1 00:00:14,359 --> 00:00:19,839 What is kracklak in Hardwin Knox listeners, I am Damn Valley coming at you 2 00:00:19,879 --> 00:00:24,039 without my fantabulous pillows. To Adam Cromwell, I am, however, super 3 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:29,800 pleased and excited to be joined by longtime friend and colleague Brian to Porek. 4 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,679 He is a senior quality editor at Bleacher Report, where I also worked. 5 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,759 He also is the co host of the NBA Podcast. Follow them on Twitter 6 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,679 at the NBA Pod, Him and more do a great job. Throw them 7 00:00:41,719 --> 00:00:45,079 some ratings, reviews and subscriptions wherever you're getting your pods. And he also 8 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:50,240 writes about the NBA and the salary cap and the Sixers over at Forbes Sports. 9 00:00:50,759 --> 00:00:54,520 Follow him on Twitter at b to Porek. That's at BT O p 10 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:59,280 O r e K. We are here to do our deep dives into the 11 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,079 first round of twenty two NBA Playoffs. I'm trying something different. I'm splitting 12 00:01:03,079 --> 00:01:08,280 this up into three series of piece per podcast because we went over two hours, 13 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,680 so I'm going to give you about two one hour long podcast. They'll 14 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,760 be a little bit longer than that to digest. We're releasing the first one 15 00:01:15,799 --> 00:01:18,760 on Thursday. We'll release the other one on Friday. We will also have 16 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:23,519 something on the final two series, which will be determined on Friday, either 17 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,239 late Friday night or up Saturday morning. We didn't go in any particular order 18 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,959 here based on the schedule because I didn't know I was going to split it 19 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,799 into two podcasts. But I think this is the best way. I have 20 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:38,079 timestamps check those out in the pod descriptions, but I just think that this 21 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,560 makes it more consumable. Let me know if you would prefer in the future 22 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,439 me to release them all at once, but I thought this was a good 23 00:01:42,439 --> 00:01:46,040 thing to try. That's enough rambling, but I do want to get to 24 00:01:46,079 --> 00:01:48,719 our usual housekeeping notes. If this is the first time that you're listening to 25 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,959 us, consider throwing us that permit subscription. We do work really hard to 26 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,599 be only modestly insufferable when it comes to national NBA coverage. We have a 27 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,480 lot of fun over here, though. Join our discord. That link is 28 00:01:57,519 --> 00:02:00,879 in the podcast description as well, will get priority when it comes to mail 29 00:02:00,959 --> 00:02:07,560 bag questions as well as conversations. We're hoping the discord continues to pop whilst 30 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:13,000 the postseason goes on. Also follow us on Twitter at Hardwood Knox. Follow 31 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,400 us on Instagram at Hardwood Underscore Knox. We're on TikTok at Hardwood Knox. 32 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,719 Go subscribe to our YouTube channel also YouTube dot com search Hardworknox. We will 33 00:02:21,719 --> 00:02:23,919 come up. We are so close to one case subscribers there, so please 34 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,680 help us get over the hump. I know that's a lot, but I'm 35 00:02:28,719 --> 00:02:31,520 working really hard to put out a ton of content for everybody who listens to 36 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,800 this pod, hoping to expand our reach and expand this great community that we've 37 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,520 built. The final thing I'll say is I have been posting original content on 38 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,599 TikTok nig, just some videos for you to peruse on topics, So there 39 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,879 is a point in following us there. Even if you already follow us here, 40 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,039 you can also help us out a ton. This goes a long way. 41 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,360 Retweet our promos, tell friends, family members about us. Word of 42 00:02:52,439 --> 00:02:54,400 mouth goes a long way. Anyone who you know as a basketball fan. 43 00:02:55,039 --> 00:02:59,759 I am exhausted from this, but my caffeine pride is using. We're gonna 44 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:05,400 get to the MAVs Versus Jazz, the Bucks and the Bulls, and the 45 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,680 Grizzlies Timberwolve series in this podcast. The other three series will be in the 46 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,319 other one. If you're already the sneak fish might want to check your feet 47 00:03:10,319 --> 00:03:15,039 and see if that one's already dropped. But let's go playoff deep jobs with 48 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:20,400 Bryan to poor right the hell? Now, let's start with Chicago and Milwaukee. 49 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:25,120 That feels I think like the most fatal complete first round series that we 50 00:03:25,199 --> 00:03:30,719 have. Yeah, Vega Siddes would agree with that, because the Bucks are 51 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:38,599 just so enormously heavily favored, and it's hard to see a pathway for the 52 00:03:38,599 --> 00:03:42,919 Bulls to win this one, especially with Lonzo has been declared out for the 53 00:03:42,919 --> 00:03:46,759 rest of the season. And you know, I do want to push back 54 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,919 against the whole like Bulls or Fraud's narrative that seems to be popping up, 55 00:03:51,199 --> 00:03:54,840 because they were really good for the first half of the season and then you 56 00:03:54,879 --> 00:04:00,919 know, Lonzo and Caruso got hurt and their defense just got long the Smithens 57 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:05,319 and they just haven't been able to find their footing since. Yeah, and 58 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:10,120 yeah, that's not First of all, did anyone have them winning forty six 59 00:04:10,199 --> 00:04:13,879 games during the regular season. I think consensus, at least naturally was that 60 00:04:14,159 --> 00:04:17,160 the Damars Rosen trade was a mistake, Like they were gonna be not even 61 00:04:17,199 --> 00:04:20,160 paper Tigers, and I'd be curious to see where they were if Alonzo Ball 62 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:25,519 and Alex Caruso never get injured that at the same time, And I don't 63 00:04:25,519 --> 00:04:28,319 mean to sound like an asshole by saying this, I don't know what the 64 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,480 pathway to them winning this series is. And you're not only missing Lonzo Ball, 65 00:04:32,519 --> 00:04:35,600 but Alex Caruso closed to the regular season dealing with some back stuff. 66 00:04:36,399 --> 00:04:40,480 You showed moments from what I saw during the regular season where it looked like 67 00:04:40,519 --> 00:04:43,800 you were capable of defending Janniss at the kumpo, But it's just like, 68 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,120 how do you do that over the course of a season, and now when 69 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:51,800 your personnel is sort of dwindling. Having Patrick Williams might help. I'm just 70 00:04:54,199 --> 00:04:56,879 that might be my biggest question. Actually, it's like what is the pathway 71 00:04:56,959 --> 00:05:00,160 to Chicago winning this series? I think my bigger, like if we we're 72 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,040 going to go more granular question is like, what do they do or do 73 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,720 they try anything with the Booch minutes just because this doesn't seem like a great 74 00:05:06,759 --> 00:05:11,480 matchup for him unless the Bucks are going to play Chris Middleton a shit ton 75 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,279 and we know that, like there's you don't you don't want to get to 76 00:05:14,319 --> 00:05:16,839 a point where you're relying on Tristan Thompson too much. Is Derek Jones junior 77 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,399 at the five going to be an option? And so I just feel like 78 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:27,000 they start to run out of bodies That makes sense for this matchup pretty quickly. 79 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,439 Yeah, I mean, I think we see this a lot where you 80 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:36,360 know, personnel and specific matchups are what dictate playoff series. And we'll get 81 00:05:36,399 --> 00:05:40,959 to a couple others later where I think that's really going to be a factor 82 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:46,199 and who we're picking to win the overall series, Like one team might be 83 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,839 more talented, but they might just be a horrible matchup for another team. 84 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,560 Now, the Bucks, of course, are more talented than the Bulls and 85 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:58,519 are a horrible matchup. So I'm with you. It's just really hard, 86 00:05:59,079 --> 00:06:03,240 you know, unless ya honest God Forbid gets hurt in Game one, It's 87 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,800 hard to see a pathway for the Bulls to win this series because they just 88 00:06:08,199 --> 00:06:12,600 don't have an answer for him, or at least not a readily apparent one. 89 00:06:12,959 --> 00:06:15,240 And if you're doubling him, he's too good of a passer. He'll 90 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,199 pick you apart. And the Bucks have too many shooters. Yeah, but 91 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,360 I don't think they can stop him getting to the rim. I don't think 92 00:06:23,399 --> 00:06:27,600 they have the personnel to even build that well. And I think, you 93 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,720 know, it seems like a lot of both fans are down on Vooch in 94 00:06:30,759 --> 00:06:34,800 general. I think after this series there, you know, the Voote for 95 00:06:34,879 --> 00:06:41,360 Rudy Gobert trade ideas that have been bubbling up are going to be screaming loud. 96 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,040 Rough season for him. I still think he's just like a really smart 97 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,639 decision maker overall, and as someone who's like a vessel through which the ball 98 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:55,160 can get somewhere else. But you also needed him to be higher end on 99 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,000 offense. And someone pointed this out in our discord. But like, when 100 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,759 you look at his efficiency, it was way more line this season relative to 101 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,040 his career than whatever he did last season was. And he he look, 102 00:07:05,079 --> 00:07:10,439 he finished the regular season shooting the ball fairly well over thirty eight percent from 103 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,079 three. But I'm with you on all those points. And the other thing 104 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,279 is, I'm so by the way, I'm so not used to looking at 105 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,800 season long numbers anymore because I try and break down things in segments so that 106 00:07:17,839 --> 00:07:23,759 I'm not like missing the smaller picture, but we have to look at the 107 00:07:23,839 --> 00:07:27,839 entire picture of the season. It's not like the Bulls are gonna outshoot the 108 00:07:27,879 --> 00:07:31,279 Bucks on most night, dead last in three point at tempt rate, and 109 00:07:31,319 --> 00:07:36,079 that's just look, demarta Osen has been fantastic, but like that's if you 110 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:41,079 get behind or if you just need to build big leads, that's sort of 111 00:07:41,079 --> 00:07:44,759 a way that you can do that. And their offense really isn't run that 112 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,399 way. And then sort of looming over all this is just like he's playing, 113 00:07:47,759 --> 00:07:51,600 but like what does zach Lavine's need going to like like like that's just 114 00:07:51,879 --> 00:07:56,519 like this team is just so banged up, and he was I think you 115 00:07:56,519 --> 00:07:59,959 could see him in some of the games towards the talent end of the year 116 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:01,439 year where it felt like it was impacting him. He was still just really 117 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:07,240 good. But we're getting to a point where I just I'm running out of 118 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,439 I can't even just tabbom ways in which the aside from the catastrophic which I 119 00:08:11,439 --> 00:08:15,240 refused to get into, just how does the team win this series? And 120 00:08:15,279 --> 00:08:18,800 so I tend to focus on the front court rotation, but you're gonna need 121 00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:22,279 you know, made like is this h I guess the thing their pathway would 122 00:08:22,279 --> 00:08:28,399 be. As I stumble through this winning the reserve minutes where we have the 123 00:08:28,439 --> 00:08:33,759 staggering between Yannis, Chris and Drew because Milwaukee's not exactly like a billboard for 124 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:39,279 depth at this point either, and so like, what is ever going on 125 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,840 with George Hill. I feel like he's had at least one trillion issues this 126 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:46,279 season that there's never like a concrete prognosis for what he's having. I do 127 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,960 think it's good, really good for them that brook Lopez came back before the 128 00:08:50,039 --> 00:08:54,159 year ended, but just just like you know, I'm worried about their front 129 00:08:54,159 --> 00:08:56,120 court. And then it's if you don't want to go to Yanna at the 130 00:08:56,159 --> 00:09:00,840 five because he played a bunch during the regular season, just a buya portus 131 00:09:00,879 --> 00:09:03,879 and even brook Lopez like those aren't unwinnable matchups, then for Chicago, I 132 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:09,000 like, or rather I hate this series a lot less for them if we 133 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,759 just barely see or we only see Yannis at the five and sort of these 134 00:09:13,799 --> 00:09:18,480 small measured reserved doses. Yeah, I mean, I think the Bulls have 135 00:09:18,519 --> 00:09:24,039 a couple problems in this series. The Bucks personnel just matches up well defensively 136 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,039 against them, so you can put Drew Holiday on Zach Lavine, who you 137 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:33,879 mentioned is just not one hundred percent right now, and I think now Zach's 138 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:39,360 gonna get his but maybe not as efficiently or as dynamically as he usually does. 139 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:45,039 You can switch between Drew Chris and Jannis on mar De Rozen at times, 140 00:09:45,039 --> 00:09:48,399 so you can throw different looks at him throughout the course of a game 141 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,480 and throughout the course of the series. And if those two guys aren't going 142 00:09:52,759 --> 00:09:56,600 like, you're gonna need Booch to score twenty five to thirty, which is 143 00:09:56,639 --> 00:10:01,679 just not going to happen most nights. And you know Lopez sure, they're 144 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:07,120 gonna probably continue playing the drop with him. So maybe Vouch just gets really 145 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:11,000 hot from three one night, but can you do it four times and seven 146 00:10:11,039 --> 00:10:16,879 games? I don't know. And then you're right, like the depth for 147 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,320 the Bucks is not robust. They're not going ten deep. But you know, 148 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,559 the Bucks, unlike a couple other teams that are going into the playoffs, 149 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,080 having already been playing their guys thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine 150 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,600 minutes a night, like you know, Jannis Drew Chris all played between thirty 151 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,320 two and thirty three at night, and they're the only guys who played above 152 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:41,279 thirty, so you know, I know it's a joke. Is even after 153 00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:45,759 but finally figured out that you can play your stars more minutes in the playoffs 154 00:10:45,799 --> 00:10:48,840 last year, Like maybe let's hope he remembers that lesson because it resulted in 155 00:10:48,879 --> 00:10:52,519 a title. But you know, they might not even have to in this 156 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,679 series, like they might be able to continue managing their minutes and saving them 157 00:10:56,799 --> 00:11:01,200 for the second round, which you know, they get the winner of Boston 158 00:11:01,279 --> 00:11:05,840 Brooklyn and they're they're gonna be their guys, their stars to play heavy minutes 159 00:11:05,879 --> 00:11:09,559 in that series, and look, I don't want to be this guy. 160 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,440 But there's also just the notion of demartrozen since twenty and sixteen seventeen has about 161 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,399 a fifty seven true shooting during the regular season that drops to fifty three in 162 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,720 the playoffs. Like he's had his issues where that type of style doesn't work. 163 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:24,639 I don't know if it's different with this Bulls team because you have if 164 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,240 Zach Lavine is fully healthy and you have ioed to to move and do things 165 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,879 running off the ball, and if Kobe White is healthy, like there are 166 00:11:31,919 --> 00:11:35,399 a ton of outlets there, but I'm just wondering if the Bulls will be 167 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:41,120 able to mandate pace or style as much. And then I'm sure or I 168 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:46,320 know this is personnel driven and like how they got unlucky with injuries, but 169 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:50,919 the Bulls are so bad in defense on live balls, they're twenty seventh and 170 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,759 points about per possession after a defensive rebound. The Bucks have the fastest offense 171 00:11:54,759 --> 00:11:58,759 in the NBA by average possession time. This just feels like a very combustible 172 00:11:58,759 --> 00:12:05,720 cocktail that is not going to explode in favor of the Bulls. Yeah yeah, 173 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:09,879 I mean I would be pleasantly surprised if they even get it to five. 174 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:16,360 Like I didn't even get to your X factor yet and you're already giving 175 00:12:16,399 --> 00:12:20,240 them the gentleman sweet. I mean, I woun't even know if I like 176 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,240 it. It might just be an outright sweet like the Bulls have just been. 177 00:12:24,759 --> 00:12:26,519 They ran out of gas this year, and injuries are a large reason 178 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:30,919 why. But even if they were fully healthy, I would not take them 179 00:12:30,919 --> 00:12:33,840 in this series. Like that's just how bad of a matchup Milwaukee is for 180 00:12:33,879 --> 00:12:37,840 them. But you raised a fair point earlier. If they were fully healthy, 181 00:12:37,159 --> 00:12:39,960 they probably finished as a two seat and they don't have to worry about 182 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:46,440 this. Yeah, I guess the pathway or not stop saying pathway, but 183 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:50,039 the fact that the Buck's defense has just been sort of spotty over the second 184 00:12:50,039 --> 00:12:54,080 half of the season, and maybe that tilts the Bulls in their favor. 185 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,480 Who is your Who's your X factor for the Bulls in this series? Probably 186 00:12:58,519 --> 00:13:03,879 Booch, just because I think he is the one guy who if he is 187 00:13:03,919 --> 00:13:07,759 playing well on both ends of the floor, if he can contain Jannis and 188 00:13:07,919 --> 00:13:11,080 you know not just give him a full layup line every time he drives in 189 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:16,440 transition, if he is knocking down his threes. You know, we shot 190 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,600 thirty one point four percent from three on the season, which is much lower 191 00:13:20,639 --> 00:13:24,399 than he has in recent years. You know, like DeRozan and Lavine, 192 00:13:24,399 --> 00:13:28,559 you know, they're going to have to be the main focal points of the 193 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,440 Polls offense and what Milwaukee's going to try to shut down defensively. So I 194 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,879 said it earlier like they might need Booch to be the highest scoring player on 195 00:13:37,919 --> 00:13:41,639 this team to have a chance in the series. And I am skeptical that 196 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:46,879 that is going to happen. I think that's a good pick, and I 197 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:50,360 was going to pick the same person, So I'm just gonna stick up that's 198 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,799 terrible podcasting. But if I had to nominate someone else, I would say 199 00:13:54,799 --> 00:13:58,840 it's Patrick Williams just because I think he sees the most time on Jannie out 200 00:13:58,879 --> 00:14:01,759 of everybody. Individuals would be like, yeah, man, he's given up 201 00:14:01,799 --> 00:14:05,759 a lot of size. To be honest, who else are you thrown at 202 00:14:05,799 --> 00:14:09,480 him? DeVante Green? They don't, that's they just don't have a good 203 00:14:09,519 --> 00:14:13,240 answer. That's part of the problem with this series, Like they don't have 204 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:18,240 super tall rotation players. Currently, Tristan Thompson is thinking that it's Tristan Thompson 205 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:22,440 time, right, Tony Bradley. Are we gonna see it Tony Bradley Revenge 206 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:26,440 Series? I don't know, there's they just I mean, no team in 207 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,039 the NBA has a good answer for Yannis, to be clear, Like this 208 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,799 is not just an isolated Bulls problem here. There are very few teams that 209 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:39,720 can even remotely slow him down. But you know, unfortunately, we also 210 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,879 know that Jannie does not know how to take games or possessions off. And 211 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:48,360 I say unfortunately unfortunately for the Bulls, fortunately for any fans in general. 212 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:56,559 But like this is this just projected as Jannis just destroying them over and over 213 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,360 again and them having absolutely no way to stuff. I don't want to veer 214 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:05,440 too far into the hypothetical and nonsensical. Would you have felt better about the 215 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,960 Bulls chances in this series had they made the Jeremy Grand or Harrison Range trade 216 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:13,679 in the deadline? No, I mean again, if Lonzo was fully healthy, 217 00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:18,120 sure, then I still don't think I would pick them against Milwaukee, 218 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,799 though, And I you know, I wonder how much that did factor into 219 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,039 their thinking at the deadline, like they might have seen, Okay, you 220 00:15:26,039 --> 00:15:31,279 know, Milwaukee looks vulnerable right now, but if they get Lopez back, 221 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:33,639 like we, we still don't have a great answer against Janas here. And 222 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,320 you know, at the time, I'm sure they were hoping to get a 223 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,679 Lonzo back and healthy at some point, because I don't think it was clear, 224 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,679 you know, at the trade deadline that he would not play again this 225 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:52,679 season, but he probably did have to hedge against that possibility. So I'm 226 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,000 you know, I'm frankly glad for their sake that they didn't make dead trade, 227 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,639 that they still have that in their chamber either this summer at next year's 228 00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:03,080 trade deadline, and now we can see you know how Patrick Williams fits with 229 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,600 this group too. I'm totally with you. I think there's almost the stuff 230 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:11,840 we're saying. I feel like nowadates their decision to not do something size make 231 00:16:11,879 --> 00:16:17,200 at the deadline. Who's your next factor for the Bocks in this series A 232 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:25,679 good question and wondering who he's gonna injure, who's gonna nime and knock out 233 00:16:25,759 --> 00:16:29,639 for the rest of the series. I mean, I don't even like, 234 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,879 is it a cop out to say that I don't even know that they need 235 00:16:32,919 --> 00:16:37,759 the next factor because I just think their top three guys have such an advantage 236 00:16:37,759 --> 00:16:40,799 in this series. Like an X factor to me is someone who can swing 237 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,879 a series one way or another, would swing a game one right or another. 238 00:16:44,279 --> 00:16:47,240 It's like, I don't know that they need that. I mean, 239 00:16:47,759 --> 00:16:51,480 maybe Wesley Matthews just so that they can, you know, spare Drew and 240 00:16:51,559 --> 00:16:56,320 Chris from having to shoulder so much defensive responsibility on Zach and DeMar So if 241 00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,559 if West can you know, spot those guys and like Drew can spend some 242 00:17:00,679 --> 00:17:06,759 time on Alex Carusoe or do soon move or something like that. Maybe, 243 00:17:06,839 --> 00:17:11,480 But like I no, I again, the series feels so lapsided. It's 244 00:17:11,519 --> 00:17:15,400 like, solve the Jannas problem first, and then at that point I will 245 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:21,039 consider, Okay, maybe the Bucks need to plan b I'm was just gonna 246 00:17:21,039 --> 00:17:25,640 go with Brook Lopez for this because I feel like I still haven't seen enough 247 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,599 of him. He plays in ten games over the regular season, whatever it 248 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,640 was, and if he's gonna be able to give you like he ends up 249 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,960 averaging like in the mid twenties. If he's able to give you that, 250 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,559 I think that without an issue, like without getting injured or he's like, 251 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,960 does Boos give him any problems? I can't imagine it. I'm just saying, 252 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,599 if you're able to do that, it gives you so much more optionality 253 00:17:45,599 --> 00:17:49,599 in the front court because it can technically diminish your dependence on Bobby Portis, 254 00:17:49,599 --> 00:17:55,079 who's been a fairly streaky shooter of late. And we know that the Bulls, 255 00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:57,759 I don't know that they're the team that's gonna like hunt down these mismatches 256 00:17:57,759 --> 00:18:00,880 and go after guys. And I think Bobby Porters has been better when he's 257 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,920 in space this season and even towards the tail end of last year. But 258 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,359 if it limits the time you have to play Bobby Portis or in limits the 259 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:11,880 amount of time that you have to go to Jhanness at the five because maybe 260 00:18:12,079 --> 00:18:15,599 you don't want to. I think the Bulls will give you. I look, 261 00:18:15,599 --> 00:18:18,839 if Tristan Thompson's at the five, you shouldn't be afraid of sending you 262 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,519 Honest the five. It's just a different type of matchup than if you're throwing 263 00:18:21,559 --> 00:18:26,839 him against like convention more conventional Biggs or stronger, more explosive Biggs. But 264 00:18:26,279 --> 00:18:30,720 brook Lopez can almost set the tone for that set of rotation all series. 265 00:18:30,759 --> 00:18:34,359 I did think about in the similar vein of Wesley Matthews, of Pat Connaughton, 266 00:18:34,599 --> 00:18:41,440 of just like respite or reprieve? Can he give Middleton and Drew Holiday 267 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:45,160 and even jannest from some of the Bulls tougher assignments. But I'm also just 268 00:18:45,279 --> 00:18:48,240 like I don't want to, like is a half hobbled zach Lavine and then 269 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:52,799 DeMar Derosen who operates like at this methodical pace? Is that really gonna overwhelm 270 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,119 Drew and Chris Middleton. So I settled on brook Lopez, But yeah, 271 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,000 they were tough for me as well. What's your actual predict for this series. 272 00:19:00,039 --> 00:19:04,559 I think you already keep your hand there. I think I'm going on 273 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,200 full sweep. I don't even know if it's going to be a gentleman sweep. 274 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,880 I think it's just Bucks and four. I'm going Bulls in five because 275 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,519 Milwaukee's defense has been just all over the place for so much of this season, 276 00:19:15,519 --> 00:19:18,319 and maybe they're just like, look, if there's a team the East 277 00:19:18,319 --> 00:19:19,839 that's just going to flip a switch, it's not the Nets, it's the 278 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,559 Bucks. Like that's the team that can flip the switch. So I feel 279 00:19:23,559 --> 00:19:27,359 like this is the cowards pick Bucks in five. But I am a coward, 280 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:33,119 So maybe I'm just trying to disrespect my podcast co host, who is 281 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:38,400 a Bulls fan and he's at least realistic and knows that the season ran off 282 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:44,119 the rails in early January. But you know, I think, regardless of 283 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:45,880 how this series ends, this, you know, the first half of the 284 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:51,119 season, it was validation for Bulls fans that, you know, the overreaction 285 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,559 to DeMar De Roses contract in particular, and like the whole sign and trade 286 00:19:53,599 --> 00:19:57,720 in general turned out to be just that it ended up being a very good 287 00:19:57,759 --> 00:20:03,559 move. You know, Patrick Williams is only going to get better with more 288 00:20:03,599 --> 00:20:07,160 experience, and you know, we'll see what happens with Lavine this summer, 289 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,279 but he's given no indication that he's seriously considering moving on. So I think 290 00:20:11,279 --> 00:20:12,839 the Bulls are going to be right back in this mix next year, and 291 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:18,119 hopefully they can stay a little healthier. Let's do Grizzlies Timberwolves, which I'm 292 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,640 infinitely interested to watch, is sort of two teams on the come up that 293 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,839 I guess that the Timberwolves basically met expectations to see. They probably seeded them 294 00:20:26,839 --> 00:20:32,359 a little bit, but the Grizzlies obliterated them. I even said on the 295 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,640 last podcast with I forget what's recording with it, I'm never picking a Grizzlies 296 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:41,559 over Under again because I'm just gonna be fucking wrong. I'm the inverse whatever 297 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:45,079 that team is actually doing. I'm putting it here because I actually don't know 298 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,720 that it's going to be as competitive as some people are painting it out to 299 00:20:48,799 --> 00:20:53,920 be. And I'm just curious as your initial thoughts on the Timberwolves Grizzlies matchup 300 00:20:55,039 --> 00:20:59,279 or Patrick Beverly's Revenge Tour Part two after beating the Clippers. Yeah, it's 301 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,920 it's hard to get a read on this series because these teams just feel like 302 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:07,960 they're going to present a bunch of matchup problems for one another, and you 303 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,640 know, as seeing how they adjust mid series is going to be really interesting, 304 00:21:12,839 --> 00:21:18,359 Like, you know, do they have to start KATV to just you 305 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,559 know, continue shutting down John Moriann or trying to do their best to shut 306 00:21:22,559 --> 00:21:26,119 down John Moran, or do they keep going with you know, Van do 307 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:33,440 and McDaniels and then Edwards, Towns Russell. Memphis at least has some defensive 308 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:38,200 personnel, particularly Dylan Brooks, who you figure is probably going to go on 309 00:21:38,319 --> 00:21:44,839 Anthony Edwards at first, But like, how does Jock contain Daniel Russell if 310 00:21:44,839 --> 00:21:48,839 that's the matchup? Where does Desmond Vane go? How you know, are 311 00:21:48,839 --> 00:21:52,799 they going to try to stretch out Steven Adams with Karl Anthony Towns, which 312 00:21:52,799 --> 00:21:56,559 is Jaren Jackson Jr. Go on Towns to see have the size to contend 313 00:21:56,559 --> 00:22:02,279 with Towns in the post like they're there has There's a lot of mismatched potential 314 00:22:02,319 --> 00:22:06,359 here on both sides, which should make a really entertaining series, I hope. 315 00:22:07,319 --> 00:22:11,000 Yeah. I think the main concern and my biggest question for this series. 316 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:18,039 I'm very interested to see how Memphis's offense translates to the postseason, and 317 00:22:18,079 --> 00:22:22,559 maybe the Timberwolves aren't the perfect opponent to test this out, but just a 318 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:26,279 team that relies on getting out in transition, hitting the offensive glass, and 319 00:22:26,279 --> 00:22:30,559 then having John Moran basically with these moments sprinkled in from Jaren Jackson junior on 320 00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:36,039 the ball Desmond made and all that, it doesn't feel postseason proof. I'm 321 00:22:36,039 --> 00:22:37,240 wondering if this is like the team to test it out against. I know 322 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,200 Minnesota's defense has been it's been up and down like kind of all year, 323 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,880 and they're not the best in the half court, and so maybe that's the 324 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,920 team to sort of go up against in this situation. But I'm just very 325 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,680 curious when you look at like Memphis is so deep, and I do think 326 00:22:52,039 --> 00:22:56,519 one of the things that we underrate leading into the postseason is depth. And 327 00:22:56,559 --> 00:23:03,079 we kind of just inadvertently touched upon why when you look at when you look 328 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:07,160 at like what's going on with the bulls and the box and certain instances, 329 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:11,400 Minnesota has done a great job getting back in transition after they make mistakes, 330 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,160 but when they're missing shots, like that's Memphis's opportunity to get out and run, 331 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,920 and I would expect them to seize every chance they get to do that. 332 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,160 I'm still just the overarching style is something that is my biggest question, 333 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,799 Like it's one of the biggest questions of the playoffs for me, not even 334 00:23:25,799 --> 00:23:30,799 my biggest question of this series. Yeah, I mean, I'm fascinated because 335 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,240 you know, you mentioned like Memphis loves to get out and run. Both 336 00:23:36,279 --> 00:23:41,960 of these teams actually rank really high in terms of an opponent turnovers, so 337 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,759 you know, I think Minnesota was third in steals per game and let the 338 00:23:45,839 --> 00:23:52,279 league and opponent turnovers. Memphis the first in skills per game and third and 339 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:56,960 opponent turnovers. So both teams like to get out and run, So you 340 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:02,680 know, I guess it's like, you know, with certain matchups as to 341 00:24:02,759 --> 00:24:07,119 which team can impose their style upon the other. Both of these teams kind 342 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,960 of like to play the same style, so it might not be, you 343 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,599 know, who could impose their style up on the other, it's just who 344 00:24:14,599 --> 00:24:18,960 can play their style better than the opponent, Who can be more careful with 345 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,440 the ball, who can, as you mentioned, who can attack the glass 346 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:29,759 to the extent that you know they typically do. Memphis led the league in 347 00:24:29,839 --> 00:24:33,640 offensive rebounds. Minnesota is pretty good on the offensive glass, not as great 348 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:40,440 on the defensive, so that seems like an area of potential concern for them, 349 00:24:40,599 --> 00:24:42,720 especially, you know, given the size that Memphis has in their front 350 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:47,200 court. Do you think? And I guess, And if you have another 351 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:48,480 I didn't ask you if you had any big questions about the last series, 352 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,920 So if you have a big, big defining question, please throw it out 353 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,119 there. But I was gonna you mention this about Towns. We saw in 354 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:57,960 We saw in the matchups that I saw between these teams there was a lot 355 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:03,559 of Jaren Jackson Junior on Coom Anthony Towns. Do you think that persuades the 356 00:25:03,559 --> 00:25:07,720 Grizzlies to tilt towards more triple J at the five, especially in this setting? 357 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,759 Or do you think I love Jade McDaniels, I love Jared Vanderbilt, 358 00:25:11,799 --> 00:25:15,720 but did those actually give you a way to work having two bigs like one 359 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,920 of them being Steven Adams, who has not been a liability this year. 360 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,039 I was wrong on the Steven Adams trade. Grizzlies fans have been on me 361 00:25:22,079 --> 00:25:26,039 about it all year. I'm not saying that he's liability. It's just stylistically, 362 00:25:26,079 --> 00:25:29,359 if Towns is not the version of Towns we saw on the playing game 363 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,720 against the Clippers, he is absolutely obliterating everybody in his path and the versatility 364 00:25:33,759 --> 00:25:37,680 he gives you from the outside in. I do think it would at least 365 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:42,440 be tempting to lean more heavily than you have this season on Triple J at 366 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:47,039 the five lineups. I'm just curious to your thoughts on there. Yeah, 367 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,720 I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if we see that throughout the course of 368 00:25:49,759 --> 00:25:53,200 the game. I'm guessing they stick with the two bigs to start, and 369 00:25:53,359 --> 00:26:00,200 start Jaren Jackson on Towns and then hide Steven Adams on Vando, who is 370 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,480 just not a three point threat at all. You know, probably have him 371 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:10,799 like Sag halfway between the three point line and Van Doos hanging out there, 372 00:26:10,839 --> 00:26:12,559 which I don't even know if he is. I think you could probably just 373 00:26:12,599 --> 00:26:17,039 completely ignore him if he is, because he's such a non threat from that 374 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:21,119 area, and then just have Steven Adams camping out post to the basket, 375 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:26,119 because I do think, you know, I don't know if Jaren Jackson has 376 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:30,720 the size to contend with Towns if he's posting up right, I mean, 377 00:26:30,799 --> 00:26:33,559 he is far more versatile defensively, and if he's out on the perimeter, 378 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,640 that's exactly where you want Jaren Jackson to be guarding him. And you know, 379 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,440 we saw the Clippers had a lot of success with smaller guys on Towns, 380 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:48,160 Like they really frustrated him with like their NonStop bevy of six eight to 381 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:55,000 sixty nine wings. So you know, the Grizzlies don't have a ton of 382 00:26:55,039 --> 00:26:57,559 options on that front. But like maybe we do see a little bit of 383 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:03,759 I don't know, Kyle Anderson guarding Towns at times, just throwing him different 384 00:27:03,799 --> 00:27:07,880 looks Like I would be surprised if we see a lot of Steven Adams on 385 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,519 him, because that feels like that's one where you're just going to try to 386 00:27:11,599 --> 00:27:15,839 draw him out, you know, space Towns to the permimeter and draw Adams 387 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:21,200 out away from the basket. Yeah. I could see even like Brandon Clark 388 00:27:21,319 --> 00:27:25,160 or maybe a like Well depends on it depends on whether they're going to play 389 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:26,440 him, but I could see them like trying as I or Williams on town 390 00:27:26,599 --> 00:27:33,119 Yeah they wanted to as well. Yeah, No, I was gonna like 391 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:37,640 they they have they have options, and I think one thing that's been really 392 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:41,400 great and one reason that Taylor Jenkins that finds himself in the coach of the 393 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:47,160 Year conversation is that they have a bit afraid to experiment this season. So 394 00:27:47,519 --> 00:27:49,519 like, I think, no, this isn't going to be a major coaching 395 00:27:49,559 --> 00:27:53,559 mismatch on either side. I think both guys have been pretty creative with their 396 00:27:53,880 --> 00:28:00,480 usage and their personnel distribution this year. So like, I think this is 397 00:28:00,519 --> 00:28:03,839 going to be one of the more entertaining first round series. Yeah, and 398 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:07,079 as we're going through it, I'm almost less sure of my what I thought 399 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:11,519 would be just inevitability from the Grizzlies that, Yeah, because you really dig 400 00:28:11,519 --> 00:28:15,079 into the details of Minnesota's offense fourth and half court offense since the trade deadline, 401 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:19,319 Anthy Edwards has like a step back three arsenal now and he's so strong 402 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:23,559 once he gets going downhill. D'Angel Russell is people mentioned this already, but 403 00:28:23,599 --> 00:28:27,200 he is quietly had like a great season. I know you look at his 404 00:28:27,279 --> 00:28:30,680 numbers and it doesn't feel that way, but he just feels like a player 405 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:36,279 who has leveled up his IQ and his ability to scale his skill set into 406 00:28:36,279 --> 00:28:40,880 all these different types of lineups, and that could in theory, like the 407 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,759 way that Memphis defends, it's not really built on individuality in any way that 408 00:28:45,759 --> 00:28:48,279 they have Dylan Brooks, So it's just Dylan Brooks. You go chase one 409 00:28:48,319 --> 00:28:52,200 of those guys around at any given point. But then it's how do you 410 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,119 divvy up those assignments? Like who is it Desmond Bane then is going to 411 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:56,839 get the other one? Who are we seeing? Like who are the two 412 00:28:56,839 --> 00:29:02,119 most important defenders one of the Grizzlies in this series? On the primiter because 413 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,200 I know Janet Jackson Jr. In the Defensive Player of the Year discussion, 414 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,799 he made my all on All Defense first team. Who's the second most important 415 00:29:08,799 --> 00:29:15,640 defender for Memphis this series? I mean just in terms of how often or 416 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,720 like in terms of minutes distribution, It's probably going to be Desmond Vane. 417 00:29:18,839 --> 00:29:23,319 But I think you know, de Anthony Melton's probably going to get some time 418 00:29:23,559 --> 00:29:29,799 on probably more Russell than Edwards. I mean, you know the problem for 419 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:36,079 really both of those guys is that like Edwards is what six four, but 420 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:41,480 he is big and strong? Yeah yeah, and like Russell is you know, 421 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,799 not nearly as he's six four as well, but he's not nearly as 422 00:29:45,839 --> 00:29:52,400 big, So I think Melton has a much better chance against against Russell than 423 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,759 he does Edwards. And we saw, you know, a couple of years 424 00:29:55,759 --> 00:30:00,039 ago in that Net Sixers first round series, like Ben Simmons just completely erased 425 00:30:00,119 --> 00:30:07,079 D'Angel Russell from existence. So I think there is some concern about that. 426 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:11,160 But I don't know that the Grizzlies have someone who can like maybe Zaire Williams 427 00:30:11,319 --> 00:30:17,039 on Russell at times, like it's it's just going to be so interesting to 428 00:30:17,079 --> 00:30:21,599 see how they deploy their personnel and who matches up with who because they have 429 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,400 so many options, and like, yeah, I mean I think if if 430 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:30,960 when they start off, I'm gonna guess I'll be Brooks on Edwards probably being 431 00:30:32,079 --> 00:30:37,440 on Russell and then on Beverly just because you're not super afraid of Patrick Beverley 432 00:30:37,559 --> 00:30:42,559 offensively, and then that maybe is a way for Jah to preserve more of 433 00:30:42,559 --> 00:30:48,279 his energy for offense. But then yeah, once you start, you know, 434 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:53,079 bringing in some of these bench guys, like everything goes out the window. 435 00:30:53,119 --> 00:30:56,559 Who knows You're going to see a lot of cross matching. I think 436 00:30:56,279 --> 00:31:03,359 I'm curious. I feel like the Grizzlies might see an opportunity to use in 437 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:07,240 certain spots or won't be afraid to put Desmond Bain or John Morant on D'Angelo 438 00:31:07,319 --> 00:31:11,880 Russell, just because he doesn't play it like hyper speed. Yet they have 439 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,720 the requisite personnel to where if you want to attack those guys off screens. 440 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,599 I think Desmond Baine's gotten better there, and so was John Morant. Ever 441 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,640 since his first injury came back. He's been better there as well, where 442 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,960 it's more workable. Whereas if you put them on Anthony Edwards then yeah, 443 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,000 that would be the issue, and so I would agree with your sentiments there 444 00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:32,440 as well. This is on the flip side of this series. Can you 445 00:31:32,559 --> 00:31:37,599 guess who spent the most time defending John Morant in the entire league this year? 446 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:44,480 Oh? Well, I would venture I would hope for the tipper wolf 447 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:47,359 sake, it was Patrick Beverley. It was I kind of gave it away 448 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:52,359 there. I found it interesting just because I Perfelly missed so much time this 449 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:56,240 year, but yet he played in all four games against This is an imperfect 450 00:31:56,279 --> 00:32:00,480 stat I am, at least using the team performance. He Grizzlies averaged one 451 00:32:00,559 --> 00:32:07,440 point zero three points per possession when Patrick Beverley was tracked as the primary defender 452 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:12,720 on John Morant. The only thing I can say here is there is there's 453 00:32:12,759 --> 00:32:17,039 the legend of Patrick Beverley, there's the hatred of Patrick Beverley, and then 454 00:32:17,039 --> 00:32:21,400 there's the truth, like somewhere in the middle. Yeah, I just I'm 455 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,680 praying for John Morant's needs to be okay, because this is just someone who 456 00:32:24,759 --> 00:32:29,119 is all over the place. I'm not even trying to like Parken back to 457 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,680 the Russell Westbrook trying to call a time out saying in twenty thirteen and Patrick 458 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:36,119 Beverley goes after him. He just plays such a physical style of defense. 459 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,640 We've seen Morant I have just dealt with a nice brain that he's not unless 460 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:44,839 I'm misremembering the injury there, that's not actually like a factor I'm thinking about 461 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:49,039 leading into this series. But that is probably to me, the most important 462 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,240 individual matchup, just because if Patrick Beverley does make life difficult on Morant to 463 00:32:53,279 --> 00:32:59,000 where he's not hitting his shots or getting to his usual spots or just not 464 00:32:59,079 --> 00:33:05,240 getting the ball or referring entirely, that really compromises the state of Memphis's offense. 465 00:33:05,279 --> 00:33:07,440 Because I know they've been really good without him. But there's a difference 466 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:12,640 between like Taias Jones game manager, never turning the ball over, and then 467 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,920 John Morant, someone who can create something out of nothing from anywhere on the 468 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:21,440 floor. Yeah, totally. I mean that that opens the door to an 469 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,359 upset if Beverly. You know, I'm not gonna say he's gonna break even 470 00:33:25,519 --> 00:33:29,119 with Jock, and I think John is still going to get his But if 471 00:33:29,119 --> 00:33:32,200 he can keep him to a relatively inefficient night, if he can prevent him 472 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:37,920 from exploding to the basket that the way he usually does, you know it's 473 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,519 going to reduce the strain on Towns. Is the last line of defense too, 474 00:33:42,039 --> 00:33:45,759 especially if he's I'm guessing when Adams is in, he can guard Adams. 475 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:50,319 He can put Vando on JJJ. But you know, if they're doing 476 00:33:50,359 --> 00:33:54,039 these JJJ at the five lineups, Towns is going to have to drift out 477 00:33:54,079 --> 00:33:58,799 to the perimeter to guard him. And then if John's on the other side 478 00:33:58,799 --> 00:34:00,480 of the court and his exploded the basket, there's not gonna be enough found 479 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:06,039 to recovery. So there will be a lot of responsibility on Patrick Beverley. 480 00:34:06,119 --> 00:34:09,760 But if we know Patrick Beverley. He's certainly going to I don't know if 481 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:14,199 he's going to like meet the challenge, but he's going to be up for 482 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:19,239 the challenge. My final question on this is who is more important to the 483 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:25,760 Timberwolves in this specific series, Jared Vanderbilt or Jane McDaniels. Oh man, 484 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:36,360 that's toff. I mean Vando. I'm assuming we'll continue starting, but I 485 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:42,880 mean again, like the depth of Memphis has been one of the biggest selling 486 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,039 points this season, as you just mentioned, especially when Joe was out, 487 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:50,639 Like they just didn't miss a beat here, whereas it like the Timberwolves have. 488 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,320 You know, they can go eight or nine deep, but like you 489 00:34:53,360 --> 00:35:02,440 don't feel super great about it. So if vand I mean he's not going 490 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:07,559 to stretch the floor at all, but if he's such a non factor offensively 491 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:13,760 that they can hide Steven Adams on him and get away with it, I 492 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,000 think that's going to be an issue for the Timberwolves starting group. So I 493 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:22,360 for that reason, I lean Vando, But I mean McDaniels is going to 494 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:28,840 be a big piece off the bench, Like if they can't hold their own 495 00:35:29,079 --> 00:35:34,320 in the you know bench plus starters minutes or like once they once they get 496 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,440 some of the starters off the floor, that's when Memphis can really start to 497 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:42,840 expand the lead. Like if you know, if the Timberwolves and Grizzly starters 498 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:49,119 played relatively even, Memphis is depth, I think is one area where you 499 00:35:49,119 --> 00:35:52,880 know that's late first, early second, late third, early fourth quarter, 500 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:57,280 that's when they can start to break some games open. I'm with Jared Vanderbill 501 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:00,199 as well, who's my X factor for this series? If only because as 502 00:36:00,199 --> 00:36:02,679 you mentioned that the Demolves have struggled on the defensive glass. We know what 503 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:07,320 Memphis does on the offensive glass. And if you're going to tip the scales 504 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:10,639 or at least even out those scales in your favor, they need Vanderbilt more 505 00:36:10,679 --> 00:36:15,440 than they do Jade McDaniels. And I think the Grizzlies will play Steve Adams 506 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:19,000 and Jaren Jackson Junior enough to where it makes sense to have Vanderbilt on the 507 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,639 court when if they go to a one big lineup or just a Jaren Jackson 508 00:36:22,679 --> 00:36:25,760 Junior and any other big lineup. Yeah, you could think about maybe trying 509 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:31,239 to get away with Jade McDaniels more. But I think if the Grizzlies had 510 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:35,199 like a point of attack wing like a Paul George. And we saw Jane 511 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:37,679 McDaniels get time on him in the playing game, then yeah, Jade McDaniels 512 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:42,280 is more important there, but he would be. He's actually my biggest X 513 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:45,719 factor on the Wolves. I did. I flirted with Malik Beasley a little 514 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:50,039 bit. And it's not that I couldn't talk myself into him mattering as much 515 00:36:50,039 --> 00:36:52,719 in this series. It's more so just like and like, it's not you 516 00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,039 know, yeah, if he wants to break up some of the Memphis bench 517 00:36:55,079 --> 00:36:59,119 heavy units, but rotations shortens, so I'm not sure how much of like 518 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,000 that responsibility is going to fall on him or how much of the heavier bench 519 00:37:02,039 --> 00:37:06,039 units we're going to see from Memphis in the playoffs. And so I couldn't, 520 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:08,280 like I kept just coming back to like De'angel Russell and Anthy Edwards are 521 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:12,960 going to dictate all the terms on the perimeter for Minnesota. Who was your 522 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,519 ex factor for this team? I mean, Beverly is the obvious one for 523 00:37:15,599 --> 00:37:20,719 the defense against Job, but honestly it might be De'angelo Russell. You brought 524 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:24,400 him up earlier, like he's quietly had a very good steady season for them, 525 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:29,000 and you know when Towns was struggling to be extant that he did against 526 00:37:29,039 --> 00:37:32,760 the Clippers, like here he is with twenty nine points to help build him 527 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,840 out along with Anthony Edwards. So you know, assuming that Brooks is on 528 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:44,599 Edwards and if Brooks can help limit edwards effectiveness, we'll see how Towns fares 529 00:37:44,639 --> 00:37:47,440 against the double bigs or against you know, whichever guy he has ended up 530 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:52,239 guarding him for most of this series. If de Angelo Russell can win his 531 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:58,519 individual matchup, I think that opens the door for a Minnesota upset. Who's 532 00:37:58,559 --> 00:38:04,239 your ex factor for Memphis? Can I pick like ending their entire bench? 533 00:38:04,599 --> 00:38:10,000 Is that? Is that allowed? Probably Melton? I mean, he's just 534 00:38:10,039 --> 00:38:15,639 been so effing good and it makes me mad that they have so many capable 535 00:38:15,679 --> 00:38:19,679 bill handlers. But again, if he's you know, if he if he 536 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:25,679 winds up getting some of the Russell defensive minutes and you can help like actually 537 00:38:25,679 --> 00:38:30,519 win that matchup, and then it's still going to be you know, a 538 00:38:30,559 --> 00:38:34,079 guy who can run the offense whenever Jah's off the floor and never turn the 539 00:38:34,119 --> 00:38:37,119 ball over, which is going to be important against a Timberwolves team that likes 540 00:38:37,159 --> 00:38:43,559 to force a bunch of turnovers. If he's knocking down outside shots whenever you 541 00:38:43,559 --> 00:38:47,440 know someone's passing it to him. Yeah, I think that's that's probably my 542 00:38:47,559 --> 00:38:52,920 call there. What about you, I'm with Desmond Vain because I think there 543 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:55,119 are two instances. For me, you're playing with Jah, you're in the 544 00:38:55,199 --> 00:38:59,559 you're in the Grizzlies best lineup if they take the ball out of his hands, 545 00:38:59,679 --> 00:39:01,480 or if he just doesn't have it going, like someone else aside from 546 00:39:01,559 --> 00:39:06,400 Jaren Jackson Junior is gonna need to make plays with the ball. I think 547 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:09,239 he's probably best equipped or the one that's most likely going to fall to in 548 00:39:09,239 --> 00:39:13,360 this series. And then the other thing is like if we see that the 549 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,039 Grizzlies want to get away with some of their bench heavier rotations, especially when 550 00:39:16,039 --> 00:39:20,559 you look at their perimeter personnel, just having him next to Thias Jones, 551 00:39:21,119 --> 00:39:24,639 he's mission critical in my opinion of keeping then those lineups to float where Oh 552 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:29,679 Jaws not on the court and Jaren Jackson Junior is But like, if you 553 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:34,440 have Thias Jones, it's just different from having John Morant there. And perhaps 554 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,679 Dylan Brooks fancies himself everything that I'm talking about, right, I just think 555 00:39:37,679 --> 00:39:42,480 that Desmond Maine is more equipped to do it, and just given the year, 556 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,599 if he had like yay Peter Dodd a little bit in the middle of 557 00:39:44,639 --> 00:39:47,159 the year and then like came on strong after that again, but I feel 558 00:39:47,199 --> 00:39:50,639 like he's just going to be so important to this. The state of this 559 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:54,000 team's half court offense, both with and without Jaw on the floor. Yeah, 560 00:39:54,039 --> 00:40:00,320 I mean they were low volume, middling efficiency point shooting team, and 561 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:06,039 you know, he was the one, very lone exception to that was shooting 562 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:08,960 forty three point six percent almost seven three point at times per game. So 563 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:14,119 if shots aren't falling for him, they yeah, the Grizzlies could find themselves 564 00:40:14,199 --> 00:40:19,400 in a bit of a math problem. What is your prediction for Grizzlies. 565 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,559 I talked to myself in this being a closer series than I thought. Yeah, 566 00:40:22,679 --> 00:40:25,440 yeah, I meant and I were talking about this a couple of weeks 567 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:30,360 ago when it started to seem like these two teams might be one another, 568 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,079 and we're like, man, this series is actually quld be really really fun. 569 00:40:35,519 --> 00:40:40,039 I lean Grizzlies in six, but I don't feel particularly strong about it, 570 00:40:40,119 --> 00:40:44,280 Like I don't think it's going to be a sweep either way. But 571 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:46,800 I could see Grizzlies in five, I could see six, I could see 572 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:51,639 seven, or I could see a Typer Bowls upset. So I think a 573 00:40:51,639 --> 00:40:55,599 lot depends on you know, John miss a ton of time late in the 574 00:40:55,639 --> 00:40:59,719 year. He did come back to those final regular season games, but as 575 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:02,519 you met, can he stay healthy? Is he fully one hundred percent at 576 00:41:02,519 --> 00:41:07,440 this point? Especially dealing with the past like Beverly And then yeah, like, 577 00:41:07,559 --> 00:41:13,199 how do each of these teams handle the individual matchup problems that the other 578 00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:17,880 poses. There's a lot of variants in this series. I think I'm going 579 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:21,599 Grizzlies and six as well, But I'm at I'm where you're at right now. 580 00:41:21,639 --> 00:41:25,079 I went into this discussion and in my notes of the Google doc Grizzlies 581 00:41:25,119 --> 00:41:28,320 in five, Like, I just thought people over reading the Timberwolves. I 582 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:30,800 don't know if I'm reading too much into what they showed against the Clippers after 583 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:34,840 Towns found out if you start to dig into the individual matchups, and it's 584 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:39,400 just my huge question of how does Memphis's offense translate to the postseason still looms. 585 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:44,400 I'm picking them anyway. Maybe that's an insult to Karl Anthony Towns. 586 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:47,760 I just I hate one game referendums in the NBA because there are so many 587 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:52,719 games. But like, he did not do himself any favors in that the 588 00:41:52,719 --> 00:41:55,639 Clippers playing game. But you also have to assume that he's going his default 589 00:41:55,719 --> 00:42:00,039 is going to be closer to his world beating performances for most of this season 590 00:42:00,079 --> 00:42:04,360 and anything drastic there. And so like if Karnathy Towns is having a huge 591 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:07,239 series, yeah, you have Jared Jackson, and you're like, I don't 592 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:09,599 necessarily know what Memphis. His answer is to that, like you when you 593 00:42:09,599 --> 00:42:14,119 go to the top of the roster Minnesota, between Anthie Edwards and Angel rush 594 00:42:14,119 --> 00:42:19,199 On and Clonothy town just has a lot more overall offensive talent. So one 595 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:22,639 of my most intriguing series that I thought initially that the Grizzlies were just going 596 00:42:22,719 --> 00:42:30,039 to roll through. Let's do Utah Dallas, which the caveat here is Luca 597 00:42:30,119 --> 00:42:36,519 Donch has that high ankle's brain or straight left calf, excuse me, and 598 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:40,480 the MAVs have not as of this recording, announced money he's gonna be back, 599 00:42:40,559 --> 00:42:44,760 or a timetable for his return. He's basically been listed as day to 600 00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:49,320 day which seems you know, part and parcel of this type of injury instre 601 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:52,320 closed. Jeff Stotts had talked about like players have returned in as little as 602 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:54,840 three days, and then the Mavericks dealt with I can't remember who he said 603 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:59,480 on the roster had this similar injury this season, but they missed like twelve 604 00:42:59,559 --> 00:43:02,440 or fourteen days or whatever it was. As long as it's not extensive, 605 00:43:02,679 --> 00:43:07,000 like I would, I'd be shocked if Luca isn't playing in game one. 606 00:43:07,159 --> 00:43:09,800 I'd be really shocked if he wasn't playing by by game two. And so 607 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:13,719 with the specter of his injury looming over the series, like, what are 608 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:17,840 just your overarching thoughts here? Yeah, I mean that is the big question. 609 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:22,599 And I like perhaps the Vegas for having a line out right now on 610 00:43:22,679 --> 00:43:27,639 this series, because I'd be terrified to make a prediction or bet on this 611 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:30,639 not knowing if or when Luca's going to come back. It's like it is 612 00:43:30,679 --> 00:43:37,039 simple enough to say if he misses the whole series, or if he misses 613 00:43:37,079 --> 00:43:40,760 even a couple of games of this series, that swings it heavily in Utah's 614 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:45,920 favor. But if he's you know, there in game one and you know 615 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:50,039 the good thing about his game is that he's not overly reliant. He's not 616 00:43:50,119 --> 00:43:53,639 John Marette, not overly reliant on his athleticism or his explosiveness, Like he's 617 00:43:53,679 --> 00:43:58,760 gonna kind of lumper his way in the basket anyway. So if he can 618 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:02,480 continue to do that, that makes this, you know, I think much 619 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:07,199 more of a toss up than what the current lines would suggest to Utah is 620 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:10,960 a decent favorite in the series, but I think that is factoring in the 621 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:16,599 possibility of Luca missing somewhere all of it. Yeah, I mean his ankle, 622 00:44:16,639 --> 00:44:19,840 are keep wanting an ankle? Where's their own? With me? His 623 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:22,360 cashtrain is clearly the biggest question in the series. My actual I'm going to 624 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:25,239 just assume that the Mavericks are at full strength at some point. My biggest 625 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:30,239 question is is this team, even though they have Luca, maybe not built 626 00:44:30,679 --> 00:44:35,480 to exploit the Jazz's defense as much as other teams would be. And that's 627 00:44:35,719 --> 00:44:37,280 I'm not taking a pot shot against Golbert. It's just that where the Jazz 628 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:42,199 have struggled the two areas we're looking at, it's just athleticism and so Rudy 629 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:45,360 Gobert is so much responsibility because guys can't because guys in the primer can't stay 630 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:49,280 in front of their other guys, or if you want to bring him higher, 631 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:52,599 he's fully capable of doing that. They also just don't have like the 632 00:44:52,679 --> 00:44:57,119 players behind him as help rim protectors that allow them to do that. The 633 00:44:57,119 --> 00:45:00,079 other thing though, is that they can be beaten in transition, like off 634 00:45:00,159 --> 00:45:04,159 of Missus like they can be and especially off of Turner, but off of 635 00:45:04,159 --> 00:45:07,000 Missus they can be beaten in transition. I would argue because it's not Rudy 636 00:45:07,079 --> 00:45:10,599 Gobert's primary like if you want him to be under the glass at all, 637 00:45:10,679 --> 00:45:14,079 or if he's gonna be so close to the basket, it's gonna be harder 638 00:45:14,119 --> 00:45:16,480 for him to get back than all the other guys. The Mavericks, even 639 00:45:16,519 --> 00:45:19,880 post trade deadline, like, this is not a team that's not going to 640 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:22,599 get out in transition, and so I'm just wondering if that gives them more 641 00:45:22,639 --> 00:45:27,760 time to sort of set up Utah, to set up their defense. And 642 00:45:28,079 --> 00:45:30,639 whereas if this were a Clippers team that could play smaller, or if it 643 00:45:30,679 --> 00:45:34,559 were just if it were if it was a Minnesota team, if it was 644 00:45:34,559 --> 00:45:37,480 the Warriors, they're just all these other teams that I think might be better 645 00:45:37,519 --> 00:45:44,840 equipped to exacerbate our biggest concerns about the Jazz. And I'm almost I don't 646 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:46,760 know if that tip, like, if that should make the Jazz favorites in 647 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:50,480 this series. Even if Luke is playing, we know that he's going to 648 00:45:50,559 --> 00:45:53,440 get into the half court and he will just pick them apart at points. 649 00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:58,360 There's just like if they're set, like there's just so much of a difference 650 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:01,039 there for them. Yeah, I just looked it up. The Jazz. 651 00:46:01,519 --> 00:46:08,159 Sorry, the Mavericks were twenty nine in frequency of transition opportunities throughout the regular 652 00:46:08,199 --> 00:46:12,239 season. They were, they climbed all the way to twenty six. They 653 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:15,079 after the trade inline though, oh wow, But yeah, they were tied 654 00:46:15,119 --> 00:46:19,519 with Houston for a dead last. So it's a good shout there. And 655 00:46:19,559 --> 00:46:21,880 you're right, I mean, I think, you know, what we've seen 656 00:46:22,239 --> 00:46:28,639 foil the Jazz in recent postseasons probably won't be as much of a factor in 657 00:46:28,679 --> 00:46:31,960 this series as it would be, you know, presuming that the Suns move 658 00:46:32,039 --> 00:46:38,159 on in a potential second round series for them, where I would have great 659 00:46:38,199 --> 00:46:43,840 concern over their ability to corral Chris Paul, Devin Booker Mchael Bridges, so 660 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:49,639 on and so forth. You know, the Mavericks do have that guard trio 661 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:53,480 of Don Hitch, Jalen Brentson and Spencer Didn't Winnie now. But again, 662 00:46:53,519 --> 00:46:59,880 like Dinwitty is also not an explosive athlete who's going to you know, roast 663 00:47:00,039 --> 00:47:04,320 you off the dribble and like be past Gobert by the time he has a 664 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:08,880 chance to rotate back over like I would think he would have time to get 665 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:13,000 back into position by the time Spencer didn when he got into the basket. 666 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:20,960 Brunson is probably the big concern there. I do wonder if the Jazz have 667 00:47:21,559 --> 00:47:27,760 the personnel to contain Luca, and I think that's probably the biggest concern on 668 00:47:28,280 --> 00:47:32,000 their part. You know, Royce O'Neill is six four to twenty six, 669 00:47:32,079 --> 00:47:36,159 so he's going to be giving up a couple inches on Luca and Lloyd Nose. 670 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:40,159 Luca is not afraid to shoot those step back threes at a moment's notice. 671 00:47:40,719 --> 00:47:46,400 You know, Mitchell and Conley are both six one. Boyan mcdonovich is 672 00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:52,440 not anyone's idea of a wing stopper. So you know, Rudy Gay has 673 00:47:52,480 --> 00:47:55,000 been in an out of the rotation like maybe it's a Daniel House series, 674 00:47:55,119 --> 00:48:00,440 Like that might be other than Royce O'Neill Daniel House. It might be Utah's 675 00:48:00,440 --> 00:48:07,199 best option against Luca, which is kind of scary. Yeah, I mean, 676 00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:09,639 I wouldn't disagree with you because if you had to ask me who spends 677 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:14,599 the second largest share of possessions guarding Luca at this point on the Jazz, 678 00:48:15,159 --> 00:48:17,840 I'm gonna pick Daniel House. It can't be Conley or Mitchell. You don't 679 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:22,960 want it to be Boya Madonovich. It definitely can't be Jordan Clarkson. So 680 00:48:22,079 --> 00:48:24,840 yeah, I think like this this is a Daniel House series, and so 681 00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:29,800 far as they can be a Daniel House series, because this is Daniel House 682 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:32,079 series. And to be fair, like he did give utahsom like s fifty 683 00:48:32,159 --> 00:48:37,400 minutes they picked them up. But that's just like if we're talking, it's 684 00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:40,960 just we're back to the discussion of should they have stood basically pat at the 685 00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:45,119 deadline or done more than just aim for tax savings, And the answer is 686 00:48:45,199 --> 00:48:51,679 yeah, they should have done more than that. I'm I'm like simultaneously shocked. 687 00:48:51,679 --> 00:48:52,760 I looked up before we were doing this, how many possessions of the 688 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:57,119 Mavericks have rolled out their three guards together and it was two hundred and twenty 689 00:48:57,119 --> 00:49:00,320 six possessions, which was higher than I expected, but like still too low 690 00:49:00,639 --> 00:49:04,320 for me. And I'm just like, if you went to that look, 691 00:49:04,599 --> 00:49:07,800 if you're Dallas, and yeah, there's the issue of rounding out the rest 692 00:49:07,840 --> 00:49:10,199 of the lineup. You're probably going with Phinney Smith is definitely in every single 693 00:49:10,199 --> 00:49:13,880 one of those looks, and then I'm assuming you'll just go Kleeba or Powell 694 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:16,039 to have and an actual big I don't know if you're you're not brazen enough 695 00:49:16,079 --> 00:49:21,079 to go with Dorian Finny Smith and Reggie Bullock, like the Jazz are gonna 696 00:49:21,079 --> 00:49:24,840 everybody Gobert on the court for ninety eight percent of this series? How does 697 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:30,199 if you went to that though, Like the individual matchups start to get even 698 00:49:30,199 --> 00:49:35,480 more difficult for you job because it's O'Neil on Luca. I guess you put 699 00:49:35,599 --> 00:49:39,840 House on Brunson or would it be Dinwitty, like he's on one of those 700 00:49:39,880 --> 00:49:44,079 two, and then it's like, okay, who is Maybe you put him 701 00:49:44,079 --> 00:49:47,440 on Brunson because Brunson's so much quicker than then Witty, And then it's oh, 702 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:52,079 okay, like Donovan Mitchell or Conley or Boyan Bodonovitch has to chase arounds, 703 00:49:52,079 --> 00:49:55,119 but like Bens or Dinwoody, I don't know. Maybe Conley's capable of 704 00:49:55,119 --> 00:50:00,760 handling the Dinwoody assignment, and so perhaps I'm overstating this significance of if the 705 00:50:00,760 --> 00:50:04,119 Mavericks decided to go to this three guard look. But I think that's one 706 00:50:04,199 --> 00:50:07,159 way that they could make Utah really uncomfortable in this series, given that they 707 00:50:07,159 --> 00:50:12,920 don't have the typical small ball lineups that could do the same like other teams 708 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:14,639 doing. Again, I want to make it clear, I don't think Rudy 709 00:50:14,679 --> 00:50:17,679 Gobert is the issue in a small ball lineups. It's pretty much everything else 710 00:50:17,719 --> 00:50:21,800 about the Jazz that is the issue. Yeah, right, correct, And 711 00:50:22,159 --> 00:50:24,440 I agree with you if that would not Like you know, there's always like 712 00:50:24,599 --> 00:50:30,039 one big, big series adjustment, especially for a team that's like down two, 713 00:50:30,079 --> 00:50:32,920 one h three. Oh. I think that is the obvious one for 714 00:50:34,199 --> 00:50:37,639 Dallas to try to make. That's it. I mean, if Reggie Bullock 715 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:42,159 is knocking down his shots, I know he's been somewhat inconsistent this year, 716 00:50:42,599 --> 00:50:45,519 like he is going to get the starting nod at the start of the series 717 00:50:45,639 --> 00:50:50,199 next to Brunson and you know knock on Wood next to Luca as well, 718 00:50:50,239 --> 00:50:54,199 assuming health. But yeah, I mean I think the more ball handlers you 719 00:50:54,280 --> 00:51:00,480 have on the floor, especially against the Jazz team that really struggles to contain 720 00:51:00,559 --> 00:51:04,800 the dribble, the better off you're going to be. How do you feel 721 00:51:04,840 --> 00:51:10,199 about this series from a Donovan Mitchell perspective, I mean, you go back 722 00:51:10,239 --> 00:51:17,400 to it feels similar to Memphis Minnesota where it's like both teams just don't really 723 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:23,519 have a ton of great answers against and either of their other stars. So 724 00:51:23,599 --> 00:51:29,079 like, you know, go back to if we're assuming Brunson, Bullock, 725 00:51:29,199 --> 00:51:35,000 don Finny Smith, Powell are starting, like I'm assuming Finney Smith gets the 726 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:43,480 Mitchell assignment because there just isn't another great option in that's starting five. I 727 00:51:43,519 --> 00:51:45,679 think I have to agree with you there when you play Finny Smith and Bullock 728 00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:49,960 together, Bullock could do it, like he defends a lot of smaller guards, 729 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:54,039 But Dorian Finney Smith is the type of defender where I didn't mention him 730 00:51:54,039 --> 00:51:57,159 as a honorable mentions when we did her all defense, and I should have, 731 00:51:57,239 --> 00:51:59,679 Like he's the guy that's just like whoever the best player on the other 732 00:51:59,679 --> 00:52:04,079 team is short of them being maybe a center just Dory Finny Smith go guard 733 00:52:04,119 --> 00:52:07,400 them right right right. And part of it's out of necessity too, because 734 00:52:07,400 --> 00:52:12,760 they just don't really have with all due respect to your boy Frankie Smokes, 735 00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:20,679 they like they don't have the personnel to they don't have that like lockdown wing 736 00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:24,280 defender on this roster other than him, or like a lockdown guard defender. 737 00:52:24,360 --> 00:52:28,599 You know, they all have a Patrick Beverley or Marcus Smart on this team. 738 00:52:28,599 --> 00:52:34,320 Like it is all right, Finney Smith or bust Thank you for actualizing 739 00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:37,199 what I was thinking that this is a Frankie Smoke series. Definitely kind of 740 00:52:37,280 --> 00:52:43,239 series. If there if there ever was one anything we missed or any other 741 00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:46,559 bigger questions that you have before I ask you about your ex factors. I 742 00:52:47,159 --> 00:52:53,320 mean, this is just an overall general question about Utah, but given all 743 00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:59,039 that has happened with them throughout the season, throughout the last couple of years, 744 00:52:59,159 --> 00:53:01,760 I do wonder either the weight of expectations are going to be hanging over 745 00:53:01,800 --> 00:53:06,599 them, and maybe that is the X factor if we're we're going into the 746 00:53:06,639 --> 00:53:12,599 more intangible. But I'm also curious, like you know, Quinn Styder just 747 00:53:12,639 --> 00:53:16,280 gave a nineteen minute soliloquy the other day about you know, this this concert 748 00:53:16,320 --> 00:53:22,639 about Donovan Mitchell not passing to Rudy Gobert or them not utilizing Rudy Gobert offensively, 749 00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:28,760 but they lunch together. It's fine sometimes, But you know, I 750 00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:32,400 like, if they lose this first round series, especially if Luca has hobbled, 751 00:53:34,039 --> 00:53:37,480 you have to figure big changes are coming to Utah this summer. So 752 00:53:38,159 --> 00:53:42,760 I'm curious, especially because like, if they're gonna pick between the two, 753 00:53:43,280 --> 00:53:46,639 they're probably keeping Donovan and trading Rudy. So like, does Rudy go into 754 00:53:46,639 --> 00:53:51,880 this series knowing it might be his last stand in Utah, and does he 755 00:53:51,960 --> 00:53:58,000 look to assert himself more offensively than he has recently, Because you know, 756 00:53:58,559 --> 00:54:04,039 Powell and Cleber with six ten, but Gobet's gonna have a high advantage over 757 00:54:04,079 --> 00:54:07,719 both of them. So if they can find him, like, if they 758 00:54:07,719 --> 00:54:12,760 can utilize him more. You know, I'm not saying they should be running 759 00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:16,480 like twenty post ups Rudy Gobert or anything like that, but if he establishes 760 00:54:16,679 --> 00:54:21,320 really deep post position and all he has to do is turn around and like 761 00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:25,559 reach over these guys, can they actually take advantage of that. I was 762 00:54:25,559 --> 00:54:30,199 actually gonna ask that was my like kind of my last question here is is 763 00:54:30,199 --> 00:54:34,920 this a Rudy Gobert series? Because I think on offense they don't really have 764 00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:39,440 anyone that could stop what he's gonna do on screen and dives. This data 765 00:54:39,480 --> 00:54:43,440 is skewed because the MAVs chain overhauled at Roster in the middle of the season. 766 00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:45,840 Rudy Bear's in seventy nine point four true shooting against the MAVs. You 767 00:54:45,880 --> 00:54:50,400 know where most of those shots are coming from. Doesn't get any easier if 768 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:52,599 it's gonna be a you know what, Dwight Powell has some balance to him, 769 00:54:52,599 --> 00:54:57,519 and Max and Kleiba's all over the place. It's just having to task 770 00:54:57,599 --> 00:55:01,159 them with guarding Rudy Gobert in pick and rolls Like no, like, that's 771 00:55:01,159 --> 00:55:04,840 not I don't know how much I would trust that. On the flip side, 772 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:07,559 though, if you wanted to make the Jazz further uncomfortable. And one 773 00:55:07,599 --> 00:55:13,159 of these is realistic, Maxiliba as you're big, just as someone who does 774 00:55:13,239 --> 00:55:15,639 have a little bit of a pump and drive game, and ken'space the floor, 775 00:55:15,000 --> 00:55:20,079 But also is this a and I'm I'm This is tongue in cheek a 776 00:55:20,079 --> 00:55:22,679 little bit because I know he hasn't played a ton, but is this a 777 00:55:22,760 --> 00:55:27,400 Davias Burton's series because of the motion shooting he provides you where if you just 778 00:55:27,440 --> 00:55:30,679 test that out, maybe it's look go with you. Maybe you have it 779 00:55:31,159 --> 00:55:37,199 when it's Dinwitty, Bullock and Doran Phinney Smith around the court, just three 780 00:55:37,239 --> 00:55:40,320 guys so you can at least trust defensively. And I know I'm being generous 781 00:55:40,320 --> 00:55:45,519 there with Spencer Dinwitty, I want to make that clear, like having him 782 00:55:45,559 --> 00:55:50,039 fly around just because I know he hasn't been a lights out shooter this year 783 00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,480 and he can get torced himself defensively. But there's a chance that Rudy Gobert 784 00:55:52,480 --> 00:55:55,480 is gonna do that to you anyway on offense. Do you just try that? 785 00:55:55,519 --> 00:56:00,360 Because it makes even if it doesn't make Rudy Gobert uncomfortable, it's the 786 00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:06,960 scope of his responsibility untenable because of the complexion of the rest of the Jazz 787 00:56:07,239 --> 00:56:09,719 roster. And it's just it's just a question. And if you're not going 788 00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:15,239 to have Luca for even one game, you have to try it out. 789 00:56:15,320 --> 00:56:17,159 That's where I'm at, Like it's like, especially if you're not gonna have 790 00:56:17,239 --> 00:56:20,920 Luca, but even if you do, you might need to just try it 791 00:56:20,920 --> 00:56:24,159 out. To be clear, I wasn't laughing because of the idea. I 792 00:56:24,199 --> 00:56:30,239 was already envisioning the Twitter slander that would come out if at Davis Berton's unit 793 00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:36,440 against Scope Bear is you know what swings a game like there would be no 794 00:56:36,519 --> 00:56:38,239 coming back from that. The Jazz would just have to They shouldn't even show 795 00:56:38,320 --> 00:56:42,280 up for the rest of the series after that, Like it's that would just 796 00:56:42,440 --> 00:56:45,480 be the thing that completely broke them. But yeah, you might as well, 797 00:56:45,840 --> 00:56:50,440 Like, I mean, we've seen the formula to beat the Jazz in 798 00:56:50,519 --> 00:56:53,199 the playoffs, and that's let them get out to a two game league. 799 00:56:57,599 --> 00:57:02,119 And you know, if if they I think if like I know, people 800 00:57:02,159 --> 00:57:06,480 who have been following this team all year have pointed out, you know, 801 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:10,800 they've blow double digit leads a lot. They just seem somewhat mentally fragile, 802 00:57:10,840 --> 00:57:15,480 probably again because of the weight of expectations and knowing what lies ahead if they 803 00:57:15,519 --> 00:57:19,920 crumble in the first round here, So if you can do something that gets 804 00:57:19,920 --> 00:57:24,280 into their head and you know, throw out an unconventional lineup that has some 805 00:57:24,440 --> 00:57:28,440 success and then they start thinking, oh no, here we go again, 806 00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:32,239 like that, winning the mental battle here is going to be a large part 807 00:57:32,239 --> 00:57:36,920 of who wins the series. I think, who is your X factor for 808 00:57:37,480 --> 00:57:45,639 death is it? I mean Finney Smith. I don't know if he counts 809 00:57:45,679 --> 00:57:51,519 as the next factor, but him, if he has any success against Donovan 810 00:57:51,559 --> 00:57:53,920 Mitchell. I think that's gonna be a huge key to this series because we've 811 00:57:53,960 --> 00:58:00,880 seen Mitchell in the playoffs. He goes just absolutely supernova. Now I want 812 00:58:00,920 --> 00:58:05,559 to say, damas Purt's just because you're trying him up. I like that 813 00:58:05,639 --> 00:58:08,599 the idea to you at least wasn't so egregious. No, I just it 814 00:58:08,639 --> 00:58:14,880 was really like just already imagining the amount the volume of slander because people are 815 00:58:14,880 --> 00:58:17,559 ready to bury this team like that, would that would do it? I 816 00:58:17,639 --> 00:58:21,400 just look, if people are going to insult the opinion. I just wanted 817 00:58:21,480 --> 00:58:23,599 to be clear that it was not a Rudy Gobert thing so much as of 818 00:58:23,760 --> 00:58:29,039 let's fuck with the rest of the Jazz's roster thing, right right? And 819 00:58:28,760 --> 00:58:35,239 I think I think it's worth a try, Like so, yeah, Finnie 820 00:58:35,239 --> 00:58:39,679 Smith's for defense and then probably did witty offensively because he's just been such a 821 00:58:39,719 --> 00:58:45,960 revelation for this team, especially relative to what he showed in Washington earlier this 822 00:58:45,039 --> 00:58:47,920 year. And as you mentioned, you know, if they if they do 823 00:58:49,039 --> 00:58:52,679 try out these three guard lineups or if Luca this is a game, he 824 00:58:52,800 --> 00:58:57,679 probably gets promoted in the starting lineup in Luca's place. So I think he's 825 00:58:57,679 --> 00:59:00,719 gonna have a big role in the series. I am gonna go with Reggie 826 00:59:00,719 --> 00:59:05,559 Bullock basically for the reasons that you just mentioned, because if it's not gonna 827 00:59:05,599 --> 00:59:08,480 be Dorian Finny Smith and Donovan Mitchell, it's probably gonna be Reggie Bullock. 828 00:59:08,679 --> 00:59:13,400 But you're also going to see him go up against Mike Conley as well, 829 00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:16,119 So maybe or maybe he's gonna get time against playing on Bodonovitch, who Look, 830 00:59:16,559 --> 00:59:20,800 I know there are people want to troll Bodonovitch, but sometimes we don't 831 00:59:20,840 --> 00:59:23,880 need to overcomplicate the fact that when he was healthy, seventeen plus points per 832 00:59:23,880 --> 00:59:28,599 game on sixty plus true shooting, Like, we don't need to overcomplicate that 833 00:59:28,599 --> 00:59:31,360 that's really valuable as a secondary weapon. And so we know what we're gonna 834 00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:35,719 get from Dorrian Phinney Smith, who, by the way, I spent the 835 00:59:35,800 --> 00:59:38,840 second most time of anyone in the league defending Donovan Mitchell this show. There 836 00:59:38,880 --> 00:59:46,599 you go, would you be I bet you you could guess the first Is 837 00:59:46,639 --> 00:59:52,800 it also Patrick Beverley, No, it's hurt don't oh nice? Okay, 838 00:59:52,039 --> 00:59:57,440 so we just we know what didn't Tornan Finny Smith is gonna have to do. 839 00:59:57,519 --> 01:00:00,000 And so I land there with Bullock where it's if he's hitting his threes 840 01:00:00,280 --> 01:00:02,440 like he did for I don't wanta say the better part of the season, 841 01:00:02,480 --> 01:00:06,880 but definitely was better over the second half in the first half, and you're 842 01:00:06,880 --> 01:00:09,119 able to get those minutes defensively from him, where it's no, he's not 843 01:00:09,199 --> 01:00:13,960 gonna win those matchups maybe ever, but to make like difficult on them, 844 01:00:14,039 --> 01:00:16,519 especially on Mike Conley, who has quietly, if he's finding tom at him 845 01:00:16,519 --> 01:00:22,039 like, has quietly been borderline brilliant through stretches this season. Who's your ex 846 01:00:22,079 --> 01:00:29,079 factor for the Jazz? Is it also Davis Berton's. I think it's the 847 01:00:29,079 --> 01:00:31,119 guy would probably be regarding him. I think it's mcdonovitch. You just brought 848 01:00:31,199 --> 01:00:35,280 him up, but I mean he you know, when we talk about the 849 01:00:35,400 --> 01:00:40,320 Jazz perimeter week links defensively, you might as well just be sub tweeting mcdonovitch 850 01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:45,800 over these last couple playoff series. So I don't think he's gonna be on 851 01:00:46,000 --> 01:00:51,920 Luca, but maybe he's on Dorian Finney Smith. Again, it's like, 852 01:00:52,920 --> 01:00:55,280 if they've run these three guard lineups, is there a place for him on 853 01:00:55,320 --> 01:00:59,679 the floor? Do they play him off the floor? So? Can he 854 01:01:00,079 --> 01:01:04,599 justify staying on the floor with his offense? Can he provide enough offense to 855 01:01:05,280 --> 01:01:07,719 you know, make quinnside or keep him out there even if he doesn't have 856 01:01:07,760 --> 01:01:13,960 a clear obvious matchup defensively? And then if and when he does, can 857 01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:16,960 he hold his own? Can he prevent these corner threes from Dorian Phinney Smith 858 01:01:17,000 --> 01:01:20,920 then able him to stay out on the court to do guard Donovan Mitchell. 859 01:01:21,239 --> 01:01:24,199 But it's like a I don't know what, type of like a game of 860 01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:29,800 Connect four, almost like you're trying to block the other team from trying to 861 01:01:29,920 --> 01:01:34,880 use their best options, and I guess best or worst options in this case 862 01:01:35,039 --> 01:01:38,920 with mcdonovitch defensively, So yeah, I think I'm going to him. I'm 863 01:01:38,920 --> 01:01:43,639 worried this is too high profile, but I think it's Mike Conley for me 864 01:01:43,800 --> 01:01:47,599 for the Jazz, just because he's clearly important to what you do on offense, 865 01:01:47,639 --> 01:01:52,039 Like he is your connective tissue on offense more than Donovan Mitchell as a 866 01:01:52,079 --> 01:01:54,960 playmaker. And if Donovan Mitchell has a bad game, like it's gonna be 867 01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:58,760 him or Bondnovitch needs to pick up the slacker and then they have joined Clarkson 868 01:01:58,760 --> 01:02:05,840 obviously, I'm just we're talking about Dallas now has more dangerous secondary weapons within 869 01:02:05,880 --> 01:02:09,639 their own offense with having like there's a trickle down effect to having Spencer Dinwitty. 870 01:02:09,679 --> 01:02:13,480 It makes life a little bit easier on Luca. But like now you 871 01:02:13,519 --> 01:02:15,400 also don't need to me in a postseason series where jell And Brunton is technically 872 01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:19,239 your number two because he's just a little bit undersized, and if he's your 873 01:02:19,320 --> 01:02:22,480 number three instead of your number two, you're just deeper. And Mike Conley 874 01:02:22,519 --> 01:02:28,519 is just gonna have to defend basically all those dudes. And I would assume 875 01:02:28,559 --> 01:02:31,639 most likely Dinwitty in just certain lineups or just see a bunch of time on 876 01:02:31,679 --> 01:02:36,679 bruns In. And so he becomes important to the Jazz perimeter defense because you 877 01:02:36,719 --> 01:02:38,840 already mentioned it with Bayamodanovit you're gonna look to stash him on some of the 878 01:02:38,920 --> 01:02:43,039 Jazz is more stationary players, and look, maybe that's why you just roll 879 01:02:43,079 --> 01:02:45,039 out Davis Berton's next to Maxie Clearberd d White, pal Like, are you 880 01:02:45,079 --> 01:02:50,559 gonna try and get yourself in a situation where by Bardonovitch has to move a 881 01:02:50,599 --> 01:02:52,800 bunch? You know, we can talk about the lore of that time. 882 01:02:53,400 --> 01:02:57,159 While he was with the Pacers, he played okay defense on Lebron James. 883 01:02:57,199 --> 01:03:01,639 But does a half decade ago just I'm not It's the Jazz are still elite 884 01:03:01,639 --> 01:03:06,360 defensive team. Rudy Gobert's on the court, but they need like, aside 885 01:03:06,360 --> 01:03:08,519 from Royce O'Neill, who he would be another good choice as an X factor 886 01:03:08,559 --> 01:03:12,639 because they just need him to do everything. It's you need to guard Luca 887 01:03:12,800 --> 01:03:15,800 for every single minute that lucas on the court. But I just think it's 888 01:03:15,800 --> 01:03:21,280 Mike Conley because he might be you know, I know we named Daniel House, 889 01:03:21,320 --> 01:03:23,840 but like he might be U taught second most important perimeter defender at this 890 01:03:23,880 --> 01:03:29,519 point and in this series specifically, Yeah, yeah, I mean there are 891 01:03:29,559 --> 01:03:32,519 gonna be a lot of it's like, you know what you're getting out of 892 01:03:32,559 --> 01:03:37,119 your stars at this point. I think the complimentary guys might be what swing 893 01:03:37,199 --> 01:03:43,679 this either way? Again, assuming health for Luca, Let's do Boston Brooklyn 894 01:03:43,840 --> 01:03:46,920 just to go back to the East for a second. Are we gonna make 895 01:03:46,920 --> 01:03:50,920 picks for you? Just don't want to make fix for Oh my god? 896 01:03:51,000 --> 01:03:54,960 Yes? Fixed? All right? Who is your big rings? I thought 897 01:03:54,960 --> 01:03:59,480 you were just like, let let's avoid the scorn of Jazz Twitter if we 898 01:03:59,599 --> 01:04:02,360 pick against them. But I mean, it's so much of this depends on 899 01:04:02,440 --> 01:04:08,199 Luca's health. Like it's almost impossible to say, you know, not knowing 900 01:04:08,199 --> 01:04:13,119 how much he's gonna miss if any of this series, if he's fully healthy, 901 01:04:13,239 --> 01:04:15,480 I leaned Dallas, or if he plays all seven games, I leaned 902 01:04:15,559 --> 01:04:21,039 Dallas, but I will hedge and say Dallas in seven, you know, 903 01:04:21,079 --> 01:04:27,800 assuming that he misses one game or just isn't like fully recovered from that isn't 904 01:04:27,800 --> 01:04:30,519 one hundred percent. But I don't know, man, this this Jazz team, 905 01:04:30,760 --> 01:04:34,719 just the vibes are not good and they have not been good all season. 906 01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:41,000 And I know Dallas is not the team like the Clippers last year, 907 01:04:41,039 --> 01:04:43,440 Like you're not going to see a five out lineup, and I'll say, 908 01:04:43,480 --> 01:04:45,280 hey, maybe they do. Pretends the five that could be really fun, 909 01:04:46,559 --> 01:04:50,920 but I just don't have any faith in this Jazz team. Honestly, I've 910 01:04:51,039 --> 01:04:55,639 note everything you said. The Mass are plus eight point five points per one 911 01:04:55,679 --> 01:05:00,159 hundred possessions when Jalen Brunson and Spencer did when he played without Luca. There 912 01:05:00,199 --> 01:05:01,920 you go. I don't think that holds over the course of a series without 913 01:05:02,000 --> 01:05:05,280 Luca, but those are important minutes. If you want to, you know, 914 01:05:05,400 --> 01:05:08,880 play Luca fewer than forty two minutes a game, that might be a 915 01:05:08,920 --> 01:05:14,239 little bit important. I'm gonna go Jazz in seven here because I'm skeptical as 916 01:05:14,239 --> 01:05:18,159 to how much Luca plays or what he looks like upon returning. I don't 917 01:05:18,159 --> 01:05:23,719 feel comfortable with that pick as a fan of Chaos. I'm gonna pick Mavericks 918 01:05:23,719 --> 01:05:28,480 in five because as a fan, as just as someone who for Chaos, 919 01:05:28,599 --> 01:05:32,400 that would be using in like five games. You just know that Utah is 920 01:05:32,400 --> 01:05:36,079 gonna be blown to Smith Reens Twinn Snyder is gonna have both feet out the 921 01:05:36,119 --> 01:05:42,159 door after this series. But I do think that the Jazz are They're the 922 01:05:42,199 --> 01:05:45,719 more dangerous offensive team to me, just the mass have Luca and that's like 923 01:05:45,760 --> 01:05:48,639 playoff proof. But like we, I think the discourse around Donovan Mitchell's game 924 01:05:48,719 --> 01:05:53,920 is veered or at times is ver too far away from reality. He's proven 925 01:05:53,960 --> 01:05:56,159 that he can be hyper valuable in the playoffs, and so you have that 926 01:05:56,199 --> 01:06:00,599 go to guy there. And there are more even if there aren't more secondary 927 01:06:00,639 --> 01:06:02,920 weapons in number necessarily, I mean there are Jordan Carson, Boyamardonovitch, Mike 928 01:06:02,920 --> 01:06:08,880 Conley. There are more secondary weapons in number, and like just establishment, 929 01:06:09,119 --> 01:06:12,719 when you look at Boyamardanovitch and Mike Conley, I would feel a little bit 930 01:06:12,719 --> 01:06:15,119 better about the jazz, but it wasn't for as you mentioned, the vibes, 931 01:06:15,400 --> 01:06:18,119 and maybe we need to do a vibes check here, and I'm underwaiting 932 01:06:18,119 --> 01:06:21,079 it. I'm just gonna make Utah in seven. And it has everything to 933 01:06:21,079 --> 01:06:25,360 do with the Luca. Dontri deffree. If you tell me that Luca plays, 934 01:06:25,840 --> 01:06:29,880 if Luca is the Luca he's been for basically since early November, or 935 01:06:29,960 --> 01:06:32,159 more specifically the last half of the season, which by the way, he 936 01:06:32,239 --> 01:06:36,119 shot forty eight point one percent on step back threes over his final thirty six 937 01:06:36,159 --> 01:06:43,079 games. That's sources tell me that's pretty pretty good. Yeah, if you 938 01:06:43,119 --> 01:06:46,960 tell me Luca is Luca, I might actually just lean Dallas in seven because 939 01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:50,760 of how good they've been defensively almost all year, and like Spencer did what 940 01:06:50,880 --> 01:06:54,320 he's been you already mentioned it playing out of his mind. But my official 941 01:06:54,360 --> 01:06:56,960 pick is going to be Jazz and seven. I'm prepared to be wrong. 942 01:06:57,079 --> 01:07:00,719 No, yeah, I mean again, it's like it's impossible to predict without 943 01:07:00,800 --> 01:07:04,480 knowing the Saturn. Like if if Luca misses three games, I also picked 944 01:07:04,519 --> 01:07:10,800 the Jazz, but I'm hoping Slash, assuming that he will be like miss 945 01:07:10,840 --> 01:07:15,199 one game at most. That will do it for part one of what will 946 01:07:15,199 --> 01:07:17,119 be a three part deep dive into the first round of the NBA Playoffs. 947 01:07:17,320 --> 01:07:20,320 Hope you enjoyed it. If you haven't subscribed to us yet, please please 948 01:07:20,360 --> 01:07:25,599 pretty please consider doing so. Also, ratings and reviews help us out a 949 01:07:25,599 --> 01:07:29,280 ton. Whether it's on Spotify or Apple, I don't care if you even 950 01:07:29,360 --> 01:07:31,400 use those platforms. If you have access, go rate and review us. 951 01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:34,159 Help us choose those numbers on the charts. Subscribe to us on YouTube, 952 01:07:34,159 --> 01:07:39,840 TikTok ig all those links for the podcast description. Don't forget about our discord. 953 01:07:40,599 --> 01:07:45,760 We will be back to talk with Brian to talk about Warriors Nuggets Celtics 954 01:07:45,840 --> 01:07:48,599 nets and Raptors sixers in the very next podcast I'm not already be live, 955 01:07:48,679 --> 01:07:51,599 or if I'm you're listening to this until that time, you get the shout 956 01:07:51,599 --> 01:07:56,880 out to the one, the only, the playoff down Frank Nilkan