1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 2: Get in on the action with Draft Kings Sportsbook, an 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 2: official sports betting partner of the NBA. New customers who 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: deposit five dollars or more can get a no sweat 5 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 2: bet up to one thousand dollars back in a bonus bet. 6 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 2: I was looking at NBA futures this morning. The Golden 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 2: State Warriors are plus fifty five hundred right now on 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: DraftKings to win the title, so if you believe in them, 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: that's a big number. And Denver I have Denver is 10 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 2: my championship favorite. And there's still the second best odds 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 2: on DraftKings right now at plus four to fifty. So 12 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: lots of good NBA bets to look at over the 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: course of the end of the season. Download the Draft 14 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: Kings Sportsbook app now and use code hoops. New customers 15 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 2: can get a no sweat bet up to one thousand 16 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 2: dollars if your first bet loses only on DraftKings Sportsbook 17 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 2: with code Hoops. 18 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: That's hops. 19 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: The Crown is yours gambling problem called one eight hundred 20 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: gambler or in West Virginia visit www dot one eight 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: hundred gambler dot net. In New York call eight seven 22 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 2: seven eight hope and why, or text hope and Why 23 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 2: to four six seven three six y nine. In Connecticut, 24 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 2: help is available for problem gambling called eight eight eight 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG 26 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 2: dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino 27 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 2: and Resort in Kansas twenty one plus age varies by jurisdiction. 28 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: Void in Ontario one. No sweat bet per new customer 29 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 2: issued as one bonus bet based on amount of initial 30 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 2: losing bet. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight 31 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: hours after issuance. See dkang dot com slash promos for 32 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: deposit wagering and eligibility restrictions, terms and responsible gambling resources. 33 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 2: All right, welcome to Hoops and I you're at the volume. 34 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 2: Happy Wednesday, everybody, hope all of you guys are having 35 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: a great week. Really quick show this morning, because we're 36 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 2: gonna be going live again later tonight. Tonight, We're going 37 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: live after the final buzzer of Warriors Clippers, a big 38 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 2: opportunity for the Warriors to continue their positive momentum, and 39 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: now that we know Kawhi Leonard is out, an opportunity 40 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: where it seems like a much more winnable game for them. 41 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 2: Obviously less in the sense that they don't get the 42 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 2: challenge or really the benchmark test that we would hope 43 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: to see from a full strength Clippers team, But considering 44 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: their predicament in the standings, there's no way to slice 45 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 2: that other than as a good thing, because it's an 46 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: opportunity for them to continue to gain a gain ground. Specifically, 47 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 2: the Lakers and Warriors would both like to get out 48 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 2: of that ninth and tenth seed this year as they 49 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 2: try to get into a situation where they have two 50 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: opportunities to win a play in game or maybe get 51 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 2: out of the playing game in general. As we look 52 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: down the stretch, the Sacramento Kings are starting to lose 53 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 2: some ground in the standings. The Phoenix Suns have a 54 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 2: really tough schedule down the stretch of the season, so 55 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 2: a lot of room for jockeying in that position. Big 56 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 2: night for the Warriors on that front later tonight, but 57 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 2: in this particular show, we're we're talking about the Kings 58 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,399 Speaker 2: and the Sons, who had another dog fight last night 59 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 2: in the fourth quarter. Kind of an interesting chess match 60 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: down the stretch. As Frank Vogel kind of towed the 61 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: line between Kevin Durant at center versus going big with 62 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: use of Nurkic. Took a little bit of a gamble 63 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 2: that paid off at the end of the game. We're 64 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: gonna break that game down from the perspective of both teams, 65 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,119 Speaker 2: and then I have a half dozen or so mail 66 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: bag questions from yesterday's show that we'll get to so 67 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: quick show today back later tonight for Warriors Clippers, and 68 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: then I'll probably add another one or two games to 69 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: tonight's instant reaction as well. I'll just take a look 70 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: at the schedule tonight. We'll kind of play by ear 71 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: based on how the games go down. All right, before 72 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 2: we get started, you guys know the drill. Subscribe to 73 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: our brand new YouTube channel. I mean a lot to me. 74 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: If you guys to take a second to scroll down 75 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: hit that subscribe button. Don't forget about our podcast feed. 76 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: Wherever you get your podcast under Hoops tonight, don't forget 77 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: it's really helpful for us if you leave a rating 78 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: and a review on that front, So I'd appreciate that. 79 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: Follow me on Twitter at underscore JCNLT for show announcements 80 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: as well as film threads. That I do from time 81 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: to time in the mornings, and last night leaves keep dropping. 82 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: Mail back questions probably hit him a couple more times 83 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 2: over the course of the All Star break in the. 84 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: End of this week. All right, let's talk some basketball. 85 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: So a really interesting fourth quarter between the Kings and 86 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 2: the Suns last night. So the Suns came out in 87 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: a KD at center look. Now, remember that was a 88 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 2: look we didn't see much at all in the beginning 89 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: part of the season. And it was a King's matchup. 90 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: Was it like two weeks ago, nowt three weeks ago? 91 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: I can't remember how long ago it was, but it 92 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 2: was a King's matchup a while back where the Suns 93 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 2: were down big late that kind of caused them to 94 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: lean into KD at center for the first time, saw 95 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 2: a big positive result. Now it's become something that they've 96 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: used periodically ever since. And so at the start of 97 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: the fourth quarter was a KD at center look. And 98 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 2: specifically what Sacramento was doing which was causing them a 99 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: a lot of problems for the King's defense was they 100 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 2: kept putting two on the ball, specifically with Kevin Durant. 101 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 2: So whether it was an ISO at the top the 102 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: key or a ball screen. They were double teaming KD. 103 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: And then from there the Kings or the Sons were 104 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 2: running really efficient four on threes out of it and 105 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: getting really high quality shots. Even a couple of opportunities 106 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 2: where the ball worked its way back to Kevin Durant 107 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: got a wide open catch and shoot three at the 108 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: top of the key out of one of those double teams. 109 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 2: There's another blitz where the ball got back to him 110 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: on the right wing and he kind of pumped, faked, 111 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: ripped it through the right rose up for a pull 112 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: up fifteen footer. KD was like seven to eleven on 113 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: pull up two point shots in this game. He was 114 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: just completely locked in. Had a big one at the 115 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: end of the shot clock there in the second half 116 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: as well, where was kind of a bailout possession where 117 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 2: he got into the middle. 118 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: Of the lank. 119 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 2: KD was just unbelievable in this particular game, but he 120 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,679 Speaker 2: was picking them apart just by drawing a second defender 121 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: to the ball and playing four on three out of it, 122 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: and they quickly went up by ten points. Pretty ugly 123 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 2: stretch of King's defense too, which we'll talk about here 124 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: later on. But the Kings do come back and take 125 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 2: the lead. They started not overreacting to the role man 126 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 2: in the mid range of the those blitzing situations. So again, 127 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 2: like a lot of times, what's happening is the the 128 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 2: Sons are looking to bring maybe someone a like a 129 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 2: like a Josha Kogi into the ball screen. Right They're 130 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 2: trying to bring a lesser offensive player into the ball 131 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: screen because of the fact that he's usually being guarded 132 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: by the worst defensive player and so usually whoever's got 133 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 2: the ball is trying to pick on the worst defensive 134 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 2: player on the floor by bringing him up into the 135 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: ball screen. So the Kings are countering that by doubling, 136 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 2: and what's happening is an inferior offensive player is getting 137 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 2: the ball right there in the middle of the floor, 138 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: and so when they were reacting to that, that guy's 139 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 2: able to make a kickout pass, and now the higher 140 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: level offensive players are working with an advantage. And one 141 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 2: of the things that kind of turned Sacramento's fortunes there 142 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 2: in the middle of the fourth quarter was they finally 143 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 2: started just not overreacting to that role man and kind 144 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: of letting him get downhill. And it's like got to 145 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: take that little floater in the lane, right, you got 146 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 2: to take that little mide range jump shot or a 147 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: pack the basket and actually get into the rim protector 148 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: so that you can drop it off to the guy 149 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: that's in the dunker spot or whatever it may be. 150 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: Having that sort of like a willingness to score out 151 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: of the short role is vitally important. And when that 152 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: guy's not willing to score, that's when things can kind 153 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: of fall apart. So it swings back towards Sacramento's way. 154 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: They start to get some stops and on the other 155 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: end of the floor, Sa Bonus comes back into the game. 156 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: So Bonus was not in the game at the early 157 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: portion of the fourth quarter, and Sabonis started bullying mismatches 158 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 2: down low at the basket, getting easy shots there. Sabonis 159 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 2: was unbelievable in this game at thirty five points, eighteen rebounds, 160 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: and twelve assists, had nine offensive rebounds, and the Kings 161 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: actually won his minutes in this game by four points. 162 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: Just an unbelievable Sabonis game. But at this down the stretch, 163 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: this is where the Frank Vogel gamble came in. So 164 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 2: you remember in the game that they played whatever it was. 165 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 2: Three weeks ago or so, when Kadie went to center, 166 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 2: Sabonis wasn't as active attacking mismatches. That was one of 167 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: the biggest reasons why the Kings kind of lost control 168 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: of that game. Well, in the middle of this fourth quarter, 169 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 2: Sabonis was much more active there, and so Frank Vogel 170 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: has a decision to make. He can either go back 171 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 2: big and you know, deal with some of the offensive 172 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 2: limitations of that as well as the defensive limitations of that, 173 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: because Nurkics can struggle as a pick and roll defender 174 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 2: from times from time to time, but be more physically 175 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: matched up with Sabonis both in the post and on 176 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 2: the glass. Or he can stay small and hope that 177 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 2: the scoring kind of makes up for it. And so 178 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 2: the call that he goes with that he ends up 179 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: bringing Nurkic back into the game and ended up paying 180 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 2: off in a big way because he made three huge 181 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 2: defensive plays down the stretch of this game. There's a 182 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: ball screen with Deer and Fox where a coming down 183 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 2: the left side of the lane where Fox kind of 184 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: stunted like he was gonna throw past the Sabonis and 185 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 2: then he tried to sneak a little left, He's hook 186 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 2: shot and Nurkic knocked the ball away, and when he 187 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: knocked the ball away, there was so little time on 188 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 2: the shot clock that Harrison Barnes basically had to throw 189 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 2: up a prayer from like thirty five feet on the 190 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 2: left wing and he missed it, so that basically generated 191 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: to stop. Then there was another one where Malik Monk 192 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: was in the ball screen and coming down the right 193 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 2: side of the lane line and Nurkic kind of cut 194 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 2: him off, and as he was cutting off, he funneled 195 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 2: him along the baseline. Darren Fox was wide open at 196 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 2: the top of the key, and Monk tried to whip 197 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 2: this like one arm pass to Daron Fox at the 198 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 2: top of the key. Nurkic just grabbed it. Just really 199 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 2: really good defense containing the basketball and then getting the 200 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 2: deflection on the kickout pass. And then finally there was 201 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: a breakaway situation, a fast break situation where Nurkic was 202 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 2: kind of trailing the play and he ended up making 203 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: an extra effort and getting a block at the rim. 204 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: All three of those plays took place with less than 205 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 2: four minutes left in a one possession game, and it's 206 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 2: kind of an interesting example of defensive reputation versus reality, 207 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 2: because like what happens a lot of times is like 208 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: a narrative forms a round a player, and. 209 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: We've just decided that guy's a bad. 210 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: Defensive player, when a lot of times there's a difference 211 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: between playing bad defense and being a bad defensive player. 212 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:03,839 Speaker 2: And there are gonna be certain matchups that Nurkic is 213 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: really going to struggle against. He struggled a lot in 214 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 2: this game defensively, and we've seen him get picked apart and. 215 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: Pick and roll. 216 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 2: That was a specific issue that I'm sure Frank Vogel 217 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: had to weigh when he made that decision to put 218 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: Nurkic into the game. But that doesn't mean that use 219 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 2: of Nurkic is incapable of making defensive plays. This goes 220 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: across the board around the league, and this is why 221 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 2: I always talk about how you can craft a coherent 222 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: defense around a player that has some limitations, as long 223 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 2: as you have defensive personnel on the floor that can 224 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 2: do some of the bigger, more labor intensive jobs, and 225 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 2: as long as that player is willing to commit to 226 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 2: the job that's being asked of him, and if you 227 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 2: can craft for him a small achievable job, and he 228 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 2: engages himself in that job, you can get positive defensive production. 229 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: This was a game where Nurkic struggled defensively. There's a 230 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: decision to make about Nurkic as a defensive player, and 231 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: then he literally won the game. He won the game 232 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: making defensive plays. It was a shootout going both ways. 233 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 2: Devin Booker hit i think three pull up twos down 234 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,439 Speaker 2: the stretch that were massive shots. Kevin Durant hit a 235 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 2: big pull up two, one of the big things the 236 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 2: Suns did late as they stopped going to pick and 237 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 2: roll and they started like hunting ISO opportunities. And then 238 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 2: Devin Booker also took one in transition, which was a 239 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 2: good way to prevent that second defender from coming over. 240 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 2: And there was a play where the Kings did double 241 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,079 Speaker 2: Devin Booker in an ISO and it left Royce O'Neal 242 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: wide open on the left wing, and he ended up 243 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: making the biggest, one of the biggest shots of the 244 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: game there, a three point shot. And that's kind of 245 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 2: an example like when you double one pass away in 246 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 2: an ISO situation, it's you can kind of control who 247 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 2: that guy is that's open and ended up being a 248 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 2: better shooter. Whereas when you bring a lesser offensive player 249 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 2: into the ball screen to target a lesser defensive player, 250 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: sometimes the guy that's open ends up being a lesser 251 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 2: offensive player. So you got to see some more solid 252 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,680 Speaker 2: offensive process from Phoenix down the stretch. 253 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 1: But on the other end of the floor, like Darren 254 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: Fox was the Lake Monk had a little four point flurry. 255 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of scoring in these three massive 256 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 2: defensive plays from use of Nurkics essentially ended up being 257 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 2: the difference in the game. So I just wanted to 258 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 2: shout out Usip Nurkics because it's just an example of 259 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 2: that idea. Like one of the beautiful things about basketball 260 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 2: is no matter what happens to you last time, no 261 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: matter what happens in the last game, no matter what 262 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 2: happens in the last season, basketball gives you an opportunity 263 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,959 Speaker 2: to redeem yourself. That is the beautiful, the most beautiful 264 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 2: thing about the game. D'Angelo Russell last year gets absolutely 265 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 2: utterly humiliated by Bruce Brown for the world to see 266 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 2: in the Western Conference Finals, to the point where he's 267 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 2: removed from the rotation for essentially removed from the rotation 268 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 2: at the end of the series like that, that inspired 269 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 2: him and he's come back and now he's playing the 270 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 2: very best basketball of his career, played so damn well 271 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,079 Speaker 2: that all of a sudden, a bunch of Laker trade 272 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 2: options didn't necessarily make a ton of sense like that. 273 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 2: To D'Angelo Russell's credit, that's that's taking itage of the 274 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 2: beautiful opportunities that basketball presents yourself. And that's the thing. Like, 275 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 2: one of the biggest swing factors for the Suns this 276 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 2: season is going to be use of Nurkice on the 277 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 2: defensive end. Will he be able to make enough plays? 278 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 2: Will they be able to you know, because like look 279 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 2: at like what Nikola Jokic does for Denver. Just by 280 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 2: being active with his hands and using his basketball brain 281 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 2: to kind of perceive things as they're unfolding in front 282 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: of him, he can be an impact defensive player. And 283 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 2: I thought that was just a really cool example of that. 284 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: Last night. 285 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 2: One of my favorite things about the game of basketball. 286 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 2: I want to talk about roy O'Neil real quick, big time. 287 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 2: Down the stretch of this game, he had a big 288 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 2: steal on somebonis and the post where refronted him and 289 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 2: knocked the ball away, had a couple other deflections in 290 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: that fourth quarter stretch, hit the biggest three of the 291 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 2: game there on the left wing. Hit another three in 292 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 2: the early fourth quarter during the run where the Suns 293 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 2: went up by ten, where he saw Herder kind of 294 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 2: like trailing and not playing really good defense, and Kevin 295 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: Rank came up and set like a little brush screen 296 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: and they the Kings botched the switch. He just stepped 297 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 2: into like a wide open pull up three at the 298 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: top of the key and made it. He had a 299 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 2: driving drove a close out out of the left corner 300 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 2: and got a dunk like Roys Soneal was just incredible 301 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 2: in this particular game. But like one of the things 302 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 2: that I like about Royce in particular is he's one 303 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 2: of the best guys in the league at defending with 304 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 2: a lot of physicality, and he does pick up more 305 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 2: foul calls than your typical perimeter defender. But there's an 306 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 2: advantage with physicality because like let's say you get three 307 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: or four fouls called on you in a game, Guys 308 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 2: like that are actually committing dozens and dozens of fouls 309 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 2: over the course of the game. But it's a gamesmanship 310 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: thing in the sense that they're good at doing it 311 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 2: without getting called a good percentage of the time. And 312 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 2: where that becomes valuable is a lot of times, especially 313 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 2: with the Sun's perimeter group, they can do some switching 314 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 2: and Royce has the ability to guarded deeron fox guard 315 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 2: am Malik Monk. He had some good bald denial possessions 316 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 2: last night where he's just preventing them from even getting 317 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 2: their catchp in the spots that they want. That's another 318 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: area where physicality helps. When you're off the ball, the 319 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: rest allow you to use your hands more and so 320 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 2: you can be handsy and kind of hold a player 321 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 2: and place off the ball in a way that you 322 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 2: can't when you're on the ball. Right, but he can 323 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 2: switch on to bigger, stronger players because he brings so 324 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: much physicality to the position and then just bringing like 325 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 2: real high hands in ball pressure too. That's so important 326 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 2: to disrupt those passing angles. I thought he was a 327 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 2: big time addition for the Suns, and like, you know, 328 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 2: it's funny. One of the big narratives around the deadline 329 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 2: is like who's a needle mover? Is this guy a 330 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 2: needle mover? Like, this guy's not a needle mover. This 331 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 2: isn't really gonna change their championship aspirations. And a lot 332 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: of times when we take a look at that kind 333 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 2: of stuff, we zoom in on like just what that 334 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 2: specific player is good at, and it's like, yeah, like 335 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: roy O'Neil from a talent perspective, isn't some massive influx 336 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 2: of talent. But when you look at the Suns and 337 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: what they're good at and what they suck at, he 338 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: comes in bringing a specific type of player they did 339 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 2: not have. They did not have a guy that can 340 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 2: contend in multiple different defensive ways, whether it's guarding guards, 341 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 2: ball denial, off the ball, ball pressure, switching onto bigger wings, 342 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 2: and defending in the post, help defense, deflection situations. Like 343 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 2: he can help in all these different ways while also 344 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: being a plus offensive player while also being a player 345 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: who's not gonna come with the the the lows that 346 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 2: you get offensively from a Joshua Kogi, right like that, 347 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 2: that's the difference, And what ends up happening is we 348 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 2: so focus on this guy doesn't have a ton of talent, 349 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: But even if you have this much talent, in the 350 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 2: big picture of the team, if that much talent fits 351 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 2: perfectly into a need that the team has, it can 352 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: make the entire package that much more, you know, dependable 353 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 2: on both ends of the floor. And so like I 354 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 2: think a lot of times we kind of underrate role 355 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 2: player because we get so wrapped up in the talent. 356 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 2: And like, to me, Royce O'Neil made the Sons a 357 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: lot better. He's a forced multiplier playing alongside superstars because 358 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: he's so good at the little things. He makes the 359 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 2: total package that much better. He increases their chance to win, 360 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 2: the chances to win the title. End of story, you 361 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 2: have Kevin Durant in the late end of his prime, 362 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: you gotta try to increase your chances. They took a risk, 363 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 2: and it that kind of risk in my opinion, like 364 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: we play the results too much, and so what ends 365 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 2: up happening is like if the Sons happened to lose 366 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 2: at some point along the way, all of a sudden, 367 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 2: it becomes like, oh, well, they wasted an asset, or 368 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 2: they did this, or they did that, and it's like 369 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 2: you only get one team out of the thirty teams 370 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:48,199 Speaker 2: wins the title. It's already a small chance, and like 371 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 2: I'm never going to criticize a team for pushing their 372 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: chips in and trying to make that happen one of 373 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 2: their notes. On a note on the Suns, Bradley Beal 374 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 2: pulled up with of what appears to be a minor 375 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 2: hamstring injury in the first quarter. Soft tissue stuff has 376 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 2: always been an issue for both Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, 377 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 2: and one of the big things that's allowed the Suns 378 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 2: to kind of get going here in the last month 379 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: and a half has been Bradley Beal being consistently available 380 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: and so good timing in the sense that it's right 381 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 2: for the All Star break. But hopefully that's not too 382 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: serious of an injury for Bradley Beal and hopefully can 383 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,479 Speaker 2: he can come back before too long so they can 384 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 2: maintain this momentum on the Kings front. Lots of good 385 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 2: in this game, Like I talked about earlier, so Bonis 386 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 2: was an absolute wrecking ball that Phoenix couldn't do anything 387 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 2: with Daron Fox at thirteen points in the fourth quarter. 388 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: He's been going to this. 389 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 2: Like left shoulder fade where he kind of turns his 390 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 2: back to the basket and kind of backs you down 391 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 2: and then just spins over that left shoulder into that 392 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 2: short fade away. 393 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: Hit a couple of those in the fourth quarter. 394 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 2: I like that kind of new addition to Daron Fox's 395 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: attack in the sense that, like, to me, that's more 396 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 2: of like a bully ball playoff type of like rock 397 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: fight shot, because you can protect a basketball easier that way. 398 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 2: He's going to draw smaller, quicker defenders a lot of 399 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 2: the time, and he can get to a spot closer 400 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 2: to the rim, and like ten twelve feet from the rim, 401 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 2: that's just a really high percentage shot for him. So 402 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 2: I thought that was interesting. Malik Monk was great. He 403 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 2: had twenty two points. Was really deliberate in the fourth 404 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 2: quarter about making post feeds to Demonas Sabonis, which like 405 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 2: so many guards struggle with that and where they want 406 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 2: to run a ball screen and they want to make 407 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 2: the kickout pass to the open three or the lob 408 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,360 Speaker 2: pass for the dunk, and it's like sometimes your job 409 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 2: as the guard is to identify where your advantage is. 410 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: And get the ball there. 411 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: And he just was really deliberate about feeding Sabonis in 412 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 2: the post, and it was generating offense. It was just 413 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 2: smart point guard play really during that middle of the 414 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,640 Speaker 2: fourth quarter stretch. He also had a nice little scoring 415 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 2: flurry over that stretch. He had this ridiculous scoop shot 416 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 2: over use of Nurkic and had a really sold a 417 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 2: back door cut really well on Devin Booker just completely 418 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 2: fooled him and got an easy shot at the rim. 419 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 2: But every time the Kings lose, it's for the same reason. 420 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 2: They play shitty defense, sloppy double teams in this game 421 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 2: without the press, sure that you need to disrupt the pass, 422 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 2: bad rotations. Bad closeouts is the big one, and this 423 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 2: has been an issue forever for this team. They allow 424 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 2: teams to score one point zero nine points per spot 425 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 2: up possession. That ranks twenty fourth in the NBA. When 426 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 2: you look at the amount of perimeter speed they have, 427 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 2: that's just that's embarrassing. For the level of athleticism they 428 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 2: have on the perimeter, they should be a better close 429 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 2: out team than they are. They're twenty fifth and defending 430 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: pick and roll they give up one point zero three 431 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 2: points per possession, and again they have good perimeter personnel 432 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: tons of speed. They're the best defensive rebounding team in 433 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 2: the league, not just because of the bonus, but because 434 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 2: they have wings that like to crash, which is so 435 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 2: important with all the long rebounds that come from miss threes. 436 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 2: They can be so much better than they are on 437 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 2: the defensive end of the floor. And it really breaks 438 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 2: down in the numbers as like their main indicator of success. 439 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 2: When they give up one hundred and sixteen or more points, 440 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 2: they are thirteen and seventeen. When they allow one hundred 441 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: and fifteen or fewer, they're seventeen and six. When they 442 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: allow one hundred and ten or fewer, they twelve and three. 443 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 2: What happened when they beat the Nuggets the other night? 444 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 2: They shut them down on the offensive end of the floor, 445 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 2: like that is the primary driving force of their success. 446 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 2: They're actually not good enough to outscore people, as we've seen, 447 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 2: when they get into these shootouts, they typically lose. And 448 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 2: that's the thing, like more often than not, they've been 449 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 2: mediocre this year, and now for more than a month, 450 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: they've been pretty bad. Since January twelfth, the Kings are 451 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 2: seven and nine. They are tenth. They're the tenth worst 452 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 2: record in the league over that span. Their thirteenth in offense, 453 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 2: twenty fourth in defense. Some really lifeless losses in there too. 454 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 2: They got ran off the floor by the Pistons. 455 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: A week ago. 456 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 2: And again, some of this is mid season malaise. And 457 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 2: I always will cut teams a little bit more slack 458 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 2: in that like December, January, February stretch of the season, 459 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 2: because you're just gonna have stretches where you like, aren't 460 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 2: playing as hard as some of the other teams around 461 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 2: the league, right, Like, that's kind of part of the story. 462 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 2: And last year the Kings were that team that were 463 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 2: bringing that youthful exuberance to the table as they were 464 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 2: trying to make a playoff run. But like, I mean, 465 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 2: they still have a really high ceiling. They just beat 466 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 2: up the Nuggets. They have like a half dozen super 467 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 2: impressive wins this year where they just kick a good 468 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 2: team's ass. Like I still think it's in there, but 469 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 2: they really need to, like I've talked about, with a 470 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 2: lot of these mediocre teams, these last twenty five games 471 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 2: of the season, you got to put together a stretch 472 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 2: of playoff quality basketball, otherwise you're gonna run into a 473 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 2: buzzsaw when you get into the good teams for two 474 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: weeks during the playoffs. All right, guys, let's move on 475 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 2: to the mailbag first, question. Jason said that the Clippers 476 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: are fourth in his contenders, but I remember him switching 477 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 2: the Clippers with the Bucks from four to three. You're right, 478 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: I think I just misspoke yesterday. I do have the 479 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 2: Clippers above the Bucks as of right now. That said, 480 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 2: like all, my contender list is kind of in flux 481 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: right now, I'm going to be doing about this time 482 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 2: next week. Actually, sometime Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I'm gonna be 483 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 2: doing doing a video with Sam Vassini where we dive 484 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 2: into all the contenders and just kind of rank them 485 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 2: and go back and forth about that. So whatever the 486 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 2: contender list may or may not be at this point, 487 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 2: I plan on just like completely reevaluating it when we 488 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:16,680 Speaker 2: get to that point and kind of putting teams into 489 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 2: tiers from there. So looking forward to that next week. 490 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 2: Next question. I agree with Jason that Rudy Gobert had 491 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 2: a very impactful game yesterday, but I have seen it 492 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 2: far too often come playoff time, Tyler will make him 493 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 2: functionally unplayable in defensive settings. I think last night was 494 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 2: just a one off. The Clippers will still beat Minnesota 495 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 2: in a seven game series, so it's hard to say, 496 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 2: like I do think that last night was or two 497 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:44,239 Speaker 2: nights ago, I should say, was a little bit of 498 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 2: like a one of those games where the scoreboard doesn't 499 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,239 Speaker 2: really represent the gap between the two teams. Particularly it 500 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 2: wasn't the Clippers' best defensive effort, and like the Timberwolves 501 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 2: have a tendency to fall apart offensively at the end 502 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: of games. And you know, that's one of those things 503 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,120 Speaker 2: where I think if the Clippers bring a different defensive 504 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 2: level of intensity, they contain the Wolves better, which allows 505 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 2: them to get out and transition more and avoid the 506 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: set defense more. And like I do think that these 507 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 2: teams are pretty close and between the two, if I 508 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 2: had to pick one in a series, I do lean 509 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 2: slightly towards the Clippers. That said, like the Rudy go 510 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 2: Beart thing is not the reason why, like the Rudi 511 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: go Bear narrative over the last five years is pretty 512 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 2: unfair on him, to be honest, and honestly, he's directed 513 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 2: towards the wrong side of the floor. In Utah, he 514 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 2: was playing alongside really poor perimeter defense, like Royce O'Neil 515 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 2: was the one plus defender that he was playing alongside 516 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 2: most of the time, whether it was Donovan Mitchell or 517 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 2: Mike Connelly or Boyan mcdonovich like it was a lot 518 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 2: of and again, Donovan Mitchell's having the best defensive season 519 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 2: of his career now, but he was not a very 520 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 2: good defensive player in that stretch of his career. And 521 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 2: so more often than not, when you're the back line 522 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 2: guy and the first guy is just getting toasted off 523 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 2: the dribble, you step up now the defense in rotation, 524 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 2: and it doesn't really matter if Rudy Gobert is the 525 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 2: best rim protector or one of the best rim protectors 526 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 2: in the league, because because he's just not at the 527 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 2: rim anymore now, he's being pulled off onto some other player, 528 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 2: especially against a good driving kick team, and that more 529 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 2: often than not was what caused them problems. Honestly, any 530 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 2: sort of legitimate criticism towards Rudy Gobert as a playoff 531 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 2: player centered on the offensive end of the floor, his 532 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 2: ability to ease a little bit of stonehands he could 533 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 2: struggle to catch the ball and pick and roll finishing 534 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 2: around the rim can be an adventure for him from 535 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 2: time to time against the switching team. He's not the 536 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 2: kind of guy that can go beat a switch down 537 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 2: low on the block. Typically that was where a lot 538 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 2: of his issues would arise in the past. But one 539 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:44,199 Speaker 2: of the things that he did against the Clippers in 540 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 2: that game was like, oh, you switched, and now Kauhi 541 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 2: is on him, and he's kind of, uh, there's a 542 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 2: baseline drive and he's kind of relocating to where the 543 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 2: charge circle is. Like, well, this time he caught it 544 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 2: and he bodied Kawhi and rose up and dunked on it, 545 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 2: you know. Or another big one for Rudy is just 546 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 2: being super active on the offensive glass. If you're not 547 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 2: catching and finishing around the rim, if you're struggling in 548 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 2: these other ways, if you can generate additional possessions or 549 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 2: get putbacks, that's worth a ton offensively as well. And like, 550 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 2: I do think that Rudy's made enough improvement in those 551 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,159 Speaker 2: areas over the last few years that he's at the 552 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 2: least a very positive player in the playoff setting. I 553 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 2: don't see Rudy getting played off the floor. That's just 554 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 2: not an issue that I'm concerned about for the Timberwolves. 555 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 2: Next question, what would Jason Tatum have to do to 556 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,400 Speaker 2: be the number one player on a championship team other 557 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 2: than pull up three So the big one that I 558 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 2: always talk about here is the physical imposition on the game. 559 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,400 Speaker 2: And the example that I would use is the difference 560 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 2: between let's say Jokic versus Embiid, or like a Lebron 561 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 2: versus a KD. And I mean, again, Katie's an amazing 562 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 2: playoff players. I don't want to undercut that, but Lebron's 563 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: been a better playoff player than him in his career right, 564 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 2: and like Embiid's incredible player, but Jokic's clearly been a 565 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 2: better playoff player than him. And like the thing is 566 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 2: is if you really dig into it, like Embiid's got 567 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 2: more high level isolation, crazy foot work from the mid 568 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 2: range and in face up situations like that jab step 569 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 2: jumper is nasty, and he's got all of this high 570 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,120 Speaker 2: level stuff from the perimeter, and same goes for Kevin Durant. 571 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 2: But when you get into these super physical playoff environments, 572 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 2: when you're fatigued, and the defensive intensity goes up a 573 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: level not just for the opponent but for you as well, 574 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 2: And now your legs are more tired than you used 575 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 2: to be. Now your rhythm and timing and all your 576 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 2: shots is different. Like when all that stuff changes a 577 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 2: lot of times. The more perimeter oriented stuff can kind 578 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 2: of decrease in effectiveness, and so the guys that have 579 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:46,239 Speaker 2: the ability to actually be the person that's better at 580 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 2: absorbing those blows and so they fatigue less and they're 581 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 2: good at generating higher quality shots around the rim, or 582 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 2: maybe they get to the rim and generate really high 583 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 2: quality shots from the perimeter. That sort of thing just 584 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 2: translates better, especially when he gets the later rounds of 585 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 2: the postseason. 586 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: And like that to. 587 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 2: Me is why you know, like Nikole Jokic has been 588 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 2: a more impactful playoff player. Embiid gets there, the jump 589 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 2: shot stops falling, his effectiveness tanks. Now, obviously injuries have 590 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,959 Speaker 2: played a role there, but that's the basketball stuff that's happening. 591 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 2: It's the jumper that consistently fails him. Nikole jokicch It's 592 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 2: like if the jumpers going in great, but he's making 593 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 2: all these hook shots and floaters and shit, that's shit 594 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 2: that's right by the basket, and that it just has 595 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 2: more resiliency as the level of intensity goes up, and 596 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 2: the same thing goes for Lebron, Like Lebron can just 597 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 2: thrive and rock fight basketball so on the Tatum front, Like, 598 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 2: that's what I'm begging for from him. Jason Tatum is 599 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: one of the most gifted athletes that we have in 600 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 2: the league. Like, just go down the best players in 601 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 2: the league, Like, is he a more gifted athlete than 602 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 2: Luka Doncic. 603 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 604 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 2: Luca's best attribute his size, And I don't want to 605 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 2: undercut him as an athlete, but I think Tatum is 606 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 2: a better athlete if you factor in all of his tools, strength, 607 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 2: length of vertical athleticism, all that stuff like side to 608 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 2: side speed, all that stuff, right, Like, is he a 609 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 2: better athlete than Jimmy Butler? 610 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: Yeah? Is he a better athlete than Paul George? Yeah? 611 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: Like now that he has all this. 612 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: Strength, like he's like, he's not as strong as Kawhi, 613 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 2: And I think I'd probably take Kawhi as an athlete 614 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 2: over him overall in the playoffs, but he's pretty close 615 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 2: to that level. He has that capability to be deeply 616 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 2: impactful in a physical environment. I'm saying that I'd like 617 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 2: to see him devote a ton of energy and attention 618 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 2: towards physicality around the basket, because that, to me, is 619 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 2: going to be what carries him to the title one 620 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 2: day being the biggest strongest athlete on the floor and 621 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 2: actually using that to his advantage instead of bailing teams 622 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 2: out by taking higher difficulty shots. Hey, Jason, could you 623 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 2: chat about the Spurs and Wemby's ten block triple double. 624 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: So obviously, just by those of you guys who've been 625 00:29:58,320 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 2: following the show for a while, you know kind of 626 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 2: the four the format is, we really zero in on 627 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 2: the top ten to fifteen teams in the league, and 628 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 2: so I don't spend a ton of time talking about 629 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 2: the you know, the Pistons, or the Wizards, you know, 630 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 2: or or the Charlotte Hornets, you know, And in the 631 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 2: San Antonio Spurs, it's just I devote my attention towards 632 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 2: the top teams in the league. And so I haven't 633 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 2: been following the Spurs super super closely, but I've been 634 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: following them somewhat. And honestly, the biggest thing that's changed 635 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 2: with Wemby over the course of the last like third 636 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 2: of the season has been his efficiency is just a 637 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 2: shot selection has been way better, and you're starting to 638 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 2: see him basically take a leap right before his eye, 639 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 2: before our eyes in the NBA. But to put it simply, 640 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 2: like I think Wenby's a few years away from being 641 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 2: the best player in the world. That's the type of 642 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,719 Speaker 2: potential that he has. And like we're seeing stuff from 643 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 2: him that we've just simply never seen before, and like 644 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 2: he's doing all of this around the worst collection of 645 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 2: ball handling I've ever seen on an NBA team. I 646 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 2: like Devin Vessel, he's a good player, but if you 647 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 2: really take all of the Spurs ball handlers together. That's 648 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 2: why I keep seeing these clips on Instagram of Wenby 649 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 2: being frustrated that he's not getting the basketball. It's because 650 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 2: he's playing alongside a team that really struggles to kind 651 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 2: of take advantage of what he's great at. And like 652 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 2: they're a sneaky team to keep an eye on for 653 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 2: Trey Young this summer. If the Hawks decide to rebuild 654 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 2: and when they actually put some quality veterans around this 655 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 2: guy that know how to play, he's going to be 656 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 2: such an incredible force multiplier for them. I am so 657 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 2: excited to cover Wenby more closely in the future. But obviously, 658 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 2: like this show is very heavy on like deep dives 659 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 2: on the best teams in the league. We cover every 660 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 2: single playoff game and all the x's and o's like 661 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 2: we're dived in. We dive into the top of the league, right, 662 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 2: And so the Spurs I just think, you know, within 663 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 2: the next couple of years are just going to be 664 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 2: in that mix, and we'll cover them more closely. So 665 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 2: I apologize to Spurs Spurs fans that we haven't been 666 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 2: as intent on covering when Ben Yama's rookie year, But 667 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 2: I promise the show is going to have a ton 668 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 2: of whom Minyama on it in the long run. All Right, 669 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 2: three more questions, then we're out of here. With the 670 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 2: Warriors having a shot to make the playoffs, now, I 671 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 2: think that they are the team with the best chance 672 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 2: to beat the Nuggets. With Jokic having a hard time 673 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 2: coming up to the screen and how well Stephan Clay 674 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 2: shoot off screens, I think it will give them open 675 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 2: looks and open up the middle for Kaminga and. 676 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: Wiggins to have driving lanes. 677 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,640 Speaker 2: So I'm really encouraged by the recent stretch of basketball 678 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 2: from the Warriors, but I don't necessarily think they have 679 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 2: a real shot to beat the Nuggets just because the 680 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 2: Nuggets are, in. 681 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: My opinion, the best team in the league. 682 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 2: That doesn't mean they don't have a shot, but I 683 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 2: do want to dive into it a little bit. So 684 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 2: let's talk about both sides of the four just for 685 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: a second, just kind of a loose, little initial impression 686 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: of the matchup. 687 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: So specifically, the idea of spacing nikolea Jokic out, typically I. 688 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 2: Would agree with you, and ideally you need to have 689 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 2: a team that can bring Yokic out to the level 690 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 2: of the screen while having the amount of off ball 691 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,360 Speaker 2: talent to capitalize for the way that Denver likes to 692 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 2: load up. Because one of the things that you'll see 693 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 2: the Nuggets do in a series against the Warriors is 694 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 2: they'll just defend pick and roll three on twoo. They 695 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 2: will be like Jonathan Minga shoot all the threes you want, 696 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 2: Andrew Wiggins shoot all the threes you want, and there 697 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 2: will be plays where they execute their you know, uh, one, two, 698 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 2: three on that four on three really fast and you 699 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 2: get a backdoor lob for Kaminga along the baseline or 700 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 2: maybe a slot cut from Wiggins along the wing. But 701 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 2: Jonathan Aminga, you know, he shot really really well during 702 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 2: the hot streak. He's two for ten on his last 703 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 2: ten threes. And he's only thirty two percent on the season. 704 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 2: The playoff game plan for Kmingo will be a short 705 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 2: close out. The playoff game plan for Kaminga will be 706 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 2: you can play off this guy to help elsewhere. And 707 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 2: the same goes for Andrew Wiggins. And so while Steph 708 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:44,200 Speaker 2: is uniquely equipped to stretch Denver's defense out at the 709 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 2: point of attack, they are not super well equipped on 710 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 2: the weak side to take advantage of it. And so 711 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 2: that doesn't mean they can't do it, but like they 712 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 2: would just have to have their timing down so good 713 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 2: on those back door cuts, and Aaron Gordon's gonna be 714 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: just camping under the basket basically that entire series. 715 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 1: It's just gonna be. 716 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 2: It'll be a little bit of a tougher matchup because 717 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 2: Denver's defense is built to withstand teams that are very 718 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 2: top heavy with talent, which the Warriors definitely qualify as. 719 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 2: On the other end of the floor, I really like 720 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 2: the matchup for the Warriors. They have the unique ability 721 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:20,839 Speaker 2: to put a big, strong wing and Andrew Wiggins on 722 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 2: Jamal Murray while having one of the best options in 723 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 2: the league to guarding Nicole Jokic and Draymond Green, and 724 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 2: so they have as good a chance as anybody in 725 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 2: the league to you know, with the Nuggets, it's always 726 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 2: this delicate balance between guarding the Jokich Murray actions two 727 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 2: on two versus sending an additional body where guys like 728 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 2: Kcper and Gordon and Michael Porter Junior can kill you, 729 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 2: right and like to me, you know, it's kind of 730 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 2: like the one time we saw the Nuggets lose in 731 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,720 Speaker 2: the last two rounds last year was in the NBA 732 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 2: Finals Game two against the Heat. What happened in that 733 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 2: series In that game, it was Jimmy Butler and Bam 734 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 2: just did an unbelievable job guarding the Jokich Murray two 735 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 2: man game. And it's like, I think Wiggins and Draymond 736 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: have potential and so to kind of like to uh 737 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 2: and then backside of athleticism too, just having a Jonathan 738 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 2: Kaminga on the weak side that can rotate around, that's 739 00:35:09,239 --> 00:35:12,359 Speaker 2: real athleticism there, Like you know, Steph and whether it's 740 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 2: Brandon Pazanski or Clay at the two, they have the 741 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 2: ability from an IQ standpoint, to rotate around and they 742 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 2: can rebound like that teat that lineup's been really gifted defensively, 743 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 2: so to kind of like put a bow on it, 744 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 2: like I would still pick the Nuggets. They deserve to 745 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 2: be the favorites in that matchup there to the defending champions. 746 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 2: I think they're the best team in the league this 747 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:35,400 Speaker 2: year by a reasonable margin. But yeah, of course the 748 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 2: Warriors have a chance. It would just come down to 749 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 2: I think defensively they have as good a chance as 750 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 2: anybody to slow down the Nuggets just because some of 751 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,800 Speaker 2: their higher end personnel. But on the other end of 752 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:45,919 Speaker 2: the floor is gonna be the big one. It's will 753 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 2: they be able to load up on Steph and Will 754 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 2: Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kaminga in particular, be able to 755 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 2: consistently cause problems for them. And honestly, matchups are a 756 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 2: big one too, because one of the things you'll see 757 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 2: is like, who's Aaron Gordon's gonna go? So, Aaron, one 758 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: of the things that the Warriors really like to do 759 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 2: is to attack post up mismatches to begin possessions with 760 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 2: Wiggins and Cominga in particular. So let's say, you know, uh, 761 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 2: Mike Malone goes, We're gonna put Aaron Gordon on Johnathan 762 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,360 Speaker 2: kaminga because he's been one of the best young post 763 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:20,919 Speaker 2: players in the league this year. We're gonna take him away, Well, 764 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:22,680 Speaker 2: chances are you're gonna end up with a lot of 765 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 2: possessions where Andrew Wiggins is being guarded by someone like 766 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 2: a Michael Porter junior, right, and like that's a matchup 767 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:31,320 Speaker 2: that he can take advantage of. He's got a speed 768 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,320 Speaker 2: and athleticism advantage on him, Like Michael Porter Junior doesn't 769 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,760 Speaker 2: move super well laterally, and so maybe you can get 770 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:40,800 Speaker 2: Andrew Wiggins with some quick slot ISOs where he just 771 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 2: rips through the right and just uses his athleticism to 772 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,919 Speaker 2: beat Michael Porter Junior. Like every time we get into 773 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 2: these playoff matchups, there's always every team brings different advantages 774 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 2: to the table, and you kind of lay him out 775 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 2: and you start to look at him, and I definitely 776 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 2: think the Warriors have some tools in their toolkit that 777 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 2: can give Denver issues. But I do think that Denver's 778 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 2: defense is set up in a way to cause Golden 779 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 2: State some problems. But same goes on the other end 780 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 2: of the floor. I just think the Nuggets are a 781 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 2: better basketball team overall and they deserve the like kind 782 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 2: of that initial confidence. If that makes sense. All right, 783 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 2: two more questions. We're out of here, had Jason Warriors 784 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:16,800 Speaker 2: fan here. Klay Thompson did an interview with Logan Murdoch 785 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:18,239 Speaker 2: on Monday where he said that he is open to 786 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 2: taking a reduced role following a mold of how Reggie 787 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,440 Speaker 2: Miller and Ray Allen contributed it in their later years. 788 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 2: What do you think that means for his game and 789 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,799 Speaker 2: how do you think that affects lineup's play style and 790 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 2: overall strategy for Golden State. Enjoy the show. A few 791 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 2: people break it down like you do. Keep up the 792 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 2: great work. Thank you for the kind words. I really 793 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:37,280 Speaker 2: appreciate it. I was never worried about this with Klay Thompson. 794 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 2: The thing that I always talk about this when I'm 795 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:42,719 Speaker 2: comparing some of the top players in the league. But 796 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,960 Speaker 2: to me, there's a big difference between like loving basketball 797 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:50,960 Speaker 2: and hating losing, and generally speaking, the teams that are 798 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 2: truly great they hate losing more than anything. It's like 799 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 2: a difference. It's like there's a love of the game 800 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 2: and then there's like overarching competitiveness, and there's a competitiveness 801 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 2: that the Warriors group has that I think is directly 802 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:05,879 Speaker 2: responsible for a lot of their success over the years. 803 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 2: Like these guys are just psychopath competitors. Klay Thompson is 804 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 2: definitely one of those guys. This guy you can just 805 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 2: tell by watching him emotionally after every win and loss, 806 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 2: Like everything for this guy hinges on winning basketball games. 807 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,719 Speaker 2: And so there obviously was going to be a little 808 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 2: bit of a transition as Clay came to acceptance with 809 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:28,319 Speaker 2: his kind of decline over the last few years. And 810 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 2: I mean he himself has said it, like, dude, I'm 811 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:32,360 Speaker 2: thirty five. I think he's thirty five, that's if I 812 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 2: got his age right. But he's like, dude, I'm thirty five. 813 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:40,279 Speaker 1: Host Achilles post acl like, like he's very aware of 814 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 1: his own decline. 815 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 2: He understands and beyond that, like, I never had a 816 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 2: doubt that he'd be the type of guy that would 817 00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:50,160 Speaker 2: do whatever it takes to help the team win, whether 818 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 2: that's in the short term. You know, don't be surprised 819 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:54,960 Speaker 2: if in a big playoff moment, if Brandon pit Ziemski 820 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 2: gets to close games over Clay taking a discount in 821 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,359 Speaker 2: the offseason to stay on the roster for the final 822 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 2: years of his career. In a smaller role rather than 823 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:09,680 Speaker 2: chasing money elsewhere. Like, I just think Clay's the kind 824 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 2: of guy that'll do that first team because all he 825 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:13,840 Speaker 2: cares about is winning. All right, last question, does it 826 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 2: feel like this year is more wide open than most 827 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 2: to win the championship? Even though Denver is the clear 828 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:20,239 Speaker 2: front runner, They don't feel unbeatable to me. Would love 829 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:22,320 Speaker 2: to know your thoughts. Love the show, best in the business. 830 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:23,840 Speaker 2: Once again, thank you for the kind words and for 831 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 2: the support. I agree, I don't think Denver's unbeatable. I 832 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,080 Speaker 2: do think they're a clearly discernible margin above everybody else, 833 00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 2: but I don't think it's a particularly large margin. To me, 834 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 2: it feels pretty similar to last year in the sense 835 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 2: that there's like six or seven teams that have a 836 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:40,879 Speaker 2: real chance, and then there's another like three or four 837 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:44,480 Speaker 2: that have punchers chances. But in situations like that, that 838 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 2: is where I tend to lean on some of the 839 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 2: more experienced teams, right, and like Denver to me, like 840 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:53,839 Speaker 2: if they end up in a series with a team 841 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:55,799 Speaker 2: that doesn't really know who they are yet, whether it's 842 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,239 Speaker 2: like a Western Conference finals matchup with a Minnesota or 843 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 2: an Oklahoma city, for instance, right, like those that to 844 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,399 Speaker 2: me is an example where like in a series like that, 845 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:09,720 Speaker 2: just having been there before matters a ton, Like being 846 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 2: in those wars matters a ton, And like a lot 847 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 2: of times, like we gloss over the fact that, like 848 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:20,279 Speaker 2: Denver won easily last year, but they've had their struggles. 849 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:22,200 Speaker 1: They lost two years. 850 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,920 Speaker 2: In a row, you know, with yokicch at the helm, 851 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,879 Speaker 2: with guys out of the lineup. You know, like Aaron 852 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:31,680 Speaker 2: Gordon was still playing during those those games, right, Like, 853 00:40:31,719 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 2: It's not like they were It's not like it was 854 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 2: just Yo kitchen four bumps, right, Like, those guys were 855 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:40,960 Speaker 2: still getting reps. Going back to twenty twenty trailing three 856 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 2: to one in the Clipper series and coming back to 857 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,360 Speaker 2: win losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Like, 858 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,359 Speaker 2: these Nuggets have been in battles, man, They've been in 859 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 2: battles like they are tested. This is a group that 860 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,120 Speaker 2: has been together a long time, and so to me, 861 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:59,160 Speaker 2: that is their their kind of differentiator. But I definitely 862 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 2: agree that this is more wide open than most years. 863 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:03,960 Speaker 2: But it does remind me a lot of last year 864 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:05,920 Speaker 2: in the sense that it feels like there's a hefty, 865 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 2: like dozen teams that have like a believable chance to 866 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 2: do it, even if it's somewhat small, but that there's 867 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 2: this clear, kind of like tier at the top that 868 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 2: feels closer than everyone else. All right, guys, that is 869 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 2: all I have for this portion of today's show. I 870 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,360 Speaker 2: will see you guys tonight. After the final buzzer of 871 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:49,560 Speaker 2: Clippers Warriors, the volume