 1: our film session here, but they'll run some sort of

158
00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,960
Speaker 1: three man action to get an advantage. Once they get

159
00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,640
Speaker 1: their advantage. From there, they just play advantage basketball. And

160
00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,960
Speaker 1: like Lebron can attack close outs, Rueychamura can attack close outs,

161
00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,280
Speaker 1: Austin and Delo can attack close outs, and obviously Anthony

162
00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,680
Speaker 1: Davis cleans up everything around the basket. He's also first

163
00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,120
Speaker 1: in the NBA this year in second chance points. That's

164
00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,640
Speaker 1: where he gets a lot of his damage. To get

165
00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,120
Speaker 1: the defensive rotation, ad will clean up messes at the

166
00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,320
Speaker 1: rim when guys missshot. So matchups that I'm expecting with

167
00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,240
Speaker 1: the Lakers on the ball, Lakers on the offensive end,

168
00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,240
Speaker 1: CACP will guard D'Angelo Russell to start the series, Jamal

169
00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,320
Speaker 1: Murray will guard Austin Reeves, Michael Porter Junior will guard

170
00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:33,880
Speaker 1: Ruy Hotcha Mura, Aaron Gordon will guard Lebron James, and

171
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,960
Speaker 1: nicolea Jokic will guard Anthony Davis. Let's go through some

172
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,840
Speaker 1: of these specific matchups. So so CACP is that there's

173
00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,439
Speaker 1: a reason why the why they're most likely going to

174
00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,600
Speaker 1: put KCP on D'Angelo Russell. I do think Austin Reeves

175
00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,160
Speaker 1: is a better all around basketball player than D'Angelo Russell.

176
00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,839
Speaker 1: He's a substantially better defensive player and a really good

177
00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,360
Speaker 1: connective piece on the offensive end of the floor. But

178
00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:56,679
Speaker 1: Dlo does have a higher offensive ceiling. He's a better

179
00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:58,880
Speaker 1: shooter who can get hotter, and he's a better kind

180
00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,240
Speaker 1: of like playmaker and pick roll and so you can

181
00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,960
Speaker 1: do more damage to the Lakers offense on the front

182
00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,760
Speaker 1: end by putting your best perimeter defender on D'Angelo Russell.

183
00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:09,720
Speaker 1: That's why I think they'll put case Ap on him.

184
00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,600
Speaker 1: So the Jamal Murray on Austin Reeves matchup is gonna

185
00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,240
Speaker 1: be key because last year, one of the big swing

186
00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,360
Speaker 1: factors was the Lakers ended up playing a lot of

187
00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,440
Speaker 1: Dennis Schroeder, especially because DLO was playing like crap and

188
00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,920
Speaker 1: because they were trying to find somebody that could reasonably

189
00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,640
Speaker 1: guard Jamal Murray. And so the Lakers had a lot

190
00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,240
Speaker 1: of success with Austin lebron two man game last year,

191
00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,640
Speaker 1: and then basically what they did is they switched Jamal

192
00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,600
Speaker 1: Murray off of Austin and put him onto Dennis Schroeder

193
00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,000
Speaker 1: because Dennis is not as good as a movement shooter

194
00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,440
Speaker 1: or off ballplayer, and they were able to kind of

195
00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,920
Speaker 1: get by with it. So one of the key parts

196
00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,280
Speaker 1: of this series is going to be can the Lakers

197
00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,320
Speaker 1: keep Austin and de Lo on the floor because if

198
00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,560
Speaker 1: they can keep Austin and Dil on the floor, then

199
00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,719
Speaker 1: they can run their Austin Lebron two man game or

200
00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,440
Speaker 1: dl Lebron two man game, depending on who Jamal Murray

201
00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,160
Speaker 1: is guarding, and keep Jamal Murray engaged defensively. You guys

202
00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,240
Speaker 1: will see when we get to the film. One of

203
00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,480
Speaker 1: the biggest things the Nuggets will do is basically tuck

204
00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,640
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray on the worst offensive player on the other

205
00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,320
Speaker 1: team and try to buy him as much rest during

206
00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,679
Speaker 1: the game as possible. During the latest matchup that they

207
00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,080
Speaker 1: had in March down the stretch, the Lakers went with

208
00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,240
Speaker 1: Cam Reddish, something that I got I hope we do

209
00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,600
Speaker 1: not see in this series because he can't guard Jamal

210
00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,680
Speaker 1: Murray and he just nukes their offense. But Jamal Murray

211
00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:20,880
Speaker 1: was guarding Cam Reddish and literally just standing around and

212
00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,760
Speaker 1: watching stuff happen while the other guys played offense, and

213
00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,400
Speaker 1: so big shock he had the leg strength to rise

214
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,040
Speaker 1: up and make shots on the other ends of the

215
00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,000
Speaker 1: end of the floor. So one of the key matchups

216
00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,400
Speaker 1: of this series is going to be Can Austin Reeves

217
00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,080
Speaker 1: and D'Angelo Russell remain on the floor together so that

218
00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,520
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray has to guard a good offensive player. If

219
00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,640
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray has to guard a good offensive player, the

220
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,559
Speaker 1: Laker offense will have more resiliency in terms of holding

221
00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,720
Speaker 1: up over the course of the series. Specifically the Jamal

222
00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,240
Speaker 1: Murray on Austin Reeves dynamic, which is where the series

223
00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,520
Speaker 1: will start. Last year, they were doing a lot of

224
00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,520
Speaker 1: pick and pops, so like, Austin's a good movement shooter,

225
00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,200
Speaker 1: so Austin would set the screen, slip to the three

226
00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:00,079
Speaker 1: point line as Jamal Murray's hedging, Lebron would throw the

227
00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,240
Speaker 1: pass to Austin, Austin would hit a three. This year,

228
00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,400
Speaker 1: the guard screens on Lebron are more slipping into open space.

229
00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,600
Speaker 1: A big part of that's just the spacing provided by

230
00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,480
Speaker 1: their five out. But you'll see Austin set screens and

231
00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,559
Speaker 1: then slip into like the short roll area, and then

232
00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,240
Speaker 1: there he'll either score if he's open enough, or he'll

233
00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,040
Speaker 1: make reads and kind of pick them apart from there.

234
00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,680
Speaker 1: But like, as long as Jamal Murray is on Austin Reeves,

235
00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,480
Speaker 1: expect Austin Reeves to be involved in a lot of actions.

236
00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,800
Speaker 1: Early and often in this series. I think, honestly, one

237
00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,319
Speaker 1: of the biggest factors for Denver defensively in the series

238
00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,200
Speaker 1: is going to be their rotations, meaning how good and

239
00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,720
Speaker 1: sharp they are in their closeouts, chasing guys off the

240
00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,520
Speaker 1: three point line, multiple efforts to contain multiple actions, because

241
00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:43,079
Speaker 1: I do think the Lakers are gonna be able to

242
00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,440
Speaker 1: get them in rotation a lot more than they did

243
00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,439
Speaker 1: last year. They just have a lot more offensive skill

244
00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,400
Speaker 1: and continuity, and they're just better within their offense this year,

245
00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:51,840
Speaker 1: So I do think they're gonna be able to get

246
00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,160
Speaker 1: Denver in rotation. Denver's just gonna have to do their

247
00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,360
Speaker 1: job in rotation with their athleticism within their game play

248
00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,520
Speaker 1: and funneling guys in the right direction, chasing the right

249
00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,880
Speaker 1: guys off the line, closing out short on the guys

250
00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:03,880
Speaker 1: that you're supposed to, Guys like gatee Vincent, guys like

251
00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,720
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, guys like Spencer Dinwoodie for instance. Game plan

252
00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,440
Speaker 1: discipline is gonna be big there. Aaron Gordon on Lebron,

253
00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,640
Speaker 1: This is where these playoff matchups kind of show where

254
00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,120
Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon's value is Like Lebron, James Kawhi Leonard and

255
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,920
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant are the three best forwards in the Western Conference,

256
00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,319
Speaker 1: and he matches up really well with all three of them.

257
00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:25,840
Speaker 1: And then if you get out of the Western Conference

258
00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:27,640
Speaker 1: and you run into a Boston or you run into

259
00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:29,719
Speaker 1: a Miami, or you run into a Milwaukee and it's

260
00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,280
Speaker 1: Jimmy or Tatum or Jiannison Tennacumpo, he matches up with

261
00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,640
Speaker 1: those guys too. He has the strength to absorb the

262
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,680
Speaker 1: bully ball from those guys, and this in the length

263
00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,120
Speaker 1: and quickness to bother the pull up shooting of those guys.

264
00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,000
Speaker 1: I'm gonna show you a bunch of examples on film

265
00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,680
Speaker 1: of how Aaron Gordon can like beat Lebron to spots,

266
00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,680
Speaker 1: absorb the contact in the chest when Lebron tries to

267
00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,960
Speaker 1: kind of dislodge him and force him into tough fadeaway

268
00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,400
Speaker 1: jump shots. It's one of the few guys in the

269
00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:00,280
Speaker 1: league that can like actually guard Lebron credibly well. Run's

270
00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:01,960
Speaker 1: jump shot is going to be key in this regard.

271
00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,079
Speaker 1: So last year in the regular season, Lebron was getting

272
00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,320
Speaker 1: zero point nine to three points per catch and shoot

273
00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,080
Speaker 1: jumper zero point eight seven points per pull up jumper.

274
00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,719
Speaker 1: Last year in the playoffs, Lebron was getting zero point

275
00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,319
Speaker 1: nine to six points per catch and shoot jumper, zero

276
00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,920
Speaker 1: point six seven points per pull up jumper. So he

277
00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,320
Speaker 1: was just a bad jump shooter all season last year,

278
00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,319
Speaker 1: from the regular season all the way through the playoffs.

279
00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,480
Speaker 1: This year, in the regular season, Lebron was getting one

280
00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,600
Speaker 1: point two five points per catch and shoot jumper, he

281
00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:30,000
Speaker 1: was one of the best catch and shoot guys in

282
00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:33,600
Speaker 1: the league, and zero point nine to four points per

283
00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,959
Speaker 1: pull up jumper, which is far more respectable than the

284
00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,080
Speaker 1: zero point six to seven that he was shooting last year.

285
00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,360
Speaker 1: And so he's actually trending up on the pull up

286
00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,640
Speaker 1: jump shot as well post All Star Break, where I

287
00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,080
Speaker 1: personally think Lebron's playing at an extremely high level. We'll

288
00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,040
Speaker 1: get to that in a second, but since the All

289
00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,800
Speaker 1: Star Break, Lebron's getting one point zero three points per

290
00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:53,680
Speaker 1: pull up jumper too, So he's been a very efficient

291
00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,160
Speaker 1: pull up jump shooter in that span. He's just a

292
00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,520
Speaker 1: much better jump shooter overall than he was last year.

293
00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,840
Speaker 1: They're going to need him to make shots in this series.

294
00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,280
Speaker 1: Lebron is probably the biggest point of optimism for any

295
00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,080
Speaker 1: Laker fan in this series. After the All Star Break,

296
00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,760
Speaker 1: Lebron James is averaging twenty eight points, eight rebounds in

297
00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,000
Speaker 1: tennysis per game on fifty eight percent from the field,

298
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,000
Speaker 1: which is absurd in forty five percent from three. He's

299
00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,559
Speaker 1: the only player in the league post deadline to be

300
00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,640
Speaker 1: averaging at least twenty seven points per game on at

301
00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,680
Speaker 1: least fifty percent from the field and at least forty

302
00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,200
Speaker 1: percent from three. You just watched him in two do

303
00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,760
Speaker 1: like super important games against the New Orleans Pelicans on

304
00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:32,040
Speaker 1: the road, just utterly dominate them. I personally think he's

305
00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,120
Speaker 1: been the third best player in the league post All

306
00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,280
Speaker 1: Star Break, and I would pick him as the third

307
00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,600
Speaker 1: best playoff player going into this playoff run. That is

308
00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,800
Speaker 1: the level that Lebron is playing at right now, especially

309
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,800
Speaker 1: with Giannis being injured and with Kawhi Leonard being injured.

310
00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,560
Speaker 1: I would put jokicet one, I'd put Luca at two,

311
00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,040
Speaker 1: and I'd put Lebron James at three. That's the level

312
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,440
Speaker 1: he's at and he's been there for a couple of months.

313
00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,200
Speaker 1: That is where that is where the point of optimism

314
00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,280
Speaker 1: is right because last year he was hurt, and even

315
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,000
Speaker 1: when he wasn't hurt, to start the season, he wasn't

316
00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,240
Speaker 1: this level of player. He was struggling to shoot, just

317
00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,880
Speaker 1: wasn't at the same level. Lebron is just better now

318
00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:09,960
Speaker 1: than he was last year. That's crazy. It didn't make

319
00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:11,840
Speaker 1: any sense. I don't really have an explanation for you

320
00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:13,520
Speaker 1: other than he just got in the gym and polished

321
00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,040
Speaker 1: some things up and had another level of motivation. But

322
00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,040
Speaker 1: Lebron is just at a different level this year. Last year, obviously,

323
00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,040
Speaker 1: like with a foot injury too, it just kind of

324
00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,560
Speaker 1: exacerbated that. I thought Jamal Murray just straight up outplayed

325
00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,680
Speaker 1: Lebron James in the playoffs last year. That is something

326
00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,560
Speaker 1: that I don't think will happen this year. I think

327
00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:35,280
Speaker 1: Lebron will outplay Jamal Murray or at least meet him

328
00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,400
Speaker 1: at that top tier superstar level. And obviously if Jamal

329
00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,120
Speaker 1: can meet everybody there, then that's just part of what

330
00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,680
Speaker 1: makes Denver so damn good, right. But I do think

331
00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,120
Speaker 1: that Lebron out playing Jamal would go a long way

332
00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,800
Speaker 1: towards stretching out the series from the four game sweep

333
00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,320
Speaker 1: that it was to something that's more competitive. Yokijn ad

334
00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,800
Speaker 1: Ad just hasn't been able to score on in one

335
00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,240
Speaker 1: on one in the February game, the middle game of

336
00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,440
Speaker 1: the three games they played this year. He get some

337
00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,800
Speaker 1: buckets against him in the post, but for the most

338
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,320
Speaker 1: part in their matchups, it hasn't worked out well for him.

339
00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,960
Speaker 1: Eighty's biggest weakness as a player is he never developed

340
00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,880
Speaker 1: a consistent over the top shot, whether it's you know,

341
00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,160
Speaker 1: something in the post or something in terms of a

342
00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,320
Speaker 1: jump shot, and so he's had times where he can

343
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,520
Speaker 1: make it, but it's never been consistent. And then he

344
00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,600
Speaker 1: can't bully Nicola Jokic the way he does some of

345
00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,240
Speaker 1: the other centers around the league, and since he's bulked up,

346
00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,200
Speaker 1: he's not fast enough to go around him anymore, so

347
00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,280
Speaker 1: he just can't really score on him one on one.

348
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,200
Speaker 1: So really it's gonna come down to punishing yokicen help.

349
00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,840
Speaker 1: That means when Yokic is in ball screens, eighty has

350
00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:33,880
Speaker 1: to hit his floaters in his short jump shots that

351
00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:35,600
Speaker 1: he gets in pick and roll, and then he's got

352
00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,960
Speaker 1: to attack the offensive glass effectively. Anthony Davis got three

353
00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,920
Speaker 1: hundred and forty two second chance points this year, which

354
00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,160
Speaker 1: is the most in the NBA. Rudy Gobert was second.

355
00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,360
Speaker 1: Nikola Jokic was third. So that's where Anthony Davis can

356
00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,040
Speaker 1: be impactful offensively scoring him pick and roll and then

357
00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:55,520
Speaker 1: obviously uh attacking the offensive glass keys for both teams.

358
00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,040
Speaker 1: For the Nuggets, you got to prevent D'Angelo Russell from

359
00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:03,200
Speaker 1: getting easy look in getting confident. Last year, the Nuggets

360
00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:05,960
Speaker 1: snatched D'Angelo Russell's heart early in the series and it

361
00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,000
Speaker 1: fundamentally changed the entire dynamic of the series. That is

362
00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:10,639
Speaker 1: something they have to do again. If they can do

363
00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:12,680
Speaker 1: that again, it could get ugly and then we could

364
00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:14,760
Speaker 1: be looking out a sweep again because the Laker offense

365
00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,400
Speaker 1: when Di Loo goes off, the court does go down

366
00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,800
Speaker 1: a level because of the lack of that kind of

367
00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,360
Speaker 1: like shooting upside right. And then you just go from

368
00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,000
Speaker 1: having five really good offensive players to four really good

369
00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:26,840
Speaker 1: offensive players and a guy that you can close out

370
00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,840
Speaker 1: short on and things aren't as effective. And so just

371
00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,040
Speaker 1: KCP getting super physical with Dlo and getting him off

372
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,840
Speaker 1: to a rough start in the series I think is

373
00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,240
Speaker 1: going to be key. Being sharp in rotation. Like I said,

374
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,760
Speaker 1: the Lakers are really good at getting that ball to

375
00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:42,880
Speaker 1: the second side of the floor and generating close out

376
00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,199
Speaker 1: opportunities for their offensive players. All five of their guys

377
00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,960
Speaker 1: can in their starting lineup can capitalize on that type

378
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:50,959
Speaker 1: of advantage. Got some guys off the bench who can

379
00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:55,159
Speaker 1: do it too, So solid closeouts and contests will be

380
00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,600
Speaker 1: key for Denver, and then they have to keep Anthony

381
00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,520
Speaker 1: Davis off the offensive glass. This is be more about

382
00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,879
Speaker 1: Michael Porter Junior and Aaron Gordon because I do think

383
00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,280
Speaker 1: Jokic is gonna get pulled into help situations quite a

384
00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,360
Speaker 1: bit in their pick and roll coverages. So your two

385
00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,200
Speaker 1: six to ten guys at the three and four are

386
00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:10,879
Speaker 1: just gonna have to clean up the glass on the

387
00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,840
Speaker 1: Lakers front, AD's gotta make shots and pick and roll.

388
00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,080
Speaker 1: He's gonna get looks. He has to knock him down.

389
00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:18,280
Speaker 1: They have to win the driving kick battle. Like I said,

390
00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,560
Speaker 1: Lebron is going to get the ball to the opposite

391
00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,960
Speaker 1: side of the floor. He's gonna generate those close out situations.

392
00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,359
Speaker 1: So Ruy Di Loo and Austin are gonna have to

393
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,960
Speaker 1: hit shots, and they're gonna have to attack closeouts and

394
00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,840
Speaker 1: hit higher level close out shots when they get into

395
00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:36,720
Speaker 1: late clock situations. Backup guard shooting, I think Spencer Dinwoodie

396
00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,879
Speaker 1: and Gabe Vincent are gonna play a little bit in

397
00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,879
Speaker 1: this series because of needing to find somebody that can

398
00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,640
Speaker 1: guard Jamal Murray, and so those guys can go ice

399
00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,879
Speaker 1: cold from three and struggle offensively, and so getting at

400
00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,080
Speaker 1: least one of those guys to be impactful offensively so

401
00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,119
Speaker 1: that they can play him as an option on Jamal Murray,

402
00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,520
Speaker 1: I think is gonna be key. Lebron James and Anthony

403
00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,400
Speaker 1: Davis have to be able to score in crunch time.

404
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,040
Speaker 1: They are combined one for five from the field in

405
00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,520
Speaker 1: clutch situations against the Nuggets this year. They were one

406
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,960
Speaker 1: for nine in the playoffs last year. So two for

407
00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,040
Speaker 1: fourteen from Lebron James and AD during this seven game

408
00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,600
Speaker 1: losing streak against the Nuggets when the game is within

409
00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:13,520
Speaker 1: five with less than five minutes left, they have to

410
00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,000
Speaker 1: be better than that. End of story, no other way

411
00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,119
Speaker 1: to put it. You need your stars to hit shots

412
00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,520
Speaker 1: when Jamal Murray and nicolea Jokic are damn sure going

413
00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,040
Speaker 1: to hit shots on the other end of the floor.

414
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,800
Speaker 1: And then lastly, got to find a way to keep

415
00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,320
Speaker 1: Jamal engaged defensively as much as possible. A big part

416
00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,720
Speaker 1: of what their issue is Jamal Murray just finds a

417
00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,720
Speaker 1: way to rest on the defensive end, and then he

418
00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,240
Speaker 1: has the fresh legs to knock down shots. That's where

419
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,639
Speaker 1: that key dynamic of keeping your best offensive players on

420
00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,720
Speaker 1: the floor and holding up well enough so that you

421
00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,800
Speaker 1: can make Jamal Murray Jamal work and then maybe, just

422
00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,080
Speaker 1: maybe he'll miss some of those shots and give yourself

423
00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,240
Speaker 1: a better chance of pulling out a few of those

424
00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,600
Speaker 1: clutch games. Moving to the Nuggets on offense, I think

425
00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,080
Speaker 1: Austin Reeves is going to start on Jamal Murray, D'Angelo

426
00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,720
Speaker 1: Russell Reguard, Contavious Callwell, Pope Lebron James will likely start

427
00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,320
Speaker 1: on Michael Porter Junior based on the regular season matchups.

428
00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,480
Speaker 1: Ruyach Mura will likely guard Jokic based on the regular

429
00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,800
Speaker 1: season matchups, and Anthony Davis will guard Aaron Gordon to

430
00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,240
Speaker 1: start the series. So starting with Austin, will Austin be

431
00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:11,520
Speaker 1: able to do a good enough job. Austin is playing

432
00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,399
Speaker 1: the best defense of his career as of late. By necessity,

433
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,240
Speaker 1: the Lakers did not bring in a point of attack

434
00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,000
Speaker 1: defender at the deadline, at least not a starting caliber one,

435
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,600
Speaker 1: and so Austin had no choice but to basically slot

436
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,080
Speaker 1: into that primary point of attack defense role. Struggled with

437
00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,520
Speaker 1: it at first, but is really starting to come around

438
00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:30,479
Speaker 1: as a as a decent point of attack defender. Did

439
00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,439
Speaker 1: a really good job on CJ. McCollum in the did

440
00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,119
Speaker 1: a really nice job on CG. Mccum in those two

441
00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,680
Speaker 1: Pelicans games, but on film from what I saw, kind

442
00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,399
Speaker 1: of struggled to navigate nicolea Jokic's ball screens. It's been

443
00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,200
Speaker 1: an issue for him, so it will be a challenge.

444
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,080
Speaker 1: But if he can do an okay job and the

445
00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,560
Speaker 1: Lakers can stay with their starters in crunch time again

446
00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,560
Speaker 1: gives them their best chance to score on the other

447
00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,879
Speaker 1: end and then kind of maintain that confidence level they

448
00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,240
Speaker 1: need to be able to win. And again, like I

449
00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,160
Speaker 1: mentioned before, if they have to go to a defender,

450
00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,320
Speaker 1: the Lakers instantly become way to guard and things just

451
00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:05,480
Speaker 1: fall apart from there. Dlo's off ball attentiveness this is

452
00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,119
Speaker 1: part of why Denver is such a bad matchup for

453
00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,879
Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell. He's bad off the ball, especially when it

454
00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,320
Speaker 1: comes to locking and trailing shooters and watching out for cutters.

455
00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,520
Speaker 1: And so we saw that just the other day against

456
00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:19,639
Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors when Klay Thompson lit him up.

457
00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,160
Speaker 1: Delo just doesn't stay attentive when he's chasing guys off

458
00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:24,919
Speaker 1: of screens. He gets caught late and gives up too

459
00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,280
Speaker 1: many open looks. He just has to be better. End

460
00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:28,840
Speaker 1: of story. It's gonna be one of the key factors

461
00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:30,920
Speaker 1: of the series. As I mentioned, that is another way

462
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,960
Speaker 1: for KCP to play D'Angelo Russell off the floor is

463
00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,760
Speaker 1: just on both ends of the floor pressure physicality, making

464
00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,480
Speaker 1: him struggle offensively, and then on the other end punishing

465
00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,639
Speaker 1: him consistently. Denver should keep KCP involved in actions a

466
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,680
Speaker 1: lot early in the series to try to test D'Angelo Russell.

467
00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,520
Speaker 1: So Lebron guarding Michael Porter Jr. Is more about resting

468
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,080
Speaker 1: than it is about anything else. I think this series

469
00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:58,000
Speaker 1: eventually needs to tilt towards Lebron and ad guarding yok

470
00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,600
Speaker 1: Yokic and Gordon. Ruey does a good job. He tries,

471
00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,600
Speaker 1: but he's just not strong enough to deal with Nikola Jokic.

472
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,600
Speaker 1: Obviously neither is Lebron, but he's stronger than Rui and

473
00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,879
Speaker 1: can do a better job than Ruy does. So like

474
00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:11,840
Speaker 1: it's fine if you want to start the series with

475
00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,840
Speaker 1: Lebron and MPJ and rest him as much as possible,

476
00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,840
Speaker 1: but especially in crunch time and potentially for entire games

477
00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,359
Speaker 1: later in the series, Lebron is going to have to

478
00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,400
Speaker 1: take at least one of Gordon or Jokic, and they're

479
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,240
Speaker 1: gonna have to. And also I believe in mixing up

480
00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,560
Speaker 1: coverages just in general as a philosophy. The last two

481
00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:32,080
Speaker 1: games this regular season in February March, they almost exclusively

482
00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,000
Speaker 1: went with Ruey on Jokic and just couldn't get any stops. So, like,

483
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,280
Speaker 1: I get it for innings eating, but they're gonna have

484
00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,919
Speaker 1: to be able to go to Lebron in ad as

485
00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,720
Speaker 1: much as possible. Ruby just can't guard Yokic. I've got

486
00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:44,400
Speaker 1: like a half dozen clips that I'll show you guys

487
00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:46,680
Speaker 1: if Jokic just easily scoring over the top of Ruy

488
00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:52,359
Speaker 1: Hatcha mura Ad had some success blocking Jokic shots behind Ruey,

489
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,080
Speaker 1: but for the most part, the coverage just hasn't worked

490
00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,919
Speaker 1: keys for both teams. For the Lakers, the big thing

491
00:22:57,960 --> 00:22:59,760
Speaker 1: I'm gonna be calling out on film is smart help

492
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:01,560
Speaker 1: versus dumb help. We're gonna go over that on film.

493
00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:03,600
Speaker 1: But again, like there are guys that you just should

494
00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,520
Speaker 1: never help off of, and then there are guys that

495
00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,000
Speaker 1: you can help and close out short on. Right, there

496
00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,560
Speaker 1: are shots that are high priority, shots that are low priority.

497
00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,439
Speaker 1: I'll show you guys some examples of bad help and

498
00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,720
Speaker 1: good help when we get to the film. But it's

499
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,560
Speaker 1: all gonna be about decision making and game plan discipline

500
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,840
Speaker 1: for the Laker off ball defenders Lebron and Ad like

501
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,240
Speaker 1: I mentioned before, gonna have to take the Yokic assignment

502
00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,199
Speaker 1: at some point, especially towards the end of the series.

503
00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,400
Speaker 1: Austin and Dila. Austin has to do a credible job

504
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,800
Speaker 1: on Jamal Murray to keep their best offensive lineups on

505
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:32,399
Speaker 1: the floor, and Dil has to be attentive off the

506
00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,600
Speaker 1: ball and then rebounding. Denver got an offensive rebound on

507
00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,000
Speaker 1: thirty five percent of their own misses in the three

508
00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,320
Speaker 1: matchups this year. That's insane, and it's been a major

509
00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,720
Speaker 1: problem for the Lakers throughout this entire matchup. They simply

510
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,919
Speaker 1: have to hold up better on the defensive glass. Give

511
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,880
Speaker 1: you guys an idea Denver dominated fifty five point eight

512
00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,000
Speaker 1: to forty four point two in rebound percentage this season.

513
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:53,840
Speaker 1: Last year in the playoffs, it was less bad, but

514
00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,440
Speaker 1: it was still bad. Fifty one point five to forty

515
00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 1: eight point five. Transition defense is gonna be a big one.

516
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,560
Speaker 1: Nikole Jokic is really good identifying when the Lakers don't

517
00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,639
Speaker 1: have good floor balance and pushing the ball at the floor.

518
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,600
Speaker 1: Guys like Lebron and Ad in particular have to sprint

519
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,120
Speaker 1: back in transition defense. One of the thing for the Lakers.

520
00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,840
Speaker 1: Because Yokis didn't shoot the ball as well this year,

521
00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:15,679
Speaker 1: I would try a short close out on him at

522
00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,520
Speaker 1: the three point line just to start the series, and look,

523
00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,879
Speaker 1: if he hits a few shots, you adjust, But I

524
00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,399
Speaker 1: think you have to try that just as an opportunity

525
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:25,600
Speaker 1: to see if maybe you can gain some foothold in

526
00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,720
Speaker 1: the paint defending their the rest of their offense. I

527
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,080
Speaker 1: would again close out short on yokicch at the three

528
00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,080
Speaker 1: point line. Ad help like. I'll give you an example.

529
00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:36,920
Speaker 1: There's a shot that I'll show you guys that Jamal

530
00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,080
Speaker 1: Murray hits over Austin Reeves in crunch time of their

531
00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,240
Speaker 1: last game this year. With how Yokic has been shooting

532
00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,480
Speaker 1: the ball this year, I'd rather have Jokic take a

533
00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:48,119
Speaker 1: three than Jamal Murray take a short fade away that

534
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,160
Speaker 1: I think he's gonna make, you know, over fifty percent

535
00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,879
Speaker 1: of the time, and so essentially, like specifically with this

536
00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,160
Speaker 1: matchup to start the series, I'd try closing out short. Yes,

537
00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,520
Speaker 1: I know Jokic is capable of making him maybe he does.

538
00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,679
Speaker 1: If he does, the Lakers can adjust, But I think

539
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,000
Speaker 1: you got to try it on the Nuggets front again,

540
00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:05,600
Speaker 1: play de Lo off the floor and you'll give your

541
00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,400
Speaker 1: defense it's best chance to slow down the Lakers. So

542
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,080
Speaker 1: on the offensive end, keep Contavious Cobbo Pope involved in

543
00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,200
Speaker 1: actions both on and off the ball to test De

544
00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,880
Speaker 1: Loo's attentiveness and see if you can get the quick

545
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,760
Speaker 1: hook there or get get his minutes cut down push

546
00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,920
Speaker 1: in transition. Every single time Anthony Davis goes to the

547
00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:24,960
Speaker 1: offensive glass, that's always been a big advantage for the

548
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,919
Speaker 1: Nuggets in this matchup. Attack the offensive glass as much

549
00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,720
Speaker 1: as possible as well yourself. That's been a huge part

550
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:32,800
Speaker 1: of Denver success against the Lakers is the Lakers can't

551
00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,120
Speaker 1: keep him off the offensive glass, and then shot making

552
00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,760
Speaker 1: once again is going to be key. Jamal making shots

553
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,080
Speaker 1: over the smaller Laker guards in the Nicole Jokic because

554
00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:43,320
Speaker 1: I think the Lakers will try closing out short at him.

555
00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,119
Speaker 1: To start, Jokic has to hit those picking pop threes.

556
00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,520
Speaker 1: My prediction, I'm picking the Nuggets in six. I think

557
00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,160
Speaker 1: this is going like I think this being a first

558
00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,800
Speaker 1: round series makes it less likely for the Lakers to

559
00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,080
Speaker 1: let go of the rope. Right. They don't get to

560
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,760
Speaker 1: hang their hat on we made it to the Western

561
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,080
Speaker 1: Conference finals. No, if you lose this series it's a

562
00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,480
Speaker 1: first round exit. I think that will allow a little

563
00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,639
Speaker 1: bit more desperation from the Lakers to try to hold up.

564
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,160
Speaker 1: I think Lebron being better, as well as an evolution

565
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,520
Speaker 1: of their five out offense, gives the Lakers substantially more

566
00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,680
Speaker 1: offensive firepower than they had last year. Especially Lebron is

567
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:21,639
Speaker 1: a jump shooter, so I think the Lakers are going

568
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,320
Speaker 1: to get a game or two off of them. To

569
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,040
Speaker 1: put it simply, though, Yo Kitchen Murray are a better

570
00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,480
Speaker 1: duo than Lebron. James and Anthony Davis in my opinion

571
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,639
Speaker 1: at this phase in their careers, and Michael Porter Junior

572
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,640
Speaker 1: and Aaron Gordon are a better trio of role players

573
00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,399
Speaker 1: than Austin Di Loo and ruey Ha Cha Mura. So

574
00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:39,879
Speaker 1: I just think the Nuggets are a better team and

575
00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,800
Speaker 1: I think they're gonna win. But the pathway for the Lakers,

576
00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:44,560
Speaker 1: that little crack in the door that they can try

577
00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,800
Speaker 1: to force their way through, got to win Game one.

578
00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:50,840
Speaker 1: I think they need to give themselves a sense of

579
00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,919
Speaker 1: belief that they can win the series. I think the

580
00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,280
Speaker 1: worst case scenario would be them getting out executed in

581
00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,200
Speaker 1: crunch time of Game one. I think if that happened,

582
00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,000
Speaker 1: it would just be too much of a gut blow

583
00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,000
Speaker 1: for them to try to recover from. But I think

584
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:03,960
Speaker 1: winning Game one is key for them, and then I

585
00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,160
Speaker 1: think they're gonna need to win every single home game

586
00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,160
Speaker 1: in order to try to pull it out in six.

587
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,919
Speaker 1: I think that's their pathway. But they're gonna need unbelievable,

588
00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,640
Speaker 1: top tier superstar performances from both Lebron James and Anthony Davis,

589
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,760
Speaker 1: and they need I think they need Jamal Murray to

590
00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,240
Speaker 1: fail to reach that level. I think they need Jamal Murray,

591
00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:21,399
Speaker 1: and I think you can do this by wearing him

592
00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,359
Speaker 1: out defensively and just kind of crossing your fingers and

593
00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,560
Speaker 1: praying you missus shots. But if Jamal Murray plays like

594
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,560
Speaker 1: the sixteenth best player in the world, in this postseason

595
00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:31,119
Speaker 1: instead of the eighth best player in the world in

596
00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,960
Speaker 1: this postseason. That I think is an example of where

597
00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:38,159
Speaker 1: the firepower dynamic could shift towards the Lakers, especially if

598
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:42,320
Speaker 1: Ad plays well. Now, a lot of that is unlikely scenario, right,

599
00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,919
Speaker 1: Like I think Darvin Ham needs to make necessary adjustments

600
00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,199
Speaker 1: along the way. Do I trust Darvin Hand to do that? No? Right, So,

601
00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:51,640
Speaker 1: like a lot of that is unlikely. But if there

602
00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:56,400
Speaker 1: was a path for the Lakers, that's what it looks like. Alrighty,

603
00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,160
Speaker 1: I have twenty nine clips for a film session today

604
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,200
Speaker 1: that we're gonna go to. Go ahead and get started.

605
00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,520
Speaker 1: This is an example of the Lakers base coverage that

606
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,919
Speaker 1: they go to. So you're gonna see again, after the

607
00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,840
Speaker 1: ball goes up, you're gonna see Anthony Davis, go to

608
00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:15,119
Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon, You're gonna see Ruy Hatchamura guard Nikole Jokich,

609
00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:17,320
Speaker 1: and you're gonna see Lebron James on, Michael Porter Junior.

610
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,119
Speaker 1: And you're gonna see an easy early example here of

611
00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:24,560
Speaker 1: this kind of configuration. So again, Ad is gonna be

612
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,680
Speaker 1: helping off of Aaron Gordon. Jokic is reading the floor here,

613
00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,560
Speaker 1: but he's just gonna get to an easy little pop

614
00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,400
Speaker 1: shot over the top of Ruy. Just never really struggle

615
00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,359
Speaker 1: to get to his spots and make easy shots in

616
00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:38,720
Speaker 1: the paint against Ruey. Here's an example of Aaron Gordon's

617
00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,600
Speaker 1: individual defense against Lebron James. Obviously, there's the fadeaway, but

618
00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,280
Speaker 1: watch Lebron's gonna hit the Jets on a little baseline

619
00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,080
Speaker 1: move here, He's gonna spin baseline and really try to

620
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,320
Speaker 1: overpower Gordon and watch Aaron Gordon absorb the blow Boom,

621
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,680
Speaker 1: absorbs the blow and forces him to turn again. Now

622
00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,120
Speaker 1: Lebron's gonna go to his right shoulder fade. I hate

623
00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,440
Speaker 1: the shot from Lebron. He hasn't been good at it

624
00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:01,000
Speaker 1: really since the twenty twenty like he was good at

625
00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,440
Speaker 1: it in like twenty seventeen to twenty twenty. Those were

626
00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,360
Speaker 1: the stretches when he was good at it, But he

627
00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:07,040
Speaker 1: hasn't really been good at it since this is a

628
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,440
Speaker 1: shot that requires a ton of lift. He's actually shooting

629
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,920
Speaker 1: just twenty six percent on right shoulder fades from the

630
00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,360
Speaker 1: left block this season. But Aaron Gordon forces an ugly

631
00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:21,000
Speaker 1: miss here. In airball, here's an example of the Lakers

632
00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:26,360
Speaker 1: base coverage actually working. So Ruey does a really nice

633
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,360
Speaker 1: job of making Yokic spin back into Anthony Davis. This

634
00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,800
Speaker 1: is about knowing where your help is. So here Rui

635
00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,560
Speaker 1: has to understand Anthony Davis is on his left hand side,

636
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,680
Speaker 1: so his main priority is he needs to cut off

637
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,400
Speaker 1: the baseline. Now, you could see Ruy kind of skewing

638
00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,160
Speaker 1: towards that baseline side, but Jokic is going to spin

639
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,200
Speaker 1: baseline anyway. Look at Ruey hop way off to that

640
00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:52,840
Speaker 1: baseline side. That forces Yokic to pivot back and Anthony

641
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,040
Speaker 1: Davis is able to get there. Again, that coverage is

642
00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,360
Speaker 1: largely not worked, but that's an example of it working.

643
00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,880
Speaker 1: Here's an example of making Jamal Murray work on defense.

644
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:05,960
Speaker 1: Now again, as we see the matchups, Michael Porter Junior

645
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,880
Speaker 1: is guarding Rui. Jokich is on a d Gordon's on lebron.

646
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:14,120
Speaker 1: This will be CACP on d'angela Russell. But also notice

647
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,120
Speaker 1: they're putting their best permitter defender on d Lo. That's

648
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,680
Speaker 1: kind of like what I was talking about earlier. That's

649
00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,920
Speaker 1: going to be their strategy. This is gonna end in

650
00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,720
Speaker 1: a switch. Now Ruey has Jamal Murray on him. And

651
00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,720
Speaker 1: Ruy just takes him immediately with a spin move along

652
00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,040
Speaker 1: the baseline side. Again, not only is that an efficient play,

653
00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,640
Speaker 1: but that's a way that you can make Jamal Murray

654
00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,360
Speaker 1: work on the defensive end of the floor. And again,

655
00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,760
Speaker 1: I don't think you can even do that unless you

656
00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:38,720
Speaker 1: have five good offensive players. And that's why it's going

657
00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,280
Speaker 1: to be so key to keep d'angela Russell on the

658
00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,040
Speaker 1: floor as much as possible, or at least dangel Russell

659
00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:45,840
Speaker 1: has to play well enough to stay on the floor

660
00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:49,560
Speaker 1: as much as possible. Here's an example of smart help

661
00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:51,960
Speaker 1: versus dumb help. I talked about this with the Lakers.

662
00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,400
Speaker 1: They need to make sure that they're helping off the

663
00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,040
Speaker 1: right guys in the right situations. So Jamal Murray's going

664
00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,280
Speaker 1: to be coming off of a classic little ball screen

665
00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:02,640
Speaker 1: from Yokich and he's going downhill. Lebron James is there

666
00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,440
Speaker 1: in help. Lebron is helping there. With Aaron Gordon, d

667
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,920
Speaker 1: Loo can become the low man. D Lo can drop

668
00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,760
Speaker 1: down and tag Gordon, which will force Christian Brown to

669
00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,360
Speaker 1: shoot a three. Right. This is Michael Porter Junior. This

670
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,240
Speaker 1: is the one guy you don't help off of Anthony

671
00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,280
Speaker 1: Davis digs down on Jamal. Now you've got one of

672
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:21,160
Speaker 1: the best three point shooters in the league wide open.

673
00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,360
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray makes the read. Michael Porter Junior knocks down

674
00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,240
Speaker 1: the shot. So that's an example of dumb help. That's

675
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,680
Speaker 1: a help that doesn't serve any purpose and leaves the

676
00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:35,200
Speaker 1: wrong guy open. Here's another example of Jokic scoring easily

677
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:39,520
Speaker 1: over Ruy Hachimura. Big one here is Jokic got blocked

678
00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,200
Speaker 1: on his last post up attempt again against Ruy, So

679
00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,040
Speaker 1: now watch, he doesn't like the spacing year He's gonna

680
00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,960
Speaker 1: clear Gordon out, but he doesn't want Anthony Davis to

681
00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,080
Speaker 1: be able to easily get to one of his layup finishes,

682
00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,280
Speaker 1: So instead of taking something towards the rim, he's gonna

683
00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:55,280
Speaker 1: take a short fade away. This is a really high

684
00:31:55,320 --> 00:32:00,400
Speaker 1: percentage shot that Anthony Davis can't really help on. That's

685
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,520
Speaker 1: also an example of why I think Lebron James is

686
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:05,120
Speaker 1: eventually gonna have to get into the mix. Ruy Hachimura

687
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:07,680
Speaker 1: just can't really guard. Just can't guard Yokich, not even

688
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,840
Speaker 1: make him slightly uncomfortable, whereas Lebron might be able to.

689
00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,680
Speaker 1: Here's another example of the Austin Ruy two man game.

690
00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,560
Speaker 1: Another switch. Ruey settles for a jumper here, but I

691
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,000
Speaker 1: would like to see them just kind of go to

692
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,040
Speaker 1: this action a lot to make Jamal Murray guard. Here's

693
00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,760
Speaker 1: Jokic scoring over Rui again, little wedge screen to get

694
00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,239
Speaker 1: post position, just easy gets to his footwork, knocks down

695
00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,280
Speaker 1: that little left shoulder fade. Here's an example of where

696
00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,360
Speaker 1: that can go wrong for Jokic again. This is another

697
00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,240
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis block along the back line. But watch Jokic

698
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,160
Speaker 1: is not taking it over the top shot. He's going

699
00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,480
Speaker 1: towards the rim. Notice his last two where turnaround fade

700
00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,760
Speaker 1: away over his right shoulder, turn around hook shot over

701
00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,040
Speaker 1: his left shoulder from distance. This is going to be

702
00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:51,160
Speaker 1: an aggressive move towards the basket, and ad is gonna

703
00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,120
Speaker 1: be able to get to it again. See he goes

704
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,520
Speaker 1: to the rim, Ady gets there. That's where that's where

705
00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,600
Speaker 1: like for Jokic, just as an adjustment for him when

706
00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:01,440
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis is in help, he's gonna have to take

707
00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:05,560
Speaker 1: over the top shots. Alrighty, So here is another example

708
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,200
Speaker 1: of a help that I think Spencer Dinwood he should

709
00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,560
Speaker 1: have thrown but didn't, so this would have been smart

710
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,000
Speaker 1: help had Spencer did it, but he did not do it.

711
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,840
Speaker 1: So Spencer is guarding Peyton Watson an if he shooter right,

712
00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,520
Speaker 1: so Peyton Watson is gonna go stand in the corner.

713
00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,240
Speaker 1: Spencer is the in best position to help here. Spencer

714
00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:28,640
Speaker 1: and Ruey are the helpers, right. Jokicch is working against Yo.

715
00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,440
Speaker 1: Kitch is working against Ad. He kind of gets Ad

716
00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,440
Speaker 1: a little bit onto his left side so he can

717
00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,880
Speaker 1: get to a little right handed hook. Ruy probably doesn't

718
00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,040
Speaker 1: need to help here because this is literally a ten

719
00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,640
Speaker 1: foot hook shot, so one of the lower percentage ones

720
00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,000
Speaker 1: that Yokich will take. He obviously can make it, but

721
00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,239
Speaker 1: I'd prefer Rui to stay home here. That said, if

722
00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:49,280
Speaker 1: Rui's gonna help Spencer Dinwood, he can't have his back

723
00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:53,000
Speaker 1: turned facing towards the worst shooter on the floor. That

724
00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,800
Speaker 1: makes absolutely no sense. That is an example of not

725
00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,560
Speaker 1: taking advantage of smart help. Dinwoody should be drypping here

726
00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,600
Speaker 1: to help on Gordon because Peyton Watson is not in

727
00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:11,800
Speaker 1: position around the rim, but Gordon is, so when Yokic

728
00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,439
Speaker 1: is in his deep drop coverage, shot making is going

729
00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,000
Speaker 1: to be key. This is an example of D'Angel Russell

730
00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,560
Speaker 1: hitting a little fataway jumper over Justin Holiday in the

731
00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,200
Speaker 1: drop coverage. Look, get off our back, yokicches, They're gonna

732
00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:27,960
Speaker 1: need Austin and Delo to hit these shots. Here's an

733
00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:31,200
Speaker 1: example of a cross green set that I really really

734
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,880
Speaker 1: like from Denver, And the main thing that makes this

735
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,160
Speaker 1: set work, in my opinion, is the actual floor setup.

736
00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:43,400
Speaker 1: Notice where everybody is. So we've got eighties guarding Gordon

737
00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:47,840
Speaker 1: in the left corner. Right from here, we have Austin

738
00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:51,279
Speaker 1: Reeves guarding Reggie Jackson. We have Justin Holiday spacing to

739
00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:54,760
Speaker 1: the right corner. We have Christian Brown actually setting the screen.

740
00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,120
Speaker 1: Lebron James is actually guarding Christian Brown. He's in help

741
00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:01,719
Speaker 1: at the rim here. But watch as Jokic comes off

742
00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,879
Speaker 1: of this screen, Ad ends up having to show right.

743
00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:09,239
Speaker 1: So because Ad has to show here, that leaves an

744
00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:12,319
Speaker 1: easy baseline cut from Aaron Gordon. Now, one of the

745
00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:14,000
Speaker 1: things I'd like to see the Lakers do to counter

746
00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,359
Speaker 1: this is have Lebron James be more active in help.

747
00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:18,080
Speaker 1: He kind of took this possession off. That's not going

748
00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,560
Speaker 1: to be good enough. But I do love the configuration

749
00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,520
Speaker 1: of this set. This is actually a perfect little freeze frame.

750
00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:27,520
Speaker 1: If Ruy's gonna chase, then ad has to show, which

751
00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,080
Speaker 1: easily opens up the cut along the baseline side, and

752
00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:37,040
Speaker 1: that's definitely a lob, not a shot. Here's an example

753
00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:41,600
Speaker 1: of D'Angel Russell being inattentive off the ball defensively, So

754
00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:44,000
Speaker 1: Justin Holliday is just gonna come up like he's coming

755
00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,440
Speaker 1: off of this this wide pin down, but then he's

756
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,600
Speaker 1: gonna slip watch boom, just easy little back cut on

757
00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:52,919
Speaker 1: Dangel Russell. He's not paying attention, gives up a dunk

758
00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,040
Speaker 1: that's just not gonna cut it. In this matchup, Denver

759
00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:57,400
Speaker 1: just makes you pay every single time you make that

760
00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:01,239
Speaker 1: kind of mistake. So one of the reasons why I

761
00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:04,720
Speaker 1: have some optimism for the Lakers in this matchup centers

762
00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:06,200
Speaker 1: around the fact that the Lakers did a bunch of

763
00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:09,520
Speaker 1: stupid stuff over the course of this regular season. Obviously,

764
00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,719
Speaker 1: in the matchup earlier in the year, I think it

765
00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:15,279
Speaker 1: was in it was either late January or early February,

766
00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,080
Speaker 1: D'Angel Russell didn't play, and the Lakers are just a

767
00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,319
Speaker 1: different offensive team when D'ANGELA Russell's not out there. But

768
00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,080
Speaker 1: this one, Dilo was healthy and out there. And the

769
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,960
Speaker 1: Lakers starters actually won their minutes in this game, but

770
00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,840
Speaker 1: down the stretch of the game, the Darvnham went heavy

771
00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:32,400
Speaker 1: into Cam Reddish, and Cam Reddish is one of the

772
00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,680
Speaker 1: worst offensive players in the league in a not very

773
00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:37,040
Speaker 1: good perimeter defender, but he for some reason has a

774
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:39,640
Speaker 1: reputation with Darvin Haam as being a good perimeter defender.

775
00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:42,439
Speaker 1: Your guess is as good as mine, But I got

776
00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:44,359
Speaker 1: some footage in here just kind of demonstrating that Cam

777
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:49,319
Speaker 1: Reddish is not actually capable of guarding Jamal Murray. So

778
00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,120
Speaker 1: my hope is that we don't see Cam in this

779
00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:56,200
Speaker 1: series just he's not actually staying glued. He's not bothering him,

780
00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,400
Speaker 1: he's not pressuring him, he's not making him feel uncomfortable.

781
00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,000
Speaker 1: That's like one of the easiest shots he'll ever see

782
00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:04,640
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray take. So here, these next two clips are

783
00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:06,440
Speaker 1: an example of a set that the Lakers can run

784
00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:10,359
Speaker 1: that I think has some success against Denver. These are

785
00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,080
Speaker 1: double drag sets, so Lebron's gonna have the ball. This

786
00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:16,640
Speaker 1: is the setup of a double drag, so we've got

787
00:37:16,640 --> 00:37:18,879
Speaker 1: our shooters in the corners. These are both dead eye

788
00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:21,200
Speaker 1: catch and shoot guys that you can't leave open, right

789
00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,759
Speaker 1: we Lebron James, our primary ball handler, D'Angelo Russell is

790
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,920
Speaker 1: setting the first screen. Anthony Davis is setting the second screen.

791
00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:32,040
Speaker 1: So what's gonna happen here is AG's gonna chase over

792
00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,640
Speaker 1: the top and Yokich is gonna be in a high drop. Right,

793
00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,640
Speaker 1: So Gordon's chasing Jokich is on high drop. That means

794
00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:41,440
Speaker 1: because Gordon's on the high drop, uh, or excuse me,

795
00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:42,960
Speaker 1: because yo Kich is in the high drop. That means

796
00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,520
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis can slip behind the action. But because you've

797
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,600
Speaker 1: brought the size in Gordon and Jokic out here, it's

798
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,520
Speaker 1: smaller players on the back line. Christian Brown is going

799
00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,840
Speaker 1: to stay home to be ready to deal with D'anngela Russell.

800
00:37:56,080 --> 00:38:00,000
Speaker 1: So D'Angel Russell is covered, but ad is getting tagged

801
00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:03,280
Speaker 1: by Jamal Murray and Ady just easily catches and finishes

802
00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,120
Speaker 1: at the basket. So the Lakers run it again on

803
00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:08,880
Speaker 1: the very next trip down the floor, and this time

804
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,239
Speaker 1: they switch the first screen. So here we go, same

805
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:16,920
Speaker 1: exact action. Now, Notice as it's happening, Aaron Gordon is

806
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,600
Speaker 1: now going to allow Christian Brown to take Lebron so

807
00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:22,720
Speaker 1: Christian Brown is trying to fight through that screen. Yokic

808
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:24,839
Speaker 1: is in the high drop. Here's our high drop configuration.

809
00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,279
Speaker 1: But instead Aaron Gordon, instead of prioritizing d LO, he

810
00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:32,640
Speaker 1: prioritizes the role. Why is he prioritizing the role? Because

811
00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:35,840
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis just got a bucket there. Lebron makes the

812
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,879
Speaker 1: kickout pass, Delo misses this shot. That's a fantastic look.

813
00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:41,920
Speaker 1: So double drag with Dlo, Lebron, and AD is going

814
00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:43,160
Speaker 1: to be an action that I'd like to see the

815
00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:47,880
Speaker 1: Lakers run a lot in this series. Here's another example

816
00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:50,719
Speaker 1: of excellent individual defense by Aaron Gordon on Lebron. This

817
00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:52,320
Speaker 1: is going to come out of one of the Lakers'

818
00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,440
Speaker 1: favorite sets, which is a little dribble pitch with Lebron

819
00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,640
Speaker 1: on the right wing. So what they'll do is we'll

820
00:38:57,640 --> 00:38:59,239
Speaker 1: have Dlo set a little pin down. But this is

821
00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,720
Speaker 1: a just basic a dribble pitch to Lebron, and again,

822
00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,759
Speaker 1: look at Gordon jump out there. He actually gets out

823
00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:07,399
Speaker 1: there enough. Because Lebron's been one of the best catch

824
00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:08,919
Speaker 1: shoot players in the league this year. As I said,

825
00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:11,920
Speaker 1: he's up at like a point in a quarter per shot.

826
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,520
Speaker 1: So Gordon has to get out there. So look, he's

827
00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:16,600
Speaker 1: caught on this screen. Lebron could catch and shoot, but

828
00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:18,959
Speaker 1: watch this athletic move from Gordon to close the gap.

829
00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:23,279
Speaker 1: Boom that takes away the jumper. Now Lebron sees this

830
00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:26,359
Speaker 1: driving angle and it is trying to attack it. Watch

831
00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:30,120
Speaker 1: Gordon somehow recover and beat him to the spot. Now

832
00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:31,759
Speaker 1: he's beat him to the spot, and now he's turned

833
00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,840
Speaker 1: Lebron into the tough fadaway jump shot. Now again, Lebron

834
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:36,480
Speaker 1: can make that shot, and he has been making that

835
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,680
Speaker 1: shot a lot this season. But Lebron is one of

836
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,080
Speaker 1: the most efficient guys around the basket. So he's turning

837
00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:43,279
Speaker 1: Lebron from the more efficient version of himself into the

838
00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:48,600
Speaker 1: less efficient version of himself. Here's an example of the

839
00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,360
Speaker 1: high firepower in the Laker offense. And this is a

840
00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:54,759
Speaker 1: bench group two Atarian Prints and Spencer Dinwoodie out there.

841
00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:56,600
Speaker 1: So we're gonna get multiple actions. We get a little

842
00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,320
Speaker 1: brush screen for Spencer Dinwoodie. That's gonna flow into a

843
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,719
Speaker 1: double screen for D'Angelo Russell. Jamal Murray does a good

844
00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,840
Speaker 1: job in their high drop. They tag Anthony Davis, Spencer

845
00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:07,719
Speaker 1: dinwood He's not a good enough three point shooter for

846
00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:09,839
Speaker 1: him to be much of a threat. Ball gets swung

847
00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:12,680
Speaker 1: to Torrian Prince Tory and Prince drives kicks the dl

848
00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,160
Speaker 1: Delo swings it around to Spencer Dinwoode. Now we're running

849
00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:17,920
Speaker 1: another screening action. We're gonna get a low drop this

850
00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 1: time because Spencer's not as good as a shooter. So

851
00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:23,160
Speaker 1: multiple screening actions, a bunch of ball in player movement,

852
00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:26,400
Speaker 1: and Denver has defended it well. But ball gets swung

853
00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:28,799
Speaker 1: with seven seconds left to Ruy Hotchimura. Ruey hotch Murray

854
00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:31,560
Speaker 1: has a size advantage against Peyton. Watson works his way

855
00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,880
Speaker 1: into the lane hits a nice little fadeaway jump shot

856
00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:37,719
Speaker 1: over his right shoulder. So again, this Laker offense is

857
00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:39,560
Speaker 1: a lot more high power than it was last year.

858
00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:42,080
Speaker 1: Just by the way it's configured. Every player on the

859
00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:44,200
Speaker 1: roster in the core group kind of playing better than

860
00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,080
Speaker 1: they did last year. It's a big part of why

861
00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:47,560
Speaker 1: I expect them to hold up a little bit better

862
00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:56,360
Speaker 1: offensively in this series. Here's another example of Camretti's just

863
00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,640
Speaker 1: not being able to make Jamal Murray uncomfortable. Little hegend

864
00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:04,239
Speaker 1: recover from d Lo. So again he's ball pressuring this

865
00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:05,920
Speaker 1: time at least a little bit. But watch how easily

866
00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:12,440
Speaker 1: Jamal shakes him here and again, like I would understand

867
00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:15,080
Speaker 1: like it was Jared Vanderbilt. Like, let's say Jared Vanderbilt

868
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:17,440
Speaker 1: returns in this series, and I reached out to my

869
00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,120
Speaker 1: guy Jovan Booja and asked him and he said, he's

870
00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:23,680
Speaker 1: still in his conditioning ramp up, So like there's no

871
00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,200
Speaker 1: timetable necessarily for him to return. He may not even

872
00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,839
Speaker 1: show up in this series. Jared Vanderbilt is the one

873
00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:31,080
Speaker 1: guy where I'm like, oh, he might not be as

874
00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,120
Speaker 1: good offensively, but he's actually going to be able to

875
00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:36,480
Speaker 1: make Jamal Murray feel a little bit uncomfortable. That is

876
00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:38,239
Speaker 1: the reason why I would lean that way if he

877
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,200
Speaker 1: was healthy. But I mean, what's crazy with that though?

878
00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:43,960
Speaker 1: Is even Jared Vanderbilt, as limited as he is, is

879
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,719
Speaker 1: a much better offensive player than Cam Reddish because of

880
00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:50,240
Speaker 1: his ability to operate within the five out offense. Again,

881
00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:54,719
Speaker 1: I just like Cam Reddish, good kid, getting a lot

882
00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:57,919
Speaker 1: better over the years, but not really a rotation NBA

883
00:41:58,000 --> 00:41:59,799
Speaker 1: player for a good team should not see the floor

884
00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:08,240
Speaker 1: in the series. Here's an example of some dumb help

885
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:13,480
Speaker 1: from Spencer Dinwiddie. So Spencer Dinwiddie, you hear, is guarding

886
00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,359
Speaker 1: Michael Porter Jr. Michael Porter Junior is gonna come off

887
00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:18,160
Speaker 1: of a screening action on this side of the floor.

888
00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:20,920
Speaker 1: But this is what's bothering me about this specific set,

889
00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:24,400
Speaker 1: So yo, get just setting a little backscreen for Justin Holliday.

890
00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,839
Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon's running like a fake DHO with Jamal Murray.

891
00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:29,960
Speaker 1: So you've got Jamal Murray and Justin Holiday coming downhill,

892
00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:32,880
Speaker 1: but you have Lebron James and Anthony Davis there in

893
00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:36,440
Speaker 1: help to contain that action. Spencer Dinwiddie, for some reason,

894
00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,359
Speaker 1: stunts in the lane to offer extra help. As soon

895
00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:43,000
Speaker 1: as he does, Michael Porter Junior flashes up high and

896
00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:45,040
Speaker 1: ends up getting a clean look at three as a result,

897
00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:47,320
Speaker 1: or clean look at a jump shot as a result.

898
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:50,400
Speaker 1: That's the type of attentiveness off the ball and avoiding

899
00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:56,080
Speaker 1: the bad help that I'm talking about. Here's another example

900
00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:58,799
Speaker 1: of the Lebron Austin Reeves two man game and their

901
00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:02,000
Speaker 1: ability to get downhill. So again this is coming against

902
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,400
Speaker 1: Justin Holliday who closed this particular game instead of Christian Brown.

903
00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:10,120
Speaker 1: But I imagine this is contavious Callwell Pope. Also, this

904
00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:12,720
Speaker 1: is when the Lakers had Spencer Dinwoodie and Cam Reddish

905
00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:15,279
Speaker 1: on the floor to non shooters. But just imagine this

906
00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:18,920
Speaker 1: configuration in the actual game. This would be Jamal Murray. Okay,

907
00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,600
Speaker 1: this would in all likelihood be D'Angelo Russell. This wouldn't

908
00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:25,200
Speaker 1: urges me. This would be Dangel Russell, and this would

909
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:27,600
Speaker 1: be ruly hotch to Murray. Right. So, like in this case,

910
00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:30,120
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray's going to be on the ball, which means

911
00:43:30,120 --> 00:43:32,200
Speaker 1: that Contavious Callwell Pope's going to be down here on

912
00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:34,960
Speaker 1: d LO. So with this action, they're not gonna want

913
00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:37,399
Speaker 1: to switch it. So they are going to chase, which

914
00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:39,360
Speaker 1: is going to open up the pocket pass. Gordon is

915
00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,440
Speaker 1: going to have to show. Otherwise Aaron Gordon's gonna get

916
00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:43,719
Speaker 1: downhill and that's going to open up little roles to

917
00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:46,799
Speaker 1: the rim for Lebron James. That's an Again, I really

918
00:43:46,880 --> 00:43:49,319
Speaker 1: want to see a lot of Lebron Austin two man

919
00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,040
Speaker 1: game in this series, especially when they're with their starting group.

920
00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:57,000
Speaker 1: Another example of Cam Reddi is just not being able

921
00:43:57,040 --> 00:43:59,520
Speaker 1: to guard Jamal Murray. I'm sorry for picking on him,

922
00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:01,919
Speaker 1: I just I'm still irritated about that game. In case

923
00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:10,560
Speaker 1: you guys can't tell, here's an example of Austin Reeves

924
00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:15,680
Speaker 1: hitting a little rescue possession shot over over Jamal Murray.

925
00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:17,600
Speaker 1: I think if Austin can do a little bit of

926
00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:19,880
Speaker 1: this in this series to cancel out some of what

927
00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:22,200
Speaker 1: Jamal does, that would go a long way. So again,

928
00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:25,440
Speaker 1: late clock five seconds left hits a little turnaround jump

929
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:28,320
Speaker 1: shot over the top of Jamal Murray. That would be

930
00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:30,120
Speaker 1: a big way for Austin to kind of minimize some

931
00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:36,800
Speaker 1: of Jamal's impact. Here's another example of what would probably

932
00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:39,000
Speaker 1: I could go either way on this one, but I'm

933
00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:43,640
Speaker 1: gonna call it bad help. So really getting attacked by

934
00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:47,960
Speaker 1: Jokic Anthony Davis trying to stunt Anthony Davis clearly thinks

935
00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:49,560
Speaker 1: that he's gonna be able to get back in time

936
00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:53,319
Speaker 1: to get to Gordon, but instead Austin Reeves abandons Justin

937
00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:56,239
Speaker 1: Holliday to kind of box Gordon out. When he does,

938
00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:58,600
Speaker 1: there's a wide open three for Justin Holiday. Watch Anthony

939
00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:01,160
Speaker 1: Davis's reaction, He's like, what are you Before it even

940
00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,040
Speaker 1: goes in, He's like, what are you doing? So like again,

941
00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:05,040
Speaker 1: part of that's just the predicament that Denver puts you

942
00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:06,960
Speaker 1: in You're gonna get in some trouble there. But those

943
00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:09,120
Speaker 1: are the types of smart help situations where it's like

944
00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:12,600
Speaker 1: Aaron Justin Hallay is a really good corner three point shooter.

945
00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:15,400
Speaker 1: Probably can't leave him there. Probably have to trust Anthony

946
00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:22,200
Speaker 1: Davis to try to clean that up. Here's yet another

947
00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:25,000
Speaker 1: Austin Reeves Lebron James pick and roll again in a

948
00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:28,120
Speaker 1: configuration in closing time. I think you'd imagine this being

949
00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:33,120
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray actually guarding on the ball. One of the

950
00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:34,880
Speaker 1: things I want you to keep an eye on this possession.

951
00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:40,200
Speaker 1: Watch Jamal Murray, hands on knees, hands on knees, hands

952
00:45:40,239 --> 00:45:43,000
Speaker 1: are still on knees, hands are still on knees, and

953
00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:46,759
Speaker 1: a little bit of a lunch step. Hands up. Okay,

954
00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:49,560
Speaker 1: he's completely and totally in chill mode. And like when

955
00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:52,600
Speaker 1: I tell you, he was doing that the entire home

956
00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:55,279
Speaker 1: stretch of the game. That's the downside of going with

957
00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:57,520
Speaker 1: the defensive personnel. So when I talk about how it's

958
00:45:57,520 --> 00:45:59,759
Speaker 1: important for Denver to play d'angela Russell on the floor,

959
00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:02,239
Speaker 1: off the floor, that's why, because if they can play

960
00:46:02,239 --> 00:46:04,640
Speaker 1: the Angela Rouss off the floor, Jamal Murray can chill.

961
00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:07,080
Speaker 1: If Jamal Murray can chill, then Jamal Murray will have

962
00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:09,200
Speaker 1: the legs to make the shots. If you can wear

963
00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:10,880
Speaker 1: them out a little bit, it'll be harder for him

964
00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:12,239
Speaker 1: to make the shots and maybe he'll miss if you

965
00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:14,920
Speaker 1: give yourself a better chance to win the game. But

966
00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:18,000
Speaker 1: watch it one more time, just to see the configuration again.

967
00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:21,000
Speaker 1: Once Lebron sets the screen, it's gonna be that will

968
00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:23,800
Speaker 1: be Jamal Murray chasing over the top. Gordon is gonna

969
00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:25,560
Speaker 1: be in a drop, which is gonna open up Lebron

970
00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:33,520
Speaker 1: James roles to the rim. Here is another example. This

971
00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:35,279
Speaker 1: is crunch time. It's a one point game with three

972
00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:37,279
Speaker 1: minutes left. I really wanted to see the Lakers go

973
00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:39,919
Speaker 1: to Lebron James or Anthony Davis on Jokich at this point,

974
00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,000
Speaker 1: but nope, they stick with their base coverage. You get

975
00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:43,719
Speaker 1: what you deserve if you know this is gonna happen

976
00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:45,880
Speaker 1: and you know he can't handle it, like of course,

977
00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:47,960
Speaker 1: like what did you expect like that? He's been doing

978
00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:50,680
Speaker 1: that all games, So like I again, eventually in this series,

979
00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:52,279
Speaker 1: Lebron and Ad are gonna have to take more of

980
00:46:52,280 --> 00:47:01,160
Speaker 1: the onus to garden Kole Jokich. Here's the Jamal Murray

981
00:47:01,160 --> 00:47:04,279
Speaker 1: shot over Austin Reeves. So we're gonna skip down the

982
00:47:04,280 --> 00:47:08,360
Speaker 1: floor again. You could see Yoki's pointing. He's like, Jokic

983
00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:10,560
Speaker 1: knows is like this is going to Jamal. He wants

984
00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,160
Speaker 1: Jamal to take it. They're clearing the side. He weighs

985
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:16,879
Speaker 1: everybody off. He's pointing, telling everyone to clear out. Here

986
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:20,040
Speaker 1: comes now. Like I talked about earlier, this is where

987
00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:22,520
Speaker 1: I want to see Anthony Davis early in the series

988
00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:25,839
Speaker 1: come down and offer double teams and basically offer late

989
00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:29,000
Speaker 1: closeouts on Jokic, just until he demonstrates that he can

990
00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:31,800
Speaker 1: consistently knock down the three said. They come with baseline

991
00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,960
Speaker 1: help from Ruey. This is honestly good defense from everybody involved.

992
00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:39,240
Speaker 1: Austin Jamal hit the same move on Dangela Russell earlier

993
00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:42,560
Speaker 1: in the game and give up a layup here. Austin

994
00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:44,919
Speaker 1: does absorb the contact and force him into a tough

995
00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:48,760
Speaker 1: drifting fade away and Ruey comes over and help. Now, Mindji,

996
00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:51,120
Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon's in really good offensive rebound position there, which

997
00:47:51,120 --> 00:47:53,080
Speaker 1: is another reason why ad needs to come down. But

998
00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:55,520
Speaker 1: this is honestly well defended. But that's a shot that

999
00:47:56,040 --> 00:47:59,760
Speaker 1: Jamal Murray will miss more frequently if his legs are tired.

1000
00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:01,759
Speaker 1: You can't have his legs be tired if you have

1001
00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:03,799
Speaker 1: him chilling Guardian Cam Reddish on the other end of

1002
00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:11,200
Speaker 1: the floor. Once again, watch Jamal Murray and chill mode

1003
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:14,919
Speaker 1: guarding Cam Reddish. He's chilling, he's chilling, he's chilling. We're

1004
00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:18,600
Speaker 1: gonna get a Lebron ad pick and roll that Lebron rejects.

1005
00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:21,680
Speaker 1: He drops it off to Ad Michael Porter Junior. Really

1006
00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:24,800
Speaker 1: nice defensive play at the rim there to block Anthony Davis.

1007
00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:28,040
Speaker 1: But just another example of Jamal chilling on Cam Reddish.

1008
00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:31,240
Speaker 1: And then here just one more time to add insult

1009
00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:33,720
Speaker 1: to injury. Watch how easily Jamal just kind of works

1010
00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:36,120
Speaker 1: around Cam and gets all the way down into the lane.

1011
00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:43,000
Speaker 1: So yeah, those are the kinds of mistakes schematically that

1012
00:48:43,040 --> 00:48:45,600
Speaker 1: the Lakers cannot afford, especially for Darvin Ham to make.

1013
00:48:46,000 --> 00:48:49,880
Speaker 1: But anyway you guys can see on film the main

1014
00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:51,920
Speaker 1: kind of things I'm talking about, it's gonna be very

1015
00:48:51,920 --> 00:48:54,920
Speaker 1: important to keep the Lakers' best offensive players on the floor.

1016
00:48:55,120 --> 00:48:56,960
Speaker 1: For Denver, that's gonna be the battle that they need

1017
00:48:57,000 --> 00:48:58,719
Speaker 1: to try to win to try to play one of

1018
00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:00,640
Speaker 1: the skill players off the floor to give themselves an

1019
00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:03,719
Speaker 1: opportunity to chill, for Jamal Murray to chill, which will

1020
00:49:03,719 --> 00:49:06,279
Speaker 1: help improve his chances for shot making. You saw the

1021
00:49:06,360 --> 00:49:08,160
Speaker 1: damage on the offensive glass, you saw some of the

1022
00:49:08,200 --> 00:49:10,719
Speaker 1: transition stuff, you saw some of the matchups. You saw

1023
00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:14,120
Speaker 1: the job that Aaron Gordon can do again. I'm picking

1024
00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:16,200
Speaker 1: Denver to win, but I do think the Lakers have

1025
00:49:16,239 --> 00:49:17,799
Speaker 1: a chance, and I am expecting it to be a

1026
00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:20,400
Speaker 1: longer series. I think the biggest game of the series

1027
00:49:20,440 --> 00:49:21,839
Speaker 1: is Game one. I think if the Lakers are gonna

1028
00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:24,040
Speaker 1: have any chance to win this series, they have to

1029
00:49:24,040 --> 00:49:26,200
Speaker 1: go in and win Game one. We will be going

1030
00:49:26,239 --> 00:49:29,040
Speaker 1: live on YouTube after the final buzzer on Saturday of

1031
00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,080
Speaker 1: Game one of this series, so make sure you guys

1032
00:49:31,120 --> 00:49:32,719
Speaker 1: head over to YouTube and to see it there. Hope

1033
00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:35,279
Speaker 1: you guys enjoyed the breakdown. The game plan as of

1034
00:49:35,360 --> 00:49:38,120
Speaker 1: right now is tonight. We're going live after six re seat,

1035
00:49:38,239 --> 00:50:04,719
Speaker 1: so I will see you guys on YouTube. Then the

1036
00:50:04,840 --> 00:50:05,280
Speaker 1: volume