1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: The Volume. All right, welcome to Hoops Tonight. You're at 2 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: the Volume having fun day. 3 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 2: Everybody, Oh ball. 4 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: If you guys at an incredible weekend, you got a 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: damp pack show for you. Today, we're doing our weekly 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: edition of Power Rankings. We're gonna hit on ten teams, 7 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: but I also have a couple of other teams that 8 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna hit on. Kind of in the rankings, as 9 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: we talked about some of the games these guys play, 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: We're gonna be bouncing all around the league today. You 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: guys are the joke before we get started. Subscribe to 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels you don't miss any more 13 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore JSNLT 14 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: so you guys don't miss show announcements. Somet't forget about 15 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: a podcast few wherever you get your podcast on our 16 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight, don't forget it's helpful if you leave a 17 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: rating and a review on that front. We also have 18 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: brand new social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook 19 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: for Hoops Tonight where we're gonna be releasing more content 20 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: like reels and stuff like that over the course of 21 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: the season, So make sure you follow those and then 22 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: We're doing another mail bag that I'm recording on this 23 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: third and I'm going to be using the comments from 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: the shows on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, So make sure 25 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: you drop mail bag questions in these. We're gonna be 26 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: trying to hit on some of the teams that we 27 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: haven't hit on yet in those mail bags. So any 28 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: questions you guys have about anything around the league, make 29 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: sure you drop them in those mail bag questions and 30 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: we will get to them in the show that's going 31 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: to air on Friday. And then last minut at least 32 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: before we get started, I want to talk to you 33 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: guys about Game Time. I personally have used game Time 34 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: multiple times in the past. They have an incredible experience. 35 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: I have had the best experience I've had with the 36 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: ticket buying app with game Time. I highly recommend you 37 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: guys check it out. Obviously, it's fun watching games on TV, 38 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: but there's nothing like being there in person. The experience 39 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: of watching professional basketball. When you're in the arena, it's 40 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: just different. You get to hear the sounds, you get 41 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: to see the sites, you get to see celebrities that 42 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: are there sitting courtside. You get to see the way 43 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: the players interact with each other outside of the television product. 44 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: It's an incredible experience. I highly recommend you guys check 45 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: out a game this year. But it's not just basketball. 46 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: There's NFL is in full swing, college football, college basket ball, 47 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: NHL's in full swing. We have concerts, we have comedy shows. 48 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: There are tons of shows for you guys to get 49 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: out and check. Game Time has an incredible experience for 50 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: you guys. You can check out and as soon as 51 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: two taps. It's not convoluted. You know exactly what you're 52 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: gonna pay before you check out, what they're all in pricing, 53 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: and they have a good view of your seat. Within 54 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: the apps, you know what you're getting with your money. 55 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: But the best part is game Time Picks. Usually when 56 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: you go to click on an event, you get inundated 57 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: with thousands of tickets and it can be kind of 58 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: confusing to sort through. Game Time Picks just curates for 59 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: you a feed of the best deals at that specific event. 60 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: It will streamline that process for you guys. Again, I 61 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: encourage you to check it out. Take the guesswork out 62 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: of buying tickets with game Time Picks. Download game Time app, 63 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: created an account use code Hoops for twenty dollars off 64 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: your first purchase terms apply again, create an account, redeem 65 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: cod code hoops. That's hoops for twenty dollars off. Download 66 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: game time today? What time is it? Game time? All right, 67 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So let's before we get into 68 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: the power rankings. I did that one crazy stat I 69 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: wanted to show you guys as I was digging into 70 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: the gap between the East and the West to start 71 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: this year. So Oklahoma City has six wins against teams 72 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: that are five hundred or better. If you took the 73 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: top five teams in the Eastern Conference. Okay, so that's Cleveland, Boston, Orlando, 74 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: New York, and Detroit. Those are the five best records. 75 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: Shout out to the Detroit Pistons with the fifth best 76 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: record in the East right now. But with those five teams, 77 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: they have combined to win six games against teams that 78 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 1: are five hundred are better. Oklahoma City has six by themselves. 79 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: The four teams that I had ranked as the top 80 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: teams in the East to start the year, that's Boston, 81 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: New York, Milwaukee, and Philly. Those four teams are combined 82 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: one in seventeen against teams that are five hundred are 83 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: better to start the year, with the one win obviously 84 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: being Boston beating up the Knicks on opening nights. So like, 85 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: the East has always been a little weaker than the West, 86 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: but man, does it feel like a giant chasm to 87 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: start the season. It's been such a strange year on 88 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: that front. I do think things will level out, and 89 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: I do think several teams will play better. Injuries are 90 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: important context too. Obviously you've had injuries in Philly. You've 91 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: had you know, Pala Bonkaro's been out for a while, 92 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: There's Jimmy Butler's already missed time. There's a bunch of 93 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: guys that have missed time. So that's part of it, 94 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: and I do think things will even out. But it 95 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: is kind of crazy the gap between the East and 96 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: the West that we've seen to start this year. All right, 97 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: let's get started with our rankings. Number ten, the New 98 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: York Knicks. They were a Josh Hart foul, kind of 99 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: like a rear view contest on Kobe White away from 100 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: having a four to o week, but it was a foul. 101 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: Kobe White made all three free throws. Jalen Brunson's turned 102 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: around fade away over his left shoulder, rimmed out and 103 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: the Knicks had a three to one week Still impressive, 104 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: still starting to gain some ground. They keep ending up 105 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: in these super close games. The first Nets game was 106 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 1: crazy too, like the Knicks were up six with a 107 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,559 Speaker 1: minute and forty three seconds left and the Nets scored 108 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: six consecutive points or seven consecutive points to get a 109 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: one point lead before Jalen Brunson hit that ISO three 110 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: on the left wing that ended up giving him the win. 111 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: Every one of their games kind of seems to be 112 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: following that path. Either they're falling down big and having 113 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: to scram back into games, or they have big leads 114 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: that they're blowing late and they end up in these 115 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: like one or two possession games, and those clutch situations 116 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: have been where they've struggled. They're just two and five 117 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: this season in games that have involved a clutch situation, 118 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: and they've been bad on both ends. The offensive rating 119 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: in the clutch is at ninety one to start this season, 120 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: mostly just missing shots there, Like Brunson is five for 121 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: fifteen in the clutch this year. That's gonna get better, 122 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: and he hit a big one against Brooklyn the other 123 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: night as you guys know as a team, they're two 124 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: for fourteen from three in the clutch, and there's some 125 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: good looks in there, like Jalen Brunson wide open catch 126 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 1: and shoot three is campaign wide open catch and shoot three, 127 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: McHale bridges wide up catching shoot three. There's open looks 128 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: in there that they're just missing. So like some of that, 129 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: I'm not as worried about when it comes to the 130 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: offensive end of the floor. They have too much talent. 131 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: They're third in offense overall for the season. I think 132 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: they're gonna be able to score at the end of game, 133 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,679 Speaker 1: so that I'm looking at as more as a fluke. 134 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 1: They have a one thirty five defensive rate in the 135 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: clutch though, that's the part that I'm really struggling about 136 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 1: struggling with, and like on tape, they're really struggling to 137 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 1: guard the ball. Teams are just running down the floor 138 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: and driving right around them and getting to the rim 139 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: iod as soon move multiple times and crunch time against 140 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: the bulls, just getting the ball sometimes off of made 141 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: baskets and just slashing down the lane and getting layups. 142 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: Zach Lavine just getting to his spot easily against McHale 143 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 1: Bridges and knocking down easy jump shots over the top. 144 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: In the Nets game, it was everybody but like Cam 145 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: Johnson in crunch time, just driving to the rim and 146 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: getting layups, or just coming hard off of a screen 147 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: and getting down into the lane and wrecking having for them, 148 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: like this was a team that I thought would be 149 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: better guarding the ball. McHale, Bridges and og And and 150 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: Obi and Josh Hard are all guys that are kind 151 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: of in terms of their reputation, they're good defensive players, 152 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: but they're just not playing good defense. And so the 153 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: Knicks have really struggled to guard the ball all year. 154 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: It's a big part of why they've been bottom ten again. 155 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: If you want to be encouraged, this isn't like the Lakers. 156 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: The Lakers are going to struggle to guard the ball 157 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: until they make a roster move. You have the pieces, 158 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: guys just have to play better. And it's kind of 159 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: funny how this comes down to this sort of thing 160 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: where like a lot of times, we associate our belief 161 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: system about a team or what they're capable of on reputation, 162 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: and reputation doesn't mean anything in basketball. All that really 163 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: matters is how well are you playing right. Like, so 164 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: much about whether or not a team is playing well 165 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: comes down to like whether or not guys are playing well, right. Like, So, 166 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: you have a couple of key role players that aren't 167 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: playing well, and a couple of key defenders that aren't 168 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: defending as well as they typically do, and you're going 169 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: to underachieve. But if you get a couple of guys 170 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: that are playing above their pay grade and a couple 171 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: of guys that are in good rhythm and everybody's locked 172 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: in and doing their jobs, all of a sudden, you 173 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: go on a run and you can win a bunch 174 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: of games in a row, right, And so like that's 175 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: what's super fascinating about the talk about what a team 176 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: looks like on paper before the year, and then it 177 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: kind of starting to come to fruition, Like the Knicks 178 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: have a ton of talent, but in some specific ways 179 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: on the defensive end of the floor, they're not actually 180 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: really utilizing that talent the way that they're capable of. 181 00:07:57,720 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: And so that's the part that's weird. I'm watching these 182 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: cold those games and it's like I'm watching historically good 183 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: defenders just not do a good job on the ball 184 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: as they continue to get pick apart and some of 185 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: it some of it is the weak points. Yeah, like 186 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: they like Nikola Vusovich was going right at Karl Anthony 187 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: Towns in the Bulls game and was just given him 188 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: buckets down on the block, and some of that is 189 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: like vuc is a good post player and Kat's a 190 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: mediocre defensive player, So there's gonna be some you know, 191 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: advantage that you're giving up there. But again, I've watched 192 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: Karl Anthony Towns do a really good job on Nikola 193 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: Jokic before, so that kind of goes back to the 194 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: point you made earlier, where like a lot of it 195 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: just has to do with how well your guys are playing. 196 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: So like the answer here for the Knicks is on offense, 197 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: when they get in these close games, they need their 198 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: guys to hit shots that they're capable of hitting. And 199 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: on defense, they need their good defensive players that have 200 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: been good defensive players throughout their career to be good 201 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: defensive players. And then that should turn around a lot 202 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 1: of the issues that they've had to this point in 203 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: the season. And then again a lot of the concern 204 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: about rim protection and stuff like that, like we're going 205 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: to see a different look when Mitchell Robinson comes back, 206 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: or if they end up making a move for center 207 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 1: at some point in time. 208 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: Like, I'm not. 209 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: Really worried about him in the big picture, but there's 210 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: no doubt that to start this season they're just not 211 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 1: playing up to their potential. And I you know again, 212 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: I had them in the top four and here they 213 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: are after a little bit of a streak at three 214 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: to one, still have them at ten in the Power 215 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: rankings Number nine the Denver Nuggets. Not gonna spend too 216 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: much time here. They only had two games last week 217 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 1: at New Orleans and at Memphis. Jokic missed both games 218 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: for the birth of his child. Just a reminder of 219 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: how valuable Jokic is to this team. Like Jamal Murray 220 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: still looks like a shell of himself. These young players, 221 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: they're capable of winning within the context of Jokic when 222 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: he can like provide the structure for them to be 223 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: able to impact the game on offense. But like obviously, 224 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: when Yokic isn't out there, they're just raw young players 225 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: with some talent. Right Russell Westbrook has been good at 226 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: times this year, but he wasn't able to bring much 227 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: next week or last week. And they ended up going 228 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: zero in two. So the Nuggets through twelve games at 229 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 1: this point are thirty five point one points better per 230 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: one hundred possessions with Jokic on the floor versus off 231 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: the floor. So in a weird way, the two games 232 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: out next week just or last week just shined a 233 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: big flashlight on NICOLEA. Jokic and how valuable he is 234 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: to this particular team. Number eight, the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's 235 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: such a weird week. They dropped back to back games 236 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 1: in Portland, like literally on the road in Portland, back 237 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: to back. You lose the first one, you think they 238 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: bounce back and win the next night, they end up 239 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: losing again. Now again, Portland is feisty. I think they're 240 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: six and eight now, they've won three in a row. 241 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: Shadan Sharp is averaging twenty seven points a game in 242 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: this three game winning streak, and they're getting really high 243 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: quality center play out of Robert Williams and Donovan Klingen. 244 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 1: So like they kind of have the depth situation at center, 245 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: they probably are going to be a team that someone's 246 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: going to target for a center at some point before 247 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: the deadline. So Portland's a little feisty, but Minnesota drops 248 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 1: back to back games in Portland, then they go into 249 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: Sacramento and get a win, and then they end up 250 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: beating Phoenix with that crazy Julius Randall game winner the 251 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: other day. So, like, what's interesting is if you talk 252 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: to Minnesota fans, that's what they'll tell you is their 253 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: biggest issue this season. Their biggest issue this season is 254 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: their competitive edge. It's just not the same that it 255 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: was last year. That their willingness to just get dirty 256 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: on defense and physical and grind games down into the mud, 257 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: the chip on their shoulder, right, like, it's just not there, 258 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: and it's showing up, mostly with the fact that they 259 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: seem to get up for the good teams and then 260 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: play down to the competition against the bad teams, like 261 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: in that way. Last week was a perfect example of it. Right, 262 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: you drop two games against a team that we all 263 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: view as a lottery team in Portland, and then you 264 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: end up going to play two like legitimate Western Conference 265 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: playoff teams and you beat them both. Right on the season, 266 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: the Timberwolves are four and two against teams that are 267 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: five hundred or better, but they've lost four games to 268 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: teams that are below five hundred, So like there's definitely 269 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: a little bit of like a chip on their shoulder issue, 270 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: Like they just don't seem to be attacking the regular 271 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: season the way they did last year. Now, some of 272 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: this is the reality of the way these teams like 273 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: kind of like progress through their goals of trying to 274 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: get to, you know, winning achampionship, or at least in 275 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: their attempts to win a championship. What I mean by 276 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: that is like there's always like that first season where 277 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: you end up getting into the playoffs and it's like 278 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: a cool experience, right, And we've seen that with Minnesota 279 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: over the last or the two previous years, right with 280 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: their series against Memphis and then their series against Denver, 281 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: and then the next phase is like, wait, we're super 282 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: talented and we can kick everybody's butt in the regular season. 283 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: That was last year, right, Minnesota near the top of 284 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: the standings all year as they were just consistently good. 285 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: Their defense I believe was best in the league last year. 286 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: They just kicked everybody's butt all year long. But then 287 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: you end up going from there into usually a longer 288 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: playoff run. 289 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: That's what last year was, right, the. 290 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Longer playoff run you have a first round series against Phoenix, 291 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: you have a second round series against Denver that goes 292 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: seven games. You're in the Western Conference finals. Right now, 293 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: as you go into the following season, you're in this 294 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: weird position where now the guys understand how long of 295 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: a journey this is. They started playing super hard in 296 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: October last year and they got eliminated in late May, 297 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: and they played a long stretch of playoff games. They 298 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: ended up playing what that was sixteen playoff games, right, 299 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: And so what that does is that starts to creep 300 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: into their minds and now they're not going to attack 301 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: the regular season with the same level of ferocity naturally 302 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: that you would. The reason why they did last year 303 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: is because they've never gone on a long playoff run. 304 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: They've never had that feeling of what it's like to 305 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: have that type of season. Once you start to have 306 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:34,599 Speaker 1: that type of season, you start to understand this is 307 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: actually a really, really long journey. And so now you're 308 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: in the phase where you have to self motivate. Now 309 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: you're in the phase where it's like, okay, yeah, you're right, Like, 310 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: we're not going to go just crazy balls to the 311 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: walls from October through April. But at the same time, 312 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: we have to establish habits because NBA history does tell 313 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: us that you don't win the title unless you attack 314 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: the regular season from start to finish. So again, it's 315 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: like I've seen this so many times with young teams. 316 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: It's kind of like Memphis a couple of years ago, 317 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: right where they just rack up a bunch of wins. 318 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City. I'm really curious to watch them this year. 319 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,719 Speaker 1: They had their first year last year where they kicked 320 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: everybody's button in the regular season, got a super high seed, 321 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: had a somewhat long playoff run. I'm curious to see 322 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: how they undergo the length of this eighty two game 323 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: regular season and whether or not they run into any 324 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: lolls where they struggle. They're young enough that I don't 325 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: think it'll matter as much, but this Minnesota team is 326 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: definitely dealing with a little bit of a motivational issue 327 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: in the regular season. And all I would say is like, 328 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: as long as you end up with a good enough seed, 329 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: it's okay to have your downs and your ups over 330 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: the course of the season. But NBA history tells us 331 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: if you crawl into the playoffs as somewhere in that 332 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: five to eight range, you're not getting anything done. NBA 333 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: history tells us it's the teams that attack the regular 334 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: season from start to finish and have fewer loles and 335 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: have more extended stretches of success. Those are the teams 336 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: that end up going on long playoff runs. And so 337 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: when it comes to Minnesota, I think, like I think 338 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: it's important to understand that this is just part of 339 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: the pathway that some of these teams take, but they 340 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: need to be careful. They're playing with a little bit 341 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: of fire with some of their lack of enthusiasm over 342 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: the course of the season. Now, one thing on a 343 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: positive note, they've proven extremely difficult to guard in the clutch. 344 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: This is a very big difference from last year where 345 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: Minnesota really really struggled to score, especially at the end 346 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: of games. They've been the fourth best clutch offense in 347 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: the league to start the season. And mostly it comes 348 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: down to the fact that they have two really difficult 349 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: athletes to deal with. Yesterday, Julius Randall just like a 350 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: hard dribble towards his right into his step back, He's 351 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: gonna get plenty of separation. Julius is a really big athlete. 352 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: He's gonna get good looks for himself in those situations, 353 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: and you kind of just have to hope he misses. Unfortunately, 354 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: he's been over his career a pretty streaky jump shooter, 355 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: so most teams feel like they can get away with that. 356 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: But he's been shooting the ball well this year, and 357 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: he hit that step back three and the Timberwolves gotta 358 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: win the Kings game. I was watching that one actually 359 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: watch that game live. Like Darren Fox has going for sixty. 360 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: He's like in the zone of all zones right now, 361 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: like just completely locked in. 362 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 2: No one can keep him in front off the dribble. 363 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: He's making all of his jump shots, and Ant just 364 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: kind of stays in the game, and then when we 365 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: get to late regulation, he just takes over and he 366 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: gets these two crazy slaloming drives in the lane through 367 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: all this traffic and gets a couple and ones. And 368 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: then he goes into overtime and he's hitting tough, contested 369 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: jump shots because he gets so much lyft that he 370 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: could just get to a jump shot whenever he wants. 371 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: He makes two huge kickout reads to Julius Randall and 372 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: Jaden McDaniels for catch and shoot threes. That end up 373 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: icing that game in overtime and you survive a sixty 374 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: piece from Deer and Fox. Like, they are scoring really 375 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: well in the clutch, because Anthony Edwards has gone up 376 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: a level in a real way to start this season, 377 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: and Julius Randall is another guy that can consistently create 378 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: his own shot, even at a higher level than Carl 379 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: Anthony towns A did for this team, and so like 380 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: they're just hard to guard in the clutch, and that's 381 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,040 Speaker 1: a huge positive sign there. But they're definitely going to 382 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: have to get their defense back where it was last year. 383 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: They're definitely going to have to get back into that 384 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: level of effort and intensity on a more consistent level 385 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 1: throughout the regular season if they have any serious goals 386 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: to win a championship this year. The Everts NBA Cup 387 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: is here and you can win big getting it on 388 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner 389 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: of the NBA. 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They've been 419 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: bat on both ends of the floor, which is no surprise. 420 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: KD has been vitally important to them on both ends 421 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: of the floor. The Bial has missed the last three 422 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: games too, so teams have really been able to load 423 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: up on Devin Booker. The Olkgaama City game in particular, 424 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: they were just putting two on the ball every single 425 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: time he got screened. 426 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 2: Every ISO or post up. 427 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 1: They're hard helping off the ball like he's just getting 428 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: the kitchen sing thrown at him. And the Suns have 429 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: had a lot of lineups with Bil and Durant out 430 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: where they've had multiple limited offensive players on the floor, 431 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: and as a result of that they've had some struggles. 432 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: I mean, use off Nurkic has been an absolute disaster. 433 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: He's just three for twenty three from the floor over 434 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: the course of the five games since KD went down. 435 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: The I've never seen a big man who's this bad 436 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: at making layups. He's thirteen for twenty seven on layups 437 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,239 Speaker 1: this year. That's below fifty percent. But like, again, this 438 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: is something I talked about last year too. Last year 439 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 1: he was only fifty three percent on layups. It's the 440 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: craziest thing, Like he's this big human who's stronger than everybody, 441 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: but for some reason, like can't just make simple, easy. 442 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 2: Touch shots around the basket. 443 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: Now, if you're looking for a bright side, it's what 444 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: we saw from Devin Booker against Minnesota yesterday was by 445 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: far the best he's looked season. He had forty four points, 446 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: six rebounds, and seven assists. He came into that game 447 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 1: averaging just twenty two and a half points per game 448 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: on the season on just forty two percent from the 449 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 1: field and thirty four percent from three. He had hit 450 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: thirty points just three times in his first thirteen games. 451 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: So Booker getting back into the form would be huge 452 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: for them, and obviously last night against Minnesota was a 453 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: big step in that direction. Number six the Los Angeles Lakers. 454 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 1: They've won five games in a row, although it's been 455 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: against a very easy stretch of their schedule. The one 456 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: game that I thought was impressive in the five game 457 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: win streak was the win in San Antonio. That was 458 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: a game that I had marked as a loss. San 459 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: Antonio had been five and five and two at home 460 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: going into that game, and they'd beaten some good Western 461 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: Conference teams there, specifically Minnesota in Sacramento, and San Antonio 462 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:45,199 Speaker 1: jumped to me early, they went up eleven zero, but 463 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: they just methodically got their way back into that game 464 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: and got a good win on the road. Their offense 465 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: just continues to be super impressive. Their fifth in offensive rating, 466 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: their sixth and a half court offense. They have just 467 00:20:55,920 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 1: an incredible combination of skill basketball IQ and organization from 468 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: the coaching staff on the offensive end, and it's just beautiful. 469 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 2: I'm going to be doing. 470 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: I was watching the Pells game the other night, and 471 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: first of all, shout out to Joel Myers and Antonio Daniels. 472 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: They I was like watching that game and there was 473 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: a really interesting kind of like chess match going on 474 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: in the second half as the Pells were dealing with 475 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: all the screening action that Dalton was getting to get 476 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: open and the Lakers consistently attacking switching by trying to 477 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: get Smalls onto Anthony Davis, and he was just doing 478 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: a ton of damage in the post and in in 479 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: offensive rebound situations, and then the Pelicans were like struggling 480 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: to get the ball to brandon Ingram in spots where 481 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:38,479 Speaker 1: he could really do any work, and they were kind 482 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: of ignoring some of the Pelicans non shooters in that sequence. 483 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: It was like a really interesting kind of chess match. 484 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 1: And like, I've watched a lot of broadcasts from a 485 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: lot of groups around the league, and Joel Myers and 486 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 1: Antonio Daniels, both of them were just completely on top 487 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: of that chess match the entire game, calling out everything 488 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: that was happening, talking about the different things they needed 489 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: to do. I just really appreciated it, and I hope 490 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: that we get more broadcast duos like them over time 491 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: in the league because it just made watching that game 492 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: so much more enjoyable, and quite frankly, I think it 493 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: would just be really good for all the casual fans 494 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: around the league to understand some of the tactical battle 495 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 1: that takes place live, and it's really hard to do 496 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: when it's happening live compared to when you can watch 497 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 1: film and take your sweet time with it over hours. 498 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 2: Right, So shout out to those guys. 499 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: Anyway, I was watching the Pells game and the second 500 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: half was just an offensive masterclass. The Lakers played with 501 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: great pace, They got the ball at the floor quickly. 502 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: They did like a good combination of like some freelance 503 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: stuff in semi transition where guards would just throw screens 504 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: at Anthony Davis's man just to try to force quick 505 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: switches like early in the shot clock, at which point 506 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: they would just then try to post up or maybe 507 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: get a shot up on the rim where Anthony Davis 508 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: could get an offensive rebound. But they also did it 509 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:53,400 Speaker 1: through sets as well, just like they were running sets 510 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: to try to get daln Connect open, and the Pelicans 511 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: were attacking that by switching, which was getting more opportunities 512 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: for Anthony Davis, Anthony Davis to attack mismatches all of 513 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: the guard guards screening that they were doing, and Antonio 514 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: Daniels was doing a really nice job calling out how 515 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: like the Pelicans kept botching guard guard screens, and like 516 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 1: we talked about this all the time, but like the 517 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 1: more action you run, the more opportunity there is for 518 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: the defense to make mistakes. And the Pelicans were just 519 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: making a lot of mistakes on like basic kind of 520 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: screening actions that they were running, and a bunch of 521 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 1: guys were getting open or getting switches that were favorable 522 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. And then Austin and Di Loo, both 523 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: of them are so good at operating in five out 524 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: inside the three point line as like screeners slippers and 525 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,880 Speaker 1: his connective passers. There was a play where like Austin 526 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 1: reeves kind of made himself available along the baseline, catches 527 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: right behind the backboard, but he knows what's happening around him, 528 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: and he knows that Dalton is open because Dalton's man 529 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: is rotating to Austin, He on the catch just blindly 530 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: turns and whips it to the left corner. Dalton catches 531 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 1: and shoots at three. There Again, that's connective passing. Austin's 532 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: the open guy even though he's not really in a 533 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: position to score, but Austin understands the next pass and 534 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: the chain and he's able to generate a wide open 535 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: look for Dalton. 536 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:04,239 Speaker 2: Connect right. 537 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: Or there was a play where Anthony Davis gets double 538 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: teamed on the post in the post on the left 539 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: block and the Pels do a really nice job pressuring Ad, 540 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:15,879 Speaker 1: and so they're pressuring Ad so hard that he's not 541 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: able to really turn and see the floor, and Sodlo 542 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: makes himself available up on the left wing and Ad 543 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: has no choice but to throw it back out to 544 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: d Lo. Now there's a split second after Dlo catches 545 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: it where you can make a kill pass, and if 546 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: you don't make the kill pass, and that split second, 547 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: New Orleans is going to rotate back out and the 548 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: advantage is gone. It's Dalton connects cutting right down the 549 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: lane and d Lo right on the catch. One times 550 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: it to Dalton and Dalton ends up getting a dunk 551 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,239 Speaker 1: in the lane, and it's like, that's just those are 552 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,919 Speaker 1: the ways that Austin and di Loo connect things with 553 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 1: their passing without necessarily having to run a ball screen 554 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: or drive a close out or do something in a 555 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,919 Speaker 1: spot up situation. They're doing it screening, slipping, cutting in 556 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: the interior. You're part of the floor, and they're taking 557 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 1: advantage of double teams that other players are getting and 558 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: making the connective passes to get to the player that 559 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: can actually finish the play. They're kind of relentless with 560 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: their execution. They have so many smart players who know 561 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,159 Speaker 1: how to play. When defenses make a mistake with the switch, 562 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 1: everyone on the floor will immediately recognize it and start 563 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: pointing to that guy. They're going to find a way 564 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: to get the ball to that guy. They stay organized, 565 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: they're freelancing less than ever, and they're killing teams in 566 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: the clutch. They have the third best clutch offense in 567 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: the league. Lebron James, Austin Reeves and Anthony Davis are 568 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: seventeen for twenty seven from the field in the clutch 569 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 1: this year. A lot of three man action. There was 570 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: a game that they closed just running stack over and 571 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: over again where it's like Lebron coming off of the 572 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: ball screen with Ad as Austin is backscreening the role 573 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: man as he goes, and there was sequences there where 574 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,159 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis was popping and hitting threes out of stack. 575 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: Then against the Pelicans, they were like spamming like a 576 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: horn set where they would just throw the ball to 577 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,679 Speaker 1: Lebron James on the left elbow with Austin Reeves at 578 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: the top of the key. AD's at the right elbow 579 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 1: and Austin would cut down and then as Austin was 580 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: going off of a pin in flare with Dalton connect 581 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: on the weak side in the right corner. Then Lebron 582 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: would come off of a ball screen with Ad And 583 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: because Austin and Dalton are running off ball action, and 584 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: if you've cut that off ball action, you have a 585 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 1: good shooter over there. Lebron is able to turn the 586 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 1: corner and get into the lane and make layups. And 587 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: so they were able to spam that action and get 588 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 1: a bunch of good stuff at it. They're relentless with 589 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 1: their execution. They have so many different ways that they 590 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: can attack. They have like everyone in their lineups is 591 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: like a legitimately very good offensive player. You know, Austin 592 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: is good two man game chemistry with both Lebron and 593 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis. I'm loving Dalton Connect with the starters. I 594 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: think I was talking with my friend Pete, I think 595 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,640 Speaker 1: does the best team specific podcast in the entire basketball world. 596 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: If you're a Laker fan and you're not listening to 597 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: Laker Film Room and the work that Pete and Darius do, 598 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: you're missing out. Those guys are literally the best at 599 00:26:57,800 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: what they do. So I highly recommend you guys check 600 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: that out if you haven't. But I was talking with 601 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: Pete about it yesterday because like, I want Dalton to start, 602 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: And this was Pete's original idea. He was on it 603 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 1: early in the season, like like a week or two 604 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: into the season. He was like, I think Dalton could 605 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: start for this team. It was kind of when Dilo 606 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 1: was struggling, and you know, there are some concerns about 607 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: whether or not he was ready for it. But my 608 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: thing is, like, I think Dalton's athletic, and like how 609 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 1: much am I going to be harping on athleticism today. 610 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: I've already done it a little bit earlier. I'm gonna 611 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: be doing it again here in a minute with Houston. 612 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: We're gonna do it again with Golden State later, Like 613 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: athleticism is huge, and like Lebron and ad are the 614 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: only two plus athletes in the starting lineup when you 615 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: have Ruey, Austin and Dlo out there, right, and so like, 616 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: Dalton is a very good athlete. He literally had a 617 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: poster dunk yesterday and or was it two days ago? 618 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: Two days ago he had a poster dunk. Two days 619 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: ago he had like a play on a curl where 620 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: he got downhill and got a dunk. Like he's athletic 621 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: the way I see it is. I want Austin, Dalton 622 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: van Do when he's healthy, than Lebron and Ad because 623 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: you can use van Do as the primary point of 624 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: attack defender and is more of a screening folkrum. And 625 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:03,639 Speaker 1: then Austin, Lebron and Dalton become your ball handling folkrums 626 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 1: and Adan Vando become your screening folkrums. You've got tons 627 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 1: of athleticism in that lineup because Dalton good athlete, vand 628 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 1: O good athlete, Lebron good athlete, Ad good athlete. Austin 629 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: is now the least athletic player in the lineup. That 630 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: is something that I think works from an athleticism standpoint. 631 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: And I love Dalton with the starters because he's an 632 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: off ball scorer, which is key. Off ball scoring is 633 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: key when I feel like a guy's gonna give me 634 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five a night, and I'm not actually like 635 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: putting the ball in his hands, I'm actually putting the 636 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: ball in Austin's hands or Lebron's hands while Dalton's running around. 637 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: I like that because that's really complimentary scoring. It's scoring 638 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: that doesn't yank on the rope and actually cause another 639 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: player to get out of rhythm. If that makes sense. 640 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: And then also it's so much high IQ in that lineup. 641 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: If you had Vandam, Austin, Vandal Lebron and Ad, that's 642 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: a lot of really smart defenders. And so with that 643 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: you could craft a really achievable defensive role for Dalton 644 00:28:58,000 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: that I think makes a lot of sense. And then 645 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: for a team that struggled with bench scoring, now you 646 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: have d Lo and Ruiy as guys that can come 647 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: in as bench scores and you can play them with 648 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: your athletes. Christian Koloco has been a really interesting kind 649 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: of defensive fit as a backup center. If you put 650 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: him out there with Gabe, you know, if you go 651 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: Gabe d Low and then you go like Cam Ruy Christian, 652 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: You've got two really high level offensive players around guys 653 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: that are pretty solid defensive players, right, and then you 654 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: can make a lot happen there. Maybe it ends up 655 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: being Max instead of Gabe or something like that. Max, 656 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: by the way, had a couple of really nice games 657 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: over the weekend as he kind of got an opportunity 658 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: with Cam Reddish being out and he capitalized in a 659 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: big way. I'm still deeply concerned about the Lakers athleticism 660 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 1: in the big picture, and that will always be something 661 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: that prevents me from considering them one of the top 662 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: tier contenders. But the offense is real and it's going 663 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: to keep getting better as they continue to build out 664 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: that continuity and find ways to kind of piece together 665 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: lineups that complement each other really well. And I still 666 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: do think that if they hit on the right trade 667 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: in terms of bringing in athleticism and a vandal can 668 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: get healthy, they do have that upside. It's just kind 669 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: of like a sliver of an upside because there's a 670 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: lot of personnel upgrades that they need. Number five Houston 671 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,719 Speaker 1: Rockets a five game winning streak up to ten and 672 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: four and third in the Western Conference. Most of it 673 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: is their perimeter athleticism. You guys have probably heard me 674 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: on my soapbox about this all season, and I'm about 675 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:19,959 Speaker 1: to get even more aggressive with it because I have 676 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: a rant involving speed and transition when we get to 677 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors here in a little bit. But 678 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: that's Houston's formula. They're just super athletic on the perimeter. 679 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: Jalen Green is lightning fast. Javari Smith and Dylan Brooks 680 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: are two good athletes who defend super well on the perimeter. 681 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 1: Fred van Vliet's not a great athlete, but he's a 682 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: good defender. And then the bench is loaded with athletes 683 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: like Aman Thompson is an A plus athlete, Tari E's 684 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: and great athlete, Read Shepherd, great athlete, Cam Whitmore, great athlete. 685 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: They've just waves and waves and waves of athleticism, and 686 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: I mean Cam's hurt right now, Like they're gonna get 687 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: They're gonna They're just a super super athletic team and 688 00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: they're super fascinating. They're third in defensive rating, they're first 689 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: in rebounding, they're second in offensive rebounding. They're constantly winning 690 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: that corner crash battle, like one of the big battles 691 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: that you see in the modern NBA is like shot 692 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: goes up, dudes crash out of the corners, and the 693 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: guys that are guarding the guys out of the corners 694 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: are also kind of like cracking down to get defensive rebounds, 695 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: and it's who's gonna win that race to the ball, 696 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: right It's a huge it's a huge. 697 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 2: Part of that battle. 698 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: And they're winning that battle consistently as they as they 699 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: get a ton of offensive rebounds, they're allowing the third 700 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: fewest three point attempts per one hundred possessions in the league. 701 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: They're allowing the eighth best three point percentage, and a 702 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: lot of people will think that's luck. All the analytics 703 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: nerds think that's luck. I disagree. They're just closing out 704 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: better than everybody. They're allowing just sixteen point nine sixteen 705 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: point nine wide open threes per game, meaning the defenders 706 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: at least six feet away. That's the third fewest in 707 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: the entire NBA. They're forcing you to take contested threes, 708 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: and then they're forcing a lot of turnovers with their 709 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: athleticism and getting out in transition. They have the fourth 710 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: most points off of two e andovers per game in 711 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: the NBA. But like, that's the thing that's all like 712 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: a concept that I've been hammering home all season, Like, 713 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: if you can guard the ball, if you can have 714 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: Dylan Brooks pressure, pick up full court, Jabari Smith length 715 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 1: on big scoring wings, when you have guys that can 716 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: guard the ball and pressure the ball and get guys 717 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: out of their comfort zone when they're trying to get 718 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: into their sets, and then when you get in rotation, 719 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: if you have the speed to cover ground, and then 720 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: in transition, if you have the speed to cover ground, 721 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: you have a really really high floor. In the modern NBA, 722 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 1: you just have to have the appropriate amount of athleticism 723 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: to make that happen. But the surprising thing for Houston, though, 724 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: has been their offense. Like I knew Houston would be 725 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: a great defensive team to start the year. I said 726 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: that before the season in our season preview with them. 727 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: It's not exactly a brave prediction. They just have lots 728 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 1: of good defensive players. I'm not worried about Houston's ability 729 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: to guard. I just didn't think they'd be able to 730 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: score this well. I didn't think they'd be able to 731 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: score the ball well enough for it to manner, and 732 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: they have. They're like it's they're eleventh in offense of 733 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: rating overall. There's several factors at play. It's a lot 734 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 1: of transition. Like they're twenty second and half court offense 735 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: according to Cleaning the Glass, but they're the eighth best 736 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: transition offense per Cleaning the Glasses transition metric, which is 737 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: points added per one hundred possessions. They're the eighth best 738 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 1: transition offense in the league. They're also generating twenty four 739 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: points per game overall in transition according to Synergy, which 740 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 1: I think was ninth in the NBA. But they're still 741 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: getting timely half court production from several guys. Fred van 742 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: Vliet and Alprin Schangun have really nice two man game chemistry. 743 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: They had a sequence against the Bowls last night where 744 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: they were scoring so consistently with fred just coming off 745 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: and hitting a pull up jump shots or hitting Shanggun 746 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: in the pocket for like driving dunks or driving plays 747 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 1: that they started having to load up. And then fred 748 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: Vich just started spraying out to shooters on the weak side. 749 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 1: They were getting great looks. Shane Gun was off to 750 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: a slow start in the post to start the season, 751 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: but he was like flat out just frying Nikola Usevich 752 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:59,080 Speaker 1: last night, just like torching him one on one in 753 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: the posts. So they're starting to get that going a 754 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: little bit. Jalen Green has increased his three point volume. 755 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: Now he's cooled off a little bit of as of late, 756 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: but he hit several huge threes to start the year. 757 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: And then Jabari Smith and Dylan Brooks both you know, 758 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: they're inconsistent, but they both bring some valuable like just 759 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,439 Speaker 1: little bits of offense, like a good close out attack here, 760 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: like oh Jabari Smith catches on the left wing and 761 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: rips left and then spins into a left shoulder fade 762 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: and knocks it down, or like Dylan Brooks, So we're gonna, uh, 763 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: he's got a small guy on him, Let's just throw 764 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,360 Speaker 1: it to him on the block real quick and like 765 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: he's big and strong. It can make a quick post 766 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: move and go get a bucket. And they're like getting 767 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: a little bit of stuff there. They're eleventh in offense. 768 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:37,640 Speaker 1: That's gonna win you a lot of games when your 769 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: defense is this good. And it's gonna get a little tougher. 770 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 1: But if they if they beat Milwaukee tonight, then they 771 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,360 Speaker 1: have Indiana at home, and I think they're gonna beat Indiana. 772 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 2: Then they have. 773 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,320 Speaker 1: Portland at home twice, so like after that, the schedule 774 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 1: gets tough. But we could be looking at a fourteen 775 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:57,440 Speaker 1: and four Rockets team if they get that win in 776 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 1: Milwaukee tonight. Number four the Boston Celtics. They dropped an 777 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: nd season tournament game on Tuesday to Atlanta, where they 778 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,600 Speaker 1: looked incredibly sloppy throughout. They got burned on like a 779 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:23,839 Speaker 1: tap tapman offensive rebound. They've been barely scraped out an 780 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,760 Speaker 1: overtime win against Toronto the other night where Jason Tatum, 781 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:29,080 Speaker 1: it was this crazy play where like Jalen Brown's coming 782 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: off an off ball action and just gets just so 783 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,120 Speaker 1: clearly and blatantly foult that he just gets knocked over, 784 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:38,799 Speaker 1: but no call, and so Tatum had no choice but 785 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: to try to make something out of nothing, and this 786 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: split second and he just went to his little kind 787 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:44,279 Speaker 1: of step back three, like pull back three, and he 788 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: knocked it down. Got the wins as Tatum continues to 789 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: shoot the ball super well to start this year. But 790 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about the Celtics at all, even though 791 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: they're playing some sloppy basketball, because this team is just 792 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: a victim of their schedule. Like last year, it was different, 793 00:35:58,200 --> 00:35:59,800 Speaker 1: they had like a much tougher schedule to start the 794 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 1: year and things kind of eased up later. This year, 795 00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:04,239 Speaker 1: they've had a super easy schedule to start the year 796 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: and things will get tougher later. And so like the 797 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: nixt game on opening Night was their only win this 798 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:10,720 Speaker 1: season against a team that is five hundred or better. 799 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: Their opponent win percentage so far is forty five point one. 800 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 2: Percent. 801 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: That's the second lowest in the entire league. Only the 802 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 1: Atlanta Hawks have played an easier schedule. So like, I 803 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: don't care that the Celtics are playing a little sloppy. 804 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:25,239 Speaker 1: It's really hard to play your best basketball against that 805 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:27,919 Speaker 1: level of competition. I've seen a lot of Celtics fans 806 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,399 Speaker 1: that are like worried about their defense and wondering if 807 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:32,319 Speaker 1: they don't have the edge that they did last year. 808 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: I'm not worried about them at all. They're going to 809 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 1: be there when the time comes. This is you already 810 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 1: have the trophy, You already know you can rise to 811 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: the level that you need to rise to when the 812 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 1: time comes. And you're like routinely playing some of the 813 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: lower tier teams in this NBA. So like, I think 814 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,399 Speaker 1: they're just kind of caught in that monotony right now. 815 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:53,880 Speaker 1: They have Cleveland tomorrow night, that's a big game, and 816 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: then in their next ten they actually have Cleveland twice 817 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 1: in their next ten games. Then they have Minnesota, they 818 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 1: have Miami in that run. They have no walk key 819 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:02,760 Speaker 1: in that run. Even some of these Western Conference teams 820 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 1: that are injured guys like the Clippers without Kohi or 821 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: the Grizzlies without John Moran. Those teams are tougher than 822 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: a lot of these Eastern Conference teams that they're playing, 823 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 1: and they have those in their next ten games. So 824 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,240 Speaker 1: I think we're going to see Boston really engage themselves 825 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:17,840 Speaker 1: over the course of the next three weeks or so, 826 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: and I think we're going to see some of that 827 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: championship level basketball that we've been expecting them to show. 828 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 1: And here's the thing, They're They're still right where they 829 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:25,919 Speaker 1: need to be in the standings. There's no issue there. 830 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: As far as the Cavs game tomorrow night, follow me 831 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: on Twitter at Underscore Jason lt. I'm going to be 832 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,720 Speaker 1: going on Watch Playback with my friend Mike to break 833 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: that game down live as it's going on, and then 834 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,799 Speaker 1: we're also going to do a Hoops Tonight live show 835 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 1: after so calvs. Celtics' biggest game of the early stretch 836 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: here in the regular season. Super super excited to cover it, 837 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: watch it live with me on Watch Playback, and then 838 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,279 Speaker 1: I'll also have an instant reaction live on YouTube after 839 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: the final buzzer of that game. That would be a 840 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: big one for me if the Celtics could just go 841 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:01,640 Speaker 1: in there and send a big message. That would be 842 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: a big one for me. That would be a quick 843 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: reminder that all these, you know, kind of early season 844 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 1: games don't really mean that much. Number three the Oklahoma 845 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: City Thunder. They won their first three games without Chet 846 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,359 Speaker 1: when they had to play small ball. They've been giving 847 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: up an offensive rebound on over forty percent of their 848 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: opponent's misses over this span, so like some of that 849 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 1: is to be expected with the lineups, but it hasn't mattered. 850 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:24,280 Speaker 1: The Pelicans had a twenty one to five offensive rebound 851 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: advantage in one of the games, and the Thunder still 852 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 1: won by eighteen. They're kind of like leaning into their speed, 853 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 1: which I think is really smart, and they're basically going 854 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:36,400 Speaker 1: marktagital is basically going with this process, which is like 855 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 1: we're going to get blitzed on the glass, but what 856 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,240 Speaker 1: if we just force a million turnovers and completely dominate 857 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,359 Speaker 1: the game and transition and then maybe it won't matter. 858 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 1: Like the Pels game is a perfect example, Like they 859 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: forced twenty four turnovers and converted them into twenty nine 860 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:51,759 Speaker 1: points and they won the fast break point battle with 861 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 1: the Pelicans thirty four to two. Like that's margin in 862 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: this four game span since Chet went down. They are 863 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,959 Speaker 1: first in points off of turnovers with twenty four game 864 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: while also giving up the fewest points off of turnovers 865 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,840 Speaker 1: eleven per game. So they're creating thirteen points of margin 866 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:13,359 Speaker 1: just right there. They're getting eighteen fast break points per game. 867 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:16,879 Speaker 1: They're only allowing five point five fast break points per game, 868 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: which is the best in the league over that four 869 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:21,920 Speaker 1: game span. That's another twelve point five points of margins. 870 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: So they're they're generating significance amounts, significant amounts of margin 871 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 1: just by winning the turnover battle and the transition battle, 872 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 1: and that undoes any damage that happens to them on 873 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:36,400 Speaker 1: the offensive glass and then some now Dallas finally got 874 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:38,239 Speaker 1: them last night. A huge win for Dallas by the way, 875 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,160 Speaker 1: Like PJ. Washington had the best game of his career 876 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: statistically at a twenty seven and seventeen, a bunch of 877 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:46,080 Speaker 1: really impressive shot making. Like it just was like it's like, oh, 878 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:48,320 Speaker 1: you got a couple of stops. Well, here comes Jaden 879 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:51,359 Speaker 1: Hardy hitting another like tough Alan Iverson esque fade away 880 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 1: in the lane, or like oh, here's Spencer Dinwoodie who's 881 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 1: like kind of sneaky, always been really good at creating 882 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,359 Speaker 1: his own shot, just like hitting a step back three 883 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: on the right wing, right when you're made a run 884 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,279 Speaker 1: to kind of like Spencer had, like a hit two 885 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: back to back threes to like turn a five point 886 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:07,160 Speaker 1: game and do eleven point game, like change the complexion 887 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 1: of the game like that, a bunch of guys hit 888 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:10,759 Speaker 1: some big shots, and like there's a lot of people 889 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 1: that are like, oh, you know, Luca's out, They're finally 890 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:14,359 Speaker 1: getting a win. It's like I look at that. It's 891 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,240 Speaker 1: just like it's an optimistic it's an optimistic thing because 892 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:21,279 Speaker 1: Luca clearly didn't look right physically, and so you got 893 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:23,840 Speaker 1: to win while allowing Luca to get some rest for 894 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 1: his bulkines. So, like huge win for Dallas, by the way, 895 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:29,440 Speaker 1: But Dallas finally got Oklahoma City and showed some of 896 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,400 Speaker 1: the limitations of that build, right, because like Dallas pummeled 897 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:35,879 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City on the offensive glass, but they also held 898 00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:39,240 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City to only six fast break points and Dallas 899 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:42,120 Speaker 1: only committed sixteen turnovers, which is not low, but it's 900 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:44,759 Speaker 1: low for Oklahoma City, right, So, like they were able 901 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 1: to control Oklahoma City's margins while also dominating their margins, 902 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:50,279 Speaker 1: and they got a big win. And so that's why, 903 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: like when I always talk about the difference between like 904 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 1: the expression styles make fights, it's. 905 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:55,719 Speaker 2: Like which style is gonna win the fight. 906 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:57,840 Speaker 1: If a big guy and a small guy get in 907 00:40:57,880 --> 00:40:59,799 Speaker 1: a fight, one of two things is gonna happen. The 908 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:01,840 Speaker 1: big guys either gonna maul him with the size or 909 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:03,960 Speaker 1: the small guy's gonna beat him with his quickness. Like 910 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:06,279 Speaker 1: either can happen. A lot of times we see that 911 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 1: and we go like, oh, mismatch, and it's like it's 912 00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 1: a mismatch both ways. 913 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 2: And so it's really just about how well you play. 914 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:16,919 Speaker 1: You have to in that battle against Dallas, Oklahoma City 915 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: was not able to weaponize their speed as much as 916 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,319 Speaker 1: Dallas was able to weaponize their size, and they were 917 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:25,319 Speaker 1: able to get a win. And then obviously, like in 918 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,440 Speaker 1: a game like that, when you're giving up that much size, 919 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:30,400 Speaker 1: you have to win the shot making battle, and Dallas 920 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,120 Speaker 1: just kind of kept him toe to toe on the 921 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:33,879 Speaker 1: shot making battle, and that made it so that their 922 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: physical limitations ended up getting them beat. But shout out 923 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: to Shaye and Jdubb Over the course of this four 924 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:43,520 Speaker 1: game stretch, they're averaging sixty points per game. And combining 925 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,280 Speaker 1: to be well over fifty to forty ninety splits between 926 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:48,200 Speaker 1: the two of them, just cooking teams with the amount 927 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 1: of space that they're creating. Number two the Golden State 928 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 1: Warriors light schedule week for them, only two games, and 929 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:54,799 Speaker 1: they won them both. They beat Dallas in a game 930 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:56,480 Speaker 1: that we covered live on YouTube. That was the game 931 00:41:56,520 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: where every single time their offense bogged down, Dallas went 932 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:01,400 Speaker 1: on a run, but then went on these like crazy 933 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:04,399 Speaker 1: superstar runs at various points to regain control of the game, 934 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,239 Speaker 1: and they end up stealing a game when they were 935 00:42:06,239 --> 00:42:08,360 Speaker 1: down by seven with I think what four minutes left. 936 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 2: Big win there. 937 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:09,920 Speaker 1: Then they ended up getting a big win against the 938 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:11,800 Speaker 1: Grizzlies at home. I think that was Desmond Bain's return 939 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:15,520 Speaker 1: as well. But I wanted to since they only had 940 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:17,040 Speaker 1: two games last week, I wanted to kind of use 941 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: this as an opportunity to talk about some of the 942 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:22,399 Speaker 1: stuff that I'm starting to learn more about this game. 943 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 1: I was talking with my friend Samis fondi Ari, who 944 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:27,799 Speaker 1: covers the Warriors. I'm going to be doing a watch 945 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:29,319 Speaker 1: play back with him at some point the next couple 946 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 1: of weeks, and then I'd like to have him on 947 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:32,759 Speaker 1: this show too at some point so we can talk 948 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:36,160 Speaker 1: some Warriors. But I was talking to him, just texting 949 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 1: with him last night about because he had sent out 950 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: a tweet and yesterday or two days ago talking about 951 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:44,719 Speaker 1: how like speed and perimeter defense is like one of 952 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:48,680 Speaker 1: the most like basically the market inefficiency in the NBA 953 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 1: right now, which is very similar to some of the 954 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:51,840 Speaker 1: stuff that I've been saying. It's like a lot of 955 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:54,720 Speaker 1: the smart basketball minds around the league that I listened 956 00:42:54,760 --> 00:42:56,800 Speaker 1: to have been picking up on this sort of thing too. 957 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:00,319 Speaker 1: And you know, one of the things I did, I 958 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,640 Speaker 1: just after him and I were texting, and I just 959 00:43:03,160 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 1: I just pulled up cleaning the glass and I was like, 960 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:08,319 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm just gonna look at where all 961 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:11,840 Speaker 1: these teams are in transition. And the reason why I 962 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:14,319 Speaker 1: did that is because, like my I used to have 963 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:16,919 Speaker 1: this worldview. Those of you guys who follow this show 964 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 1: over the last few years will know what I'm talking 965 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:22,759 Speaker 1: about here. I have always like over indexed on half 966 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: court offense and half court defense. And the reason why 967 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: is I've always been like, well, things are gonna slow down. 968 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:30,800 Speaker 1: You know, you're gonna get stuck in the half court. 969 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 1: How are you gonna do when you get stuck in 970 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:35,719 Speaker 1: the half court. But as I'm watching these games, I'm like, 971 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:40,120 Speaker 1: teams are hunting transition opportunities more than ever. They're a 972 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:42,920 Speaker 1: huge chunk of the game is taking place in transition. 973 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: And then I was like, all the good teams are 974 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 1: transition teams. Like Cleveland took off by dominating in transition, 975 00:43:50,760 --> 00:43:54,239 Speaker 1: Golden State took off by swapping out two of their 976 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: slower rotation players with faster rotation players, and now they're 977 00:43:57,000 --> 00:44:01,280 Speaker 1: cooking teams in transition. Boston always been a good transition team. 978 00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:04,520 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City like their entire identity is like playing in transition. 979 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:06,160 Speaker 1: So I'm like, this is super interesting. So let me 980 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:08,759 Speaker 1: dig into this a little bit. And so I pulled 981 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 1: up the cleaning the glass stat which is like their 982 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:14,880 Speaker 1: catch all transition stat is transition points added per one 983 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 1: hundred possessions. What stands out to you about these lists? 984 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:22,440 Speaker 1: This is the top ten in offensive points added per 985 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:32,520 Speaker 1: one hundred possessions in transition, Memphis, Boston, the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami, Cleveland, Washington, Phoenix, Houston, 986 00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:36,840 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City, Denver. Here's the top ten transition defenses. What 987 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 1: stands out to you. Golden State number one, OKC number two, 988 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:45,719 Speaker 1: Charlotte three, Boston number four, New York Knicks number five, 989 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:50,480 Speaker 1: Cleveland Cavaliers number six, Orlando Magic number seven, and then Toronto, Phoenix, 990 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:54,000 Speaker 1: and Dallas. So the top teams in the league are 991 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:58,719 Speaker 1: heavily represented in both lists. Boston, OKC, and Cleveland are 992 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:00,920 Speaker 1: top ten in both. They have three of the four 993 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,360 Speaker 1: best records in the league right now. Golden State is 994 00:45:03,400 --> 00:45:05,759 Speaker 1: ten and two. They're the best transition defense in the 995 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 1: league according to Cleaning Glass. Houston, Phoenix, Denver in Orlando 996 00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:12,359 Speaker 1: all have top ten records in the league and are 997 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:16,000 Speaker 1: all represented it all represented on that list. So like 998 00:45:16,040 --> 00:45:19,960 Speaker 1: it's been super interesting. Is like again, like I this 999 00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:22,479 Speaker 1: this job has been super fascinating for me because again, 1000 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:25,759 Speaker 1: I came into this with a lot of basketball experience, 1001 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:28,960 Speaker 1: but on a different level. Right, Like, I was an 1002 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 1: NBA fan and I was aspiring to do this for 1003 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:33,080 Speaker 1: a living, and so I was watching a lot of 1004 00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:35,759 Speaker 1: NBA basketball, but I had a job, and so I 1005 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:37,600 Speaker 1: didn't have as much time to watch as much film 1006 00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:40,080 Speaker 1: as I do now. And a lot of my exposure 1007 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 1: to the game came at different levels, right And so 1008 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:47,759 Speaker 1: coming into this job now, and I like February first 1009 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:50,160 Speaker 1: will be three years since I started working at the Volume. 1010 00:45:50,840 --> 00:45:54,359 Speaker 1: In three years, I've watched way, way, way more NBA 1011 00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:57,359 Speaker 1: basketball than I ever watched before, obviously just because now 1012 00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:58,960 Speaker 1: it's my job, it's what I do for a living, 1013 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 1: and I've learned so much and it's been super fascinating 1014 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:06,879 Speaker 1: to watch my view of the game change as I've 1015 00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:09,000 Speaker 1: been exposed to more and more NBA basketball, And I 1016 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:10,400 Speaker 1: think it's a combination of both. I think it's a 1017 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:13,400 Speaker 1: combination of that. And then the NBA is actually changing 1018 00:46:13,480 --> 00:46:15,879 Speaker 1: quite a bit as the league becomes faster and over 1019 00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:17,280 Speaker 1: indexes on certain traits. 1020 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:17,600 Speaker 2: Right. 1021 00:46:18,160 --> 00:46:19,480 Speaker 1: But like, one of the things that I think has 1022 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:22,160 Speaker 1: been super fascinating is I think my emphasis on half 1023 00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:25,719 Speaker 1: court offense and defense is a little short sighted. I 1024 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:30,400 Speaker 1: think that the transition battle is now a real significant 1025 00:46:30,440 --> 00:46:33,160 Speaker 1: part of this of this process to becoming an elite 1026 00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:35,759 Speaker 1: NBA team, And like, as I look at it, and 1027 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:38,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, all of the really good teams are just 1028 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:44,320 Speaker 1: excellent in transition. I don't think that's a coincidence. Speed 1029 00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:49,120 Speaker 1: is the pathway to handling modern basketball problems. You need 1030 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:52,040 Speaker 1: to generate more threes than you need athletes who can 1031 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:55,080 Speaker 1: pressure the rim to collapse the defense. You need to 1032 00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:57,239 Speaker 1: guard the three point line better, well, then you need 1033 00:46:57,280 --> 00:47:01,319 Speaker 1: athletes who can cover ground in rotation and throw good closeouts. 1034 00:47:01,840 --> 00:47:03,880 Speaker 1: Sam had a thought when I was texting him yesterday 1035 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:08,000 Speaker 1: I thought was super interesting. He goes, He goes, having 1036 00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:10,560 Speaker 1: a guy that can close out on the perimeter and 1037 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,280 Speaker 1: turn a forty percent three point shooter into a thirty 1038 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:16,800 Speaker 1: percent three point shooter is just as valuable as a 1039 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:19,640 Speaker 1: rim protector who can turn a sixty percent layup into 1040 00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:21,400 Speaker 1: a fifty percent layup. And I thought that was a 1041 00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:26,000 Speaker 1: super super interesting concept. And I like and to his point, 1042 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:28,440 Speaker 1: you can actually argue it's more valuable because a ten 1043 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 1: percent dip in three point percentage is actually impactful more 1044 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:34,799 Speaker 1: in the scoreboard than a ten percent difference in layup percentage. 1045 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:37,440 Speaker 1: But he has a really interesting point there. When I 1046 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:42,759 Speaker 1: watched the Warriors, their closeouts are insane. They fly to 1047 00:47:42,840 --> 00:47:46,520 Speaker 1: the three point line. There have been multiple plays from 1048 00:47:46,560 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 1: guys like Gary Paynton and Draymond Green this year where 1049 00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:52,320 Speaker 1: they have feet in the paint in help kickout pass 1050 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:54,520 Speaker 1: and they're sprinting out in blocking dudes at the three 1051 00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:58,880 Speaker 1: point line. Your ability to cover ground in rotation and 1052 00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: chase guys off the three point line is a speed trait. 1053 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:06,200 Speaker 1: Do you need to generate easier offense in transition, then 1054 00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: you need athletes that can get up and down the floor. 1055 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:10,640 Speaker 1: Do you need to get back better in transition and 1056 00:48:10,680 --> 00:48:12,960 Speaker 1: defend better in transition, then you need athletes who can 1057 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:15,600 Speaker 1: get back. If you need to win battles on the glass, 1058 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:18,320 Speaker 1: there's more long rebounds than ever. With all these jump shots, 1059 00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:21,719 Speaker 1: you need athletes who can track them down. On those 1060 00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:24,360 Speaker 1: that corner crash battle, it's dudes standing in the corner 1061 00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:26,279 Speaker 1: with the guys that are helping off of them. Those 1062 00:48:26,360 --> 00:48:30,200 Speaker 1: guys are winning and losing foot races to long rebounds 1063 00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:33,000 Speaker 1: all game long. There are still teams that are winning 1064 00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:35,400 Speaker 1: with skill over athleticism. The two in our power rankings 1065 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:37,759 Speaker 1: this week are Phoenix and the Lakers. Right, those are 1066 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:41,600 Speaker 1: two teams that they it's half court execution for Phoenix 1067 00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:43,719 Speaker 1: mainly in the clutch, for the Lakers in the clutch too, 1068 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 1: but throughout the entire game. They're not overly athletic or fast, 1069 00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:50,719 Speaker 1: but they're just dominating teams with their overall amount of 1070 00:48:51,200 --> 00:48:54,080 Speaker 1: offensive skill. Right, dominating is the wrong word either. 1071 00:48:54,080 --> 00:48:55,959 Speaker 2: The two. They're just they're good. 1072 00:48:56,000 --> 00:49:00,399 Speaker 1: They're able to be good without being super athletic their 1073 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:03,000 Speaker 1: offensive skill, but they are the exceptions if you look 1074 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:07,880 Speaker 1: at the other teams Cleveland super Athletic, Golden State super Athletic, 1075 00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:12,080 Speaker 1: Boston super Athletic, Oklahoma City super Athletic, Houston super Athletic, 1076 00:49:12,239 --> 00:49:14,759 Speaker 1: all of the top five records in the league are 1077 00:49:14,840 --> 00:49:18,320 Speaker 1: super athletic on the perimeter. Denver part of their turnaround 1078 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:22,840 Speaker 1: this season before Jokic took some time off this last week, 1079 00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:27,560 Speaker 1: Peyton Watson, Christian Brown, Russell Westbrook, Julian Strader, they've gone 1080 00:49:27,640 --> 00:49:30,719 Speaker 1: more athletic this year and so they've been a top 1081 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:33,839 Speaker 1: ten transition offense. They're winning one of those margins right 1082 00:49:34,239 --> 00:49:40,360 Speaker 1: Orlando super Athletic, Minnesota super Athletic, Memphis super Athletic, Sacramento 1083 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:44,160 Speaker 1: super Athletic. Ten of the top twelve teams in the league, 1084 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:47,640 Speaker 1: and all of the top five are super athletic on 1085 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:49,480 Speaker 1: the perimeter, and so like in a lot of ways, 1086 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:52,799 Speaker 1: Golden State's roster to me is the perfect example of 1087 00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:56,720 Speaker 1: this trade because with Golden State, if you were ranking 1088 00:49:56,800 --> 00:50:00,040 Speaker 1: players based on like overall talent level, they don't. We 1089 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:02,200 Speaker 1: have a lot of guys that people have ranked super 1090 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:05,040 Speaker 1: high in the league, and yet they've been one of 1091 00:50:05,120 --> 00:50:06,880 Speaker 1: the best teams in the league this year because the 1092 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:10,680 Speaker 1: specific strengths of that roster line up with what you 1093 00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:14,799 Speaker 1: actually need to thrive in the modern NBA, which is 1094 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:20,000 Speaker 1: spaced out and super transition based, and you need to 1095 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:22,319 Speaker 1: cover ground and the only way you're going to cover 1096 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,320 Speaker 1: ground with athletes. Say what you want about Golden State's roster. 1097 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:28,319 Speaker 1: They have a ton of athletes and that has come 1098 00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:30,280 Speaker 1: to fruition in a big way for them this season. 1099 00:50:30,560 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 1: Number one the Cleveland Cavaliers four and oh week, but 1100 00:50:32,800 --> 00:50:34,600 Speaker 1: a really light schedule. They had two wins against a 1101 00:50:34,600 --> 00:50:36,360 Speaker 1: Bulls team that's creating the balls. Are not two and 1102 00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:39,160 Speaker 1: seven in their last nine after getting embarrassed by Houston 1103 00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:41,759 Speaker 1: last night, they beat the Sixers without all three of 1104 00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:44,359 Speaker 1: their stars, and then they beat the Hornets. So not 1105 00:50:44,360 --> 00:50:46,279 Speaker 1: a whole lot to get into there. Donno Mitchell's red 1106 00:50:46,280 --> 00:50:48,480 Speaker 1: hot Darius Garland is two. Those two are averaging fifty 1107 00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:51,640 Speaker 1: six points per game since our last rankings. They also 1108 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:54,440 Speaker 1: have seven guys averaging double figures since our last rankings. 1109 00:50:54,480 --> 00:50:57,400 Speaker 1: But Celtics game tomorrow. Remember, I'm going to be covering 1110 00:50:57,400 --> 00:50:59,359 Speaker 1: that game on Watch Playbacks. Pay attention to my Twitter 1111 00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:01,759 Speaker 1: feed if you want to watch me and Mike break 1112 00:51:01,800 --> 00:51:04,719 Speaker 1: down that game live. I also will be doing an 1113 00:51:04,719 --> 00:51:07,319 Speaker 1: instant reaction to that game on YouTube live after the 1114 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:10,040 Speaker 1: final buzzer. And then, don't forget last week on Wednesday, 1115 00:51:10,040 --> 00:51:12,120 Speaker 1: we had Cardi Rodriguez from the Chase Down podcast on 1116 00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:15,600 Speaker 1: and we did an hour of Calves breakdown in that video. 1117 00:51:15,640 --> 00:51:17,160 Speaker 1: So if you haven't checked that one out yet, head 1118 00:51:17,160 --> 00:51:19,040 Speaker 1: back and check that one out. All right, guys, that's 1119 00:51:19,040 --> 00:51:21,600 Speaker 1: all I have for today. That's our Power rankings for 1120 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:25,280 Speaker 1: the week of Monday, November eighteenth. We'll be back tomorrow 1121 00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:27,840 Speaker 1: morning with I want to do a TIMPs tape session 1122 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:29,520 Speaker 1: on some of the Laker offense stuff I've talked about, 1123 00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:30,799 Speaker 1: and then I'm gonna hit a couple of games from 1124 00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:33,480 Speaker 1: tonight's slate as well, and I'll add whatever clips from 1125 00:51:33,520 --> 00:51:37,120 Speaker 1: those games to the TIMPs tape segment Tuesday night. Like 1126 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:39,880 Speaker 1: I talked about Watch Playback as well as Calves Celtics 1127 00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:43,040 Speaker 1: Instant Reaction on YouTube Wednesday morning, I haven't decided what 1128 00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:46,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do yet, but we'll do something that covers 1129 00:51:46,719 --> 00:51:49,080 Speaker 1: around the league, and then back to our normal schedule 1130 00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:51,520 Speaker 1: after that. Don't forget we have our mail Bag that 1131 00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm recording on Thursday, so drop a question in the mailbag, 1132 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,320 Speaker 1: comment in the YouTube comments. All right, guys, that is 1133 00:51:56,320 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 1: all I have for today is always sincerely appreciate you 1134 00:51:58,200 --> 00:51:59,680 Speaker 1: guys for supporting me and supporting the show. 1135 00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:04,360 Speaker 2: I'll see you tomorrow. The volume