1 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,199 What is krak Lack and Bellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Dan fa Valley 2 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,079 coming at you with a snippet of a podcast that will go live on Monday. 3 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,199 But I had such a good conversation with Brian to Porik of Bleacher Report. 4 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,199 We went through our biggest questions we have for the rest of the season 5 00:00:30,559 --> 00:00:34,840 post trade deadline, basically just focusing on teams that we find the most fascinating 6 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,960 or some bigger picture stuff. One of the questions is who's the second best 7 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,320 team in the East. That's not what you're about to hear. We're going 8 00:00:40,359 --> 00:00:43,039 to talk about some Phoenix Suns. That was one of his questions. I 9 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,439 just wanted to give you a little preview of it. The full thing will 10 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:50,719 be going live on Monday, YouTube across all podcast platforms. Appreciate all the 11 00:00:50,719 --> 00:00:56,719 support as always, but enjoy this discussion between Brian and myself about the Phoenix 12 00:00:56,719 --> 00:01:03,400 Suns. Are we overlooking the Phoenix Suns? I mean, first of all, 13 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,719 and they might dovetail just because of the move they made with the one 14 00:01:07,719 --> 00:01:10,319 of the other teams that had my list. I kind of feel like, 15 00:01:10,439 --> 00:01:14,959 yes, it just like you look at the issues they've had and they're real 16 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,519 issues. But like the turnover stuff, when you have your big three, 17 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,040 it's not as prevalent through most of the game. Fourth quarters have been in 18 00:01:22,079 --> 00:01:23,519 issues. We've seen defenses blit them, blitz them, but you know, 19 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,680 it's been a bigger issue for them in fourth quarters. Nobody hits a wide 20 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:30,239 open jumper. They still generate them, but they shoot. And I've mentioned 21 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,480 this now, I think like three times they have an effective field goal percentage 22 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,439 of above sixty three on wide open jump shots outside ten feet through the first 23 00:01:38,439 --> 00:01:42,280 three quarters. That number drops to dead last in the NBA at about forty 24 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,719 six in the fourth quarter. That's like Grayson Allen turns into a pumpkin, 25 00:01:47,159 --> 00:01:49,640 like Bradley Beal has struggled at points. But I look at this team, 26 00:01:51,239 --> 00:01:53,239 everyone not everyone. A lot of people thought they needed a point guard. 27 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,519 I think they picked Royce O'Neil's not super athletic. I think they picked the 28 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:01,280 right need, which was let's get another someone who like, look, let's 29 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,040 be honest, use off nerd Kic has been good, Grayson Allen has been 30 00:02:05,079 --> 00:02:07,599 good. Eric Gordon has had his moments. But there's a chance that we 31 00:02:07,599 --> 00:02:09,599 look back at the trade deadline and say, did the Sun just acquire their 32 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:14,120 fourth most important player? Like, that's how good of a fit Royce O'Neil 33 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,240 is, And so I think they just checked that the right box, and 34 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:22,560 so like, are we overlooking them in the sense of could they win it 35 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,479 all? I think we are because if the caveats just well, are their 36 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,919 three stars need to be available? Well, no shit, And so it's 37 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,159 just like we can't write them off because of that Caveat other rise, we'll 38 00:02:31,199 --> 00:02:36,000 be writing off the Clippers right now, right right. I mean, Beal 39 00:02:36,039 --> 00:02:38,199 has missed so much time this year, and even Booker and Durant missed a 40 00:02:38,199 --> 00:02:43,919 couple of games here or there, so we haven't seen them at full strength 41 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,479 all that much this year. It's gotten much better as of late, but 42 00:02:46,879 --> 00:02:50,280 no, I'd say really for the first couple months of the season, it 43 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,680 was like, Okay, Beal's back, but Kg's out, Kg's back, 44 00:02:53,719 --> 00:02:58,400 Booker's out, Booker's back, Beals out. So it just felt very inconsistent. 45 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,199 But I mean, they're only five games back of the one seed right 46 00:03:01,199 --> 00:03:07,000 now. Over the last month, I think there are twelve and three ye 47 00:03:08,159 --> 00:03:14,120 and they you know, they're playing like they played the Blazers, the Bulls, 48 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,800 the Nets, the Wizards, So woohoo, I'm not gonna go celebrate 49 00:03:17,879 --> 00:03:23,199 that. But they've also beaten in that stretch the Sacramento Kings, the New 50 00:03:23,319 --> 00:03:27,800 Orleans Pelicans, the Indiana Pacers, the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heat, 51 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,159 the Milwaukee Bucks. So no, yes, I'd like to see them prove 52 00:03:31,199 --> 00:03:38,639 it against the top tier contenders they've got. Okay, see in Denver in 53 00:03:38,719 --> 00:03:42,479 a three and four nights stretched Houston and then okay, see the back to 54 00:03:42,599 --> 00:03:45,719 back and then then at Denver two nights later at the beginning of March. 55 00:03:45,719 --> 00:03:47,879 So that'll be fun. But like that might be a good litmus test for 56 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,479 them. But I mean yeah, I mean, like, if you have 57 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:57,439 Kevin Durant and Devin Booker alone, we saw how potent those two guys could 58 00:03:57,439 --> 00:04:01,759 be in that series against Denver last year. Now you add Bradley build of 59 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,759 the equation, you add these other guys, Like, yeah, they they 60 00:04:04,879 --> 00:04:11,000 lost some of their depth that they acquired this offseason in the trade to get 61 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,240 Royce O'Neil. That's okay. I mean we knew from the moment they went 62 00:04:15,319 --> 00:04:18,439 with this Big three cGy they were going to be very very top heavy, 63 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:21,399 and they were gonna have to lean on you know, they're probably gonna cut 64 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:26,279 to like a seven or eight man rotation in the playoffs, and that's they 65 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,680 just got someone who's definitely going to be a part of it too, which 66 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:30,920 you could not say about any of them, like you don't want to be 67 00:04:30,959 --> 00:04:33,120 already wasn't really playing, so like you couldn't say that about anyone that they 68 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:38,079 sent out. Yeah, like caindidates job is probably the best one of the 69 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,560 four, And I mean I think they got Josh at home. They have 70 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,000 the offensive liability wing defender there, you go right exactly, and now, 71 00:04:46,319 --> 00:04:47,759 yeah, you have a rights O'Neil who should be a plug and play fit 72 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:53,040 there. So you know, I think they it's similar to Okay see, 73 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,199 like their move is gonna fly under the deadline because everyone's so busy falling over 74 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,959 themselves trying to praise what the Knicks did and trying to make fun of the 75 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,920 Chicago Bulls and the Lakers and the Warriors. But I think the Sun's got 76 00:05:03,079 --> 00:05:11,160 notably better yesterday. And you know there's this focus on Minnesota, Denver, 77 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,040 Okay See Clippers, because the standings are all still bunched at the very top 78 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,680 of the conference, but Phoenix is just lurking there, like, hey, 79 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,079 guys, you do remember that we have Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and 80 00:05:21,079 --> 00:05:25,639 Bradley Beal right, like we are still a championship kid Dender as well. 81 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,120 And there's there's two variables that I think once in favor of the Suns, 82 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,000 and one isn't like the one that's in favor of them is like Bradley Beal 83 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,639 has and this because he missed some time and I think he was always going 84 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,399 to be the player that needed to adjust more. He's had to make more 85 00:05:36,399 --> 00:05:40,480 adjustments and he struggled at points, but to his credit, he hasn't really 86 00:05:40,519 --> 00:05:43,160 tried to like deviate from the script. And there are just moments when you 87 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,879 can see it work and see it clicking and how this is all supposed to 88 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,240 colaise together. So they're gonna get better some They might get better on offense, 89 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:53,160 is my point. A team that over their last thirty games I think 90 00:05:53,199 --> 00:05:56,759 has is like fifth in offense or their their fourth in offense over their last 91 00:05:56,759 --> 00:05:59,800 thirty games, and I don't remember what they were overall on the season, 92 00:06:00,199 --> 00:06:03,040 sixth for the season now the one that I have questions about, and you 93 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,879 watch them and you don't understand it. You dig into the data and you 94 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,319 start to understand it, and then you wonder if it holds up in the 95 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,920 playoffs. They're just hovering around league average on defense despite not necessarily having the 96 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,800 personnel to do so. And then you start to look at it, it's 97 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:23,040 like they haven't really gotten too lucky on opponent three point shooting. They haven't 98 00:06:23,079 --> 00:06:26,800 gotten like teams aren't hitting mid range jumpers against them. But that's like not 99 00:06:26,959 --> 00:06:29,560 the hugest deal. And then you look, you look, it's like they're 100 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,959 not a good defensive rebounding team overall. Some of their lineups can be, 101 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,959 but just overall, they're not their backup big situation is traditionally a mess like 102 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,800 Drew Eubanks might decide to play well for two or three games at a time, 103 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,519 but that's about it. And yet they're a team. And I think 104 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,040 we people started to come onto this with the Denver Nuggets last year. If 105 00:06:47,199 --> 00:06:51,920 your league average defensively put your super ultra elite on offense, you can win 106 00:06:51,959 --> 00:06:57,439 the title. My issue with the Suns and they address is a little bit 107 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,839 with Royce O'Neil just a little bit. Is Dever always had like some of 108 00:07:01,879 --> 00:07:06,399 the individual defenders, Aaron Gordon specifically, they had Bruce Brown last year, 109 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,240 and now they have you know, Peyton Watson in sort of a stay. 110 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,079 You look at them and said, like they could you could see the theory 111 00:07:15,079 --> 00:07:16,319 of what they were going to do on defense at the highest level. And 112 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,519 then you also got you know, Jamal Murray turns it up a notch. 113 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,199 And the Sons have that with Devin Booker, like they're kind of like Jamal 114 00:07:23,279 --> 00:07:25,959 Murray, He'll kick into the next year, especially in one on one situations. 115 00:07:26,439 --> 00:07:29,680 The Sons don't have their Aaron Gordon. They don't even have their Michael 116 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,759 Porter Junior, who during the playoffs last year, like and you don't need 117 00:07:32,759 --> 00:07:35,360 to listen to his opinions on the WNBA. I'm talking strictly about it. 118 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,240 Like he comes in and crashing the glass, he's defending his ass off, 119 00:07:41,279 --> 00:07:45,680 he's like making good health rotations. I don't see that on this team necessarily. 120 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,759 And so I sort of questioned whether when they're going up against teams that 121 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,079 are and I'm not smart enough to know the answer to this. I'm honest, 122 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,399 I'm genuinely just asking this question. When teams are gonna be able to 123 00:07:55,439 --> 00:07:58,519 game plan for them in a best of seven series, do we see some 124 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,879 pullback from a defense that I would say, overall and especially relative to the 125 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:07,000 personnel that they have, has overachieved and is in a spot where you're like, 126 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,680 like, if you just take the defensive returns at face value, which 127 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,519 again, there's nothing that stands out that said you can even One of the 128 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:16,959 things I thought about watching them is their offense is so good. They get 129 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,439 set like that helps, but like they get back after committing a turnover or 130 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,800 missing a shot, like, so they have that in them. And so 131 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:28,639 you look at these results and if you told me they're just the fourteenth or 132 00:08:28,639 --> 00:08:33,440 fifteenth or sixteenth the best defensive team in the league and that that'll hold up 133 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,360 in the playoffs, we are absolutely sleeping on the Phoenix Suns. I'm just 134 00:08:37,399 --> 00:08:39,039 wondering, and I think we overall are sleeping on them. I'm just very 135 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,519 curious to see whether that type of league average play can hold up in the 136 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,039 playoff crucible. Yeah. Absolutely, And I think even if it can't, 137 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,440 there is low hanging fruit for them to address on offense. But it's fair 138 00:08:52,519 --> 00:08:56,159 to wonder if they're ever going to do it. That they are twenty sixth 139 00:08:56,159 --> 00:09:00,360 and three pointers attempted per game, they are twenty fourth and three point rate. 140 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,240 I mean, four of their five best shooters are shooting thirty eight percent 141 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,600 or higher from three point range through one exception being Bradley Beal, who's at 142 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:13,000 thirty six point two percent. So they have five very good three point shooters 143 00:09:13,039 --> 00:09:16,120 on the team and yet they are taking the fifth fewest three point attempts per 144 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,960 game. So even if the defense does backslide, I'm not saying they need 145 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,320 to be the Boston Celtics and fire up almost fifty three is a night that's 146 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,279 like, But I think there is a better balance that they can find between 147 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,799 you know, the mid range shots that especially Kadi and Bookers a lethal line 148 00:09:33,879 --> 00:09:37,279 and can we stretch the floor a little bit more? And I think Royce 149 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:41,279 O'Neil might help in that regard as well. Yeah, he definitely will, 150 00:09:41,279 --> 00:09:46,759 because right now they only have one player attempting more than six three pointers per 151 00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:50,600 thirty six minutes, and that's just like even Grayson Allen's under six attempts per 152 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,200 thirty six minutes, and that's like Grayson Allen buddy like that should probably be 153 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,919 on a permanent basis, that should be up near ten. I feel like 154 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,679 like you're shooting almost fifty percent from guy like this is your only role on 155 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:03,679 offense, and I will say, there's room, and we've seen it. 156 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,039 I think for Devin Booker's volume to climb there because I think, I mean, 157 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,519 he's when you look at it, just like three points splits for his 158 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,600 career. He's definitely like first team. All his shooting form makes you think 159 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,679 he's had a forty five percent from three season when he really hasn't. But 160 00:10:16,759 --> 00:10:20,399 like I do think the extra volume is probably gonna need to come from a 161 00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:24,240 bal or a KD just because like they're so low, they're barely a Katie's 162 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,879 not even at five attempts per thirty six minutes. And look it's an oversimplification, 163 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:30,799 but we just went in detail and all this other stuff. The math. 164 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,799 Sometimes the math is gonna matter. Yeah, And so when you're you're 165 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,960 a team what I think is good about them, We'll see if it holds 166 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,840 in the playoffs. Okay, you're a team that despite not putting a ton 167 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,440 of pressure on the basket, like you're going to get to the foul line. 168 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,120 They're actually second in free throw attempt rate on the season, which is, 169 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,279 you know, when you consider where they rank as a team when it 170 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,120 comes to the share of their shots that just come at the rim. Uh, 171 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,200 they're actually seventh. I didn't realize they were that high up my reading 172 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,080 that role. Oh that's curious. I knew. I was. I was 173 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,440 like, uh, maybe you don't watch anything. They're twenty five. Okay, 174 00:11:05,519 --> 00:11:07,799 yeah, they're twenty fifth, and the share of their shots that come 175 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,000 at the rim. And so if that holds into the playoffs, is it 176 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,480 harder to draw the shooting files when it's coming from the perimeter. The guys 177 00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:18,039 are talented enough that maybe it doesn't matter. But that's also a fair question 178 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,720 as well. But you're right, roysn't Neilli at least help with the three 179 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,000 point volume for sure? Yeah. I mean, like, I'm not saying 180 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,240 I'm picking the Suns to win the West by any means, but I don't 181 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,600 heard aggregators. There you go, there you go. But I mean it 182 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,039 like if you held a gun to my head and said it's Minnesota versus Phoenix 183 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:45,919 in the second round of the playoffs. I don't know your face just said 184 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,519 it all. Yeah, it's tough for me to pick against the team with 185 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,879 Kevin Durant, Devin Booker. Maybe it's too sip like, maybe I'm just 186 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,840 lizard braining this, but and they would definitely, I think they would try 187 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:01,320 to like style the shit of the series and just say, you know what, 188 00:12:01,399 --> 00:12:03,000 Kevin Durant's gonna play more five and we're gonna see what that does to 189 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,639 their dou A big setup. And yeah, they goes back to my concern 190 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:09,279 by Minnesota, and like all of these other teams, I think are gonna 191 00:12:09,279 --> 00:12:13,679 have a little bit more ability to change their identity.