1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: The NBA Finals are almost here and every play could 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 2: be the one that changes everything. This is the NBA 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 2: Playoffs where heroes rise, legacies are built, and the action 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: never lets up. And with DraftKings Sportsbook and official sports 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: betting partner of the NBA, you don't just watch the madness, 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: you live it. 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Well, the Indiana Pacers have done 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: it again, stealing two games on the road to take 39 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: a two to zero lead back to Indiana after doing 40 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: the same thing to Cleveland. 41 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 3: A little bit of a reverse. 42 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: In the Cleveland series, they showed that they looked like 43 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: the better team in game one, and then they get 44 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: punched in the face in game two, but somehow steal 45 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 2: the game, and here in the Knixt series the exact opposite. 46 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: They get punched in the face in game one, come 47 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: back to steal that game, and then kind of a 48 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 2: wire to wire we're just better than you guys type 49 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: of performance in game two and what was a must 50 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 2: win game for the Knicks that they did not get. 51 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 2: We're gonna be breaking down that series from the perspective 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 2: of both teams. Talk a little bit about some of 53 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 2: the stuff with Karl Anthony Towns and how Tom Thibodeau 54 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: went away from him for the most part down the 55 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: stretch of this game, and kind of some realities about 56 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: what Mitchell Robinson looks like and how it's a proof 57 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 2: of concept for what this Knicks team could be in 58 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 2: the big picture as we look to the future. Obviously, 59 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 2: the series isn't over, but they're in a very tough spot. 60 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: We're gonna be leading the show tonight talking about some 61 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 2: of the similarities between the Pacers and the Thunder. I 62 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 2: think there are some tendencies that these two teams have 63 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: that everybody in the league should be looking to copy. 64 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 2: So we're gonna be talking a lot about big picture 65 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: stuff with both of these teams, a couple of specific 66 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 2: details from this game. At the tail end of the show, 67 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 2: we're gonna take ten fifteen minutes of mail bag questions 68 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: from the chats. Make sure you guys get your questions 69 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: in the chat. And then when we wrap up here tonight, 70 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: we're heading over to Playback again. That's Playback dot TV 71 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: slash Hoops Tonight, where we're gonna have about forty five 72 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: minutes to an hour of an after show. Well, it's 73 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: very informal. We take callers, we watch film, we just 74 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 2: have fun talking about basketball for an extra hour at 75 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: the tail end of the evening. So make sure you 76 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 2: guys head over there with us when we finish up 77 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 2: here tonight. You guys are the job before we get started. 78 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the Hoops to Night YouTube channels. You don't 79 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: miss any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter 80 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: at underscore JCNLT so you guys don't miss show announcement stuff. 81 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: Forget about podcast fet wherever you get your post under 82 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 2: Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if we leave a 83 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: rating and a review on that front. Jackson's doing great 84 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 2: work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 85 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there for 86 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: more content throughout the year the last but at least 87 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: keep dropping those mail back questions in the chat so 88 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: that we can get to them at the tail end 89 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: of the show tonight. All right, let's talk some basketball. 90 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 2: So you know, in the playback session last night, we 91 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 2: were talking about the Thunder and one of the things 92 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: we were talking about is that in addition to just 93 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 2: being super talented, they are also a very well coached 94 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 2: team that maximizes their talent. Right, Like, we've had a 95 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: lot of really talented teams come through the league. I 96 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: would argue Minnesota and New York are two examples of 97 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 2: teams that on paper look extremely talented. There's a reason 98 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: why there was a lot of buzz surrounding Minnesota's ability 99 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 2: to potentially win that series. There's a reason why, even 100 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 2: though you know, the Pacers have looked so good, there 101 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 2: was a lot of buzz surrounding the Knicks winning their series. 102 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: It's because you look at it and it's Jalen Brunson, 103 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: and it's Michale Bridges, and it's ogn Andobi, and it's 104 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: Karl Anthony Towns, and it's Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hard 105 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 2: a bunch of guys that are respected big game players 106 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: in this league with Minnesota, like a four time Defensive 107 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: Player of the Year, Nas Reed, one of the best 108 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: bench players in the NBA, Julius Randall has been having 109 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: a magnificent postseason, Anthony Edwards, all of these elite perimeter 110 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 2: defenders like Dante DiVincenzo Nikhil, Alexander Walker, and Jad McDaniels. 111 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 2: In theory, they should be able to compete with the 112 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City Thunder. They've gotten their ass kicks twice, they've 113 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 2: looked like they've been the team that doesn't have the 114 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 2: right game plan. They've looked like the team that doesn't 115 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 2: have confidence, that is operating far below what their capability is. Meanwhile, 116 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 2: I think we can all agree that the Oklahoma City 117 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 2: team that is loaded up with dudes that are twenty 118 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 2: six or younger outside of Alex Caruso, looks comfortable, confident 119 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: like a veteran basketball team. They are achieving their individual 120 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: ceiling or their team ceiling in this postseason run the Pacers. 121 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 2: There's a lot of talent on that team, and we 122 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: could go down the line on every single player and 123 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: their strengths and the things that they do to make 124 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: this engine work. But ultimately, when you look at that roster, 125 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 2: it's Tyrese Halliburton, who's somewhere around like the seventh to 126 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 2: tenth best player in the league, depending on how who 127 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: you ask called stretch that to seven to fifteenth, because 128 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 2: I'm sure there are some people that are lower on 129 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 2: him than others, but he's not what you would consider 130 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: to be a top tier superstar. Pascal Siakam is a 131 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: secondary star that I think is a very very good player, 132 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 2: but certainly not a player that people are looking at 133 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 2: as one of the very best players in this league. 134 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 2: And then just a bunch of role players. And yet 135 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 2: they are going to win an Eastern Conference that had 136 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: two teams that won sixty something games, that has Giannis 137 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: and Tennecoumpo and Jason Tatum and Aalen Brunson and Donovan 138 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 2: Mitchell and so many of the elite players in the world, 139 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 2: and that not only are they gonna most likely win 140 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: this series now and go to the finals. They're doing 141 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 2: it in dominant fashion. They've lost two games, They've had 142 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 2: home court in zero of the series. They've won every 143 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: single road game. They are six in a row. I 144 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 2: believe they are going to get to the finals, most 145 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: likely with somewhere between two and four losses in a 146 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: conference that was stacked with talent. And what stands out 147 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 2: to me is when you really look at these two teams, 148 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: the Pacers in the Thunder, there's one specific concept I 149 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 2: want to dive into that I think allows them to 150 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: reach their stealing more consistently than the other teams in 151 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: the league. And it's just attention to detail. I've been 152 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 2: thinking a lot about this over the course of the 153 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: last several seasons as the Lakers have gone through a 154 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 2: coaching change. But I've been thinking about it a lot 155 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 2: in the last couple of days, stemming from shake Yeal 156 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: just Alexander's MVP interview in the conversation he had about 157 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 2: Mark Dagnault and the fact that Mark just is super 158 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: obsessive about details and how it actually gets kind of annoying. 159 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: I joke about this all the time on the show, 160 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: but like playing winning basketball actually sucks, there's a lot like, 161 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 2: it's not fun sprinting up and down the floor NonStop. 162 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: Any of you guys who have ever played organized basketball, No, 163 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 2: there's always that day, four or five practices in at 164 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 2: the beginning of the season when you're tired and like 165 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:42,079 Speaker 2: you start running like some sort of full court drill, 166 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: and everyone's just a little lethargic, and everyone's just having 167 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 2: a little bit of a hard time getting up and 168 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 2: down the floor, and the coach throws a hissy fit, 169 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 2: just blows his whistle and gets all pissed off and 170 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 2: makes you get on the baseline and run. Why because 171 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 2: he knows you're not running. Running is running is the 172 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: foundational concept that makes the Pacers great, and they do 173 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 2: it more often than anybody in the NBA. It's not fun, 174 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: they just do it regardless. They do it because it's 175 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 2: in their basketball character. Crashing, relocating, paying attention to details, 176 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 2: picking up full court that sucks. 177 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 3: TJ McConnell had. 178 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 2: An interview the other day talking about how the only 179 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: reason he did it at the beginning of his career 180 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 2: is because he wanted to stand out, and he felt 181 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 2: like he couldn't stand out unless he did something that 182 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 2: no one else was doing. Lou Dort picks up full court, 183 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: Aaron E. Smith, TJ. McConnell, Andrew Nemhard they pick up 184 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 2: full court. Who else is doing that? There is low 185 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 2: hanging fruit in basketball games. All of it is stuff 186 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 2: that sucks. It's physical wear and tear, lots of running, sprinting, cutting, jumping, 187 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: things that are not as fun as playing the you know, 188 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: the funner parts of the game, scoring the basketball, shot creation, 189 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: attacking off the catch, all of those fun things. Playing 190 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 2: in transition on offense, there's there. They These teams relentlessly 191 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 2: hunt that low hanging fruit. What does low hanging fruit 192 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: look like in the NBA ball? Pressure is a simple example. 193 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 2: That's a way that you can make your opponent uncomfortable. 194 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 2: Guarantee they will be less comfortable in the game. If 195 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 2: they have to turn their man, if they have to 196 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 2: turn and make four counter moves just to get across 197 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,719 Speaker 2: half court, it will make them uncomfortable. It'll wear them 198 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 2: out over the course of games. That is a margin 199 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: that if you have the depth and the on court 200 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 2: personnel to handle, you can just decide to do practice 201 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 2: it all season and it dramatically increases your chances of winning. 202 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,439 Speaker 2: Transition just in general, running the floor, leakouts, and kick aheads. 203 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 2: Those are things that every team in the NBA can do, 204 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 2: and if you do them, you are guaranteed to score 205 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 2: more efficiently. On average, NBA offenses are about twenty percent 206 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: more efficient in transition than they are in the half court. 207 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 2: So all you have to do is hunt as many 208 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: transition opportunities as possible and you will increase your offense's performance. 209 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 2: But you've got to from day one in October sit 210 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 2: down with your team and be like, we're going to 211 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 2: run non stop all season. That shit's going to suck, 212 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: but we have to make it part of who we 213 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 2: are as a basketball team. And they do it every 214 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 2: single time. The Pacers manufactures so many transition opportunities with 215 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 2: kick aheads. 216 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:44,959 Speaker 3: There's a big. 217 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 2: One in the third quarter today where the Knicks like 218 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 2: gotta stop. That led to a runout bucket that was 219 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 2: a huge. It was Josh Hart got like like just 220 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 2: ended up with the basketball, lays it up, crowds going crazy, 221 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 2: Tyres rints back on defense, grabs it out of the net, 222 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: quick turns and just rifles a rainbow pass up the court, 223 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: makes its way to Obi topping and he's it was 224 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 2: a top inner Siakam. I can't remember exactly which one 225 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 2: it was, but there they are laying the ball up 226 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 2: on the other side of the court. That's just part 227 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: of their basketball character manifesting in a complete erase, Like 228 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 2: they erased a big momentous Knicks play just by doing 229 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 2: the same thing that they do every single possession. They 230 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 2: stole Game one because down the stretch we watched the footage, 231 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: we went over it on a film session, the Knicks 232 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 2: let go of the rope. They stopped paying attention to detail. 233 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 2: Ojan and Obi two's passive in his drop coverage, brunts 234 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: in in cat a couple of bad defensive rotations, Josh 235 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 2: Hart gives up a backcut, you lose the game. What 236 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 2: were the Pacers doing that time? Picking up full court, 237 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 2: pushing the ball up the floor quickly, and then when 238 00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: they get in the half court, running their offense quick 239 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 2: and efficiently the same way they did throughout the entire game. 240 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 2: There's so many different examples, just like both of these teams, 241 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 2: don't turn the basketball over. That's a simple thing you 242 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 2: can do that dramatically improves your chances of winning basketball games. 243 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: We were looking at it in the Thunder Timberwolve series 244 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 2: last night when we were on playback. The Timberwolves or 245 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 2: the Thunder are far and away the best team in 246 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: the league at turning their opponents over and scoring on it. 247 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: And they are far and away the best team in 248 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 2: the league at not turning the basketball over and not 249 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 2: giving up points off those turnovers. Every game, there's like 250 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 2: a fifteen something point advantage they have just in points 251 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 2: off of turnovers. It's like you're starting the game down 252 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 2: by fifteen points as the opponent because of them constantly 253 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 2: capitalizing on that low hanging fruit. I think the Pacers 254 00:13:57,679 --> 00:13:59,719 Speaker 2: capitalize on a lot of low hanging fruit in the 255 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 2: half court on offense too, And this stems from just 256 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 2: Tyrese Halliburton and his relentless advantage hunting. I talk about 257 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: this all the time with young players all the way 258 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 2: to the highest level of pros. If you have them 259 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 2: attack against a set defender versus a defender sprinting at them, 260 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 2: their efficiency skyrockets when they have the defenders sprinting at them. 261 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 2: There's not a player in the NBA that is more 262 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 2: relentless with just simple swings and skips and kick aheads 263 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 2: to just hunt close out opportunities. Tyre's Halliburton has his 264 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 2: team playing with an advantage all night long, and so 265 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 2: they capitalize on that margin. I even think we were 266 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: talking about it before the broadcast, finding sixteen game players, 267 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 2: finding players that are the kinds of guys that are 268 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 2: comfortable in this playoff setting. That means they have to 269 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 2: have a certain amount of strength and physicality to their game. 270 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 2: Basketball IQ comes at a huge, huge premium this time 271 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 2: of year. The ability to solve the puzzle, so to speak, 272 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 2: that each possession presents confidence, not wavering in your work 273 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 2: and believing in yourself in this environment. Andrew Nemhart somehow 274 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 2: has made a career out of being a mediocre shooter 275 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 2: in the regular season and then just turning into a 276 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 2: deadly three point shooter when he gets to this time 277 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 2: of year. It's confidence. Guys who play defense. You don't 278 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: play defense, You can't stay on the floor in games 279 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 2: like this. The Thunder and the Pacers, you look down 280 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 2: their roster and both of them have more than five 281 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 2: guys that they trust. Meanwhile, you look at New York 282 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 2: and it's like, man, like, we can't defend with Kat, 283 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 2: We're struggling to score with Josh or if it was. 284 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 2: You know, the Warriors struggled finding a fifth man. The 285 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 2: Nuggets their top four is fine, they couldn't find a 286 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: fifth guy that they trusted. I just think that the 287 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: Thunder and the Pacers are an excellent example of two teams, 288 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: tams that are maximizing their potential because of their willingness 289 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 2: to capitalize on all of the controllables, and then from 290 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 2: there their stars lift them over the top, which we'll 291 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 2: talk about in a second. Now, the Thunder they have 292 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 2: the combination of that maximizing their talent and the absurd 293 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 2: on paper talent. That's why they're such a substantial favorite 294 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 2: to win the title at this point. But I think 295 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 2: that what the Pacers have done and what the Thunder 296 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 2: have done are an example or is the example that 297 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 2: everyone should look to follow. Now, this is where the 298 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 2: advantage creation piece steps in, because capitalizing on low hanging 299 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 2: fruit can only get you so far. One of the 300 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 2: things we talked about a lot over the course of the 301 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: last couple of years is like the ideal construct for 302 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 2: a NBA basketball team. And obviously there's so many unicorns 303 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 2: out there that like, like, you can't talk about an 304 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 2: ideal construct surrounding Jokic. There's no one else in the 305 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: league like Yokic or Steph. There's no one else in 306 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 2: the league like Death or Yiannis. There's no one else 307 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 2: in the league like Giannis. But there are simple concepts 308 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 2: within the within the modern NBA that theoretically every player 309 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: can capitalize on. Right in a ball screen, if they're 310 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 2: in a low drop coverage and you set good screens, 311 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 2: there are opportunities to score against the drop, pull up threes, floaters, 312 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 2: mid range jump shots, things along those lines. Or you're 313 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 2: in a deep drop coverage. The pick and pop should, 314 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 2: in theory, be open every single time you come up 315 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 2: to the level. Now, the role to the pocket pass 316 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 2: should be open every single time they're tagging the roller. Well, 317 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 2: then the skip pass should be open every single time. 318 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 2: Oh you're switching, okay, Well then now I've got a 319 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 2: big guy on my Tyres Haliburton guard, or I've got 320 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 2: a small guy on you know, a turner or a 321 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: Siakam around the basket. And so we talked about these concepts. 322 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 2: A skill guard a player that can consistently make the 323 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 2: reads within those pick and roll situations based on what 324 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 2: the coverage is dictating and then having what's one of 325 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 2: the position groups that I always talk about, the matchup 326 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 2: attacking forward. This is a player that is primarily kind 327 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 2: of like a tip of the spear. He's not a 328 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: guy that's going to be running a ton of on 329 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 2: ball action, but the result of action, whether it be transition, 330 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 2: cross matches or a ball screen that forces a switch, 331 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 2: is going to end up in a lot of situations 332 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 2: where Siakam or your matchup attacking forward gets to attack 333 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: a player who's either too small to guard him or 334 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,719 Speaker 2: too slow to guard him. And that's what the beauty 335 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 2: of the Pascal Siakam trade was for the pacers. Tyrese 336 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 2: Haliburton was the ideal skill guard, the player that relentlessly 337 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: hunted advantages, the player that could score against drop coverage, 338 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 2: that could make all the reads against aggressive pick and 339 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: roll coverages, and when his hamstring is healthy, is a 340 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 2: deadly switch beater, and that has made him the quintessential 341 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 2: kind of like on ball skill guard in the NBA. 342 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 2: Right what they were lacking was a player they could 343 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 2: pitch the ball to on the other side of those actions, 344 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: a player that could be like, Okay, their bigs are 345 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 2: defending well, on switches, Tyras is having a rough shooting night. 346 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 2: He's five for sixteen, He's three for ten from three. 347 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 2: He's having a little bit of a hard time beating 348 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 2: Mitchell Robinson on switches. Well, who's the guy you can 349 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 2: go to that is in on an island. Get a 350 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 2: bucket guy that can either bully smalls to the basket 351 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: or can beat bigs with quickness and speed. And that's 352 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 2: what Pascal Siakamits gets going in this game with transition leakouts, 353 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 2: just that relentless kick ahead passing that Indiana uses and 354 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: then just countless times just like last year against Josh Hart, 355 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 2: just beating up Josh Hart against switches, drawing fouls against 356 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 2: Karl Anthony Towns in space, the ability to either get 357 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 2: big guys out of position or get small guys into 358 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 2: a situation where they can't handle how big he is. 359 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 2: He just can score. And that was not working for 360 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 2: the Pacers in the first game. That's one of the 361 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 2: things that's so crazy about this one. The Knicks looked 362 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 2: like they were in control of the Pacer Biggs in 363 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 2: mismatches in Game one. Not in this game. They got 364 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 2: torched thirty nine points for Pascal Siakam just an absolutely 365 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 2: monster night, and then in the fourth quarter it was 366 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 2: the pick and roll ball handlers. I thought TJ McConnell 367 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 2: had a brilliant stretch to start the fourth quarter. That 368 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 2: was where the first margin was. You look at this 369 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 2: game is very back and forth. No team was really separating. 370 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 2: The Pacers finally built a little bit of separation in 371 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 2: the early fourth quarter off TJ McConnell ball screens. They 372 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 2: ran a drop coverage, he beat it with a little 373 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 2: mid range jump shot. Then they started blitzing him or 374 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 2: showing at the level, and he just beat Robinson and 375 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 2: kat over and over again. Just making simple reads like 376 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 2: four or five times in a row to start the 377 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 2: quarter generated a great shot for his team. On the 378 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: other end of the floor, Kale Bridges was a little 379 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 2: bit cold to start the fourth quarter. He did hit 380 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 2: a few mid range jumpers in the middle of the 381 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 2: fourth quarter, but Michale couldn't keep up. All of a 382 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: sudden we had a little bit of margin, and then 383 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 2: when Tyre's Halliburton came in, just a steady diet of 384 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: that textbook high ball screen attack, attacking the Biggs, attacking Brunson. 385 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 2: He had multiple driving kicks against Brunson, making Mitchell Robinson 386 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 2: pay for sagging off of Miles Turner or sagging off 387 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 2: of Pascal Siakam, just beating them with the same decision 388 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 2: making tree that he's been using his entire NBA career, 389 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 2: And once they built that margin, it just ended up 390 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 2: being too much for the nixt to overcome. They had 391 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 2: they almost pulled a little bit of magical comeback of 392 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 2: their own there down the stretch, but ultimately it's just 393 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 2: really difficult to make to make up for a ten 394 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 2: point deficit in the final minutes, like they were dealing with. 395 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 2: The Knicks have a little bit of a problem when 396 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 2: they played car Anthony Towns. They're nowhere near good enough 397 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,360 Speaker 2: defensively to keep up with this Pacers team. They got 398 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 2: rolled with kat on the floor tonight, even with him 399 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 2: having extended stretches of successful offense, especially in the first half. 400 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 2: But then with Mitchell Robinson, even though he brings a 401 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 2: ton of good in a late game situation, it's like, well, 402 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 2: he can't shoot free throws and he's got a little 403 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 2: bit of a tendency to sag off of shooters. He 404 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 2: got burned by Siakam and by Turner in the fourth 405 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 2: quarter of this game. So on the one hand, it's 406 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 2: frustrating because I don't think they have an answer for 407 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 2: this series. But I think there's some reality to the 408 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 2: proof of concept that this has been in this postseason run, 409 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 2: which is I think Mkale Bridges and ogn Andobi and 410 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 2: Josh Hart is fly around forwards that can rotate and 411 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 2: wreck havoc defensively, and ogn Andobi is a weak side scorer, 412 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 2: and Mikale Bridges is a guy who can run action 413 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 2: when Jalen Brunson's off the floor, and Jalen Brunson proving 414 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 2: himself over and over again over the last few years 415 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 2: as one of the more reliable playoff shot creators. All 416 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 2: of that is fine, but they need to have an 417 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: option at center that can anchor all of this defensively, 418 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 2: and that's where it gets tricked. I don't know that 419 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 2: Karl Anthony Towns fits into the theoretical championship version of 420 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 2: what the Knicks can be, but I think we've seen 421 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 2: enough out of Mitchell Robinson, a extremely talented but flawed player, 422 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 2: that if they get a legitimate center that all of 423 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 2: a sudden, this makes a lot of sense. And I 424 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 2: think that's something that they need to look into this 425 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,399 Speaker 2: summer as a vehicle with which to improve this roster. 426 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 2: Can the Knicks come back to win this series? They 427 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 2: certainly can. The Pacers after winning the first two games 428 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 2: in Cleveland, came home and got their butt kicked, and 429 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 2: Game four, you know, obviously they come out and utterly 430 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 2: dominate the Cavs. It's gonna be really difficult to get 431 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,919 Speaker 2: this done, but the Knicks have shown an ability to 432 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: win on the road in this postseason run. I do 433 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,919 Speaker 2: think switching is their best option. When they switch, it 434 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: puts the onus on matchup attacking. I like that as 435 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 2: an option more than blitzing like they did for stretches 436 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 2: of the fourth quarter, or high drop, low drop, any 437 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: of those sorts of things. I would switch, and then 438 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 2: you've got to contain the ball and you've got to rotate. 439 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 2: But at this point, like I thought coming into the 440 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 2: series that the Pacers were just better than the Knicks 441 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 2: on both ends of the four. I thought they were 442 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 2: a better offense and I thought they were a better defense. 443 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:41,679 Speaker 2: And I think they've pretty clearly shown that to this 444 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 2: point through two games. And now you've got to beat 445 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 2: them four times out of five, with three of those 446 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 2: five games being in Indiana, and it's just gonna be 447 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 2: a lot for them to overcome. All right, Jackson's gonna 448 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 2: come on and we're gonna take a couple of questions 449 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 2: before we get out of here for the night. 450 00:24:58,320 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 4: Let's do it. Let's do it. 451 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:01,479 Speaker 1: We got a couple of super Chat questions to start with. 452 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: First one super Chet from Cobs. Hi, Jason, do you 453 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: think the Knicks offense is too isocentric? 454 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 4: It feels like they're rely too much on Kat and 455 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 4: sort of. 456 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: Expand on that if they do end up moving Cat, 457 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: do you think that helps that problem or hurts that problem? 458 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 2: So I think that there's a certain amount. Like both 459 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 2: teams did more switching with their fives tonight, New York 460 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 2: more than Indiana did. Miles Turner was doing more of 461 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 2: like kind of like a read and react switch, meaning 462 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 2: like he kind of exists in a higher drop and 463 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 2: then if the defender got the on ball guy got 464 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 2: wiped out by the screen, it would just turn into 465 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 2: appeal switch, or if the defender got over the top, 466 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: then he would like try to recover, but inevitably with 467 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 2: the amount of switching that the teams do. There's gonna 468 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 2: be a certain amount of isoball that's just part of 469 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 2: NBA basketball. Also, like when you really get into it, 470 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 2: Jalen Brunson, when he's got that left shoulder fade going 471 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 2: the way that he had it going tonight, there's a 472 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 2: certain point where like, that's some of their most reliable offense. 473 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 2: Is that sort of thing. There are opportunities to attack 474 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 2: in driving kick situations. The problem is is it's always 475 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 2: gonna bog down when you have non shooters on the floor. So, 476 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 2: for instance, mkale Bridge is just continually being incapable of 477 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 2: hitting catch and shoot threes in this postseason run, that's 478 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 2: gonna kill a drive and kick attack. Josh Hart being 479 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 2: a guy that's a little bit hesitant to take catch 480 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 2: and shoot three point shots, that can kill drive and 481 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 2: kick attack, right. And so one of the things that 482 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 2: makes the Indiana Pacers ball and player movement work is 483 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 2: every dude on the floor will take that shot, and 484 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 2: we'll take it and make it, and so it allows 485 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 2: their rotation sequences to work better. There's a lot of 486 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 2: sequences with the Knicks where you're like, I kind of 487 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 2: want Daylen Brunson taking this ISO jump shot, because otherwise 488 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 2: it's gonna be McKale Bridges unnaturally jumping super high and 489 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 2: kicking his legs on a random catch and shoot three 490 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 2: like he's getting chased off the line. And so I 491 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 2: think there are some realities to the Nicks roster. My 492 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 2: thing is like, in general, you want to keep everybody 493 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: involved in that ISO attack. But also down the stretch 494 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 2: of this game, Tibbs wasn't trusting Cat and really down 495 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 2: the stretch, if you guys really get into it, Brunson 496 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 2: was scoring it. Just they couldn't get stops when they 497 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 2: needed to. What do they give up sixty something points 498 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 2: in the second half. 499 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's sort of a tough problem that they have. 500 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 4: It is their best option, but you can't do it 501 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 4: too much. 502 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: It's like that balance is sort of the ever existing 503 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: question for all of these sort of helio centric players 504 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 1: and teams. Honestly, exactly another super Chat question, this one 505 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 1: from John, huge Knicks fan, But as soon as Jannis 506 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: got eliminated, I immediately thought about a cat. 507 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 4: For Yanni's trade thoughts. 508 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 1: Obviously, as everyone said it was responding to John in 509 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 1: the chat, the Knicks would need to add a lot 510 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: to their side of the deal. But just as like 511 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: the Bucks are probably going to trade Yiannis and the 512 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: Knicks may want to trade Cat sort of. 513 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 4: Mind space. 514 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, it'd be really difficult because of just all the 515 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 2: different salaries involved, Like you'd almost want you'd want Kat, 516 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 2: and you'd want one of their wings, and it's just 517 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,679 Speaker 2: really difficult to make all of that work. But just 518 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,959 Speaker 2: in theory, like I love the idea of having just 519 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 2: a monstrous defensive forward kind of like anchoring all of this. 520 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 2: But to me, like with Brunson being a big time 521 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 2: pick and role player and with the overall rotational ability 522 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 2: that they have at the forward position, and I honestly 523 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 2: think that Brunson and Og and McHale is plenty of 524 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 2: scoring ability. I'm not necessarily worried about that. I would 525 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:37,640 Speaker 2: be targeting more of like a traditional center. I would 526 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 2: want like a seven foot tall, switchable rim protecting kind 527 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: of like mobile, big a guy that can be a 528 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 2: vertical spacer. I do think we underrated just how much 529 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 2: Isaiah Hartenstein, like we're going to talk about this, you know, 530 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 2: like like we were talking about this at the beginning 531 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,239 Speaker 2: of the show. In terms of low hanging fruit, like 532 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 2: Isaiah Hartenstein unlocked a whole backcut game for the for 533 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 2: the Thunder this year. There was a big one in 534 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 2: our film session this morning where Shay backcutt Hardenstein hit him. 535 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 2: It generated a wide open three for lou Dort. Like 536 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 2: there's a certain amount of skill that you want at 537 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 2: that position too. Like that's why I think the Cat 538 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: Mitchell Robinson dynamic has been super fascinating. If you could 539 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:22,239 Speaker 2: somehow take some of Kat's offensive viability and combine it 540 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: with Mitchell Robinson as a defensive weapon, all of a sudden, 541 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 2: this whole thing makes a ton of sense. And in 542 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 2: order to make that happen, like, you need a starting 543 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 2: caliber player at that center spot right now. There's another 544 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 2: way you can look at it too, is like from 545 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 2: the standpoint of payroll, you can't have Brunson making a 546 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 2: ton of money, Og making a ton of money, McHale 547 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 2: making a ton of money, and the center making a 548 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 2: ton of money, And so they might have to make 549 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 2: an even bigger picture decision about which one of the 550 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 2: forwards kind of fits into that mix. But I like 551 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 2: the idea of Brunson being anchored by like a monstrous 552 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 2: defensive center. I think it just covers for a lot 553 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 2: of their weaknesses on that end. 554 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 3: YEA four. 555 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: It was like, because of the Mavericks roster, everyone is 556 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: designing fake trades around Daniel Gafford or Derek Lively and 557 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: for a good reason, because I think those guys are 558 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,600 Speaker 1: exactly what you're describing. I would be very very helpful 559 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: for a lot of teams, including this one. 560 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,280 Speaker 2: It's just a it's like a floor raiser, you know 561 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 2: what I mean, And like, yeah, there's it's tough because 562 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 2: you can't have like like we saw Miles Turner for instance, 563 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 2: like really struggle for extended stretches of of Game one 564 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 2: right there. It needs to be a certain type of 565 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 2: center I've seen, Like Nick Clackson is a name that 566 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 2: gets thrown around a million times this over the course 567 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 2: of this U this season, and like Nick Clason to 568 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 2: me is like the bottom. Any player below Nick Clackson's level, 569 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 2: it doesn't make sense to be paying that much for 570 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 2: that type of player. But like I would be probing 571 00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 2: all over the place, I'd be, I'd be, I'd be 572 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 2: I'd be calling on Nick Claxton, I'd be calling on 573 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 2: what's his face? I'm blanking all of a sudden. This 574 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 2: is how brain fried I am through the postseason run. 575 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 2: But what's his face from the Jazz Walks. 576 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 3: Walker Kessler? Excuse me? 577 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 2: I'd be calling on just like dudes that are in 578 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 2: that kind of mid to late twenties, that are just 579 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 2: like rock solid centers that you could potentially anchor with 580 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 2: this group because I think, I think, I think there's 581 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 2: been enough that we've seen from their core players that 582 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 2: this can work. 583 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 3: They're just clearly not good. 584 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 2: Enough defensively with Karl Anthony Towns on the floor, and 585 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: that's a death sentence. 586 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 4: All right, Let's move a little bit to the Pacers side. 587 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 1: Question is, given the Pacers depth and Hal Britton's ability 588 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: to run the offense without turning it over, aren't the 589 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: Pacers the best team? The team that's best equipped to 590 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: beat Okay? 591 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 2: See, the problem is is I view it all through 592 00:31:55,240 --> 00:32:00,239 Speaker 2: the scope of matchups, right. Every is like with we 593 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 2: were talking about earlier with like Golden State versus Minnesota 594 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 2: or versus Oklahoma City. You know, like there's a certain 595 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 2: amount of like one team might be perfectly equipped to 596 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 2: beat another team vice versa. The I talked about going 597 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 2: into the postseason like there's a certain amount of perimeter 598 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 2: size and playmaking and shooting that you need to beat 599 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 2: Oklahoma City. And really, the only teams that I thought 600 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 2: had that combination, like legitimate size advantages at multiple positions, 601 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: the ability to process quickly against a like a swarming defense, 602 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 2: and to knock down the catch and shoot threes that 603 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: you get out of it. The only three teams that 604 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 2: I thought had great chances to beat Oklahoma City were Denver, 605 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 2: the Lakers, and the Celtics. Because the Lakers have Lebron 606 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 2: and Luca that can attack their smalls, their elite processors, 607 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 2: and they could put out lineups that could shoot. The 608 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 2: Celtics Tatum and Brown, the ability to attack size mismatches, 609 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 2: the ability to space the floor and shoot Denver through 610 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 2: Aaron Gordon and through Nikola Jokich and even Jamal Murray 611 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:03,959 Speaker 2: to certain extent, the size and strength positionally, the processing, 612 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: ability to get the ball out, and the ability to shoot. 613 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 2: And all three of those teams are eliminated. And you know, 614 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 2: it's like like all of them were flawed in their 615 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 2: own ways to begin with, as we look back, and 616 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 2: so honestly the problem for the Pacers is they have 617 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 2: the processing and they have the shooting. They don't have 618 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 2: the size. They don't have the size to cause Oklahoma 619 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 2: City problems on the perimeter. I see it being a 620 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 2: series where Nie Smith, Nemhard, and Halliburton are just literally 621 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 2: in jail all series long because you could not conceptualize 622 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 2: a more well equipped defense to handle all of their 623 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,479 Speaker 2: speed on the perimeter. This is the other team that 624 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 2: loves to run more than anybody else in the league. 625 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 2: They're switchable, they're well coached, their attention to detail is fantastic. 626 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 2: They don't turn the ball over. They're they're never gonna 627 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:56,480 Speaker 2: let go of the rope the way the Knicks do. 628 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 2: Like to me, essentially, the the Thunder are just a 629 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 2: substantially better version of the Pacers, and a deeper and 630 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 2: more versatile version. So, like I'm gonna be honest with you, guys, 631 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 2: I would be stunned at this point if the Thunder 632 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 2: didn't win the title, Like, absolutely stunned if they didn't 633 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:14,440 Speaker 2: win the title. 634 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 1: Another sort of question about the Pacers, how sustainable do 635 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:18,320 Speaker 1: you think. 636 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 4: This play style is for the long term. 637 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: Do you think they can be the new team to 638 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: beat in the East with Boston seemingly falling off or 639 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 1: is this sort of run and gun style gonna either 640 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 1: get scouted out? Is are there players not gonauild the 641 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 1: hold up? Do you think this is sort of a 642 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: long term, big picture of formula for the Pacers to 643 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:36,240 Speaker 1: sort of be the Kings of the East. 644 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 2: I think they're going to be near the top of 645 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 2: the East year and year out, like a team that's 646 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 2: consistently like a conference finalist kind of situation. The problem 647 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 2: is is like when it comes to the simple art 648 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:57,799 Speaker 2: of just getting buckets against elite defensive players, like let's 649 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 2: look at the Thunder series for example, Like I think 650 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 2: in order to beat the Thunder, you've got to be 651 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 2: able to have a guy that like they simply cannot guard. 652 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 2: And like we saw that, like when we'd watch the 653 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,000 Speaker 2: Lakers against him, it's like they cannot guard Luca. When 654 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 2: you watch Jokic against him, it's like they cannot guard 655 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,719 Speaker 2: nikolea Jokich. I'm not sitting here saying like Pascal Siakam 656 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 2: can't score on the Thunder. Of course he can, But 657 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 2: is he gonna be thirty nine points on twenty three 658 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 2: shots against the Thunder? Probably not, you know, Like Tyrese 659 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,439 Speaker 2: Haliburton is a capable switch beater, but is he gonna 660 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 2: be able to stare down Chet Holmgren and Lou dort 661 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 2: In Kason Wallace and like get tough buckets over and 662 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 2: over again the way that you need to. I just 663 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 2: don't think so and so like I think ultimately Indiana's 664 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 2: ceiling is based on the fact that they don't have 665 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 2: a singular top here bucket getter type of dude that 666 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 2: like is invincible to a certain defensive scheme, like I 667 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,959 Speaker 2: think the Thunder will most likely end up just doing 668 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 2: a great deal of switching against Indiana and just live 669 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,360 Speaker 2: with the results and believe that their defenders are going 670 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,879 Speaker 2: to do just fine against Siakam and Halliburton. In order 671 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,840 Speaker 2: for Indiana to like truly be what I would consider 672 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 2: to be like a top tier contender in this league, 673 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 2: I think they would need a better version of Siakam, 674 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 2: like if it was like a truly indomitable offensive force 675 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 2: at the forward position, like let's just say it was 676 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 2: like a Kevin Durant Lebron type of guy at the four. 677 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 2: Now I'm looking at that as a team that can 678 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 2: like legitimately beat the very best teams in the league 679 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:47,359 Speaker 2: in the championship round. But I'm just concerned about their 680 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 2: ability against against an Oklahoma City defense to to really 681 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 2: create shots when things bug. 682 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, you need a better version of Siakam or 683 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:59,360 Speaker 1: you need Ben Mathrin to become this like super versatile 684 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 1: scoring basically. 685 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, a better version of Andrew and em Hard, Like 686 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 2: a version of Andrew and Emhard that is like to 687 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 2: the point indomitable. So like if Ben Matherin became like 688 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 2: somewhere around the twentieth to twenty fifth best player in 689 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 2: the league and played at the two next to Halliburton 690 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 2: and as an as a freaky athletic guard was kind 691 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,719 Speaker 2: of there. This is the guy that no one can 692 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,120 Speaker 2: stop him from getting to his spot, and like you 693 00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 2: just kind of have to hope he misses kind of 694 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 2: thing like that. Like that's that's where it gets tough. 695 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 2: I'm just there's a lot of Indiana. A lot of 696 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,440 Speaker 2: what Indiana does capitalizes on natural openings that occur in 697 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 2: basketball games, and the Thunder just don't give you a 698 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 2: lot of natural openings. The one thing that will be interesting, 699 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 2: and I'll say this just up front, the Thunder are 700 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: very much like a load up the strong side ball, pressure, 701 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:53,319 Speaker 2: aggressive defense, and Tyre's Halliburton is an excellent over the 702 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,399 Speaker 2: top passer, So I am curious to see how Mark 703 00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 2: Dagnall actually structures his defensive game plan because we have 704 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 2: seen coaches like Chris Finch go like, we're gonna play 705 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 2: our base regular season scheme against the Thunder and even 706 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 2: though it's like legitimately the exact opposite of what Denver 707 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 2: just showed us works. And if Mark Dagnall does the 708 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,760 Speaker 2: exact same thing and ty Reese is just throwing skip 709 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 2: passes to Siakam and Ni Smith for the entire first 710 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 2: two games of the series and they get a bunch 711 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 2: of wide open threes, the yeah, like they can steal 712 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:29,360 Speaker 2: a game or two. But like I think, ultimately Dagnall 713 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 2: will I will read the room and be like, what 714 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 2: we really need to do is kind of stay glued 715 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,800 Speaker 2: to everybody individually here and trust that our individual defenders 716 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:39,279 Speaker 2: are too much for them to be able to handle 717 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 2: for sure. 718 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 1: Last question for tonight's YouTube stream, thoughts on home court 719 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:45,760 Speaker 1: advantage in the playoffs. It seems like it hasn't mattered 720 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:46,960 Speaker 1: very much so far. 721 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 2: I think, you know, I've seen a lot of talk 722 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 2: about this. I don't have a real feel for what 723 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:00,719 Speaker 2: is causing it, because statistically, I shouldn't even say statistically 724 00:39:00,719 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 2: it's just in the win losses. There's an obvious reality 725 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:07,520 Speaker 2: to the fact that road teams are more comfortable now 726 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 2: than they used to be. I don't have like a 727 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 2: reasoning for it, though, because the game is more predicated 728 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 2: on jump shooting than ever, so in theory, like comfort 729 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 2: shooting at home should play an even bigger role. But 730 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:25,439 Speaker 2: if I had to have you, you know, like said, Okay, 731 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:28,320 Speaker 2: you've got to sign it to something, I would assign 732 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 2: it to the physicality. I think the overall physicality increase 733 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 2: in the playoffs in the last couple of years has 734 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:38,839 Speaker 2: in general dragged every game closer and lower scoring, which 735 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:40,759 Speaker 2: has made every game a little bit more of a 736 00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:43,440 Speaker 2: coin flip than some of the game, the kind of 737 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,720 Speaker 2: like trading off blowouts that we saw in years past. 738 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 2: And then also before we're done here tonight, I had 739 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 2: a buddy of mine shout out to NMZ Hoops, a 740 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,720 Speaker 2: guy that does great work covering the league on Twitter, 741 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 2: sent me this question. He said, at this point, this 742 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 2: is a question from the minute Soda series. Should Minnesota 743 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:06,319 Speaker 2: abandon Rudy Gobert setting picks and go to more guard 744 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:09,400 Speaker 2: to guard action. Rudy can hold space in the dunker spot. 745 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:11,160 Speaker 2: All you'd have to do is catch and finish rather 746 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 2: than make decisions in the short role. Have Ant target 747 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 2: Shay for fatigue and foul trouble using more threatening screeners. 748 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:20,840 Speaker 2: So a couple things. This is really interesting question. We 749 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:22,320 Speaker 2: talked a little bit about this last night with the 750 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 2: ghost screens. They were getting clean looks or clean ish 751 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 2: looks for Dante DiVincenzo in particular, slipping out of ghost 752 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 2: screens targeting Shae in particular. Like the specific emphasis here 753 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,480 Speaker 2: from NMZ is that threatening screeners part because they are 754 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,800 Speaker 2: hedging and recovering with Shay. So it's not like Ant's 755 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:45,400 Speaker 2: going to be able to just pick on Shae and 756 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 2: switches and just look to attack him one on one, 757 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,960 Speaker 2: at least not as easily as it could happen from 758 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:54,240 Speaker 2: like a transition crossmatch or some other offensive rebound cross 759 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:57,719 Speaker 2: match something along those lines. But there are openings that 760 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 2: they can get by having guards slip out of screens, 761 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 2: not just with Dante or whoever it is who's being 762 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,239 Speaker 2: guarded by Shay, but also inverted because they ran some 763 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,720 Speaker 2: inverted action where like Dante would get screened by Ant 764 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:13,239 Speaker 2: and then pitch it back to Ant. Oklahoma City has 765 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,440 Speaker 2: a little bit of a natural tendency to linger on 766 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:19,279 Speaker 2: the ball with their second defender anyway, kind of regardless. 767 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:19,200 Speaker 3: Of who it is. 768 00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 2: It's just part of their kind of basketball identity as 769 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 2: a very aggressive, turnover forcing type of team. So I 770 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 2: think you could even get Ant some initial advantages from 771 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:30,279 Speaker 2: him slipping out of inverted ball screens. But my thing is, like, 772 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 2: I think the only chance that the Timberwolves have to 773 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 2: win this series is to attack off the catch with Ant, 774 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,399 Speaker 2: to attack off the catch with Julius. This clean catch 775 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 2: and shoot looks Julius got in the first round or 776 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,719 Speaker 2: first half of Game one. Ant in general in this 777 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:49,080 Speaker 2: postseason has been so deadly attacking off the catch. The 778 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 2: only way you're gonna do that is early in the 779 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,680 Speaker 2: possession to get into your drive and kick, because you 780 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:56,719 Speaker 2: can't be pitching it to the corner with four or 781 00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:58,480 Speaker 2: five seconds on the shot clock, the ball will never 782 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:00,880 Speaker 2: get worked back around. So getting the ball up the 783 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:04,600 Speaker 2: floor quickly with pace and then using a guard screen 784 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:07,520 Speaker 2: as a simple example of to his point, instead of 785 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:10,799 Speaker 2: having Rudy trying to operate out of a four on three, 786 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,719 Speaker 2: which has been an absolute disaster. Have a more skilled 787 00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:17,399 Speaker 2: player start your four on three. So, for instance, let's 788 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,600 Speaker 2: say that Dante screens on Ant's right side and quickly 789 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 2: slips out of it to the left wing. Shay lingers 790 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:26,600 Speaker 2: for a second, pitch it to him. Dante needs to 791 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:31,080 Speaker 2: rack left immediately right on the catch, beat the hedge, 792 00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:34,080 Speaker 2: the hedge you're recovering in this case, Shay. Now you're 793 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:37,799 Speaker 2: in an advantage creating situation. I do trust Dante to 794 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:40,560 Speaker 2: make the next read. From there, it's on Aunt and 795 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:43,400 Speaker 2: Julius to quickly figure out their spacing and get to 796 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:45,759 Speaker 2: a spot where they can attack on the catch. And 797 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:48,359 Speaker 2: I do think from there they can have some more opportunities. 798 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 2: But to NMC's point, like I am one hundred percent 799 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:54,080 Speaker 2: in agreement, like, get the guy who's leading the four 800 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,440 Speaker 2: on three to be a higher level offensive player than 801 00:42:56,480 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 2: Rudy Gobert, and so having those guards slipping out a 802 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,879 Speaker 2: screen is a simple way to get those attacks. They 803 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 2: just need to not immediately settle for the three because 804 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:07,359 Speaker 2: there was a little bit of a tendency in game 805 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 2: two for them to slip out of the ghost screen 806 00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:12,080 Speaker 2: and take the movement three, which is not a terrible. 807 00:43:11,719 --> 00:43:13,959 Speaker 3: Shot, but it's a tough shot. 808 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:16,239 Speaker 2: And I wouldn't necessarily lean on that unless there's you know, 809 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 2: five seconds on the shot clock attack off of that, 810 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:22,400 Speaker 2: get into your drive and kick. Try to generate some 811 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:26,239 Speaker 2: more off the catch opportunities for it and Julius. All right, guys, 812 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,480 Speaker 2: that is all we have for tonight on YouTube. We 813 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:31,600 Speaker 2: are heading over to playback again. That's playback dot TV 814 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:34,759 Speaker 2: slash Hoops tonight. No Jackson tonight will just be me 815 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:36,319 Speaker 2: over there, but we're gonna be taking some callers and 816 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:39,200 Speaker 2: watching some film again. As always, as sincerely appreciate you 817 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,319 Speaker 2: guys for supporting me and supporting us and supporting the show. 818 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:44,080 Speaker 2: I will see you guys on playback here in just 819 00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 2: a few minutes. What so, guys, As always, I appreciate 820 00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:49,479 Speaker 2: you for listening to and supporting Oops tonight. They would 821 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:51,600 Speaker 2: actually be really helpful for us if you guys would 822 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,440 Speaker 2: take a second and leave a rating and a review. 823 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:56,319 Speaker 2: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if 824 00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:58,320 Speaker 2: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really 825 00:43:58,360 --> 00:43:59,280 Speaker 2: appreciate it. 826 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:01,760 Speaker 3: The volume