1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: The Volume. 2 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: All right, welcome to Hoops Tonight. Here at the Volume, 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 2: Happy Wednesday, everybody, Happy. NBA Finals EVE. Coverage of the 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: NBA Finals. Here at Hoops Tonight is brought to you 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: by Chase Freedom Unlimited. How do you cash back? We're 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: gonna prime for Game one, but bringing on the guys 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: from Nerd, Sesh, Logan and Carson Gonna come on. I 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: have a lot of interesting stuff that I dug up 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: during my NBA Finals preview on Tuesday morning, and so 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: we've got four questions from this series that we're gonna 11 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: dive into. I'm gonna start with the biggest problem. Is 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: there any chance that Miami can slow down Nikola Jokic. 13 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: So before I t this one up, we'll start with Logan. 14 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 2: Before I tear t this one up for you, I 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 2: have a crazy stat So in my film study Person Energy, 16 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: the Denver Nuggets posted up the Miami Heat thirty times 17 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: and they are two games this season and scored in 18 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 2: astonishing forty seven points on those thirty post ups, which 19 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 2: is over a point and a half per possession. Wasn't 20 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: just Jokic. There's a lot of Aaron Gordon beaten switches 21 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 2: as well. A little bit of Jamal Murray. But the 22 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: reality is is it's a Jokic problem because even when 23 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 2: I was watching them spam Aaron Gordon post ups on 24 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: Kyle Lowry, it was a lot of Nikola Jokic identifying 25 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: the mismatch, placing the off ball players where he wanted them, 26 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: and making that post entry pass from the left wing. 27 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 2: So my question for both of you guys start with logan, 28 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 2: is there any chance that Miami can slow down the 29 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: attack of the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. 30 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, we answered this question on a NERD session. 31 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: I think if Eric Spolster or Jimmy Butler can find 32 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: like a rabbit foot or a four leaf clover, maybe, 33 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: or maybe they go and rub as many old lamps 34 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: as they can and can get a genie to pop 35 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: out with some wishes, I think they can get it done. No, 36 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: I don't think they really have a prayer at slowing 37 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: down Jokic. Jason, you mentioned those crazy post up numbers 38 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: to the Carson mentioned a crazy stat on our show. 39 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: The Nuggets have also been one of the best teams 40 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: against the zone point blank person energy too. I mean, 41 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: I don't really know personnel wise or schematically wise, what 42 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: the Heat can do to slow down this attack, right, 43 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: because I think a lot of people are gonna look 44 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: at this matchup and they're gonna go all bam Adebayo 45 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: is one of the best defenders on planet Earth. You 46 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: stick him one on one on Jokic, maybe they can 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: slow him down a little bit. 48 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 3: It's just not that simple, man, you know. 49 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: I look at the two man game with Jokich and Murray, 50 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: and that's what really causes problems is all the switches 51 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: that this Nuggets offense creates. The Heat don't have the 52 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: personnel to be really switchable. They don't have the personnel 53 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: to stick another guy on Jokic and have bam and 54 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: kind of that Rover off ball roll. The way the 55 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: Lakers were. I think the Lakers were the best defensive 56 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: matchup that we saw for Denver. In all of these 57 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: teams in the playoff field. They had a lot of big, 58 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: physical guys like Hatch, you like Van Do like a 59 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: d and that still didn't matter. 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 3: The Lakers got swept. 61 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: And I also agree with you guys, I think Ad 62 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: is the best defensive player on the planet Earth. So yeah, 63 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: I mean, short answer, I think it would take something spiritual. 64 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: I think it would take cosmic entity guys. I think 65 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: it will take something. I think it'll take a lot 66 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: of praying for the Miami Heat to slow down this offense. 67 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,559 Speaker 1: I don't really think that they can do anything schematically 68 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: to slow them down. 69 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: I just kind of think they're outmatched. 70 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: I know that's a boring answer, but I think the 71 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,839 Speaker 1: Nuggets have the most talented offense in the NBA, the 72 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: best offensive player who's just an unsolvable puzzle. Whatever you 73 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: throw at Yokic, he has an answer for you. You 74 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: can't throw him doubles, he will find an open shooter. 75 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: You can't put one guy on him because he's gonna 76 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: bully that matchup. 77 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 3: So no, I think it's. 78 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: Gonna take a lot of luck and maybe some some 79 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: lucky objects too for the Heat, man, I don't really 80 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: think they have an answer for the offense or Jokic. 81 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: It's supposure to run out on the floor as a 82 00:03:58,720 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: six defenders what you can. 83 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 4: It wouldn't hurt. 84 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 5: But I also don't think that there's really an answer 85 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 5: in this series because I think the Niko Jokic is 86 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 5: effectively unstoppable offensively in this run He's thirty thirteen and 87 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 5: ten on sixty two percent true shooting. I believe in 88 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 5: the midst of one of the handful of highest offensive 89 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 5: peaks we've ever seen, because he is arguably the best 90 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 5: playmaker and scorer alive right now and has such a 91 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 5: tremendous versatility to the number of ways in which he 92 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 5: can kill you, and I just think you run down 93 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 5: the heat options one by one. Like Logan mentioned, you 94 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 5: try Bam on jokicen single coverage, I just think that's 95 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 5: a mismatch. Bam is an awesome defender, one of the 96 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 5: five best on the planet in my opinion, but his 97 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 5: primary defensive value is as a team defender, his immense switchability, 98 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 5: his IQ is value as a helper and rinp protector. 99 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 5: One on one defense, You're looking at a six to 100 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 5: nine guy with a seven to one wing span. He 101 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 5: is simply not big enough to affect Yokic in a 102 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 5: meaningful way, and by the way, nobody really has been. 103 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 5: I mean, we've seen him go up against massive elite 104 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 5: defensive players with tremendous length, Rudy Gobert in single coverage, 105 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 5: Anthony Davis in single coverage, and he cooked both those 106 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 5: guys so thoroughly that the best option for those teams became, Okay, 107 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 5: let's put another big, strong body on him, so then 108 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 5: we can have our best defenders and help. But I 109 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 5: also think, as Logan laid out, Miami is not particularly 110 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 5: well equipped to try that strategy with Bam as the roamer. 111 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 5: The guy who you probably have to look to there 112 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 5: as the primary Jokic post defender would be Kevin Love, 113 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 5: who has a big body, but not a very good 114 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 5: defender in bottom line still six ' eight, like Jokic 115 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 5: is just gonna give him work, a whole lot of it, 116 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 5: and he's averaged one point two points per post up 117 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 5: in this playoff run. That number holds true if he's 118 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 5: the one shooting or if he's the one passing. Nobody 119 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 5: can guard him in single coverage. He is too powerful. 120 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 5: He is too unstoppable as a skilled shot maker with 121 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 5: his turnarounds, with his hooks and his touch finishing, and 122 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 5: the playmaking is obviously unreal. We saw in that La 123 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 5: series the regularity with which, if somebody just dug in 124 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 5: that little bit, he was finding the open shooter and 125 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 5: creating consistently elite offense for his teammates. And then the 126 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 5: weapon for Miami this entire playoff run has been the zone. 127 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 5: We saw it give Boston fits in multiple games. We 128 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 5: saw it give New York fits. I do not think 129 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 5: it works against Denver. As Logan mentioned, the Nuggets were 130 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 5: a ninety third percentile offense against zone this year, almost 131 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 5: one point two points per possession. Just ridiculous. And Jokic 132 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 5: is so dominant facilitating from the middle of the floor, 133 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 5: and Denver is so good at moving to open space. 134 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 5: They have so many good cutters, and they have so 135 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 5: many lethal shooters who have demonstrated a level of consistency 136 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 5: there that really nobody in the league can match. You're 137 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 5: just not gonna rattle them. You're just not gonna throw 138 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 5: them out of their rhythm in the same way that 139 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 5: you're able to do to Boston, where maybe they're not 140 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 5: getting consistent penetration into the middle of that zone, or 141 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 5: they're settling for these sort of one pass, catch and 142 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 5: shoot looks that aren't great, or you're able to force 143 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 5: their primary ball handlers into turnovers, or they just don't 144 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 5: have that same level of off ball movement. That doesn't 145 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 5: happen with this Nuggets offense. They are incredibly disciplined. They 146 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 5: have the best playmaker on the planet, and they have 147 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 5: an awesome supporting cast, and I just think it's going 148 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 5: to be the same dilemma that everybody else has faced. 149 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 5: You try to cover yokicen single coverage, you die. You 150 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 5: try any combination of doubles, you die. Because the supporting 151 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 5: cast is too good as well. And it's so funny 152 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 5: to me how some people just continue to not understand this. 153 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 5: It's like Logan said, I thought that La had the 154 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 5: best combination of personnel to guard Yokic, And by the way, 155 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 5: Minnesota had a pretty good defensive front court two for 156 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 5: that matchup, and against La, Yokic went out and put 157 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 5: up twenty eight, fifteen and twelve efficiently. We had some 158 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 5: guy in our comments section yesterday say that it's simple. 159 00:07:58,440 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 5: All you got to do is front and with Bam 160 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 5: and then you double with one of the guards and 161 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 5: Yokich can't handle it. 162 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 4: It's like, oh yeah, you're just gonna fluster him off 163 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 4: the catch. It's not like against these zone looks. 164 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 5: Literally, the second he touches the ball, he has it 165 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 5: out to a shooter. 166 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 4: He's just a different breed. 167 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 5: He's the best player alive, and I think that's why 168 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 5: you're looking at such a mismatch here, because nobody can 169 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 5: take away what he and this Denver offense does. 170 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 2: I'm glad you mentioned the supporting cast because it's an 171 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: important part of this. 172 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 4: Like, here's the thing. 173 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 2: I do believe Yokich is the best offensive player in 174 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: the league, but I don't think it's by some massive margin. 175 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 2: Like there are four they're generally speaking, throughout the NBA history, 176 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 2: there's three, four or five guys at any given moment 177 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: that are the ultimate conundrum, which is you can't guard 178 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 2: them on an island, and you can't guard them with 179 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: double teams because they can pass out of it. Like 180 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 2: Lebron's been like that, STEP's been like that over the years. 181 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 2: That's not necessarily unprecedented. What makes it unstoppable is the 182 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,839 Speaker 2: ultimate supporting cast, Aaron Gordon being the perfect deep seal, 183 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 2: vertical threat, offensive rebounding threat who can also beat post 184 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 2: mismatches with KCP and Michael Porter Junior just as good 185 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: spot up shooters but utterly deadly spot up shooters. Like 186 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 2: if you literally flipped Michael Porter Junior for Grant Williams. 187 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: The whole thing crumbles because once those spot up shooting 188 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 2: numbers go from I literally cannot afford to leave this 189 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 2: guy open to yeah, I can kind of live with it. 190 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: It trickles down, and that'll be the really interesting phase 191 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 2: of Nikola Jokic's career is as it kind of fades 192 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 2: to the point where because of the CBA they have 193 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 2: to pinch some pennies on some of the role players. 194 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 2: That's where it'll get a little bit more complicated. That's 195 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 2: why I consider this Denver team. I was talking about 196 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: this with our colleague live yesterday, but I view this 197 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: Denver Nuggets team as an echelon above even other recent 198 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 2: NBA champions in terms of the fact that, like I 199 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 2: really do think they are exceptionally dominant and what they're 200 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: doing now is really impressive. Think of it like this, 201 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: like they actually kicked the shit out of the Suns 202 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: more than they kicked the shit out of the Lakers, 203 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 2: just didn't show up in the series score. Three of 204 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 2: the four wins were like nasty blowouts, right, and it 205 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 2: took these other worldly shooting performances from Devin Booker to 206 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 2: eke out a couple of wins. But like the Lakers 207 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: actually played them super close. In all four games, three 208 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 2: of them required clutch situations, one of them required to 209 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 2: Nicola Jokic late game winner, one of them had Lebron 210 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: missed late three that could have tied it, and the 211 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 2: one that didn't involve a clutch situation was literally a 212 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: game the Lakers had a double digit second half lead. 213 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 2: And so they've dominated the competition with the Kevin Durant 214 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 2: Devin Booker team, with the Lebron James Anthony Davis team, 215 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 2: I think they are all time great. I think they've 216 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 2: defended a hell of a lot better than any of 217 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: us could have expected. So I want I'm glad that 218 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 2: like I think this is. This has been a referendum 219 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 2: on how good Jokic is, but it's also been a 220 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 2: referendum on how good this roster is. Jamal Murray very 221 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 2: well could be a top fifteen player when we do 222 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 2: our player rankings this summer. So I wanted to shout 223 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: those guys out. What makes this problem unique to me? 224 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 2: If you look at the spolstress situation, so he has 225 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 2: effectively out chess matched three teams in a row that 226 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 2: were more talented him. 227 00:10:58,600 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 4: That's just a fact. 228 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 2: I don't think anybody he's disagreeing with us there, So 229 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: why is it that Sposure doesn't win the title every year? 230 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: Then if his coaching advantage is that big, especially since 231 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 2: there have been more talented by heat rosters. Hell, even 232 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 2: last year, I would argue they were more talented. They 233 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 2: had healthy Tyler Harrow, they had PJ. Tucker, they had 234 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 2: more size in athleticism. It's a totally different team, So 235 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 2: why is it working this year? That's what makes this 236 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 2: particular matchup interesting to me. Every single one of the 237 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 2: three teams that Miami beat on their way to the 238 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 2: NBA Finals didn't just have weaknesses, had glaring weaknesses in 239 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: their half court offense. For Milwaukee, it was Yiannis's inability 240 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 2: to make free throws and to make shots over the 241 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 2: top of the defense, and the inconsistency of Drew Holliday 242 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 2: and Chris Middleton, who was coming off of an injury. 243 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 2: In the second round, it was Julius Randall crumbling into 244 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: oblivion and the spot up shooters all going cold, which 245 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 2: left Jalen Brunson as their only solid half court option, 246 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: so they were really limited in the half court offensively. 247 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: And for the Boston Celtics, it was two primary shot 248 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 2: creators that are not playing at a superstar level, and 249 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 2: a surrounded by shooting that was not elite guys that 250 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 2: can all can make shots, but guys that weren't knocked 251 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 2: down shooters, so they could go cold for extended stretches. 252 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 2: So what that provided Eric Spolstra was opportunities for coaching 253 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 2: to play a massive role in the series because he 254 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: effectively able was able to capitalize on those weaknesses in 255 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: all three rounds and route to an NBA champ or 256 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: and to a birth in the NBA Finals. In this 257 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 2: particular series, there is no role, in my opinion, that 258 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 2: coaching can play to disrupt this Nuggets offense. In fact, 259 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 2: if Miami wins, I think there will be a very 260 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 2: clear reason why, it'll just be uncharacteristic cold shooting from 261 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 2: every Nugget, like Michael Porter will just go cold, CACP 262 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 2: will just go cold because they, let's call it what 263 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 2: it is, they shot the lights out against the Lakers, 264 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: which that's what they're capable of. But I find it 265 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: extremely unlikely that any sort of schematic approach is going 266 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 2: to disrupt what the Nuggets can do offensively. You talked 267 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: about the zone, like for the people who don't understand it. 268 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 2: It's really basic. You have to get the ball to 269 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: the middle of the zone. Why does that matter. It's 270 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: a simple math problem. In a two three zone, there 271 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 2: are three bodies on the back line. You have two 272 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,719 Speaker 2: wings offensively that will slide down to the corner when 273 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: the ball gets to the middle. When you get the 274 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: balls to the middle, the big man has to step up. 275 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: When the big man gets it has to step up. 276 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 2: You create a math problem underneath the basket. It leaves 277 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 2: open shooters automatically. You just have to have somebody who's 278 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: capable of scoring there, which brings the big guy up 279 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 2: and you can make the reads quick enough. I know 280 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: you talked about how quick he got the reads out. 281 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 2: I saw a highlight in one of the games where 282 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 2: they threw it to Jokich at the high post. He 283 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: literally caught it up here and just flung it like this, 284 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 2: like in one fluid motion to a shooter on the wing. 285 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 2: It's like these guys are the combination of off ball shooting, 286 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 2: the two man game of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, 287 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 2: and Aaron Gordon being the perfect non shooter to fill 288 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 2: that role has made them completely and utterly unguardable, which 289 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: takes us to our second question. Obviously, the Denver offense 290 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 2: has a gigantic advantage. What is Miami's biggest advantage? Like, 291 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 2: if Miami wins this series and we're telling the story 292 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 2: about it in a post series like Moratorium, what is 293 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: Miami's biggest advantage? 294 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 5: Carson, Well, first of all, I think that you're right 295 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 5: to say that this is the rare series in which 296 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 5: they're not going to be able to convincingly win the 297 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 5: coaching battle in a way that matters, because it's like 298 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 5: you said, Denver just doesn't have things that you can 299 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 5: exploit offensively. They don't turn the ball over, they have 300 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 5: the lowest turnover eight. They have this incredibly consistent shooting 301 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 5: supporting cast, they have this great cerebral decision maker leading 302 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 5: it all, and so they're different from every other team 303 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 5: that Miami has been able to exploit up to this point. Also, 304 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 5: you look at a team like Boston, right, you have 305 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 5: a lot of the mental lapses on both sides of 306 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 5: the ball, sometimes just their effort not being there. Denver 307 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 5: has been as consistently engaged as any team in this 308 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 5: playoff field, along with own Miami, so you're not gonna 309 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 5: be able to have that same leg up. I think 310 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 5: you have to look at two potential categories, one of 311 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 5: which could be the shooting ceiling. Do I think that 312 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 5: Miami is a better shooting team than Denver? I do not, 313 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 5: because it's like you said. MPG to me is one 314 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 5: of the five most gifted pure shooters of the basketball 315 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 5: this century. The guy is six ' ten. He can 316 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 5: shoot from any angle with any level of contest, off 317 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 5: any degree of movement. 318 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 4: I saw stat today. 319 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 5: I think his effective field goal percentage on wide open 320 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 5: catch and shoot jumpers in these playoffs is at around 321 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 5: ninety percent, Like it's unfathomable. And he is one of 322 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 5: the most efficient three point shooters in the league when 323 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 5: almost everything he takes is contested. KCP was leading the 324 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 5: league in three point percentage for a lot of this year. 325 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 5: Jamal is lethal as a pull up and catch and 326 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 5: shooter up around forty percent. Right, So Denver is an 327 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 5: elite shooting team. But when we've seen Miami pull these 328 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 5: big time upsets, not like New York where they were 329 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 5: able to get away with off shooting, because I think 330 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 5: they were just better at the end of the day. 331 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 5: They shot forty five percent from deep in their wins 332 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 5: against the Bucks. They shot forty eight percent from deep 333 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 5: in their wins against the Celtics. Do I consider that 334 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 5: sustainable or something you should expect, not necessarily, but we 335 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 5: have seen when all these guys are humming, they have 336 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 5: a lot of lethal shooters on the floor. At the 337 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 5: same time, they're able to create those guys looks out 338 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 5: of handoffs, facing drop out of pick and roll, lots 339 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 5: of great catch and shooters. So they could get very, 340 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 5: very hot there and that has been key to their 341 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 5: success so far. But the other thing that I think 342 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 5: is less a matter of variance and is more of 343 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 5: a legitimate advantage is their real depth. Like we can 344 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 5: look at the top five for Denver the top six 345 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 5: and say that's pretty clearly better. They have the best 346 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 5: player in the series and they have a great supporting cast. 347 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 5: But where Miami has been unrivaled in this playoff field, 348 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 5: I think is the ability to have their seventh or 349 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 5: eighth guys swing outcomes legitimately, or the variety of combinations 350 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 5: that they're able to go with. Right, Denver doesn't necessarily 351 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 5: have a Duncan Robinson who can come in playing eighteen 352 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 5: minutes a night, but give you eighteen and kill you 353 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 5: with his catch and shooting and his cutting and his 354 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 5: pick and roll playmaking at times in this last series. 355 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 5: Even the ability to go with a Kevin Love in 356 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 5: certain matchups and have his shooting and rebounding impact things. 357 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 5: Kyle Lowry capable at times of having these big time 358 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 5: pull up jump shooting performances. Even a guy like Haywood 359 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 5: high Smith coming in with his defense and his shooting 360 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 5: having an impact Denver after the top six, which is stellar. 361 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 5: Christian Brown is fine. I don't love Jeff Green, and 362 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 5: that's kind of it. We haven't seen them turn to 363 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:39,719 Speaker 5: anybody else save like a few Reggie Jackson minutes last series, 364 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 5: So that's not normally something that's gonna swing a series, 365 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 5: but it is an advantage that Miami has, and potentially 366 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 5: those non Yokic minutes could get a bit ugly, especially 367 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 5: when there's a shift with no Jokic or Murray like 368 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 5: we saw there was one point in that La series 369 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 5: is where it's just an instant seven zero run when 370 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 5: you send those two guys to the bench. 371 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 4: They just lack offensive direction. 372 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 5: But I think that deep bench for Miami is legitimately 373 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 5: good and has proven to be in a way that 374 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 5: Denver hasn't necessarily. 375 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's where i'd look for where Miami has the advantage. 376 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: If you frame it like that, if Miami wins this series, 377 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: it's going to be because of shooting. 378 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 4: It's going to be. 379 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: Because of depth, and I think it's specifically that pull 380 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: up jump shooting. This as a team, they are scoring 381 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: twenty five points per game on a thirty eight percent 382 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: clip on pull up jumpers in these playoffs. And I 383 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: want to make it clear too, guys, I don't think 384 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: that the Miami heater a better pull up jump shooting 385 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: team than Denver, because, like you guys said, I mean 386 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Junior, even Jokic man, Like, I 387 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 1: just think there's a different skill level. 388 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 3: But all of these guys can do it capably enough. 389 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: And are deep enough to where, yeah, one guy can 390 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: go cold, and you can afford to have that off 391 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,199 Speaker 1: night because you've got a lot of guys down in 392 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: this rotation who can get hot at the drop of 393 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: a head. I mean, guys, Caleb Martin. This is a 394 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: remarkable stat to me. Derek White was number one the 395 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: most efficient jump shooter in these playoffs before Boston got bounced, 396 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: Caleb Martin is at one point three six points per 397 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: jump shot in these playoffs. That's the second highest mark 398 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 1: out of anybody, and all these guys can shoot. Martin, 399 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: Robinson Lowry that over forty percent on pull up jumpers, 400 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: Jimmy's at thirty nine percent, and gave Vincent's at thirty 401 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: four percent. I mean, Vincent's a better shooter than that, 402 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: I think, but can just get hot. And so I 403 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: think if you're running pick and roll with the top 404 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: of the key, if the Nuggets are running drop with 405 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: NICOLEA Jokic, you know, I mean, we've seen Yokic come 406 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 1: up higher in his drops in certain series, but he 407 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: can still have that tendency to go to the basket. 408 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: If they give these guys a lane, Miami can kill 409 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: them from there. Again, I think it's unlikely, but that's 410 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: the one area that I would give Miami maybe a 411 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: slight advantage just because of the sheer volume and the 412 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,479 Speaker 1: depth that they have of guys that can kill you 413 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: on that pull up jump shooting. But if I'm being honest, guys, 414 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: I really think that's the only advantage that Miami possesses. 415 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: I mean, I look at any of these other categories 416 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: that Miami has won throughout the rebounding, the hustle plays. 417 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: Like again, I think Denver has all of these physical 418 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: advantages as well, where all of these guys are bigger, 419 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: they're more athletic. And then again, I think it would take, 420 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: like Carson said, like you said, Jason, a real lack 421 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 1: of focus that we have just not seen from Denver 422 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 1: throughout the regular season and throughout these playoffs for Miami 423 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: to pull this off. So I think it's a it 424 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: would be a perfect storm. But the one area I 425 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: would point to is that pull up jump shooting and 426 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: the sheer depth that Miami has. 427 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 2: Miami will have good offensive stretches in this series, in 428 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 2: my opinion. Well that's one of the things we learned 429 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 2: from the Lakers series is like they do a much 430 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 2: better job at the point of attack than you would expect. 431 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 2: Jokic actually does his job in the defense better than 432 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 2: you would expect, which is him coming up high out 433 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 2: of that drop and kind of it's almost like a 434 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 2: catch head where he's like kind of catching that driver. 435 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: But there's no doubt that they offer less rim resistance 436 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 2: than most teams, and so there will be you know, 437 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 2: pocket passes to Bam where it seems like he finishes 438 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: easily over the top of Aaron Gordon kind of roll 439 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 2: into the rim, or or Jimmy kind of uses a 440 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 2: head fake or a counter move to kind of get 441 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: past Jokic and then just kind of glides to the 442 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 2: rim for an easy layer. There's gonna be some moments 443 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 2: like that. I also think with the way that Denver's 444 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 2: pick and roll coverages work, some of these skip passes 445 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 2: to the weak side to shooters will work. Carson did 446 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 2: a good job breaking down just like the sheer amount 447 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 2: of shooting that Miami has. Mimi does a really good 448 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,479 Speaker 2: job of keeping threats off the ball, so that like 449 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 2: when you make those defensive commitments to certain spots, the 450 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 2: spots on the floor, they can consistently make you pay. 451 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 2: I look at two specific areas offensively, those skip passes 452 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 2: to the shooters and then a lot of the stuff 453 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 2: that Lebron James was doing matchup hunting. I think we'll 454 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 2: see a lot of that from Jimmy Butler in this series. 455 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 2: So if you guys noticed, like one of the ways 456 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: that the Lakers confronted that coverage from Denver was just 457 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 2: running these ghost screens with Austin Reeves to try to 458 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 2: get Jamal Murray onto Lebron or to get him to 459 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 2: linger on Lebron too much where Austin Reeves was able 460 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 2: to get a shot. And one of the ways they 461 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: countered that was they started talking Jamal Murray away on 462 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: Dennis Schroeder and D'Angelo Russell, who D'Angel Russell just completely 463 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 2: crumbled in the series mentally and couldn't make a shot, 464 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 2: and Dennis Schroeder is too slow of a release and 465 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: can't shoot off the move, So it kind of mitigated 466 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 2: that problem. All of these shooters that are going to 467 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 2: be on the floor for Miami, whether that's Max Strus 468 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 2: or Gabe Vincent or Duncan robinsoner or Caleb Martin, they're 469 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 2: all going to be players that can shoot on the move, 470 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: and so that will put Denver in a little bit 471 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 2: of a predicament where they're gonna have no choice but 472 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 2: to put Jamal Murray on a guy who's capable of 473 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 2: making them pay and pick and pop situations. So I 474 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 2: do think we'll see a lot of Jimmy Butler matchup attacking. 475 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 2: He had seven post ups and ISOs in the two 476 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,719 Speaker 2: games the season, scored nine points on him. Ironically, the 477 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 2: ones that he didn't succeed super well on I thought 478 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 2: were the Jokic possessions where he tried to iso Jokic. 479 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 2: Jokic does a pretty good job of anticipating his moves 480 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,040 Speaker 2: and baiting him into long contested jump shots, but he 481 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 2: had a lot of success attacking Michael Porter Junior. He 482 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: attacked Jamal Murray as well for those classic little short 483 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 2: jump shots that he's been hitting this entire playoff run. 484 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: So they're gonna have offensive moments. Their biggest advantage is 485 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 2: Jimmy Butler is basically just another version of Lebron, which, 486 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 2: by the way, I thought Lebron outplayed Anthony Davis in 487 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 2: the last round. I thought it was the one round 488 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 2: in this playoff run where Lebron outplayed ad. I thought 489 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 2: a d outplayed him in the previous two rounds. So 490 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 2: that specific type of player, that big playmaking forward is 491 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 2: the specific type of player that can give the Nuggets 492 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 2: some problems. But it's just like juxtaposed with what the 493 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 2: Nuggets do, it's like they're just gonna get one hundred 494 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 2: and twenty points, So where are you getting your one 495 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:40,479 Speaker 2: hundred and twenty points? 496 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 4: Like where you know? 497 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 2: That's why I said to my show, like they're gonna 498 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 2: need some sort of other world the offensive contribution. I 499 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 2: watched all of bam Adebio's post ups and ISOs against Jokic. 500 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 2: He had a couple quick moves in there that looked okay, 501 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 2: but it's a lot of him settling for those tough, 502 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 2: fadeaway jump shots in the lane that he's just not 503 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 2: making right now. And he seems to have completely lost 504 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 2: his confidence after what happened in that Boston series, after 505 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 2: he smoked that hook shot right at the rim there 506 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 2: in the a second half of Game seven. So yeah, 507 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 2: it's just I just don't see a universe where that 508 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 2: advantage is enough. And Carson, you mentioned this, and I 509 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 2: think this has been the most important thing about Denver. 510 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 2: They have been the team that doesn't seem susceptible to 511 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 2: the ebbs and flows of desperation like they like. I've 512 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: seen them face desperate teams and consistently play to the 513 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 2: same level. From an efforts stame point, they would have 514 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 2: swept Phoenix if it wasn't for Devin Booker undergoing an 515 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 2: unlike literally an out of body experience as a pull 516 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 2: up shooter. So I think a sweep is on the table. 517 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 2: I can't pick a sweep because I've been so wrong 518 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: about Miami in this playoff front and I refuse to 519 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 2: make that mistake again. But like I, let's just put 520 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 2: it this way. I have a flight to Bozeman, Montana 521 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 2: for a relaxation trip away from the Arizona Heat after 522 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: Game six, and I thoroughly expect to be able to 523 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 2: make that flight without having to work a Game seven. 524 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 2: That's where I'm at right now, So from there, let's 525 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 2: move on. Obviously, we have two players in this series 526 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 2: that are kind of regarded as upper echelon players but 527 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 2: are missing the ultimate achievement, which is the NBA Finals. 528 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 2: And I said this on my show, but like to me, 529 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 2: the Finals are so sacred, and every year when we 530 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 2: get to this time and I see the Finals Moniker 531 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 2: and the logo, and I see the commercials, and I 532 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 2: see the ABC intro video and all those different things, 533 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 2: I'm always reminded why this matters so much to me 534 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 2: and why I don't give, you know, I don't give 535 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 2: the place in the hierarchy of the league to guys 536 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 2: that haven't won a title yet, because I think this 537 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: is the ultimate test for a basketball player, and as 538 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 2: good as Jokic is, I think it's fair that I'm like, hey, 539 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 2: let me see you do it at this stage first, 540 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 2: you know, before we kind of give you that credit. 541 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 2: But no matter what, two weeks from now, we're gonna 542 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 2: be looking back and one of these guys, Jokich or 543 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 2: Jimmy Butler, is going to be stamped as an NBA 544 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 2: champion in the finals MVP. So my question for you, guys, 545 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 2: who has the most gain from an NBA Finals win. 546 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 2: Let's start with Logan. 547 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: I think both of these guys have a lot to 548 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: gain from an NBA Finals win. Like you said, I 549 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: think a lot of people are gonna wake up if 550 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,239 Speaker 1: Jokic gets this ring done to the fact that he 551 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 1: is the best player on planet Earth. And I understand, 552 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: I get it. You know, you don't want to crown 553 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: the guy before he gets a championship. I think Jokic 554 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: has been in this conversation for a while, but this 555 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: will finally give him some credence and some real weight. 556 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 4: To an already really loaded resume. 557 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: I mean this will propel him, I think to one 558 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,439 Speaker 1: of the greatest centers of all time. I think Jimmy 559 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: probably if we're looking at this one to one. I 560 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: don't know how you can't say Jimmy though, I mean 561 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 1: just looking at what he's had to have gone through 562 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: through these playoffs circumstance wise, you look at not having 563 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 1: Tyler Hero, I mean a complete lack of offensive creation 564 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: reliably outside of Hero Like, yeah, man, I love the 565 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: depth here. I love all the guys, d Rob Lowry Martin. 566 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: They've played their asses off to this point, including Gabe Vincent. 567 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: But it's like it's it's not a finals caliber roster 568 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: to where of normal caliber. They slid the number one 569 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: seed and who I thought was the best player on 570 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,239 Speaker 1: the planet coming into this, coming into these playoffs, I mean, 571 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: you know, Giannis missed a couple games, but they take 572 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: down the one seeded Bucks and then if Jimmy did 573 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: it again, I think a lot of this rides on 574 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: if Jimmy did this in this series. I mean, you're 575 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: slaying two of the biggest dragons in basketball, and Giannis 576 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: on Tetakumpo and Nicola Jokic at on top of that 577 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: that you already slayed the Boston Celtics, who I just 578 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: think are unequivocally a more talented team. 579 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 4: This would be the. 580 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 1: Most shocking finals win of all time. This would be 581 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,719 Speaker 1: the most shocking run to the finals of all time. Like, 582 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: if Jimmy got it done, I think this would just 583 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: mean more than Jokic's ring. Like, don't I don't understand 584 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 1: what it means for Jokic because I think this propels 585 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: him to being one of the greatest centers of all 586 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 1: time and people like an undeniable level, finally in a 587 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: level where everyone has to wake up and realize that 588 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: he's one of the greatest center ever. But this is 589 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: one of the most improbable and difficult pass to the 590 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: title of all time. So if Jimmy got it done, 591 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: I think it would mean more he finally gets that 592 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: finals MVP, And we talked about this on our show. 593 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: Carson gave down a list of guys who have similar 594 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: resumes to Jimmy being the number one on two teams 595 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 1: that went to the finals, being a number one on 596 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: three teams that went to the Eastern or went to 597 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,919 Speaker 1: the conference finals. Excuse me, it's already a short list. 598 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: Getting that ring would really really validate Jimmy and how 599 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: tough of a path it's been, So I think it 600 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,360 Speaker 1: means slightly more for Jimmy. But I always love when 601 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: one when we have a matchup where finally somebody knew 602 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 1: is getting crowned. 603 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 3: So it means a lot for both of these guys. 604 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: But if Jimmy were to get it done, I mean 605 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: an eight seed winning of finals on this improbable of 606 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: a run, I think would probably mean a little more. 607 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 5: It's interesting when you say that it would be the 608 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,959 Speaker 5: most surprising title ever because I'm reflecting on it. This 609 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 5: is sort of an area of expertise of mine, I 610 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 5: like to think, and you're probably right because when you 611 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 5: think about the lower seeds to win it all, you 612 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 5: have the ninety five Rockets as the sixth seed, right, 613 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 5: but they were the defending champs. 614 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 4: They had added Clyde Drexler. Can't put it in this tier. 615 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 5: You have, for example, the sixty nine Celtics Russells last year. 616 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 5: They were just a forty eight win team, but they 617 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 5: had already won ten, so I think you can give 618 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 5: them the benefit of the doubt. Any seventies champ, there's 619 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:23,920 Speaker 5: a lot of ones in there who are hovering around 620 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 5: fifty wins. But that's because it was the greatest era 621 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 5: of parody. And then this century people will say the 622 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 5: twenty eleven MAVs, and sure there was obviously a very 623 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 5: difficult path. They're going through the Thunder and the Lakers 624 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 5: and the Heat that was a fifty seven win team 625 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 5: with a top twenty player of all time. You have 626 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 5: the six Heat who were they were like a fifty 627 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 5: two win team. They had to beat the sixty four 628 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 5: win Pistons superhuman d way that was surprising. But this 629 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 5: is an eight seat that has been down for their 630 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 5: third most talented player these playoffs and does not have 631 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 5: that kind of all time talent at the time. So 632 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 5: I think it's Jimmy two because Jimmy's thirty three years 633 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 5: old and this is a chance for him, I believe, 634 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 5: to climb into the top fifty all time, and I 635 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 5: think he's already knocking on that door. 636 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 4: I've gone through this on Nerd Sesh. 637 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 5: But since the ABA NBA merger, he's now one of 638 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 5: just twenty five guys to be the clear best player 639 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 5: on three conference finalists and one of just twenty guys 640 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 5: to be the clear best player on two NBA finalists, 641 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 5: and he's one of nine guys to average twenty seven, 642 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 5: six and four on fifty seven percent TRU shooting in 643 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 5: multiple playoff runs with a minimum of ten games, joining Lebron, 644 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 5: Katie mj Kawhi, Kareem Jokic, Steph and Larry Bird. So 645 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 5: Jimmy's playoff resume largely based on these last four years, 646 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 5: but has to put him in those conversations because of 647 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 5: the consistency with which the best attributes of his game 648 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 5: have translated. His physical imposition, his ability to get into 649 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 5: the lane into those short mid range shots and kill 650 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 5: you their attack. This matches his playmaking, his defensive dominance. 651 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 5: All of that has made him a great playoff performer 652 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 5: in this latter stretch of his career. 653 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 4: But if you were gonna ask me, well, who's more 654 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 4: likely to get back? 655 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 5: I think it has to be the Nuggets, with the 656 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,719 Speaker 5: infrastructure that they have, the level of talent they have, 657 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 5: their core being younger, and who is it more likely 658 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 5: that this is, like so far and away, the defining 659 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 5: thing of their career if they win, it's Jimmy Jokic 660 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 5: already has the two MVPs He's gonna have plenty more 661 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 5: cracks at it. Jimmy twenty twenty NBA Finals again put 662 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 5: himself in special territory. He's one of five guys ever 663 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 5: to average twenty six point eight assist a game in 664 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 5: the finals with Magic Steph MJ and who's the last one? Well, 665 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 5: I forget right now. But anyways, Jimmy continues to put 666 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 5: himself in these special categories in the playoffs, this would 667 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 5: be a different level. So I think it's Jimmy, but 668 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 5: I think Jokic cements himself is a top twenty player 669 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 5: of all time if they the title too. 670 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 2: You know, this is a complicated question because I think 671 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 2: Jokic has an interesting dynamic in terms of what he 672 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 2: has to lose in this playoff series, this upcoming series, 673 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 2: like for like, both of them have a lot to 674 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 2: gain because Jokic is someone that goes from if he 675 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 2: los like if he wins it, he's the consensus top 676 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 2: player in the league, and that obviously is a huge accomplishment. 677 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 2: Jimmy Butler, even if he wins, is not going to 678 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 2: be considered the best player in the league. He uh 679 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 2: to me, Jimmy, Jimmy is a really interesting player in 680 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 2: NBA history, because like he never really has been on 681 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: that grade of a team, and he's consistently playing in 682 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 2: these late playoff rounds, in these huge games, in a 683 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 2: massive talent disadvantage, you know, and so like in a 684 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 2: weird way, like I actually like Jimmy kind of is 685 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 2: going to be regarded the way he's regarded regardless of 686 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 2: what happens, which is the dude who never was considered 687 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 2: like that true foundational superstar because he never was consistently 688 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 2: great enough in the regular season, but when it comes 689 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 2: to this level of NBA playoff basketball, he's on short lists. 690 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 2: Like what Carson was saying it is, there's no doubt 691 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 2: though that Jokic has the most to lose, and I 692 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 2: don't expect him to lose for the record, I mean, 693 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: I picked him in six, but I could see a 694 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 2: sweep potentially happening here. And I also have just no 695 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 2: doubt at all whatsoever that he's gonna play great. 696 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 3: Like it it's like the stay. 697 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 2: It's it reminds me of prime Lebron James, where it's 698 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 2: like he's just because he thrives so much as a 699 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 2: playmaker and making shots close to the rim, which by 700 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 2: the way, is exactly why Lebron was so consistently great 701 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 2: over the years. That's what makes me consistently great playoff 702 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 2: player like he is. Two foundational tenets of his game 703 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 2: are not dependent on night to night shot result, and 704 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 2: so he can bring a level of consistent positive impact. 705 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 2: That said, obviously, if the Heat somehow find a way 706 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 2: to steal the series, it's not a good look and 707 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 2: it would probably require a disaster of a defensive performance 708 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 2: from him. So he certainly has the most to lose. 709 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:12,879 Speaker 2: But I mean, here's the thing. As far as I'm 710 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 2: concerned with Jimmy Butler, he will always be regarded the 711 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 2: way that he's regarded now, regardless of what happens, because 712 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 2: of the simple fact that, like everyone knows he's that 713 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 2: guy that like, it doesn't matter who's on his team, 714 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:27,319 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter what his regular season record is. When 715 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 2: you have to see him for seven games, it's going 716 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 2: to be a royal pain in the ass. And that's 717 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 2: kind of like that would be the best way that 718 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: I'd break it down to my children one day if 719 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 2: they were like, Hey, who the hell is Jimmy Butler? 720 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 2: Why do we care about him? When he fairly when 721 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 2: he didn't average what Lebron averaged or whatever. You know, 722 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,399 Speaker 2: that's what we're gonna say. So all right, I said 723 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 2: nuggets and six. Let's get picks from you guys. Let's 724 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 2: start with Let's start with Carson. Who do you pick 725 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 2: in this series? In how many games? 726 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 5: I'm taking nuggets in five. I think that having the 727 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,800 Speaker 5: best player alive and the best offense at the best 728 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 5: offense has proven to be insurmountable for everybody they've faced 729 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 5: so far. And I think it's the incredible offensive variety. 730 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 5: We talk about it in every phase, great transition offense, 731 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 5: dominant pick and roll offense, so good at creating looks 732 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 5: for guys with handoffs. With the level of shooting they 733 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 5: have and the level of screening from Yokic, it just 734 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 5: doesn't stop with them. I do think their size advantage matters. 735 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 5: Aaron Gordon's gonna have mismatches to attack. Again, they don't 736 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,720 Speaker 5: have the kind of bodies to throw at Yokic. MPJ 737 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 5: is going to be getting a lot of relatively uncontested 738 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:33,240 Speaker 5: looks just by rising up a guy who's five inches 739 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 5: taller than who's going to have to be on him. 740 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 5: And again, Denver's not susceptible to the kind of lapses 741 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 5: that everybody else Miami has played. Is they have the 742 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 5: highest floor in the NBA. Jokic as a player has 743 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 5: the highest floor in the NBA for the exact reasons 744 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 5: that you just laid out. Jason and Denver's got home 745 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:54,439 Speaker 5: court the most significant home court advantage in the league. 746 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 5: They're thirty nine and four there when Yokic plays this year. 747 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 5: I just think they are better, and I think having 748 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 5: the best offense in the league, and I think an 749 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,319 Speaker 5: all time great offense is the driving factor there. They 750 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 5: have an ir offensive rating right now over one nineteen 751 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 5: than any champion in NBA history, and that number has 752 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 5: been incredibly high in every matchup so far in these playoffs. 753 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 5: They just keep getting it done. It was higher as 754 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 5: the Lakers. It was one twenty two against the Lakers. 755 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 5: Like It's just ridiculous. So all due respect to the Heat, 756 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 5: I love Jimmy, they have proven me wrong over and 757 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 5: over again in this playoff run. I have consistently underestimated 758 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 5: their ability to dominate so convincingly in coaching and execution 759 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 5: and Jimmy being the best player on the floor that 760 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 5: they have pulled off these upsets. I do think that 761 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 5: that ends here, though. 762 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, I also wanted to pick the Nuggets sweep. Bejones 763 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:47,800 Speaker 3: to call that one. 764 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 1: I just Jimmy's proven me wrong a few too many 765 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 1: times for me to convincingly say that he's not going 766 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: to get a game. 767 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 3: But I think you're exactly right. Guys. 768 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 1: You talk about the historic offense. The Nuggets have an 769 00:36:57,719 --> 00:37:01,439 Speaker 1: offensive rating of nearly one twenty per hundred possessions. It's 770 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,799 Speaker 1: the highest offensive rating through the conference finals before an 771 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,279 Speaker 1: NBA Finals since the twenty seventeen Cavs. I mean they 772 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: are a special, special offense led by Jokichen Murray. Like 773 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,160 Speaker 1: I just think for the Heat to win this, it 774 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: would take an uncharacteristically bad series from Denver in every 775 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:21,680 Speaker 1: facet of the game and all of the categories that 776 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 1: Miami has won up to this. The Hustle plays the 777 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:26,920 Speaker 1: outlier shooting, and I don't even know if we can 778 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 1: say it's really an outlier. They're a thirty nine percent 779 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,120 Speaker 1: team from deep, but I think it would take a 780 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:32,640 Speaker 1: superhuman effort from Jimmy. 781 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:34,200 Speaker 3: I would think it takes this. 782 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: Team shooting over forty percent from deep on the whole 783 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 1: not taking game off, winning all the hustle plays, protecting 784 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: the rock every game. Like, I just think it would 785 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: take the Heat playing at a all time high, and 786 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: I think it would take the Nuggets just lapsing in 787 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: areas that they haven't lapsed this entire season. So yeah, 788 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: what's the new story, guys? I think the Miami heater 789 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: a little overwhelmed in this matchup. Maybe I'll be wrong again, 790 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: but I again think the Miami Heat are drastically out talented, overwhelmed, 791 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,600 Speaker 1: and I don't think they can schematically scheme up anything 792 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: to give them an advantage. 793 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 3: So yeah, I'm going Denver in five. 794 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:11,919 Speaker 1: And if Jimmy hadn't been doing this, I'd probably take 795 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:14,680 Speaker 1: on the full logic side Denver to sweep. 796 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting, the logan, the way you broke it 797 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 2: down is perfect. The all of the specific ways that 798 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 2: Miami's been winning are things that specifically will not work 799 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:29,360 Speaker 2: against Denver, and that's what makes me worry about his sweep. 800 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:34,000 Speaker 2: And again, like, you just know Miami's going to find 801 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 2: a way to compete in some of these games, but 802 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 2: it's just I could see it any sooner than later 803 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 2: as well. 804 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 4: All Right, guys. So here's the deal. 805 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,200 Speaker 2: My guess is we might see you guys at some 806 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:47,320 Speaker 2: point over the course of the series if it gets interesting, 807 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,759 Speaker 2: if it's a sweep, maybe not. But I think the 808 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:53,240 Speaker 2: day after I get back from Montana is the Draft. 809 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 2: I would imagine that at the very least, I'll see 810 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 2: you guys for some draft content on the day of 811 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 2: Always fun chopping it up up and talking basketball with 812 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:03,960 Speaker 2: you boys. I appreciate it as always. To the listeners, 813 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 2: as always, we appreciate you guys. We will be back 814 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:08,400 Speaker 2: tomorrow night after the final buzzer of Game one of 815 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,000 Speaker 2: the NBA Finals to break it all down. I'm sure 816 00:39:10,040 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 2: the Nerd Sash guys will as well. We appreciate you, guys, 817 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:13,320 Speaker 2: and we'll see you tomorrow. 818 00:39:35,520 --> 00:39:36,200 Speaker 1: The volume