1 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to the State of the Lakers on DASH Radio. 2 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: Thank you guys so much for coming to hang out 3 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: on a Monday. I hope you guys have a good 4 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 1: week ahead of you. Nothing too crazy, nothing too busy. 5 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: I hope you get a time, a good amount of 6 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: time to enjoy a busy week of Lakers basketball. We 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: went from having two games last week to four games 8 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: this week. Um, a much needed rest for some of 9 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: the guys. But at the same time, for a guy 10 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: like Lebron like getting in and out of the lineup. 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: He almost he just needs games. He needs reps with 12 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: these guys. So he's gonna get those reps this week, 13 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: God willing, if you can stay healthy, and there's gonna 14 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: be a lot of exciting Lakers basketball to talk about. However, 15 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: today we're gonna go around the league. Um, we're gonna 16 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: talk about the Dame Lillard situation and all the news 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: that came out with him over the course the last 18 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: twenty four hours. I want to talk a little bit 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: about some of the games that I watched yesterday and 20 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: some of the differences that I see between the way 21 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: the Lakers are approaching their season and the way some 22 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: of these other teams around the league are approaching their season, 23 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: playing into their strengths and so on and so forth. 24 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna relay that in just a little bit of 25 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: Lakers having to do with their starting lineup. Then I'm 26 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: gonna give my current take on the m v P race. 27 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 1: Who I have is the current m v P and why, 28 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: and who I think is the best player in the 29 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: league right now. So some mostly non Lakers today, but 30 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: a little bit of Lakers in there as well. But 31 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: we'll go ahead and get started with the Dame stuff. 32 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: So obviously, we had reporting come out today that Dame 33 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: is allegedly starting to get unhappy not just with the team, 34 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: but with Chauncey Billups and with the whole overall vibe 35 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: around the franchise. And this has been kind of like 36 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: a back and forth roller coaster with Dame for a 37 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: while now. It's honestly kind of frustrating because you could 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: tell it's mostly narrative flexing, attempting to kind of tell 39 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: us what's going on from his own perspective rather than 40 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: the obvious reality of what's going on. I mean, the 41 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: reality the situation is is Dame appears to be unhappy 42 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 1: with his basketball circumstances. He appears to not like as 43 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: a basketball player what he's dealing with on a day 44 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: to day basis, and that's normal, that's human. That to 45 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: me is like what happened with Kevin Durant. We can 46 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: give him a hard time about, you know, going to 47 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: such a time team, and we can give him a 48 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: hard time about deck stacking and things along those lines, 49 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: but the reality is is Kevin Durant just got sick 50 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: of playing crappy basketball. He didn't like the year Turn 51 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: My Turn thing with with Russ. He didn't like that 52 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: he wasn't able to get much offensively from his role players. 53 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: He didn't like that that they were primarily defensive focused players, 54 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: and it turned it into an isolation contest. And he 55 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: just saw Golden State as an opportunity to advance himself 56 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: as a basketball player into the best version of himself 57 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: as a basketball player. And so, regardless of what we 58 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: feel about the outcome and how fair it was, quote unquote, 59 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: for Kevin Durant, it was just about basketball. And I 60 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: admired that part of the decision. And I wish Damon 61 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: Lillard would see the same thing, because here's the reality. Man, 62 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 1: Like what you. You have two desires here. You are 63 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: fiercely loyal to the city of Portland, and you are 64 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: fiercely loyal to that organization and to your teammates. I 65 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: get that, But you also are clearly unhappy, unhappy with 66 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 1: your basketball situation and you want something better. That's okay, 67 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: you have to understand, Dame, that those two things can't coexist. 68 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: Portland is demonstrated time and time again that they are 69 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: not capable of setting you up with a really quality 70 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: basketball situation. Do you gain something by sticking it out there? Sure, 71 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: you gain the admiration of some of your peers and 72 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: of some of the people out in the public, But 73 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: is that worth more to you then you achieving your 74 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: desired outcome as a basketball player, playing the level of 75 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: offensive basketball that you've always dreamed of playing where you 76 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: don't have to be a superhero every single night in 77 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: order for your team to win. Because if you want that, 78 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: you've got to stop caring about what other people. You've 79 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: got to stop caring about what I think or the 80 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: people on Twitter think. If what you want is a 81 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: better basketball situation, basketball situation, And the reality is, man, 82 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: is you've paid your dues in that city for so 83 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: long you've put your heart and soul on the line 84 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: for wins. They can't judge you. The people in that 85 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: city who do judge you if you decide to leave. 86 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: They are the kind of people you want in your 87 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: corner anyway. They're just gonna get because that's what they 88 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: like to do. So at the end of the day, 89 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: man I I hope for Dame's sake that he comes 90 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: to terms with the reality that his desire to have 91 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: a better basketball situation doesn't have to be tied to Portland, 92 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: and then he should stop caring so much about making 93 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: other people happy and make himself happy a little bit. 94 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: He's paid his dues there, and now is Dame blameless 95 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: and this whole thing now, Dave Dame has failed to 96 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 1: commit to the defensive end of the floor, and he 97 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 1: doesn't really commit to staying involved as a basketball player 98 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: off the ball, which is something that Steff has done 99 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: such a good job of over the course of his career, 100 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: and it's absolutely shortcoming. Dame has fixable flaws, but those 101 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: two me are separate from the situation that Portland is 102 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: not a good basketball situation. CJ. Mccolms a great player 103 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: He's not good enough to be the number two on 104 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: a team that consistently competes for a championship. When you 105 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: have two guards that cannot defend, you need to have 106 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: anchor defensively in the front court. You need to have 107 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: players that can clean up messes consistently. That's never been 108 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: the way this team is designed. Yeah, Norman Powell and 109 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: Robert Covington are good defensive players, above average defensive players. 110 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: Neither of them are defensive anchors, though, guys who consistently 111 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: can clean up messes that you make in the backcourt. 112 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: The Portland's situation is never really going to pan out 113 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: to what he wants it to be. And I think 114 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: it's time for him to stop beating around the bush. 115 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: Stop trying to control the narrative in the press. Dude, 116 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: everyone's already already has your back. Everyone understands your circumstances here. 117 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: Just just make it happen. Just go to the ownership 118 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: group and tell them it's time, and you know what, 119 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: they owe it to you and they're gonna take care 120 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: of you. Get out of Portland, go go start fresh, 121 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: somewhere new and live that idealized version of you as 122 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: a basketball player. That we all know that's what you 123 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: want anyway. Um, all right, So I wanted to move 124 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: on to this game that I watched yesterday between Utah 125 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: and Cleveland, and it was super interesting because if you 126 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: guys remember, after the game they lost, the Lakers lost 127 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: to the Clippers the other night. I was really hard 128 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: on the Lakers for not really embracing their identity, understanding 129 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: what they're good at, and catering their system and their 130 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: lineup decisions and and everything about what they do towards 131 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: their strengths rather than towards their weaknesses. The Lakers are 132 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: a team to have really really good downhill attackers in 133 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: Russ and Lebron, and they've got a post player who 134 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: consists only gets mismatches and has the ability to get 135 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: in the paint in Anthony Davis. And then they have 136 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: a bunch of shooters. They've got a lot of shooting. Obviously, 137 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: they've got other archetypes of players that are more defensive oriented, 138 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: like Avery Bradley. But the truth of the matter is 139 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,679 Speaker 1: their best lineups all season long have been with their shooting. 140 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: When they play Carmelo Anthony, when they played Milak Monk, 141 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: when they play Wayne Ellington, when you put those guys 142 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: next to the to the basket attackers on the Lakers, 143 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: that's when they get their best stuff, and it's it's 144 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: a snowball effect. When they start to score, they get 145 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: more opportunity to set their defense. They just play better. 146 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: But we haven't seen that enough this year because the 147 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: Lakers aren't leaning into that that is more of a counter. 148 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: They fall back to line ups with their shooting rather 149 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: than starting with lineups with their shooting. And it's funny 150 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: because I watched Utah and Cleveland, two really good basketball teams. 151 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: Cleveland obviously had a stretch when they lost Evan Mobley 152 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: where they took some losses, but they're a very good 153 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: team when they have their guys. You obviously look at 154 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: Utah and we know everything they're capable of in the 155 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: regular season, but when I watched there, they have really 156 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: basic rules and really basic organization that played directly into 157 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: their strengths. Utah's got three really really good off the 158 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: dribble attackers who can run pick and roll, and Mike 159 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: Conley and Donovan Mitchell and in Jordan Clarkson, and basically 160 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: they have they have really standard spacing rules that make 161 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: a lot of sense. Everybody else on the floor is 162 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: a shooter or Rudy Gobert. And when Rudy goes at 163 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: when Rudy Goberts on the floor and he's either setting 164 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,559 Speaker 1: a ball screen or he sits in the dunker spot. 165 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: When he's in the dunker spot, the shooters position in 166 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: a certain way. When he's set in the ball screen, 167 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: the shooters position in a certain way. It's all very modern. 168 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: They all fill in replace when they cut, and when 169 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: they screen, they all have a place they're supposed to go. 170 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 1: Everything makes sense. But most importantly, they're playing into their 171 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: strengths because they're getting an advantage through screens, not just 172 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: with Rudy Gobert, but with the guards as well. To 173 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: get Donovan Mitchell downhill, to get Mike Connolly downhill, to 174 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: get Jordan Clarkson downhill, and from there they're able to 175 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: spray out too shooters. And if you overplay their drive 176 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: and you go underneath screens, all three of those guys 177 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: can shoot over the top and knock down threes. So 178 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 1: they have a very very simple offensive attack, a system 179 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: that has proven to work plays into their best player's 180 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 1: strengths in a manifests in a successful basketball system. Same 181 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: thing goes with Cleveland. They have too they play two bigs, 182 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: but they understand that Jared Allen is dead as an 183 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: offensive rebounder and he finishes everything that he catches around 184 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: the rim, So they use Evan Mobley as the screener 185 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: so that Evan Mobley can pop to the short role 186 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: where he can make reads either throwing it up to 187 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: Jared Allen at the rim or kicking it out to 188 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: shooters on the wing. And same thing. Lori marking in 189 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: aggressive as a as a as a shooter, Isaac A. 190 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: Coral is a little bit more hot and cold, but 191 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: they use him in that same way. And most importantly, 192 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: they have guys who can shoot the three off the 193 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: dribble consistently. Scarland is thirty nine percent this year on 194 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: dribble three's that's a great number. Ricky Rubio is eight 195 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: percent this year on dribble three. That's a great number. 196 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: So when they're running their pick and roll game, they're 197 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: able to get downhill easy because the guards have to 198 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: panic chase over the top of these screens, which is 199 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: getting them into the paint, which is creating good stuff, 200 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: which brings me back to the Lakers, And this is 201 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: what drives me nuts with this. Lebron and a D 202 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: are capable of knocking down jump shots off the dribble. 203 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: That should always be part of their game, but that 204 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: should never be their bread and butter. That should always 205 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: be a counter. That's what they should do after they've 206 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: established their strengths as a counter or as a fallback. 207 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: But both Lebron and a D. And we're gonna talk 208 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: about this in a minute, because it might have a 209 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: good A good percentage of this has to do with spacing, 210 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: but a lot of it has to do with their 211 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: own individual identity as well. Lebron and a D don't 212 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: realize that if they actually get into an off the 213 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: dribble jump shooting contest with the other team, they're almost 214 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: always gonna lose. Why because while Lebron and while Lebron 215 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: and a D are both top tier rim pressuring players, 216 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: top tier two way versatile forwards, there definitely not in 217 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: the top tier, maybe not even the second tier, maybe 218 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: not even in the third tier of dribble jump shooters. 219 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: So when you actively lean into not a weakness, but 220 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: certainly not your strength, you are playing down to the 221 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: competition in order for the Lakers to win Night in 222 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:21,599 Speaker 1: the Night Out, they need Lebron and a D to 223 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: be the two best players in the floor. They can't 224 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: be the two best players on the floor if they 225 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: consistently lean into their weaknesses, which is dribble shooting, at 226 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: least relative to what their strengths are, which is being big, versatile, 227 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: bruising forwards that protect the paint on one end and 228 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: get into the pain on the other end. And it's 229 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: frustrating to me to see teams like Utah and Cleveland 230 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: who know exactly what they are, who know exactly know 231 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: exactly what they're good at, and play into those while 232 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: I watched the Lakers essentially play a caricature of something 233 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: pretending to be someone else, which is not what they are. 234 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: And they will never be able to establish anything consistent 235 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 1: Night in the Night Out in this league until they 236 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 1: actually lean into their strengths. When the Lakers lean into 237 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: their strengths as a basket attacking team that sprays out 238 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 1: the shooters, they'll suddenly look like one of the best 239 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: teams in the league because nobody does that as well 240 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: as them. Nobody does what Lebron and a D does 241 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: when they actually decide to do that, it will turn 242 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:21,079 Speaker 1: things around, and that that's what's so frustrating about the 243 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: starting lineup thing. And I I vented a lot about 244 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: this the other day, having to do with the simple 245 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: fact that the starting lineup was the most redundant assembly 246 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: of basketball talent I've ever seen, with four rim attacking 247 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: players and Dwight Howard. Where Lebron's your best shooter in 248 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: the lineup, and he, like we've said, is good when 249 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: he's wide open, but basically bad everywhere else in terms 250 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: of as a three point shooter. This year it was 251 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: bound to fail. But from Frank's perspective, the way he 252 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 1: looks at it is if I have th h, T 253 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: and Russ out there with Lebron, A D and Dwight, 254 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: I should be able to get stops. But consistently this 255 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: year when the Lakers have gone big, they haven't been 256 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: able to get stops. And again against the Clippers, they 257 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: had a defensive rating over one twenty when those guys 258 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 1: were on the floor, And so you have to ask yourself, 259 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: why why is it that that group couldn't even get stops. 260 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: It is some of it Lebron being rusty and not 261 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: being engaged defensively, sure, but everyone else in that lineup 262 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: was engaged defensively and it still wasn't work. The reason 263 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: why it has to do with the way the offense 264 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: and defense are intricately related. This is what we saw 265 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: with Brooklyn so many times over the course of the 266 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: last season. When you score the basketball, and score often 267 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: and score easily, you keep the other team out of transition. 268 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: You constantly get to set your defense. By virtue of 269 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: doing that, you set yourself up to succeed defensively when 270 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,959 Speaker 1: you're constantly missing jump shots, which is what the Lakers 271 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: did non stop with their starting lineup in that In 272 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: that game, you're constantly live in transition. Except for now 273 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: you're a team that's living in transition with two really big, 274 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: slow footed guys on the floor, and so as a result, 275 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: the other team is never going against your set defense, 276 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: always ahead of where your bigs are running up and 277 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: down the floor, and they're able to consistently generate easy shots. 278 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: So again, you could play your best defensive lineup, but 279 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: because you can't score, you're setting your defense up to fail. 280 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: You actually have a better chance getting stops with Carmelo, 281 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington all on the floor. If 282 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: it's Lebron in a D and you're getting baskets and 283 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: your defense is set every time, and you're keeping the 284 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: other team in the half court and you always have 285 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: help side defense. Not to mention just the intangible mental 286 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 1: effects of seeing the success of your offense and that 287 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: motivating you to care more about the defensive end because 288 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: it manifests on the scoreboard, because you're able to generate 289 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: a margin of victory and you get to go back 290 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: to the locker room and see a positive verse old 291 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: regardless of what you think you're getting out of that 292 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: giant lineup. If I'm going back to the huddle and 293 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: it's eighteen to twelve at the first TV time out 294 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: every damn time, then none of the guys are going 295 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: to buy in on the defensive end. None of the 296 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: guys are gonna feel like sprinting back in transition consistently 297 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: because they're not seeing the result, because they're not seeing 298 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: the positive, and because they're not motivated in that regard. 299 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: The Lakers absolutely have to start leaning into their strengths. 300 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: They absolutely have to start favoring the offense, start leaning 301 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: into what they're good at, which will inevitably help them 302 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: in the areas that they're bad at all the time 303 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: throughout NBA history. If you took random metrics that measured 304 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: the average points per possession and transition and the average 305 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: points per possession after made baskets, the average points per 306 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: possession on made baskets is way lower because you're consistently 307 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: set in your defense. So Frank is, you can't see 308 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: the forest for the trees here. All he can think 309 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: about is defensive rebounding and defense, and that in that physicality, 310 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: containment on the perimeter, the ability to be able to 311 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: to shut off the paint. And he's failing to see 312 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: the fact that you're not even getting Dwight Nady set 313 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: up under the basket. You're not even getting your point 314 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: of attack defenders in a position where they have an advantage. Instead, 315 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: everyone's on their heels instead, everyone's trailing instead to help 316 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: defense isn't even set up because you're living in transition 317 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: because you can't score basket. And until that little detail 318 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: gets worked out, I just don't see this team hitting 319 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: its ceiling. This is an offensive minded team. It's very 320 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: clear in their priorities. The only way you'll ever get 321 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: them to defend at a high level is if you 322 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: get them scoring consistently, that's where this team needs to leave, alright. 323 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: So the last thing I got for today was I 324 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: wanted to give my current envy p to this point 325 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: in the the season. I don't think it's super controversial, but 326 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: I think at the end of the day, this is 327 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: a player who's been dragged pretty relentlessly over the course 328 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: of the last two years, especially by the people that 329 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: I primarily have been surrounded by as a Laker fan 330 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: and as as a Lebron fan, and that's Steph Curry, 331 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 1: and I think he deserves recognition for what he's doing 332 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 1: and what he has done, and so I wanted to 333 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 1: take a few minutes today to get into that. You 334 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: guys know him a Lebron fan, I think that when 335 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: he's healthy and engaged, there's nobody who brings what he 336 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: brings to the table, and guys, when he does, when 337 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: he finally does this year, I'll be the first guy 338 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: on that train. But that train hasn't even left the 339 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: station at this point, so there's no point in talking 340 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: about it when I'm evaluating players. And this is something 341 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: that I've been consistent with from the very beginning. When 342 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: I'm ranking players at the top of the league, I 343 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: always look at three criteria offensive, I look at playmaking 344 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: and score it. Can you consistently attack a matchup in 345 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: isolation to generate offense. That's super valuable, especially when you 346 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: get into late playoff rounds when everybody's switching everything and 347 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 1: actions cease to work and it's all about who can 348 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: win the one on one matchups. And then second, that 349 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: playmaking part is incredibly valuable because when you are the 350 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: kind of player who can score in isolation, inevitably the 351 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: defense will start sending multiple bodies at you. Whether it's 352 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: through what you're seeing it with Anthony Davis just packing 353 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: the paint and sending doubles over, or if it's like 354 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 1: Steph where guys are, you know, chasing him all over 355 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: the floor even when he doesn't have the ball, Or 356 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: what if it's like Lebron and Russ where you're driving 357 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:44,959 Speaker 1: to the basket and guys are caving into you so 358 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: open three point shooters are there. Regardless that ability to 359 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: consistently make defenses pay for sending additional defensive attention your 360 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: way that's also super valuable. And then lastly, defensive versatility, 361 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: and notice it's defensive versatility and not defensive ability, because 362 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: while Rudy Gobert, for instance, is the best defender you 363 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 1: could possibly have any regular season environment, he's more like 364 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: the fifth or sixth best defender in the playoff environment 365 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: because he's not as versatile. He's not as good when 366 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: you consistently make him cover ground on the perimeter, whereas 367 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, for instance, appears to be a better defensive 368 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: player than Gobert in the playoffs because he's more versatile 369 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: on the perimeter. So I look at those three things 370 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: as the primary indicators of a player's value, especially in 371 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: the late rounds of the postseason. So that's what I'm 372 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: gonna rank on. And for the longest time, it's been 373 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: Lebron for me because I was thought he was I 374 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: thought he was the only player in the league who 375 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: crossed all three boxes. He was the only player in 376 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: the league that if you left him on an island 377 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 1: against just about anybody, he was going to get what 378 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: he wanted. He was the only player in the league 379 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: that when you send defensive attention his way, he's going 380 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: to find the open man and make you pay consistently. 381 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 1: And he was the only player in the league who also, 382 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: in addition to those two things, could defend multiple positions 383 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: and be an anchor to a high level playoff defense. 384 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: There are lots of players who do variations of those 385 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: three things. Maybe they're really good isolation scores, but they 386 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: can't create for others. Maybe they can create for others, 387 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: but they're not great isolation scores. Maybe they're great defensively, 388 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: but they're more limited offensively. So on and so on 389 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: and so on and so on. Every player in the 390 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: league has weaknesses in one of those areas, except for 391 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 1: Lebron when he's at the top of his game, and 392 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: that's why I always thought he was the best player 393 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: in the league. But I can't give him that nod 394 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: right now because he's a blow average defensive player right now, 395 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 1: because he's just not caring and his legs aren't really 396 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: underneath him. So he hasn't looked great offensively. He hasn't 397 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: made a consistent effort to try to get the ball inside, 398 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: which is what the team desperately needs him to do. 399 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: He's holding the vast majority of his basketball ability in 400 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: reserve right now for some reason, and we'll find out 401 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: what that is it's not really worth discussing. I think 402 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: we're gonna see flashes out of Lebron soon, but that's 403 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: not here yet. Meanwhile, I have Steph Curry who's my 404 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: m v P through a fourth of the season. Offensively, 405 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: he's not a great playmaker in the sense that with 406 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: the ball in his hands he's going to consistently pick 407 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: you apart with the pass. But as I've discussed several 408 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: times on the PO on the pod before, his ability 409 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: to attract defensive attention off the ball is every bit 410 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: as valuable as high level playmaking, because when I look 411 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,919 Speaker 1: at high level playmaking, as is the ability to generate 412 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: high quality shots that aren't yours. So for a guy 413 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: like Lebron, or for a guy like Nicola Yokis, or 414 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: for a guy like Luca don Che, it's it's about 415 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: in isolation, drawing attention and making reads. But for Steph 416 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 1: it's different. For step it's I'm running off of this 417 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: double pin down and two guys come after me, and 418 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: so the guy at the top of key, which is 419 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: usually Draymond, is gonna hit Andre Guadalar. Whoever it is 420 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: quick slipping to the basket for a duck steps not 421 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: making that pass, but he is generating that look with 422 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: his gravity. To me, that kind of fills that same mold. 423 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: And then up until a couple days ago, I'm pretty 424 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: sure this is still the case. But Steph is the 425 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: best isolation player in basketball right now in terms of 426 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: point per possession. As of a couple of days ago, 427 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: he was at one point three points per isolation possession. 428 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: That is an insane number. Think of it. Most high 429 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: level isolation players are close to one point per possession 430 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: because it's considered a generally inefficient basketball play. And Steph 431 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: is more efficient in isolation than any NBA team is 432 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: for the whole season throwing out isolation. That's counting your 433 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: transition possessions, that's counting your wide open dunks under the 434 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: basket and everything. Step is more efficient than that when 435 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: he's in isolation. So he's checking two of those boxes 436 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: extremely well. And then he's also turned himself into an 437 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: above average defender. It's been like a it's been like 438 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: a slow ascent from him on that front. Back before, 439 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: when he was on the two thousand fourteen Olympic team, 440 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: everyone was critical of him for not being a good 441 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: defensive player. Him and Clay in Bowl, Clay embraced that. 442 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: Clay advanced obviously faster and became one of the best 443 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: perimeter defenders in the league. But Steph pretty quickly became serviceable. 444 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: But in two thousands sixteen, you know, teams would pick 445 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: on him, namely the Caps with Kyrie Irving and Lebron. 446 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: But then it turned into like, Okay, now picking on 447 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: him is not a great idea because he's kind of 448 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: holding his ground, and now it's flat out turned into 449 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: he is a disruptive defender. He's got good size, he's 450 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: got really good instincts, he's really good with his hands. 451 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: He defends without fouling and isolating him as a fool's 452 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: Errand yeah, it might be a better option than some 453 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: of the other guys on the floor to attack, and 454 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: so he still will get attacked for that reason. But 455 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: Steph is not tissue paper at the point of attack. 456 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: I would firmly describe him as a as an above 457 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: average defender. And so he's checking two of those boxes 458 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: and then on the third one, he's not checking the 459 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: box in the way that this or Lebron or Anthony 460 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: Davis would at the top of their game. But it's 461 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: very much not a weakness for him anymore. And when 462 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: you factor that in with his leadership ability and with 463 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: what he brings on a night tonight break basis in 464 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: the regular season, I think he has the best case 465 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 1: right now to be considered not just the m v P, 466 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 1: but the best player in all of basketball. You know, 467 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: I I have a huge problem with the incessant need 468 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: for people covering the league to vault unproven players into 469 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: that conversation. Like I love Nicola Yokich. He's definitely trending 470 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: in that direction. I think he could be the best 471 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: player in the league someday soon. But do you know 472 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,919 Speaker 1: how insulting it is to look at guys like Lebron, 473 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: to look at guys like Steph, to look at guys 474 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: like Katie, to look like look at guys like Honest 475 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: or even Kauai who have done what Yokich has done, 476 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 1: but at the highest possible level and hold it and 477 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: held up the Larry of Bryan Trophy? How can you 478 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: possibly vault Yokich above those guys before he's had the 479 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,719 Speaker 1: opera Tuna need to do the same. I get it 480 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: the night in and night out stuff in the regular season, 481 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,479 Speaker 1: and is definitely valuable. You can't just completely out that anymore. 482 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 1: It's my one of my biggest pet peeves with Lebron fans. 483 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 1: I wanna be like, oh, he's aged thirty seven, it's 484 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: not fair to ask him to do this. Blah blah blah. Okay, 485 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: that's fine, but then he can't be the best player 486 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: in the world. And for all of you guys saying 487 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: that Lebron was trying every single night last season, Lebron 488 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: was single night when I thought he should have been 489 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 1: the m v P. So you are the only one 490 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: who thinks he shouldn't be trying. Lebron definitely thinks he 491 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: should be. He knows he's mailing it in most of 492 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: the nights this season. But Yokich, as great as it 493 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: is that he's dominating night in and night out in 494 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: the regular season, and I want to give him credit 495 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: for that. I can't put him ahead of guys who 496 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: have done that and succeeded at the highest level of basketball. 497 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: Steph is that guy right now. Steph is the guy 498 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: that is doing what Yoki is doing in the regular season, 499 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: carrying a team to the extent that they're in contention 500 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: for the number one overall seed. While at the same 501 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 1: time he has the championship pedigree. He has been the 502 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: bona fide best player on a championship team. I have 503 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: seen his game translate on both ends of the floor 504 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 1: at the highest levels of basketball. He has to get 505 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: the nod over a guy like Yoki. It's disrespectful not to, 506 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: and I think in general, when we are giving that 507 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: title out that level of recognition, we need the error 508 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: on the side of being slower to doll that out 509 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: rather than quicker. We're so quick to be like a 510 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: ten game stretch. Yokis was the best player on the 511 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,400 Speaker 1: floor in all ten games. That's awesome. I've looked He's 512 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,959 Speaker 1: become a flat out good defensive player. I'm loving what 513 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: I'm seeing from Yoki. He can't get the nod over 514 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: guys who have done it at the highest level. That 515 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: just can't be the way that we make that decision. 516 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: And the last thing I'll say about Steph. You know, 517 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: it's hard with Lebron fans because step has always been, 518 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: you know, the guy that has been the biggest antagonist 519 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: to Lebron in his career. I see all the time him, 520 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: particularly with people that I follow, the negativity that they 521 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: send in that direction, which is all like kind of 522 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: residual scar tissue from that rivalry that took place literally 523 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: all the way through the play in game last year. 524 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: But you have to take your hat off to what 525 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: this guy is accomplishing. I think Steph. I don't think 526 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:24,159 Speaker 1: Steph is nearly as good as Lebron, at least over 527 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: the course of his career. I don't think he should 528 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: even be in that conversation in terms of at the 529 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: same level. That said, he is clearly the number two 530 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: from this era, and so denigrading him, especially for you, 531 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: Lebron vance, it doesn't accomplish what you think it does. 532 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: Denigrading Steph minimizes everything that that that's not the route 533 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: to go, even if you are trying to control some 534 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: kind of narrative. The reality is is Steph has definitively 535 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 1: been better than Kevin Durant in this era, than Kawhi 536 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: Leonard in this era, then really really good basketball players 537 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,200 Speaker 1: in this era. And then what happened was is he 538 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: was in a situation where Thompson got hurt and Draymond 539 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: Grahm was out to start the season, and you know, 540 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:06,479 Speaker 1: the team floundered for a couple of years and they 541 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: missed the playoffs twice, and everyone uses an opportunity to 542 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: kick Steff when he was down, when anybody who was 543 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: paying attention was like, he's ever been as good as 544 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: he's ever been there, he's just playing with gee leaguers. 545 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,640 Speaker 1: He's playing with ge leaders and Draymond. And then even 546 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: when you dove into the numbers, when they played Stephan 547 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: Draymond without James Wiseman, they were killing teams and they 548 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: were way over five hundred. So even our little concocted 549 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: version of his failures wasn't as bad as people thought 550 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: it was. And you know what, Lebron fans, I do 551 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: believe that when he's got it all together, he's that guy. 552 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 1: When he puts it all together, I will be probably 553 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: leaning that direction again. But for now, you gotta give 554 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: them nod to Steph. There's nobody close. Even Kevin Durant 555 00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: isn't bringing night in the night out, especially on the 556 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: defensive end, what step is bringing. Katie's my number two 557 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: right now in both the m v P race and 558 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: in that ranking, but I think Steph has a clear 559 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: hold on that number one spot, and I just hope 560 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: people appreciate him and what he's brought over the course 561 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: of the last few years, even though it hasn't materialized 562 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: and team success up to this point, because Steph is, 563 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: without a shadow of a doubt, a top ten player 564 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: of all time in my opinion, and easily a top 565 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: two player of this era, and undercutting him just doesn't 566 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 1: resonate with me. It seems like crappy narrative construction and 567 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: lame behavior from disgruntled you know, sore losory Lebron fans. 568 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: That's just like, that's just lame to me. I can't 569 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: get behind that. I'm not rooting for stef obviously, I'm 570 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: rooting for the Lakers. I hope they get it together. 571 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: I hope Lebron gets championship number five. That's what I'm 572 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: rooting for. But I also got to call it like 573 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: I see it, and right now steps that guy. He's 574 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: the one that deserves the recognition, He's the one that 575 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: has the playoff pre pedigree. He's also giving it to 576 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: you every night in the regular season. He has to 577 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: get that title. And interestingly enough, I think this is 578 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: the first time in his career that he's had that title. 579 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: I think in two thousand nineteen, you had to give 580 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: it to Kauai. I know a lot of Warriors fans 581 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: think that. In two thousand fifteen and two thousand Lebron, 582 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: I don't think it was particularly close. But here we 583 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 1: are steps I think thirty three, he's the best player 584 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: in the world and I and I think he's got 585 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: a firm grasp on that, a discernible grasp on that, 586 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: and and I'm happy for him, and I think he 587 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: deserves the recognition, and I hope more people get on 588 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: that train. All right, guys, that's all I have for today. 589 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: This is going to air on DASH Radio tomorrow morning 590 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: at seven am Pacific Standard time. Tomorrow night after Lakers Celtics, 591 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: Raj and I will be back for our normal postgame show. 592 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: As always, we appreciate your support. This will be on 593 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 1: our podcast feed shortly and we will see you guys 594 00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: tomorrow night.