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Happy Monday, everybody, I 31 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: help all of you guys had an incredible weekend. The 32 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: NBA season starts tomorrow. I can't freaking believe it, but 33 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: it's here, and we have about what eight and a 34 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: half months of steady basketball coming ahead of us, and 35 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: I'm very, very excited for Here's the plan for this week. 36 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: So this morning, I want to touch on the Warriors 37 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: extensions that took place over the weekend of Jordan Pool 38 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: and Andrew Wiggins, which are super fascinating on a bunch 39 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: of levels. Because a lot of Warriors fans are referring 40 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: to this as their last dance. I don't necessarily see 41 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: that as the case, but I want to go into 42 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: some details there. Um this afternoon or later this evening, 43 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna have another video coming out that's gonna be 44 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: my final, like season preview. It's just gonna essentially be 45 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: my opportunity to put my final predictions down for the season. Now, 46 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: as you all know, predictions are total crapshoot. If we 47 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: all knew what was gonna happen, we all be in 48 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: Vegas making money gambling. That's not the case. I'm just 49 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: gonna give you guys my best guesses based on my 50 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: personal view of the game. Get all that stuff nailed 51 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: down this evening. That's like who I picked to win 52 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: the title, who I think is gonna win the West 53 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: and the East, and biggest Underachiever, Biggest Overachiever m VP, 54 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. We're gonna get all that stuff 55 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 1: down and recorded later on today and then tomorrow is 56 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: gonna be our first live show of the year, So 57 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: we'll be going live right after the final buzzer of 58 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: Lakers Warriors. We have another live show coming this Thursday. 59 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: After the last game of the night. On t n 60 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: T Wednesday, we'll have like an in depth film breakdown 61 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: of Tuesday nights games on that day. You're gonna want 62 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: to make sure that you follow me on Twitter as well, 63 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: because that's where I'll put all the footage breakdowns and 64 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: stuff where I actually can use NBA footage. But yeah, today, 65 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: to start, we're gonna be talking about those Warriors extensions. 66 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: You guys know the drill before we get started. Subscribe 67 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: to the volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any more videos. 68 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at Underscore Jason Lts. You guys 69 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: don't miss any show announcements as well as the footage 70 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: breakdowns that I was referencing earlier and then last but 71 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: not least. For whatever reason, you miss one of these 72 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: videos and you can't get back over to YouTube to 73 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: finish them, you can find them wherever you get your 74 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: podcasts Under Hoops tonight. So on that note, let's talk 75 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: some basketball. Why did the Warriors prioritize Jordan and Andrew 76 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: And obviously they did because these were pretty damn lucrative extensions, 77 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: and Raymond was also up for an extension and he 78 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: didn't get one, So that doesn't mean they're not going 79 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: to sign him to one. We don't know yet. We 80 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: don't that's still up in the air and we're gonna 81 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: get to that in a minute. But it's clear that 82 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: Jordan and Andrew were somewhat of a priority. Now why 83 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: is that? I think it's pretty simple. They're young, meaning 84 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: you don't have to worry about age being a factor 85 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: in the contract, but they're also already high level playoff contributor. 86 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: We're gonna do a lot of juxtapi juxtaposition with the 87 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: Lakers today because I think it's hilarious to see the 88 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: gap in management competency and ownership competitiveness between the two, 89 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna be making some comparisons there. This is 90 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: not the Lakers betting on Taylor Horton Tucker over Alex Caruso, 91 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: because Taylor Horton Tucker was not even a contributor yet. 92 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: He was a bench player for them that had some 93 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: minor success during stretches when Lebron James and Anthony Davis 94 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: were hurt in season. He was not a proven playoff 95 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:45,119 Speaker 1: contributor yet they Alex Cruso was, and in that case, 96 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers misallocated resources, not applying enough value to that. 97 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: Jordan Pool and Andrew Wiggins just both had monumentally impactful 98 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: playoff runs. Andrew Wiggins was probably their second most important 99 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: player in that runs. He either him or Draymond depending 100 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: on who you ask. Jordan Poole in that playoff run 101 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: his first ever playoff run average seventeen points per game 102 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: on sixty from shooting. It was incredible, particularly in that 103 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: Game six in Boston while Steph was on the bench 104 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: in the it was either late first or early second 105 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: when they went on that big run. He was a 106 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: proven playoff player his first time around. And then Andrew 107 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: Wiggins in his combination of defense guarding the other team's 108 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: best player and what he did on offense attacking closeouts 109 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: and knocking down threes, incredibly valuable in the playoffs. So 110 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: they were prioritizing two players that they knew for a 111 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: fact if they needed them to start an NBA Finals 112 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: game this year, they'd be ready for it. They'd be 113 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: capable of doing so, doing it at a high level. 114 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: That's the difference in investing in that kind of youth 115 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: versus investing in youth that's more of a gamble with 116 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 1: something like what the Lakers did with Taylor Norton Tucker. 117 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: In addition to that, these simply put her just to 118 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: clear foundational pieces for the Warriors future. These are two 119 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,679 Speaker 1: players that if you're if they're your third or fourth 120 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: best player, your second or third best player, and you've 121 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: got a good enough number one, you can win a 122 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,239 Speaker 1: lot of basketball games. So it was just a sound 123 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: investment on that front. And then this was the important 124 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: part that I wanted to get to. They also have 125 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: skill sets that are monumentally important in the modern m 126 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: b A. This is not investing in a guy like 127 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: DeAndre Ayton, who's obviously one of the best players at 128 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: his position, but plays a position that carries significantly less 129 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: value as you get into the playoffs. Right. This is 130 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: not investing in a lower value archetype. This is I'm 131 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: getting a three and D wing that's a lot more 132 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: than a three and D wing, and I'm getting Jordan Pool, 133 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: which we're gonna get you in a second. Let's let's 134 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: talk about if you guys remember over the course of 135 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: the summer, what are the two things that I talked 136 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: about on both ends of the floor. That are the 137 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: most important skills in basketball right now, with the way 138 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: the game has changed on the offensive end, I said 139 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: pull up shooting, right, because that's the best counter to 140 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: any coverage that any team unleashes on you. Well, Jordan's 141 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: Pool in his third season shot thirty eight percent on 142 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: five pull up jumpers per game. As a kid, He's 143 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: a kid, and he's doing that. It's gonna only get 144 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: better from there. And then what was this? What? What? 145 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: What was another specific offensive trait that I spent a 146 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: lot of time talking about over this summer, rim pressure, 147 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: And I talked about all the value that comes from 148 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: rim pressure, not just collapsing the defense you can kick 149 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: to threes, not just making layups, which are a high 150 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: efficiency shot, but the way you can impact things in 151 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: terms of offensive rebounding and changing matchups by drawing help. Well, 152 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: Jordan Pool averaged, according to NBA dot Com, eight point 153 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: two drives per game last year, which was second best 154 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: on the team behind Steph. And again, I always try 155 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: to compare the tracking data or the metrics that we 156 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: have to what I see with my eyes, and persistently, 157 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: what I've told you guys about Jordan Pool is what 158 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: I like about him that makes him so different from 159 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: Stephan Clay is he is so damned fast that he 160 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 1: can beat people off the dribble all game long. Now, 161 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: Steph he leads the team and drives. He gets to 162 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: the rim all the time. But he does that by 163 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: weaponizing his shooting. He's not just blowing by people with 164 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: quickness that often unless he's getting a big on a switch. 165 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: Jordan Pool has that kind of burst. He's very valuable 166 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: to the team on the offensive end because of his 167 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: ability to get downhill. And then obviously he's a great shooters, 168 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: shot thirty eight percent on five catch and shoot threes 169 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: per game. But the point is is, Jordan Pool gives 170 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: me two of the most important offensive skills in the 171 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: modern NBA, getting downhill to the rim and knocking down 172 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: pull up jump shots. So they're investing in an archetype 173 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,079 Speaker 1: of player that has proven to be super valuable in 174 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: the NBA, in the modern NBA future proof if you 175 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: want to call it that. And then we go over 176 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: to Andrew Wiggins. I think he's one of the five 177 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: best perimeter defenders in basketball. What did I say is 178 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: the most important skill on defense in the modern NBA 179 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: right now? Perimeter defense because containing the ball prevents the 180 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,559 Speaker 1: team from getting into their driving kick and getting the 181 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 1: role players involved. Andrew Wiggins and what he did to 182 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: contain Luca don Chich and to contain Jayson Tatum through 183 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: both of those teams wildly out of whack in their offense. 184 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 1: That's how valuable Andrew Wiggins is because of what he 185 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: can do as a perimeter defender. And Andrew Wiggins also 186 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: can knock down pull up jump shots. He was thirty 187 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: on four pull up jumpers per game, which is completely respectable. 188 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: He also was third on the team and drives per 189 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: game with seven drives per game. We talked about that 190 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: uh in some of our preseason breakdowns, how strong an 191 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: athletic he is, and with the way he rips through 192 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: to the bat ask it and how guys just can't 193 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: hold on to him anymore because Andrew is finally starting 194 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: to come to terms with how dominant of an athlete 195 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: he is and how he can weaponize that in a 196 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: basketball game. And then he also shot on catching shoot threes. 197 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: So the bottom line is is these are two really 198 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: smart investments investments from the Warriors. They are modern basketball 199 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: players that bring very important modern skills, they're young, so 200 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: they're smart to invest in in the respect that they're 201 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: not going to diminish in value over the course of 202 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: the contract. And they're absolutely pillars of the franchises future. 203 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: They needed to be prioritized. So the question comes, where 204 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: does Draymond fit in all of this, and it's it's 205 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: an interesting question. First of all, let's just start up 206 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: up front. Draymond is one of the three most valuable 207 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: players on this team. He had some rough moments in 208 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: this playoff run, but there's no question that what he 209 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: does on the defensive end of the floor for them 210 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: is immensely valuable. He missed twenty nine straight games with 211 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: a back injury this season, and the team went sixteen 212 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: and thirteen, and their defense sucked compared to what it 213 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: was and Steph Curry couldn't get the same high quality 214 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: shots that he used to get because Draymond does a 215 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:12,719 Speaker 1: lot for them on the offensive end, even though it 216 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: doesn't look like he does sometimes. And there are times 217 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: where Draymond does hurt them on offense. That's that goes 218 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: without saying. But there are also times where he makes 219 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: it work. He that that's that's those were his good 220 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: Dad playoff games in the in the in this playoff run, 221 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: when he's not succeeding in some of the things he 222 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: does on offense, screening really hard, making good decisions in 223 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 1: the role, looking to score just enough to keep the 224 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: defense honest, hunting steph for looks off the ball, those 225 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: sorts of things. When he does those things, he's actually 226 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: a good offensive player. He just had some games in 227 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: this playoff run where he didn't do those things, but 228 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: then he did them when it mattered. In the NBA Finals, 229 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: after he called his shot, he was playing like trash 230 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: and they were down to one, and he was like, 231 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: I'm playing like trash. Oh, by the way, c J 232 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: McCollum orriever the heck he was talking trash year I 233 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: think it was c J. He's like, yeah, by the way, 234 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: they're gonna be ringless just like you. We're gonna win 235 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: this series. And he put his money where his mouth was. 236 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: He guarded Jalen Brown and locked his ass up, and 237 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: then he had his best offensive game of the series 238 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: when they needed it in Game six on the road. 239 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: He's more valuable to winning basketball games right now than 240 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: Jordan's pool is. That doesn't mean that it wasn't a 241 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: smart investment for them to sign Jordan Pool. Absolutely was 242 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: for all the reasons we said earlier, but don't underestimate 243 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: Draymond's value in all of this. The it's just a 244 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: reality of their financial predicament. It would cost it would 245 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: cost you lake of hundreds of millions of dollars to 246 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: retain Draymond as well in all of this, and that 247 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: makes it a tough decision. And so when you're looking 248 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: at the layout and I see, I got Jordan Pool 249 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: that I gotta pay. I got you know, uh, Andrew Wiggins, 250 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: I gotta pay. I got Draymond I gotta pay. I 251 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: got Clay Thompson that I'm gonna have to pay soon. 252 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: You look at that and and it it is complicated. 253 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: And you look at that and you see Draymond and 254 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: Clay are obviously Draymond because of his age and he's 255 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: starting to experience some physical decline. He had some back 256 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: issues last year. And then you've got Clay tom Soon 257 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,439 Speaker 1: who's had two serious injuries in the last couple of years. 258 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: It's you look at that and you go, they will 259 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: if you sign both of those guys to four year extensions, 260 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: they will likely during those extensions experience significant physical declines 261 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: and not be as valuable in the tail end of 262 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: those contracts. That's just the reality of father time. That's 263 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: not an insult. And so when you're looking at the 264 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: layout like you have to make some tough decisions, that 265 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: doesn't mean they won't still be productive basketball players on 266 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: those deals. That doesn't mean they won't deserve the money. 267 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: It just means it has to be factored in when 268 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: they're making those kinds of decisions. That means the Warriors 269 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: were right to pay the young guys and to try 270 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: to negotiate discounted deals for Draymond and Clay. That's just 271 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: good business. You can't fault them for that. But here's 272 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: why I don't because a lot of Warriors fans have 273 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: been going the route of like, oh, they're gonna trade 274 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: these guys. I don't think they're gonna trade either of them. 275 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: And the main reason why is I think Clay is 276 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: going to take a significant discount to remain with the Warriors. 277 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: First of all, they gave him a MAX deal right 278 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: after he tore his a c L. He's experienced a 279 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: vote of confidence from the franchise. He's making over forty 280 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: million this year and over forty million next year. He's 281 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: doing just fine. That in his identity is very much 282 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: tied up with this franchise, even more so than Draymond's is, 283 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: in my opinion, like he just you just it's you. 284 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: You can't even fathom the idea that Clay would play 285 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: for somebody else. So I think Clay as a kind 286 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: of like a uh, you know, as as a return 287 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: of a grateful return for what happened after he town 288 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: his towards a c L. I could see him taking 289 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: a discount of deal. So I think he'll stay. But 290 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: Draymond is way too important to their title chances in 291 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: the immediate future for them to trade. That's the issue, 292 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: because Draymond has legit reasons to maybe you want to 293 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: be elsewhere. For starters, he's been the guy who is 294 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: the Scottie Pippen of this particular dynasty. He is the 295 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: guy that has been consistently underpaid relative to his value. 296 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: This year, he's gonna make just under twenty six million dollars. 297 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: That will be the most he's ever made with the Warriors, 298 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: And like I would argue, he's more valuable to them 299 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: winning than Clay Thompson and Clay Thompson has been making 300 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: over forty So obviously Draymond has reason to be like, Hey, 301 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: at what point do I get taken care of in 302 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: all of this. That's a realistic concern of his, And 303 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: so I could see him after this deal ends. I 304 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: think he'll opt out after this year, He'll opt out 305 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: of the twenty seven and look for a deal. I 306 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: could see him looking like for one last long term deal, 307 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: and if the Warriors try to offer him a discount, 308 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: I could see him going elsewhere to get that money. 309 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: So then it becomes you know he's leaving. If that's 310 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: the case. If you know he's leaving, do you trade him? 311 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: You can't trade him because his value is so unique 312 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,719 Speaker 1: to the Warriors that you're not going to get a 313 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: ton back. It's not like you're gonna get a superstar back. 314 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: So the reality is is they whatever they do, trading 315 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: Draymond hurts them in that particular season. I think later 316 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: today we're gonna do our season preview. I am going 317 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: to say that I think the Warriors are going to 318 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: win the title. I think they're the best team in 319 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: the league right now. They have the best chance to 320 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: win if they trade Draymond overnight, even if they get 321 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: Miles Turner back overnight, they go from my number one 322 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: to behind the Bucks, behind the Clippers, behind the Celtics. 323 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: That's how much of that's how important Draymond is to 324 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,959 Speaker 1: what they do. And I get it's been frustrating. I 325 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: get that he signed with Clutch and he talks about 326 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,159 Speaker 1: Lebron a lot and for some reason that bothers Warriors fans. 327 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: I get that he punched a teammate when he had 328 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: a bad moment. But he is vitally important to the 329 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: Warriors winning basketball games. That is just a fact, and 330 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: so they will not trade him, knowing that it actively 331 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: and significantly handicaps their chance to win. So what will 332 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: probably end up happening, if I had to guess, is 333 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: that he finishes this season with a smile on his face, 334 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: creating no drama, and he approaches the front office and 335 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: asks for a deal. They probably offer him something too small. 336 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: I believe he will opt out of that deal and 337 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 1: probably signed to go play elsewhere for somewhere in that 338 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: four to eighty four for eighty four for a hundred, 339 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: you know, somewhere between twenty and twenty five million per 340 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: year for another four years somewhere else next summer, some 341 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: team that used him as a culture changer, a guy 342 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: that can come in and overnight completely revamped their defense. 343 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,679 Speaker 1: That's just it's just the reality of the business of 344 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: it all. And again, it's kind of unfortunate because I 345 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: view it as it's kind of insulting to what Draymond 346 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: has done in his years here. But I understand where 347 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: they're coming from from a business perspective of needing to 348 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: pay all these other guys and the realities of the 349 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: luxury tax and the fact that if you pay Draymond 350 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: million a year, it really costs you almost a hundred 351 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: a year, and it's just complicated that way. But yeah, 352 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: that's my guess. I guess that Clay takes a discount 353 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: and stays, Draymond finishes the season, opts out, and then 354 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: signs a long term deal elsewhere because he deserves his 355 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: freaking money. Man, he's seeking another lucrative contract because he's 356 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: been underpaid, and he has every right to do so. 357 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: I don't think I don't think Warriors fans should judge 358 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 1: him for being disloyal if he decides to leave, because 359 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 1: he would be leaving because he's the guy who got 360 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: the short end of the stick in this whole thing. 361 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk about Joe Laco for a second, 362 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: because again it's just I wanted to just put a 363 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: juxtapose with Genie Bust. Obviously, this half million dollar payroll 364 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: that he's gonna pay this season or next season borders 365 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: on insanity, and it's obviously an unrealistic standard to hold 366 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: other owners too. Like when we ask owners to spend, 367 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,439 Speaker 1: it's not like we're asking them to spend a half million. 368 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 1: We're asking them just to spend reasonably when you have 369 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: a chance to win a championship. But even with that 370 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: adjusted standard, it's still hilarious. Juxtaposed with Genie Buss and 371 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: the Lakers, Joe Lacob and Bob Myers valued the contribution 372 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: of their role players. They recognized Jordan's Pool and Andrew 373 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: Wiggins for their invaluable contribution to winning in this playoff front. 374 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: They saw the basketball and saw how those two guys 375 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: were so important to them winning. Genie and Rob undervalued 376 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: their role players and flipped two quality starters for Russ 377 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: because what they saw when they won the title in 378 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: was Lebron James and Anthony Davis getting a lot of 379 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: dunks and blocks and knocking down big threes. And they 380 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: thought Lebron and a d carried us to the title, 381 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: and they failed to see that it was the fact 382 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 1: that every single one of their rotation players, not namer 383 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: Gen Rondo, was like six six or bigger, could defend 384 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: multiple positions and attack close outs and just played really smart. 385 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: Basketball is a basketball team that won the title, not 386 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Joe Lacom went deep into 387 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,880 Speaker 1: the tax to retain both of those young role players 388 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: the Bulls. The Bulls offered Alex Cruso nine million per year, 389 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: and Robin Genie was like, goodbye, Alex, good luck in 390 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 1: Chicago for nine million, And I get it. He's not 391 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: Jordan's pool, but it's nine million dollars man, and I 392 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: get it. Even with the tax, it's like twenty seven 393 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: million or something like that. Still completely inexcusable, especially when 394 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: you factor in that they invested in a young player 395 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 1: who wasn't ready to contribute yet. Alex Cruso started Game 396 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: six of the finals. It was one of their most 397 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: important players. He was the plus minus guy that all 398 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: the lineups that he wasn't killed. When they went small 399 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: with a D at the five and had Alex Cruister 400 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: with Lebron, they obliterated teams. It just represents a fundamental 401 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: lack of understanding of what wins basketball games. You need 402 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: some star talent with lots of good, complimentary pieces that 403 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: fulfill the vital responsibilities of a basketball team. There was 404 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: a list going around on Twitter last week. I don't 405 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: know if you guys saw it, UM, but it was 406 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: like six or seven players long, and it was all 407 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: players that were on the Lakers roster last year that 408 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: are now out of the NBA Entirely. That like, that 409 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: is that's why people are concerned about the decision makers 410 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. Jennie Bust did an interview last week. 411 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: I can't remember exactly who it was with UM, but 412 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: in it she insinuated that she was targeted for being 413 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 1: a woman about her inner circle, and she specifically said, like, hey, 414 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: why do they question who's in, you know, Mark Cuban's 415 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: inner circle. And the host rightfully pushed back and was like, well, 416 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: they questioned Jerry Jones too. The issue is not the 417 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: fact that it's your inner circle and your female it's 418 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,159 Speaker 1: the fact that you're employing family members, and these family 419 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: members are making confusu family members friends, like picking based 420 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 1: on personal relationships rather than expertise, and then those people 421 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: that you have personal relationships making bad decisions. For Jerry 422 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: Jones on the football field and for Genie Buss on 423 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: the basketball court. That's like when you're wondering why they 424 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: question your inner circle. That's why that half the roster 425 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,880 Speaker 1: from last year is no longer on the team, when 426 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: the are no longer in the league entirely. When you 427 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: look at Joe Lake and he's winning and investing in 428 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: young role players and you let a young role player 429 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: walk for nine million dollars, they're gonna question you about 430 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 1: that when you consider can you when you consistently and 431 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: persistently make confusing basketball decisions and they know that your 432 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: inner circle is Kurt Rambis, who was a player coach 433 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: who's only success came within the Lakers franchise, and he 434 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: was famous for going into Frank Vogel's coaches meeting last 435 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 1: year and saying, more, DeAndre Jordan, please, that'll fix all 436 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: our problems. When that happens, When Kobe's former agent, who 437 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: as we discussed as more is more of like a 438 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: snake oil salesman who's trying to sell bad basketball decisions 439 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: to the Laker fan base when he is completely uninterested 440 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: in the guys that lad the types of players that 441 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 1: lead you to a title in two thousand twenty. They're 442 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: going to question your decision making when it's bad decision 443 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: after bad decision after bad decision, one that leads to 444 00:24:53,560 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: the best team in the world in being literally literally 445 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: a playing team with Lebron James and Anthony Davis on 446 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 1: the roster less than two years later, when they're projected 447 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: to win less than fifty games, when the when when 448 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 1: they look when they look as bad as they did 449 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: last year, they're going to question that. They're going to 450 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: be like, Okay, your decision makers are your your best 451 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: friend and his husband, Kurt Rambis, your h Kobe's former agent, 452 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,919 Speaker 1: and then to your nephews, they're gonna be like, maybe 453 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: they need to have somebody in that front office that 454 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: is a basketball expert. And that's his only connection to you. 455 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: The only connection he has to you is that he 456 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: submitted a resume that discusses how good he is in 457 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: his history making basketball decisions. That's why he works for you. 458 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: That's the when. When that is the case, they won't 459 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: blame you anymore, Jennie. They will blame that guy. But 460 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: when it's your friends and family that work for you 461 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: and the bad decisions happen, they're gonna look at you 462 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: as having made mistakes, surrounding yourself with people who aren't 463 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,640 Speaker 1: up to the task. It's it's about basketball at its core. 464 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: Winning cures everything. Do you think do you think do 465 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: you think they will say anything to you if you 466 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 1: if you guys just won basketball games, you're failing to 467 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: win basketball games with Lebron James and Anthony Davis on 468 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: the roster, they have every right to be concerned the 469 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: way that they are. And again, I know that's kind 470 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: of a whole other thing, but it's just it's so 471 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 1: interesting to see that juxtaposed with the with the Warriors situation. 472 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: It's just really interesting to see that juxtaposed tip off 473 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: the NBA season. With FanDuel, America's number one sports book, 474 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: new customers get one hundred and fifty dollars in free 475 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: bets guaranteed when you place your first five dollar bet. 476 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: Plus FanDuel is the only sports book that's giving all 477 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: customers three months of NBA League Pass when they make 478 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 1: a five dollar bet on the NBA. Then you can 479 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: watch all the action as you bet on everything from 480 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: money line to point spreads to totals. I've talked about 481 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: a lot of futures over the course of this summer. 482 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: The one I like the most right now is Yannice 483 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:09,959 Speaker 1: to win the m v P. Get great odds on it. 484 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: Luca doesn't really make a ton of sense to me 485 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: because I don't think the Mavericks are gonna win enough games. 486 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: The Bucks are gonna win a ton of games. Janice 487 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: is gonna put up crazy numbers and advanced metrics that 488 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 1: the voters like so much, and he hasn't won since, 489 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,239 Speaker 1: so he's fresh in the minds of the voters. I 490 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: really really like Janice to win m v P. So 491 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: don't miss out on your chance to get one hundred 492 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 1: and fifty dollars in free bets plus three months of 493 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: NBA League Pass with promo code Jason t make every 494 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: moment more with fan Duel, the official sports book partner 495 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 1: of the NBA. We're gonna be doing our season preview 496 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: predictions today, just kind of league. Why there's some specific 497 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: predictions that I want to nail down. Who will win 498 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 1: the East, who will win the West, who will win 499 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: the NBA title. I want to talk a little bit 500 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: about that specific NBA Finals matchup that I am predicting. 501 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:05,879 Speaker 1: I want to talk about which team I expect to 502 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: overachieve the most, which team I expect to underachieve the most, 503 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 1: who win m v P. And then at the very end, 504 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: I want to spend some time talking about the Lakers 505 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: because they're They're opening schedule to start the season is 506 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: incredibly difficult, and it's very possible that they get off 507 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: to a very poor start, which could lead to a 508 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: bunch of potential ramifications. So I wanted to spend a 509 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,719 Speaker 1: little bit of time talking about them at the end. 510 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: You guys know the drill before we get started. Subscribe 511 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: to the Volumes YouTube channels you don't miss any more 512 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore Jason 513 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: lt so you guys don't miss any show announcements as 514 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: well as footage breakdowns. There's a couple of specific breakdowns 515 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: I plan on doing this Wednesday of the opening night games. 516 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: A lot of footage and stuff that will be on 517 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: my Twitter feeds, you're gonna want to follow me there. 518 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, for whatever reason, you 519 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: guys miss one of these videos and you can't get 520 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: back over to YouTube to finish them. You can find 521 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: them wherever you get your podcasts. Under Hoops tonight. And 522 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: on that note, let's talk some basketball. So when we're 523 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: talking about who's gonna win the NBA title, we kind 524 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: of are narrowing it down to four teams and I 525 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: feel like most people probably agree with me there. And 526 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: we also got a similar type of feedback from the 527 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: NBA g M survey which picked these same four teams 528 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: as the team's most likely to win the title. That 529 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: would be the Warriors, the Bucks, the Celtics, and the Clippers. Now, 530 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: to be clear up front, all four of those teams 531 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 1: have flaws. This is not the two thousand seventeen Warriors, 532 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: the two thousand eighteen Warriors. This is not a clear 533 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: cut favorite type of season. This is a season where 534 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 1: we have multiple teams that are on that top tier 535 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: of the league. The Warriors in the Bucks, for instance, 536 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: don't quite have as much total roster talent as the 537 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: Clippers and the Celtics do. In my opinion. But the 538 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: Clippers and the Celtics, they don't have Janis and Steph, 539 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: the two best players in the entire world, so their 540 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: top tier talent it's not quite as good. I think 541 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: the Warriors core lineups have some undersized perimeter defenders, which 542 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: can lead to specific problems in specific matchups, although they 543 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: managed to get by past that problem this past season. 544 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: The Bucks have pretty unreliable role players spotting up on 545 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: the perimeter. That really hurt them against Boston. That was 546 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: their biggest weakness last year. The Celtics, there two stars, 547 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: Jalen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are both pretty like pretty 548 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 1: unreliable decision makers, right like, you don't trust them in 549 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: big moments not to make, you know, crippling mistakes. So 550 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: that's the Celtics big problem. Then we go to the Clippers, 551 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: and I think particularly their role player wings, the wings 552 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: they have around Kawai and Paul George are a little 553 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: bit slow footed, which could put them into some problems 554 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 1: against teams that are quicker on the perimeter. So when 555 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: I'm looking at those top four teams, they all have flaws, 556 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: they all have strengths. There's no clear cut team that's 557 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: above all of them. So who is the safest bet? 558 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: You had to pick one of those four teams and 559 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: the Warriors. And I've talked about this a lot when 560 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: we when we had them number one in our power rankings, 561 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: and we talked about them during the preseason. The reason 562 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: why I picked the Warriors as who I think is 563 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: going to win the title this year is they have 564 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: the best combination of factors that make them the safest bet. 565 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,400 Speaker 1: They have the best combination of upper management should they 566 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: need to sign, buy out players or make a trade 567 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of the season. A competent coaching staff 568 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: that caters their philosophy towards the roster as opposed to 569 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: their you know, stubborn ideologies about basketball. They also cater 570 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: their ideologies towards things that work in the modern m 571 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: b A. I also trust their coaching staff more than 572 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: the other three teams on that list to make pivotal 573 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 1: adjustments in a playoff series, like putting Draymond Green on 574 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 1: Jalen Brown for instance. Those kinds of things. I trust 575 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: their coaching staff the most. They're superstar talent. I'm getting 576 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: Steph Curry in this case, who I believe is the 577 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: second best player in the world quality players. And then 578 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: this is the big one, continuity and experience, knowing how 579 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: to play together and knowing how to win playoff series 580 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: because they've won so damn many of them over the years. 581 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: They've won coming from behind, they've won in dominant fashion. 582 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: They've won in two thousand, fourteen, fifteen, they've won in 583 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:21,239 Speaker 1: two thousand and twenty two. Right, they just have When 584 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: we're talking about all of those factors, all of those 585 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: teams that we just mentioned has strengths or weaknesses in 586 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 1: certain parts of those factors. But the Warriors are the 587 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: best of those four in all of them combined. If 588 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: I'm looking for the best combination of management, coaching, star talent, 589 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: role players, continuity and experience, the Warriors are just the 590 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: safest bet. That doesn't mean they will win, but it 591 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: makes them the safest bet out of those four. So 592 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: I'm picking the Warriors. To be clear, right here, the 593 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: eve of the start of the season, I am picking 594 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: the Warriors to win the NBA titles. So who will 595 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: win the West? Obviously the Warriors probably over the Clippers 596 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: in the Western Conference finals would bet my guest, But 597 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: who knows how injuries will play a role. In seating 598 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 1: as things go along. In the end, I've always viewed 599 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: the Clippers as the biggest threat out West to beat 600 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 1: the Warriors because they have such great perimeter size and 601 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: the Warrior's specific weakness is perimeter size on the defensive 602 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: end of the floor. So even though I view the 603 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: Clippers as their biggest threat and I view them as 604 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: the team that will play play against him in the 605 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: Western Conference Finals, I think that the one of the 606 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: biggest reasons why I picked the Warriors over the Clippers 607 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: in that matchup is in the end, I think I 608 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,959 Speaker 1: think it'll be the gap in foot speed that kills them. 609 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: We talked about this, but when you look at you know, 610 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: the Clippers are known for this team being this team 611 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,479 Speaker 1: that has a ton of wings that can guard multiple 612 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: positions and do multiple things on the offensive end of 613 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: the floor. Right, So, if I've got you know, and 614 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: I need to get past Kawai and Paul George for 615 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: a second, i gotta start looking at Marcus Morris and 616 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: Nick Patum and Robert Covington right like, I'm getting into 617 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: this list of these kind of older wings, and yes 618 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: they can guard multiple positions. Yes they have a history 619 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: of being good role players at their positions, but they're 620 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 1: just they're starting to get to the point where they're 621 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: a little bit more slow footed than they used to be. 622 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: And particularly when you're guarding the Warriors, who are gonna 623 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 1: put you through a plethora of actions during every single game, 624 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,319 Speaker 1: way more actions than any other team is going to run, 625 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: and then so much cutting and running off the screens 626 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: and covering a ton of ground. They're a player movement offense. 627 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: With how much they move around, it's going to be 628 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:28,360 Speaker 1: particularly tough for the Clippers to keep up with them 629 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: with their slower feet. So that would be why I 630 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 1: picked the Warriors over the Clippers to win the Western Conference. 631 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: So who win the East? So this is my big 632 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 1: switch up from the power rankings. Um again, I don't 633 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,879 Speaker 1: I don't see the point in being married to a pick. 634 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: You should react to new information or if you have 635 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 1: a change of heart, you should embrace that. In my opinion, 636 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: I had originally picked Boston because of the Malcolm Broadden acquisition. 637 00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:00,319 Speaker 1: I thought it addressed their ball handling concerns and I 638 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 1: thought that it kind of it was an indicator of 639 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: philosophy that I like to which is push your chips 640 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 1: in the middle. Do your best to be the best 641 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 1: that you can be because other teams are consistently getting 642 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 1: better around you. It bothered me that the Bucks really 643 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,919 Speaker 1: didn't do anything this summer, and then the Celtics were like, Hey, 644 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:20,760 Speaker 1: we stuck at ball handling. Let's go get Malcolm Brogden. 645 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 1: He can dribble the basketball. I liked that about Boston 646 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: and that's why I picked them. However, I really don't 647 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: want to be sitting on my couch in May watching 648 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference Finals feeling like an idiot for picking 649 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 1: against the Honice. That's kind of where I'm at right now. 650 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: I think he's the best player in the world on 651 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 1: a tier by himself. I think he's made strides as 652 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 1: a passer, particularly that made him unstoppable on the offensive 653 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,359 Speaker 1: end in a way that he didn't used to be. 654 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 1: And then I also think he's the best defensive player 655 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: in the world. So from that standpoint especially, and I 656 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:02,839 Speaker 1: gotta give them a little bit more credit. I said 657 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: that the Celtics addressed their biggest weakness, which was ball 658 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:09,320 Speaker 1: handling right well, the Bucks had a big weakness in 659 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,640 Speaker 1: off ball shooting. Their inability to knock down shots when 660 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 1: the Celtics loaded up on Janice, particularly at the end 661 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: of that series, really killed them. And I don't think 662 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: we're factoring in enough to how the return of Chris 663 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 1: Middleton taking you know, forty playoff minutes a night from 664 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 1: one of those weaker spot up players, and the influx 665 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: of guys like Joe Ingles for instance, as significant upgrades 666 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 1: at that specific flaw that they had last year. So 667 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: even though a lot of the things with my brain 668 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: are pointing me towards Boston, my gut is telling me 669 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: don't pick against Nice. And so from that standpoint, before 670 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: the season, before we've seen any basketball, I am going 671 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: to be picking the Bucks over the Celtics to win 672 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference, which means I'm expecting a Warrior Is 673 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 1: Bucks NBA Finals, which I think would be most NBA 674 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 1: fans dream because it's such an interesting matchup. So I 675 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: wanted to spend a couple of minutes talking about that 676 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: particular matchup. So, first of all, it starts with Draymond 677 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: verse Janice. We have, you know, if I talked a 678 00:37:16,640 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: lot about, you know, over the summer when we were 679 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 1: talking about player rankings, we were talking about Janice and 680 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: how you know, uniquely, he just destroys your stereotypical perimeter defenders. 681 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,760 Speaker 1: Right Like, if I was ranking the best perimeter defenders 682 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: in the world, I've got you know, Ben Simmons, Andrew Wiggins, 683 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum, Michail Bridges, maybe a couple other guys. You know, 684 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 1: outside of Ben Simmons, who is who actually has done 685 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: a pretty decent job on your Honest, those other three 686 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: guys are are hopeless guarding. Like if you put Micail Bridges, 687 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum, or j Leon Brown on HONEST for a 688 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:55,440 Speaker 1: playoff series, they would get obliterated. And it's just kind 689 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: of the unique matchup problem that Janice causes because of 690 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 1: how big and strong he is. Right Well, if I was, 691 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: I talked a lot over the summer, if you were 692 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,920 Speaker 1: building a defender in a lab to guard Janice, the 693 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: two guys that came to mind to me were Lebron 694 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 1: James and Draymond Green because they are incredibly strong for 695 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 1: their specific position, and they have the unique ability through 696 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,839 Speaker 1: instincts and crafty nous to even defend above what their 697 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,920 Speaker 1: strength level is. That's what made Lebron capable of guarding 698 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: all five positions when he was in his prime and 699 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 1: still a little bit to this day. And Draymond Green, 700 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,120 Speaker 1: even though he's you know my height, is one of 701 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,799 Speaker 1: the best defensive players of all time because of his 702 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 1: unique combination of strength, low center of gravity, instincts, the 703 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:40,759 Speaker 1: ability to slide his feet. The other big thing that 704 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 1: would make that tough for you, Honest in particular, is 705 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:44,759 Speaker 1: j Honest would have to kind of beat him with 706 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:47,040 Speaker 1: his brain as much as he does with his body, 707 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: because over the course of that series, Draymond's gonna pick 708 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 1: up on his go to moves. If he gets beat 709 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 1: on a specific move, he's gonna make a mental note 710 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 1: of it. Draymond loves that chess match of defense and 711 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: identify little things that he can fix and rectify to 712 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: become a better defender over the course of a series. 713 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:09,200 Speaker 1: That specific matchup, that Draymond versus Janice matchup would be 714 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 1: such an incredibly interesting basketball matchup to watch. And then 715 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:15,640 Speaker 1: the other big part of that series that would be 716 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: tough is the traditional drop coverage that Milwaukee would inevitably 717 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 1: run against Steph Curry. And we literally saw that against 718 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:28,319 Speaker 1: Boston last year. They baited Steph into pull up jump 719 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 1: shooting when he's the best pull up jump shooter in 720 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: the world. I can't remember the exact numbers, but the 721 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 1: Warriors averaged around like twenty twenty one pull up jump 722 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:39,480 Speaker 1: shots per game last year in the regular season, and 723 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:43,279 Speaker 1: that pumped up against Boston. Because they're not stubborn. They 724 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 1: will do what they have to do to beat your 725 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,359 Speaker 1: particular coverages, and they have the guys to do it 726 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: in this case Steph Curry. And then obviously we've talked 727 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 1: a lot about how Jordan Pool has turned into a 728 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: really good, high volume pull up jump shooter as well. 729 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:59,360 Speaker 1: It's two incredibly different teams and whichever style controls the 730 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 1: game will end up winning. And again, I'd pick Golden 731 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:03,319 Speaker 1: State for all the reasons we just talked about. They're 732 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 1: the best combination of management and coaching, star talent, role players, 733 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: community experience, all that stuff. They're the safe for bet. 734 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,880 Speaker 1: But man, would that be an interesting NBA Finals series? 735 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:15,319 Speaker 1: And I hope that this is the year that we 736 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:18,440 Speaker 1: get to see it. So what team do I expect 737 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:24,560 Speaker 1: to overachieve the most? I'm going with Philly. Now, everyone's 738 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: pretty low Unfilly for a bunch of obvious reasons, right, 739 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:33,319 Speaker 1: Like James Harden's playoff history, which is well documented and 740 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 1: it really is a problem. He's one of the biggest 741 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: playoff underachievers relative to his regular season success in NBA history. 742 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,840 Speaker 1: It's a legitimate concern with him. Right. We also have 743 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:48,239 Speaker 1: James Harden's recent decline. He just hasn't looked much like 744 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: himself at all over the last couple of years. Then 745 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 1: we have with Joel Embiide his injury history. It's always hurt, 746 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:56,880 Speaker 1: and then he kind of has some bad body language 747 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,640 Speaker 1: stuff when things go south in the playoffs. And then 748 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:02,160 Speaker 1: we have to Rivers, who also has a history of 749 00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:06,840 Speaker 1: blowing playoffs series. So we had this like list of 750 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:10,480 Speaker 1: of obvious red flags that are kind of deflecting a 751 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 1: lot of attention away from the Sixers. And there's some 752 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:15,920 Speaker 1: legitimacy to that, like, for instance, I don't have them 753 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:17,959 Speaker 1: in my top tier of contenders, but I think they're 754 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,120 Speaker 1: just as talented, which we'll talk about in a second. 755 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:22,800 Speaker 1: So obviously I'm factoring that in as well, and we 756 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:26,719 Speaker 1: should We should not gloss over that stuff entirely, but 757 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,680 Speaker 1: we do in a lot of cases like this overlook 758 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:34,279 Speaker 1: the good that comes with the Sixers. For one, they're 759 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:36,520 Speaker 1: every bit as talented is the best teams in the league. 760 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:39,840 Speaker 1: I would argue they had the most talented top four 761 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:42,000 Speaker 1: out of any team in the league. If you've got 762 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:44,880 Speaker 1: Joel and B, James Harden, Tobias Harris and Tyres Maxie, 763 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:47,640 Speaker 1: you're I you'd be hard pressed to find a top 764 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:50,239 Speaker 1: four that's as good. There are other good top fours 765 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 1: in the leagues, and I again, I would pick the 766 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:54,799 Speaker 1: top four teams in the league as better teams than 767 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 1: the Sixers, but in terms of talent, they're right up 768 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:01,520 Speaker 1: there in that conversation. And I also expect James Harden 769 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,160 Speaker 1: to have his best season since two thousand nineteen. We've 770 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,160 Speaker 1: talked about this a ton over the course of the summer, 771 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:09,560 Speaker 1: but I just think he's I think that I think 772 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:11,560 Speaker 1: that his lack of success over the last couple of 773 00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: years has caused him to come to terms with some 774 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,200 Speaker 1: of the realities of his body changing as he's getting older. 775 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: I think he's gonna be in better shape this year. 776 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:19,840 Speaker 1: I think his hamstring will hold up as a result. 777 00:42:20,040 --> 00:42:21,600 Speaker 1: I think over the course of the season he'll get 778 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:23,880 Speaker 1: an even better shape, and I think he'll regain some 779 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:26,760 Speaker 1: of that burst he's like he's like my age, he's 780 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:29,200 Speaker 1: like thirty two years old. He's not. This dude is 781 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:32,239 Speaker 1: not This is not a washed up old veteran. Yes, 782 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,759 Speaker 1: he's lived a hard life, but there's lots of basketball 783 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 1: left in James Harden's legs. And if he can get 784 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:40,279 Speaker 1: his conditioning back, I don't see any reason why he 785 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:43,759 Speaker 1: can't have a bounce back season. And then anytime you 786 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:46,680 Speaker 1: have a player the talent level of Joel Embiid, who 787 00:42:46,719 --> 00:42:48,560 Speaker 1: I think is the eighth best player in the world, 788 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 1: you can't ever discount a healthy Joel embiat playoff run 789 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:55,080 Speaker 1: and how and if he's dominant enough, how that could 790 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:56,960 Speaker 1: put the Sixers in position to win a lot of 791 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:00,200 Speaker 1: a lot of big games. So they're really just say, 792 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: not so long shot to win the East. That's why 793 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: I have them as the team I expect to overachieve. 794 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:10,359 Speaker 1: All right, the team I expect underachieve. I am going 795 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: with the Suns. So, first of all, they benefited from 796 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 1: a great deal of injury luck in the playoffs. They 797 00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:21,680 Speaker 1: beat the Lakers without Anthony Davis, they beat the Nuggets 798 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:25,360 Speaker 1: without Jamal Murray, they beat the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard, 799 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: and then they beat the Bucks twice when Janice was 800 00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: his first two games back from a hyper extended knee, 801 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:36,520 Speaker 1: and then Joannice just literally ran rough shot over them 802 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:38,800 Speaker 1: and beat them four times in a row. But we 803 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: flowed directly from that into two, which was a season 804 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,360 Speaker 1: where the West was historically weak because a bunch of 805 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,839 Speaker 1: teams were down for various reasons. Clippers were down because 806 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 1: of Kauai, the Lakers were down because the Lebron and 807 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:53,799 Speaker 1: a d getting hurt all the time. The Nuggets were 808 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,120 Speaker 1: down because Michael Porter Jr. And Jamal Murray were out there. 809 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,719 Speaker 1: Just it was just a week Western Conference in that 810 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: particular year, and they won a ton of regular season games, 811 00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:06,560 Speaker 1: but then they got into the playoffs and looked somewhat 812 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:09,880 Speaker 1: less than dominant against a really good, exciting, young New 813 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:14,160 Speaker 1: Orleans Pelicans team, and then they lost in really embarrassing fashion, 814 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:18,440 Speaker 1: humiliating fashion to the Dallas Mavericks. So there's some kind 815 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:21,480 Speaker 1: of like weird residual energy from that. Then we have 816 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:27,319 Speaker 1: DeAndre Ayton's contract situation that was very strange. Clearly wanted 817 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:30,920 Speaker 1: to go to the Pacers. He has beef with Monty Williams, 818 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 1: which may or may not get resolved at some point, 819 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:36,880 Speaker 1: Chris Paul is turning into one of the oldest players 820 00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:39,440 Speaker 1: in the league, and he's under size, which can always 821 00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:42,279 Speaker 1: be that can be an issue for younger players letter 822 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:45,640 Speaker 1: let alone players in his position. And then just in general, 823 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:49,000 Speaker 1: the West is much much better this year. We've got 824 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:52,160 Speaker 1: the return of the Nuggets to full strength, the return 825 00:44:52,239 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: of the Lakers to their version of full strength, the 826 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:58,120 Speaker 1: return of the Clippers the full strength the Minnesota Timberwolves 827 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:00,120 Speaker 1: made a big time trade. They have more talent than 828 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:02,480 Speaker 1: they did last year. Then we've got young teams like 829 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 1: New Orleans coming up that I expect to capitalize on 830 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:06,680 Speaker 1: some of their success from the end of the year. 831 00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:10,479 Speaker 1: Last year, I seriously considered New Orleans for my overachieving team. 832 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 1: Sacramento uh with the acquisition of Kevin Herder um uh 833 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:18,920 Speaker 1: and I'm blanking on his name right now. But the 834 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,759 Speaker 1: young uh, the young wing that they drafted, the that 835 00:45:22,040 --> 00:45:25,719 Speaker 1: I really like, who's been killing it in preseason. They're 836 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:30,160 Speaker 1: an interesting team. The West is much much tougher this year. 837 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,440 Speaker 1: What does that translate to? It means night in and 838 00:45:33,640 --> 00:45:36,120 Speaker 1: night out. Keegan Murray, by the way, is his name? Sorry? 839 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:38,480 Speaker 1: I get terrible with names. Randomly. I'm like, like, have 840 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:41,280 Speaker 1: a good memory sometimes and horrible memory others. It's really frustrating. 841 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:44,520 Speaker 1: But night in and night out, the schedule in the 842 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:47,719 Speaker 1: Western Conference is just gonna be a lot tougher than 843 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:50,759 Speaker 1: it was last year. Did you know that last year 844 00:45:50,840 --> 00:45:55,640 Speaker 1: the Sons won thirty three of their games requiring crunch 845 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:58,799 Speaker 1: time to win, which was most in the league by 846 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:01,960 Speaker 1: a mile. The Raptors were second with twenty six. What 847 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:05,759 Speaker 1: that means is, yes, the Suns were dominant, but these 848 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:08,560 Speaker 1: games were close, and we're competitive, and they were winning 849 00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:11,000 Speaker 1: often because Chris Paul just made enough plays at the 850 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:12,640 Speaker 1: end of the game or Devin Booker just made enough 851 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:15,040 Speaker 1: plays at the end of the game. That means they're 852 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:20,279 Speaker 1: not blowing teams out. This wasn't the Boston Celtics. The 853 00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:23,120 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics beat the crap out of everybody last year. 854 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:26,279 Speaker 1: The Suns were winning in close games. So when you 855 00:46:26,360 --> 00:46:29,000 Speaker 1: have a night and night out tougher schedule, some weird 856 00:46:29,120 --> 00:46:32,120 Speaker 1: baggage kind of lingering around the team, and a team 857 00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:35,880 Speaker 1: that already was thriving on other teams getting hurt and 858 00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:40,400 Speaker 1: or winning in tight game environments at the end, there's 859 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:43,279 Speaker 1: just a lot of reasons why this could swing the 860 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:47,240 Speaker 1: other way, it's more more accurately, I'd say it wouldn't 861 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:51,200 Speaker 1: take much for this to swing the other way. Now. 862 00:46:51,239 --> 00:46:54,480 Speaker 1: They're still super talented, talented enough to win a whole 863 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:56,920 Speaker 1: lot of games, even if Chris Paul misses time, even 864 00:46:56,960 --> 00:47:00,360 Speaker 1: if Devin Booker misses time. But with the drama uderneath 865 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:03,920 Speaker 1: the surface, it won't take much for this team to fracture. 866 00:47:03,960 --> 00:47:05,920 Speaker 1: And when they fracture, they lose the buy in. When 867 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:08,279 Speaker 1: they lose the buy in, the defensive end slips and 868 00:47:08,320 --> 00:47:10,920 Speaker 1: the offensive ball movement slips. Look at what happened to 869 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:13,480 Speaker 1: the Lakers last year when they didn't buy into Frank Vogel. 870 00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:16,440 Speaker 1: Even with as much talent as they have, it's not 871 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:21,520 Speaker 1: completely unrealistic that they could go and thirty seven because 872 00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:24,239 Speaker 1: some of those games don't go their way, and then 873 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:26,120 Speaker 1: they're in the West this year. That might be a 874 00:47:26,200 --> 00:47:30,200 Speaker 1: playing team, which is a really far cry from being 875 00:47:30,320 --> 00:47:33,399 Speaker 1: the undisputed best team in the regular season last year. 876 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:36,480 Speaker 1: So I have the Sons as the team I expected underachieve. 877 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 1: All Right, who I think is gonna win M v P. 878 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:44,719 Speaker 1: I'm picking you, honest. The Luca pick just doesn't make 879 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:47,600 Speaker 1: much sense to me. I I do not understand why 880 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:51,400 Speaker 1: he's so heavily favored. The Dallas Mavericks had a weird offseason. 881 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:53,560 Speaker 1: They lost one of the primary ball handlers, didn't get 882 00:47:53,560 --> 00:47:56,360 Speaker 1: another one in return. Christian Wood is now going to 883 00:47:56,400 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 1: come off the bench for them. It's just it's a 884 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:01,200 Speaker 1: funky team. I like them. Still is a playoff threat, 885 00:48:01,920 --> 00:48:04,319 Speaker 1: but I do not see them as a team that's 886 00:48:04,320 --> 00:48:07,400 Speaker 1: going to win enough regular season games to win an 887 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:10,120 Speaker 1: MVP this year. And then when you look at Janice, 888 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:13,160 Speaker 1: it's kind of shaping up to be the perfect set 889 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:16,680 Speaker 1: of circumstances for him to win an MVP. First of all, 890 00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:18,160 Speaker 1: his team is gonna win a ton of games, and 891 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:20,279 Speaker 1: they're gonna be one of the top seeds. That's just 892 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:24,120 Speaker 1: a reality of the Bucks roster. He'll put up ridiculous 893 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:28,280 Speaker 1: counting stats, like he always does. He'll put up ridiculous 894 00:48:28,280 --> 00:48:30,680 Speaker 1: advanced metrics, the catch balls and stuff, which I don't 895 00:48:30,719 --> 00:48:32,719 Speaker 1: personally care about, but there are a lot of MVP 896 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:34,680 Speaker 1: voters who do, so you have to factor that in here. 897 00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:40,520 Speaker 1: He's the best defensive player in basketball. MVP voters love that. 898 00:48:40,680 --> 00:48:42,279 Speaker 1: They love players who play both ends of the floor. 899 00:48:42,760 --> 00:48:46,680 Speaker 1: He tries hard every night. That's almost that's incredibly important 900 00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:49,719 Speaker 1: to m VP because m VP voters have always discounted 901 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:51,560 Speaker 1: the veterans, the guys who've been around around a long time, 902 00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:54,600 Speaker 1: because they don't try hard often enough. And then, most importantly, 903 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:57,800 Speaker 1: he hasn't won an MVP S so it will be 904 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:01,239 Speaker 1: fresh to the voters. You won't pay at tax, that 905 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:03,640 Speaker 1: Lebron tax that used to talk about all those years ago, 906 00:49:03,920 --> 00:49:05,960 Speaker 1: where it's just like you're so dominant for so long 907 00:49:06,040 --> 00:49:08,439 Speaker 1: that like your bar is just different than everyone else, 908 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:10,719 Speaker 1: and a lot of your success goes kind of under 909 00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:13,120 Speaker 1: the table. I think, I think Johannas and I believe 910 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:16,080 Speaker 1: that FanDuel he's plus seven hundred, although the odd deadline 911 00:49:16,160 --> 00:49:19,320 Speaker 1: might have moved since I last looked. But I just 912 00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:21,200 Speaker 1: think I think he's I think he's shaping up for 913 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:26,080 Speaker 1: just a textbook revenge campaign, and everybody just remembers how 914 00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:28,400 Speaker 1: dominant he is. The Bucks win a ton of games, 915 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:29,839 Speaker 1: they're the one seed in the East or the two 916 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:32,239 Speaker 1: seeds in the East. He's clearly the best player in 917 00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:34,920 Speaker 1: the world, and everyone just finally relents and gives him 918 00:49:34,920 --> 00:49:37,080 Speaker 1: an m v P. So I think Janice is actually 919 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:40,000 Speaker 1: a really really smart bet, especially that kind of odds 920 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:44,319 Speaker 1: to win the m v P this year. Um, all right, 921 00:49:44,400 --> 00:49:47,200 Speaker 1: last thing before we get out of here, I wanted 922 00:49:47,239 --> 00:49:48,759 Speaker 1: to spend a couple of minutes talking about the Lakers 923 00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:51,640 Speaker 1: opening schedule because this is insane because they're the team 924 00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:53,839 Speaker 1: that I think has the most up in the air 925 00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:56,399 Speaker 1: and the early phases of the season and a team 926 00:49:56,440 --> 00:49:59,800 Speaker 1: that has really divergent paths. Because the Lakers have like 927 00:49:59,880 --> 00:50:02,799 Speaker 1: a long shot chance to win the title, right if 928 00:50:02,920 --> 00:50:05,120 Speaker 1: some things shape out. They make a trade with Russ, 929 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:07,160 Speaker 1: they get a couple of good role players back Lebron 930 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:09,839 Speaker 1: and a d both played like top five players, Like, yeah, 931 00:50:09,960 --> 00:50:11,560 Speaker 1: you're you're dumb if you don't think they can win 932 00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:13,560 Speaker 1: a title of things go that way, But they also 933 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:15,359 Speaker 1: have like a bunch of different ways that it could 934 00:50:15,360 --> 00:50:18,440 Speaker 1: go south and they could miss the playoffs entirely, you know, 935 00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:22,120 Speaker 1: not even necessarily just because of injuries. Right, So they 936 00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:24,279 Speaker 1: have like a wide range of outcomes. But the the 937 00:50:24,719 --> 00:50:26,760 Speaker 1: I do think it's really interesting how tough their schedule 938 00:50:26,840 --> 00:50:28,440 Speaker 1: is to start the year, which is very different from 939 00:50:28,520 --> 00:50:32,120 Speaker 1: last year. Last year, I remember they their schedule was 940 00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:35,759 Speaker 1: just stacked with cupcakes for the first basically like month 941 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:39,120 Speaker 1: of the season, and the Lakers still underperformed against that 942 00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:43,080 Speaker 1: particular schedule. So for starters start the season against the 943 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:45,080 Speaker 1: Warriors on Tuesday, and then they turn around and play 944 00:50:45,120 --> 00:50:49,320 Speaker 1: the Clippers on Thursday. They'll be significant underdogs in both games. 945 00:50:49,640 --> 00:50:52,279 Speaker 1: They could play well and go oh and two in 946 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:55,719 Speaker 1: both of those games. Then they play the Blazers. That's 947 00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:57,759 Speaker 1: a game they should win, but it'll be a tough game. 948 00:50:58,320 --> 00:51:03,359 Speaker 1: Then their next four are Nuggets, Wolves, Nuggets, Pelicans. That's 949 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:05,360 Speaker 1: four really tough games, and two of them are on 950 00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:08,520 Speaker 1: the road, particularly those first two against the Nuggets and 951 00:51:08,520 --> 00:51:10,920 Speaker 1: Wolves are on the road. And then three of their 952 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:14,200 Speaker 1: next six after that are against the Calves, Clippers, and Nets, 953 00:51:15,120 --> 00:51:17,280 Speaker 1: three teams that I had very high in my power rankings. 954 00:51:18,280 --> 00:51:22,080 Speaker 1: So they will be like and again, even if you 955 00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:25,160 Speaker 1: believe in the Lakers ceiling, which I do, even if 956 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:28,799 Speaker 1: you believe in that, they're at a massive continuity disadvantage 957 00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:31,520 Speaker 1: right now. They did not get a ton of time 958 00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:34,040 Speaker 1: playing together in preseason because Anthony Davis was dealing with 959 00:51:34,120 --> 00:51:37,359 Speaker 1: some back stuff and they had some important players a wing. 960 00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:39,279 Speaker 1: I expect him to play a lot in Troy Brown Jr. 961 00:51:39,360 --> 00:51:41,480 Speaker 1: Was out with injury for a while. Dennis Shrewder was 962 00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:43,480 Speaker 1: dealing with a visa situation and then he just broke 963 00:51:43,600 --> 00:51:45,919 Speaker 1: his finger thumb or something like that, so he's gonna 964 00:51:45,920 --> 00:51:48,279 Speaker 1: be out for a while. Like they had, they they 965 00:51:48,360 --> 00:51:50,880 Speaker 1: are going to be at a massive continuity disadvantage in 966 00:51:51,040 --> 00:51:54,399 Speaker 1: every single one of those games. They're building this from 967 00:51:54,440 --> 00:51:58,759 Speaker 1: scratch essentially, so they could very easily be under five 968 00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:01,000 Speaker 1: hundred through their team games. That schedule that I just 969 00:52:01,080 --> 00:52:03,359 Speaker 1: laid out for you is their first thirteen games. There's 970 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:05,839 Speaker 1: a version of that story where they beat the three 971 00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:07,920 Speaker 1: bad because I think they have two matchups with the 972 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:09,680 Speaker 1: Pistons and like one with the Spurs in there, and 973 00:52:09,719 --> 00:52:12,719 Speaker 1: then maybe they beat the Blazers. There's four wins. But 974 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:16,320 Speaker 1: what about those other those other nine games there? What 975 00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:19,239 Speaker 1: if they go what if they win three of those? Right? Like, 976 00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:22,360 Speaker 1: there's a version of this where they could be seven 977 00:52:22,440 --> 00:52:26,719 Speaker 1: and six, six and seven. They could very easily be 978 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:29,719 Speaker 1: under five d through thirteen games, even if they play 979 00:52:29,840 --> 00:52:33,520 Speaker 1: well because of the continuity disadvantage and because of how 980 00:52:33,600 --> 00:52:38,080 Speaker 1: difficult the schedule is. Now For me personally, I would 981 00:52:38,239 --> 00:52:40,600 Speaker 1: preach patients there and I would say, look, you have 982 00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:43,520 Speaker 1: a really tough schedule. You don't have continuity. You need 983 00:52:43,560 --> 00:52:46,160 Speaker 1: to weather this storm a little bit. You'll hit your 984 00:52:46,200 --> 00:52:48,120 Speaker 1: stride later on in the season. That would be what 985 00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:50,160 Speaker 1: I would say. But this is the Lakers, a team 986 00:52:50,239 --> 00:52:52,480 Speaker 1: that's under a great deal of pressure, that has this 987 00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:56,080 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook situation hanging over them. Now, Russell Westbrook's coming 988 00:52:56,120 --> 00:52:58,760 Speaker 1: off the bench. I've heard from people that are involved 989 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:01,399 Speaker 1: with the team that it probably as a precursor. They's 990 00:53:01,480 --> 00:53:03,160 Speaker 1: kind of like a last chance, Like if he can't 991 00:53:03,200 --> 00:53:06,080 Speaker 1: succeed in this role, then they would consider sending him 992 00:53:06,120 --> 00:53:10,480 Speaker 1: home before until a trade gets found. So, like, the 993 00:53:10,600 --> 00:53:14,360 Speaker 1: reality is is this this first thirteen games, with the 994 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:18,480 Speaker 1: combination of the drama and and the difficulty of the schedule, 995 00:53:18,680 --> 00:53:20,799 Speaker 1: things could go south pretty quickly. And so there's two 996 00:53:20,920 --> 00:53:24,839 Speaker 1: ways that it could go from there. One, it could 997 00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:27,839 Speaker 1: go them into feeling enough urgency to finally trade Russ, 998 00:53:27,880 --> 00:53:30,520 Speaker 1: which would be good. But the flip side of that 999 00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:32,640 Speaker 1: is it could also go them into thinking that this 1000 00:53:32,719 --> 00:53:35,600 Speaker 1: team is a lost cause. And if they get if 1001 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,520 Speaker 1: they get convinced that the team that this team is 1002 00:53:37,560 --> 00:53:40,640 Speaker 1: a lost cause, they could decide to do nothing. And 1003 00:53:40,719 --> 00:53:43,120 Speaker 1: if that's the case, then you know, now you're punting 1004 00:53:43,200 --> 00:53:45,440 Speaker 1: a season of Lebron James and your twenty in a 1005 00:53:45,480 --> 00:53:48,600 Speaker 1: season of Anthony Davis under contract in his twenties. I 1006 00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:51,880 Speaker 1: think it would be a huge mistake because, especially these 1007 00:53:51,920 --> 00:53:54,640 Speaker 1: early season losses would be just as much a byproduct 1008 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:58,399 Speaker 1: of continuity as it would be about talent. The big 1009 00:53:58,560 --> 00:54:00,839 Speaker 1: swing factor there. The one that we have that we've 1010 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:02,200 Speaker 1: got to keep an eye on is how good do 1011 00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:05,640 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davis look? Because if you're six 1012 00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:11,080 Speaker 1: and seven, but Lebron and a D look fantastic, that way, 1013 00:54:11,400 --> 00:54:14,120 Speaker 1: that will go them into trading the picks and getting 1014 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:19,080 Speaker 1: role players around them before it's too late. But if 1015 00:54:19,160 --> 00:54:21,320 Speaker 1: Lebron and a D don't look great, it could go 1016 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:24,560 Speaker 1: the opposite direction and that could be the everything they 1017 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:26,719 Speaker 1: need to feel like this team is worth punting on. 1018 00:54:27,880 --> 00:54:29,880 Speaker 1: But yeah, it's gonna be interesting watching the Lakers to 1019 00:54:29,960 --> 00:54:32,279 Speaker 1: start the season. There it could go south quickly without 1020 00:54:32,320 --> 00:54:35,320 Speaker 1: tough their schedule is. But those are my picks to 1021 00:54:35,360 --> 00:54:38,640 Speaker 1: start this season. Obviously, I'm not married to anything. That's 1022 00:54:38,640 --> 00:54:41,520 Speaker 1: just where I'm at right now. Um and again with predictions, 1023 00:54:41,560 --> 00:54:43,160 Speaker 1: and I tell you guys this all the time, predictions 1024 00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:47,839 Speaker 1: are just predictions and their guesses. If I was right 1025 00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:49,840 Speaker 1: all the time, I wouldn't be doing this. I'd be 1026 00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:53,239 Speaker 1: in Vegas betting on these things. And uh, I don't 1027 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:55,759 Speaker 1: know many professional gamblers out there, because it really is 1028 00:54:55,840 --> 00:54:58,720 Speaker 1: that difficult to predict sports. That's why we love sports 1029 00:54:58,800 --> 00:55:01,560 Speaker 1: so much, so much as up the air. UM. But 1030 00:55:01,640 --> 00:55:03,759 Speaker 1: I'm always gonna give you guys my predictions because I'm 1031 00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:05,279 Speaker 1: not afraid of being wrong, and I'm just gonna do 1032 00:55:05,400 --> 00:55:07,399 Speaker 1: my best and base it on my analysis and base 1033 00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:09,680 Speaker 1: it on the things that I see on tape. UM. 1034 00:55:09,800 --> 00:55:11,399 Speaker 1: But I'm very, very excited just to give you guys 1035 00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:14,560 Speaker 1: an idea of the schedule coming up again. UM Tomorrow night, 1036 00:55:14,920 --> 00:55:18,960 Speaker 1: right after Lakers Warriors will be going live Wednesday. Keep 1037 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:21,320 Speaker 1: an eye during the day for a film breakdown on 1038 00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:24,000 Speaker 1: Tuesday night's games with footage that's on my Twitter feed. 1039 00:55:24,600 --> 00:55:28,560 Speaker 1: Thursday night will be a combination of instant reaction to 1040 00:55:29,239 --> 00:55:31,560 Speaker 1: Lakers Clippers in the other National TV game from that night, 1041 00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:34,839 Speaker 1: as well as breakdown of Wednesday nights games. We'll get 1042 00:55:34,880 --> 00:55:36,840 Speaker 1: to see the I believe the Nets play that night 1043 00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:39,520 Speaker 1: on Wednesday night as well, so live show Tuesday Night 1044 00:55:39,840 --> 00:55:42,279 Speaker 1: show during the day on Wednesday, live show, Thursday night 1045 00:55:42,560 --> 00:55:44,719 Speaker 1: show during the day on Friday. That's our kind of 1046 00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:47,520 Speaker 1: schedule for the rest of the week. As always, I 1047 00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:49,960 Speaker 1: sincerely appreciate you guys support. I am so so so 1048 00:55:50,120 --> 00:55:54,480 Speaker 1: excited to embark on this long nine month journey with 1049 00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:56,480 Speaker 1: you guys and to see what we can build this into. 1050 00:55:56,960 --> 00:55:59,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys so much, and I will see 1051 00:55:59,200 --> 00:56:02,200 Speaker 1: you tomorrow night for the season opener. I'm stoked. It's 1052 00:56:02,200 --> 00:57:01,880 Speaker 1: gonna be fine. Let's do it. The volume