1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, Well, good to hoop tonight. You're 2 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: at the volume heavy Monday, everybody. If all of you 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: guys had an incredible weekend and got a jampack show 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: for you today, We're gonna lead with that bizarre storyline 5 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: going down in Memphis with John Morant being suspended for 6 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: a game for conduct detrimental to the team. I want 7 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: to talk some about the numbers that are coming out 8 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,959 Speaker 1: from this latest campaign from Jaw, the disturbing trends from 9 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: the last five years of his career, and kind of 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: what I think it means for the Grizzlies and their future, 11 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: as well as John Morant's future. When we're done with that, 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: we're gonna beginning. We didn't do it last week just 13 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: because we had such a small sample size from every team, 14 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: but on Mondays, for at least the presu for the 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: foreseeable future, we're going to be doing power ranking, so 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: we'll have our top ten teams in the league ranked. 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: In the tail end of the. 18 00:00:58,440 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: Show, you guys have the Joe before we get started. 19 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: Some describe to the Hoops to Night YouTube channels. You 20 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: don't miss any more of our videos. Follow me on 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,119 Speaker 1: Twitter at Underscore jcnlts you guys don't miss show announcements. 22 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: Don't forget about our podcast feed where you get your 23 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: podcast on our Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if 24 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: you leave a rating in a review on that front. 25 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: Jackson's doing incredible work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 26 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there for 27 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 1: more content throughout the year. The last, but not least, 28 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: if you want to get questions into our Friday mail bags, 29 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: drop them in our full episodes on YouTube. In the comments, 30 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: just write mail bag with a colon A write your question. 31 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: That helps me find him when I'm looking through the comments. 32 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: We'll get to them on Fridays throughout the remainder of 33 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: the season. All right, let's talk some basketball. So on 34 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: Friday night one of the most most bizarre job Morant 35 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: games I've ever seen. There was some passing highlights. He 36 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: had a little sequence in the third quarter where he 37 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: h through a lob and then a skip pass for three, 38 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: and like the couple of sequences where he made some plays, 39 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: But for the most part he was kind of just 40 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: floating through the game, and in the second half in particular, 41 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: particularly looked like he was openly pouting. The Lakers were 42 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: packing the paint on his drives, which that's the game 43 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: plan from JJ, but we've talked about that throughout the 44 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: season already, like that's what every team's gonna do to 45 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: Memphis because they're a bad jump shooting team, so they're 46 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: gonna pack the paint, They're gonna dare John Morant to shoot. 47 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: And he would zero for six from three in that game. 48 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: He's five for thirty two from three to start the season. 49 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: And it just got ugly and the Lakers ended up 50 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: cruising to a victory there. And the body language is bad, 51 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: the effort was bad. It just looked like a combination 52 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: of him pouting and him losing some of his confidence 53 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: to a certain extent as Luca was having another insane game. 54 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: And then we find out after the game from Sam 55 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: Sharania that John Morant's been suspended for game for conduct 56 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: detrimental to the team, and it was because Isaalo ended 57 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: up calling him out in front of the team for 58 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: his lack of effort and leadership and job apparently was 59 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 1: disrespectful back to him. 60 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: And so as I look. 61 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: At this, I've been kind of feeling this way for 62 00:02:58,120 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: the better part of a year now. 63 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: It's just really hard to. 64 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: It's been really hard to really come to this conclusion, 65 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: just because I'm such a big believer in Jaw, Like 66 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: I'm I view that combination of the ability to get 67 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: into the paint and short range shot making combined with 68 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: playmaking as like a really strong foundational superstar trade, which 69 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: is what makes Jaw so hard to quit on, you know, 70 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: as a fan. Right, But I think it's time for 71 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: the Memphis Grizzlies to start thinking about the era after 72 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: John Moran. Like this has been a fifth consecutive season 73 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: of him declining across the board in almost every major 74 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: statistical category. And there's really two reasons why I look 75 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: at this situation with Jaws untenable from Memphis moving forward. 76 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: On one hand, the consistent year over year decline, and 77 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: then on the other hand, a seeming unwillingness to accept 78 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: any personal responsibility for it in a lack of self 79 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: awareness over what his role is in his current situation. 80 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: That's the trouble with what happened Friday night, Right, You've 81 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: got a guy who's clearly blaming the coaching staff for 82 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,039 Speaker 1: what's happening when there is clear sign that him as 83 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: an individual basketball player continues to get worse. You know, 84 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: we've talked a lot about the jump shooting, and it 85 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: hasn't been pretty Like. He shot thirty four percent from 86 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: three to the year he made the All NBA team 87 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two and hasn't shot over twe hasn't 88 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: shot over thirty one percent in a single season since then, 89 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: and again he's just five for thirty two to start 90 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: this year sixteen percent. But by far the biggest concern 91 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: has been his ability to get to the rim. It 92 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: has declined every single year since that twenty twenty two 93 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: All NBA campaign. These are numbers percentergy. I looked these 94 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: numbers up this morning and I was shocked. Twenty twenty 95 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: two the year he makes All NBA nine point six 96 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: attempts at the rim per game, twenty twenty three, eight 97 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: point eight, twenty twenty four, seven point one, twenty twenty five, 98 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: six point eight. So far this season in this part 99 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: of the campaign, four point seven attempts at the rim 100 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: per game four point seven. That's less than half in 101 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: the All NBA campaign in twenty twenty two. So, like 102 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: above and beyond anything with his jump shot, even his superpower, 103 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: his ability to get into the paint is declining year 104 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: over year. Now some of that, like you would expect. 105 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: It's a poor jump shooting team, and as he gets older, 106 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: you want him to refine his game into a little 107 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: less reckless, a little bit more pace, change of pace, 108 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:51,119 Speaker 1: a little bit more shot making, right, but the shot 109 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: making hasn't been there. There hasn't been a commensurate increase 110 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: in perimeter polish to go with the decrease in his 111 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: ability to get to the rim. Now, do I think 112 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: it's going to be four point seven attempts per game 113 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: for the rest of his career. 114 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 2: No. 115 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: I do think that is being exacerbated by his kind 116 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: of poudy behavior and him not really bringing the level 117 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: of aggression that we know that he's capable of. But 118 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: there's been a clear decline and that is why it's 119 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: so frustrating in the context of his behavior, Like when 120 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: when you blame the coaching staff when we can all 121 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: see that you are declining as a basketball player, it 122 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: reeks of a lack of self awareness, and it's like 123 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: it's one of those things where we saw last season 124 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: after Taylor Jenkins was let go towards the tail end 125 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: of the year, they went away from the driving kick 126 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: attack and they gave the ball to jaw constantly. He 127 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: had his highest usage rate stretch in recent history. He 128 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: averaged twenty seven points per game and seven assists over 129 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: his final twenty two games, and they were a five 130 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: hundred team. So, like what Taylor Jenkins was trying to 131 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: do at the beginning of last year, what isala is 132 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: trying to do to start this year? This ball in 133 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: player movement. Let's play with more pace, Let's try to 134 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: make life easier for you. All they're doing is their 135 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: job as the coach to attempt to make life easier 136 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: for you on offense so that the team, not you, 137 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: the team can score the basketball. And we see this 138 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: across the league. We know that Josh Giddy can spam 139 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: high pick and roll. But guess what, the Bulls are 140 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: trying to play fast and they're trying to get the 141 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: ball moving because that is how they are going to 142 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: score as a team. The Miami Heat are doing the 143 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,119 Speaker 1: same thing. We watched Tyler Harrill run a million dribble 144 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: handoffs and pick and rolls and we couldn't score. So 145 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: how about we run the ball up the floor, and 146 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: we play with pace, and we drive and kick early 147 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: in possessions, and we try to keep everybody involved with 148 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: ball and player movement. This is what everybody who is 149 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: smart in the NBA is trying to do right now. 150 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: And because it's not on John Morant's terms and it 151 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: doesn't involve him just dancing around at the top of 152 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: the key doing his own thing every single time, he's 153 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: not happy with it. And it's just frustrating because like again, 154 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: like there is clear indicators that his individual performance is 155 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: not where it needs to be in order to anchor 156 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: a team as like this heliocentric give me the ball 157 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: every time and get out of my way type of 158 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: shot creator. You need to be getting to the rim 159 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: a lot more and making a lot more jump shots if. 160 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 2: You're going to be that type of player. 161 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: So of course you, Sallow and all these other coaches 162 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: around the league are looking at situations when they don't 163 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: have a Luka doncicch level primary ball handler, when they 164 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: don't have like a foundationally great offensive player. They're trying 165 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: to generate a system that can cultivate offensive success for 166 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: the unit. That's all he saw was trying to do, 167 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: and like Josh kicking and screaming during that, And again, 168 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: like I think there's two different ways to look at this. 169 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: There's like an in a vacuum conversation I have about 170 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: Jaws a basketball player, which is what we're having right now, 171 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: Like he's declining as a basket attacker, he's declining as 172 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: a three point shooter. He's not the kind of guy 173 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: that you want to be playing heliocentric basketball with. But 174 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: it's also complicated in the context of this Memphis Grizzlies team, 175 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: who is not a very good spacing team. They don't 176 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: shoot the basketball well as a team. I would argue, 177 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: if you were trying to construct an ideal situation for 178 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: John Moran, you want him surrounded with guys who can shoot, 179 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: because playmaking is a strength of his On offense, short 180 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 1: range shot making, if he can get to the basket 181 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: is a strength of his. But if he can't get there, 182 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: then it's going to become an emphasis on his jump shooting. 183 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: And so if you can't space the floor, he's going 184 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: to have to settle for jump shots and he's going 185 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: going to miss them. So there's also like a team 186 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: specific conversation around the Grizzlies, where like, even if you 187 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: believe in Josh still it's just not a good fit. 188 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: So I'm looking at this as a situation where it's 189 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: a sinking ship, so to speak with JA, but it's 190 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: also uniquely poorly situated in Memphis for him there, So like, 191 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm such a big believer in John Morant that like, 192 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: if there was any sign of it trending upwards, I'd 193 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 1: still be in for Memphis. But it's the opposite. He's 194 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: trending in the wrong direction and it's a bad fit. 195 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: And now he's pouting, so it's time for the Grizzlies 196 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: to move on. So again, now looking at it at 197 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: a basketball context, this is where it gets complicated because 198 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: of the lack of self awareness, because of the inability 199 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: to accept personal responsibility and some of the attitude issues 200 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 1: that John Morant's had over the years. It makes it complicated. Like, 201 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: for instance, I kept thinking, what about Boston has a 202 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: couple of large salaries that they can move. Boston kind 203 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: of could benefit from some real dribble penetration, like a 204 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: guy who can really beat people off the dribble and 205 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 1: playmake Boston is a team that can space the floor 206 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: for him. But is Boston's upper management gonna look at 207 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: John Morant in his attitude and be like, Yeah, let's 208 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: bring this guy into our system and potentially risk the 209 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: basketball culture that we've been building for so many years. 210 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: So it's tough because, like, I want to see Joh 211 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: go to a strong basketball culture that can space the 212 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: floor for him, but he's making himself undesirable for that 213 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: very type of team with some of his behavior. So 214 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: like I, on the one hand, it feels like it's 215 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 1: kind of time to move on for Memphis, but it's 216 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: gonna be a lot harder to move on than people think. 217 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 2: And overall, I just think the situation is sad. 218 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: It's sad because John Mourant had Like how many players 219 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: in the NBA truly have a foundational superstar trade? 220 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 2: Not many. There might be a dozen in the entire league. 221 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 2: Joh did. Joh had it. 222 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: He could beat everybody off the dribble, He had the 223 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: short range shot making, and he could pass when he 224 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: got to the middle of the floor. And because of 225 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,199 Speaker 1: the lack of skill refinement behind the scenes, like he's 226 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,319 Speaker 1: just not putting in the work to become the jump 227 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: shooter that he needs to be and he's declining in 228 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: all these other areas. It just is starting to look 229 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: like a story that doesn't have the happy ending that 230 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: we were all hoping for when Jah kind of took 231 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: the league by storm in twenty twenty two. He was 232 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 1: second team All NBA, definitively a top ten player in 233 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 1: the NBA in that season, and it's just been all 234 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: downhill since then. It's just really sad, and I wish 235 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: it had a happier ending, but I just to me, 236 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: it's trending in the wrong direction. All right, let's get 237 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: into our power rankings. Today's show is brought to you 238 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: by our new presenting sponsor, hard Rock Bet. 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Concerned about 266 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: gambling in Florida called one eight three to three play wise. 267 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: In Indiana, if you or someone you know has a 268 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: gambling problem and wants help, call one eight hundred and 269 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: nine with it gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler 270 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia. 271 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: To be clear, this is not the same as our 272 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: contender rankings. This is a list intended to call attention 273 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: to the teams that are playing well in the regular season. 274 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: So we will periodically approach our contender rankings, probably once 275 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: a month or so, when however, I see somebody that 276 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: I need to move up or down for one reason 277 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: or another. But that kind of change is going to 278 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: be slow because I'm not going to overreact to a 279 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: week of regular season basketball. When it comes to contender rankings, 280 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: we will touch base on that periodically. You'll know because 281 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: I'll call it contender rankings when we get to that point. 282 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: But on Mondays we're going to be doing power rankings. 283 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: It's intended to call attention strictly to who's playing well 284 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: in the regular season. Now right now, we're looking at 285 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: the whole season, because we only have a week and 286 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: a half's worth, but as we get further along, we'll 287 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: be also adding special emphasis on recent weeks. So let's 288 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: pretend we're halfway through the season and there's a team 289 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: that's twenty and twenty five, but they've won seven out 290 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: of eight over two week span and they're starting to 291 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: encroach on the play in or something like that. We 292 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: might give them a spot towards the bottom of the 293 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: power rankings as an opportunity to give them a shout out. 294 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: This is very much who's playing the best as of late. Okay, 295 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: we're going to start with number ten and work our 296 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: way up. 297 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 2: Number ten. 298 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: The Houston Rockets three straight wins after their two heartbreaking 299 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: losses to start the year. A shay Gilles Alexander jump 300 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: shot over a Men Thompson on the left wing and 301 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: then a wide open three from Jabari Smith on the 302 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: left wing from being five and zero, that's the slim 303 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: margin that they've been dealing with to start the season. 304 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: They've been the number one offense in the league, shocking. 305 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: They've also been shooting the shit out of the basketball, 306 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: which has been an unusual trend from them given what 307 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: we thought about this team on paper. They're number twelve 308 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: in defense and number two in net rating, number one 309 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: in rebounding, fueled by the fact that they've grabbed a 310 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: preposterous forty two percent of their own misses this season. 311 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: That is one of the crazier stats that I've ever seen. 312 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: They're really starting to find a groove on offense. The 313 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: thing that has stood out to me is just how 314 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: excellent their top three shot creators are, Like Kevin Durant, 315 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: Alprinshangun and Men Thompson are just so good individually that 316 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: it makes their offense flow, even though they don't have 317 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: as much refined offensive skill as the team as you 318 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: would think. And again, as I mentioned earlier, they've been 319 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: shooting the shit out of the ball to start the season. 320 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: They are shooting fifty four percent on unguarded catch and 321 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: shoot threes to start the season. Last night, or I 322 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: guess it was two nights ago, in the win against Boston, 323 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: they a Men Thompson, Josha Kog and Tari Easton. Those 324 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: three were eight for twelve from three. So like there's 325 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: a lot of like when those guys are shooting, they're 326 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: just gonna win games. I don't think they're gonna Obviously 327 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: they're not gonna shoot fifty four percent on unguarded catch 328 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: and shoot threes this year, but they may not be 329 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: quite as bad as we thought they were. Gonna be 330 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: something to keep an eye on. The start of the 331 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 1: Celtics game is actually a classic example of what I'm 332 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: talking about with their top tiershot creators. Kevin Durant first 333 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: play of the game gets a little screening action drop 334 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,959 Speaker 1: coverage look nails a little eighteen footter easily off the dribble. 335 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: Very next possession of Men Thompson just toases man Josh 336 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: might not off the dribble, dunks it with two hands, 337 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: and then Alprin Shangun takes Nimius Kida right under the 338 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: basket and bullies him for a layup like bang bang 339 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: bang to start the game. You can't guard Kevin Durant, 340 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 1: can't guard Evn Thompson, you can't guard al burn Shanghun, 341 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: And like that's really the foundation of their offense to 342 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,199 Speaker 1: start the year is they just have three dudes that 343 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,479 Speaker 1: are massive matchup problems all over the floor, and when 344 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: they shoot as well as they did in that Celtics game, 345 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 1: they're just gonna be really hard to beat. 346 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 2: It hasn't been perfect. 347 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: As good as they've been on the offensive glass, they've 348 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: been a mediocre defensive rebounding team, and they haven't been 349 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: as good on defense as you would expect them to be. 350 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 1: As in both cases, I actually attribute it to speed. 351 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: They can get beat to loose balls by smaller, quicker teams, 352 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: and they can give up some dribble penetration. But I 353 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: thought the Boston game was actually a good step forward 354 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: for them on defense, and Ree Shepperd, who had a 355 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: rough start to the season, had his best game of 356 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 1: the season in Boston. Houston is trending in the right direction, 357 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: and they've looked downright scary over their last three games. 358 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: Number nine the Detroit Pistons Kate Cunningham is off to 359 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: a rough start on offense to start the season. He's 360 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: been better at the rim than he was last year. 361 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: Last year he was below fifty percent on layups. He's 362 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 1: been in the high fifties at the rim to start 363 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: this season, so that's a plus. But his jump SHOT's 364 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: been off from basically every range, including short range, which 365 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: is strange. But that didn't stop the Dallas Mavericks in 366 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: Mexico City from doubling and blitzing Caid all over the floor, 367 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: and presumably because of the injuries to their center rotation 368 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: and how they just didn't trust their rim protection but 369 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: Caid picked them apart just making great reads every single time. 370 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: Jalen Duran was an absolute monster in that game, cleaning 371 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: up everything at the rim. I haven't loved everything I've 372 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,160 Speaker 1: seen from Detroit this season, Like they haven't been attacking 373 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: in transition as much as I would as they used to. 374 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: Last year they were fifth and transition points per game 375 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 1: this year their eighteenth. I think they're missing guys like 376 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway junior that ran the floor 377 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: really well for threes, and Caid was hunting those dudes 378 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: all the time with kick aheads. I think that's something 379 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: they're missing a little bit. I think in general, they 380 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: haven't been pushing as much as they could, and then 381 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: their secondary ball handling has been a disaster, like Kris 382 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: LeVert has not been great to start the season, and 383 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: then they fall off a cliff from there. Obviously, you 384 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: want to see Jade and Ivy come back at some point, 385 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: and obviously you would have hoped to have seen more 386 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: scoring polished from Caid. But overall, the reason why I'm 387 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: still pretty high on Detroit is they just have a 388 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 1: really strong physical foundation. They are this ass kicking physical team. 389 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: On the margins, they're seventh in defensive rating, they're eighth 390 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: and rebounding. They're fourth in opponent's points in the paint 391 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: allowed per game. I was really impressed in the win 392 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 1: against Houston. How good of a job they did against 393 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: Shanng Goon and all of his bully ball attacks. That's 394 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: guy who bullies everyone. They're tied for sixth in opponent 395 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: transition points per game. So they just have such a 396 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: strong foundation night tonight on the margins because they're so 397 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: athletic and physical and they play super hard that it's 398 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 1: allowed them to be four and two despite getting a 399 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: mediocre start on offense, and they will get better there. 400 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: Cade will hit shots, LeVert will play better than he 401 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: has sar Thompson will be better on offense than he 402 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: has been, Jade and Ivy will eventually return, and who knows, 403 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 1: they may even make trade at some point. So all 404 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: things considered, being at fourign two, I think that's a 405 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: solid start for the Pistons. Number eight, the Denver Nuggets 406 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: kind of a weird start for Denver. They've toasted off 407 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: two games in crunch time to the Warriors and Blazers. 408 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: Otherwise they'd be undefeated. This Steph game, you know, he 409 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: like literally had thirteen straight points and hit a contested 410 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: thirty eight footer to send the game to overtime. So 411 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: I don't know what you're gonna do about that. But 412 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: the Portland game was just mental lapses. There was a 413 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: and one that Denny Avdia got spinning off of Cam 414 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: Johnson where the Nuggets did not have their help side 415 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: defense set up and they were not sagging off some 416 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: of the non shooters that they should have been, and 417 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 1: they ended up giving up an and one when they 418 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: should have contained the ball better. Jeremy Grant beat everyone 419 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 1: up the floor in transition to draw a foul. Just 420 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: bad transition defense. And then Aaron Gordon for the game winner, 421 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: gets his handcought in the cookie jar against Jeremy Grant 422 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: and just gives him an easy trip to the foul 423 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: line to win the game. So just some mental lapses, 424 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: highly unusual for a team in Denver that's known as 425 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,640 Speaker 1: being one of the best late game execution teams league. 426 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: They have a one to sixty seven defensive rating so 427 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 1: far in thirteen minutes of clutch basketball, and that's usually 428 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: a good clutch defense. They've been strong in the metrics 429 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: on defense in clutch time over the course of the 430 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: last few years. The Blazers game was also the first 431 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: time this season that they got smashed with Jokic off 432 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: the floor, and it cost him a game. I think 433 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: they were minus eleven in the minutes when Jokic was 434 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: off the floor in that game. But other than that, 435 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: things have been pretty encouraging for Denver. The offense looks incredible, 436 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: and that's with them not even getting Cam Johnson into 437 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: rhythm yet. Their third in offensive rating, fourth in defensive 438 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: rating third, and net rating fourth and rebounding, so lots 439 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: of strong metrics for them across the board. 440 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 2: All of their big three look great. 441 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray is in the best early season shape that 442 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:48,719 Speaker 1: he's ever been in, Aaron Gordon looks fantastic obviously, Jokic 443 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: looks great. They just need to get Cam Johnson a 444 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: little bit more involved and clean up. 445 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 2: Their late game execution Number seven. 446 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 1: The Portland Trailblazers fifth best defense in the league in 447 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: the early going and boy was it on display. Late 448 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: in the game against Denver Toamani Kamara had a really 449 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: impressive help side block against Cam Johnson at the rim, 450 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 1: sent him flying out of bounds. Shade and sharp on 451 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: this jump ball sequence at the tail end of the game, 452 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,880 Speaker 1: came flying in and blocked and Aaron Gordon turn around 453 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: jump shot. They're just so big and so strong an 454 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: athletic on the perimeter, and they have rim protection to 455 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: back it up, and the all their forwards are so big, 456 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: strong and athletic that they can even go small. They 457 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: ended up going without a center down the tail end 458 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: of the Denver Nuggets game, which is like a kind 459 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: of crazy to think about it against that particular team, 460 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: But they're just swarming and then on offense, like I 461 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: talked about before the season, I thought the tape from 462 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: Denny Avdia at the end of last season was legit. 463 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: Like I didn't think it was just a guy putting 464 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: up numbers. He looked like the classic big, versatile ball 465 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: handler that can hit a pull up jump shot that 466 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: can get a guy trapped on his hip off of 467 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: ball screens and kind of methodically work into the middle 468 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: of the floor. He had a lot of like pump, 469 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 1: fake step through type of like kind of nifty foot 470 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: work around the basket to get by rim protection for 471 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: easy layups and short shots that he can make. But 472 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: at the same time, he's like brings like a real downhill, 473 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: like slashing force to the table. And I think he's 474 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: a pretty underrated passer, and so I was encouraging. I 475 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: actually said in our season preview that I expected Denny 476 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: Avdia to come out and put up big numbers to 477 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: start the year, and he's looked fantastic after a rough 478 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: first game where his jumper looked kind of hitchy and off. 479 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: Over his last five games where the Blazers are four 480 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: to one, Denni avdi is averaging twenty three points, six rebounds, 481 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: and five assists on fifty one percent from the field 482 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,160 Speaker 1: and forty seven percent from three. Drew Holliday has been 483 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 1: great over the last few games. He's put poured in 484 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: twenty one to five and nine over the last four games. 485 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 1: Jeremy Grant's been great surprisingly to start the season, and 486 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: they're a devastating transition team. They're scoring thirty four transition 487 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: points per game. There have been three teams that have 488 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: really stood out to me as like transition attack teams, 489 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,479 Speaker 1: and Portland's been one. It's like Miami, Portland and Cago. 490 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: Those three teams have been like chaotically fast with the 491 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 1: way that they're playing, and Portland's been one of those teams. 492 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: They have thirty four transition points per game, which ranks 493 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: second in the NBA. They get stops and they run 494 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: it down your throat. Then they pick you up full 495 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: court and they force the most turnovers in the league 496 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: with their ball pressure, and then they run it back 497 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: down your throat again. They're going to be a pain 498 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: in the ass for every team in the league to 499 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 1: play against. The Lakers get them tonight on the tail 500 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: and back to back. I'll have my eye on that game, 501 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: and I'm worried about it for the Lakers because they 502 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: can struggle with ball pressure a little bit. Portland is 503 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 1: a paint gonna be. They're gonna be a team that 504 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: everyone's gonna have to deal with this season, and it 505 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: won't be easy. 506 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 2: Number six. 507 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: The Milwaukee Bucks really bad night on defense against the 508 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: Sacramento Kings. Kind of a letdown game for them after 509 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: upsetting the Warriors without Giannis. But I've been very impressed 510 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 1: by the Bucks in the early going. This season, Miles 511 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: Turner has added this like other layer of athleticism to 512 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: the front court, and then they're playing the right guys 513 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: in their backcourt. And when you sub out guys like 514 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: Torrian Prince and Damian Lillard from that starting lineup, like really, 515 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 1: that to me is the biggest change in the team 516 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 1: is just how physically imposing they are. Think about last 517 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: year when we were seeing a lot of like Dame 518 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: Gary Trent, Torrian Prince, Giannice Brooke, And you turn Brooke 519 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: into Miles, who's a much better athlete. You turn Torrian 520 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,640 Speaker 1: into aj Green, who is a quicker, better perimeter defender, 521 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,400 Speaker 1: and then you turn Damian Lillard into Ryan Rollins, who 522 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: is a big, athletic guy that can play both ends 523 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: of the floor. All of a sudden, it goes from 524 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 1: being kind of like a slow Bucks team to like 525 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 1: a pretty big and athletic Bucks team. And so that's 526 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: allowed them to have a better defensive ceiling. It hasn't 527 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: been super great in the metrics, the eighteenth in defensive rating, 528 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,919 Speaker 1: but they've had really good stretches of defense, and that 529 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,120 Speaker 1: number is pretty strongly influenced by them giving up what 530 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: like one hundred and thirty five points to the Sacramento Kings. 531 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: But overall they've been much more physically imposing on defense, 532 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: and they've added this like very basic construct on offense 533 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: that works. This has been the fourth best offense in 534 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 1: the league here in the early going, and it's very 535 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: simply rim pressure and playmaking mixed with jump shooting. Right 536 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: bringing in a guy like Cole Anthony who can beat 537 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: people off the dribble and make kickout passes, Ryan Rollins 538 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: who's been excellent at the rim and excellent making the 539 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 1: reads in pick and roll, and then Giannis who's been 540 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: playing at an MVP level. You have those three dudes 541 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 1: surrounded by a big dude in Miles Turner who can shoot, 542 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: and lots of jump shooting talent around them on the perimeter. 543 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 2: It just works. 544 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,160 Speaker 1: It is classic rim pressure balanced with catch and shoot 545 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,239 Speaker 1: shooting that is making it successful on the offensive end 546 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: of the floor. There again, fourth and offense, eighteenth in defense, 547 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: seventh in net rating, way more physical than I expected 548 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: them to be. The they got a young guy to 549 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: pop in, Ryan Rollins, who had a couple of massive 550 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: games last week. Again, it started with me early in 551 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 1: the season just thinking Ryan had like really good natural 552 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: give and take with Giannis, but now he's starting to 553 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,479 Speaker 1: add the pull up jump shot to the mix. He's 554 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: hitting that at a high clip. He's hit more pull 555 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,679 Speaker 1: up threes to start this season than he did in 556 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 1: the entirety of last season in a Bucks Jersey really 557 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: really nice pop from there. And then they just in 558 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: general look like a more serious threat in the Eastern 559 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 1: Conference than I originally thought. I had them at the 560 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: top team in my third tier of contenders to start 561 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: the season. They're looking more like a second tier contender 562 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: to me. Obviously too early to make some sort of 563 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,719 Speaker 1: substantial change. We'll talk about that when we do our 564 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: next contender rankings over the course of the next couple 565 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: of weeks, but I'm looking at them as much more 566 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: of a second tier contender at this point. Number five 567 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Lakers one of the more impressive starts 568 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: in the league when you consider the injuries they've dealt 569 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 1: with and their strength of schedule. They've played the third 570 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: toughest schedule in the league to start the season, with 571 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: quality wins against Minnesota twice against the Miami Heat last night, 572 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 1: a big test for their offense, we'll talk about that 573 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: in a minute. And Luca's only played in four of 574 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: their seven games. Lebron has missed all seven of their games. 575 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, and DeAndre Ayton have all missed time, 576 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: lots of guys in and out of the lineup, and 577 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: they just keep winning. And they're winning primarily as a 578 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: product of them being the second best half court offense 579 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: in the league to start the season. I expected the 580 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: Lakers to be an excellent offense this year went healthy, 581 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: But if you would have told me they'd be the 582 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,719 Speaker 1: second best offense half court offense in the league with 583 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: the injuries that they've had, I would have been blown away. 584 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: And it's really just because of how incredible Austin and 585 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: Luca have been. Out of the forty one players in 586 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: the NBA that have ran at least fifty pick and 587 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: rolls to start this season, they were third and fourth 588 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: in that list, respectively in their efficiency on those actions, 589 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: both players getting over a one to twenty five offensive 590 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: rating when you include passes on their pick and rolls. 591 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: They're averaging a combined seventy two points per game between 592 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: the two of them, and they just have tons of 593 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: play finishing talent. Off of that, they have their top 594 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: five in scoring off of cuts. They're shooting forty one 595 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: percent on catch and shoot threes. Jake Laavia and Marcus 596 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: smart have both been revelations on offense as connective offensive players. 597 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: Jake hitting catch and shoot threes and running the floor 598 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: in transition and as a cutter. Marcus Smart more is 599 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: like a connective playmaker, just kind of playing off in advantage. 600 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: He can also score off the bounce every once in 601 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: a while. They've been getting quality play on the role, 602 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: like DeAndre Ayten has been scoring on the role. I 603 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: think Jackson Hayes has been really good over the course 604 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: of the last few games, bringing vertical spacing, but also 605 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: especially in the Memphis game, he was picking them apart 606 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: with his short role passing, making really good reads in 607 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: the middle of the floor to start those four on threes. 608 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: The Miami Heat game in particular, was a good challenge 609 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: for the Lakers because you knew they weren't going to 610 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: run any drop coverage. It was going to be a 611 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: steady diet of switching and doubling and zone and you 612 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: saw it affected Luca and Austin individually. They were eighteen 613 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: for forty four from the field, but they still got 614 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: to fifty five five points between the two of them, 615 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: and the team logged a one to twenty two offensive 616 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: rating against that Spurs team, which is the third best 617 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: defense excuse me, the Heat team. Excuse me that it 618 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: was the third best defense in the NBA coming into today. 619 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: So really impressed by the Lakers on offense to start 620 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: the year. They've been a little better on defense to 621 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: start the season than I expected. They were seventeenth in 622 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 1: defensive rating at this point, also seventeenth in defensive rebounding. 623 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 1: They have some smart defenders who are usually in the 624 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: right spot. It's amazing how often the ball will just 625 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: like end up with Marcus Smarter Jacob Ravia because they're 626 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 1: just always positioned properly on defense, the defensive rebounding piece 627 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:42,719 Speaker 1: and overall the defense I think is something that Lebron 628 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: can be a great help with. So, you know, given 629 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: how they looked in training camp and on opening night, 630 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: the Lakers have completely flipped the script. 631 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 2: Over the last six games. 632 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: And with Lebron come in here in the next week 633 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: or two, I'm really excited to see what they can 634 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: accomplish on the margins, which has been really their only 635 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 1: weak spot at this point. Number four, the Philadelphia seventy 636 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: six ers the second best offense in the entire NBA, 637 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: fueled by their incredibly fast and talented backcourt. They've scored 638 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: the sixth most transition points in the NBA to start 639 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: the year. All of that speed on display in the 640 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 1: half court. There's seventh in offensive rating, fueled primarily by 641 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: the shot creation of Tyrese Maxi, but also all the 642 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: shooting and slashing around them. So Tyreese has been amazing 643 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 1: thirty four points per game, nine assists per game, sixty 644 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: three percent true shooting, he's shooting fifty percent on pull 645 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: up threes, fifty eight percent on floaters, really impressive playmaking 646 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: out off of his rim pressure. 647 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: That dynamic is really the. 648 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: Floater pull up three is really the dynamic he's torching 649 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 1: everybody with. If you overplay the drive, it's a pullback, 650 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: dribble or a step back. He gets tons of separation 651 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: and he's nailing that at fifty percent. And that if 652 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: he gets his shoulder past you, he just takes off 653 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: at full speed and just softly puts that floater up 654 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: and hits it. And if you react to him at all. 655 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: On the drive, he's making the appropriate kickout reads. And 656 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: then as a team, they're tenth in catch and shoot efficiency, 657 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: but they're fifth in spot up efficiency, and a lot 658 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 1: of this has to do with the slashing. It's not 659 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: just again like when you're open, it's not just knocking 660 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: down to catch and shoot three. If you can drive 661 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: that close out and get layups and dunks like VJ. 662 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: Edgecomb and Kelly Oubrey both are slashing closeouts extremely well, 663 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:31,959 Speaker 1: getting layups and easy shots at the rim, and then 664 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 1: the pressure just never stops like Embiid. Strangely enough, even 665 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 1: though he's been kind of waddling around and looking unathletic, 666 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 1: he's at seventeen points per game on fifty nine percent 667 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 1: true shooting. He's looking a little more mobile each game, 668 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 1: which is something to be excited about if you're a 669 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: Sixers fan, because his immobility has been part of the 670 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: reason why they've been bad with him on the floor 671 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: relative to when he's been off the floor to start 672 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 1: the season. But Embiid should be able to If he's 673 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: trending like this, maybe he'll never be the MVP again. 674 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: That if he can trend to the point where he's 675 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: at least a little bit more impactful defensively on the 676 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 1: defensive glass and in transition defensively, if he can keep 677 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 1: up a little bit and he keeps scoring the ball 678 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: this efficiency, I think, this efficiently, I think that's going 679 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: to add an element to this. Paul George, obviously everyone 680 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 1: talks about how, you know, the Sixers need to stick 681 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 1: with their young guys. I don't necessarily disagree, but like 682 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: Paul George can do a lot of things on the 683 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,800 Speaker 1: basketball court, I don't think adding him to the rotation 684 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: is going to hurt things in any real way. And 685 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:40,319 Speaker 1: then you get this consistent pressure right like you're seeing 686 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: Quinton Grimes come in and he's playing really well. The 687 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,280 Speaker 1: lineups where he's on the floor performing really well. 688 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 2: VJ. 689 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: Edgecomb is having these little spurts of shot creation. They're 690 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: just really deep with athletic shot creation talent, and they've 691 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,879 Speaker 1: got these older guys that, like, if any of them 692 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: pop at any point this season, they're going to be 693 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,879 Speaker 1: even more dynamic. Tyres Max, he's looking like a first 694 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: team All NBA guy to start the season. They're just 695 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: much better than I thought they would be at this point. 696 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 2: Number three. 697 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: The San Antonio Spurs finally dropped the game against the 698 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:15,800 Speaker 1: Phoenix Suns last night. Super ugly night from Victor Wembin Yama. 699 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:18,320 Speaker 1: The Sons were double teaming him all over the floor 700 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:20,919 Speaker 1: and he just didn't handle it well. I do think 701 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,960 Speaker 1: that was the ugliest version of what this will look 702 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:26,799 Speaker 1: like this season, because on the one hand, you gotta 703 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:30,439 Speaker 1: be realistic, like, this is a poor jump shooting team 704 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:35,400 Speaker 1: San Antonio. They teams aren't going to double team Wemby, 705 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 1: They're not gonna let him cook one on one. 706 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 2: This is a coverage you're gonna see a. 707 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:43,839 Speaker 1: Lot, and so there will be some weaknesses that will 708 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,320 Speaker 1: come to the forefront as a virtue of this coverage 709 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 1: throughout this season. But that one last night was so 710 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: exceptionally bad, Like Wemby almost looked like a rookie with 711 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 1: the way that he was just struggling with physicality and 712 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: ball pressure, getting his base dislodged, having the boss why 713 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,880 Speaker 1: away from him all over the place. His kickout passes 714 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 1: against the doubles were bad, like some of it was. 715 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: Wenby just had a really bad game. And that's gonna 716 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,239 Speaker 1: happen with younger basketball players like and That's part of why, 717 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 1: like I talked about, when we start having the conversation 718 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 1: about Wemby with the best player in the world. I 719 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: certainly think that Wemby has a great chance to become 720 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: that at some point in the next few years. But 721 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: one of the biggest things that younger players can struggle 722 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:27,759 Speaker 1: with is they can have a night like this where 723 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 1: they're not just bad, but they're like really really bad. 724 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 1: And so these are the kinds of little details that 725 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,840 Speaker 1: are just standing in the way between where Wenby is 726 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,479 Speaker 1: now as like towards the bottom of the top tier 727 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: of superstars and the legitimate best player in the world. 728 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: There's a consistency piece, there's a can you do it 729 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 1: against every single coverage? Can you do it in the 730 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,920 Speaker 1: postseason when teams are scouting for you and dealing with 731 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: you for two straight weeks? Like there are checkpoints, and 732 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:55,279 Speaker 1: Wemby's hit every checkpoint so far, but there are still 733 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 1: checkpoints he has to hit in the future in order 734 00:36:57,719 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 1: to actually get to that point where he's the best 735 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: player in the world. And part of that is like 736 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: when teams get super physical and double team you and 737 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: sag off of shooters, are you gonna have you know, 738 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: what was. 739 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,359 Speaker 2: It that he had last night? Like six or eight 740 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 2: points and six turnovers. 741 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: Right, You're gonna have really really rough games where you 742 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 1: decompose like that. That's part of that growth process him 743 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: kind of trimming the fat there. Overall, though, in that 744 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 1: Suns game, I thought the biggest issue was they didn't 745 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: get any stops. And again, like, if you look at 746 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: this Spurs team in the aggregate, the thing that I've 747 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 1: been most excited about them with the early part of 748 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: the season is like Julian Champagne's this big, scrappy perimeterive player, 749 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 1: Steph Castle's big and scrappy, Dylan Harper's big and scrappy, 750 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:42,520 Speaker 1: Like they're Keldon Johnson's big and scrappy. They're big and scrappy, 751 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 1: and they had Victor webin Yama anchoring it all. And 752 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: so this is very much a defense to rebound to 753 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 1: run type of team defense rebound run. Like even when 754 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: they were undefeated, they were a mediocre half court offense 755 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 1: that struggled against his own defense. Right, So, like a 756 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,800 Speaker 1: big thing for them is going to be on nights 757 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:02,840 Speaker 1: like this where they don't get stops, it's gonna be 758 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 1: really hard for them to overcome it because they were 759 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 1: never that great of a half court team to begin with. 760 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:08,800 Speaker 1: We'll see how much Darren Fox helps with that in 761 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 1: the big picture, But I thought the bigger story in 762 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 1: that Sun's game was they weren't getting out in transition 763 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,040 Speaker 1: because they weren't getting enough stops. So far to start 764 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: the season ninth in offense, second in defense, fourth and 765 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: net rating, way more physically imposing as a team than 766 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 1: I expected to them to be, which I think gives 767 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 1: them like a strong foundation to build night tonight in 768 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,319 Speaker 1: the regular season. But last night you got to see 769 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: a little bit an exaggerated version of what it will 770 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 1: look like when teams try to take the ball out 771 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:39,280 Speaker 1: of Victor women Yama's hands. Number two the Chicago Bulls, 772 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: who finally dropped a game last night in Madison Square 773 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: Guard and the Knicks offense was just in a really 774 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,080 Speaker 1: good groove all night, and the Bulls had a particularly 775 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: rough third quarter where they lost control of the game. 776 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 1: But they've been one of those three teams that I mentioned, 777 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 1: the Bulls, the Heat, and the Blazers. They've been one 778 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: of several teams in the NBA that have really embraced 779 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,279 Speaker 1: transition basketball to start this year and it's been working 780 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:00,719 Speaker 1: wonders for them. As a matter of fact, they've been 781 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:05,440 Speaker 1: the best transition offense to start the season. And then 782 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 1: when they get into the half court, it's very simple. 783 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 1: They don't overly complicate things. It's a steady diet of 784 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 1: Josh Giddy pick and roll or pick and pop with 785 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: Vouch and then post ups for Vuchib. 786 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 2: It's a lot of two. 787 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:21,600 Speaker 1: Man game with Gideon vuch they initiate things and then 788 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:23,759 Speaker 1: they just play drive and kick off of it. And 789 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:25,960 Speaker 1: they've got a lot of guys that attack the rim 790 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 1: with a ton of force. Madus Bozellis has been a 791 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,280 Speaker 1: dominant force attacking the basket as a cutter, as a slasher, 792 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:35,799 Speaker 1: and as a transition weapon. They are playing off that 793 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,719 Speaker 1: advantage and they are attacking the rim very well. And 794 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: then on the defensive end of the floor, it's been 795 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 1: kind of like a weird inverse of the Chicago of 796 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:46,400 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics, where they are giving up a million 797 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,800 Speaker 1: paint points, but they're defending the three point line very well, 798 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,319 Speaker 1: and that has been a good strong foundation for them 799 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:56,400 Speaker 1: on the defensive end, which is triggering that transition attack 800 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:59,399 Speaker 1: very very impressive start for the Chicago Bulls. Josh Giddy 801 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 1: in particular has been fantastic. I talked a lot this 802 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:06,240 Speaker 1: summer about how I didn't think he was good enough 803 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 1: to be like the lead shot creator and a dead 804 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:13,440 Speaker 1: serious team. It's still very early, but he's been better 805 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: than I expected to start the season, and if that 806 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:18,399 Speaker 1: kind of thing gets maintained, it becomes more like, holy shit, 807 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,200 Speaker 1: you're getting that for twenty five million. Now we're having 808 00:40:21,239 --> 00:40:23,960 Speaker 1: a different conversation, right. He's been better than I expected 809 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: to start the year. Number one, the only undefeated team 810 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 1: in the NBA, the seven to zero Oklahoma City Thunder 811 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:33,280 Speaker 1: seventh in offense, first in defense, first. 812 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:33,680 Speaker 2: In net rating. 813 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,920 Speaker 1: Hit a timely stretch of easy schedule last week. With 814 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,480 Speaker 1: Chet Holmgren being out with some back issues in Jadub 815 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: obviously out, getting Isaiah Joe back has been key giving 816 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:49,400 Speaker 1: them some more offensive pop. I've been generally super impressed 817 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:52,040 Speaker 1: with the job of Isaiah Joe, aj Mitchell and Aaron 818 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: Wiggins kind of providing the offensive support that they've needed 819 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:58,839 Speaker 1: with Chet and Jadubb both being out. Shay has done 820 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 1: a great job with his game management. I thought he 821 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:02,560 Speaker 1: was exceptionally good in the early part of the season 822 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:05,400 Speaker 1: when they were playing those tougher games, pulling out losses 823 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: from the jaws of defeat with incredible shot making and 824 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:11,600 Speaker 1: incredible playmaking. Lou Dord has been an absolute menace on 825 00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:14,799 Speaker 1: defense to start the season. I think seventy wins is 826 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:17,480 Speaker 1: legitimately on the table for this group. They have a 827 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,719 Speaker 1: much tougher schedule on the perimeter. This week they go 828 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: on the road to the Clippers and onto the Trailblazers before. 829 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:26,840 Speaker 1: I think they're in Memphis and Sacramento. Memphis and Sacramento 830 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 1: thore should be wins, but Portland and the Clippers are. 831 00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 1: Those are gonna be a couple of tough challenges for 832 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:35,680 Speaker 1: them on the road. If they come out of that 833 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 1: eleven and zero, that would be an unbelievable start to 834 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,440 Speaker 1: the season, given some of the injuries that they have 835 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:43,440 Speaker 1: dealt with. All right, guys, it's all I have for 836 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 1: today is always to sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting 837 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: us and supporting the show. We'll be back tomorrow morning 838 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:50,719 Speaker 1: with some game reactions. I'll see you guys then.