1 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,159 Speaker 1: All right, welcome to Hoops tonight. Happy Sunday everybody. I 2 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: hope all of you guys are having a great weekend 3 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: so far. We are live on and don't forget if 4 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: you're listening on YouTube or on the podcast feed. The 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: AMP is the very first place that you guys can 6 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: get these shows. The Golden State Warriors are only capable 7 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: of playing incredibly hectic, comeback fourth quarter type of games, 8 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: and they suffer a really disappointing loss in Denver, but 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: I thought it was another indication of some of their 10 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: athleticism limitations. We're gonna dive into that a little bit. 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: Then we're gonna have our guy Carson come on. We're 12 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: gonna hit some questions around the league, including some Lakers, 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: that big matchup between the Sixers and the Bucks. The 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: Dallas Mavericks suffer what could be their crippling loss here, 15 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: putting them in a tough spot at the end of 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: the play in tournament. And then I have some thoughts 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: on the CBA negotiations in the league potentially heading in 18 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: the wrong direction. So we got a lot of stuff 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: to get into today. You guys know the joke before 20 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: we get started. Subscribed to the volumes YouTube channels. You 21 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: don't miss any more of our videos, follow me on 22 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: Twitter at underscore Jason lt And for whatever reason, you 23 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: guys miss one of these shows and you can't get 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: back over to YouTube to finish, don't forget. You can 25 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: find them wherever you get your podcasts. Under Hoops Tonight, 26 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: all right, let's socks some basketball. So you know, there's 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: this separation between the winning core of the Warriors and 28 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: what they can do to grind out wins. You know, 29 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: it's funny. When I was a younger basketball player here 30 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: in the city of Tucson, and I'd play in the 31 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: men's leagues and stuff around town, we would frequently lose 32 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: to older teams that didn't have as much talented as us, 33 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: but they just kind of knew how to play right, 34 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: and that sort of basketball IQ fierce competitiveness, sheer force 35 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: of will. Whatever your elite, top end talent is that 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: your specific team has, you can ride that a certain extent. 37 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, this is a 38 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: contact sport and there's a great deal of there's a 39 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: great many physical confrontations taking place on the court. I 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: remember I'm a Cowboys fan, and I remember in the 41 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: mid twenty tens, when their offensive line was so damn good, 42 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: Like they'd roll up in the Green Bay to play 43 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: the Packers and yeah, they're not as good as Aaron 44 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: Rodgers and Richard Rodgers and everybody that was on that team, 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: but they would just dominate the line of scrimmage and 46 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: run the ball wherever they needed to go and eat 47 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: two upclock, dominate time of possession, and they went and 48 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: it didn't matter what kind of skill advantages that the 49 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: Packers had or whatever team the Cowboys were playing had. 50 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: And I've always said that like those physical confrontations at athleticism, 51 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: that whether that's perimeter defense and containing the ball, crashing 52 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: the offensive glass or the defensive glass, running up and 53 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: down the floor, and transition, all of those things are 54 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: the physical battles that take place on a basketball court. 55 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 1: And if you lose all of those, you have to 56 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: be damn near perfect everywhere else. And you know, Denver 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: has a lot of athletes on the roster, Peyton Watson. 58 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: Just again, how many times in the NBA do we 59 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: have to see whether it's you know, a guy like 60 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: a guy like Peyton Watson, what we've seen just Jonathan 61 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 1: comingo with the Warriors flying around here the second half 62 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: of the season on the Lakers, guys like Jared Vanderbilt 63 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: or guys like when you and Gabriel. We see this type, 64 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: this archetype of player around the league and as if 65 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: you're taller than six seven and you're athletic and you 66 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: just play your ass off, you can impact the game 67 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: of basketball in a lot of different ways just by 68 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: flying around. Peyton Watson was everywhere in the second half 69 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: of this game, making plays just with his length and athleticism. 70 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: Christian Braun, Bruce Brown. That Denver bench is athletic and 71 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: they and here's the thing with that Warrior's roster, even 72 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: though they've added Gary Payton. Now, the reality is is 73 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: without Andrew Wiggins, they're a significantly below average team in 74 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: the NBA from the same point of letticism, and you 75 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: can win and overcome that. You just have to be perfect. 76 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: We're gonna get into this a little bit deeper when 77 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: we talk about the Mavericks later on in the show. 78 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: But like Stephen and Clay couldn't make a three in 79 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: this game. I think they were six for twenty six 80 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: up until the final sequence. I can't remember what they 81 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: actually finished as but they weren't shooting very well. And 82 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: if they're not going to shoot well, they can't overcome 83 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: those physical disadvantages. The same thing with Kyrie and Luca. 84 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: Kyrie and Luca have to be damn near perfect to 85 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: make up for the limitations that they have elsewhere on 86 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: the roster. It's just a lot to ask. And you know, again, 87 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: I think we've seen a lot of this narrative with 88 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: the Nuggets as it pertains to Yokich's MVP case, trying 89 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: to minimize the talent that's on this Denver roster, and 90 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: the reality is, it's a lot of the same issues 91 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: that I've been talking about with the Lakers having to 92 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: do with staggering. They just they play their starters together 93 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: all the time, and then they bring in these line 94 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: shift bench groups, and as a result, those groups really 95 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: struggle because they don't have nearly enough talent because they 96 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: don't stagger their players very well. They do occasionally, but 97 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: not nearly as much as some of the other teams 98 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: in the league, and so you get these absurd point differentials. 99 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure some of you guys who were listening to 100 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: the NBA TV broadcast tonight they had a graphic that 101 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: they put up on the screen showing what the nuggets 102 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: are when Yokich is on the floor and what the 103 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: nuggets are when Yokich is off the floor, and you'll 104 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: see differentials there. With the best players in the league, 105 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: often that's normal. They're your best player, and obviously, in 106 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: the NBA, the singular best player on your team has 107 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: more impact on winning than just about any other team sport, 108 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: and so obviously removing that kind of guy off the floor, 109 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: you're gonna see a drop off that goes around the 110 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: entire league, regardless of which player we're talking about. But 111 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: the reality is is Denver even though it doesn't have 112 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: the same kind of big names that you see in 113 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,840 Speaker 1: some of these other supporting casts, Like when you go 114 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: to the Bucks, you know Brook Lopez and Drew Holliday 115 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,559 Speaker 1: and Chris Middleton, they're a little bit more renowned around 116 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,799 Speaker 1: the league. Right when you go to Philly, James harden 117 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: Off obviously is considered a superstar, even if he's probably 118 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: on the tail end of that side of things. Tyrese 119 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: Maxie was off the charts good again tonight with his 120 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 1: shot making. He's a guy that you think of as 121 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: like a star guard. So you think of those rosters 122 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: as more talented, and I think they are, probably, but 123 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: not much. And the truth is is that that Denver 124 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: roster has a lot of professional NBA starting level basketball 125 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: players that compliment Nikolayokis extremely well. And they do have 126 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: a good amount of size on the perimeter. What's Golden 127 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: State's biggest weakness perimeter size, right, especially without Andrew Wiggins. 128 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: Without perimeter size, you buy opportunities to shoot over the 129 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: top for people, right. So, like you know, if the 130 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: Warriors have to put Jonathan Cominga to try to handle 131 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: a guy like Jamal Murray on any given possession, then 132 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 1: guess what Michael Porter Junior is gonna be isoing Steph Curry. 133 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: And Steph competes defensively and he puts in all the effort. 134 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: But the reality is is if Steph can tests a 135 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: Michael Porter Junior hesitation pull up three, he's not bothering 136 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: that shot. He's just not There's just he's just giving 137 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: up too many inches there, right, So like Michael Porter Jr. 138 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: Just consistently getting to his spots and elevating and knocking 139 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: shots down. Aaron Gordon as a do everything forward Contavious 140 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: Callbo Pope, one of the most professional two guards that 141 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: you have in the league that just does everything well 142 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: that you need in a supporting player on an NBA roster. 143 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,119 Speaker 1: They have a lot of talent, a lot of athleticism. 144 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: This is a good team. And guess what, Jamal Murray, 145 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: He's capable of hitting all of the high level shots 146 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: that the other stars around the league hit. This game 147 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: kind of got off the rails there in that early 148 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: fourth quarter. Who was it that was hitting the shots? 149 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: It was Jamal Murray flying through I think it was 150 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: an elevator screen at the top of the key and 151 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: knocking down his shot. Or the Nuggets forcing a turnover 152 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: and Jamal Murray dribbling down the floor and pulling up 153 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: from three. I think, you know, I don't know how 154 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: many times we have to see this, whether it's with 155 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: the Lakers and how bad they looked with Lebron James 156 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis and a bunch of like terrible role 157 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: players versus good NBA starter level role players, or this 158 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: Yers team who has struggled so much this season compared 159 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: to last season because of just dropping two significant role 160 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: players that they used to count on third if you 161 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: count for Andrew Wiggins getting out of the lineup. We 162 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: just in NBA history, we've way too frequently applied too 163 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: much credit to stars. They absolutely are the determining factor 164 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: for a team. Ceiling. That goes without saying, but you 165 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: do need good basketball players down the roster, and Denver 166 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: has a lot of really good basketball players. And that's 167 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: why as of right now, if the season were to 168 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: end today, I mean, we'll see what. We'll see how 169 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: things go with the Lakers and matchups. And Andrew Wiggins. 170 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: I saw a report yesterday that potentially he's returned to 171 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: the Bay Area. I don't know if that means he's 172 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: nearing a return to the team or not. Apparently he 173 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: had been out of San Francisco before that. Right, So, 174 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: like obviously some things can shake up at the bottom 175 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: of the West, but right in the Suns one again 176 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: tonight in Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant looked amazing, big shock 177 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: that that poor shooting night the other night was an anomaly. 178 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: So there are teams in the bottom that could potentially 179 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: enter this mix. But Denver to me remains the safest 180 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: bet for the time being until we see matchups because 181 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: they just have that top tier superstar. They've got the 182 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: supporting players that fit perfectly with him. They have home 183 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: court advantage and statistically speaking, one of the best home 184 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: court advantages in sports because of elevation. They're just in 185 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: a really good spot. And that's why if the season 186 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: were to if I had to make a pick right now, 187 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: I think the Nuggets are the safest pick, even though 188 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: there are lots of threats in the conference. All Right, guys, 189 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: we're gonna get to a bunch of other topics around 190 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: the league, but we're gonna wait for my guy, Carson 191 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: Carson to call on Carson. What's up, buddy. It is 192 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: good to see you, my friend. Good to see you too. Man. So, 193 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: as you said, a lot we want to hit on here. 194 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: Let's start with this. Anthony Davis has been on an 195 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: unbelievable stretch as of ladies, at thirty seven or more 196 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 1: points in four of his last five games. Is he 197 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: now playing well enough to be can sidered in the 198 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: same tier as Yoki Mbad when we're talking about that 199 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: absolute top class of big men around the league. Dude, 200 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to talk about this with you. You're 201 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: the specific person that I think is the perfect person 202 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: to have this discussion with because you're you're a huge 203 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: Yoki fan. I as of late, have ranked MBAD above him, 204 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: and obviously Anthony Davis is on this tear. I'm excited 205 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: to get into it. That was an impressive win for 206 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: the Lakers, by the way. They went down into Houston 207 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: and and just crushed him, and Anthony Davis looked great. 208 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: Lebron James was just playing old man ball, passing the 209 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: basketball around Ruby hot Chamura. Just yeah. I've always said 210 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: position battles are like the best thing to bring out 211 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: the best in a basketball player. And it's like, hey, dude, 212 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: do all the dirty work or sit behind Jared Vanderbilt 213 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: and he stepped in and he's playing really well. It's 214 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: a good win. The Lakers are looking really, really good 215 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: as of right now. They are literally tied in the 216 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: lost column for the five seat. Can you believe that 217 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: after this season? But so here's this is my this 218 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: is my take, Carson. I think that Anthony Davis is 219 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: in the same tier with those guys, but does not 220 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: have a case to be considered above them. Again, you 221 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: have to factor in availability with this stuff. Like I 222 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: frequently get in trouble with Laker fans who act like 223 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: I don't value Anthony Davis when simply I look at 224 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: it from the standpoint of what he looks like when 225 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: he's available in an rhythm versus when he's dealing with injuries. 226 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: And the fact of the matter is he's not been 227 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: able to finish a playoff series healthy since he hoisted 228 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 1: the trophy. That's just a fact, and that's a that's 229 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: an important footnote on Anthony Davis's career. He has the 230 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 1: ability to clear that reputation right, just like Joel Embiid 231 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: has in recent seasons by playing through pain and being 232 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: more available to his team. But like when I look 233 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: at it, you know, he's not the same offensive player 234 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: as Joel and Nicola Yokes. That's obvious. He's not the 235 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: same level of isolation score or post score that Joel 236 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: Embiad is. He's not the same pass or not in 237 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: the same stratosphere. Neither is Joel Embiid to kill Yokis. 238 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: But I do think he's a significantly better defensive player 239 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: than both of them. I think his ability to protect 240 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 1: the rim supersedes both by a significant margin, and he 241 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: has the versatility to switch out onto the perimeter. He's 242 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: the ideal small ball big in NBA history. I've often 243 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: said that, you know, Anthony Davis has never had the 244 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: case to say he's the best defensive player in the 245 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 1: league because of his availability, But I do think his 246 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: defensive ceiling is as high, if not higher, than any 247 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 1: player in the NBA. And make no mistake, he's not 248 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: a slouch on the offensive end of the floor. We've 249 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: seen it recently. This is a third consecutive game with 250 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: thirty eight plus points. He's gone for thirty five plus 251 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: thirteen times this year. Most of his scoring average stuff, 252 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,839 Speaker 1: which which dude, He's still averaging twenty six points per game. 253 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: It's not like he's got some low average. But he 254 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: does have issues with consistency of aggression. He does have 255 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: issues when it comes to settling for jump shots from 256 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: time to time. But when he is engaged, healthy, trusting 257 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: his foot, and locked in on both ends of the floor, 258 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: he's every bit as impactful as Yokichen Embiid when they're 259 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: at that same level. So I'm curious to say, do 260 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: you think I'm jumping the gun there? Do you think 261 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: there's a gap, or do you buy a d as 262 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: that level of player I think when we're talking about ceilings, absolutely, 263 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: and there's plenty of evidence for that. I mean, Anthony 264 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: Davis twenty twenty in the bubble run was viewed as 265 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: a bona fide top three, top four player in the world, 266 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: had one of the best two way runs that we've 267 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: ever seen. And sure that was a bit unfair because 268 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: he just decided he was going to shoot thirty eight 269 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: percent from deep, which he's never seen from him in 270 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: any other stretch of his basketball career, but never was 271 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: the ceiling. You're right, when he's available, is best defensive 272 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: player on the planet, and we've seen some offensive production 273 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: from him this year that we've never seen before in 274 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 1: terms of the skill, and I think that that's a 275 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: huge reason this has been such an awesome season for him. 276 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: Like the dominance that he's had in that short range 277 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: shot making outside the restricted area, but his hooks and 278 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: his floaters forty eight percent on those shots is eight 279 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: percent up last year almost he's been significantly better for 280 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: mid range, and he's stopped taking a lot of the 281 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: bad jump shots. I feel east in comparison to some 282 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: of these previous years, Like Ady's been a horrible three 283 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: point shooter for the last three years now, and he's 284 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: taking less of them this year, and I think that's 285 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: just a benefit to his game. He's been aggressive, he's 286 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: been physical, he's been efficient. Like if you look at 287 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: these last two games, I think he has thirteen offensive boards, 288 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: and he's creating second chance opportunities for himself. Bob Zone Missus. 289 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: It's like when ADCs Alpern Shangoon and goes right into 290 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: his chest and either just goes through him and gets 291 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: a layup or puts up that little touch shot. That's awesome. 292 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: When he consistently does that, He's had an awesome rebounding season. 293 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: Great defensive player. The Lakers are a top three defense 294 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: when he plays, they're a bottom five defense when he doesn't. 295 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: Like this is what Anthany Davis can be. He's a 296 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: wrecking ball. Yes, he's not as good of a pure 297 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: score of the basketball as Joel Embid. He's not nearly 298 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: the offensive player that yokies, but his two way ceiling 299 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: has got to be the highest because he can hang 300 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: forty on you in four out of five games and 301 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: be the best defensive player by far out of these three. 302 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: The difference is just the consistency. And it's not just availability, Jason. 303 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: Those two, as these perennial MVP candidates a status that 304 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: they've both earned, as these consistent carry their team night 305 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: to night guys just have a different level of consistency. 306 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: Yokich may not take fifteen shots every single game, he's 307 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: going to touch the ball one hundred and ten times. 308 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: He's gonna dictate basically every possession, and he's gonna lead 309 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: to a lead offense. Embiid is basically just gonna get 310 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: his thirty and be the most important defensive piece for 311 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: the Sixers every night. And Ad just has never had 312 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: that consistency, the aggression, the mentality, Like even in the 313 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: last few weeks, among these incredible masterpieces, you have that 314 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: eight point game, you have a pair of fifteen point games, 315 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: Like it's just different. And that's why I think those 316 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: two guys have to have the edge. But yes, Ad 317 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: has proven it, and he had these two years of 318 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: like shocking regression. But this Ad right now is as 319 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: good as bubble a d he is. I mean, he's 320 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: added new elements to his game more consistently that are 321 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: more legitimate, in my opinion, than him having a thirty 322 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: eight percent three point shooting run that was just never 323 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: going to be replicated. So no, I don't think that 324 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: you're out of bounds. But it's the consistency that separates 325 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: these three. To me, that the level of footwork he's 326 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: been demonstrating, particularly in the last two games, it's like 327 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: old school Chimolajuan, like pivot, pivot, spin over both over 328 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: both shoulders. He actually looks a touch quicker than he 329 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: has in the last couple of years. I think it's 330 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: just a product of how much the Lakers have needed 331 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: to lean on him as of late and him just 332 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: drop and wait. Look, here's the thing. When you're putting 333 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: together a list, you have to put Yokachen and Beat 334 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: in front. They've earned that right. But I mean, I 335 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: would argue, especially in a playoff setting, if he's healthy 336 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: in a playoff series, there's a case. I'm not saying 337 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: I would necessarily take that pick, but there's a case 338 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: that ad is the guy that you would pick for 339 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: a series. Again, looking back to twenty twenty, he was 340 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: definitively a top four player. I thought when you were 341 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: looking at it, it it was like Lebron, Stephen Kadie were 342 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: all still clearly ahead, but like coming out of that 343 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: twenty twenty playoff. Now Jannis has since lapped him, that's 344 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: a fact. But coming out of that twenty twenty playoff run, 345 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 1: if you had Jannis over eighty, you were the crazy guy, like, 346 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: because Jannis and his lack of half court polish showed 347 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: up in a big, ugly way in that Miami series 348 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis was the half court you know, like 349 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: tip of the spear for that Lakers team, and they 350 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: would just dump the ball to him with seven seconds 351 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: on the shot clock and they were scoring healthy over 352 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: a point per possession. Like, he definitely is deserving of 353 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: being in that in that tier at least when we're 354 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: evaluating for a playoff series. Before we move on really quick, 355 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you. I said that Joel Embiad's 356 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: play here the second half of the season has demonstrated 357 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: to me that I think he's a slightly better player 358 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: than Yokich. Are you ready to make that picker? Do 359 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: you disagree with me? No, I'm not quite ready to 360 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: go there because I think that there is still an 361 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: offensive gap that is really underrated, Like the elevation that 362 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,479 Speaker 1: we see from yokis night tonight. It's unbelievable. And I 363 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: agree with everything that you've laid out about the Nuggets 364 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: playing their starters as much as they do together and 365 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: that sort of messing with some of the team impact stats. 366 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: But the bottom line is that Yoki still consistently leads 367 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,360 Speaker 1: the best offense in basketball, are a top three offense, 368 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: what has been the best team in the West consistently 369 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: this year by far, and he does that all while 370 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 1: being a liability defensively. I just think he is a generational, 371 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 1: easily top ten offensive player of all time, and that 372 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: to me makes up with the defensive gap where I 373 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: just feel it and Beat is a bit overrated. I 374 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 1: still think he's a plotting guy who can be exposed 375 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: in space. He's a good rim protector, but is holding 376 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: guys like two percent below their average shooting percentage around 377 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: the rim this year, So it's not a dominant like 378 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 1: Yannis is sixteen, Right, Yanna is this unfathomable help side 379 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: rim protector, and Beat is big. He takes up a 380 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 1: lot of space. He's good there, but I don't think 381 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: he's great. So no, I'm not quite there with you, 382 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: and I will say if we're gonna have this whole. Hey, 383 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: both these guys need to prove more were in the playoffs. 384 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: Yoki has has been way better in the playoffs than Embiad, 385 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: and Bead has maybe once played up to expectations in 386 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: a playoff series. Yokich has done everything. He's just been 387 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,440 Speaker 1: exploited a bit more defensively, but offensively he's been every 388 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: bit as brilliant as ever, maybe even more so because 389 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: he's more aggressive. So that's interesting. I actually go the 390 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: opposite direction on the playoffs side. I think they're even. 391 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: I think Himbad has been a much better playoff defensive 392 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: player than Nicola yokich um. But the big thing with 393 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: Embad is his jump shot falling apart when he reaches 394 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 1: that stage and that and that's such a pivotal important 395 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: part of his game, and that's going to be when 396 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: I'm keeping an eye on in this playoff run. But 397 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: I don't think it's fair to give a playoff edge 398 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: to either of them because like sometimes within B two, 399 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: like do you remember that Raptors series a couple of 400 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: years ago where it was like he was shooting terribly. 401 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: It was like he shot like thirty three percent from 402 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: the field for the series, but like they just dominated 403 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: the Raptors whenever he was on the floor and got 404 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: their ass kicked every time he was off the floor, 405 00:19:53,680 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: Like a very interesting pivot. Yeah, I don't know. I 406 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: just think we've consistently seen the efficiency and production drop 407 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: with MBID, Like he's under forty seven percent from the 408 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: field in his playoff career, under thirty percent from three 409 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 1: twenty four game. That's just not the same Mbiad that 410 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 1: we've seen the regular season. This absolute monster. So I 411 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: would say Yokis has been the better playoff player, but 412 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: I mean Ad, just to bring it back to him, 413 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: has fought his way back into this conversation. He's earned it. 414 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,239 Speaker 1: He fell a way out of it, and he had 415 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: a stretch earlier this year, which now, I mean he's 416 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: had that second unbelievable run, but the nine game stretch 417 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: where he averaged thirty five, fifteen and three blocks per game, 418 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: literally nobody has ever done that, Akeem, David Robinson, Shack, 419 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 1: you know, Will probably did it one hundred times, but 420 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: they didn't track blocks, and he did it on seventy 421 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: two percent true shooting. So it's like you can't deny 422 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: what he's capable of. It's just let's see it more 423 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: consistently and hopefully in an actual playoff run this year. 424 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: If the Lakers can get it all together, that would 425 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: be a lot of fun, because I hate to see 426 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: wasted potential. Jason's let's pivot to another game that we 427 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: saw between a couple of Titans out East, including Joel 428 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: Embiid Bucks beat the Sixers. What did you take away 429 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:11,479 Speaker 1: from that game? You know, it's interesting. I the Jannis 430 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: in the Bucks needed this game more than more than 431 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: I think, uh that Philly did. Obviously, it was an 432 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: opportunity for himbat to put another stamp on the MVP race, 433 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: which he passed on in the Denver game, which I 434 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: actually I want to. We're gonna take it. We're gonna 435 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: take a quick break here. Did you have anything to 436 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: say about him beat skipping that Nuggets game the other night, No, 437 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: not other than I think that, Well, this is a 438 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: conversation we'll have later. I'm growing increasingly anti load management, 439 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: but if it makes sense for anyone, it's Embiid in 440 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: his third game in four nights. I was just surprised 441 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: that he would even allow that. After the interview came 442 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: out that morning, I'm like, that's just a bad look. 443 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: But no, I do not think it beat is ducking Yogis, 444 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: And I think that if you think that, that's ridiculous 445 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 1: thirteen straight games, Oh you skipped one then played every 446 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 1: game since I'm not saying he's I'm not saying he's 447 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: ducking him, but it's not a good look. It's not 448 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: a good look to play thirteen straight games, including a 449 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: back to back without James Harden, games that you probably 450 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: were gonna lose anyway, to then skip that particular game. 451 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 1: When that game we know from the shophold that the 452 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: MVP race was on like the fifty yard line, like 453 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: it was dead heat between Yokichen and Bead, like it's 454 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,959 Speaker 1: it was there for the taking, and again like it 455 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: was to me. It was just like the part that 456 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: I couldn't figure out was just from the standpoint of 457 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: as a competitor, and like like how do you not 458 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 1: want to try to beat him again? You know? But 459 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: but that said, like maybe I'm gonna give him the 460 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: benefit of the doubt and say that it was he 461 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 1: had some tightness in his calf and he just decided 462 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: to rest. But it was weird to play thirteen consecutive 463 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: games and then to hop back for those last two. 464 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,640 Speaker 1: But so in this particular game, the Bucks came out 465 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: with a much higher defensive energy. They were The big 466 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: schematic thing that stood out to me from this game, 467 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: which stood out from their last matchup was just sticking 468 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: Jannis on PJ. Tucker in the week's high corner. And 469 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: he's already the most devastating help defender in the league. 470 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: Because again, you guys got to think of it this way, 471 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 1: like James harden coming off of a ball screen, they 472 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 1: like to trap, right, you'd like to be able to 473 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: show high, not necessarily trap, but bring your ball screen 474 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: defender up high out to hedge so that James Harden 475 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: King gets downhill or to his pull up three and 476 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: you're chasing him over the top of the screen. So 477 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: you're throwing that pocket pass to Joel em Beat at 478 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: the free throw line, and Jannis is just waiting for 479 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: him there every single time in help. And then he's 480 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: such a great athlete that even when there's good shooters 481 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: out there, he can get a good contest. But here's 482 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:43,879 Speaker 1: the thing. Philly's the best spot up team in the league, 483 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: but PJ. Tucker's not one of those guys, and again 484 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 1: he tries to impact the game as best as he 485 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: can in that position. But I mean they basically played 486 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: the Bucks to a draw when Tucker was off the 487 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: floor and got their ass kick when Tucker was on 488 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: the floor. And I thought a big part of that 489 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,400 Speaker 1: was Yannis and Help And then a big underrated part 490 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: of that too is especially against teams like Philly that 491 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: are bad transition defenses, I look at like positioning Yannis 492 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: and Help as the perfect transition start. You know, like 493 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: he's Tucker's in the corner, he's standing getting uncontested rebounds 494 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 1: on all of the miss shots that take place in 495 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: that action, and he's just grabbing and going every single 496 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: time and again when he's when he's and I thought 497 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: he passed the ball pretty well in this particular game. 498 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: I think he only had like four assists, but he 499 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: was making the right reads and making Philly pay every 500 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: time they sent extra defenders, and that was just getting 501 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: him better opportunities to get downhill. It just again, it's 502 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: it's urgency and physicality and all the effort stuff that 503 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: went Milwaukee's way as a huge swing factor. But that's 504 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: the biggest matchup piece that stood out to me because 505 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: if you have to take PJ. Tucker off the floor, 506 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: that's the guy you want to guard Yannis with on 507 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: the other end of the floor, right, So it's just 508 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: a it's a it's a pretty tough give and take. 509 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: And then one other thing was just the Grayson Allen injury. 510 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 1: Tweaked his ankle on like kind of a funky step 511 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: on the baseline, and that specific position has been a 512 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 1: little bit of an issue for the Bucks because Pat 513 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: Conaton hasn't played especially well and when they size up 514 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: and go with guys like Ingles and Jay Crowder, they 515 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: really struggle to contain on the perimeter, which we saw 516 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: in the Celtics game. So like, it's just that that's 517 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: a really unfortunate little ankle twist here. It's so close 518 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: to the playoffs, but hopefully they'll have a good enough 519 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: first round matchup that it won't bother them too much. Yeah, 520 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: I agree with everything you laid out. This also just 521 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: felt like a game where it was kind of like, hey, 522 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: Milwaukee's just better. I mean, when you get this level 523 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: of impact from Drew and Middleton and Bobby Porters had 524 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: a great game. Jannis got whatever he wanted. He missed 525 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: four shots. Two of them were just dumb jump shots 526 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 1: that why do you still do this? You know? The 527 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 1: top of the key three had a weird pull up jumper. 528 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: And the one thing I do think that was interesting 529 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 1: on top of everything you said, is and Bead is 530 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: not always a guy who needs to get all the 531 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 1: way to the rim to be super effective, right because 532 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: he's such a lethal pull up jump shooter. If it's 533 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: off the short role getting that free throw line, he 534 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: can kill you from everywhere. He can also kill you 535 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 1: just getting the line. But we do know how dominant 536 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 1: Milwaukee's interior defenses. It did feel like Embiid was settling 537 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,159 Speaker 1: a bit in this game at times. One of seven 538 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: from deep only I believe attempted. He only made two 539 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: shots inside of five feet in that restricted area all game, 540 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,160 Speaker 1: and he took twenty five of them, so I thought 541 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: that they did a good job on him. But I 542 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: do agree it just felt like there was more urgency. 543 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 1: There was more intensity for Milwaukee in a regular season 544 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: game like this, that can really be a majority of 545 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: the difference. Let's talk about the Dallas Mavericks, Jason, because 546 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 1: they aust again tonight in the Hawks in overtime. They're 547 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,360 Speaker 1: now a game back of Oklahoma City for that ten seed, 548 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: but they're effectively two games back because they do not 549 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,679 Speaker 1: have the tiebreaker. This is with three games remaining for 550 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 1: each of these teams. Are they dead? Man? It's close Oklahoma. 551 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City gave Phoenix a little bit of a run 552 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: today and had they won that game, it would have 553 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: been over over, like actually legitimately over. But you know, 554 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 1: that was a really funny game. I don't I'm not 555 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 1: sure if you caught it, Carson, but our producer Ryan 556 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 1: was joking with us earlier. He's like, he's like, why 557 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: did Quinn Snyder wait so long to jump back into 558 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: coaching just to take on that Atlanta Hawks job with 559 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: Trey Young the coach killer. They're just kind of like, 560 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 1: it's funny because watching that game, like, I as a 561 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 1: basketball fan, I love watching Kyrie Irvings so much, but 562 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: everything else about watching those two teams play is just 563 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: like it makes me want to climb eyes out. You know, 564 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: there was a really weird sequence at the end of 565 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: this one. Quinn Snyder tried to give it away. I 566 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: don't know if you saw it, but when they when 567 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: they got that offensive rebound off the missed Christian Wood 568 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: free throw. They ran a lot play for JaVale McGee. 569 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: There's only four tenths of a second left, and they 570 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: had click cappella like way out to prepare to like 571 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: show or to hedge on any sort of like catching 572 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: shoot opportunity. And like, the funny thing is to get 573 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: a shot off in four tenths of a second, it 574 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:57,920 Speaker 1: has to be utterly perfect, right, And it just was 575 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,360 Speaker 1: so obvious that the biggest threat to them was Lab 576 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: and they just gave up that Lab pass to JaVale McGee. 577 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: I did think it was I'm gonna here's the thing, 578 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: it's over Like the MAVs, they don't have. It's the 579 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 1: same issue we were talking about with the with the 580 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,479 Speaker 1: Golden State Warriors, where like they just it's do they 581 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 1: need perfection from Luca and Kyrie to overcome their physical disadvantages. 582 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: But as I've said many times when we've talked about 583 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: this team, I'm I don't really judge them this year. 584 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,439 Speaker 1: I mean, this is there's no there's no doubt that 585 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: it's a catastrophe to entirely miss the playoffs, right, that's 586 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: a catastrophe under any circumstance. But they were just gonna 587 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: get their ass kicked in a first round series against anybody, 588 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: even if they happen to get out of the playing tournament. 589 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: That was just the reality of their predicament. I did 590 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: like what they went with down the stretch of that game, though, 591 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: with Christian Wood and JaVale McGee on the floor, just 592 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: going huge just gives them a better fighting chance in 593 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 1: the physicality areas of the game. By the way, McGee 594 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: was a plus thirteen and christian Wood was a plus ten, 595 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: and again, it probably won't be those two guys, but 596 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: that's such a great example of that concept that I 597 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: was talking about the last time we talked about the Mavericks. 598 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: When you have surgical offensive players like Kyrie Irving and 599 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: Luca don Chich, you can sacrifice offensive skill in your 600 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: role players as long as they can compete with the 601 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: physicality areas of the game. So that's the blueprint right there. 602 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: Go huge and athletic around Luca and Kyrie and let 603 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: them make everything offensively. Obviously, it puts a lot on 604 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: them as shotmakers, but again, this is a catastrophe. It's awful, 605 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: but they were just gonna get their ass kicked and 606 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: really it's about next season. But you've seen the blueprint 607 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: and now they need to go. Yeah, there's just a 608 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: lot that needs to be improved upon, and that's where 609 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to see some creativity this offseason. Like 610 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: they have some mid sized contracts here that they could 611 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: potentially move, like Tim Hardaway Junior, who does not merit 612 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: what he's getting at this point. If you could attach 613 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,479 Speaker 1: something to the Burton's contract, like maybe you can get 614 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: somebody to take that on and you try to flip 615 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 1: it into a really good two way wing because they 616 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: need that. Unequivocally. They need to upgrade in the front 617 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: court all around, especially defensively. And I love Christian Wood. 618 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: I always have because I was watching him in Detroit 619 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: dropping twenty and ten in these meetingless April games and 620 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: I was like, this guy's skilled. These you can handle. 621 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 1: And I've always loved him for that. But the bottom 622 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: line is that he can't play at the five for 623 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: this team. When you have two liabilities at the point 624 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 1: of attack and you don't have a great defensive wing, 625 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter all the fun things he can do offensively, 626 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: your offense is gonna be really good. No matter what, 627 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: because you have Kyrie and Luca and he's gonna hurt 628 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: you defensively where you just can't afford to take any 629 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: more damage. So that's what it's going to be all about. 630 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: I agree with you. This is a bad look. It's 631 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: embarrassing when you are coming off a conference finals run 632 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: and you were like a top two team in the 633 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: second half of last regular season and they were actually 634 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: defending well and they'd all this going right, and then 635 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: they let Brunson walk and we know that they could 636 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: have had him for four years forty eight million if 637 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: they had had the foresight, and now he's a bone star. Like, 638 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: there's a lot that's gone wrong in Dallas and bringing 639 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: Kyrie into this mix is a dangerous thing to add 640 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: to the potion of disaster, but it's also potentially the 641 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: thing that could save them. It just requires a lot 642 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: going right, and there's a lot up in the air 643 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: here and I just don't feel great about where Dallas 644 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: is at. And it's just a concerning dynamic overall, I 645 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 1: would say. And in terms of if they can do 646 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: it this year, sure, I mean, you know they have 647 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: the potential to explode offensively in any couple of matchups. 648 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: They could beat Sacramento in Chicago and San Antonio. But 649 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: it's like you said, it doesn't matter because they're one 650 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: of the worst defenses in the league. They have been 651 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: all year, and they're not gonna beat the Nuggets right 652 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: in the first round series. They're just too far behind 653 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: on that. Yeah, it's inevitable. Yeah, let's take things big 654 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: picture here for a second, because we just had a 655 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: new CBA that was agreed upon yesterday and a few 656 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: key takeaways from that Jason comment on whatever you want. 657 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: The has basically moved towards limiting the spending that we 658 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: can see from the teams that are most willing to 659 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 1: spend high amounts in the league. So they've put a 660 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 1: second salary cap apron which is seventeen and a half 661 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,239 Speaker 1: million above the luxury tax that if you are above that, 662 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: you can't even use the tax player mid level exception 663 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: to sign players. That was an interesting move. Other things 664 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: that we saw in that CBA now a sixty five 665 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: game minimum for awards eligibility a mid season tournament. What 666 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: stands out to you from all that news that we got, 667 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: You know, it's unfortunate because there are some good things 668 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 1: in there, right, Like the mandatory minimums for awards. I 669 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: think that will help. It'll never do the same thing 670 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: and shortening the season, but that will help. I'm glad 671 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: they let the players start smoking weed like that. That's 672 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: just the dumbest thing in the world. When weed is 673 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: demonized the way that it is, but they're allowed to 674 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 1: drink as much as they want. It's just silly. Like. So, 675 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: there's some things that I liked, but the reality was, 676 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: did they shorten the season? No, So that doesn't that 677 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: doesn't send the game in the right direction in my opinion, Like, 678 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: the best way to get players to play games is 679 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 1: to build in the rest into the schedule by spacing 680 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: the games out more like, yeah, how are you going 681 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: to get a guy who makes forty five million a 682 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 1: year to play a back to back against the Thunder 683 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: and the Nuggets in February? You're just not going to 684 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 1: be able to, right. And if you space the games 685 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 1: out to where there are no back to backs and 686 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 1: there's multiple times a week where you're getting or every 687 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 1: single week you have at least one stretch where you 688 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: get two days off consecutively, Like little things like that 689 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: will effectively be your load management. That also increases the 690 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: urgency of each game by shortening the season. Each game 691 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 1: just like if you shortened season by twenty percent, each 692 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: game becomes twenty percent more important. It's just simple math. 693 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: And so I think that was the direction they needed 694 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: to go. I mean, I'm going to keep an open 695 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 1: mind about this mid season tournament thing, but like, the 696 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: reality is is, I can't imagine any do you think 697 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 1: Lebron's gonna care about a mid season tournament? Like, do 698 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: you think that that's an accolade that he's after? Like no, 699 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: So I have a hard time believing it's going to 700 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: be anything more than just exhibition games if they don't 701 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,439 Speaker 1: have any impact on the standings. And so it's like, 702 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 1: and then the luxury tax penalties thing, it just does 703 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: It's completely illogical to me. It's a it's a lashing 704 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: out reaction to this Kevin Durant Warrior situation where they 705 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: ended up with the assets to get D'Angelo Russell, to 706 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 1: get Andrew Wiggins, and they don't want to have that 707 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 1: happen again where you have this massive payroll. But the 708 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: reality of the situation is that was a flukey occurrence 709 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 1: with a massive cap spike that was not smoothed out 710 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 1: with Steph Curry on a bargain contract. It was the 711 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: perfect storm of events that led to the Kevin Durant signing. 712 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: Nobody's gonna go sign a superstar this summer in the 713 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: luxury tax, it's just silly to me, and most importantly, 714 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: it punishes good teams who draft well. I would like 715 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,839 Speaker 1: to see them structure it in a way that makes 716 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: it so that if you draft a player and your 717 00:34:58,200 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: scouting department does their job to get a good play 718 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 1: or that player should count to the cap differently than 719 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 1: if you go out and sign a free agent. That's 720 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 1: the way to add real fairness to this process in 721 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: my opinion. So again, there's some good, but like I 722 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: just think it's going in the wrong direction. The luxury thing, 723 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: to me, makes no more sense at all. I agree 724 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:22,960 Speaker 1: with you completely, like you're gonna punish really good teams 725 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: who want to spend a lot of money, who want 726 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,320 Speaker 1: to add that last quality role player. It's just completely 727 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: illogical to me. The one point that really stands out 728 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 1: to me is the sixty five game minimum, just in 729 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 1: relation to that maybe being some sort of attempt to 730 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: fix load management, because we have seen a disaster in 731 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:42,759 Speaker 1: the last three years in the NBA. And I pulled 732 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: these numbers a couple days ago because I was interested, 733 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: because I'm just like, we're seeing stars sit so regularly. 734 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 1: In the last three years, Jason All Stars have missed 735 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: twenty percent of regular season games and ten percent of 736 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: playoff games. So whatever the exact cause of this is, right, 737 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 1: I don't know the exact split between legit a bit 738 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:02,919 Speaker 1: injuries versus load management. But we can look back even 739 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:06,720 Speaker 1: to twenty seventeen, twenty nineteen, pace was similar, style was similar, 740 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 1: ground covered with similar Right, it should be a similar 741 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 1: toll on your body. Guys were playing eight percent more 742 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,120 Speaker 1: regular season games, six percent more playoff games. We are 743 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 1: in a like, completely unprecedented disaster in terms of players availability. 744 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 1: In the entire point of load management, it's hey, we'll 745 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 1: sacrifice the meaningless regular season game so our guys are 746 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: ready for their playoff run. We've seen eighteen All Stars 747 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 1: Jason miss fifty playoff games in the last two years. 748 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,200 Speaker 1: In twenty fourteen, not that long ago, zero All Stars 749 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,640 Speaker 1: missed a single game. I went back to nineteen eighty 750 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: eight to ninety because it was the most similar era 751 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,719 Speaker 1: in terms of a three year span. When we're looking 752 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: at pace to right now, guys played ninety six percent 753 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: of regular season games all stars almost ninety nine percent 754 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 1: of playoff games. So something is very wrong here. I 755 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: think the season has to be shortened. Load management doesn't 756 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 1: seem to be the fix. But I don't know that 757 00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: this sixty five game minimum is really gonna help, because 758 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: I don't know the guys of load managing for twenty games. 759 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 1: It's more probably like ten to twelve. But it sucks. 760 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,920 Speaker 1: It's taking the product and it's not even working at 761 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: what it's supposed to do. It was like Nerd sashed 762 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: right there. We listen to so much interesting information. I 763 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 1: agree officiating in load management. If they can fix those 764 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 1: two pieces, I think the legal skyrocket because they have 765 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: so much talent. All right, guys, that is all we 766 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,760 Speaker 1: have for today. No games tomorrow, so we're taking tomorrow off. 767 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:25,879 Speaker 1: We will be back either on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. 768 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:27,120 Speaker 1: I can't remember off the top of my head. That 769 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:28,800 Speaker 1: As always, we appreciate your guys as support, and we 770 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 1: will see you next time