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The DA Pacers get a little bit 34 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: of a Willis Reed moment from Jalen Brunson as he 35 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: leaves the game in the first quarter with what appears 36 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 2: to be a foot injury, comes back in the second 37 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: half leads them to a comeback victory. We're gonna break 38 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 2: it down from the perspective of both teams. You guys, 39 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: are the drill before we get started. Subscribe to our 40 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 2: brand new YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of 41 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore JSNLT so 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 2: you guys don't miss an show announcements. Don't forget about 43 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: our podcast feed wherever you get your podcast under Hoops 44 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 2: Tonight in the last minute, least kep dropping mail back 45 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: questions on those YouTube comments so we can keep hitting 46 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: them throughout the remainder of the postseason. All right, let's 47 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 2: talk some basketball. I want to open tonight with Jalen Brunson. 48 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 2: And I know it seems a little bit unusual to 49 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 2: randomly kind of talk big picture Jalen Brunson when he 50 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: finally breaks his forty points streak after what doing it 51 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: four times in a row and only finishing with twenty 52 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: nine points tonight. But tonight was one of my favorite 53 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: Jalen Brunson games that I've watched because, in addition to 54 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 2: the adversity from the injury and the Pacers kind of 55 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: taking control of that game in the first half, entering 56 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 2: into the second half up double figure scoring early in 57 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: the second half and going up by twelve. 58 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: In addition to that, I thought the level of. 59 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 2: Difficulty on almost every shot attempt he had in that 60 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 2: second half was off the charts. It was kind of 61 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: like the quintessential expression of Jalen Brunson as a basketball player. 62 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 2: There's a craftiness to him. I was talking on Twitter 63 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: during the game about how I don't even know how 64 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: you would describe a player like Jalen Brunson to the 65 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 2: next generation of basketball fans, because we've been talking a 66 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: lot in this postseason about athleticism and strength and how 67 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 2: this is, you know, prison ball with the increased physicality, 68 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: and it's just so incredibly difficult for anybody to break 69 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: free from anything in these physical, defensive minded environments. And 70 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: Jalen Brunson is a bit undersized, not particularly fast, not 71 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: like he doesn't bring any sort of exceptional physical tools. 72 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: To the table. 73 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: He's pretty strong, has a really good start stop quickness. 74 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: I don't want to part like he's not an excellent athlete, 75 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: but there are definitely guys around them like he's not 76 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: Anthony Edwards. He's not going out there bigger, faster, stronger 77 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: than everybody at his position group, right, and yet he 78 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: just continues to dominate, not just dominate, but dominate efficiently. 79 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: Rough first two games against the Philadelphia seventy six ers, 80 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: and he's just been just completely locked in in the 81 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 2: six games since then. So I have been a big 82 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 2: fan of Jalen Brunson's for a long time. Those are 83 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: you guys who have been listening to the show for 84 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 2: a while, may or may not remember me getting into 85 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 2: big trouble before the season for saying that I thought 86 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: that as of right now, he's a better basketball player 87 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: than John Moran, and that mainly comes down to game management. 88 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: And where Jalen Brunson really won me over in that 89 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: regard was the twenty twenty two postseason. So if you 90 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 2: guys remember Luka don Chitz was hurt and missed, I 91 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 2: want to say the first two games, if I remember correct, 92 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 2: might have been the first three games of that Utah 93 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 2: Jazz series, and Jalen Brunson just like found a way. 94 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: To steal a game early in that series with that Luca. 95 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: If I remember correctly, it was Game two and he 96 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: had like forty something points in the game, and it 97 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: was the first time I watched him kind of manage 98 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: a basketball game in a vaguely similar sense to the 99 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 2: way he does with the new York Knicks, and there's 100 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 2: a huge difference between filling the box score and managing 101 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 2: a basketball game. Basketball games have a flow to them 102 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: from a start to finish, a possession by possession type 103 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 2: of flow, and one of the most important responsibilities for 104 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 2: a primary ball handler is to manage that. So, for instance, 105 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: if you just go iso a bunch of possessions in 106 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: a row, you can get the rest of your team 107 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 2: out of rhythm. There is a delicate balance to it, 108 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: and I actually thought we saw a lot of that 109 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: in the fourth quarter of this game, because Brunson knew 110 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 2: I can score over Andrew Nemhard whenever I want that 111 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: guy can't guard me. And yet he still called for 112 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: ball screens from Tyrese Haliburt, and he still tried to 113 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: work with the pass to kind of keep guys involved. 114 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: Still uses the give and go to. 115 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 2: Try to get dribble penetration to get downhill and get 116 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 2: the defense into road. He has a really good feel 117 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 2: for when it's time for him to shoot and when 118 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: it's time for him to try to get the defense 119 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 2: into rotation and kind of handle that part of the 120 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: offensive responsibility more proactively. And like again that twenty twenty 121 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 2: two Jazz series was the first time that I thought 122 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 2: he really kind of flashed that high end potential. 123 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 1: Right. And again, like I talked. 124 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 2: About before the Cavs series last year, if you guys 125 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: remember I specifically said Donovan Mitchell has like more offensively 126 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 2: obviously with his athleticism, but I viewed Jalen Brunson as 127 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: a better game manager. He's just better at kind of 128 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: navigating that surgical half court environment in the NBA playoffs, 129 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: and he demonstrated that last year beating the Cavs. And honestly, 130 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 2: like if it wasn't for if Julius Raynald gives him anything, 131 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: like literally anything, last year, they go to the conference finals. 132 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: And this is where we really have to kind of 133 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 2: like reevaluate the way we look at Jalen relative to 134 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: the rest of the league, because like he's he's really 135 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: getting better still, Like he's. 136 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: A legit four level scorer. 137 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: Now, remember I look at scoring in four levels at 138 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 2: the rim, short range shot making, mid range shot making, 139 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: and then three point shooting. 140 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: So think of it like long twos, short twos at. 141 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: The rim and the three point line, right, and he's 142 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 2: got that completely down, Like he's got all the floaters 143 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: and hooks and push shots and all these different kind 144 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 2: of like crafty shots around the rim that he can 145 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 2: get all the way to the rim and finish and 146 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 2: draw fouls. He can shoot from the mid range, but 147 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 2: he can shoot from the mid range, not just pull 148 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 2: up jump shots and pick and roll. He can turn 149 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: his back to the basket and he can hit post 150 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 2: up fade aways over both shoulders. He can take a 151 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,239 Speaker 2: guy in ISO off the dribble and hit short step 152 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 2: backs and things in straight ISO out of the mid 153 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 2: range at the three point line. He can shoot pull 154 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: up threes in ball screens. He can shoot pull up 155 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 2: threes and step back threes in ISO. He has the 156 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: complete scoring package. There's also like this weird craftiness to him. 157 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: There's like a half dozen times a game or it 158 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: looks like he's trapped and it looks like he's got 159 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 2: nowhere to go, but he just somehow finds a little 160 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: angle and slips around a guy, he gets all the 161 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: way into the basket, makes a layup, or finds an 162 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: opening to make a little short push out. How many 163 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 2: times in that sixers series last last round did you 164 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 2: see Jalen Brunson like trapped in that bracket between Nick 165 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 2: Batoom or Kelly Ubray and Joel Embiid and just somehow 166 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 2: find the space to like with a funky angle and 167 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: a little bit of a funky release to get a 168 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 2: shot off. It's like almost improvisational shot making. It's like 169 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: he can tweak his release and tweak his angle at 170 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: any given moment to find an opening that would not 171 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 2: be there for other players. In addition to that, furn 172 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: himself and do an excellent playmaker. He's averaging eight assists 173 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 2: in this postseason run. That's not a thing that was 174 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: kind of looked at as a strength of his game 175 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 2: when he was in Dallas. It's something that he's grown 176 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 2: into in this role. And then again, like obviously I 177 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:52,599 Speaker 2: don't like foul grifting and I want it to be 178 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: taken out of the game. But as I've always said, 179 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: I never blame the players for that. That's the players 180 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 2: are competitors. They're looking for an advantage. Jalen Brunson, and 181 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: you know that a lot of the guys are gonna 182 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: be going against on any given night, or Anthony Edwards 183 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 2: level athletes, or maybe not Anthony Edwards, but more athletic 184 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: than you. You got to find a way to compete, 185 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 2: and so you bet you're ass you're gonna try to 186 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: find every single little advantage that you can get, and 187 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 2: that includes finding gaps in the rules for you to 188 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: grift your. 189 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: Way to the foul line. I'm not mad at Jalen 190 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: for that. 191 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 2: I'm mad at the NBA for that, and I respect 192 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: that he's added that as an additional strength to his game. 193 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 2: And this is where I want to kind of get 194 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: to where we evaluate Jalen in the big picture, because 195 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 2: I used to, like many others, be in the camp 196 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: that's like, Jalen can't be the best player on a 197 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: championship team. Even with how much I liked him coming 198 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 2: out of Dallas and after last year in New York, 199 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 2: I still thought, ideally you want him in like that 200 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: Kyrie Irving role rather than the actual primary shot creator. 201 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 2: I think we have to revisit that. I don't think 202 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 2: that's the case anymore. This is too consistent, too efficient, 203 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 2: too reliable. Even when he's not feeling great physically, he 204 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 2: can still find openings and score when defenses are throwing 205 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: the damn kitchen sink at him. And so honestly, like, 206 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 2: let's just revisit it like this. If he is a 207 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: number one, if he is capable of being the number 208 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 2: one on a championship team, all you're asking there is 209 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 2: a legitimate secondary option, which as good as Ojnnob is, 210 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 2: he's not as good as Dante de Vincenzo is. And 211 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 2: Dante DiVincenzo is a huge part of that second half run. 212 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 2: We're gonna get to it in a minute. But I 213 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: don't think Dantete de Vincenzo is that kind of guy either. 214 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: So let's just make a very basic kind of comp 215 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 2: Let's say we took somebody in that, you know, eighteen 216 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: to twenty five range around the league, like just a 217 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 2: bona fide number two. Like what if you gave Jalen 218 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 2: Brunson Paul George. Do you think if you put Paul 219 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 2: George on this Knicks team that they could win the championship? 220 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: You're damn right they can. They absolutely can. That Like 221 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: that's like they are. 222 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 2: They're gonna make to the make it to the conference 223 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 2: finals in all Likelihoo, unless this ojn Andobi injury ends 224 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 2: up being a bigger issue there, they have a really 225 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 2: good chance to make it to the conference finals and 226 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 2: they do not have a secondary shot creator, and and 227 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: he's not on the other side of the bracket, or 228 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 2: you're playing Orlando in Cleveland, like and a Miami Heat 229 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: team that's that's missing all those guys. He just just 230 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 2: kicked Joel Embiid out of the postseason. And guess what, 231 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 2: Joel Embiid did have a legitimate co star he and 232 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 2: he's doing it right now to Tyre Saliburton in Pascal 233 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,719 Speaker 2: Siakam in the Indiana Pacers. I absolutely think I have 234 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 2: to I'm changing my mind on this from where I 235 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 2: had been in the past. I absolutely think Jalen can 236 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: be the best player on a championship team. I just 237 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 2: think you have to give him a legitimate secondary shot creator. Unfortunately, 238 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 2: I have a feeling he's gonna run into just a 239 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: sheer talent gap when he gets into the later rounds, 240 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,599 Speaker 2: whether it's Boston most likely going to be Boston in 241 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 2: the in the next round, or if it ends up 242 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 2: being somebody like a Denver or Minnesota or or OKAC 243 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 2: or Dallas in the in the in the finals, Like 244 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,719 Speaker 2: at a certain point, the lack of shock creation could 245 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 2: very much be an issue. But like, I absolutely think 246 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: Jalen can be the best player on a championship team. 247 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 2: Indiana had no idea what to do with him in 248 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 2: that fourth quarter, Like Jim McConnell's picking up with some 249 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,719 Speaker 2: full court ball pressure and Jalen just get the ball 250 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: across half court, bring Ben Shepard into a screen and 251 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: start attacking Ben Shephard. Eventually, Rick Carlisle just had TJ 252 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 2: McConnell double him because they had to double team him 253 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: because he was getting off too easy against Ben Shepherd. 254 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 2: Then they go back to the starters and it's Tyre's 255 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 2: Halliburton and Andrew Nemhard And we're going to talk about 256 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: the matchups here in a minute, because I basically begged 257 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 2: Rick Carlisle to try something different than Adren Nemhard after 258 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 2: Game one, and he just didn't do it. But they 259 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 2: go in with Nemhard and teach once again, like Jalen 260 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 2: just knew, I can score on Andrew Nemhar whenever I want, 261 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 2: But I can't just go iso the rest of this game. 262 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: I have to manage the game. I have to manage 263 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: the flow. 264 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 2: We have to get the ball into rotation some and 265 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,359 Speaker 2: a big part of it was just getting Tyre's Halliburton 266 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 2: into the action and drawing that second defender and getting 267 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 2: them getting the short role man rolling downhill. He was 268 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 2: so effective attacking with guard guard screens at the in 269 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: that middle portion of the fourth quarter that Rick Carlisle 270 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 2: had to start trapping him as he was just dribbling 271 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: a past half court. As soon as he did that, 272 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 2: that was when Dante DiVincenzo started burning them with those 273 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 2: corner threes. 274 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 1: And so they they tried everything. 275 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 2: They tried switching and doubling, they tried hedging with Tyres Halliburton, 276 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 2: they tried trapping at half court. They tried just like, oh, 277 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 2: maybe we'll leave him in single coverage, and it just 278 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: nothing works. Indiana has nothing that they can do to 279 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 2: slow down Jalen Brunton at this point, at least among 280 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: the strategies that they that they've tried. 281 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: And again, I thought that. 282 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:32,599 Speaker 2: Jalen just did a really good job of managing the 283 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 2: flow down the stretch of that game, in like making 284 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 2: sure that he mixed up his approach enough to not 285 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 2: become predictable. Again, that's the major thing with these NBA 286 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,559 Speaker 2: playoff settings. If you go to James Harden route and 287 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 2: you just dribble the ball at the floor and you 288 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: attack and straight iso or pick and roll from the 289 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,079 Speaker 2: exact same spot on the floor, and you use the 290 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 2: same three or four moves every single time. It'll work 291 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 2: in the regular season, and then you'll run to an 292 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 2: elite defender in a postseason environment who sees them moves 293 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: for two straight weeks, who sees the same damn action 294 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: that you run for two straight weeks, and he figures 295 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 2: it out. He slows you down, he makes you less efficient. 296 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 2: That's not what it's like with Jalen Brunson. I love 297 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: that he'll just like he never if he tries to 298 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 2: go to some sort of step back and he gets 299 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: cut off. It's the same thing every time. Find that 300 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 2: release valve and then backcut and then usually he'll end 301 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 2: up catching the ball in the back cut. They'll all 302 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: collapse around him and he'll make reads from there all 303 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 2: game long. Honestly, the Nicks did an amazing job catching pacers, defenders, 304 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 2: ball watching and cutting behind the defense and finding open 305 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 2: finding openings that way. Honestly, that's where I want to 306 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 2: kind of get into the early second half ront because 307 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 2: Dante DiVincenzo was a huge part of how they regained 308 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 2: control of the game. In that early third quarter stretch, 309 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: hit a couple of corner threes, upped his ball pressure 310 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 2: and Tyre's Halliburton, who was just lights out in the 311 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 2: first half and they needed to kind of find a 312 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 2: way to slow him down. He had a big back 313 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: cut on a dunk where aaron Ne Smith kind of 314 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 2: lunged out in him at the three point line, just backcut, 315 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 2: and then literally Myles Turner kind of was like side 316 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 2: by side with him on the dunk. He just went 317 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 2: up and just was like, I have to go strong 318 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: because Miles Turner can block this, and he just kind 319 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 2: of forced it over the front of the rim and 320 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 2: dunked at home. I thought he was amazing in this game. 321 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 2: And again he was the guy who hit those two 322 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 2: big threes out of the traps of Jalen Brunson out 323 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: at half court earlier in that fourth quarter stretch. Moving 324 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 2: to Pacers, I let's say in the nixt for a second, 325 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 2: because I got hit a couple of other things. They 326 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 2: were really struggling on the offensive glass through the first 327 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 2: three quarters, and the Pacers actually won that battle and 328 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 2: they managed to flip the script and they actually brought 329 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: the rebounding the offensive rebounding total down to fourteen to 330 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 2: twelve as they kind of closed that gap. Now as 331 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 2: far as the og And Andobi injury goes, they're referring 332 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: to it as sorenis. That is a little sketchy to 333 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 2: me because of the way he pulled up. He pulled 334 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 2: up so aggressively and like he was in so much 335 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 2: pain that they it kind of seemed like it was 336 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 2: a more substantial twenty two to seventeen was the second 337 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 2: chance points advantage for Indiana, So they kind of closed 338 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: that gap from where it was in the early part. 339 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 2: So obviously the way he pulled up makes me feel 340 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 2: like it's a little more serious. Now, you don't know, 341 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 2: because it could be it's either pulled a hamstring, or 342 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 2: it could also be that he had some sort of cramp, 343 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 2: Like he could literally have just cramped and then just 344 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 2: kind of bailed on it and not put any more 345 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: weight on it and taking it easy. 346 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: Right, So, like we'll see. Now here's the thing. 347 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 2: I actually think they're capable of beating Indiana without og 348 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 2: In and Obi. You can kiss any hope of beating 349 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 2: Boston goodbye without og And So hopefully if it is 350 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 2: something more serious, hopefully it can he can get better 351 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 2: in a couple of weeks because he's gonna need to 352 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: be back in time for Boston. But I do think 353 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 2: that the Knicks are capable of beating Indiana without Og, 354 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 2: and and ob it'll be hard. I wouldn't be surprised 355 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 2: without Og if they went back and tied the series. 356 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 2: But again, it's really hard to beat a team four 357 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 2: times in five tries, especially when they've got Glen Brunson 358 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: on the team and when he's playing at the level 359 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: he's playing. Also, hopefully his foot is not more serious 360 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: than he's letting on and hopefully he's able to rebound 361 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: quickly from that. But obviously injuries are a big thing 362 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 2: to keep an eye on. Obviously it's been a disaster 363 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 2: for the Knicks with injuries. Mitchell Robinson out for the 364 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 2: rest of the postseason with what appears to be some 365 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 2: sort of stress injury and his ankle. So obviously a 366 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 2: lot kind of coming apart at the seams in terms 367 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 2: of injuries. But thankfully the Knicks do have a good 368 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 2: amount of depth, and getting Precious to Chua in that 369 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: deal gives you just another big forward who can help, 370 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 2: and obviously Precious has some work to do. He had 371 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 2: a couple of bad defensive breakdowns late in the game, 372 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: but he also had a couple of big finishes around 373 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 2: the rim in offensive rebound situations at the end of 374 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: the game. So we found a way to impact. But yeah, 375 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 2: injuries are the one thing that could end up derailing 376 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 2: this for the Knicks. Now on the pacer side, I 377 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 2: still don't like the matchups for Rick Carlisle that Rick 378 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 2: Carlisle is using in this series. Again, I understood why 379 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 2: they went away from TJ a little bit. TJ was 380 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: doing a really good job on TJ was doing a 381 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 2: really good job on Brunson. But as soon as you 382 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 2: go to TJ, you kind of have to run the 383 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 2: offense through TJ right because that he's just off the 384 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 2: ball because he's not a good three point shooter. It 385 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 2: becomes a little bit of an issue when Tyre's Halliburton 386 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 2: has the ball right and if you have Tyre's Halliburton 387 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: out there and he's just spotting up in the corner 388 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 2: while TJ's running offense, now you have Tyrese Haliburton spotting 389 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 2: up on one end and being a bad defensive player 390 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 2: on the other end, and that's just like a really 391 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 2: bad trade off. And so I kind of get why 392 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 2: Carlisle is willing to go to TJ and Tyrese at 393 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: the same time. Maybe in the middle portions of games 394 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: for stretches, but maybe not at the end of the game. 395 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 2: That said, the problem is not like the problem is 396 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 2: with Nemmark. He's too small and Brunson can easily shoot 397 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 2: over the top of him. With a guy like Aaron 398 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 2: Nee Smith, you at least have a better chance of 399 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 2: making it more difficult for him shooting over the top. 400 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 2: Now Brunson has drawn fouls on Aeron Smith, Brunson has 401 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 2: managed to drive pass aaron Ne Smith. He's a superstar. 402 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 2: You're not gonna just put him on him and throw 403 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 2: him in jail. I just think you have a better 404 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: chance by putting Nie Smith on Brunson and at least 405 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: putting him in a situation where he doesn't feel comfortable 406 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,719 Speaker 2: attacking as comfortable attacking one on one when you've kind 407 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 2: of dug down around him, so that Nemhard or that 408 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 2: Nie Smith can't be driven past as easily. And again 409 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 2: it's gonna put you in some rebounding predictments. Obviously, when 410 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 2: you have Josh Hart and Dante Di Vincenzo crashing from 411 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 2: the perimeter and Nie Smith is on the ball, some 412 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 2: bigger challenge on that back line. But once again, you're 413 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 2: not getting rebounds anyway, So like, at least give yourself 414 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 2: a better chance to guard Brunson. What I don't understand 415 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 2: is sticking with Nemhart. Even going with TJ would have 416 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 2: been a better option, even with all the offensive limitations 417 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 2: than going with them hard because even though Nemhart is 418 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 2: a good defensive player, he's a bad matchup for Brunson. 419 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 2: Runson is not gonna have a size advantage over many 420 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 2: perimeter defenders in the league. 421 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: He does have a size advantage over Andrew Nemhart. 422 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 2: So again, I just want to see I want to 423 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 2: see Nie Smith on the ball, and I want to 424 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 2: see a better team effort on the glass, and I 425 00:19:58,280 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 2: think they can close. 426 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: I make the at least a little bit tougher. 427 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 2: One last note, Tyrius Halliburton much better game, really dynamic 428 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 2: in that first half. I disagreed with some of the 429 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 2: assertion in the second half from stan Van Gundy that, 430 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 2: like Tyrese was like more or less ineffectual because there 431 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 2: were stretches in that early second early third quarter run 432 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 2: where Tyree's was like Tyree set up Pascal Siakam with 433 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: an absolutely perfect pocket pass and Siakam just smoked a 434 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 2: point blank layup wide open at the rim. Halliburton set 435 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 2: Aaron Nee Smith up with a wide open wing catch 436 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 2: and shoot three during like they got a lot of 437 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 2: good looks over that stretch that didn't go in. And 438 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 2: again I understand because he had twenty something in the 439 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 2: first half and only finished with thirty four. But like, 440 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 2: Halliburton is more like Steve Nash two point zero. He's 441 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 2: not you know, you can't think of him like Jalen Brunson. 442 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 2: He's not a score first kind of guy. He can score, 443 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 2: and he demonstrated that tonight, but he's more of like 444 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 2: the twelve thirteen assists kind of guy, right, And so 445 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 2: I thought Haliburton did an okay job in that second 446 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 2: half of generating shots. 447 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: He could do better. 448 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 2: He needs to learn to deal with physicality a little 449 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 2: bit better. Dante DiVincenzo up to that ball pressure in 450 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 2: the second half kind of slowed him down a little bit. 451 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 2: So there is a lot of room for improvement. He 452 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 2: still is missing that athletic burst that he had before 453 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 2: his hamstring injury. Like early in the season, he would 454 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 2: just toast people off the dribble and he had this 455 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 2: deadly scoop shot off the glass that he'd attack bigs 456 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 2: on switches with, and he hasn't really been able to 457 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 2: go to that because he just doesn't quite have that 458 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 2: athletic burst. So he's got to get that athletic burst back. 459 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 2: He's got to put on a little bit more muscle 460 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 2: to handle some of that ball pressure. But I do 461 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 2: think overall he had a good shot creation game, and again, 462 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 2: thirty four points and nine to as sists is nothing 463 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: to just completely dismiss, but his impact did tail off 464 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: a little bit in that second half, and I did 465 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 2: think that was an indicator of some of his struggles 466 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 2: with physical ball pressure and individual shot creation for himself. 467 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 2: But again, I think Indiana obviously is gonna be a 468 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 2: buzzag game home and going home in Game three, it's 469 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 2: gonna be really tough game for the Knicks to win, 470 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,239 Speaker 2: especially banged up series is not over. Indiana certainly has 471 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 2: a chance to get back into it, just really hard 472 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 2: to beat a team like the Knicks led by Jalen 473 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 2: Brunson four times out of five, So good start for 474 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 2: the Knicks, up two to zero in the series. All right, guys, 475 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: that's all I have for today. Tomorrow morning, we have 476 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 2: a mail bag coming out. I recorded it today, that'll 477 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: be up first thing in the morning, and we went 478 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:27,919 Speaker 2: for about a half hour hit like a dozen questions 479 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 2: went all around the league. Tomorrow night, we're actually taking 480 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,479 Speaker 2: off taking a short break for Game two of Celtics 481 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 2: Heat and MAVs Thunder, but I am going to be 482 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 2: covering both of those games on Friday morning, So mail 483 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 2: back tomorrow morning. Breakdowns are the Thursday night games on 484 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 2: Friday morning, and then we're back for what is going 485 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 2: to be a huge Game three live on YouTube after 486 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:53,360 Speaker 2: Nuggets Timberwolves on Game three, first bit of real, first 487 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 2: bit of real adversity for Nikola Jokic in the Nuggets 488 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 2: in Game three going into Minnesota again, I got a 489 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: lot of Nuggets fans were disagreeing with me because of 490 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 2: the idea that you know, they've had seasons in the 491 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 2: past where guys have been hurt, came back from three 492 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 2: to one in the bubble twice. 493 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: You know, guys were. 494 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: Injured in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two. Yeah, no 495 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 2: doubt those were. That's a different kind of adversity. That's 496 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 2: adversity in terms of like bad things happening to you. However, 497 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 2: I'm looking at adversity through the lens of expectations. And 498 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 2: last year there was real expectations on the Nuggets. Okay, 499 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 2: two time, MVP, you're healthy, now show us what you got. 500 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 2: And the Nuggets absolutely demolished that test and passed it 501 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 2: with flying colors, right as they ran through the league 502 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 2: and dominated the playoffs. But this this is the first 503 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: time in this era where they've had they have real expectations. 504 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 2: You're the better team, you were the favorite going into 505 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 2: the series. You have the undisputed best player in the world, 506 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:56,959 Speaker 2: and you got punked on your home court and went 507 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: down oh two. That's real adversity. I look back at 508 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 2: the other stars, like Lebron, you know, dropping Game five 509 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 2: in Miami before they before they have to go on 510 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 2: the road to Game six in Boston down three to 511 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 2: two as the favorite. 512 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 1: That's real adversity. Right Like there I was. I was 513 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: looking at like. 514 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 2: The H that Steph series in twenty twenty two against 515 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 2: the Celtics down to one on the road in Boston. Yeah, 516 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 2: you entered the series as the favorite. That's real adversity, right, 517 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 2: like that, that is that is different. This is what 518 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 2: happened in twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two, where 519 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 2: Yokic like stole a game off Golden State or beat Portland. 520 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 2: That's more in line with like Jannis in twenty twenty two, 521 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 2: where like Chris Middleton got hurt and he had that 522 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 2: crazy run through seven games to push that series long, 523 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 2: but no one like expected the Bucks to win that series. 524 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 2: They were an underdog without Chris Middleton Like that, to 525 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: me is not the same level of pressure and expectation. 526 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 2: So I'm really excited for that Friday night game. That 527 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 2: to me is gonna be the first real opportunity for 528 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 2: Jokics to just shut everybody the hell up and show 529 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 2: him what he's capable of, show everybody what he's capable of. 530 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 2: And so we'll be going live on YouTube after that. 531 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 2: All right, guys, it's all for tonight. I see you 532 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: tomorrow morning for the mailbag. Appreciate you guys. 533 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: See that 534 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 2: The volume