1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 2: The NBA eighty two game grind is done, and now 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 2: the real fun begins. The NBA Playoffs aren't here, and 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 2: it's time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments, 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 2: and jaw dropping plays. 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 3: I can't wait. 7 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 2: If you're looking to make the playoffs even more exciting, 8 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: DraftKings Sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting 9 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 2: partner of the NBA from the playing games all the 10 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: way through to the finals. Now's the time to back 11 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 2: your favorite players and teams as they chase glory. All 12 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: season long. DraftKings has been the go to spot for 13 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 2: NBA player props and that does not stop. 14 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 3: Now. 15 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: Want to make your playoff experience even more intense, Try 16 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: placing a bet on your favorite player's performance. Well they 17 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: drop thirty points, forty or more, it's your call. Ready 18 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 2: to place your first bet? Download the DraftKings Sportsbook gap 19 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 2: Now lock in your bets. Let's make this playoff run unforgettable. 20 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers. Bet 21 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: five dollars to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets. 22 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: Instantly make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. 23 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: Download the Draft Kings sportsbook gap and use code hoops 24 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: that's h oops. That's code hoops for new customers to 25 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: get two hundred dollars in bonus bets when you bet 26 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 2: just five bucks only on DraftKings. 27 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 3: The Crown is yours. 28 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: Gambling problem called Wayne hundred gambler in New York call 29 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 2: eight seven seven eight Hope and y or text hope 30 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 2: and why to four six seven three sixty nine and 31 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: Connecticut help us available for problem gambling Call eight eight 32 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or. 33 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: Visit CCPG dot org. 34 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort 35 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 2: in Kansas twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. 36 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: Void in Ontario, New customers only. Bonus bets expire one 37 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. For additional terms 38 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 2: and responsible gaming resources, see dkang dot co. 39 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 3: Slash audio. All right, welcome to Hoops tonight. You're at 40 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 3: the volume heavy sun, everybody off. All of you guys 41 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 3: are having a great weekend. 42 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: Kind of a bummer that our game seven ended up 43 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: being a dut I kind of had a suspicion that 44 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 2: it would be just simply because as soon as Aaron 45 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 2: Gordon was hurt, even if they got out of this series, 46 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: it just there's very little chance for them to survive 47 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 2: two more playoff rounds. And as I always say, like, 48 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 2: you gotta have belief if you're a basketball team to 49 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: overcome great adversity, and it was always going to be 50 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: difficult to beat Oklahoma City on the road, and Denver 51 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 2: gave it a good punch there to start, but when 52 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 2: they started to lose control of the rope, they just 53 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 2: let go and Oklahoma City ends up blowing them out. 54 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 2: One of their interesting defensive adjustments in this game, going 55 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 2: to a lot of Alex Cruso on nikolea jokicen just 56 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: fronting the posts that really turned the game around. We're 57 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: gonna break that game down briefly from the perspective of 58 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 2: both teams, and then we'll talk about Oklahoma City looking forward, 59 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 2: and then we'll talk about Denver looking forward. Then we'll 60 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 2: take about ten to fifteen minutes of mailbag questions before 61 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 2: we call it a day. No playback today, just because 62 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: it's a Sunday afternoon, but we'll be back with our 63 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 2: usual playback after shit, starting with Game one of the 64 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: Western Conference Finals on Tuesday nights, So you guys are 65 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: gonna want to go over to playback dot tv slash 66 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: Hoops Tonight to get set up there for our usual 67 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: after shows that'll be starting back up on Tuesday. You 68 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 2: guys are the jope. Before we get started, subscribe to 69 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels. You don't miss any more 70 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,119 Speaker 2: of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at Underscore JCNLT 71 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: so you guys don't miss show announcement, So forget about 72 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,679 Speaker 2: our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. 73 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: It's also super helpful if we leave a rating and 74 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: review on that front. Jackson's doing great work on our 75 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 2: social media feeds and Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Make sure 76 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: you guys follow us there, and last but not least, 77 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: keep dropping mail bag questions in the chat so that 78 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: we can get to the mail bag at the tail 79 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: end of this show. All right, let's talk some basketball. 80 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: So the start of this game looked very much like 81 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: the classic experience gap, right, Like the ESPN graphic that's 82 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: on the screen shows just the number of Game sevens 83 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 2: both teams have played in, and Denver's just been in 84 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 2: so many of them, and I think the total number 85 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: of combined Game seven appearances for OKC was three, and 86 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: that was lou Door Shay and Isaiah Hartenstein if I 87 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 2: remember correctly, and like Isai HARTENSTEI didn't think that was 88 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: last year. And then if I'm not mistaken, I think 89 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 2: the Dort shay Wan I think that might be the 90 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: James Harden blocked three in Game seven in the bubble, 91 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 2: if I remember correctly. But that's the only Game seven 92 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 2: experience that that group has had, right and that abundantly 93 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 2: was clear. At the start of the game, the Nuggets 94 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 2: looked like the far more comfortable and confident team. The 95 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 2: Thunder offense looked super tight. Guys were missing layups, guys 96 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 2: were missing jumpers. Denver's in control. Right from there, I 97 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: thought three distinct stretches flipped the game. Stretch number one 98 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: in the later third of the first quarter, Alex Crusoe 99 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 2: and Russell Westbrook check into the game, Alex starts denying Nikolea. 100 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 2: Jokic the catch at the high post, and just in 101 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: general using a really good three quarter front slash full 102 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: front to basically shut off passing angles into Jokic in 103 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: the post in the high post from there. None of 104 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: the Nuggets role players looked like they knew how to 105 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 2: make a high post entry. Russell Westbrook had a couple 106 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 2: of turnovers. He had a possession where he just said, screwed, 107 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: I'm gonna go to the rim and he got blocked. 108 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 2: Christian Brown ended up finally missing a three, and suddenly 109 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 2: that twenty one to ten lead was twenty six to 110 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: twenty one going into the start of the second quarter. 111 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 2: Just kind of felt like a different game, okaysee, kind 112 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: of had some momentum coming out of the end of 113 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 2: that first quarter. Then the second pivotal stretch, David Addleman 114 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 2: makes the critical mistake of leaving Nikola Jokic and Jamal 115 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 2: Murray both off the floor at the same time. In 116 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 2: Game seven, at the start of the second quarter, the 117 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 2: Thunder went on a six to zero run literally in 118 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: sixty two seconds, a minute, in two seconds, all of 119 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: a sudden, it's twenty seven to twenty six. All of 120 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 2: a sudden, the Thunder have a lead in the game 121 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,679 Speaker 2: that the Nuggets controlled for you know, seven minutes, eight minutes. 122 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: I think it was actually nine minutes. It was less 123 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 2: than the total run from twenty one to ten to 124 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: twenty seven to twenty six, took less than five minutes 125 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 2: of game clock, just completely flipped the game. From there, 126 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 2: the Nuggets stabilize, Jamal Murray hits a little jumper, puts 127 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 2: the Nuggets back within one. Mark Dagenal calls the time out, 128 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 2: puts chet Holmgren back in, and over the final three 129 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 2: minutes of the first half, the Thunder closed it out 130 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 2: on an eighteen to five run, kind of an extension 131 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: of what we saw at the end of the first 132 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: quarter Alex Crusoe, but also j Dubb during the stretch 133 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 2: doing some great work battling for position against the Kola 134 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: Jogic denials, poor post entries, forcing turnovers, runout dunks, and 135 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 2: it basically ended the gate in a three minute stretch there. 136 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: So if you look at the first half in general, 137 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: for out of the twenty four minutes two thirds of it, 138 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: Denver looked completely in control, methought at half court bass, 139 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 2: methodical half court basketball, getting and making better shots. But 140 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: in these short bursts spanning just eight minutes of game clock, 141 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: the Thunder just completely dominate the game and Denver's never 142 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 2: able to regain control from there. There's some reality to 143 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 2: the difficulty of dealing with ball pressure guards. Any of 144 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: you guys who've played basketball and are kind of a 145 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: bigger player, you'll have some experience with this over the years, 146 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 2: where like a ball pressure guard will just get up 147 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 2: in your business and he's swiping at the ball and 148 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 2: grabbing and klawn and doing all that stuff. And what 149 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 2: you have to do is you've got to create space. 150 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: And the only way to create space is to use 151 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 2: to protect the ball, clear with your elbow, clear with 152 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: your shoulder, use your hips, use pivot moves trying to 153 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 2: clear out space against a smaller player. And it becomes 154 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: a very delicate balance because most guards or most guards 155 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 2: just naturally get a form of bias from officials because 156 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: they're smaller, and so they just get to get away 157 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 2: with more contact. And if you swing that elbow just right, 158 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: even though his face is like right here in your 159 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: personal space, the ref's gonna call that an offensive foul. 160 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 2: And so I was talking about it on Twitter earlier today. 161 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: It's like a form of gamesmanship and the same way 162 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 2: that foul drawing guards like what Shay does or Jalen 163 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 2: Brunson does or Austin Reeves does, In the same way 164 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: that those guys grift their way to the foul line. 165 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 2: On offense, there are defensive players who grift extra possessions 166 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: by doing that sort of thing. Ball pressure, ball pressure, 167 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: ball pressure. And what they do is they train themselves. 168 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 2: As soon as they get any sort of contact above 169 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 2: the shoulders, they just flop back and they're gonna get 170 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 2: a call. And it's just complicated dealing with ball pressure. 171 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 2: And it is what makes this Thunder defense so incredibly 172 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: difficult to deal with, is you survive the dort jw phase. 173 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 2: And here comes case On Wallace and Alex Cruso. They're 174 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 2: probably even better at it than the first two guys are. 175 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: And so it's just wave after wave. Aaron Wiggins gets 176 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 2: in on the action too. It's just wave after wave 177 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: after wave of big physical guard that's gonna get in 178 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 2: your business and be aggressive and physical, and the rest 179 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 2: aren't going to be able to call every foul and 180 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 2: they do some gamesmanship with their own and it just 181 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 2: is a overwhelming wave after wave of force on the 182 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 2: defensive end that wears you down. And that's Howlkloma City 183 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: won the series. Ultimately, they won this series with their defense. 184 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 2: Looking forward for Oka See, I thought they showed a 185 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: lot of growth throughout the series. Denver had them on 186 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: the ropes three different times and games that they ended 187 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 2: up winning just because they stuck to their identity and 188 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 2: trusted that it would eventually carry them across the finish line, 189 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: and it literally did. It took longer in game four, 190 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 2: it took longer in Game five, but eventually they did 191 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 2: wear down Denver's offense. Eventually they couldn't score the ball. 192 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: Eventually their downhill force did break through the barrier that 193 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 2: was Denver's defense. Alex Crusoe won you have playoff series. 194 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: I don't think you win this series without Alex Cruz. 195 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: I thought that was a really interesting thing in retrospect 196 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 2: looking back at that trade, I hope Chicago's enjoying Josh Giddy. 197 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: But Alex Crusoe is a veteran role player who came 198 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 2: in the only rotation player on this team over the 199 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 2: age of twenty six, and his ability to consistently knock 200 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 2: down spot up threes in this series while also being 201 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 2: a guy that not only was defending Jamal Murray extremely 202 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 2: well at stretches, but was also doing a great job 203 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:23,599 Speaker 2: on NICOLEA. Jokicch for stretches. You could argue he was 204 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 2: the best defender that Denver used on Nikole jokicch in 205 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 2: the series. Just unbelievable output from a player that they 206 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 2: brought in during the summer. Isaiah Hartenstein, by the way, 207 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 2: to the job that he did on Jokic guarding his 208 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 2: strong hand. Like the trades made this summer by Sam 209 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 2: Presty to bring in Alex Crusoe, the decision to sign 210 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: Isaiah Hartenstein, they literally gave this team a championship ceiling 211 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 2: that would have been cut off at the knees right 212 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: here in the second round. They would not have beat 213 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 2: the Denver Nuggets had they brought last year's team back. 214 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 2: So shout out to Sam Presti for those moves. I 215 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 2: thought that was a nice bounce back game from j dub. 216 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 2: I thought he just showed a more of a propensity 217 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 2: to just attack the rim instead of settle for jump 218 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 2: shots early in the clock. He did take a couple 219 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: jumpers in the first half that he missed, but they 220 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 2: were after he was aggressive downhill towards the basket. Just 221 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 2: attack the rim and play defense and good things will happen. 222 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 2: That's a great way to get yourself out of a 223 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 2: slump is just play really hard and focus on the 224 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 2: things that don't depend on variants. Looking at the Minnesota 225 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: series again, I'm not going to have a prediction until tomorrow. 226 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 2: I'm working on it. First thing in the morning, I'm 227 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 2: to watch a ton of film. We'll have a full 228 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 2: series preview at sometime, probably doing the early afternoon tomorrow. 229 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 2: But it's a very interesting series. Two elite defenses with 230 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: elite rim protection, and both teams have a legit too 231 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 2: big look. Two elite on ball guards against two teams 232 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 2: that have a ton of good on ball defense options, 233 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 2: which should make for a very interesting series in the 234 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 2: sense that both Shay and j Dub and Julius everyone 235 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 2: should be on comfortable in this particular matchup. But there 236 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 2: are three major differences between the two teams. The Wolves 237 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 2: are bigger, while the Thunder are faster. I think that's 238 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 2: like a kind of They're both very athletic, but in 239 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 2: different ways. The Wolves, i think, are substantially more experienced 240 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 2: and ants secondary shot creator is a veteran forward in 241 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 2: Julius Randall, while Shae's backup shot creator is a younger 242 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,199 Speaker 2: guard in Jay Dub, and Julius has been a substantially 243 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 2: more reliable offensive player. My initial gut feeling, and this 244 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 2: might completely change tomorrow after I watch a bunch of tapes. 245 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 2: So I'm not saying this is my pick, but my initial, 246 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 2: like just gut reaction looking at the series is I 247 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 2: trust Minnesota's offense to be able to score more over 248 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 2: the top in these ugly ass games. These games are 249 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 2: all going to be really low scoring, and I expect 250 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 2: it to be the kind of series where it turns 251 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 2: into can Ant make tough shots? Can Julius make tough shots? 252 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 2: Can nas Read make tough shots? Can Chet Homer and 253 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: Jay Dub shake GISs Alexander? And I just trust Julius 254 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 2: Randall and Chet home, excuse me, Julius Randall and Nas 255 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 2: Reed just a little bit more than I trust Chet 256 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 2: Holmgren and Jay Dub right now. 257 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 3: And so my. 258 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 2: Initial gut reaction is to lean slightly towards Minnesota. But 259 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 2: again that might change after I watch the film more 260 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 2: intently tomorrow and start putting together that series preview. But 261 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 2: again we'll have I think both series are more or 262 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:26,359 Speaker 2: less coin flips. Again, I picked Indy and I'm leaning Minnesota, 263 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 2: but I think we've got an excellent conference final awaiting 264 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 2: us between four pretty evenly matched teams at least respectively 265 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: in their matchups, and I'm hopeful that for the first 266 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: time since twenty twenty two, we get a good conference 267 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: final because we've had a couple of brutal ones in 268 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 2: a row. Denver, they had their chances man up eight 269 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 2: in Game four in the fourth quarter, up nine in 270 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 2: Game five in the fourth quarter. They'll be kicking themselves 271 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 2: for a little while for this one. I think Jokic 272 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 2: shall be kicking himself for Game four because that was 273 00:13:57,800 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 2: the last game out of a three game stretch where 274 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 2: couldn't make a shot, and if he would have been 275 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: able to make more shots, his team would have won 276 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: that game. I think Jamal Murray will be kicking himself 277 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 2: for Game five because he was so good for the 278 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 2: first three quarters and he just went cold in that 279 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: fourth quarter. But overall, I was impressed by Denver's championship 280 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: pedigree and their overall ability to make this into a 281 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: very competitive series. I want to shout out Aaron Gordon. 282 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: I couldn't believe he was gonna play, and as he 283 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 2: was running around, I couldn't believe he was playing and 284 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 2: there was a certain amount of like like they tried 285 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: to keep him on heart and sign a little bit 286 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 2: more so. 287 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 3: He's less defending in action. 288 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 2: He's doing a lot of switching off of every little screen, 289 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: not really throwing a lot of effort in transition or 290 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 2: in closeouts. But obviously he couldn't move, but I thought 291 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 2: he was like positive impact on a Grade two hamstring strain, 292 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 2: and it just is insane, and like, you know, when 293 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 2: I think about Aaron Gordon, obviously I'm a little biased 294 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 2: because I'm a University of Arizona fan, but this last 295 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 2: three years for him in the postseason, I think he's 296 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 2: been one of the better, more reliable, more versatile role 297 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 2: players that I've seen. And to me, he's just a 298 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 2: champion and a legend and someone that I've got a 299 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 2: great deal of respect for. And he's got a long 300 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 2: career ahead of him. And I think that's a perfect 301 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 2: springboard to this next conversation, which is I want to 302 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: start this point of view from a very basic kind 303 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: of like position that I hold, which is I do think, 304 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 2: like without a doubt that Jamal Murray, Christian Brown, Aaron Gordon, 305 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 2: and Nikola Jokic is a Championship Corps. I think those 306 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: four guys can absolutely start at those respective four positions 307 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 2: and win the championship. They just badly need to upgrade 308 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: that Michael Porter Junior slot. That was a problem throughout 309 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 2: this postseason. Whether it was them not being able to 310 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: trust MPJ, not being able to trust Russ, not being 311 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 2: able to trust Peyton Watson, they just didn't have a 312 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: reliable fifth guy. Michael Porter Junior is going to be 313 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: a difficult player to trade, but he is the kind 314 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 2: of player that I'd be looking to move this offseason 315 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: for a defensive minded wing because of Aaron Gordon's development 316 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 2: as a shooter. Christian Brown again over the tail end 317 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 2: of the series got his jump shot figured out, and 318 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: also Aaron Gordon and Christian Brown are two examples of 319 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 2: defensive minded players that have become better shooters. I think 320 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 2: those dudes will probably get with whatever defensive minded wing 321 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 2: you get and friendly bully him into becoming a better shooter. 322 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: Like I would just be looking for someone in that 323 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: mold of the Herb Jones, Jaden McDaniel's type of player. 324 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 2: Obviously you're not gonna be able to get Jayden, but 325 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 2: I would be looking for that type of big, rangey 326 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: wing athlete that can basically fill in the baseline spacer 327 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 2: role off of Jokic as a cutter. Now that Gordon 328 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 2: and Brown can shoot the ball as well as they do, 329 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: and that raises your defensive ceiling and your overall at 330 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 2: the leticism substantially, which I think would be an upgrade. 331 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 2: And then the last thing I'll say about it just 332 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 2: Jamal's conditioning. I think I think he needs to come 333 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 2: into camp ready to go and maximize himself to the 334 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 2: point where he's a more reliably good player in these situations. 335 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: Jamal was bad tonight, but he was fantastic in Game six, 336 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 2: and he was really good in Game five until he wasn't. 337 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 2: And so I think there's a clear shot making ceiling 338 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 2: there with him that he will reach more consistently if 339 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 2: he just becomes the kind of player that maximizes what 340 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 2: he can get out of his body over the course 341 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 2: of a season. And so I think there's just I 342 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 2: think it's about maximizing what you have on board, making 343 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 2: an upgrade to that fifth starter spot at the small 344 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 2: forward position. I think there's a real opportunity there for 345 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 2: Denver to pivot and not have to ditch their continuity. 346 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,239 Speaker 2: Like I was talking to Colin today and Collin's like, well, 347 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 2: do you think they should trade Jamal Murray? 348 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 3: No, I don't. 349 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 2: To me, Jamal Murray's continuity with Jokic in the two 350 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 2: man game is of substain value and you could get 351 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 2: a player who on paper is better than Jamal, but 352 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 2: it's not as good within this particular team in this fit. 353 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: And so I think I think it's I think you 354 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 2: bet on continuity and you just upgrade that fifth starter 355 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 2: spot go from there. You've got enough young talent with 356 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:20,120 Speaker 2: you know, Jalen Pickett and and Peyton Watson off the bench, 357 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 2: Julian straw the had his moments in this series. They've 358 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 2: got They've got their opportunity to uh to get more 359 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 2: talent out of you, out of your young players. In 360 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 2: the big picture, I think they just got to upgrade 361 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: that fifth starter spot. 362 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world 363 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range 364 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: of programming that goes beyond the game, from action pack 365 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: live events to gripping behind the scenes documentaries to hard 366 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: hitting investigative pieces and in depth profiles of athletes, coaches, teams. 367 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: Vice Sports captures the raw energy, drama, and passion that 368 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: makes sports truly unforgettable. Catch live events and other exclusive 369 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: sports programs only on Vice TV. Go to vicetv dot 370 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,719 Speaker 1: com to find your cable channel. 371 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 2: All right, let's bring Jackson on and take some questions. 372 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 3: Let's do it. 373 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 4: Let's do it. Just sort of sticking on this Denver 374 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 4: point for a second, do you think Denver's issues have 375 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 4: more to do with the small forward position or a 376 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:20,959 Speaker 4: lack of depth? 377 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 2: So I I think like there's a certain amount of 378 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 2: depth that will come naturally through the development of their 379 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 2: young players. Like, I don't think the issue is having 380 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther as you're you know, even 381 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 2: Russell Westbrook in this case, as you're six seven eight. 382 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:39,639 Speaker 2: It's just not having a five. They just didn't have 383 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 2: a five. Like I feel like this. I feel like 384 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 2: if the Nuggets got reliable play out of Michael Porter 385 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 2: Junior in this series, they win. 386 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 3: I just think they do. 387 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 2: So, Like I think I think that is a more 388 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 2: achievable goal looking at it through the lens of one 389 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 2: piece and then understanding like there's going to be year 390 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 2: over year improved with your young talent. That's those guys 391 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 2: are going to have their opportunities next year to get 392 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 2: plenty of playtime. It's just you gotta have five guys 393 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 2: that you trust in a big spot. 394 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, they they didn't. 395 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 4: They definitely didn't have five guys they trusted in this series. 396 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 4: That's for sure. That is for sure. 397 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 3: Do you agree with me that the top four, though, 398 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 3: are good? I do? I do. 399 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 4: I feel like the relationship and the continuity you're describing 400 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 4: with Jamal and Jokicic feels very of the Steph and 401 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 4: Draymond conversation to me, where it's like, yeah, there might 402 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 4: be a better player than Draymond Green to pair with 403 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 4: Steph curR. Yeah, there might be a better player to 404 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 4: pair with Yogas and Jamal Murray. But the chemistry they 405 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 4: have on the court takes a long long time to develop, 406 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 4: and you're not Most teams aren't winning a championship without 407 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 4: some level of the sum is greater than the parts. 408 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 4: Even when those parts are amazing, you need the sum 409 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 4: to be greater. And that's where that chemistry I think 410 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 4: is really, really, really valuable. 411 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 2: That's a great point. Like we talk about this literally 412 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 2: all the time. Your value in a vacuum doesn't matter. 413 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 2: Everything value. The only value that matters is your value 414 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 2: on that basketball team. And the Draymond Steph partnership supersedes 415 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: any potential partnership of Steph with another big that doesn't 416 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 2: have that like seamless synergy that you get out of 417 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 2: those two, Like even with Anthony Davis, like if you 418 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 2: had to because I remember we had that Warriors fan, 419 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 2: it was like, well, what if we can get Ad, 420 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 2: Like if let's say you had to use Draymond as 421 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 2: salary filler in the AD trade. There's obviously massive upside 422 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 2: with AD. But one of the downsides would be Ad 423 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 2: is not as good of a processor and short role 424 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 2: player as Draymond is. And so even though AD's greatness 425 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 2: would supersede and I'm sure the Warriors would be better 426 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 2: with AD because he's the type of superstar player, but 427 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 2: the point is is it's more complicated. It's not just 428 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 2: as simple as attaching an in a vacuum talent like 429 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 2: Steph because he brings two to the ball twenty five 430 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 2: feet from the basket. Processing is like one of the 431 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,959 Speaker 2: most valuable skills for a player playing alongside of him, 432 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 2: and that's one of the things that Draymond brings. 433 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, one hundred percent. It's like, and there's obviously exceptions 434 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 4: to that, Like if you put Yannis with Steph curR, yes, 435 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 4: that's just enough of a talent gap where it's worth it. 436 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 4: And you put Steph Curry with Nikola Jokic, it's enough 437 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 4: of a talent gap to replace Tramal Murray. 438 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 3: But you're not. 439 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 4: It's it's gonna be challenging to have enough of a 440 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 4: talent gap to replace that chemistry that we're sort. 441 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 3: Of describing, I think exactly exactly. 442 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 4: Next question, Jason, what kind of defense do you think 443 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 4: Many will play against Oka see? Will they throw a 444 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 4: lot of zone out there? Okay, okay, so he did 445 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 4: have some trouble with his zone earlier in the series 446 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 4: before they sort of figured it out a little bit. 447 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 2: I think we'll see some zone. But I think this 448 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 2: is going to be a man de man series for 449 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 2: both teams. I think it's going to be a ball pressure, 450 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,199 Speaker 2: load up the strong side, force you to move the 451 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 2: ball and shoot against the hard, close out. 452 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 3: Type of game. 453 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 2: Like I think I think we could see extended, ugly 454 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: stretches like extended ugly stretches from both Shay and and 455 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 2: in this series, like both of these defenses are perfectly 456 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: designed to deal with each other. Like it's like a 457 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 2: it's a real problem for both teams and the like 458 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 2: for as fast as Okay see is, they're going to 459 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 2: be dealing with Minnesota's length, And there's a certain amount 460 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 2: of like chasing over the top jump shooter who's going 461 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 2: to be shooting against length. But like, at the same time, 462 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 2: ant superpower is his quickness and his ability to beat 463 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: people off the dribble with speed, and and there's just 464 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 2: a lot of athletes that are going to be standing 465 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 2: right in his way throughout this entire series. And so 466 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 2: I think it's going to be very much a tough 467 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 2: shot making for the stars kind of series and a 468 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 2: catch and shoot three for mediocre role players type of 469 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: series out of main and demand sequences. And I think 470 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised if we had multiple games in 471 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 2: this series where neither team gets two hundred. 472 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, it does feel like both teams have unique defensive 473 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 4: options to throw against the other team's best player, being 474 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 4: able to have Dork Caruso Cason Wallace to throw at 475 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 4: Anthony Edwards and to have Anthony Edwards and Jane McDaniels 476 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 4: to throw at and they got Both teams have a 477 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 4: lot of athletic defenders. Dante is super quick. Yeah, they 478 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 4: can throw, and they all have different sort of strengths 479 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 4: and types of defenders. They could mix up the looks. 480 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 4: What I think is you know, valuable as well. How 481 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 4: would next question? How would you rank the last four 482 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 4: teams in terms of championship odds? 483 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:17,680 Speaker 2: This is a really good question. I think Oklahoma City 484 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 2: should be a substantial favorite over both Indiana and New York. 485 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 2: Minnesota I would make a smaller favorite over Indiana and 486 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 2: New York, but I think i'd make them favored. But 487 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: I think that Minnesota okay Se could go either way, 488 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: if that makes sense. So like strictly speaking the matchups, 489 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 2: I view Minnesota okay See as a coin flip, but 490 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 2: going forward into the finals, I viewed Minnesota as more 491 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 2: susceptible to a loss to Indiana or New York than 492 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 2: I view okay See. I think okay See would dispatch 493 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 2: of the Knicks and the Pacers pretty quickly. It's just 494 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 2: a nightmare matchup for both of them to have to 495 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 2: deal with all that guard speed on the ball. So 496 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 2: with that being the case, I'm gonna go I would 497 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 2: rank the Thunder small gap Timberwolves, big gap Pacers, small 498 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 2: gap Knicks. 499 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:14,719 Speaker 3: That's how I'll put it. 500 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 4: I think I agree, and DraftKings does not DraftKings has 501 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 4: I mean they agree with part of it. They have 502 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 4: OKAC as the heavy favorite minus one sixty five, and 503 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 4: then I think, probably just because you can only get 504 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,719 Speaker 4: one of the two Western Conference teams in the finals, 505 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 4: that from an odds perspective, they have an Eastern Conference 506 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 4: team next the Knicks and. 507 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 3: Plus fo that makes sense. 508 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, and then the Timberwolves are plus five point 509 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 4: fifty and the Pacers are plus seven hundred. 510 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,719 Speaker 2: See. You know what's interesting about that, though, is I 511 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 2: think it's I think it's substantially more likely that Minnesota 512 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 2: sneaks through OKC and beats who comes out of the 513 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 2: East than either of the East teams beating Okay. 514 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 3: See yeah I did too. Yeah. Like it's just. 515 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 2: Can you imagine Haliburton and Brunson and nemhard like just 516 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 2: dealing with the incessant wave of Cason Wallace and Alex 517 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 2: Caruso and lou Dord and yeah, like it just I 518 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 2: think it would just be too much for him. Like 519 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 2: I I view the Western Conference Finals as basically the 520 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 2: NBA Finals. 521 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, I tend to agree. And this is not to 522 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,640 Speaker 4: take shots at Tyre's Halliburn or Jalen Brunson, because those 523 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 4: guys deal with a lot of good athletic defenders all 524 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 4: the time. But you saw it, for for stretches in 525 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 4: Game five of the Knick Celtics series where when Jalen 526 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 4: Brown is like, I'm going to turn into a defensive 527 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 4: like demon right now. That caused some problems for Jalen 528 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 4: Brunson and not I mean, they obviously won the series, 529 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 4: it's not anything like that. But if you got three 530 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 4: different guys you can are always going to be fresh 531 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 4: ish to throw at Jalen Brunster Tyre's Halliburton. It's it 532 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 4: would be a challenge, I think against. 533 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 2: A simple stat to kind of break this down. Denver 534 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: in the regular season with Nikolea Jokic on the floor 535 00:26:55,200 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 2: had a one twenty six offensive rating, okay for Denver 536 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 2: versus Okac in this round, they had a one oh 537 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 2: four offensive rating with Jokic on the floor, So Okac 538 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 2: was literally able to cut Denver's regular season offense production 539 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 2: by twenty two points per one hundred possessions. 540 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 3: That's crazy like they are. It's crazy they are. 541 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 2: You know, Like I saw our friend uh in colleague 542 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 2: Carson Breber talking about them as an all time great defense, 543 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 2: and I'm always hesitant to throw that phrase out until 544 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 2: we like get there, but like if if they're gonna 545 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 2: get there, this is what it would look like. Like 546 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 2: they're certainly in the process. It's kind of like it 547 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 2: reminds me of like watching Jokics in twenty twenty and 548 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, where you're like, this. 549 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 3: Guy might be the best you know this, yeah, yeah, 550 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 3: might be the best player. 551 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 2: Like this this defense from Okay see looks looks like 552 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 2: one of those special defenses in NBA history that can 553 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 2: really cause problems for teams. And the reason why Denver 554 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 2: had extended stretches of success against Okase is they had 555 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,239 Speaker 2: this big mammoth human that could just run like some 556 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 2: of Jokic's drop step buckets through double teams today. Did 557 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 2: you see some of those today where he's just like 558 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 2: he just spins into traffic and just goes through like 559 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,679 Speaker 2: three dudes and lays it up the Knicks, and the 560 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 2: Pacers just don't have that option against this Thunder team, 561 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 2: and I just think I think they'd be in some 562 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 2: real trouble. 563 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 564 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 4: And it's sort of like we talked a lot about 565 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,159 Speaker 4: Anthony Edward sort of being this like King King Slayer. 566 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 4: He's taken out all these you know, all time grades 567 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 4: on his way to on this playoff run. If the 568 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 4: Thunder end up winning the title, you know, the first 569 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 4: round is whatever. But being able to say we put 570 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 4: the clamps on Jokic, we put the clamps on a 571 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 4: Timberwolves team that just kind of shredded a great Golden 572 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 4: not shredded, but like had a lot of success against 573 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 4: a good, very very good Warriors defense. 574 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 3: Ye. 575 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 4: And then we put the clamps on Jalen Brunson or 576 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 4: Tyre's Halliburton's World win Pacers, like that would be a 577 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 4: pretty impressive defensive finals run. 578 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 2: I think I agree, And I think you're hitting on 579 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 2: another interesting thing, which is that I think Golden State 580 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 2: was a really good tune up for Minnesota to prepare 581 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: for Oka. 582 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 3: See. 583 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 2: Can you imagine if Minnesota had gone straight from the 584 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: Lakers to Okay see that like I would have probably 585 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 2: picked Okac in a heartbeat, but getting that Golden State 586 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 2: matchup is like, here's a real fast, smart defense that 587 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 2: that'll throw you for a loop. The difference is is 588 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 2: you'll be facing real rim protection in this round. 589 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, all right, let's see one more sort of kind 590 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 4: of abstract crazy question and then we can wrap up 591 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 4: for the day. I love the show. What do you 592 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 4: think of this trade? This is a this is a 593 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 4: this is. 594 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 3: A blocky. 595 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 4: The l A Lakers get Jared Allen, DeAndre Hunter, Isaaca Korro, 596 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 4: and Dean Wade, and Cleveland gets Lebron James. 597 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 3: Okay, read me the names one more time. 598 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 4: Jared Allen, Jared Allen, DeAndre Hunter, DeAndre Corro, Hunter, and 599 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 4: Dean Wade. And apparently this does work for the money, 600 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 4: according to the commenter. 601 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 2: Okay, let me let me conceptualize this for just a second. 602 00:29:55,200 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 2: So in this universe, the Calves would then run out 603 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 2: with Struce at the three with Lebron and Mobley and 604 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 2: they would lose the depth of DeAndre Hunter and Dean 605 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 2: Wade and the Lakers would get so it would be 606 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 2: Austin a Coro would be there. 607 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 3: Two I suppose, well. 608 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 4: It's Luca Austin and DeAndre Hunter. 609 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 2: I think, yeah, you're right, Luca Austin and DeAnda Hunter 610 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 2: would be so it'd be Hunter and Ruie would be the. 611 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 4: Three, Hunter and Ruie and then Jared Allen. 612 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 3: And then Allen at the center and then and then. 613 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 4: I mean, it's it's not the worst. It's an interesting, 614 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 4: stay competitive, but not but not punt on anything long term. 615 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 4: You're like Hunter or Allen are are still like in 616 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 4: their rising into their prime, if not in their prime, 617 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 4: they're not old by any means. 618 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 2: They're also Yeah, to your point, there are also players 619 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 2: that like specifically struggled in the postseason and that Cleveland 620 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 2: fans are probably like, I'll drive you to the airport anyway. 621 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 4: Right, and sort of like both teams being like, damn, 622 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 4: I don't really want to trade these guys, don't I 623 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 4: never said I wanted to trade these guys, but if 624 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 4: you're asking for them, I'll listen to a phone call. 625 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 2: So so, so Cleveland basically gets to use Lebron as 626 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: like a one year rental slash. 627 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 3: They can drop his money off the books eventually. 628 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 4: Right there there, there might have to be to do 629 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 4: a total vibe shift if they if they run it 630 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 4: back and lose again in the second round. 631 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 3: Yea exactly next year. 632 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 2: And I think we came out of that series looking 633 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:33,479 Speaker 2: pretty clearly like, yeah, Mitchell and MOBILEI are their two guys. 634 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 2: Garland's a big question mark. Still man, That's a really 635 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 2: interesting trade. 636 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 3: That's it. That's something that. 637 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 2: I would I like if if Lebron was dead serious 638 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 2: about being willing to go back to Cleveland, It'd be 639 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 2: an interesting trade to explore and look at some different 640 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 2: machinations in the sense that like, yeah, I I the one, 641 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 2: the one other thing those I wonder if Cleveland's going 642 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 2: to look to potentially trade Garland at some point if 643 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 2: like how many times are they going to is Garland 644 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 2: going to be basically useless in the postseason before that 645 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 2: they before they look to go a different direction there. 646 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 2: But that could be an entirely separate deal. This is interesting. 647 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna say that I would do it because 648 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 2: I think the Lakers. 649 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 3: Here's my issue. 650 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: If I'm the Lakers, DeAndre Hunting, DeAndre Hunter and Rui 651 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 2: are both redundant. There are big forwards that struggle to 652 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 2: defend on the perimeter, that are good catch and shoot 653 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 2: players that can put the ball on the floor and 654 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 2: attack and close out that can attack a mismatch. They're 655 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 2: but they're both better at four than they are at 656 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 2: the three. In my opinion, Jared Allen is not quite 657 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,040 Speaker 2: the vertical spacer that Luca typically likes to play with, 658 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 2: but he is a very good like short like a 659 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 2: short range spacer, meaning like floaters and push shots and 660 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 2: stuff like that. He's a switchable big that I think, 661 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 2: which I think obviously JJ Reddick would like. And Isaacacorro's 662 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 2: a real athletic upgrade. But after all of them just 663 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 2: struggled in the postseason, I think you'd have a hard 664 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 2: time giving up Lebron for him. It's an interesting idea, 665 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 2: though I'm not gonna say I would do it or not, 666 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 2: but that is a is an interesting idea, And like 667 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 2: if Lebron, if Lebron decides that he wants to go 668 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 2: back to Cleveland, there are certainly some avenues there to 669 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 2: make that into uh into an interesting trade. 670 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: What do you have any big picture thought on it? 671 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 4: I mean, it's just it's kind of hard to to 672 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 4: wrap your head around, but I do feel I do 673 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 4: feel like it kind of. 674 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 3: It. 675 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 4: It's both teams are in a sort of we don't 676 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 4: feel like we have the roster clearly to be contenders. 677 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 4: There has to be some kind of shake up, it 678 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 4: feels like for both teams. But it's hard to part 679 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:43,719 Speaker 4: ways with any of the guys that you would need 680 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 4: to to make a trade, Like if you're if you're 681 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 4: a Cavaliers fan, I think it's tough to be like 682 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 4: run it back, just exact same roster running back. That's 683 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 4: also like, who do we really feel confident about trading? 684 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 2: The Jared Allen piece is the complicated one to me, 685 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 2: because you trade him, you instantly become a dramatically worse 686 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 2: regular season team. But this is he's been He's gotten 687 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 2: his ass kicked in the postseason multiple times in the 688 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 2: last couple of years. So like like Mitchell Robinson ate 689 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 2: him alive a couple of years ago, he got demolished 690 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:18,399 Speaker 2: by Myles Turner in this round, Like there's a it's 691 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 2: just really hard to sell your fan base on the 692 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 2: idea like, hey, you guys, did you like that when 693 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 2: we won sixty four games? Well, without jarreed, we're gonna 694 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 2: get fifty one to fifty two wins. How does that 695 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 2: sound to you? 696 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 3: Guys? 697 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: You know but then the way you cause, like, especially 698 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 2: with Lebron, Like, Lebron's not going to be some super 699 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 2: impactful regular season player. But I would argue that Garland, Mitchell, Struce, Lebron, 700 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 2: and Mobiley have a much better chance to win in 701 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 2: the postseason than that version does. And so that it's it's, it's, it's, 702 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 2: it's definitely worth exploring. All right, guys, that's all we 703 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 2: have for today. As always, we sincerely appreciate you guys 704 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,279 Speaker 2: for supporting us and supporting the show. As I said, 705 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:55,839 Speaker 2: we will be going tomorrow early afternoon ish with our 706 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: series preview on the Timberwolves and the Thunder. Very much 707 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,799 Speaker 2: looking forward digging into that tomorrow. No playback today, but 708 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: we'll get back to our normal playback after shows on Tuesday. 709 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 3: Again. 710 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:09,560 Speaker 2: That's playback dot tv slash Hoops tonight for you guys 711 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 2: to get set up there. Again, we appreciate you guys 712 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 2: for rocking with us and we'll see it tomorrow. What's 713 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 2: up guys. As always, I appreciate you for listening to 714 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,720 Speaker 2: and supporting Oops tonight. It would actually be really helpful 715 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 2: for us if you guys would take a second and 716 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,320 Speaker 2: leave a rating and a review As always, I appreciate 717 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 2: you guys supporting us, but if you could take a 718 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 2: minute to do that, I'd really appreciate it. 719 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 3: The volume