1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, ol, good to Hoops Tonight. You're 2 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: at the volume heavy Tuesday, everybody. Hope all you guys 3 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: are having a great start to your week. Got a 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: jam pack show for you guys today. We had a 5 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: crazy January fifth in the NBA, between the report that 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: Trey Young and his camp are working with the Atlanta 7 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Hawks on a trade, to just a wild slate of games. 8 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: Now we can't hit everything, like I'm not gonna be 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: able to get to the Pistons blowout victory over the 10 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: New York Knicks today, but I am going to get 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: to four other games from last night's slate. So I've 12 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: got five segments today, the Trey Young trade, four games 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: from last night, a lot of stuff we're going to 14 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: get into. You guys know the joke before we get started. 15 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: Subscribe to Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so we don't miss 16 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: any more of our videos. Make sure you like this video. 17 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: That helps us a lot. And then if you want 18 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: to get a mailbag question in for Friday's mail Bag, 19 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: make sure you drop them in the comments underneath this 20 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: video or any of our other full episodes on YouTube. 21 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: Just put mail bag with a colon, write your question 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: we'll get to them in our Friday mail bags. All right, 23 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So first, what do we make 24 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: of Trey Young's trade request? First of all, I'm just 25 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: super disappointed in the Atlanta Hawks this year. It's hard 26 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 1: to argue with the data with the Trey Young stuff, 27 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: like they were two to eight when he played. This year, 28 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: they were nine points better per one hundred possessions on offense, 29 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: but they were fifteen points worse per one hundred possessions 30 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: on defense. Now, I don't think it's fair to say 31 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: Trey was the sole reason for the defense cratering. Obviously, 32 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,199 Speaker 1: Trey is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA. 33 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:39,759 Speaker 1: But I watched several of those games, and the whole 34 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: team was disappointing defensively in those games. And again, it 35 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: wasn't just a trade problem. And while they've been better 36 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: without Trey, it's not like they've been good. They've been 37 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: fifteen and thirteen another blowout loss last night. They're just disappointing. 38 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: And I thought there was a formula here with the 39 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: offensive engine that Trey Young is and the plethora of 40 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: athletes and just super versatile role players that they have 41 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: around Trey Young just plenty of talent there to make 42 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: that all kind of fit together, but they just never 43 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: played any defense as a team when Tray was on 44 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: the floor, and they can't score without it, and so 45 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: it just didn't work. So Sham's reported yesterday that the 46 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: Hawks are working with Trey Young's camp on a trade. Now, 47 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: the odds currently heavily favor Washington as a destination. To 48 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: this point, that's super boring. So let's take into some 49 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: potential Trey Young trades. There's a lot of like random 50 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: ones that I see that I don't necessarily see many 51 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: much value in. Like I saw Miami getting thrown around this. 52 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: I don't understand, like after Miami passed on several better 53 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: guards than Trey to suddenly jump in here. I don't 54 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: think he really fits heat culture very well. There's also 55 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: kind of like this thing with Eric spolsterras system that 56 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: depends on dribble drive attack, whereas Trey Young is much 57 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: more of a pick and role player. So I don't 58 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: really see you'd have to basically change your entire offensive 59 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: system for Trey compared to what you've been doing all season. 60 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: So I don't really like that. There's like a Houston 61 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: deal where you could do something with Fred van Vliet's 62 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: salary and maybe combine it with Steven Adams. I don't 63 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: like the fit necessarily there in Houston. The only other 64 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: one that I could kind of think of is maybe 65 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: a crazy swing for Minnesota. I wouldn't do this if 66 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: I was Minnesota. I think they're a very good playoff 67 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: team as is, but they've kind of generally looked like 68 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: a team that might be able to use a more 69 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: reliable skill guard off of Anthony Edwards. So you can 70 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: imagine like you packaged Julius Randall and Nas Reed, but 71 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: you lose almost all your front court physicality there, and 72 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: you have no depth at the four at that point. 73 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: So I don't really like that either. The only deal 74 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: I've seen that I actually think makes some sense for 75 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: both sides in a Trey Young swap is what if 76 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: they called up Dallas and they made a deal for 77 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis. It's interesting in that Dallas sorely needs ball handling, 78 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: and they have the defensive talent around a Trey Young 79 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: to still be good on that end. Right, they would 80 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: have a good combination of off ball shooting and vertical 81 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: spacing that fits Trey Young's skill set. I think that 82 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: makes some sense. There'd be some concerned about extending Trey 83 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: on a large contract, and I get that, But if 84 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: there was a time to do something like that, it 85 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: would be now while Cooper is on his rookie deal. 86 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: Maybe you could work something out with Trey and his 87 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: extension that's the shorter term max that expires, you know, 88 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: at the same time as Cooper's rookie contract expire. Something 89 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: along those lines. I wouldn't be as worried about that specifically. 90 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: And for Atlanta, you combine all of that perimeter athleticism 91 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: that we talked about with a reliable, big, a real 92 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: rim protector on the back line there. So it's kind 93 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: of interesting for both teams. But I don't really necessarily 94 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 1: love any of the Trey Young deals that I've seen 95 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: floating around. And some of that is just the reality 96 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: of the flawed player that Trey Young is and the 97 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: fact that he makes such a massive salary and it's 98 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: just not very easy to send out the requisite amount 99 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: of money that you need to bring him in, and 100 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: especially when he needs the amount of support that Trey 101 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: Young needs to be successful, especially on the defensive end 102 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 1: of the floor. But again we'll see. I'm gonna keep 103 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: my eyes and ears open and keep kind of thinking, 104 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: and if I come up with another idea for a 105 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: place for Trey to go, I'll bring it up on 106 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: the show. But that's just kind of my initial two 107 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: cents on the situation. Number two, the Warriors generate the 108 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: second most unguarded catch and shoot jump shots in the 109 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: entire NBA, eighteen point four per game. That's the Steph 110 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: Curry effect, whether it's botching switches or if it's just 111 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: him setting screens like he did to generate that wide 112 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: open three for Gis Santos in the right corner and 113 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: crunch time last night. The Warriors just get a ton 114 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: of wide open threes, but they shoot just forty point 115 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: two percent on them, which ranks eighteenth in the NBA 116 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: and actually cost them a game. Last night against the Clippers, 117 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: they generated seventeen unguarded catch and shoot threes and made 118 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: just six of them, and yet another heart wrenching loss. 119 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: They were down big late, big crazy comeback, laid a 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: ton of defensive intensity. I thought Draymond was fantastic defensively 121 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: down the stretch for some turnovers, got out in transition, 122 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: they got right back into it. They got a stop late, 123 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: and then Steph had to foul after an offensive rebound 124 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: that fouled him out of the game, and then Jimmy 125 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: Butler missed a tough left shoulder fade to potentially win it, 126 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: and the Warriors end up losing again. That was their 127 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: third one point loss of the season. It was their 128 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: eighth loss this year within five points or less. It's 129 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: more like nine because they had a game where they 130 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: led by seven with less than two minutes left and 131 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: ended up losing by fourteen in overtime. So let's just 132 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: take those nine games and let's just say three of 133 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: them go the other way for Golden State. You know, 134 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: like last night, for instance, you get that defensive rebound 135 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: instead of fouling Chris Dunn. You know something along those lines. 136 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: Three games flip the other way. Now you're twenty two 137 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: to fifteen, you're ahead of Phoenix, and you're looking firmly 138 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: like one of those middle tier teams in the West. 139 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: I think this team is so close to putting these 140 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: things together and going on a run. So that brings 141 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: us to the trade deadline, and my good friend Samos 142 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: FONDIARRII texted me a couple of trade suggestions yesterday that 143 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: got me thinking on this front, so I wanted to 144 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: dig into that idea for a little bit. It started 145 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: with him suggesting a very simple idea to me, would 146 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: you trade Draymond Green for Anthony Davis. Now, Anthony Davis 147 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: is obviously injury prone, and that makes it scary. But 148 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: when Anthony Davis is healthy, he's an absolute monster, and 149 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: he's easily one of the twelve best playoff players in 150 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: the entire NBA. You just had a game against the 151 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: Rockets where he put up twenty six and twelve with 152 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: five blocks in a win, and Warriors fans will remember 153 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: vividly what he was able to do in that twenty 154 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: twenty three second round series where he was arguably the 155 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: best player in the series and certainly at the very 156 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: least went toe to toe with Steph Right. And so 157 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: that's the kind of talent. Obviously, he's a little bit 158 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: over the hill at this point, but he can get 159 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: close to that level when he's healthy and available on 160 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: the floor. I think what makes that deal especially fascinating 161 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: is the potential that gives you to compete with a 162 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: team like Oklahoma City. We've seen repeated examples this year, 163 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: whether it's Rudy Gobert with Minnesota, victor Woman Yamo with 164 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: San Antonio, or Mark Williams with Phoenix. If you can 165 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: provide perimeter athleticism and real rim protection, you can cause 166 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: real problems for Okc's offense, which can struggle with some 167 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: rim decisions on their drives and can go cold with 168 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: their spot up shooting right, And I'd argue too, take 169 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City aside. San Antonio is a team that puts 170 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: a ton of pressure on the rim with their guards 171 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: as well. And so if you think of yourself as 172 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: a playing team, which at this point, I think they're 173 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: like five and a half games back in the sixth seeds, 174 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: so it's like more likely than not that they're probably 175 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: gonna be in the play in Brack. It's not out 176 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: of the question that they could get out, but it's 177 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: certainly likely at this point. That means you're gonna play 178 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: probably either San Antonio, Houston or Oklahoma City in that 179 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: first round series. And so having an Anthony Davis just 180 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: gives you a much better chance. We just saw what 181 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis could do to Houston, right, There's also this 182 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: kind of like offensive synergy element, especially with respect to 183 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: late game situations, when you could shift away from your 184 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: motion offense and run more spread pick and roll with Steph. 185 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis is just a much more dynamic role threat 186 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: than any big that Steph is played with over the years. 187 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 1: I just think Anthony Davis would be a really interesting 188 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: talent play. But the team wide shooting issues are a 189 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: real problem. As we discussed earlier, this team generates a 190 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: million open threes and can't really knock them down. That's 191 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: where something like the Michael Porter Junior option becomes interesting 192 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: because he's a much higher floor than ad like Anthony 193 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: Davis could easily get hurt and then be unavailable, and 194 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: then you're screwed, right and you get nothing for what 195 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: you've invested. That's not to say that that can't happen 196 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: to Michael Porter Junior too. It certainly can, but the 197 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: track record says that it's far less likely Michael Porter 198 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: Junior immediately would help with two things. He would give 199 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: you this Clay Thompson esque counterbalance shooting threat when Steph 200 00:09:58,160 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: is on the floor, and we have a decade of 201 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 1: day via Clay that shows that that works, and Michael 202 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: Porter Junior is actually doing some really nice shot creation 203 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: work this year that I think could really help Golden 204 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: State bench units. He's run one hundred and thirty four 205 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: pick and rolls, ISOs and post ups including passes, He's 206 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: generated one hundred and fifty two points according to Senergy. 207 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: That's one point one to three points per possession. That's 208 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: really high quality half court offense. He's had a brilliant 209 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: offensive season in Brooklyn. So there's really no way to 210 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: look at MPJ as anything other than a great option 211 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: for Golden State. And in addition to that, he is 212 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: a four man that brings some real utility as like 213 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: a secondary rim protector and a defensive rebounder. Like I've 214 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: said this multiple times on the show, the reason why 215 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: Denver traded Michael Porter Junior isn't because Michael Porter Junior 216 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: wasn't good enough for them. It's because as Aaron Gordon 217 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: was starting to age, there was a foot speed problem 218 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: that was becoming an issue for Denver. And if you 219 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: had Michael Porter Junior with Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic, 220 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: there's just a little bit of a foot speed deficit 221 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: relative to some of the other teams in the league. 222 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Michael Porter Junior is more or less a four. Aaron 223 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: Gordon's definitely a four, or you don't really have a 224 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: traditional three in that look, you make a swap for 225 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,839 Speaker 1: Michael Porter Junior with Cam Johnson. He can do a 226 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: lot of the things that Michael Porter Junior does and 227 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: he's just faster. So it was for Denver more of 228 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: a kind of roster a starting lineup balancing foot speed 229 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: play for Denver. Right, Michael Porter Junior is still very 230 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 1: capable of being a awesome starting four in this league. 231 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: He just wasn't going to fit as the starting four 232 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: next to Aaron Gordon, right, So that's kind of more 233 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:27,839 Speaker 1: or less what happened there. I think that he'd be 234 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: able to step in and a Golden State team that 235 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: doesn't really have a traditional four that can play a 236 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: significant massive like thirty to thirty five minute a night 237 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: roll right, So like that is something that Michael Porter 238 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: Junior could easily slot into. That brings me to another 239 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: suggestion that Sam made yesterday that has me really thinking, 240 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: what if the Warriors go all in on a combination 241 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: of those two ideas. What if they make an offer 242 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: for both Michael Porter Junior and Nick Claxton from Brooklyn. Now, 243 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: this would be like a very large deal and all 244 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: in type of deal. In order for this to work, 245 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: the Nets would have to create a roster spot or two, 246 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: but the general framework of the trade would be Draymond Kaminga, 247 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: Moses Moody buddy healed, and more likely than not at 248 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: least a first round pick, if not a first round pick, 249 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: and a swap or even more draft compensation. Right so 250 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: be expensive and in that deal you'd get back Michael 251 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: Porter Junior and Nick Claxton for Brooklyn. You get the 252 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: draft assets, you get a young player in Jonathan Kminga 253 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: that you can re up at a deal that makes 254 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: sense for your franchise, and you could take a chance 255 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: on him to see what kind of player he can become. 256 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: And I think Moses Moody is actually a pretty solid 257 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: three and D wing in this league. So it's like 258 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: a nice little value play for Brooklyn. If you can 259 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: turn Cam Johnson into a first round pick and Jonathan 260 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: Minga and Moses Moody and more draft compensation from the Warriors, 261 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: that's pretty nice return. Right now, Nick Claxton is a 262 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: player at various points over the last half decade that 263 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: has anchored an elite defense, whether it's you know, back 264 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: in the Kevin Durant days or even more recently with 265 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: what Brooklyn has been doing. Right, he's a real rimp 266 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: protector with some ability to switch out onto the perimeter, 267 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: so he's got some scheme versatility, and he's a real 268 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: vertical spacing threat. I just think Nick's a good player 269 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: in this league. And then you also get everything out 270 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: of the Michael Porter Junior edition that we discussed earlier. 271 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: To be clear, I don't want to underrate or understate 272 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: Draymond's offensive contributions to the team. You know, we talked 273 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: about how great he was defense down the stretch against 274 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: the Clippers, but he's always been a very important passing 275 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: folkrum for them. But the way I'd look at it 276 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: is you'd basically be taking a big swing on a 277 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:35,679 Speaker 1: fundamental reorienting of the team. You instantly become way bigger. Right, 278 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 1: you go do a six ten, six eleven frontline Michael 279 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: Porter Junior six to ten. You got Nick Claxton at 280 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: six eleven, You're gonna be able to facilitate more of 281 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 1: those three guard looks like if Kerr wants to go 282 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: with d Anthony Meltin, Brandon Pajamski and Steph Curry at 283 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: the same time. I like that more with a Michael 284 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 1: Porter Junior Nick Claxton behind them that bring like a 285 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: two layered rim protection element, some defensive rebounding and some 286 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:01,959 Speaker 1: switch ability there rightly improve your shooting talent. With a 287 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: guy like MPJ, you're gonna be able to tie off 288 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: a lot more of those sequences with made shots. And 289 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: you know, with Brandon Pejemski shooting the ball as well, 290 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: he's been shooting it this year. There's like a version 291 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: of that where you can put together some lineups that 292 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: have been shooting the ball pretty well. Michael Porter Junior 293 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: and Jimmy Butler give you a better chance to score 294 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: in your bench groups. I just thought it was a 295 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: really interesting idea from Sam and one that has had 296 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: me thinking over the course of the last twenty four hours. 297 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: Today's show is brought to you by presenting sponsor hard 298 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: Rock Bet, the official sportsbook partner of the Miami Heat 299 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: and the Orlando Magic. When it's cold outside, that's when 300 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: you know the hardwood is heating up. 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Concerned about 325 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: gambling in Florida, call one eight three to three play wise. 326 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: In Indiana, if you were someone you know has a 327 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: gambling problem and wants help, call one eight hundred and 328 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: nine with it gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler. 329 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: In Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia. 330 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: Number three. The Nuggets get a much needed win without 331 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: all five of their starters. Again, as I mentioned right 332 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: after the Yokitch injury, they needed about five or six 333 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: wins between the injury and the All Star break to 334 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: avoid dropping too far in the standings. Now they already 335 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: have two the road went in Toronto and last night 336 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: a bench masterpiece in Philly. First of all, I'm always 337 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: really happy for fans when games like that happen. Those 338 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: are some of the most fun games in the entire 339 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: NBA eighty two game grind regular season. When you're rooting 340 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: for your favorite team as a Laker fan. I had 341 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: a couple of those early in the year. The one 342 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: that I think of is that they go into Minnesota 343 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: without Lebron, without Luca, without Marcus Smart, They're down a 344 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: bunch of their key players. It's basically Austin reeves in 345 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: some of the role player talent that the Lakers had available, 346 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: and they just rolled up into Minnesota against the Timberwolves 347 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: and beat them. And that was when Austin hit that 348 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: little game winner, one of my favorite moments of the 349 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: season so far. Those tend to be a ton of fun, 350 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: and so I just imagined Denver fan were having the 351 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: time of their lives last night, and so I was 352 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: just happy for them as watching. As I was watching 353 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: that game, some insane intense defense and crunch time mixing 354 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: in some zone and man looks. They were swarming Joel 355 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: Embid with double teams, gang rebounding. There's a huge rebound 356 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: late late in the game by Spencer Jones that we'll 357 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: talk about in a minute. Amazing close outs. Peyton Watson 358 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: had this ridiculous nail help block on VJ Edgecomb, So 359 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: he's like sinking down on Maxi, like in the driving lanes, 360 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 1: in the left handed driving lane, So like max is 361 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: on the right wing and Peyton's just sitting like right 362 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: at the nail right and he's just there in help, 363 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 1: And so Maxi makes the right read to beat a 364 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: nail help. He just there was a swing past to 365 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 1: vj Edgecombe has been shooting the three really well as 366 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: of late, and Peyton just lunges over and explodes off 367 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: the ground and blocks it off of nail help. But 368 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: like that's an offense breaking type of defensive play, like 369 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: when you can effectively make it appeer as though you're 370 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: putting two on the ball or at least being in 371 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: position to if the drive comes and that you could 372 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: still take away on the swing pass. That's like a 373 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: level of offense breaking defense from Peyton Watson that's super impressive. 374 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: And then on the other end, just a bunch of 375 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: random contributions like Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson doing the 376 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: lion's share of the shot creation. Jalen Pickett's just a 377 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: super fun player to watch, just a stocky little guard 378 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: with a bunch of unorthodox scoring ability. Hit a big 379 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: pull up three in overtime at a big driving layup 380 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 1: towards the end of the fourth quarter. Just really good 381 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: young player, really interesting, kind of fun to watch young player. 382 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: But then lots of big plays from other guys. Zike 383 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: Naji tied his career high with twenty one points. He 384 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 1: had a massive three at the top of the key 385 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: in crunch time, had this other beautiful driving reverse left 386 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: handed layup where he just did a quick rip of 387 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: a close out off of the right elbow. Not even 388 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: closed out, it was more just like he just caught 389 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: it at the high post and then just turned and 390 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: ripped and beat his man and got all the way 391 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: to that little left handed reverse layup. Hunter Tyson Porten 392 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: fourteen hit a couple of massive shots, including this kind 393 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: of nifty baseline drive off the left side where he 394 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: did a slow down step and just waited for the 395 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: defender to come down and got a layup. Hit a 396 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: huge transition three off the dribble off the left wing, 397 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: and m getting an and one there. You could tell 398 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: he was stoked about that. But I thought Spencer Jones 399 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 1: made the biggest play of the night. So bj Edgecomb 400 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: has the ball, Sixers are up by one and he 401 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: drives off the top kind of like a forced Roughs 402 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: rushed to drive a little mistake for a young player, 403 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: but he ends up shooting this kind of like big 404 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: sweeping left handed scoop shot and he misses it. But 405 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid's right there and he's going to get the 406 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: offensive rebound put back and basically put the game away. 407 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: But Spencer Jones just wills himself on this crazy jump 408 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: to meet Joel Embiid at the top and taps the 409 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: ball away from him, which then sparks the fast break 410 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: where Bruce Brown gets the layup that ends up winning 411 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: the game. Just an unbelievable play from Spencer Jones. It's 412 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: kind of crazy how much the Nuggets have been getting 413 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: out of Spencer this year. They are multiple games that 414 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: they've won this year because of his specific contributions in 415 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: crunch time, and then you have to shout out Bruce Brown, like, 416 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: in addition to the layup that won the game, hit 417 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: a huge corner three late in regular and had some 418 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: really nice defensive possessions on Tyree Maxie where he Stone 419 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: Watson drives. Just an absolutely massive win for the Nuggets. Again, 420 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,360 Speaker 1: every win that they can get right now is basically 421 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: like found money Number four, am I buying the Philadelphia 422 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: seventy six ers. I'm not too worried about last night's 423 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: lost specifically, weird stuff happens in the NBA, especially in January. 424 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: I mean, hell, the Charlotte Hornets went into Oklahoma City 425 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: last night and beat the living shit out of the Thunder. 426 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about that game in a minute. 427 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: They're coming off of a very impressive win in Madison 428 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: Square Garden against the Knicks that wrapped up a three 429 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: game winning streak. That game was, in many ways the 430 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: showcase of what's made the Sixers successful recently. Like in 431 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: the second quarter, their guards were swarming on defense and 432 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: they forced a bunch of turnovers that led to runouts. 433 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,199 Speaker 1: In the third quarter, of their offense was cooking in 434 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: every which way, like VJ. Edgecombs screaming downhill off of 435 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: Embiid handoffs for layups. You got Tyree Maxie hitt and 436 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 1: pull up threes. Joel Embiid's hitting face up jump against 437 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: Michale bridges and switches, Paul george Is hitting corner threes 438 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 1: off of Pinon flarares just absolute peak Sixers offense to 439 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: start that third quarter, and they blow the game open, 440 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: and you could really see that combination of speed and 441 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 1: skill on display that was causing real problems for a 442 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 1: very good Knixt team. Again, a Knix team that's been 443 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: playing some of the best the best basketball that they've 444 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 1: played in this Knicks in this Jalen Brunson era. Now, 445 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: the short answer to the question am I buying the 446 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: Sixers is I want to see more games with them 447 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: against higher level competition. Like this season they're just seven 448 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: and ten against teams that are five hundred or better. 449 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: That's not good. But they're also coming off of what 450 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,719 Speaker 1: I would consider to be a signature win, right like 451 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: if you get a win, especially on the road, but 452 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: against one of those seven teams that I consider to 453 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,479 Speaker 1: be the first or second tier contender. So again that's 454 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City, Denver, Houston, San Antonio, Minnesota. I'm blanking on 455 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 1: who the others are, but I did my contender rankings 456 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: last week with those seven teams. If you get a 457 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: the Knicks, and then there's one more that I'm missing, 458 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: but that if you get a winning it's one of 459 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: those seven teams, I consider that to be like a 460 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: signature win. Those are the wins that I think really 461 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: matter in this league when you log a win against 462 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: a team that's like dead series going after the championship, 463 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: and so I just want to see them get a 464 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: few more of those because they've struggled in some of 465 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: those matchups this season. There are a lot of individual 466 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: players that I really like on this Sixers team. They've 467 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,360 Speaker 1: actually been one of my favorite watches this year. They 468 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: just have a lot of players that I like. I 469 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: think Tyrese Maxie is officially like a legit second tier 470 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 1: superstar in this league. He's putting up that level of 471 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: scoring volume and efficiency without turning the ball over that's 472 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: pretty much insane. It's basically him and Shay are the 473 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: only players in the league that are putting up at 474 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: least thirty points per game on at least sixty percent 475 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: true shooting with fewer than three turnovers per game. Like 476 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: He's straight up out played Brunson in that game in MSG. 477 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: He's just a star playing and simple. He's got some 478 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: little things to clean up in terms of defensive execution. 479 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 1: He'll lose a shooter and lose a guy in a backcut. 480 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 1: He'll miss a box out sometimes in big spots. A 481 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: lot of times with young stars that can take a 482 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: few years and a few painful losses for them to 483 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 1: learn their lesson. But I do think that when Maxi's 484 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: mentally engaged, he can actually be a real defensive contributor 485 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: because of how speedy he is. He was actually responsible 486 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: for one of those turnovers that he forced in that 487 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: late second quarter run against the Knicks. Vj Edgecomb is 488 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: exploding and then one of the best young guards in 489 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: the league. He's already made seventy threes this season in 490 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 1: his last ten games. Vja's averaging twenty one points per 491 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 1: game to go with five rebounds and four assists forty 492 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: percent on eight three point attempts per game. That's really 493 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: high volume and high efficiency three point shooting. He's doing 494 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: it off the bounce and off the catch. He's actually 495 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: up to thirty six percent on off the dribble threes 496 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: this year. He'll do this thing where he kind of 497 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: starts out at thirty feet and he'll get a head 498 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: of steam coming at you and kind of get into 499 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: a rhythm dribble and then just rise up as the 500 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: defenders on his heels. He can do a lot of 501 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: work there. He's hitting drop coverage threes. When a guard 502 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: dies on a screen or goes under the screen and 503 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: the bigs too far back. He's just added a lot 504 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 1: of Polish already in his rookie season. Joel Embiid's gaining 505 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 1: real momentum. He just played in four consecutive games for 506 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: the first time this season. In his last eight games, 507 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: he's averaging twenty nine points and nine rebounds on fifty 508 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: one percent from the field, and they're actually starting to 509 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: win his minutes with him. That was an issue in 510 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 1: the first seven games. Kind of felt like he wasn't 511 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: as effective, any kind of clash with the way they 512 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: wanted to play with their speed, and it just wasn't 513 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: working in the first seven games that he played this year. 514 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 1: They've been winning his minutes in a big way ever 515 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: since then, and he's actually been one of their better 516 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 1: plus minus guys this year. As a result, You're starting 517 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: to see some of that dynamic we all imagined when 518 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: they put Maxi Georgian Embiid together, Like I remember when 519 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,440 Speaker 1: that when all that first went down, like when Maxi 520 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 1: was on the rise, and then you know, we see 521 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 1: the Paul George deal go down, and it was kind 522 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: of like an obvious talent play if you really looked 523 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: at the situation the Sixers were in and what Darryl 524 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: Moray had available to him in order to improve the team. 525 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,120 Speaker 1: Like I defended it at the time, like no one 526 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: wanted to pay Paul George that kind of money, no 527 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: one in the entire league. But like in the short term, 528 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: it had the potential to be a talent boost and 529 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: then it just never came together because how injured everyone was. 530 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: But there was a real basketball case for that. Why 531 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 1: that would make sense. You know, Paul George had entered 532 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: a phase of his career where he wasn't as dynamic 533 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: as an on ball shot creator in terms of like 534 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: super high volume, superstar shot creation, but he still had 535 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: this obvious skill set that I thought would be successful 536 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: as like a what I called a week side scoring forward. 537 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: It's a position that we've seen around the league. It's 538 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: like kind of what Michael Porter Junior was in Denver 539 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: as an example, And essentially what that is is you're 540 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: not the primary guy who's going to be involved in 541 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 1: two man game at the end of games. You're not 542 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: going to be a guy that's gonna have the ball 543 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,479 Speaker 1: in his hands a ton as a primary shot creator, 544 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: but you're constantly going to be situated on the weak side, 545 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: opposite of where the action is taking place. And when 546 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 1: you catch there, you're just this incredibly skilled forward that 547 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 1: can either knock down catch and shoot threes with some 548 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: size which makes it hard to close out on or 549 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: drive closeouts with higher level off the dribble moves right 550 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 1: and you know the ability to slash and then if 551 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: the ball does work its way to you, or if 552 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 1: you do need to run some action, you have the 553 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,240 Speaker 1: ability to do so. And so what that You kind 554 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: of looked at the trio and it's like, Okay, you've 555 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: got Tyrese Maxey, who we all agree now is this 556 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: like legit second tier star in this league who brings 557 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: this unbelievable combination of shooting ability and speed. You couple 558 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: it with a big that can give you the ability 559 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: to beat switches like he did against the Knicks. You know, like, oh, 560 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: you switch mckael bridges onto Embeid. We're just throwing it 561 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: down to the block right, or he can pop in 562 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: ball screens, he can hit jump shots off the pocket, 563 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: passes at the elbow, he can post up like we 564 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: talked about. But then he can set good screens for Maxi, 565 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: And you're talking about two of like the most dramatic 566 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 1: size difference pairings in the league in terms of this 567 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 1: super small quick guard and this gigantic behemoth of a 568 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: human being and Joel Embiid, which just makes it really 569 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 1: difficult to guard right. And so in those situations you 570 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: basically are screwed in what you want to do. If 571 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: you run a deeper drop coverage and you let Tyrese 572 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: Maxey go to work on screens, he's going to cook you. 573 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: If you play a little bit closer up to the level, 574 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid can score in the pocket relentlessly. If you switch, 575 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: Maxie can beat bigs, Embiid can beat smalls. And if 576 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: you defend the action three on two, meaning you come 577 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 1: up to the level on em or on Maxi and 578 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: then you tag Embiid on the roll, now you're running 579 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: the risk of leaving Paul George opportunities to score on 580 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: the weak side. And he's just done a really good 581 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 1: job of that this year. Like those pinin flare screens 582 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: on those corner threes that he hit at the start 583 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: of the second half against the Knicks, Like those came 584 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 1: from his man over helping on the two man game. 585 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 1: He's converting spot ups this year at one point two 586 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: to one points per possession. That's very, very good. And 587 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,879 Speaker 1: again he hasn't been super involved as an on ball player, 588 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: but he's been super efficient in then you know, one 589 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty possessions or so when he has been 590 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: on the ball. He's shooting fifty percent on pull up 591 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: threes in ball screens. This year, he's shooting fifty three 592 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: percent on twos in ball screens. It's really starting to 593 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:01,679 Speaker 1: come together these last four games. Like the Sixers have 594 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: posted a one to twenty three offensive rating over the 595 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: course of the last four games, their best offense of 596 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: the season. They've lost ten clutch games this year, like 597 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 1: last night, and one of the consistent issues in those games, ironically, 598 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: has been their offense. Like their defense has actually been 599 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: pretty good in crunch time, but similar to what happened 600 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 1: last night, they've been struggling to score in those situations. 601 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: And they had just four points in overtime last night. 602 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: Couldn't score off of the double teams of Embiide on 603 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: the left block. You know, Tyres Maxie ends up missing 604 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: a couple of threes that he can make, U swarming 605 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,400 Speaker 1: on his drives when he was getting downhill, and guys 606 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: just not knocking down shots. It just hasn't come together 607 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: for them on offense in crunch time yet. I do 608 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: think that has the This is why I keep saying 609 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: I want to see more, Like there's a level of 610 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: momentum that this team is gaining through health with their 611 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: older stars in combination with kind of starting to form 612 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: a defensive identity. They have not been as good defensively 613 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: as they were in that like kind of you know, 614 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 1: if you divide this season so far into thirds, it's 615 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: like they started not so great, and then they were 616 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: pretty good on defense for a while, and then they've 617 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: been pretty bad for the last few weeks. Like they 618 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: can kind of combine all of this together, you know, 619 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 1: the defense from that middle third of their game so far, 620 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: with the offense that they've played in the last few games, 621 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: and they put this all together and start actually closing 622 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: some of these crunch time games, they have the ability 623 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: to start to pile together some wins. And again, like I, 624 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: I believe they have some real defensive potential there. There's 625 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: some limitations, like you saw last night with the way 626 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: that the Nuggets were picking on Joel Embiid in space, 627 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: and he'll have possessions like when they got that Bruce 628 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: Brown corner three in the left corner where he throws 629 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: that crazy hedge out like thirty feet from the basket 630 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: and he kind of just looks like he's jogging around 631 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: on the floor. Like there's gonna be some limitations there 632 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: with their bigs in space, but they do have a 633 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: ton of speed on the perimeter and they'll have sequences 634 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: like they did in that second quarter run against the 635 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: Knicks where they're just running around like crazy and wrecking 636 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: havoc and they can do some real damage. Again, from 637 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: this point forward, it's all about sustaining success. You can't 638 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: drop back to back games against the Nets and the 639 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: Bulls like they did a couple weeks ago. You need 640 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: to put together sustain success and then tied off with 641 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: signature wins. Signature wins against the higher level teams in 642 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: the league that add legitimacy to your six success. Forget 643 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 1: about guys like me in that locker room. You want 644 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: in that locker room to start to build belief that 645 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: you actually have the ability to accomplish your goals. When 646 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: that happens, when you got the guys in the locker 647 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: room looking around like, hey, we can beat anybody, that's 648 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: when you start to actually get buy in. That can 649 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: be consistent on a night and night out basis, because 650 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: now they believe in the goal that they're trying to pursue. 651 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 1: At the end of the line, number five, last segment 652 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: of today, what the hell happened in Oklahoma City last night? 653 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: One of the big details in the story of the game, 654 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: more or less was the bizarre shooting Oklahoma City. All 655 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: season long, and especially during this slump. They're six and 656 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: six in their last twelve games. They've been great on 657 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 1: open threes like unguarded catch and shoot threes, and then 658 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: awful uncontested catch and shoot threes wild reversal. Last night, 659 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: they were one for sixteen on unguarded catch and shoot 660 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: threes according to Synergy, and seven for thirteen on contested 661 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: catch and shoot threes. Now, you guys know me, I 662 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: hate to focus on variants. First of all, I think 663 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 1: variance is while it's certainly a factor, I think it's 664 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: massively overblown by most people, and I think it's pretty 665 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 1: much pointless to focus on. I think it makes sense 666 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: to prioritize focusing on process. And Mark Dagnall had a 667 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: great quote after the game about processing a spot like this. 668 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: He said, when the wind is in your face, you've 669 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: got to endure. You've got to have the resilience and 670 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: the toughness to continue to continue to stay together, to 671 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: continue to focus on the controllable execution things that can 672 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 1: help you change course. And he's absolutely right. Shooting, for example, 673 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: what you can control with shooting is your work, right, Like, 674 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:50,240 Speaker 1: you're going to put in your reps behind the scenes 675 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: and shoot arounds and in practices and workouts to get 676 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 1: all the shots that you can up. That's what your 677 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: preparation is for the moment. But once you get into 678 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 1: the game, it's out of your control. All you can 679 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: do is take the shot and it's either going to 680 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: go in or it won't. There's a little bit of 681 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: like a confidence trust your form thing, But like if 682 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: you get into that situation and you confidently rise up 683 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:11,959 Speaker 1: and you have good form and it doesn't go in, 684 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: there's literally nothing you can do about it. It's out 685 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: of your control. But you can control how you generate 686 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: your shots. You can control your shot quality. You can 687 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,959 Speaker 1: control your defensive intensity, You can control a lot of 688 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: things that can help turn those misses into makes just 689 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: through the flow of the game. And that's why I 690 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: love that idea, that attitude from Mark Dagnall. But let's 691 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: actually dig into the basketball just a little bit. So 692 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 1: the short version of what happened in that second quarter 693 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: run for the Thunder is they lost control on offense 694 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: because the Hornets were switching everything, and then they were 695 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 1: swarming whenever they gave up driple penetration, so they were 696 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: keeping the ball in the front, essentially making it impossible 697 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: to get easy penetration off of screens. And while they 698 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: were switching, the guys on ball, credit to the Hornets 699 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 1: were all doing an incredible job flattening out and containing 700 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: the ball. I thought Seon James did an excellent job 701 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: on a bunch of reps against sake kills Alexander in particular. 702 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: And then when dribble penetration happened, like there's quite a 703 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: bit of dribble penetration early in the second quarter from 704 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: Ja Dub for example, but they were swarming him on 705 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: those drives and he was forcing some stuff up in there. 706 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: And that's a credit to the way the Hornets were 707 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 1: defending again switching containing and then when there was penetration, 708 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: swarming right. Like it was just kind of a pretty 709 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: simple concept that was breaking the thunder offense. And I 710 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: thought the Thunder guards had pretty brutal quarters because the 711 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: pressure is on them there to get good dribble penetration 712 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: and then to make good decisions when they do. And 713 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 1: Jay Dubb was getting drible penetration, but I thought he 714 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: kind of flashed back to twenty twenty four where he'd 715 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: like beat his man and then just forced something up 716 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: in a crowd instead of trusting the kickouts relentlessly, Like 717 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: even on misses, you have to keep trusting those kickouts, 718 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: trust your shot quality to bear out in the larger sample. 719 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: And then Shay, especially in that late second quarter, just 720 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: wasn't driven and he was settling for a lot of 721 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:08,479 Speaker 1: really tough jump shots in that sequence and he was missing. Again. 722 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: I want to give the Hornets credit, but I thought 723 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: that that scheme really kind of like broke down Oklahoma 724 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 1: City's offense and then on defense, and this has been 725 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 1: a trend that's perpetuated during the six and six stretch 726 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: for Oklahoma City. I talked about this the other day. 727 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:21,839 Speaker 1: But I've talked about this a lot after the Christmas game, 728 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: if you guys remember, but Oklahoma City has been kind 729 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: of just dropping off in their perimeter defense last few weeks. 730 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:29,800 Speaker 1: I thought all of the Hornets ball handlers were pretty 731 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: comfortable yesterday. They're just lacking that extra layer of intensity 732 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 1: that they normally have. And so as a result, like 733 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City's logging a one oh nine defensive rating in 734 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: the stretch, which is obviously still very good, but it's 735 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: not the one to oh three that they logged in 736 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: those twenty five games, and that's one oh nine with 737 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:48,800 Speaker 1: six wins in there where they had some good defensive 738 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 1: performances and and their losses, their defense has just not 739 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:53,839 Speaker 1: been good. So what do I make of this six 740 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: and six stretch, Because again, that's a twelve game stretch 741 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,399 Speaker 1: where the Thunder been playing five hundred basketball, And how 742 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: I feel is more or less exactly how I felt 743 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:03,280 Speaker 1: yesterday when we talked about it in our power rankings. 744 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,720 Speaker 1: The stretch is exposed that they still have a couple 745 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,920 Speaker 1: of significant flaws. They're not a perfect basketball team, mainly 746 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding and high intensity spot up shooting. Situationally, they 747 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: gave up another twelve offensive rebounds yesterday and they've allowed 748 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: their opponents to grab thirty three percent of their own 749 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 1: misses during those six losses, after they were fourth in 750 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,160 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding percentage in their first twenty five games this year, 751 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,640 Speaker 1: so and again that was against a much weaker schedule. 752 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: But the offensive rebounding piece, I should say Oklahoma City's 753 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 1: defensive rebounding has definitely been an issue that's popped up. 754 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: And then the jump shooting thing. It's been an on 755 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: and off issue for them basically this entire era, dating 756 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: back to last year in the postseason and then again 757 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: this year in the six and six stretch. But as 758 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 1: Mark dagnauld said, there are some obvious controllables that I 759 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: expect them to get in control of over the next 760 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: few games. Won their perimeter defense. I fear the next 761 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 1: few teams that have to play the Thunder, they're going 762 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 1: to get a plus defensive efforts out of Oklahoma City 763 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,839 Speaker 1: that are gonna be tough to hang with. And then two, 764 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: their offensive process getting back to relentless rim pressure from 765 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: guys like Jdubshay and AJ Mitchell, and then on those 766 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: drives making quality decisions. When you get two feet in 767 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: the paint, the easiest way to improve shot result is 768 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 1: to improve shot quality. That's the controllables that Mark is 769 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: talking about. Right, some good adversity for Oklahoma City here. 770 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: I think it'll be good for them in the long run. 771 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,279 Speaker 1: But I do want to shout out the Hornets. They're 772 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: generally a fun watch and last night was a sign 773 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:34,800 Speaker 1: of their potential in many ways. They're athletic, and they're switchy, 774 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,800 Speaker 1: lots of dynamic offensive players. Again, se On James is 775 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: super interesting. It's a kind of defensive prospect. It was 776 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:44,759 Speaker 1: fun watching Brandon Miller and Conkin. It will go off, 777 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:47,919 Speaker 1: especially during that first half when they took control. Really 778 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 1: really fun game for the Hornets, really really fun night 779 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 1: in the NBA. All right, guys, it's all I have 780 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: for today is always as sincerely appreciate you guys for 781 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: supporting me and supporting the show. I will see you 782 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 1: guys tomorrow for some more game reaction. We'll be right 783 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: b back at it. So you guys love it.