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We are going to be covering the Bulls 36 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: picking up a win in Lebron James's return to the 37 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets getting what I think 38 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 1: is the signature win of their season over the Milwaukee 39 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: Bucks last night in super impressive fashion. And then I 40 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: have to take involving some of the blame that's being 41 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: directed towards Kyrie Irving for the Dallas Mavericks, and they're 42 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 1: very predictable struggles that they've had since the trade. You 43 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: guys know the drill. Before we get started, Subscribe to 44 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: the Volumes YouTube channel so you don't miss any more 45 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at Underscore Jason 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: lt so you guys don't miss any show announcements. And 47 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, you guys miss one of these shows 48 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: and you can't get back over to YouTube to finish, 49 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: don't forget. You can find them wherever you get your 50 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: podcasts under Hoops Tonight, at least before we get started, 51 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: you guys have heard me talk about game Time, the 52 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: fastest growing ticketing app in the United States. 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So after the NBAH trade deadline, I kind 72 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: of started reevaluating the Lakers is essentially a brand new 73 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: team because that's what they were. They basically turned over 74 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: half of their rotation between Ruby hatch Amura, Jared Vanderbilt 75 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: and Malik Beasley and D'Angelo Russell. They're essentially a brand 76 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: new team. And then also we have to kind of 77 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: consider them from the perspective of Lebron James and Anthony 78 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: Davis coming back because basically for the entire season, you've 79 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: had one or the other rather than both. Like like, 80 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: we're not gonna I'm gonna talk a little bit about 81 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: the Bulls today, not gonna talk a ton about them. 82 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: Here's the reason why their big three has played in 83 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: almost every single game this year. I think the players 84 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: played the least amount of games has only played sixty six. 85 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: I think that's Tamarda, Rosen, Lebron and ad have both 86 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: played in the mid forties for games this year. The 87 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: Bulls have had their guys all year, and they've lost. 88 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: They've been below five hundred. Despite that, they are one 89 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: of the worst three point at three point volume shooting 90 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: teams in the league. They make few or threes per 91 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: game than anybody in the league, and they vastly outshot 92 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: the Lakers today. There's a lot of out of character 93 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: stuff from the Bulls today that said they wanted that 94 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: game more. I want to give them credit for that. 95 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: But what I was looking at this game as an 96 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: opportunity to learn about was learned about the Lakers in 97 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 1: a real must win game from both teams. Because like 98 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: it or not, regardless of how you feel about the Bulls, 99 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: they are trying to win. They're in the ten seed. 100 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: They want to get into the playoffs. I think that 101 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: they feel a little bit better about their chances than 102 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: what you would think given the way that their basketball 103 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 1: product has looked throughout most of the season. And you 104 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: have the Patrick Beverley element. Patrick Beverley very much wanted 105 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: to whoop the Lakers asked today, So I thought it 106 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: was a good opportunity to learn more about the Lakers. 107 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: And yes, I'm disappointed in their effort. There's no doubt 108 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: the Bulls wanted it more. But since the deadline with 109 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: that roster turnover for the Lakers, I've been evaluating them 110 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,119 Speaker 1: as a new team, and one of the specific things 111 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: that has consistently stood out to me is that they 112 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: don't handle intense perimeter defense. Well, if we look through 113 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: their games, they've had a lot of success. I mean, 114 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: I think we've learned that they're I think, if I 115 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 1: remember correctly, if I'm getting the standings right there, twelve 116 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: and six since the new players started playing before this 117 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: game today, and their losses are basically like a Houston 118 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: game that you throw out because Anthony Davis didn't play, 119 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: and then the Dallas game, which you kind of threw 120 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: out because they were up big with a minute left 121 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis just made two big mistakes. But there 122 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: are other losses are all too excellent perimeter defense teams. 123 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: It's like, oh, wait, like Memphis had, you know, Tyas 124 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 1: Jones and Dylan Brooks getting in everybody's face and they 125 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: took a loss, and it's like, oh, Anthony Edwards and 126 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: Jaden McDaniels gotten everybody's face all game and they couldn't score. 127 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: And then you're like, oh, the New York Knicks, here 128 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: comes Emmanual Quickly and Josh Hard and Miles McBride and 129 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: they're just up in your grill from the opening tip, 130 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: with a lot of ball pressure and containing the basketball. 131 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: And one of the big reasons for that is the 132 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: Lakers guards are are finesse guards. They're guards that love 133 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: to get over the top of the screen and pick 134 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: and roll and methodically work their way to their spots. 135 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: But that's not how Chicago plays. They are physical at 136 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: the point of attack and they're pushing you off of 137 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: your line and they're not letting you get comfortable and 138 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: pick and roll so that you can methodically pick a 139 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: team apart and To their credit, they caused a boatload 140 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: of issues for the Lakers with that ball pressure. They 141 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: turned them over eighteen times, leading to thirty four points 142 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: for Chicago. That was the difference in the game pretty much. 143 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: The Bulls only had nine turnovers that led to only 144 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: sixteen Laker points. Now, I thought the Lakers left a 145 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: lot on the table defensively. I talked a lot about 146 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: shot making. Chicago shot making was out of control. They 147 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: made fourteen threes on forty five percent, despite being a 148 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: team that only makes about ten threes per game at 149 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: a significantly lower percentage. Right, there's a lot of shot 150 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: making stuff that went Chicago's way. But what do I 151 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: always say? I'm a firm believer that there is a 152 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: direct connection between effort level and shot making. I believe 153 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: that when one team is bringing real verve and competitiveness 154 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: to a game while the other team is kind of chilling, 155 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: I think there's a confidence that bruised from that. When 156 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: you guys were watching that game, did it feel to 157 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: you guys that they were exuding a ton of confidence. 158 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: Between Patrick Beverley and the attitude he carried throughout the 159 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: whole game. Look at Demarda Rosen and Zach Levine during 160 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: their shot making there in the second half, there's a 161 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: play where Zach Lavine calls for a screen, gets switched 162 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: on to Malik Beasley just dust him to the basket. 163 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis doesn't protect the rim easy layup and he's 164 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: running down camera row like just screaming that he can't 165 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: guard me. They carried themselves in a very confident way. 166 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: They went in that arena today and said, we're gonna 167 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: whoop the Lakers ass. Here's the thing. The Lakers are better. 168 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: They're flat out better, even with all the injuries. They've 169 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: been a better team this year. But they couldn't get 170 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,719 Speaker 1: it done because they didn't meet that aggression with aggression. 171 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: And that's been a pretty consistent theme for the Lakers. Unfortunately, 172 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: a similar thing happened when when Anthony Davis came back 173 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: last time, Like Lebron was carrying the team and they 174 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: were playing with this hectic energy all season long, and 175 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: then a d came back and they just all just 176 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: kind of collectively exhaled and relaxed. And you saw that 177 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: again today. It's like they play with this crazy effort 178 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: as they rip off tw like Lebron missed a full 179 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: month of games, and they stayed significantly above five hundred 180 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: over that span because they played with a chaotic, desperate 181 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: energy every single game. But then Lebron comes back and 182 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: everyone's like, let's take a deep breath, and then it 183 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: kind of turns on them quickly. This is a this league, 184 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, like the amount of talent. Yeah, Chicago 185 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: sucks relative to the rest of the league, that's a fact. 186 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: But there's a lot of talent on that roster. Dmarda 187 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: Rosen's really good, Zach Levine's really good. You know, Andre Drummond. 188 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: Even their backup center gave Anthony Davis a lot of 189 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: issues in this game. Alex Crusoe is a bulldog of 190 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: a guard. I had assume it was giving Dennis Schroder 191 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: fits in the first half with his length and pressure 192 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: on the ball. They are a talented team, and in 193 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: this league, if you do not bring it against good teams, 194 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,319 Speaker 1: you will get beat. Just ask the Dallas Mavericks, who 195 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: just dropped two games to the Charlotte Hornets, which we'll 196 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: talk about in a little bit. But I thought those 197 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: were the two biggest factors in the game. The inability 198 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: to handle the ball pressure from the Laker guards and 199 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: then just the overall gap in aggression and competitiveness and 200 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: effort and physicality in this game. And that's a pretty 201 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: quick way to get yourself beat. You know, I thought, 202 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: I thought you saw that dynamic and ball pressure show 203 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: up with Lebron on the floor. So what did I 204 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: say about the about Lebron's pending return. I kept saying 205 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: that I thought Lebron directly addressed a lot of very 206 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: specific weaknesses for the Lakers, Like they've been really good 207 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: right twelve and six, but they have some weaknesses. Like 208 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: we've discussed Lebron. What I loved about bringing him back 209 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: to this group is if I take the Laker guards 210 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 1: in their best, in their biggest weaknesses and inability to 211 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: handle ball pressure. Why is that important? Because you need 212 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: your guards to break the defense down to get the 213 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: team into rotation so that you can get quality shots. Right, 214 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: So when they're containing the basketball, those quality shots aren't there. 215 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: What's another way to get a defense into rotation by 216 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: posting up and drawing multiple defenders and in a lot 217 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: in this game, like Chicago wasn't exactly doubling that frequently 218 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: in this game, but Lebron was able to beat Chicago's 219 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: ball pressure by just posting up every single time, and 220 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: that showed in the plus minus. The Lakers were minus 221 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: fourteen in this game when Lebron James was off the floor, 222 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: and they were plus four when he was on the floor. Now, 223 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: if they that, I think they're capable of overcoming that 224 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: to a certain extent, especially against teams, especially against teams 225 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:00,719 Speaker 1: like Chicago, even with Lebron off the But I did 226 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: think that was a significant dynamic in this game, and 227 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: like moving forward, Like here's the thing. I was texting 228 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: a front about this before the show. But I wouldn't 229 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,439 Speaker 1: be surprised if the Lakers went into Chicago on Wednesday 230 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,079 Speaker 1: and handled them by double digits. They are a much 231 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: better team with much better players, and Lebron James and 232 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, like Lebron, I thought brought a good amount 233 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: of aggression. Anthony Davis mailed it in We're gonna talk 234 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: about that in a second. The Guards didn't play well. 235 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: There was there was a huge gap in shot. Result, 236 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: there's a chance for them to go into Chicago on 237 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: Wednesday and if they bring the requisite effort, they will 238 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: beat them. But if they bring a similar level of 239 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: aggression and lack of physicality, they'll get beat. I wanted 240 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: to talk about Anthony Davis because he only attempted eight 241 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: shots in this game. And you know, one of the 242 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,559 Speaker 1: most common refrains that you'll hear from Laker fans and 243 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis apologists is they'll be like, Oh, well, the 244 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: guards aren't looking for him. The guards aren't looking for them. 245 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: And I just don't buy that. There was a play 246 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: in the middle of the fourth quarter. I want to 247 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: say it was like an eleven point game, and or 248 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis catches on the left wing with Derek Jones 249 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: Junior guarding him in nobody else nearby, and rather than 250 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: turning and attacking, he literally just casually dribbled the ball 251 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: out to the three point line and did a dribble 252 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: handoff with Malik Beasley. No, man, why do you run offense? 253 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: You run offense to get an advantage. You already have 254 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: the advantage. There's no reason to run any offense. Go 255 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: to work. You're Anthony freakin Davis, and that is a 256 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: six foot six, skinny wing coming off the bench for 257 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: the Chicago Bulls. Take him to work. I'll give you 258 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: an example, what did Lebron do half of this game? 259 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: Just dribble the ball before. Oh, Alex Crusoe's on me. 260 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: Everybody get out of the way. I'm just gonna back 261 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: him down and go to the basket. Here's three half 262 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: spin moves and pivot, pivot, pivot, Oh, pump fake. Oh 263 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: Alex got off his feet. Here's an and one. Because 264 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: why would Lebron call for a ball screen? Why would 265 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: Lebron say, hey, we're gonna run a horn set. There's 266 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: no reason to run and to run offense in a 267 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: basketball game except for to get an advantage. If you 268 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: already have an advantage, there's no need to run anything. 269 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: Go to work. And like, yeah, like the Anthony Davis 270 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: didn't quite have the same amount of an advantage against 271 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: Andre Drumm and good athletic like strong centers of giving 272 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis issues over the years, but like he spent 273 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: a good portion of that game with Vosovic on him 274 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: before the ejection and with Derek Jones Junior on him. 275 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: There's no excuse for attempting eight shots. You are the 276 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: best player on the team, demand the basketball. Go to work. 277 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: That was especially when the guards just didn't have it. 278 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: Austin Reeves five turnovers, Dennis Ruter was one, four for ten, 279 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: Lonnie Walker one for three, Malik bes Up until garbage time, 280 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: could not make a shot. Their best opportunity to run 281 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: effective offense was Lebron James post ups and Anthony Davis 282 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: post ups. That was literally their best opportunity, and Lebron, 283 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: in the limited minutes, went for it and applied that 284 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: pressure and Anthony Davis did not, and it just was 285 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: that again. He was unbelievable the other day against Oklahoma City, 286 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: other worldly good. And what did I say after the game, 287 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: Like rooting for Anthony Davis is one of the most 288 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: frustrating things in the world because he either brings it 289 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: with aggression and looks like the best player in the 290 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: world or does not in turns into Clint Capella. I've 291 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: said this for years now and again, everything will be 292 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: fine if they go into Chicago on Wednesday and beat them, 293 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: and they have the ability to, and I expect them to. 294 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: But your thirty seven and thirty seven, you just got 295 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: to five hundred and now you're back below and it 296 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: is vitally important to get that seven seed. Like where 297 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: is the competitive fire man? Where is the fire. It's 298 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: just it. It was really disappointing. And that's been such 299 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: an interesting dynamic with the Lakers all season. When they've 300 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: had long shot odds, they've been that underdog that's brought 301 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: the energy and the effort. When they've been a whole, 302 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: they collectively exhale and relax, and it's been an issue 303 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: throughout the year. But I want to tip the Captains 304 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: Chicago though, because that was just that was such a 305 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: It was one of the things that I love about 306 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: the game of basketball, just like the game of basketball 307 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: does not reward a lack of effort, and even a 308 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: team like the Bulls that has a boatload of flaws, 309 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: even a team like the Bulls, if you don't bring 310 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: it against them, they can start to feel themselves and 311 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: get a bunch of confidence and they can shoot you 312 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 1: out of the game. And like it. You have to 313 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 1: respect the game, especially in the modern NBA with the 314 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: level of talent that there is to have consistent success. 315 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: But let's move on to what I thought was the 316 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: biggest game of the weekend, the biggest win for the 317 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: Nuggets all season, and a super interesting kind of like 318 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: taste of NBA playoff basketball. Last night the Bucks versus 319 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 1: the Nuggets in Denver. You know, the Bucks were on 320 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: the tail end of a back to back, but they 321 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: won by like forty or something in the previous game, 322 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: so everyone played in the mid twenties for minutes, so 323 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: it's not like they were overly fatigued. The one thing 324 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 1: you'll see you with that is it is tough to 325 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: go into Denver just because of the elevation. That's there's 326 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: like significant statistical evidence that Denver has a great home 327 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: court advantage. But hey, that's gonna be something that exists 328 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: in a playoff run as well, right, So that's not 329 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: something you're gonna give them any slack. Four. But the 330 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: Bucks came in red hot. They were twenty four and 331 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: three in their previous twenty seven games, playing just unbelievable basketball. 332 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: Jannis is clearly hitting the Jets to try to get 333 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: going for this playoff run, and they came out playing 334 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: really well. Jannis came into the first half just ridiculously aggressive. 335 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: He was dunking everything. He had twenty four points in 336 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: the first half. They went up double digits. They Brook 337 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: Lopez in the first half, in particular, did a decent 338 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,640 Speaker 1: job guarding Nicola Yokich in isolation defense, and the game 339 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: just had a playoff feel. And if it wasn't for 340 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: a pretty hot shooting Jamal Murray there in the first half, 341 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: they might have found themselves in trouble, but they stayed 342 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: with it. Then they stuck with it, and then in 343 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: the second half, especially in that third quarter, you start 344 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 1: to see Denver's interior defense take over the game. There 345 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: was a bunch of really interesting matchup stuff in this game. 346 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: For starters. The Bucks left Yokis in single coverage for 347 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: most of the game, and in the first half, Lopez 348 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: held up pretty well, but they're in that third quarter, 349 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: like you know, it was funny. It just kept He 350 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 1: just kept pivoting and getting back to that right handed 351 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: jump hook over his life shoulder. If it feels like 352 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: when you watch the Nuggets that every single Nicola jump 353 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: pook goes in the basket, it pretty much does. He's 354 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: taken one hundred and twenty four hook shots this year 355 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: and he's made eighty three of them. That's sixty seven percent, 356 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: and that's best in the league out of the twenty 357 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: five players that have attempted at least fifty hook shots 358 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: this year. By the way point of trivia, who do 359 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: you guys think is second in the league inefficiency on 360 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: jump pook's for players to attempt at least fifty The 361 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: answer is Nikola Vussovitch, who I thought was wrongly ejected 362 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: from a game today, although it ended up working to 363 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: Chicago's favor because Drummond was whooping a D's ass, but 364 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 1: he started to get that jump pook going against Brooklopez 365 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: and then he was really killing Bobby Portis, and we'll 366 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: get to that in a minute. But there was a 367 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: couple of specific matchup things that were ugly defensively for 368 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: the Bucks, and Bobby Portis was one of them. One 369 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 1: of the things I wanted to talk about really quick 370 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: before we move on with Jokich's pos work is like 371 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: and it's interesting because when with perimeter players, I feel 372 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: like getting super choppy with your feet is a bad thing. 373 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: You want to have really solid footwork and you don't 374 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: want to waste negative steps because you need to cover 375 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: tons of ground to get to where you need to go, 376 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: and negative steps actually delay your ability to make those 377 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: quick movements. But with the post, and especially with Yokis, 378 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 1: because what he's trying to do is he's trying to 379 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: bully you to your to his spot. He uses really 380 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: choppy feet. He picks up his feet and makes a 381 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: quick series of moves, and I actually think it works 382 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: really well for him because it allows him to quickly 383 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 1: reset his center of gravity every time. He's constantly chopping 384 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: and resetting his base so you can't knock him off balance, 385 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: and that allows him to bump you like five or 386 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 1: six times on the same post up. You know, most 387 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: post ups, you'll catch on the block and he'll turn 388 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: and look and like it'll be like maybe one bump, 389 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: maybe two bumps, and then a move. Like Yokich, it's 390 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,880 Speaker 1: like he's bumping and hitting you like five or six 391 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: times on the same post that there's a reverse layup 392 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: and one that he had on Brook Lopez actually posted 393 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: a video of this on my Twitter feed that you 394 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 1: guys can see. But on that play, Yokich hits Lopez 395 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: with like five different posts moves in five different fakes 396 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: on the same attack. And it's just a testament to 397 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: how good his footwork is for what he for what 398 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: he needs out of the post. And you know, he 399 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: has this like ridiculous. Every every great player has a 400 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: move that kind of seems unfair. Like lebron when he drives, 401 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: just will swing his off arm at you like a club. 402 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: Literally looks like Rob Gronkowski with that big elbow braise, 403 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: just like swinging it at you to like get buy 404 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: you to the basket. Janis will do this like chicken 405 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: wing thing, where like he'll see the defender standing right 406 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: in front of him and he'll take a big step 407 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: forward and try to wrap his elbow around and spring 408 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: himself around you, and it's like there's just no chance 409 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: and stop him. Or like Kevin Durant when he does 410 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 1: that carry hesitation like the balls like damn near sitting 411 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: on top of his hands as he's going into his 412 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,199 Speaker 1: crossover and it just makes it impossible to guard him 413 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: because you have to get up on that pull up jumper. 414 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,479 Speaker 1: But then he can whip it into a crossover when 415 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:17,919 Speaker 1: he needs to. Well, Yoki, his unguardable move is that 416 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,479 Speaker 1: like chicken wing that he does. He does this hard pivot, 417 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: like like one of the harder spin moves that you'll 418 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: see from a big man. It doesn't even look right 419 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: coming from a player as big as he is, but 420 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: he'll just quickly whip into that like hard spin back 421 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: move and nobody can do anything with it. And couple 422 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: that with a jump book that he never misses, and 423 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: he becomes one of the most unguardable post players. I 424 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: love he had twelve points and three assists during that 425 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: third quarter run, and I really appreciated his aggression because, 426 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 1: especially since they left him in single coverage. I've been 427 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: critical of Yokis over this season for being like the 428 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: guy who's constantly trying to make the right play and 429 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: not making enough of the n B and the Joel 430 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: Embiid like, let me be a force of nature as 431 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,640 Speaker 1: a scorer, because I'm the best player on this floor 432 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: and our team's best chance to score is by me 433 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: being aggressive. I liked to see that from him in 434 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: that third quarter. A couple other interesting matchup pieces in 435 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: this game. Bobby Portis really struggled. He's way too far 436 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:15,239 Speaker 1: back in his drop and that was a big part 437 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: of how Jamal Murray got going with his three point shot. 438 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 1: He's just sagging way back into the paint, which you do. 439 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: It makes more sense to do that when you're Brook 440 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 1: Lopez because you don't have super quick feet and your 441 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: length and athletics or your length and size as your strength. 442 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: So sitting back at the rim is the best way 443 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: for you to impact defensively. Like Bobby, Portis is a 444 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 1: much better athlete than Brook Lopez. He's much more mobile. 445 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: He's more of a forward than he is a center. 446 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: Like dude, your quickness gives you the ability to be 447 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: out there and you're not gonna bother anybody in drop 448 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: coverage anyway because you're too small. And so it was 449 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 1: it was confusing strategy from from Portis to sit back 450 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: and kind of defend as a center when you when 451 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,360 Speaker 1: Portis is at center, I'd like to see them switch more, 452 00:23:58,400 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: and they did that with Jannis. There was a big 453 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: stre this game with Jannis at center and he was 454 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: switching a lot of the screening actions and having some success. 455 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 1: What's interesting is when Jannis would play like a traditional center, 456 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: like in help coverage during drop coverage, he actually struggled 457 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: a little bit in this game. You know, it's interesting 458 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: the dynamic where Jannis is actually kind of better as 459 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: a help defender than he is as a traditional rim protector, 460 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: and then Lopez as much better as a rim protector 461 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: than he is kind of anywhere else on the floor, 462 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: and so like obviously, if you when brook Lopez has 463 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: gone in the future, go fast forward five years from now. 464 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: I think Giannis will be one of the best big 465 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: man center defenders that we have in the league when 466 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: he gets all those reps. But he doesn't play a 467 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: ton of center in the more traditional sense of the words, 468 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: so he can struggle in that specific matchup. I think 469 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 1: you've seen that in the games that brook Lopez has 470 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,199 Speaker 1: missed this year. One other thing that I thought was 471 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: super interesting because like when I talked about Denver earlier 472 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: this year and I explained like what I thought was 473 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: their pathway to the playoffs. I talked about how when 474 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: I look at matchups the you have to beat Denver 475 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: by exposing them for their lack of perimeter defense and 476 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: by pulling Nicola Yokitch away from the basket and forcing 477 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: him to cover in space. Right, But you need to 478 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: be an outstanding pull up jump shooting team to do that. 479 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: And here's the thing. Milwaukee and Boston are not good 480 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: pull up jump shooting teams. Now, Boston can go five 481 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: out and driving kick you to death, so they can 482 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 1: at least force Yokis to guard in space. So it's 483 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 1: a little different, Like they can go to Al Horford 484 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 1: at center, tuck him away in the corner and just 485 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: driving kick you to death. So like I think Boston 486 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: matches up way better against Denver than Milwaukee does. But 487 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: Milwaukee kind of plays into Denver's defensive strengths. You know, 488 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 1: Denver has defended well enough this year considering their personnel, 489 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: in large part because they run a scheme that allows 490 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 1: Yokis to stay around the basket, right, But Milwaukee is 491 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,919 Speaker 1: going to play directly into that. They're not going to 492 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: forced Denver to do something that makes them feel uncomfortable. 493 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: I don't know if you guys remember this summer, but 494 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: in the EuroCup, the FIBA EuroCup, there was a matchup 495 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: where Jannis and Yokich guarded each other for an entire game, 496 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: and Yokich had a ton of success because he's so 497 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: damn big that Jannis can't bully him. And if there's 498 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: one deep like basketball strength that Yokich has that he 499 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 1: can devote to defense is his basketball IQ. He's got 500 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: good anticipation, and he's and he's got good instincts, and 501 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 1: he sees the floor well, so like he can kind 502 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: of pick up on Jannie's tendencies and figure out which 503 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: direction he's going, and he can beat him into into 504 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:39,199 Speaker 1: spots and he can funnel him out of bounds. There 505 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: was there was multiple transition pushes in this game where 506 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 1: Jannis is freight training down the floor and Yokich like 507 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: diverted him away from the rim and on a couple 508 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: occasions forced turnovers. And Aaron Gordon again, like I've talked 509 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 1: about the different archetypes of forwards, there's like that skinny 510 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: mobile perimeter forward, and then there's like that big, strong 511 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: power forward. And it's not the saying that it used 512 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: to be, right, Like, it's not like the Drew Gooden 513 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: slow footed power forward. It's like the biggest strongest athletes 514 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: in the league that are like six nine plus that 515 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 1: carry at least two hundred and thirty pounds of muscle, 516 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: where they're just built like fridges and they have some 517 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: of that perimeter skill, but they're not the same type 518 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: of players like a Jaden McDaniels for instance, right, And 519 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: Aaron Gordon is that type of player. And so like 520 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 1: the combination of Gordon and Yokich to throw at Jannis, 521 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:38,120 Speaker 1: that's a super interesting matchup advantage and they do well, 522 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: they hold up well against Jannis, and then you know, 523 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 1: you get to I talk about this all the time. 524 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 1: Matchups are everything in basketball. Like, Arizona beat UCLA two 525 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: out of three times this season, including in the Pact 526 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: Wall Championship game when all the Chips were down on 527 00:27:55,520 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: a neutral four. They beat Ucla. But Arizona had two 528 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: plotting bigs and their guards aren't very good, so they 529 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: ran into Princeton who space them out, and all of 530 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: a sudden their inability to move their feet on the 531 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: perimeter became a huge problem and they lost to a 532 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: fifteen seat or whatever in the first round. But UCLA 533 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: goes all the way to the sweet sixteen and looks 534 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 1: really good and ends up losing on a difficult shot 535 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:26,400 Speaker 1: at the buzzer or near the buzzer from Gonzaga. Right, Like, 536 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: Arizona's a better basketball team than UCLA, and they proved 537 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 1: it throughout the season, But matchups can get you beat 538 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: in basketball. And like, if you can single cover Yannis 539 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: and not have to overdo the help thing, you can 540 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: suddenly turn all of Milwaukee spot up players and the 541 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,720 Speaker 1: guys that aren't playing with as much of an advantage 542 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: for instance, look at the shot diet from Drew Holliday 543 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: and Chris Middleton in that game. Because they're not operating 544 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: with the same level of advantage from yannisping things to death. 545 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: They're taking a lot of really difficult shots. It's a 546 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: lot of tough, contested pull up jumpers for Drew Holiday, 547 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: it's a lot of tough contested turnaround fadeaways from Chris Middleton. 548 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: They and they'll look, there's a place in the NBA 549 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 1: for tough shot making, and it's an important ceiling raising piece. 550 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: But the Bucks in order to be as fluid offensively 551 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: as they need to be, they need Giannis to consistently 552 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: dictate double teams. And that's a big part of why. Like, 553 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: when I really look at Denver, if they can get 554 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: out of the West, and look, here's the deal. I 555 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: have not seen enough from any other team to unseat 556 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: Denver is my favorite in the West, even with all 557 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: their issues. But if they can get out of the 558 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: West in Milwaukee is the team waiting for them, that's 559 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: a real matchup they can win. And that's why, Like, look, 560 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: Denver fans can't stand me, and they think I'm way 561 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: too hypercritical of the team. And they think I hate 562 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: Yokich and love just don't think he's better than the 563 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: top tier guys in the league. But the reality is 564 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: I've never taken Denver off of my top tier list 565 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: or my list of contenders that can win. I've I 566 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 1: think seven teams that I think can win that I've 567 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 1: been pointing out on the show. Denver's one of them. 568 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: I think they can win it. Of course they can't. 569 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: And if matchups break right, like if they catch Milwaukee 570 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: in the finals, there's a real chance that the Denver 571 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,479 Speaker 1: Nuggets can win an NBA championship. And I thought that, 572 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: I thought you saw a lot of that personnel stuff 573 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: show in that matchup versus Milwaukee last night. Jamal Murray 574 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 1: finally is finally kind of coming out of his slump. 575 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: He had been struggling for about a month. There was 576 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: a big part of why Denver had put some losses 577 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: on the table, and he was being really aggressive trying 578 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: to shoot his way out of his slump. But in 579 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: his last four games, twenty three points and eight assists 580 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: with just two point three turnovers, fifty two percent from 581 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: the field in sixty three percent from three on seven 582 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: attempts per game. Like I said back when he was slumping, 583 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: we'll say the same thing now. He needs to be 584 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: the level of high end shot creator and shot maker 585 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: for Denver to have a chance. But he seems to 586 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: be getting it back together at the right time. All right, 587 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: Before we get out of here, I wanted to talk 588 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: for just a couple of minutes about Dallas's recent struggles 589 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: because they just lost back to back embarrassing games to 590 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 1: the Charlotte Hornets. But I want to go back to 591 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: when I originally recorded that instant reaction video, back when 592 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: I was in Breckinridge, when the trade originally went down 593 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: that very day, I predicted that they would not have 594 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: any chance to win a championship this year, which isn't 595 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: exactly any sort of outlined his prediction. I have a 596 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: twenty nine out of thirty percent twenty nine out of 597 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 1: thirty chance of being correct when I make that type 598 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: of prediction. But the reality is is I just didn't 599 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 1: think they had the athleticism to contend with any good 600 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: team sending out who they sent out. You know. The 601 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: best example of this type of trade off is like 602 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: the Russell Westbrook trade with the Lakers. Right, Like I 603 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: always would say that the Lakers fell apart because of 604 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 1: the Russell Westbrook trade, not because of Russell Westbrook. Now 605 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: it also was bad like Rust didn't help things because 606 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: was not the same player that he used to be. 607 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: Is a jankie fit with Lebron, and ad didn't embrace 608 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 1: all the little things that he needed to do to 609 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: help them win. It was a bunch of other stuff. 610 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: But they sent out a bunch of really important players 611 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: that filled vital responsibilities on the team, and so when 612 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: they struggled, I thought that was a huge part of it. 613 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: There was always two problems that needed to be addressed. 614 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: What do you do with Rust? But also how do 615 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: you recoup the type of dirty work, athleticism, you know, 616 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: and just motor that you had from those other guys 617 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: and Dorian Finney Smith. Like, again, this team already has 618 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: weaknesses defensively in other areas of their roster, right, Like 619 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: this is a bad perimeter defense team that also is 620 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:46,239 Speaker 1: a bad rim protection team. But they had one of 621 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: the best three and D wings in the league and 622 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: Dorian Finney Smith, and that in combination with Luca's greatness 623 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: and Jaylen Brunson's greatness and Maxi Kleiba. Just doing enough 624 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: defensively in the front court, knocking down enough shots gave 625 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: them an juice to get to the Western Conference finals. 626 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 1: But in that Kyrie Irving trade, you sent out Dorian 627 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: Phinney Smith and you lost Jalen Brunson for nothing, which 628 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: was inexcusable. Even more inexcusable in retrospect, we look back 629 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: and it's like, if Jamal Murray can make thirty million 630 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: a year in this league, how can you let a legitimate, 631 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: like primary shot creator And like, look, he took a 632 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: leap this year, no doubt he want he took a 633 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: leap basically to All Star. But he was every bit 634 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: worth the thirty million you could have paid to keep 635 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: him in Dallas had you not been cheap about it, 636 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:40,840 Speaker 1: which was a real problem. But when you sent out 637 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: that level of talent, you had to recoup it. Like 638 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving is an upgrade on Jalen Brunson, no doubt, 639 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: But to get back Kyrie Irving you had to send 640 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: out Dorian Phinney Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, who was one 641 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: of your best shot creators. And so like the ensuing, 642 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: the result is a team that can't guard in the perimeter, 643 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 1: can't guard in the wing, and can't guard at the rim. 644 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 1: That that that's gonna fundamentally make it impossible for you 645 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: to consistently win NBA games. That's just a fact. And look, 646 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: Charlotte's bad. Charlotte's a bad team. They don't have like 647 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 1: they're one of the least skilled offensive teams in the league. 648 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,280 Speaker 1: But you know what, you know what Charlotte is they're 649 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: freaky athletic at every position. Like their one elite skill 650 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:31,799 Speaker 1: on that roster is they are athletic as hell, And 651 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: that sort of specific thing attacks Dallas's weakness. But the 652 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 1: reason why I wanted to talk about it today is 653 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: I I think it's completely unfair to blame this on 654 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,360 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving. And I also think it's completely unfair to 655 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: blame this on the trade because here's the reality. You 656 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 1: weren't going to win an NBA championship with Luca by himself. 657 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 1: You needed to find him a legitimate costar, and regardless 658 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: of whatever happened with Jalen, I'm not sure if he 659 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:05,359 Speaker 1: would have been enough anyway. Kyrie Irving has proven in 660 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 1: his career the ability to win a championship as a 661 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: number two essentially cover all the other bases. Kyrie can 662 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 1: take you home with clutch shotmaking. That's been proven, and 663 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: I think he's had success in a lot of situations 664 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,360 Speaker 1: around the league as that second star. So I appreciated 665 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: that specific move from them, but I always thought of 666 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: it as a move for the future. Because of the 667 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: other worldly offensive skill of Kyrie and Luca, they don't 668 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: need to get highly advanced offensive role players around them. 669 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 1: They don't need to be guys that can do advanced 670 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:43,719 Speaker 1: shot creation and high level close out attacking. Like if 671 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 1: they can knock down a third of their threes and 672 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 1: defend at a high level, they can play for the 673 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 1: Mavericks and make them good. And you can find in 674 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: the offseason, through the mid level exception and through the 675 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 1: veteran minimum exception, you can find quality players that do 676 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: one thing well. You can find guys that are great 677 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: on offense or suck on defense, or that are great 678 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: on defense and suck on offense. That's a pretty typical 679 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 1: archetype that you'll find in the discount salary slots in 680 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: the NBA, and having Kyrie and Luca gives you the 681 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 1: flexibility to go after those guys. And there are a 682 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 1: lot of guys like that out there, as I was 683 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 1: shocked they didn't try to go after someone like Stanley 684 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 1: Johnson because he's the kind of archetype of wing athlete 685 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 1: that can help in a lot of different ways. But 686 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 1: the Kyrie Irving trade was always about the future they 687 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 1: I bet you within that front office, they didn't think 688 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: they had much of a chance this year giving up 689 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: what they had given up. But going into this offseason, 690 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 1: they're going to be able to address those weaknesses on 691 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:46,960 Speaker 1: the periphery of the roster, and then going into next year, 692 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: you're gonna have Kyrie Irving and Luca don chich and 693 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: a roster of players that is specifically catered to what 694 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: they don't do well, which is all of the dirty work. 695 00:36:57,360 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: And so like it. It feels opportunity this stick to 696 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:04,720 Speaker 1: blame it on Kyrie. Kyrie has won three games without 697 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:09,040 Speaker 1: Luca this year for the MAVs. He outplayed Anthony Davis 698 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:14,320 Speaker 1: like a week ago. Kyrie's not the problem. The problem 699 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:15,839 Speaker 1: is to get him, you had to give up your 700 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:20,400 Speaker 1: best wing defender in another shot creator. They will have 701 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:23,440 Speaker 1: a chance to rectify that this summer. And so I 702 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,439 Speaker 1: don't I don't I don't. I'm not judging Dallas based 703 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: on the results from this season. We'll see the kind 704 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 1: of players that they target this offseason. But like it's 705 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: really simple. It's like if you if you look at it, 706 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: you know, Josh Green's gonna be there. He's gonna have 707 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:41,040 Speaker 1: one of those significant rotation spots. Maxi Kleiba is gonna 708 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 1: be there. He's gonna have one of those significant rotation spots. 709 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 1: But if you're a veteran minimum or midlevel exception center 710 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: who's like a legit rim protector and a lob threat, 711 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:54,160 Speaker 1: like go to Dallas. There's a starting spot there for you. 712 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 1: Right if you're a six seven wing that defends but 713 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:01,480 Speaker 1: doesn't do a lot of other things well, and you 714 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:05,880 Speaker 1: want minutes like you want twenty five guaranteed minutes, Dallas 715 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 1: is the spot for you, and you're gonna get a 716 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: bunch of standstill, wide open threes Alongside Kyrie Irving and 717 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 1: Luca Downte. They will be able to address these personnel 718 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: weaknesses in the offseason, and I think next year we 719 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: can take a significant look at whether or not the 720 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving trade was worth it. But I don't think 721 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: it's fair to judge them at this point. And like 722 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:27,320 Speaker 1: the other thing too that I think constantly gets glossed 723 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 1: over in these discussions is just the general the impact 724 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 1: that belief has on your effort level. I talk a 725 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 1: lot about this with I talked about it with the 726 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 1: Warriors earlier, like body language. Oh they look they don't 727 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 1: look like they're having fun. Nobody enjoys losing. That's universal 728 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: around basketball in the world. No one likes losing, and 729 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: so obviously the energy is bad. But belief is what 730 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 1: drives you out of that hole. And there isn't a 731 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:01,480 Speaker 1: lot of belief there. Why would you believe, if you 732 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: are Kyrie or Kyrie and Luca, that you have a 733 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: chance to win when you cannot contend physically with your opponent. 734 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: That belief is not there. It's a very human thing. 735 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: They know they have to play other worldly good to 736 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 1: have a chance to win, and that's just a lot 737 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:21,799 Speaker 1: of pressure to play under. And so I just want 738 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,360 Speaker 1: to I just want to cut Kyrie some slack in 739 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:26,360 Speaker 1: the meantime, and Luca as well. All Right, guys, that 740 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,240 Speaker 1: is all I have for today. As always, I sincerely 741 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,319 Speaker 1: appreciate your support. We're gonna be going live tomorrow night. 742 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:33,360 Speaker 1: I believe tomorrow is the big rematch between Embiad and 743 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,520 Speaker 1: Yokis if I remember correctly. But we're going live tomorrow 744 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:39,640 Speaker 1: night on AMP, and then we'll be going during the day, 745 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: during the morning. On Thursday and Thursday night on AMP 746 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 1: we have another major nationally televised game. I want to say, 747 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 1: that's Buck Celtics, and then we're gonna be going on 748 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,959 Speaker 1: Saturday and Sunday as well as always. I appreciate you guys, 749 00:39:52,000 --> 00:40:16,240 Speaker 1: and I will see you on Monday night. The volume