1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: The volume. 2 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 2: All right, welcome into the Monday Morning Podcast. And in 3 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 2: one of the really most dynamic offensive playoff games I've 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: ever seen. At one point, Jason Timp joining me Hoops tonight, 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: great podcast for the volume. At one point tonight I 6 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: looked up and Phoenix was shooting fifty eight percent and 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 2: then like forty seven from three and it was a 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: six point game. I thought, this isn't sustainable. Let me 9 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: give me a break. But you know it's it's I 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: want to throw this at you, Jason. Is that? And 11 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: I think this is a benefit of the NBA. Very 12 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 2: few controversial NFL players for a few controversial baseball players 13 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 2: or soccer players in America. Maybe internationally they are, but 14 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 2: in the NBA there's a lot of drama. Kawhi drama, 15 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: ad drama, Lebron and b Jahn, morant Zion, I mean, 16 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: even guys who are low key. Jokich gets involved in 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 2: an MVP debate. And I've always said the NBA is 18 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 2: the great story league. It's got great drama. It's soap opera. 19 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: And then there's Devin Booker, like Chris Paul has a 20 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: love hate relationship with fans, so does KD and Booker 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: goes out. He's Klay Thompson with better handles, like chill. 22 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: He's on one of the great heaters I've ever seen 23 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 2: in the history of the playoffs. He's really it's very 24 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: rare because the NBA, between shoe sales and social media, 25 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 2: it drums up a ton of stories. And you know, 26 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: I know he likes old cars, like there's just there's 27 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: just no story. And I watch him play and he's 28 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: got a little bit of an old school thing. He 29 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: still loves the mid range jumper, but he can hit 30 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: the three. He's not like Carmelo where he wouldn't embrace 31 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: it in his prime, like he'll move back and shoot it. 32 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: I mean, as somebody you played basketball again, I think 33 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: he's more athletic than Klay Thompson with a better ball handler. 34 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: But there is sort of this I'm just going to 35 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 2: show up and do my job. You know, Clay at 36 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: this point is very hot and cold. He was terrible 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: last game, great in game two. What do you make 38 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: of Bookers eater? 39 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: You know, it's so interesting, Colin, because I think the 40 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: worst thing that happened to him in his career was 41 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: that he started averaging twenty five points a game pretty 42 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: early and was on a bad team, and so he's 43 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: been averaging. You know, he's been a mid twenties, high 44 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: twenties scorer who's relatively efficient for a really long time. 45 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: And so then Chris Paul came to the team, and 46 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: really it had nothing to do. Chris Paul played a 47 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: part of it, but they just added a lot of talent, 48 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: They added a lot of veterans, They added DeAndre and 49 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: they added Chris Paul and they started playing in these 50 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: big playoff games. And everyone just attributes all of the 51 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: success to the team to everything but Devin Booker. But 52 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: over the years, despite him reaching that scoring peak early, 53 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: he's added a lot of things. He's become a much 54 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: much better defensive player, he's become an outstanding playmaker and 55 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: high picking early a ten assist again tonight, And like 56 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: you said, he's just on an all time great shot 57 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: making run right now. And it's been as we go 58 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: back in his playoff career, he was kind of on 59 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: a crazy hot shot making run in that twenty twenty 60 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: one run when they almost won the title. It was 61 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: Chris Paul that fell apart at the end. He's been unbelievable. 62 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: I think that he's gone under the radar as a 63 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: product of the success of the team around him. But 64 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: I think he's legitimately in that same list with the 65 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: guys like Jason Tatum and Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid 66 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: and all those eight, nine, ten guys that we put 67 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: at the top of the league. He's in that tier. 68 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: He's probably near the bottom of that tier, but he's 69 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: in that tier like he's a bona fide superstar in 70 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: my opinion, Yeah. 71 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 2: I don't think it's sustainable. I still like, you know, 72 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: I thought, I thought Phoenix, I watched them play the Clippers, 73 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: and I thought, ugh, if you could give them Norman 74 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: Palo off the bench, you'd be like, oh, okay, they 75 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 2: need a guy, they need a guy off the bench. 76 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: And then Chris Paul gets hurt Cameron Payne now and 77 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: it's like, now they don't have any guy, Like, they 78 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,839 Speaker 2: have no bench. So they're not a championship team. They're 79 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: just not. I mean, Boston's gonna bring eight to nine Warriors, 80 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: can bring eight nine Lakers, although I think they have 81 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: a lot of b players, can give you eight nine guys. 82 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 2: I mean Phoenix is like six so and I don't 83 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: think it's sustainable. You know, I told somebody the other day, whoever, 84 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: I think the Nuggets will win the next two games, 85 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 2: and I think what's going to happen is Denver's going 86 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: to have a one oh series lead in the Western 87 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 2: Conference Finals because I think they're going to vanquish the 88 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 2: Suns here very quickly, and then the Lakers and Warriors, 89 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: two older teams, are going to go seven, and then 90 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: one of them with no rest, flies to high altitude Denver. 91 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: You're going to get run off the floor in Game one, 92 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 2: and so Denver's gonna have a one oh serious lead. 93 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 2: My takeaway on Denver is they're highly efficient. Jokic is insane. 94 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,119 Speaker 2: Not every championship team Jason is great. The Spurs team 95 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 2: was mostly unappetizing to a lot of the nation. The 96 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,799 Speaker 2: ratings were really bad, and that clean learned that early 97 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 2: Lebron team against the Spurs. Not every championship team is fascinating. 98 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 2: I mean the Utah Jazz I liked him, but you 99 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: know there were you know, the pick and roll. I mean, 100 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: even Malone wasn't highly vertical. He was kind of a 101 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: bully around the basket. So would you agree that Denver, though, 102 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: is gonna I think they're gonna win the next two games. 103 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: That's my take care I think so too. 104 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: I mean, you said, you said it's not sustainable, and 105 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: that's not an insult Colin. It's literally impotib It would 106 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: be unprecedented in NBA history for Devin Booker to continue 107 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: to shoot the way he's been shooting. He was thirteen 108 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: for seventeen on pull up jump shots in Game three. 109 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant just had what I thought was the best 110 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: pull up jump shooting season ever and he shot fifty 111 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: five percent, like the best in the world at that 112 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: shot make about half of them, and Devin Booker's making 113 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: like over seventy five percent of them. So it is 114 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: not sustainable. And you know, the thing is is as 115 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: we look back throughout the series, kind of like Game 116 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: two in Nikola Jokic made fourteen shots in the paint 117 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: again tonight just living in the paint, makes some jump shots. 118 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: He's gonna make some jump shots. He made some crazy 119 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: ones and one over Devin Booker was crazy. But there's 120 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: no doubt that as you look at the shot quality 121 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: moving forward, Denver gets a little bit better shots that 122 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 1: are much more likely to be replicated as we move forward, 123 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: and they have two of the final three games at home. 124 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: So that's not to say the Suns can't win. If 125 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: Devin and KD go into Denver and they shoot the 126 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: lights out again, yes they can win the series. But 127 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: the safer bet is Denver because they're getting better shots 128 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: and they have home court and what I think is 129 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 1: the best home court advantage in the NBA. 130 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: How great have the NBA playoffs been so far? Miami 131 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 2: upsetting the number one seed Milwaukee Bucks? How about Warriors 132 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 2: Kings go seven, the Knicks upset the Calvs. If you 133 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 2: live in one of those cities and want of the 134 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 2: go to the games, there is only one place to 135 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: get tickets. The game Time app, the fastest growing ticketing 136 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 2: app in the US for last minute amazing deals. They 137 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 2: don't stop up with the NBA. They do baseball, hockey, concerts, 138 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 2: comedy shows too. Download the game Time App and use 139 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 2: the code colin cli in get twenty dollars off your 140 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: first purchase twenty bucks off first purchase. Terms apply again. 141 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:27,239 Speaker 2: Download the game Time app use the code colin celi 142 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: in last minute tickets low as prices guaranteed the game 143 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 2: time app All right, let's pivot to a wildly entertaining series, 144 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 2: ugly for most of it. James Harten carries the Sixers. 145 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 2: Another absolutely remarkable James Harden game. There. You know, it's 146 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: hard to get my arms around what the Sixers are 147 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 2: between Mbeid's health, kind of the roller coaster of Harden 148 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 2: at this point in his career. I kind of always 149 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: know the athleticism I'm going to get from Maxi. Tobias 150 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 2: Harris can be a hot cold score. My takeaway when 151 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: I watched that game, and even if Boston would have 152 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 2: won in both regulation and the fourth quarter or fourth, yeah, 153 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 2: fourth quarter and overtime, Boston's last possession. You guys have 154 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: been playing together for six years, get it together. Like 155 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 2: everybody can bang on the coach for not calling a 156 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 2: time out, but my takeaway is in that moment with 157 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,959 Speaker 2: that group, like if Stephan, Clay Draymond and Wiggins had 158 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: eleven seconds, I wouldn't want the Lakers to be set. 159 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 2: They're too good defensively, I'd rather be them. I'd rather 160 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: have them backpedaling a little bit, kind of look into 161 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 2: the sideline. I generally, if you have a veteran team 162 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 2: and a rotation you're comfortable with. I wouldn't call a timeout. 163 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: It goes back to the years ago the Seahawks Patriots 164 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: were in a Super Bowl. It was a real chess 165 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: match Pete Carolyn Belichick, and you know Belichick is defense. 166 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 2: He wouldn't call time out. He was like, we know 167 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: what you're doing. This is why we agonize over practice. 168 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 2: And so the Celtics and the Warriors are the two 169 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 2: teams in the league right now. I'm not calling a timeout. 170 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 2: My experience is my edge. Lakers a brand new team 171 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 2: since the deadline, I'd call a timeout. I'd want to 172 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: get the ball to Ad. Even Denver's kind of young. 173 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: Philadelphia depends on who's healthy and who's hot. So this 174 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: comes down to something. I just there's an apprehension with Boston. 175 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 2: I just can't get past. I just I can't get 176 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 2: past that. I do not trust them. You know, games 177 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: decided by five hundred or five points or less. I 178 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 2: could be wrong. I think they're now thirteen and fourteen. 179 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: That doesn't make sense with those guys, does it. 180 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: The part that drove me crazy about that final possession 181 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: was them waiting so damn low like James Harden make 182 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: that shot with like twelve seconds left. It's a one 183 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: point game, so if you go down and you miss, 184 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 1: you have a chance to foul and get and get 185 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: another opportunity. They basically dribbled the clock out to try 186 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: to work to a specific switch they wanted on Jason Tatum. 187 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: They didn't actually start to look to attack until like 188 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: five or six seconds left. And so, you know, the 189 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: thing with Boston is, I agree with you, they don't 190 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: really need an organization because they have so many good 191 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 1: matchups and they're always gonna force you to help off 192 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: of a shooter like Malcolm Brogden a wide open three 193 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: in the left wing at the end of that game 194 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 1: that he ended up missing. They're going to generate wide 195 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: open looks. It's just go quickly. It's the stagnation with 196 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:32,599 Speaker 1: Boston that becomes a problem when they dribble up the 197 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: floor and they just take a contested jump shot or 198 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: they get the switch they want, but then they stand 199 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: and they stare around for ten seconds before they do something. 200 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: I was so impressed by James Harden in this game 201 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 1: because he's kind of beating allegations in this playoff run 202 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: because he kind of has a reputation for being a 203 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: player that can fade later in series, and this was 204 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: a super unique performance from James Harden because this is 205 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: at a point in the series where they figured him 206 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: out right. They are forcing him to his right hand 207 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: every single time. He had back to back at the 208 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: end of regulation, when Joel Embiid was crumbling under Al Horford, 209 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: Just and Joe made a couple of huge plays in 210 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: ot so like, including the double team kickout to James 211 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: Harden for the game winner and a little fade away 212 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: over Al Horford. But Horford was completely falling off the 213 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: face of the earth again. Embiid was in that fourth 214 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: quarter and James Harden carried them. He had a hard 215 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: isolation against a Jason Tatum where he got into the 216 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: lane to his right hand and made a floater. He 217 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: had a pull up jump shot on Jalen Brown where 218 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: he got to his right hand and took a and 219 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: took a jump shot like he has. He has gone 220 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: to his weakness because that's what the playoffs are about, 221 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: or forcing you to be uncomfortable, forcing you to do 222 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: things that make you feel uncomfortable, and he is getting 223 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: He's having success in the weakest areas of his game, 224 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: and I think a big part of it is him 225 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: not relying on the step back jump shot from three, 226 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: or not just driving into the teeth of the defense 227 00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: and trying to draw fouls, but taking what the defense 228 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: giving him, which is those mid range shots, the little 229 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: floaters in the lane, the little pull up jump shots. 230 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 1: I was so impressed by James Harden in this game, 231 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: and look like it sucks that he's so inconsistent, but 232 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: this is what you want from a second star. He 233 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: doesn't have to be there every night, but he needs 234 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: to be able to win you a game or two 235 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, and Harden's won you two in this 236 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: series so far. 237 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: Well, and also a lot of the teams he was 238 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: on before he was such a ball centric scoring machine, 239 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 2: but by the time he got to the second round 240 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 2: of the playoffs, it felt like he was gassed. Whereas 241 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 2: MB's the MVP Tobias Harris gives you about every third game, 242 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: he gives you a big game. MAXI has control of 243 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 2: the ball, so it's not as hard and reliant. I mean, 244 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 2: they could he can play poorly and they can win, 245 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 2: maybe not in the playoffs, but in the regular season. 246 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 2: So I feel like he's got more energy. I feel 247 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 2: like there are times like today I thought, oh no, 248 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 2: he's not tired at all. Embid looked gassed. It's like 249 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,839 Speaker 2: Harden didn't. Yeah, Harden didn't look gast at all. All right, 250 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 2: now we go to the Lakers Warriors. Let's spend some 251 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 2: time on this. You know, I was thinking about this 252 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: series and when Golden State was playing Sacramento, I felt 253 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 2: like they were facing a less talented version of themselves. 254 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 2: But they were really looking in the mirror a lot. 255 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 2: And that's why I always felt strongly they were going 256 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 2: to win the series because they kind of knew the 257 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 2: next trick. They could kind of guess what was going 258 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,599 Speaker 2: to happen next. Sacramento's about a wing player away, a 259 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 2: Wiggins away from being the Warriors. Right, they have some 260 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: of the same components, but the Lakers are the opposite 261 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 2: of the Warriors. Size, great rim protection, ad a dominant 262 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: big length, inconsistent shooting, sometimes poor shooting, undrafted players bounce 263 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 2: around the league. Guys, they don't have the cohesion. You know, 264 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 2: they're a trade deadline team. I'm like, they're the opposite 265 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 2: of the Warriors, and I think there are times in 266 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 2: this series I feel like the Warriors were a little flummoxed. 267 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 2: They're not. This is like it's like in boxing, facing 268 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: a left panded boxer, You're like, I know I'm better 269 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 2: than him, but I don't have a sparring partner that's 270 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 2: a left I've never faced a lefty, and I just 271 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 2: feel like, to me, the Warriors feel they can't quite 272 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,719 Speaker 2: make up their mind. Do they do they want to 273 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 2: challenge the Lakers or at the rim? Or are they 274 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: just going to do pull ups? Now? They went back 275 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 2: to kind of attacking the rim a couple of times, 276 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 2: and I'm like, guys, it's not gonna work. Ads has 277 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 2: good A defenders the league have. That's not going to work. 278 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: So I don't feel the same way I did with Sacramento, 279 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,359 Speaker 2: where I felt kind of this kind of hovering confidence, 280 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: like they're going to figure out even though they've been 281 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 2: a bad road team. They solve that fast. But I 282 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: do think Kerr will make adjustments. But boy, there are 283 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 2: moments in this series they look small and frustrated. Is 284 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 2: that they look small and frustrated at times. 285 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: This is a different type of team than any team 286 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: that we've seen the Warriors play. Really in this entire 287 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: era when you factor in the combination of their into 288 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: your size and the offensive skill that they have around them. 289 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: Here's a crazy stat for you, Colin. The Lakers have 290 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: won five postseason games this year shooting below thirty percent 291 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: from three So, like, you're absolutely right, they could not 292 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: be more different than what this four years team is. 293 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: I think this series has been such This entire playoff 294 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: run has been such a I think Darvin Ham has 295 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: been so incredibly impressive. He's hit a bunch of the 296 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: right notes. I thought he made a bunch of key 297 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: adjustments in Game six against Memphis, shrinking the rotation to 298 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: the correct eight guys, tweaking his coverage of Desmond Baine. 299 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: It was a masterclass. And then you go into this 300 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: series and it's Game one. We knew the Warriors were 301 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: going to throw their fastball, which was all their off 302 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: ball stuff with their main lineup, and Darvin Ham just 303 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: top locked all the shooters, funneled everybody into the paint. 304 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: It was a disaster. Game two, the predictable adjustment from 305 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: Steve Kerr, lots of Steph Curry high pick and roll, 306 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: Draymond Green kills him in the short role. The entire 307 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: game genius adjustment from Darvin Ham. He puts Jared vander 308 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: Built onto Draymond Green and Austin Reeves onto Steph Curry 309 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: so they can switch to Steph Draymond pick and roll. 310 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: Now when they bring Anthony Davis into the screen, it's 311 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: a role man like Jamichael Green or Kevon Looney who's 312 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: just nowhere near as good at making those decisions in 313 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: the short role as Draymond Green is. It's been a 314 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: masterclass coaching performance from Darvin Ham in my opinion. You 315 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: know what's interesting, and this is why I say it's 316 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: different than any other Warriors opponent in this era. In 317 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: the past, it used to be that the Warriors would 318 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: play your best players off the floor. Oh, we're going 319 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: to play your center off the floor because he's too slow. 320 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: We're going to play this guard off the floor because 321 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: he can't guard. In this series, the Lakers have been 322 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: able to keep their core rotation and guess what. The 323 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: Warriors have had to cut way back on Gary Payton's 324 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: minutes and they've had to cut way back in Kavon 325 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: Looney's minutes because of the Anthony Davis problem. We focus 326 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: so much on superstar offensive players and their ability to 327 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: overcome anything. Look at what Devin Booker did tonight. Look 328 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: at what Steph Curry's done throughout his playoff career. Anthony 329 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: Davis not single handedly, but he's carrying the vast majority 330 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: of this Lowe is exposing his defensive superpower to slow 331 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: down this Warriors offense. I think it's been one of 332 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: the best defensive performances I've ever seen from a player. 333 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: This is very different. This is a very different type 334 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: of challenge. Series is not over. I think the winner 335 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: of Game four wins the series. But man, this is 336 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: definitely going to be a unique challenge for the Warriors. 337 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, game game Game five and Game seven, which 338 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 2: are huge games, obviously deciding Game seven, are both at 339 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,199 Speaker 2: Chase Center. It is interesting. I did not pick the 340 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 2: Warriors to get to the finals, and a lot of 341 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 2: it was I think they've struggled all year to figure 342 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: out to bridge the old new gap. Now they're not 343 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 2: playing kaminga at all. Moody's good. Doesn't play a lot, 344 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 2: but he's actually pretty good. Jordan Poole is just infuriating, 345 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: but I think they need him. My takeaway on this 346 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 2: series was the Warriors would win it. But I felt 347 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: somewhere in the playoffs, whether it was against Jokic, or 348 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: it's against Anthony Davis, or it would be against MBID, 349 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 2: that they would face an offensive minded center and they 350 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: just get nothing from their bigs. I mean when Wiggins 351 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: was out, Jesus, I mean, they got nothing from anybody 352 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 2: but the back court for two months. I mean it 353 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:18,239 Speaker 2: was just basically Steph kept him at five hundred. I mean, 354 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 2: they had no scoring. So Wiggins gives them, you know, 355 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 2: you're fifteen a game at the wing. But I do 356 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 2: think that Bob Meyer and Kerr, out of respect for Curry, 357 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 2: everything's going to be. They're going to attain players eventually 358 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 2: who are on Steph's timeline. Anthony Davis is on his 359 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 2: timeline right, bigs that can play, And I'm really interested 360 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: if they lose this series. They're not going to stand 361 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 2: pat They're just not And as Looney right now has 362 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 2: a reputation that's greater than his game. I mean, he's 363 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:55,479 Speaker 2: got no offensive skill. He's a great rebounder. It's like, 364 00:18:56,080 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 2: we can take fewer rebounds, give me seventeen points. If 365 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 2: you ran the Warriors as constituted today and they lost 366 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 2: in Game six, and it was Anthony Davis that just 367 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 2: at the rim, protecting it and scoring. Where do you go, 368 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 2: because I don't think they stand pat Where would they go? 369 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: It's so interesting you asked that because I was texting 370 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: a buddy of mine who covers the Warriors the other 371 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: day and for the record, do not think this series 372 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: is over. Would not be the least bit surprised if 373 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: Golden State one Game two and won the series. This 374 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: is not over. But in the hypothetical scenario where the 375 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: Warriors lose, what I would do is I would retain 376 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: your one, two three, so I would keep Steph, Klay Thompson, 377 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: and Andrew Wiggins, and then I would go all in 378 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: on the front line with size and athleticism. And then 379 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: I'd run a more traditional offense that you see around 380 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: the NBA, where you rely more on Steph Curry in 381 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: high pick and roll. It's just the way that the 382 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 1: game has been set up. That's where you can have 383 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: a ton of success these days, especially when you've got 384 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: shooting and athleticism around you. And Andrew Wiggins and Klay 385 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: Thompson are great at that. Specifically, too often they've had 386 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: to rely on being gimmicky to overcome their size issue, 387 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: no question, and it's worked like we're not being critical. 388 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,719 Speaker 1: They've what they have, four titles. But you know, as 389 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: players start to age out just a little bit and 390 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: their effectiveness starts to slide just a little bit, it's 391 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: time to potentially try something different. And in that scenario, 392 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 1: I do all in on Steph Clay and Wiggins mainly too. 393 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: From an asset standpoint, like Clay at this phase in 394 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: his career is going to be tough to get like 395 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: value for right, Andrew Wiggins is one of the most 396 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 1: important types of players you can have on an NBA roster, 397 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: like a legit twenty point per game score that can 398 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: guard the other team's best player. Steph I think as 399 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,959 Speaker 1: absolutely as at least two or three more years as 400 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: a peak level superstar. Then you start to look down 401 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: the roster and it's like Jordan Poole, like him or 402 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: hate him, He's at least an asset that you probably 403 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: can get some value out of. So I would I 404 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: would definitely look to bolster the front court with just 405 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 1: a ton of size in athleticism, get Steph a real 406 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: vertical spacing threat so he can actually run. You know, 407 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: you mentioned Anthony Davis. He might not be attainable, but 408 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: somebody that can do some of like a poor man's 409 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: version of him, that can play traditional drop coverag grim 410 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: protect and be a vertical spacing threat like that would 411 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: be the direction that I'd look to go if they 412 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: did choose to rebuild. 413 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 2: So it was interesting Lebron didn't score a single point 414 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 2: in that game, and it was and we both we've 415 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 2: discussed this kind of ad nauseam that he really lets 416 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 2: the game come to him, and by the way he should. 417 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 2: He kind of waits for it, and so then he 418 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 2: turns the jet you know, the jets on later in 419 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: games and crucial situations, and it's it's like a really 420 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 2: it's like a it's like a boxer with a knockout 421 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 2: punch who's at the end of his career. He just 422 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 2: lets the fight come to him and then the other 423 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 2: guy gets worn down. Sixth round, he kind of seizes it. 424 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 2: Seventh round, goes to the knockout. But it's interesting with 425 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 2: Lebron that this series, I thought it was a real problem. 426 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: After Game one, they get one day rest, so they're 427 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 2: back on the court tomorrow. Do you foresee any problem 428 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 2: Game four, Game five, Game six, Game seven, and I'm 429 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 2: watching Lebron the other night, and I'm like, I know 430 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 2: what he's doing here, He's waiting for the moment we got. 431 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 2: We may have four more of these things. Would you 432 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 2: be concerned if you were Darvin ham about I don't 433 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 2: know how much can I get out of him? I got, 434 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 2: we got four games in eight days, potentially. That's just 435 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 2: he's not Jason. That's just not what he's That's not 436 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 2: what he is now. 437 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: I mean to me, this series comes down to the 438 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: Lakers will absolutely will win if they get two more 439 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: defensive efforts like what they had in Game three, And 440 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: you know, Lebron James, there was a time out after 441 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: a that nasty Andrew Wiggins dunk and then Steph Curry 442 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: got a three on an offensive rebound put back where 443 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,239 Speaker 1: they got it back to twelve. And after that time out, 444 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: Lebron really engaged himself athletically and started blocking shots getting 445 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: out in transition. You know, he doesn't quite have the 446 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: same first step that he usually has, probably a byproduct 447 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: of the foot injury, which is a byproduct of his age. 448 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 2: Right. 449 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: His jump shot has kind of failed him in a 450 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 1: lot of different ways in the postseason run. Yeah, it's 451 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: kind of It's highly unusual, but it is what it is. However, 452 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: next to what Anthony Davis is doing and what Jared 453 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:11,239 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt is doing. If Lebron James engages himself as a 454 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: rebounder and as a defender and pushes in transition when 455 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: he cans when he can, that's all they need from him. 456 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: That's all they need. That's how good this team is defensively. 457 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: They don't need him to be thirty five point per 458 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: game historical playoff Lebron. They just need him to be 459 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: engaged defensively. Now, you said, should Darvin hand be worried? 460 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: That's the thing. We have seen this throughout this playoff 461 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: run and really throughout the entire season. The Lakers struggle 462 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: to maintain their effort level. I would not be surprised 463 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: in the slightest if Game four was much closer, or 464 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: if the Warriors held a decent sized lead throughout the 465 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: Lakers struggle to maintain that defensive intensity. But it's really 466 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: that simple to me. If they can get two more 467 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:53,360 Speaker 1: performances like that, they can win the series. Game four 468 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,360 Speaker 1: I expect to be super close. Game five, I think 469 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 1: golden State would win nine times out of ten and 470 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: then game six back crypto if you get that three 471 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: two lead at that point. Lebron was excellent in the 472 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: closeout game against Memphis. He smells blood in the water 473 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,919 Speaker 1: and he summons the necessary energy that he needs. Everything 474 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 1: comes down to game four for me. 475 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 2: You know, it's interesting, this is sort of feeling like 476 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 2: the Bubble year. Anthony Davis was healthy and dominant. Anthony 477 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 2: Davis now is on a long streak of healthy and dominant. 478 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 2: Lebron was out of his prime but could be dominant 479 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 2: in spurts. There were several players KCP one, d Lo here, 480 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 2: big shot makers, but you always kind of feel like 481 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 2: they're not part of the future. Right then you have 482 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 2: like I mean when I always like KCP Rich Paul 483 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: and I talked about this. He was never afraid to 484 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 2: take a big shot like ever didn't know's love his selection, 485 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 2: but I loved his effort. Diegelo Russell same thing. He's 486 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 2: always willing to take a shot. But I don't think 487 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 2: they're going to sign him for a long term deal. 488 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 2: And the West year was weird. Veteran teams, you know, 489 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 2: dovetailed in the postseason in the Bubble. They missed their 490 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 2: wives and their friends and their kids. And this year 491 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 2: is weird. I mean the Clippers were weird. Denver's a 492 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 2: unique team. I mean, Golden State had from the punch 493 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 2: to the abysmal road performance, Chris Paul's now out KD trade, 494 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 2: it is that bubble team. Even though you know, if 495 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 2: you go back to the bubble and I don't remember 496 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 2: it specifically, but I can remember a D really being 497 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 2: dominant at times, and at times for the first time ever, 498 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: Lebron like kind of liking it. In fact, I mean, 499 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 2: do you remember that bubble where it was the first 500 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 2: time ever Lebron was in a championship level thing and 501 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 2: was very comfortable dropping the ball low and observing. I 502 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 2: think I think I think Lebron one of his assets. 503 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 2: I think he's very comfortable. I think deep down he 504 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 2: knows AD on both ends of the floor right now 505 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,679 Speaker 2: is a better player more consistently than I am. And 506 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 2: I think Lebron's okay with it. He's always been a 507 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 2: great teammate. Do you think he knows that Not only. 508 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: Is he okay with it, he's been begging for this 509 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: for years. That was the whole reason why he like 510 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,479 Speaker 1: he that's what he wanted Kyrie to b That's what 511 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: he's been wanting Anthony Davis to be. You know, I 512 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: do think this team is actually a little bit better 513 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: defensively than the twenty twenty Lakers with their core lineup. 514 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: They're not as deep because Dwight Howard was so important 515 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: off the bench for them, But it's the Jared Vanderbilt piece. 516 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: They never really had a real athletic forward that could 517 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: defend the way Jared Vanderbilt could. Thought that Laker team 518 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: had slightly better guard defenders. But also Anthony Davis I 519 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 1: think is on a defensive run that even he couldn't 520 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: reach in twenty twenty. The thing that the difference is 521 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,919 Speaker 1: and the reason why, Like, I was incredibly confident that 522 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty Lakers team was going to win. They started 523 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: the season twenty four and three. I believed in their defense, 524 00:26:57,920 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: I believed in Lebron. I thought they were going to win. 525 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 1: The biggest fear. 526 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 2: For me Miami. Miami was a bunch of kids, for sure. 527 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 2: That was a I was surprised it was competitive early 528 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 2: and they were just they were out of their element. 529 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: For sure, and they they actually went through some tougher 530 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: competition in the Western Conference. I thought like that Nuggets 531 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: team was pretty good. The Lakers were just clicking at 532 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: a high level. That Houston team that was really weird, 533 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 1: that played a five out, you know. But specifically what 534 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: scares me with this Lakers team is they just don't 535 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: have close to the same offensive ceiling as that twenty 536 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: twenty Lakers team, even though that twenty twenty Lakers team 537 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: was known as being, you know, somewhat clunky offensively, simply 538 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: because Lebron James was operating at a much higher level 539 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 1: offensively in that playoff run. Yeah, he was giving you 540 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: forty in the finals. Like like if I if I 541 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: told you one of the odds that Lebron's going to 542 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: get forty tomorrow, you'd be like extremely low. Like it's 543 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: just he just doesn't seem to have that first and 544 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: then Anthony Davis was on such a jump shooting run 545 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,199 Speaker 1: in that twenty twenty bubble. He was making everything out 546 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 1: of the post like he was Kevin Durant make you 547 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: shot like fifty something percent on pull up jump shots 548 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: in that playoff run. So like, as much as I 549 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,199 Speaker 1: enjoy this Lakers team, I do think they have a 550 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: slightly higher defensive ceiling with their best lineups because of 551 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt. They have a little bit more flexibility, and 552 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 1: they do have more offensive skill in the back court. 553 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,160 Speaker 1: But you win with superstars in the playoffs, and I'm 554 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: just a little concerned with the up and down nature 555 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: of Lebron and Anthony Davis offensively. That doesn't mean they 556 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: can't win it, but I view them as more just 557 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: in the pack, whereas to me, that twenty twenty Lakers 558 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: team was head and shoulders above everybody else. 559 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 2: Jason Timpf hoops Tonight such an important part of the volume. 560 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 2: His stuff's all over YouTube, really breaks it down like 561 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: I don't think anybody else does in this space. I 562 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,239 Speaker 2: absolutely love it. I'll pass on discussing the knicks and 563 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 2: the heat. I don't even know how Miami. Miami's not 564 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 2: even playing well. That's what's amazing. They're not even I mean, 565 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 2: they're really not playing extraordinarily well. And I look up 566 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 2: and I'm like, Cody Zeller's on the floor, Lauren, Max Druce, 567 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: and Jimmy Butler's not. We'll discuss that this week when 568 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 2: we're on again. But as always, Buddy, I appreciate it. 569 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: Thanks calling, see you next time. 570 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:31,959 Speaker 2: Man the volume. Make sure to check out The Draymon 571 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 2: Green Show. I brought Draymond Green into the volume because 572 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 2: one of the more entertaining voices in sports. Unique perspective 573 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 2: understands behind the rope. Also chops up with guests like 574 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 2: Gary Payton, Zach Levine, Tracy McGrady. Make sure download The 575 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 2: Draymond Green Show wherever you get your podcasts. Only on 576 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 2: the Volume podcast Network.