1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:08,039 What is krack alakin Hardwar Knox listeners, I am Damn Valley coming at you, 2 00:00:08,439 --> 00:00:12,960 this time without my fantabulous co host Adam Promo. I am as always 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:18,320 super excited to welcome back good friend and Bleacher Report colleague Grant Hughes to the 4 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:24,079 podcast. Follow him on Twitter at gt Underscore. Hughes spelled exactly as it 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:29,239 sounds. We are here for our second annual Yes, it's an annual podcast 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:34,920 now. Truth or Trash is basically rebranded fact or Fiction where we go through 7 00:00:35,359 --> 00:00:41,399 some takeaways that could be sustainable after the first week week or so of the 8 00:00:41,439 --> 00:00:46,439 season. We are recording this before Thursday night's games, so anything that happens 9 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,439 in the four tilts that will be taking place these days could be very outdated. 10 00:00:51,719 --> 00:00:54,600 They might age poorly by the time you listen to this. But we 11 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,840 went through a bunch of different topics, covered a ton of teams here. 12 00:00:58,119 --> 00:01:00,520 It was great. Check the bio for times as if you're looking to jump 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:06,280 around before we get started. Just want to continue reminding, imploring, begging, 14 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,079 and pleading with you all to rate, review, and subscribe to Hardware 15 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,280 Knox wherever you get your podcast. That's the best way to help us out. 16 00:01:12,519 --> 00:01:17,719 The second and probably equally important slash. The best way to help us 17 00:01:17,719 --> 00:01:19,159 out is to head over to iTunes, whether you use it or not, 18 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,959 search Hardwood Knox, throw us that five star rating, write a review as 19 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,760 well. Those two things really help juice us up in the charts. Helping 20 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:33,640 us promote, you know, retweet our promotions of this share our Instagram posts, 21 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:37,680 tell friends, family members, random people that you work with or just 22 00:01:37,719 --> 00:01:42,480 happen to meet about this podcast. Be sure to follow us on YouTube YouTube 23 00:01:42,519 --> 00:01:45,239 dot com search Hardwooknox. You will come up. You can subscribe. Our 24 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,920 Twitter is at Hardwoo Knox. We're on Instagram at Hardwood Underscore Knox. And 25 00:01:49,159 --> 00:01:53,200 as always, if this is your first time listening to us, consider throwing 26 00:01:53,280 --> 00:02:00,079 us that permanent subscription. We are pleasantly sub mediocre and only modestly insufferable. 27 00:01:59,799 --> 00:02:05,480 Let's get to playing some truth or trash with Bleacher Reports Grant News. Grant, 28 00:02:05,799 --> 00:02:08,759 I hope you enjoyed your six ish weeks off from making a hard one 29 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:14,400 Knox appearance after we went through those report card grades for the offseason. Thank 30 00:02:14,439 --> 00:02:17,680 you for coming back after putting in those hours and hours of work on those 31 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,319 how the hell are you doing to start the regular season, but also more 32 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:27,120 importantly just in life in general, it's yeah, it's too early to tell. 33 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,960 I feel like that that that answer works for like everything we're gonna talk 34 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:34,560 about, but we're gonna do it anyway. I'm good, I'm glad. 35 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,719 I'm glad we have games back. I'm glad to talk to you, and 36 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:45,520 I hope that all of these are takes today age really poorly so we can 37 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,360 come back and apologize and talk about why we were so wrong about everything. 38 00:02:49,599 --> 00:02:53,360 Look, we're taking a chance because we're recording this late morning your time on 39 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,639 a Thursday. This we'll go out on a Friday. Literally everything we say 40 00:02:55,719 --> 00:03:00,520 could just be outdated by the time. Yeah, that's how really it is. 41 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,319 Rebranded Fact or Fiction though, is one of my favorite podcasts through at 42 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,759 the beginning of the year, We were clever and we call the Truth or 43 00:03:06,759 --> 00:03:09,039 Trash. This is the second annual Truth or Trash podcast. Do you feel 44 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:14,400 Do you feel alive after just no hearing the annual? You know what we 45 00:03:14,439 --> 00:03:16,919 gotta do is look back at what we thought in the first annual at some 46 00:03:17,039 --> 00:03:22,280 point, like maybe it'll I'll have to coach I didn't even think of that. 47 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:27,280 It'll be the mea Culpa podcast. We'll just apologize to one another for 48 00:03:27,479 --> 00:03:30,159 being so stupid. I'll make a sheet for this one, so when we 49 00:03:30,199 --> 00:03:32,960 do the third annual one, we can easily look back. I'm confident all 50 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:37,120 my tapes will be spot on because I went twenty two an eight in over 51 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,960 under his last year twenty two eight. That's very impressive, and you were 52 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,360 early on the Suns, so you deserve credit for that. I might have 53 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,039 stayed on the Sun's bandwagon too long, though you could argue, well, 54 00:03:47,719 --> 00:03:51,800 well, they were my championship pick this year, just like they were my 55 00:03:51,879 --> 00:03:53,439 championship pick last year. I don't know if I was just doubling down out 56 00:03:53,479 --> 00:03:59,240 of stubbornness, but maybe we should start there. Yeah, it's time to 57 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,520 panic in Phoenix. Oh wait, I'm gonna This is the one thing I 58 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,639 want to preface this is we're four or five games into the season for all 59 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,560 these teams, which is clearly too early. But at the same time, 60 00:04:10,639 --> 00:04:15,000 we continue to see these studies where it's like the first ten games or the 61 00:04:15,039 --> 00:04:18,360 first twenty games are very representative of what's to come for the rest of the 62 00:04:18,439 --> 00:04:21,279 year, and so it's like, if it's really the point where ten or 63 00:04:21,319 --> 00:04:25,639 twelve games, is that predictive? Like we're almost halfway there, So is 64 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,639 it really too early to be talking about this stuff right right? No, 65 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,279 I have to I'm gonna I'm gonna parse your question as as finely as I 66 00:04:33,319 --> 00:04:38,439 can because it's the only way. So it's trash that it's that the sun 67 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:43,759 should panic. But as as we're recording this, they're one in three. 68 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,480 Chris Paul looks bad, Booker looks bad, Jake Crowler looks bad. I 69 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,240 think Booker of the three has the highest fieldual percentage, and it's like forty, 70 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,839 it's under forty one percent, like forty point seven. Paul's under forty, 71 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,959 Crowder's under forty. None of them are making It's just like they've been 72 00:04:58,959 --> 00:05:03,040 bad. And I think part of the reason, obviously, part of the 73 00:05:03,079 --> 00:05:09,240 main reason I'm I'm they shouldn't panic, is all of the principles from last 74 00:05:09,319 --> 00:05:13,680 year's very good team are back and like that, you know, it just 75 00:05:14,199 --> 00:05:18,759 it seems to me like unless Chris if Chris Paul looked like he aged ten 76 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,519 years and was just like, oh my god, this isn't the same guy, 77 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,360 or if Booker looked, you know, like a different guy. I 78 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,800 think I think Booker's worn down. I think all I think we are always 79 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:33,199 like we underrate, uh, how hard it is to come back with the 80 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:38,120 short offseason after like a pressurized long playoff run. I think that's a factor. 81 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,800 I think the Eiden thing Aiden has been pretty good, but the Aiden 82 00:05:40,879 --> 00:05:46,800 thing is a factor with his contract and his discontent. So Roberts being accused 83 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:54,000 of races incredibly accused, but the report hasn't come out yet that they're not 84 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:58,199 addressed on the podcast. But that was the news cycle has gotten weirder where 85 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,720 I don't I want to, I need to. We need to see the 86 00:06:00,759 --> 00:06:05,240 report. Still knowing what we know about him. This does not surprise me, 87 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:09,160 I would say. But also now we're at the point where like news 88 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,360 is being broken about news that has yet to be broken. It's just, 89 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,800 yeah, that was a weird recal. It was like the Sun's responded to 90 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,639 a report that there was gonna be a report, which is just like, 91 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:25,120 so clearly they know they're aware of what's coming. I hate the idea of 92 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,839 scooping a report that hasn't been published yet when you didn't add anything to it. 93 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:31,959 It was Jordan Schultz. I don't even know who he's with right now. 94 00:06:31,959 --> 00:06:35,759 I know he works with the pull Up pod that' CJ McCollum, that 95 00:06:35,879 --> 00:06:40,040 CJ McCollums podcast, But like, I don't I know. I think there 96 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,319 was sentiments. I heard a bunch of sentiments that were like, oh, 97 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,879 who cares that they scoop ESPN And it's like we didn't add anything to it, 98 00:06:46,079 --> 00:06:48,920 and it gave the Sons a chance to get out in front of it, 99 00:06:49,199 --> 00:06:54,680 where it's like like that that feels like very agenda driven, where now 100 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,560 you're giving Phoenix time to prepare and get out and look, I thought Phoenix's 101 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,680 statements by and large looked terrible on it at the same time, like like 102 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,319 I don't know, like you're I hate I don't like the idea when you 103 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:11,319 don't have an actual story or anything to tack onto it other than the existence 104 00:07:11,639 --> 00:07:15,959 of a story that's yet to be published. I hate that idea of scooping 105 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:20,639 it because I think it deprives us of getting a more authentic reaction from how 106 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,160 the Suns would handle it. And just now we're wondering, like, well, 107 00:07:25,199 --> 00:07:28,519 how bad is this without knowing how bad is this based off what Phoenix 108 00:07:28,519 --> 00:07:30,079 has said. And look, I think the Sun's come off worse for having 109 00:07:30,079 --> 00:07:35,160 addressed it like earlier on, but it gave them it Like this almost felt 110 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,279 as a This felt like a favor to Robert Sarber, the fact that it 111 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:44,160 was that it came out before the report itself actually came out. Yeah, 112 00:07:44,199 --> 00:07:48,600 I mean, I think, I you know, we're kind of I'm sure 113 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,040 it wasn't the basis of your question, but but if you are going to 114 00:07:51,079 --> 00:07:56,120 panic about the Suns, I think it's really I guess it's reasonable to no 115 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:01,360 seriously to price in because everybody's known forever that Sarver's reputation is not good in 116 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:07,079 terms of his willingness to spend, in terms of, you know, personally, 117 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:09,040 in terms like I think Kevin Arnovitz maybe last year, the year before 118 00:08:09,319 --> 00:08:13,240 they all run together, did the Long Act, you know, the goat 119 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,519 in the like there's what about the lady? Do you remember the video where 120 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,319 she was like he's so like tight pocketed that he squeaks when he walks or 121 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,040 something. They were this older lady at like a town hall or whatever. 122 00:08:22,199 --> 00:08:26,720 Was that that clip was just ingrained in my mind so accurate by the way, 123 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:31,480 but if you're gonna worry about the Suns, I think the reason you 124 00:08:31,519 --> 00:08:37,360 worry is is someho who always says it. Ownership is the biggest competitive advantage 125 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,480 or disadvantage in sports because it's the be all, end all. It determines 126 00:08:41,519 --> 00:08:45,960 the culture, it determines the willingness to spend, it determines everything. So 127 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,720 if you're going to panic about them, sarvers a good reason to. But 128 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,759 Jenn I would just yeah, yeah, I'd button it up by saying I'm 129 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:56,879 concerned if if if, for example, if I'm you and I thought that 130 00:08:56,919 --> 00:08:58,879 they were going to win the West, there be a title to you, 131 00:09:00,279 --> 00:09:05,120 I'm concerned about that. I'm not gonna panic like oh my god, we're 132 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,600 gonna be in the plane, or like you know, nothing, nothing. 133 00:09:07,639 --> 00:09:11,159 It doesn't rise to that level, even if just throw out the sample size 134 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:15,080 stuff, because just based on what you know, based on what we've seen, 135 00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:18,799 I don't think any and their problems rise to that level. I might 136 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,480 have just been too hopped up on caffeine and Kyrie going full galaxy brain and 137 00:09:22,519 --> 00:09:26,000 seeing like an opening to be like, oh, the nets aren't a formality 138 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:30,159 anymore. I'll stand by the pick because I'm stubborn, I'm so close to 139 00:09:30,159 --> 00:09:33,799 being able to do a victory. How insufferable would I have been on social 140 00:09:33,799 --> 00:09:35,519 media at the Sun's won the title. I get ninety nine point nine percent 141 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,679 my predictions wrong. But if that's the one that I would have hit, 142 00:09:39,639 --> 00:09:43,039 God damn, I'm I'm gonna say trash here too, just because so you 143 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,919 mentioned the long playoff run den Devin Booker plays in the Olympics. Then he 144 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,279 has COVID, which is also not being talked about enough. I find it 145 00:09:50,399 --> 00:09:54,879 very hard to believe that Jay Crowder is gonna be like more of a floater 146 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:00,639 specialist than a three point shooting specialist all year long. I already mentioned some 147 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,879 of the percentages are gonna come up if I was, and I am concerned 148 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:09,120 just in general, like Chris paul Is, he's thirty six, these thirty 149 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,320 SIGs like that that has to matter. I don't think he's going to be 150 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:16,200 shooting, you know, forty two point nine percent from two forever, like 151 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,919 those those in between jumpers are going to start to fall. I think if 152 00:10:20,919 --> 00:10:24,480 there's something, and I think by and large they are the fact that their 153 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,559 offense has been according to Cleaning last about average despite like laboring through all this, 154 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:31,519 that's probably a good harbinger for them. The other thing is I think 155 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:37,000 eight and specifically has by and large people can talk about his involvement on offense. 156 00:10:37,279 --> 00:10:39,559 I think one of the biggest The two biggest issues with that are the 157 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,600 way that adjustments are made on big, big game, but also just when 158 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:48,480 you're dependent on other people for your offense, and that's the role of the 159 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,200 big man. I'm not faulting eating for that. You're gonna be a little 160 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:56,240 bit more prone to too fluctuations. But if I was going to be concerned 161 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:00,320 about something and I thought this was an overblown concern last year, where are 162 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,559 like, oh, they don't have enough conventional rim pressure, they don't get 163 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,799 to the free throw line enough. And maybe the free throw line stuff doesn't 164 00:11:05,879 --> 00:11:09,960 matter this year more than ever because like fouls are down across the board, 165 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,759 the way that the games are being refereed like that certainly matters. But if 166 00:11:13,799 --> 00:11:16,480 you're not going to shoot like an astronomical clip for mid range and your and 167 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,360 defenses are going to be just more keyed in on how they're going to cover 168 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:26,080 your your pick and rolls, and you get into your spots there something needs 169 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:31,559 to give where it's like they need someone other than eighton or like slash to 170 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,279 val McGee slash abdul Nator to put real pressure on the rim, or they 171 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,360 need someone to actually hit, like off the dribble threes with the semblance of 172 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:43,519 consistency, or someone who gets the foul line at a supremely high clip. 173 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:50,879 If there might need to be a broadening dynamic given to their offense. At 174 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,279 the same time, their offense has been the average, and it's their defense 175 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,399 that you look at where they're twenty seventh and points allowed per possession right now, 176 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,039 that's just really not something that's going to hold. There are going to 177 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,200 be you know, you said to correct you if you're talking about shooting percentages 178 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,320 a lot, but opponents are shooting forty six point five percent out above to 179 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,799 break threes against them. That's not going to hold forever. Yeah, so 180 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,039 there will be some normalization there. But if I was concerned about anything, 181 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,159 it might be their offense in that regard. Yeah, and they aren't just 182 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,639 the button button that one up, like they're a weird offensive team. And 183 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:26,720 you know, we joked during the playoffs last year that like, man, 184 00:12:26,279 --> 00:12:31,000 they just make all their mid rangers and playoff defenses just conceived mid rangers. 185 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,960 What a funny what a funny coincidence, Like, of course they're going to 186 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:39,679 be a good playoff you know, performer, and maybe you know that's just 187 00:12:39,799 --> 00:12:41,720 that's a weird way to play. There's a reason a lot of teams don't 188 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,840 play that way. And so if Chris Paul isn't going to make every elbow 189 00:12:45,879 --> 00:12:48,840 jumper and if Devin Booker is not going to be such a bucket, you 190 00:12:48,879 --> 00:12:52,039 know on two point jumpers, like, yeah, the offense might be an 191 00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:54,200 issue, but I totally agree with the defense. There's no scenario where the 192 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:58,759 defense is bottom three, let alone like outside, I don't know what I'd 193 00:12:58,759 --> 00:13:03,039 say. They feel like a top ten defense to me, So yeah, 194 00:13:03,039 --> 00:13:07,559 I'm not worried about that side either. Also hat tip to the Timeline podcasts 195 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,320 Mike V. Hill for the Abdilmador rim pressure joke where Abulnador's not gotten there 196 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:15,039 a ton this year, but he was just one of the best players on 197 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,559 the team at getting to the rim for them last year. But that is 198 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,480 just I always thought that was overblown last year, and now I'm just wondering, 199 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:22,960 like Okay, Well if they don't shoot like a tillion percent from mid 200 00:13:24,039 --> 00:13:26,919 range, or what if Chris Paul does fall off? Or what if Devin 201 00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:31,240 Booker like Yo Jason team had using Inhaler ever getting COVID last year? Just 202 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,200 what if there's a what if this? Even if it's just this season, 203 00:13:33,279 --> 00:13:37,600 like what if there's an actual drop off there? Then I might be just 204 00:13:37,639 --> 00:13:43,559 more concerned with the I guess the call them like secondary dynamics of their offense. 205 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,000 Yeah, that's fair, that's fair. Do you want me to throw 206 00:13:48,039 --> 00:13:50,320 you another one or do you ever want to throw at me? Well, 207 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,080 I'm gonna throw one of yours at you because I'm curious about your thoughts, 208 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:58,399 especially on this one. Truth or trash. The Lakers should stop playing Anthony 209 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:05,200 Davis at center. Yeah, I want, I want to say trash, 210 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:09,399 but I'm almost gonna have to go truth because so when you look at the 211 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:13,759 lineup data on this, it's when when you first look at it, and 212 00:14:13,879 --> 00:14:16,600 when I first looked at it, I was fascinated. And then you start 213 00:14:16,639 --> 00:14:18,840 to think about it and you're like, no, you know what, that 214 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,399 that makes a lot of sense. Their defense with Anthony Davis at the five, 215 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:28,000 this year is allowing one hundred and eighteen points prone hundred possessions, and 216 00:14:28,399 --> 00:14:31,440 their defense with him at the four is one or three point one points per 217 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:35,080 one hundre possessions. It's just a difference between being elite and really shitty. 218 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,039 When you play Anthony Davis at the four, it has come with an offensive 219 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,360 trade off. Just that being said, because you gave up look letting Crusoe 220 00:14:43,399 --> 00:14:48,320 walk, trading Kuzma and KCP. I think those were three of your five 221 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,960 most important defenders last year and arguably and you have Lebron and a d or 222 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,320 the other two, how are you going to go about preserving the defensive integrity 223 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,960 this year? And yeah, there's probably some noise in the eighty at the 224 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,399 five lineups. Opponents per cleaning the glass are shooting sixty eight point one percent 225 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,120 at the rim when he's at the five, but they're also getting to the 226 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:11,440 rim less when he's at the five. And where you're really seeing the difference 227 00:15:11,679 --> 00:15:16,679 is when you have another big on the court, if it's Jordan or Howard, 228 00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:20,600 not only are you better at protecting the rim, yes they are, 229 00:15:20,039 --> 00:15:24,960 technically more attempts are coming from there, but opponents are shooting just much worse 230 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,759 at the rim. During those minutes, they're shooting fifty eight point one percent. 231 00:15:28,919 --> 00:15:33,799 They're also shooting terrible clips from floater range, from mid range because you 232 00:15:33,919 --> 00:15:37,120 have that extra pressure there. And then Davis is able to fly around a 233 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:41,679 little bit more when he is the four, And I think that's important to 234 00:15:41,799 --> 00:15:46,039 a Lakers team where if you play Davis at the five, who is going 235 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,480 to be your power forward in a majority of those minutes? And I will 236 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,360 look at the line up data and tell you it's going to be Lebron James, 237 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,679 fine, or it's going to be Carmelo Anthony absolutely not fine, And 238 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,600 more of the I fall in the camp of more, Hey, let's not 239 00:16:00,639 --> 00:16:06,519 overthink Mellow giving you buckets while shooting, you know, conceptually very efficiently from 240 00:16:06,519 --> 00:16:08,039 three, Like I think there's value in a player who could do that when 241 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:14,000 you just don't have enough defensive talent around him and now you're moving, you're 242 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,799 changing. Gave us his defensive role, and I think Davis is a five. 243 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,759 I want to make that clear. But the way the Lakers are built, 244 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,759 I'm gonna say truth, like until maybe once you're healthy and Trevor Rees 245 00:16:22,879 --> 00:16:26,240 is back, But the fact that I'm also talking about a thirty or fifty 246 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:32,240 seven year old Trevor Reza being this important to the Lakers defense, maybe clues 247 00:16:32,279 --> 00:16:33,799 us into, hey, you're just gonna have to deal with it. The 248 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,759 minutes with Russbrook on the court, it gets rough. But I don't know 249 00:16:37,799 --> 00:16:41,759 that they have the defensive personnel to play Davis at the five and not put 250 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:48,000 just so much pressure on him that it becomes untenable. And there's no guarantee 251 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,080 based off on your offensive personnel where yeah, when it's Lebron and Davis, 252 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,240 like, maybe you find a way for those minutes to be a decidedly net 253 00:16:53,240 --> 00:17:00,000 positive. But unless they're gonna very substantially outperform the lineups with Davis playing next 254 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,480 to Howard or for Jordans, you should probably just lean towards the ladder because 255 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,640 why put the extra wear and tara Davis when every time he hits the ground 256 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,079 it looks like he suffered a season ending injury. And also Twitter, Yeah, 257 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:15,359 I'm that guy who he he leads that he has led the league. 258 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,240 I thought about I always thought this on the Pelicans, he's led the league 259 00:17:18,279 --> 00:17:23,039 in oh shit, his season is over. Moments that that one minute later, 260 00:17:23,079 --> 00:17:26,519 he's in the game again. He leads the league and that that that's 261 00:17:26,559 --> 00:17:30,119 that he's always Lebron comes pretty close to that too, except he's good. 262 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:36,079 Tell he's like play acting. Yeah, he's very authentic. Yeah. So 263 00:17:36,279 --> 00:17:41,680 I'm glad you had the lineup data because you know, I think it's compelling. 264 00:17:41,279 --> 00:17:45,599 I think for me and maybe this is reductive, but but for the 265 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,160 Lakers and for a handful of teams that I just have to look at them 266 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,240 through the prism of what's your best five in the last five minutes of a 267 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,680 close playoff game, because in theory, that's that's the those are the minutes 268 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,119 that they care about. Now you you have the factor in like, is 269 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,480 Anthony Davis going to be healthy and upright for those last five minutes? And 270 00:18:03,839 --> 00:18:07,440 what are the odds he will be if we play him at the five all 271 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,759 regular season and he gets beat up. That's that's a legitimate to raise as 272 00:18:11,799 --> 00:18:15,039 a concern. But to me, like it does check out. The Lakers 273 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:19,319 can really get some stops when they're so big upfront when it's Davis at the 274 00:18:19,319 --> 00:18:22,519 four, because just if you have that much length and rim protection, it's 275 00:18:22,559 --> 00:18:27,279 just a regular season defense It's part of why Rudy Gobert is such an effective 276 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,839 regular season defender. Unless so in the playoffs, you just have all this 277 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,759 length out there, disruptive, you protect the rim, you know whatever. 278 00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:38,319 It just works. The playoffs, I think are different. And the longer 279 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,400 I cover the league, the more I'm convinced that that is just I can't 280 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:47,279 not think about that. And it applies especially to the Lakers because Lebron James 281 00:18:47,279 --> 00:18:48,720 is one hundred years old and like, he has to win a title and 282 00:18:48,759 --> 00:18:52,200 that's all we're doing this for it For the Lakers, that's the only thing 283 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:57,079 that matters. So I agree that that there's value in playing Davis at the 284 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:03,759 four because just for preservative purposes, and I think in addition to his unwillingness 285 00:19:03,759 --> 00:19:07,920 to play the five for a long time, that's been a factor in the 286 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:12,200 Lakers decision to just always have old school bigs on the roster with him. 287 00:19:12,319 --> 00:19:15,720 The other thing, so, as a playoff team, Anthony Davis, I 288 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,799 don't think should play the four unless we're in the first round against a pushover. 289 00:19:21,039 --> 00:19:22,480 I don't think the Lakers are necessarily gonna be good enough to have a 290 00:19:22,519 --> 00:19:29,200 pushover in the first round. There's no other in the West, especially this 291 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,079 feisty Yeah, everybody's pushing everybody else over right now, and we kind of 292 00:19:33,079 --> 00:19:36,920 foresaw that. But so at the in the playoffs, he's got to be 293 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,279 five. That's it. Whatever happens up until then, not super concerned. 294 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,680 The other thing, though, is, and this is this is a problem 295 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:49,119 with Russell Westbrook. You just have to tailor what you do to make him 296 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:53,880 useful somehow. And so what has worked with the Lakers and in the past, 297 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,640 and the other guys that can't shoot, the defenses don't honor. You 298 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,519 make him the ball screener. And there are a lot of clips earlier this 299 00:20:00,599 --> 00:20:04,880 year before he got hurt of Lebron running a pick and roll up top with 300 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:10,000 Westbrook as the screener and on the short roll. Westbrook is a monster because 301 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,680 he's got a head of steam, the defense is rotating, he's a good 302 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,960 passer on the move. He still can sort of finish. He's not what 303 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,039 he used to be. But like, that's the way that Russell Westbrook is 304 00:20:18,079 --> 00:20:22,920 most effective for the Lakers is if he's a role guy. I don't see 305 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,920 another way where in a playoff series he's super useful or helpful. I think 306 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:32,359 he's damaging otherwise. And if you're gonna do that, you can't have Dwight 307 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,480 Howard or DeAndre Jordan in the dunker spot. And that's what's going to have 308 00:20:36,559 --> 00:20:40,400 to happen if Ad is playing the four in lineups that also have Lebron and 309 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:45,079 Russ and a big guy. So I think, if one you're trying to 310 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,359 make the best playoff lineup you can, Davis has got to be the five, 311 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,319 and two, if you're trying to make Russell Westbrook not a net negative 312 00:20:52,599 --> 00:20:56,680 player, Davis has to be the five. So are those are my main 313 00:20:56,799 --> 00:20:59,680 two things that I keep coming back to On that one. I do think 314 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:04,279 it's noting that when and the sample sizes are just so fucking small. At 315 00:21:04,279 --> 00:21:10,440 the moment when Russ and Lebron play together with Davis at the five, the 316 00:21:10,559 --> 00:21:14,440 Lakers have a one twenty one point one offensive rating and there are plus three 317 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,119 point eight per one hundred possessions. The thing you get into there is okay 318 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:22,680 that net rating is so small. With a high offensive rating, their defensive 319 00:21:22,759 --> 00:21:27,079 rating is one seventeen point two, which looks more sustainable long term, and 320 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,559 it's that the defense will be bad I agree with you on the playoffs. 321 00:21:30,599 --> 00:21:34,720 I will push back on the like and it's not just the Rudy Gobert stuff. 322 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,599 I'm not saying you're perpetuating that narrative. I think what changes in the 323 00:21:37,599 --> 00:21:42,400 playoffs is that it becomes much more important when you're a big man who is 324 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,799 also in front of you, because not everything could be funneled towards you. 325 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,000 And so with Rudy Gobert, yes, there are matchups that aren't great for 326 00:21:49,079 --> 00:21:52,319 him, but I think in the Clipper series last year what really killed him 327 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:57,599 was one, the Jazz couldn't really punish the Clippers were going small on offense. 328 00:21:57,759 --> 00:22:02,400 That was definitely thing. And then two, who's the most most athletic 329 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:11,039 wing defender? No, that's it. Who's the athletic wing defender? It's 330 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:15,240 either yeah, like so, but yes, I I'm with you on that 331 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,839 that he can't be a four in the playoffs and your offense is going to 332 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:22,240 forever be capt if he is your four on this team, because it's either 333 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,160 going to be Russell Westbrook is your point guard or Rondo is your point guard, 334 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,640 or are you playing both of them at the same time for some ungodly 335 00:22:30,759 --> 00:22:34,799 reason, let's go to your truth or trash on the the LA teams, 336 00:22:34,799 --> 00:22:40,799 because that segues into this discussion a lot better. What what did I say 337 00:22:40,839 --> 00:22:45,400 that I had a couple of them, the one truth or trash? Both 338 00:22:45,599 --> 00:22:49,359 LA teams will be playing teams? I said at least one, didn't I 339 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,200 I want to be my ridiculous I need you to get my ridiculous statement correct. 340 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:56,480 It's not ridiculous if you said one. I think you said both. 341 00:22:56,559 --> 00:22:59,119 Let's see, I think I said at least one. You said at least 342 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,799 LA team will be in the play in, or one LA team will finish 343 00:23:02,839 --> 00:23:07,240 with the worst record in California. Let's go. This is me betting on 344 00:23:07,279 --> 00:23:17,200 the Kings. You finally engendered Grant's faith after you know a decade of him 345 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:22,359 just dumping all over you. So to the Lakers point on this, So 346 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,680 if we're going with one LA team, at least one LA team will be 347 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,759 in the play in, I'll say truth. I mean, like I don't. 348 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,839 That doesn't even feel too spicy. Do you have any confidence that things 349 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:38,359 get better in LA with the Lakers? Specifically when looking at Russ and the 350 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,640 fit there, because we sort of when we talked about in the off season. 351 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,920 We both landed in the same spot. And this was in one of 352 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,440 the games, and maybe even in both of the games. Like they did 353 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,240 blow that twenty six point lead against okay See with Lebron out, but you 354 00:23:51,279 --> 00:23:55,279 beat the Spurs, you at least have the okay See game and control Westbrook, 355 00:23:55,319 --> 00:24:00,559 and theory elevates your floor without Lebron games. But I don't know that 356 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:03,759 he does anything to raise their ceiling. Do you think that he is actively 357 00:24:03,799 --> 00:24:10,359 lowered their ceiling though, based off how jagged the fit has seemed right now, 358 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,440 I think so. Yeah. I think I mean that was that's just 359 00:24:14,519 --> 00:24:18,480 another way to frame what I think we agreed on, which is is he 360 00:24:18,559 --> 00:24:23,680 lowers their postseason ceiling. And right, like, I think, you know, 361 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,240 just because of everything we just talked about, in addition to what you 362 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,960 said about about you know, big guys in the playoffs, it's just the 363 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,359 place where where players with weaknesses get exploited. Like that's I think Bob Meyers 364 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,960 a couple of years ago had the quote about like he was talking about Paul 365 00:24:37,039 --> 00:24:40,799 Pierce or something. He's talking to Paul Pierce and he was saying, the 366 00:24:41,039 --> 00:24:44,400 playoffs, the deeper you get the more it becomes like the first thing you 367 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:45,839 want to do is not an option, and then neither is the second, 368 00:24:45,839 --> 00:24:49,319 and the third and the fourth and what like, how how well rounded are 369 00:24:49,319 --> 00:24:55,160 you as a player? How multifaceted are you when when you need to be? 370 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,039 Because so to apply that to Westbrook, he kind of does one thing 371 00:24:59,279 --> 00:25:02,880 right, Like, so if that one thing doesn't work, and we've seen 372 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,839 it not work, We've just seen teams, the Rockets adjusted to figure out 373 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,519 ways to make him good. The Wizards did it. Everybody bends over backwards 374 00:25:10,519 --> 00:25:14,319 to be like, how can we get you know, Westbrook to to be 375 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:18,160 a positive And some of that was regular season stuff and he still wasn't helpful 376 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,960 in the playoffs. So I think he does lower their ceiling. I've thought 377 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:26,359 that, like from moment one. But I also like, look, if 378 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:30,480 he's supposed to raise their floor and you can't beat the thunder with him and 379 00:25:30,519 --> 00:25:36,000 Anthony Davis, I like, I don't know, man. So I think 380 00:25:36,319 --> 00:25:40,279 I weirdly have like a lot of some more faith in the Clippers because I 381 00:25:40,279 --> 00:25:44,720 think their defense and their personnel is just going to be very good. This 382 00:25:44,839 --> 00:25:47,599 may be colored by the fact that, like they played the Warriors very well 383 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:52,119 about defensively, about as well as anybody had. You know, they didn't 384 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,440 win, obviously, but I thought that, you know, Terrence Mann, 385 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,160 I think is emerging as one of the best wing defenders in the league. 386 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,400 Paul George is good. They got all these switchy wing guys. I just 387 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,960 I don't know. I don't have a problem putting my faith in that. 388 00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:08,920 So if I had to say, I think I probably would still I probably 389 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,319 I'll say, truth to one or more of the LA teams are in the 390 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,680 plan, and I think the one I picked to be in the plan is 391 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,400 the Lakers, because look, Lebron's already hurt. I mean, that's the 392 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,400 other thing that's that's your if you're projecting how things go sideways for the Lakers, 393 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,720 that's item one, and he's all and it's already happened. It's minor 394 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:30,559 theoretically, but a lot of the things we thought might potentially go bad for 395 00:26:30,599 --> 00:26:33,720 the Lakers, like a couple of them are already manifesting rust being a tough 396 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:40,279 fit and Lebron potentially breaking down. So like, I still think they'll both 397 00:26:40,319 --> 00:26:41,680 be better than the Kings. Just so we're clear, I was just trying 398 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,400 to goad you into one on that. But yeah, so I think the 399 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,359 Clippers, maybe that's the hot take, maybe that's the truth or trash. 400 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,160 The Clippers will finish ahead of the Lakers in the standings. I'm still gonna 401 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:57,079 claim trash because I picked the Lakers over for some fucking dumb reason. I 402 00:26:57,079 --> 00:27:00,240 haven't no idea what I was thinking when I did that. I'm just I 403 00:27:00,319 --> 00:27:04,559 have so much faith in the Lebron ad minutes eventually, and I feel like 404 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,839 whether maybe they get lucky on the buy out market, there's stuff they could 405 00:27:07,839 --> 00:27:12,680 do via trade once talent Horton Tucker is healthy, I don't. I think 406 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,680 he'll help their defense a ton, and maybe even Areza helps the Davis at 407 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:21,759 the five minutes, and look, Malik Monk has had his moments. I 408 00:27:21,839 --> 00:27:26,319 think they'll be fine eventually, but I am lower on them than I was 409 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:29,920 before after watching it, and with the Clippers, it's just maybe apparently I 410 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,640 didn't watch enough of Terrence Man last season. I don't remember him being this 411 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,039 good on defense. He wasn't. Okay, it happened, it started in 412 00:27:36,079 --> 00:27:40,200 the playoffs, and now this year that's just I think he's made a concerted 413 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:41,839 effort, and I think this has been written about where he's this is, 414 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,480 this is how he's decided he fits in. It's like, I'm just gonna 415 00:27:45,519 --> 00:27:49,039 be that guy that is in Steph Curry's jersey. That's that's who I'm going 416 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:52,200 to be. And it's worked. I mean, it's effective. I'm just 417 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,759 their three point shooting has fallen off from last year where everyone shot forty five 418 00:27:56,799 --> 00:28:00,400 percent. Now everyone five percent. Sabrina Chant from SB Nation came on here. 419 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,960 It's that she was expecting and huge drop off from Marcus Moore Senior, 420 00:28:03,079 --> 00:28:07,880 and holy hell, has she been right thus far. I think the fact 421 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,119 that they just don't have Kauai and they still need I would say this even 422 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,559 if they had Kauai, but it's more glaring than ever that they need another 423 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,240 creator on this team. I'm just gonna default that that's going to come back 424 00:28:18,279 --> 00:28:19,599 to bite them in the as at some point. What if Paul George needs 425 00:28:19,599 --> 00:28:23,519 to miss time. I know that they could theoretically get healthier. Serge Ibacca's 426 00:28:23,559 --> 00:28:27,880 yet to play this season, but I don't like to serge Ibaka. They 427 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,839 have their seventh the defensive efficiency at this point, and Sergebaca will help their 428 00:28:30,839 --> 00:28:37,920 force basing on offense because he's presumably gonna shoot better than like a crappy percentage 429 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:41,000 from three than a lot of these other guys. But does he actually help 430 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,960 their defense at this point, I think you could argue no, he might 431 00:28:45,079 --> 00:28:48,359 hurt it and so I and they don't have an incentive. Look, Luke 432 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:52,839 Kennard has been really good for them. I think that that's someone that they 433 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,000 can lean on long term, and he gives you I will maintain. I 434 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,720 don't know that we'll always see it in LA. There have been spurts this 435 00:28:57,759 --> 00:29:03,519 season that he will give you more off the dribble juice than credited, or 436 00:29:03,559 --> 00:29:07,240 maybe that they use him for I just they seem like one aside from Kawai 437 00:29:07,319 --> 00:29:10,279 because I know they don't. But that's the easy out here is they don't 438 00:29:10,279 --> 00:29:14,000 have Kawai. I'm still gonna think that they finished with a worse record than 439 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,400 than the Lakers. This is gonna be a fun where we should keep track 440 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:19,759 of that because I think it might be pretty close. I'm gonna I'm gonna 441 00:29:19,759 --> 00:29:22,839 start a spreadsheet as you vamp on this, and I'm gonna throw one at 442 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:29,880 you here. This is a tough one. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls, 443 00:29:30,039 --> 00:29:33,839 and Cleveland Cavaliers. Truth are trash. We'll all have top ten defenses. 444 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:40,039 Now that's an easy trash. I'm gonna say two of those we'll have 445 00:29:40,119 --> 00:29:42,440 top ten defenses. Truth are trash. Okay, I was gonna I was 446 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:47,000 gonna jump the gun and say it's trash. We have to talk about it 447 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:49,680 because they're all shockingly good defenses right now. It's a topic that is it 448 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,279 needs to discuss. I'm gonna say it's trash. I'm gonna say none of 449 00:29:52,359 --> 00:29:59,279 them will have top ten defenses. Oh, so I'll take him in order. 450 00:29:59,599 --> 00:30:03,519 You said the Wolves first. I do think I do think it's interesting 451 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:08,480 they've started uh McDaniels in every game, and I think Vanderbilt Jared Vanderbilts started 452 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,200 one and josh akoge has started the other three they played, I think they 453 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,279 played four. By my council part, I could not believe that they went 454 00:30:15,319 --> 00:30:18,839 with a Kobe over Vanderbilt at the beginning of the year. By the point 455 00:30:18,839 --> 00:30:23,680 is the point is they're like, I mean, all three of those guys 456 00:30:23,799 --> 00:30:29,240 are just they're in the NBA to play defense at this point. At this 457 00:30:29,319 --> 00:30:32,920 point, like McDaniels is young enough that it could be different. A Koge 458 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,960 I think is established as like what he is. Vanderbilt to a lesser extent, 459 00:30:37,279 --> 00:30:40,960 I agree, I think, but like they're committing, they're gonna put 460 00:30:41,039 --> 00:30:48,240 really sort of imbalanced players on the floor to offset kat and Russell and Edwards, 461 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,599 who are great offensive players, are certainly better offensive players and defensive players. 462 00:30:52,599 --> 00:30:53,960 So I like that. So if you're gonna bet on the Wolves, 463 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,480 like you can bet on the you might wanta you focus on the fact that 464 00:30:59,519 --> 00:31:03,400 they're gonna put guys out there that are there to play defense, so that 465 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,279 that helps a little bit. I just think that, like, Okay, 466 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:11,200 I haven't done it yet, so I'm gonna do it now. But opponents 467 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:15,440 are shooting twenty eight percent from deep, right, that's that's like, that 468 00:31:15,559 --> 00:31:18,359 doesn't happen, that's not sustained. So that's a big factor. I think 469 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,759 to the West, there's a lot of there's more parody this year in the 470 00:31:22,799 --> 00:31:25,759 West than there's been in a long time. It feels like I still think 471 00:31:25,799 --> 00:31:30,480 there's just too many good offenses for the Wolves to sustain a top ten defense. 472 00:31:30,759 --> 00:31:36,759 And so and again, Russell is such a target, right like it's 473 00:31:36,839 --> 00:31:41,759 so hard to hide a point of attack defender. Uh and Kat like has 474 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:47,079 just he's had. I think I'm probably under Thibodeau. I would just guess 475 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,720 that he had a decent defensive season. He's still not. I mean, 476 00:31:51,799 --> 00:31:52,640 that's just he's not. I don't know if I call him a target, 477 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,440 but like he's I don't feel like he's a plus most of the time. 478 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:05,000 So that's the Wolves skeptical. The calvs. Evan Mobley is something. I 479 00:32:05,079 --> 00:32:08,720 think Evan Mobley has the potential to be the type of transformative defender that could 480 00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:13,279 get a defense almost on his own, to top ten territory. It's stupid 481 00:32:13,359 --> 00:32:16,519 early like he could he could just look like an overwhelmed rookie for the next 482 00:32:16,559 --> 00:32:20,839 two months after I say this, and I presume you'll agree because this everybody 483 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:25,319 agrees that Evan Mobley is special. They're using a lot of zone which also 484 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,680 Mobile is really exciting in as the guy at the top who happens to be 485 00:32:29,759 --> 00:32:34,039 seven feet tall and recovers to block shots and just everywhere. But when we 486 00:32:34,119 --> 00:32:37,079 talked about this before, all the spoil it like Lorie Market is playing the 487 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,720 three. I just that's like a big ask for me to believe there's a 488 00:32:40,759 --> 00:32:45,240 top ten defense that starts marketing and at the three even if Alan has played 489 00:32:45,279 --> 00:32:51,440 well, even if Mobile looks special, their three point defense is also in 490 00:32:51,559 --> 00:32:55,079 wolves territory, which is unsustainable. And like Garland and Sexton have never been, 491 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:58,720 there are two small guards. It's I mean, in addition to market 492 00:32:58,839 --> 00:33:01,319 and being a target, neither of those guards. Sexton's a lot of bark 493 00:33:01,359 --> 00:33:05,599 and no bite defensively, or has has been for his career. Garland's really 494 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,000 small. It's kind of a Blazer situation where you can pick on both of 495 00:33:08,039 --> 00:33:13,799 those guys. So skeptical there. The bull schedule sucks. They haven't played 496 00:33:13,799 --> 00:33:16,960 anybody yet, like sorry, and it's awesome that they by the time this 497 00:33:17,079 --> 00:33:22,119 goes live. So okay, So maybe I'll be wrong, that's fine. 498 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:25,400 I'll definitely be wrong. They've changed their I've you know, read some smart 499 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:29,400 stuff. They've changed the way they play picking rolls. It seems to be 500 00:33:29,519 --> 00:33:31,519 working better. It's more disruptive. It's not as passive of a defense. 501 00:33:32,799 --> 00:33:37,519 And maybe it's the type of thing where all I'm sure they've heard all offseason, 502 00:33:37,599 --> 00:33:40,400 and all I've said all offseason, and everybody said is like, Yeah, 503 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:44,720 the offense will be pretty good, They've got a bunch of scoring punch. 504 00:33:44,799 --> 00:33:47,799 The defense is gonna be terrible. So maybe they've taken that to heart. 505 00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:51,200 And it's a type of thing where it's been a point of emphasis across 506 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,720 the board and the players are trying to be you know, proved out is 507 00:33:53,759 --> 00:33:59,200 wrong. I don't know how much stock is we're putting in that, and 508 00:33:59,319 --> 00:34:01,599 look, you know, maybe I'll throw to you. So they're not gonna 509 00:34:01,599 --> 00:34:05,279 I don't think they're a top ten either, but the Bulls do have some 510 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:07,079 points in their favor, one of which is Alex Caruso, who I know 511 00:34:07,199 --> 00:34:12,199 you like, and some of their personnel changes do augur well for improved defense, 512 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:15,960 but I'm not buying it. So since you called, since you said 513 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,960 none of them are going to fish in the top ten, I'm free to 514 00:34:19,079 --> 00:34:22,800 put this one in as one of these teams will be a top ten defense. 515 00:34:22,559 --> 00:34:27,800 Yep, I'm gonna say truth if I and I'm curious to see yes. 516 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:34,360 So the thing I agree with you on basically everything the Alan Mobley Marketing 517 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,519 front court. Even though Marketing is played hard defensively this year, I wonder 518 00:34:37,599 --> 00:34:40,039 forget to a point where it's just, yeah, he needs to play better 519 00:34:40,119 --> 00:34:43,480 on offense. I mean, his spacing is important, but like you might 520 00:34:43,559 --> 00:34:46,840 just want to start Okoro at some point. I find it very hard to 521 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:51,559 believe that that front court they have a ninety eight point three defensive rating when 522 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:52,920 those three are the Calves do. When those three are on the floor, 523 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:59,800 opponents are shooting fifty five point four percent at the rim and twenty four point 524 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,840 fo percent on above the break threes. I can buy the above the break 525 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:06,400 three point trend just based off what you said about the way they're playing defense 526 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:08,159 and Evan Mobley, who by the way, has spent more than a quarter 527 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:14,760 of his defensive possessions primarily guarding a one, two or three. He's so 528 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:19,519 good. I don't everyone who listens to this podcast knows. I get like 529 00:35:19,599 --> 00:35:22,599 shin deep in the draft coverage. I just didn't see this coming. I 530 00:35:22,639 --> 00:35:24,239 thought the Cavs. I didn't think they were stupid for picking Mobley. I 531 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:28,920 didn't see the path to him and Alan working given Alan one hundred million dollars 532 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,000 over five years. I think we both collectively talked about on this podcast how 533 00:35:32,039 --> 00:35:36,679 that was a mystifying decision to us. I'm ready to just say I was 534 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:42,880 wrong, and that's absolutely fantastic for them. I think they're the team that 535 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,599 would be No, they're not least like I think the Wolves are the team 536 00:35:45,679 --> 00:35:49,559 least likely to maintain it, just for all basically all the reasons that you 537 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:52,239 said. And I think they're best lineups, the ones that they're gonna need 538 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,400 to lean on are gonna end up being their worst defensively, and they're just 539 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:59,480 they're so completely flip flopped right now where they have the basically the worst half 540 00:35:59,559 --> 00:36:02,480 court offense and the best half court defense. That's I'm rounding up, but 541 00:36:02,599 --> 00:36:06,320 it's like very close. That trend is just not going to hold for them. 542 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,920 I think the Bulls have the best chance of maintaining their top ten defense, 543 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:14,400 which is why I'm going to say truth even though I'm reluctant to do 544 00:36:14,519 --> 00:36:17,400 it. They have and this is another thing that's not going to hold it. 545 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,840 So they're starting five of Lonzo, Lavine, De Rosen, Williams and 546 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,199 Boots a ninety seven four offensive rating and an eighty four to five defensive rating. 547 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:30,159 Like that's another thing where it's very flip floppy. Right you can see 548 00:36:30,199 --> 00:36:37,039 a pathway to their defense working, especially when you plug Alex Caruso into that 549 00:36:37,119 --> 00:36:39,320 lineup and maybe pulled the Rose in, or even when you pull Patrick Williams. 550 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:44,159 The numbers when you pull Patrick Williams for Crusoe and what I would argue 551 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:46,039 might end up being like their crunch time staple unit, those have been really 552 00:36:46,079 --> 00:36:52,079 good. Which Chicago is also doing, is you do still have Boots dropping 553 00:36:52,159 --> 00:36:58,159 back, but you're also playing like ultra aggressive defense and they are forcing a 554 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,679 ton of turnovers. Only one team is forcing turnovers on a larger share of 555 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:05,840 their opponent's possessions, and they're doing so well not fouling a ton. I 556 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:08,480 don't know whether they can maintain that balance long term, but I sort of 557 00:37:08,519 --> 00:37:15,119 look at their personnel and just between Lonzo having Crusoe having Patrick Williams, if 558 00:37:15,119 --> 00:37:16,840 you're not going to ask Boots to do a ton of stuff, like you're 559 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:22,360 not ask asking Boots to come up on every single possession and play to the 560 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:23,880 level of the screen and do a bunch of switching, like, if you're 561 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:27,960 not going to ask him to do that a ton, it's I could see 562 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,280 him not torpedoing their defense. You get into issues of Okay, well, 563 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:34,840 they don't really have a backup five water lineup is gonna look like if they 564 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:37,599 lean on Tony Bradley a bunch, or is Derek George June You're gonna like 565 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:40,599 so long term there are concerns, but I look at their personnel and I'm 566 00:37:40,679 --> 00:37:47,639 like, they can very easily just field three above average defenders in competitive offensive 567 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:53,880 units with Crusoe, Lonzo and Patrick Williams that I can see this sustaining. 568 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:59,320 And maybe I'm wrong there, I just and I don't know if you would 569 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,360 peg one of the other there three teams is more I think maybe I even 570 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:04,760 think you might have said that you could see Cleveland having a better chance of 571 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,280 doing that. I think Colin Sexton has gotten a little bit better. And 572 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,480 look, Alan and Mobile are monsters. Alan has done fine on switches too 573 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:14,559 this year. I'm just you are asking an awful lot of Mobley at the 574 00:38:14,599 --> 00:38:17,119 moment, and so maybe you know, if I had to rank it, 575 00:38:17,199 --> 00:38:21,639 I think the Bulls, then the Calves, then the Timberwolves would have the 576 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,519 best chance of being in the top ten. I probably would have entered the 577 00:38:23,559 --> 00:38:28,480 season thinking the Bulls were in last, just because of or de Rosen's legitimately 578 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,960 not good and I think Lavigne. I don't want to say he comes and 579 00:38:32,039 --> 00:38:35,400 goes in the sense of being good, but he comes and goes of being 580 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:38,320 passable versus atrocious. Yeah, I would have looked at that and been like, 581 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:40,679 oh, they have the worst chance. At least you look at Minnesota. 582 00:38:42,039 --> 00:38:45,320 They have Jade McDaniels. They have Jared Vanderbilt, who can just make 583 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:51,000 absurd rotations when he's really on. But I think the Bulls because two of 584 00:38:51,039 --> 00:38:54,559 their best defenders might be point of attack defenders. And Lonzo everyone has talked 585 00:38:54,559 --> 00:38:59,159 about how he's good within a team scheme before, and I'm not mister X's 586 00:38:59,199 --> 00:39:01,199 and os here. This is someone who has just been a hellscape as an 587 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:06,559 individual defender this year. And so if your two most important defensive players are 588 00:39:06,639 --> 00:39:08,480 going to be that skilled at the point of attack, at least you know, 589 00:39:08,639 --> 00:39:12,840 through the first four games of the season, Yeah, that gives you 590 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,320 a runway. I think to know, not being you know the leagues, 591 00:39:16,679 --> 00:39:19,719 what are they now? I don't have that pulled up. You would think 592 00:39:19,719 --> 00:39:22,840 I would have brought all that up. They are third in defensive rating. 593 00:39:22,119 --> 00:39:24,599 No, I don't think they're gonna I don't think either of these teams finished 594 00:39:24,599 --> 00:39:28,239 in the top five. But I do think the Bulls might have the highest 595 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:32,719 ceiling of the bunch. I want to bet on Mobili because I've just had 596 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:37,320 all the kool aid already on him this year. But I think one thing, 597 00:39:38,119 --> 00:39:43,199 one thing that makes me want to again coming in same thing. I 598 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:45,239 would have picked the Bulls to have the worst defense of this group, which 599 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,280 is saying a lot because I didn't expect anything out of either of these other 600 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:54,119 two. But like Vukovich was a big minute guy on a couple of very 601 00:39:54,159 --> 00:39:59,360 good Orlando defenses, so like it's possible, like he's done it before, 602 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:04,039 and so then if you if you build him in as like at least okay 603 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:07,159 or like you survive and then you've got the other guys you mentioned, I 604 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,960 think the path to the Bulls being a top ten defense is the clearest, 605 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,000 So I would I would agree and pick them too. I just uh, 606 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:21,639 I get a part of it's I just want Evan Mobley to be that good 607 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:24,760 already, because it's exciting. He's mobile, is like the big that we 608 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,880 think there might be one of in every draft, and there just never is, 609 00:40:29,039 --> 00:40:31,079 except for like every every eight to ten years. He's the guy that 610 00:40:31,159 --> 00:40:34,800 we you know, I can't think now off the top of my head of 611 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:37,679 who who the Evan Mobley of the last of you know, last year and 612 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:39,199 the year before. But there's always a couple's like, oh, well, 613 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:43,519 he can guard all five spots, and he's really mobile and he's got good 614 00:40:43,559 --> 00:40:47,360 ball skills. It's everybody wants the next Bam Auto Bio, like that's not 615 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:52,679 a crazy comp. That's not a crazy comp. And and and Mobley is 616 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:57,800 bigger and he's better sooner than Autobio was, at least defensively. So I 617 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:01,920 if I'm wrong about anything, I hope it's this because I hope, I 618 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:07,800 hope that the Calves based on Mobili being awesome and just a monster, so 619 00:41:07,119 --> 00:41:10,639 suddenly are a team that's like exciting because man, they like who they're They're 620 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:15,960 due that it's been pretty bleak. The one thing we could be in agreement 621 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:19,320 of is that Minnesota seems to have the most red flags. Opponents are shooting 622 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:22,519 under twenty eight percent, not from just three at large, but on why 623 00:41:22,599 --> 00:41:24,400 open threes, which is the lowest mark of this group. And this is 624 00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:30,000 the one again so early, but it truly doesn't make sense. They are 625 00:41:30,079 --> 00:41:35,360 dead last in defensive rebounding percentage in the bottom ten of foul rate, which 626 00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:37,519 that last one I guess doesn't matter if someone put like your second in defensive 627 00:41:37,599 --> 00:41:43,519 rating well being the worst defensive rebounding team in the league. And so I 628 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,079 don't know at the Edwards has gotten better from what I see the Timbers this 629 00:41:46,159 --> 00:41:50,480 year on the defensive end, they would be the one that shocked me most. 630 00:41:50,559 --> 00:41:53,320 If they stick in the top five all year long, no doubt, 631 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:58,360 I mean top ten all year long. Even if they're in the top if 632 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,000 they're not in the bottom ten, I'd be surprised about that, like right, 633 00:42:00,119 --> 00:42:04,480 Like I don't that's not a crazy thing to say. What do you 634 00:42:04,559 --> 00:42:07,960 have for me next? I want to talk about the Warriors, truth or 635 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,920 trash? How how strongly do I want to phrase this? Not the Warriors 636 00:42:13,039 --> 00:42:15,880 can win the West, which is what I was initially gonna say, But 637 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:22,800 the Warriors, the Warriors should have right now, if you redid it, 638 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:30,239 no worse than the second best odds to win the West. So I mean, 639 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:35,239 are you just saying that they're so they're the second They're one of the 640 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,800 two teams who are most likely don't win the Western conference. They're basically a 641 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:42,280 top two team in the West. And I'm not talking regular I'm talking regular 642 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:45,639 season, and like being a top two West contender. You can phrase it 643 00:42:45,719 --> 00:42:49,519 like that. Yeah, so you get anybody else, You could pick any 644 00:42:49,559 --> 00:42:52,559 other two and it can be trash. Like if you get the whole field. 645 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:54,159 If you think there are two teams that are better than the Warriors, 646 00:42:55,599 --> 00:43:00,400 Oh man, this is a good one. I'm gonna I'm gonna say trash. 647 00:43:00,159 --> 00:43:05,599 I just Utah is above them for me. Still, I'm gonna be 648 00:43:05,639 --> 00:43:08,960 stubborn on Phoenix. Like maybe you know what if Jamal Murray comes back for 649 00:43:09,079 --> 00:43:14,119 Denver or they just you know, Michael Porter Junior actually starts playing well and 650 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:19,480 Yokich isn't injured long term, I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say trash there. 651 00:43:19,599 --> 00:43:22,519 I'm more reluctant to say that. Who you and Jacob Borne, friend 652 00:43:22,519 --> 00:43:25,239 of the Pockets, you try to tell me about Jordan Poole. I just 653 00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:30,440 didn't believe that he had this type of you sustainable leap in him and the 654 00:43:30,519 --> 00:43:36,280 Warriors have done a better job navigating the stepf minutes. The only player on 655 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:39,679 their team with a negative net ratings wing right now or negative net rating is 656 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:44,320 Kavan Looney and they're starting lineup. Data has actually been bad this year so 657 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:47,519 far because the fact they're not starting with their best unit, and that's absolutely 658 00:43:47,599 --> 00:43:52,280 incredible for them. But the fact that they can play eight teams to a 659 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:58,039 draw with Steph Curry off the floor now again it's early, that's huge for 660 00:43:58,119 --> 00:44:00,920 them. They're gonna get Clay back at some point. The wild card and 661 00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:05,920 all this is we know that they're not going to play Jonathan Kaminga, Mosses 662 00:44:06,039 --> 00:44:08,639 Moodyaton this season. James Wiseman is the wild card once he gets healthy, 663 00:44:08,679 --> 00:44:12,000 because are they going to feel an obligation to play him in year two? 664 00:44:12,639 --> 00:44:17,119 And the dre Steph minutes were not great with Wiseman last year and they were 665 00:44:17,159 --> 00:44:22,360 genuinely awesome without him this year and now the Warriors are once again awesome when 666 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:27,960 he has yet to play this year. What type of responsibility do you feel 667 00:44:28,199 --> 00:44:30,079 to him because if he plays more, this team wants to win now. 668 00:44:30,079 --> 00:44:34,079 So I would just argue you don't play him, but now you've essentially then 669 00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:37,920 said we need to. I think if you're not going to play him this 670 00:44:37,039 --> 00:44:42,159 season, there's a chance you wreck his trade value indefinitely, unless you're moving 671 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:45,239 him now because now two years of mystery box intrigue is gone or whatever. 672 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:49,039 I'm not saying his career would be hopeless, but that would be the reality 673 00:44:49,039 --> 00:44:51,760 of that situation. I think they're going to try and play him once he 674 00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:54,079 comes back. There has to be a grace period for Clay Thompson. I 675 00:44:54,199 --> 00:45:00,679 have to imagine like there's some like cooling off here. I like, I 676 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:02,519 don't know. I think this is less about the Warriors though for me, 677 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:06,880 I do I think they're gonna be a team that has basically a top ten 678 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:10,239 defense and offense all year. I don't know. I just I don't The 679 00:45:10,400 --> 00:45:16,079 offense, to me would be is more suspect than the defense there So, 680 00:45:17,039 --> 00:45:21,239 but this is less about the Warriors. I think me calling it trash than 681 00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:24,840 believing in Utah this season, and not because they have Ruby Gay. They're 682 00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:29,679 just they're very strong regular season team and even if they're imperfect in the playoffs, 683 00:45:29,920 --> 00:45:32,440 if you get a healthier Mitchell than you did last season, you're you're 684 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:36,840 sitting a lot prettier. And then I still believe in the Suns and I 685 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:40,159 think that Denver is like another team that that really has the chance to pop, 686 00:45:40,239 --> 00:45:43,679 and the fact that I'm not mentioning the Lakers here. It's just absolutely 687 00:45:43,719 --> 00:45:50,880 hysterical. But what are you gonna do? So this was just a naked, 688 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:55,679 unabashed attempts to get you to talk about the Warriors so that I could 689 00:45:55,960 --> 00:46:01,840 take my Jordan Pool victory lap. But also so, Jordan Poole is shooting 690 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:06,119 forty point three percent from the field in twenty four point one percent from three 691 00:46:06,159 --> 00:46:08,639 point range, and like, hasn't really been that good. And I'm still 692 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:15,519 I'm putting I'm taking off whatever analyst unbiased hat I was wearing if I was, 693 00:46:15,639 --> 00:46:17,280 and just putting on the fan hat. Jordan Pool is so fun. 694 00:46:17,559 --> 00:46:22,400 Jordan Poole has so much game. It's like he's so smooth. He's been 695 00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:25,000 sped up this year, like in a bad way. He's been pressing because 696 00:46:25,039 --> 00:46:30,840 I think he understand he got really confident, rightfully so over the offseason and 697 00:46:30,960 --> 00:46:35,440 in the preseason, and I think he understands what a lynch pin he is 698 00:46:35,519 --> 00:46:38,079 for this team because those non step minutes, they just don't have anyone else 699 00:46:38,119 --> 00:46:42,559 to create anything. So he really matters, and he's been pressing, and 700 00:46:42,639 --> 00:46:45,800 I just don't care because I love how confident he is, and I love 701 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:47,559 the ridiculous shots he takes, and I love his craft, and I love 702 00:46:47,639 --> 00:46:51,760 all his layup package and just the whole thing. He's just so much fun. 703 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,000 The words haven't had a young guy like that since Steph was a young 704 00:46:54,079 --> 00:46:59,159 guy like that, And even Steph wasn't like Steph was just different, but 705 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:05,159 so is different. It's a little different. It's a little different. I'm 706 00:47:05,199 --> 00:47:08,119 gonna say truth. And there's just a lot of reasons I want to talk 707 00:47:08,199 --> 00:47:13,559 about, though, your your Wiseman is your Wiseman point because it's kind of 708 00:47:13,639 --> 00:47:17,920 insane that the number two pick last year is like an afterthought. But I 709 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,679 think he very much is that, and if he does have a significant role 710 00:47:22,719 --> 00:47:27,559 when he is healthy, it'll just be because Looney is not playable. It 711 00:47:27,639 --> 00:47:32,039 won't be because the team thinks Wiseman is ready or thinks they owe him these 712 00:47:32,119 --> 00:47:37,559 minutes. I think it's it's been very clear, just based on the coverage 713 00:47:37,599 --> 00:47:42,039 of the team, what the beat guys are saying, what the team is 714 00:47:42,119 --> 00:47:45,239 saying, that we're not going to play Wiseman because he's the number two pick 715 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:49,360 and we feel like we have to like they just aren't. And you're right, 716 00:47:49,599 --> 00:47:52,719 that is going to torpedo his trade value. But I think they're okay 717 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:58,079 with that one because they want to win now. They've wasted two years and 718 00:47:58,239 --> 00:48:02,480 two because they don't intend to him. I think he and Kaminga and Moody 719 00:48:02,519 --> 00:48:06,039 to a lesser extent, Moody is by far the most ready to play of 720 00:48:06,079 --> 00:48:07,440 all those guys. He could play fifteen minutes a game, I think and 721 00:48:07,559 --> 00:48:12,239 be like okay right now, and he might be he wasn't so good, 722 00:48:12,519 --> 00:48:15,559 damn. So there's your found money, right, There's another So that's another 723 00:48:15,599 --> 00:48:19,519 reason. That's truth is for me that they are a top two team in 724 00:48:19,559 --> 00:48:23,199 the West. They just you need guys like that to hit, and his 725 00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:29,760 hit has been very slow to develop because he's just sort of gotten a little 726 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:32,559 better every year to where he's now a rotation wing that you can trust on 727 00:48:32,679 --> 00:48:37,639 both ends. But I just think I think the Warriors haven't played that well 728 00:48:37,760 --> 00:48:40,599 yet and they haven't lost, and and it's and it reminds me a little 729 00:48:40,599 --> 00:48:45,119 bit of the margin for error that they used to have. So I think 730 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:49,280 there's a chance for them to get a lot better because they're playing guys like 731 00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:52,800 Auto Porter and them and you be elites to both of them have looked very 732 00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:55,360 good and flashes that still are not. It takes a long time to figure 733 00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:59,519 out how to play the way the Warriors want to play. So if those 734 00:48:59,559 --> 00:49:04,679 guys have quite clicked, Pool is still integrating trying to sort of toggle between 735 00:49:05,239 --> 00:49:08,320 Like I'm getting up twenty shots in twenty minutes, and you know, when 736 00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:12,039 do I make the right play? There's a lot of adjustments to go. 737 00:49:12,519 --> 00:49:15,400 They've turned the ball over, just like I don't know where they are in 738 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:19,639 turnovers in the league, but they I guarantee they leave the league and like, 739 00:49:19,760 --> 00:49:22,599 agree, just what the fuck are you thinking wasting a possession turnover? 740 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:27,400 Just throwing it away? That's part of That's always been part of their whole 741 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:31,960 deal. I think, like you said, their defense last year, I 742 00:49:32,119 --> 00:49:36,559 think it was fifth and it hasn't been that good this year. I think 743 00:49:36,599 --> 00:49:39,440 it can get a lot better. Offensively, I think they have the potential 744 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:44,079 to be really great, especially when they play small with the elites at the 745 00:49:44,159 --> 00:49:46,559 five as a second unit guy, because he actually can run the offense, 746 00:49:46,639 --> 00:49:53,039 which I did not know. So then oh, yeah, we realize, 747 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:57,440 Yeah, he's one of those guys. It's not a perfect comparison, but 748 00:49:57,480 --> 00:50:00,400 it's a little bit of a Boris d Out thing where when Boris I was 749 00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:02,440 on a bad was on a bad team, it was just like, no, 750 00:50:02,639 --> 00:50:07,320 man, I'm not I'm giving you like my C minus and I just 751 00:50:07,519 --> 00:50:09,320 I'm out of shape and whatever. And when he's on a good team, 752 00:50:09,400 --> 00:50:15,360 suddenly he's like closing games for a title winner like Belitz is not that, 753 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,239 but Belitz I think benefits from playing with a lot of smart players, and 754 00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:22,239 the Warriors have those this year. They did not last year. Sorry, 755 00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:29,400 Kelly, you bray so so they I think the Warriors have you know, 756 00:50:29,519 --> 00:50:35,760 they're undefeated. They have a path to getting significantly better. All bets are 757 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:39,599 off. If Steph or Draymond get hurt, if Clay is a forty percent 758 00:50:39,679 --> 00:50:44,679 of what he used to be, whatever, there's obviously downside. Like but 759 00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:47,360 again, the West is kind of weird, and the Warriors have a lot 760 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:52,960 of potentially get better. So I'm I'm irrationally bullish, and it's partly because 761 00:50:52,960 --> 00:50:59,159 I just missed so much watching a good version of this team that like maximizes 762 00:50:59,480 --> 00:51:01,679 you know, some of the old guys that that are I'm so attached to 763 00:51:02,239 --> 00:51:05,800 Clay just still remain. I don't think they've been good enough for me to 764 00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:10,039 think that Clay is anything like less of a swing piece now to me, 765 00:51:10,159 --> 00:51:13,400 like for this to be a truth, like he needs to come back and 766 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:15,800 be basically Clay. And the other thing is it's like I mentioned before that 767 00:51:15,840 --> 00:51:21,719 they have won the non Steff minutes this year, but like the offense has 768 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:24,119 still been bad when he court, and so it feels like maybe they are 769 00:51:24,239 --> 00:51:28,559 better built to navigate those defensively, but they actually have a lower offensive rating 770 00:51:28,599 --> 00:51:31,679 this year with Steff off the floor than they did last year because their defense 771 00:51:31,719 --> 00:51:36,800 has been so well. And maybe when you can play guys like Igodala and 772 00:51:37,360 --> 00:51:42,119 Otto Porter in those minutes, like maybe that maybe that helps you. My 773 00:51:42,239 --> 00:51:45,880 one dripe with this team is that wants Conno Anderson is approbably never just going 774 00:51:45,920 --> 00:51:52,760 to play enough. He's another example though he's your tenth guy, ninth guy, 775 00:51:52,920 --> 00:51:59,000 depends on the night, depends on the Honestly, I would start him 776 00:51:59,239 --> 00:52:00,719 next to Draymond. They just don't want to play Draymond at the five. 777 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:04,880 And I thought, yeah, there might have been like more of an They 778 00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:07,360 were never gonna start games like that, but like the Draymond Tisconna Anderson front 779 00:52:07,360 --> 00:52:13,880 court, like just Mace so much sense. I'm also stand oh, I 780 00:52:13,960 --> 00:52:17,159 love like no he's look him and be Elita I think can really be an 781 00:52:17,199 --> 00:52:22,559 awesome four or five on second units. But both of them, like Jca, 782 00:52:23,719 --> 00:52:25,880 how are we gonna really keep talking about ja? We are We're gonna 783 00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:30,760 talk about He's a really good passer, He's really disruptive defensively, he gets 784 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:36,079 just totally annihilated by any kind of four or five with size if they post 785 00:52:36,199 --> 00:52:37,719 up. But the Warriors can scramble and do all kinds of stuff, and 786 00:52:37,800 --> 00:52:44,159 I think they're cool with conceding some rough defensive stretches if the second unit is 787 00:52:44,239 --> 00:52:46,360 kind of like chaotic and running and can score and move the ball because they 788 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:51,760 tend they tend to win those stretches if they can play that way. Yeah, 789 00:52:51,880 --> 00:52:54,360 I don't know. Look, we didn't even you just finally mentioned Igudala. 790 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:59,280 Iguodala is not washed. It's unbelievable. Right, He's the second second 791 00:52:59,320 --> 00:53:01,679 oldest player in the league, and he's got a handful of dunks this year. 792 00:53:02,239 --> 00:53:06,920 Either Anthony Davis tried to post them up in the in the in the 793 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:10,719 opener, and it was the most predictable strip you have ever seen, Like 794 00:53:10,920 --> 00:53:14,599 if five seconds before it happened, you knew Igodala was gonna strip it. 795 00:53:14,639 --> 00:53:17,400 So he still has the hands, he's still smart. It's it's a it's 796 00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:21,760 really it's pretty gratifying. Igodala is one of my favorites ever. I just 797 00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:25,800 I'm so psyched that he's still good. I have three that are related to 798 00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:30,199 the Grizzlies, So let's try and contrary to our normal selves, let's try 799 00:53:30,199 --> 00:53:35,400 and be quick about them. First one is John Morant will make an all 800 00:53:35,519 --> 00:53:40,719 NBA team this year. Truth or trash. Let's go truth, Let's do 801 00:53:40,800 --> 00:53:45,519 it. We're gonna do it. We're gonna do truth. And part of 802 00:53:45,599 --> 00:53:53,000 that is I just think the pop has come a year sooner than I thought 803 00:53:53,000 --> 00:53:58,039 it would. I kind of thought maybe next year would be the You know, 804 00:53:58,239 --> 00:54:01,760 his three point shot is gradually gonna a little better. He's hitting like 805 00:54:02,000 --> 00:54:06,400 it's not again unsustainable. He's hitting forty I think it's forty five, forty 806 00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:07,960 six percent from deep forty five point eight. I don't know if you're looking 807 00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:15,679 at it. And he's shooting more threes, and he's got this will tie 808 00:54:15,719 --> 00:54:20,079 in. He's got like a really interesting supporting cast. Now I love the 809 00:54:20,199 --> 00:54:25,559 Melton Bain wing combo, and Jackson looks better and him spacing gives Morant like 810 00:54:25,639 --> 00:54:29,840 an unfair advantage because he can get downhill with no space. I think he's 811 00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:34,199 set up to succeed the West is I mean not just the West. Obviously, 812 00:54:34,280 --> 00:54:37,400 it's all NBA. There's just so many good guards. But like maybe 813 00:54:37,519 --> 00:54:42,760 Dame doesn't look so good. Maybe you know, you know, Westbrook's not 814 00:54:42,840 --> 00:54:45,440 gonna be there. I don't think hardens out of it hardens not looking that 815 00:54:45,639 --> 00:54:50,079 there's like a there's a path. And because it is fun to believe that 816 00:54:50,199 --> 00:54:52,400 we're seeing the emergence of a new star, I'm gonna say truth. And 817 00:54:52,519 --> 00:54:58,559 look, Jason Kidd's gonna keep lucaf right, so just gonna ruin him. 818 00:54:58,760 --> 00:55:00,840 I'm gonna say truth too. And the only thing I'll add to what you 819 00:55:00,960 --> 00:55:05,280 said is it's not even just you know the three point clip is gonna fall. 820 00:55:05,400 --> 00:55:07,519 Although this is well, let me make the point first is that there's 821 00:55:07,559 --> 00:55:12,199 just more levels to his game when it comes to his jumper. Now, 822 00:55:12,320 --> 00:55:15,400 like it's not just the floater or trying to finish at the rim. Like 823 00:55:15,519 --> 00:55:19,679 he's taking some mid rangers the threes. He's more confident shooting those off the 824 00:55:19,760 --> 00:55:22,719 dribble or just off the catch. You just can't go under him like that 825 00:55:22,760 --> 00:55:24,559 anymore. But the fact that they can now kill you from all levels, 826 00:55:24,840 --> 00:55:30,599 I don't know how you guard him consistently and if the mid range game might 827 00:55:30,639 --> 00:55:34,880 be the key to unlocking everything for him, which is I think some people 828 00:55:34,920 --> 00:55:37,519 will find that weird to say. And to this point, so, there 829 00:55:37,559 --> 00:55:40,199 have been eighty one players as we record this who've attempted at least fifteen off 830 00:55:40,239 --> 00:55:45,519 the dribble jumpers. The Grizzlies have two players who rank in the top ten 831 00:55:45,679 --> 00:55:51,480 of effective field goal percentage. Of those players, Jaw is tied for ten 832 00:55:51,800 --> 00:55:54,840 with Kevin Durant and Seth Curry, who was birthed in a volcano. Apparently 833 00:55:55,920 --> 00:56:00,079 the anti mentain is second until like, yeah, there's the element, And 834 00:56:00,119 --> 00:56:02,119 I'll get to this that maybe some of these guys cool off, but I 835 00:56:02,239 --> 00:56:07,480 think that that part of jazz game, I feel like it's more for real 836 00:56:07,719 --> 00:56:10,639 than not at this point, and he settles into at least a league average 837 00:56:10,679 --> 00:56:15,800 to slightly above average off the dribble shooter, and that ends up just opening 838 00:56:15,880 --> 00:56:19,960 up the entire context of not his game, but the Grizzlies offense. He 839 00:56:20,119 --> 00:56:22,360 has more room to drive this year based off what they're doing with their starting 840 00:56:22,440 --> 00:56:27,320 lineup of they pulled off Anderson Brooks is injured, so they went with Baine 841 00:56:27,360 --> 00:56:30,480 and Melton, who looked at three point shooting revolution for him. Great last 842 00:56:30,559 --> 00:56:34,400 year, great again this year. We have to assume it's at least close 843 00:56:34,440 --> 00:56:37,559 to for real. Having Jared Jackson Junior back in this lineup regularly, that 844 00:56:37,639 --> 00:56:40,760 just gives him John more room to operate. He's already a fantastic passer. 845 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:45,559 I'm gonna say truth here too. There's just so many talented guards and Dame 846 00:56:46,079 --> 00:56:50,760 Slash, Luca Slash. Really, anybody could just turn their season on a 847 00:56:50,840 --> 00:56:53,719 whim at this point. Yeah, I mean even James Harden. So there 848 00:56:53,840 --> 00:56:58,159 is real risk here. But I want to believe. Yeah, I just 849 00:56:58,280 --> 00:57:00,760 I want to believe. And look, he's doing a lot of the stuff, 850 00:57:00,480 --> 00:57:04,880 definitely on a larger scale. But this isn't coming out of nowhere like 851 00:57:04,960 --> 00:57:07,760 there were. We saw some of this towards the tail end of last season. 852 00:57:07,519 --> 00:57:10,960 Yeah, if you'd said, if someone had told you before the season 853 00:57:12,079 --> 00:57:15,360 that could see the future like John Morant is going to be like a sneaky 854 00:57:15,480 --> 00:57:19,320 MVP candidate, you would have been like wow, shit like already, but 855 00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:22,400 not like, oh, forget it, that's ridiculous, Like you know, 856 00:57:22,639 --> 00:57:27,000 we'd seen enough to know that that he had that this was possible. The 857 00:57:27,039 --> 00:57:30,320 other thing is you mentioned Morant has real quickly you know, level levels to 858 00:57:30,400 --> 00:57:36,159 go, or has leveled up and could continue the Grizzlies if if, if 859 00:57:36,519 --> 00:57:42,000 huge, if if Jackson could ever survive at the five defensively good god, 860 00:57:42,199 --> 00:57:45,880 like and you're playing five out with jaw like talk about you can't guard the 861 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:50,159 guy. I mean, it's just I mean, it gets Steven Adams out 862 00:57:50,159 --> 00:57:53,000 of the way, and what happens offensive I mean offensively, that's just the 863 00:57:53,079 --> 00:57:59,920 potential is off the charts for him and for the team. The second one 864 00:58:00,079 --> 00:58:04,119 for the Grizzlies is Desmond Baine. Truth or trash is the biggest, biggest 865 00:58:04,159 --> 00:58:07,039 steal. So it's relative to where he was selected of the twenty twenty draft. 866 00:58:07,199 --> 00:58:12,320 He was taken at number thirty. I mean, I'm gonna pull the 867 00:58:12,400 --> 00:58:15,320 draft up right now, but I'm having a hard time believing that anybody so 868 00:58:15,400 --> 00:58:19,400 I'll give you my main contenders. Yeah, give me some contenders. I'm 869 00:58:19,400 --> 00:58:22,440 gonna look at it while you while you list them. Isaiah Stewart at sixteen. 870 00:58:23,320 --> 00:58:27,519 They also look, this guy's on the Grizzlies, Xavier Tillman Senior at 871 00:58:27,800 --> 00:58:34,079 number thirty five, Sadique Bay at number nineteen, Emanuel Quickly at number twenty 872 00:58:34,119 --> 00:58:37,280 five, and if look, if you want to go, I would consider 873 00:58:37,400 --> 00:58:44,159 this, but Kenyan Martin Junior at fifty two, just on a pure value 874 00:58:44,159 --> 00:58:46,320 play. I think there's a couple of others that jump out. Maxie at 875 00:58:46,360 --> 00:58:50,639 twenty one pretty good, but I don't think he's better than Desmond Baine, 876 00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:54,320 so that's out. The other one that hit Haliburton, Haliburton is like he's 877 00:58:54,360 --> 00:58:57,719 a lottery pick. So I don't know if that's quite the same. But 878 00:58:57,840 --> 00:59:02,800 I think everyone agrees that Haliburton was underdrafted. LaMelo Ball at three, that's 879 00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:07,079 a pretty good, pretty big steal. Uh No. I think I think 880 00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:10,320 that's why was selected to too. Yes, yes it is. Don't remind 881 00:59:10,360 --> 00:59:15,679 me, uh No, I think that's truth. I think like I don't 882 00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:21,199 think bain correct me if you if you or tell me if you think otherwise. 883 00:59:21,199 --> 00:59:25,920 I don't feel like bain Is has the potential to be an offensive engine, 884 00:59:27,079 --> 00:59:30,639 like you know, an on ball primary like the most valuable type of 885 00:59:30,679 --> 00:59:35,320 player that there is. But if the second most is, or at least 886 00:59:35,480 --> 00:59:38,000 one of the most sought after is the three and D wing like it's hard 887 00:59:38,039 --> 00:59:40,239 to do. But I mean, he shot forty three percent from deep last 888 00:59:40,320 --> 00:59:44,440 year, He's over forty this year. He's he's got the size to switch. 889 00:59:45,079 --> 00:59:47,000 What do the Grizzlies look like when? When and if they can play 890 00:59:47,880 --> 00:59:52,639 Brooks, Baine and Melton together defensively, Like I think, I mean that 891 00:59:52,719 --> 00:59:57,159 gets interesting. Baine's really good. I think that's definitely true. Yeah, 892 00:59:57,440 --> 01:00:01,559 Haliburton's really the only serious contender here for me. Maybe Sadique Bay I think 893 01:00:01,599 --> 01:00:04,320 has a chance to really work his way in there. So I think we 894 01:00:04,360 --> 01:00:07,320 could even change it to one of the two biggest deals because Halberton is like 895 01:00:07,920 --> 01:00:10,360 you might have lent but like he was so underdrafted. I'm gonna say truth 896 01:00:10,440 --> 01:00:15,400 here too, And I think to address what you said about whether he has 897 01:00:15,480 --> 01:00:17,480 more of like ball skills, we're seeing him do more work on the ball 898 01:00:17,519 --> 01:00:21,639 already. He's handling it well. I don't know who would be like the 899 01:00:21,679 --> 01:00:23,480 best comp because I don't know that he'll ever have like that in between game 900 01:00:23,519 --> 01:00:28,239 of I thought about Chris Middleton in terms of the volume as a guy who 901 01:00:28,320 --> 01:00:30,920 runs picking rolls, but I don't know that Bane is that type of a 902 01:00:30,960 --> 01:00:32,519 pastor and he certainly doesn't have that type of in between game. So I'm 903 01:00:32,519 --> 01:00:36,719 just like that player who is he's three in D but like, yeah, 904 01:00:36,800 --> 01:00:38,840 you could put him on the ball to run stuff. He can get his 905 01:00:38,920 --> 01:00:42,440 own shot if he's getting too the basket, or he can run a bunch 906 01:00:42,480 --> 01:00:45,159 of pick and rolls for you. I don't know who would be the comp 907 01:00:45,280 --> 01:00:47,920 there, but that is he's I think he's going to be more than three 908 01:00:49,000 --> 01:00:50,840 in D. And I don't even know that you could say he's been like 909 01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:54,880 really good defensively yet and so I think he's been very good enough this season. 910 01:00:54,880 --> 01:00:57,320 I don't know how much of that. It's just like, Okay, 911 01:00:57,360 --> 01:00:59,880 well you do have Melton on the court with you for a lot of your 912 01:01:00,039 --> 01:01:05,280 minutes. Still just knowing that he's had to guard a lot of truer wings 913 01:01:05,599 --> 01:01:07,480 where he might have been better suited at the two. That boats well for 914 01:01:07,519 --> 01:01:13,360 his future. I do think there's a much more complicated or maybe complicated is 915 01:01:13,400 --> 01:01:17,440 not the right word, but a he has a broader offensive skill set that 916 01:01:17,599 --> 01:01:21,800 I think that and he hinted at it in Summer League and now we're seeing 917 01:01:21,880 --> 01:01:25,000 a lot of it just translate to the regular season, which is absolutely huge. 918 01:01:25,840 --> 01:01:29,840 Yeah, everybody's over the moon about this year's rookie class. Like low 919 01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:34,039 key, last year's is kind of kind of nice too. And he's definitely 920 01:01:34,119 --> 01:01:37,559 a big reason you want me to throw you one here. We have a 921 01:01:37,639 --> 01:01:39,440 third Grizzlies. We have the third Grizzlies one, which I think it sort 922 01:01:39,480 --> 01:01:44,320 of ties into the first two that we did. The Grizzlies starting five of 923 01:01:44,440 --> 01:01:46,760 Jaron Jackson, Junior Stephen Adams, John Morant has been made in Danthe Melton 924 01:01:47,360 --> 01:01:52,440 is for real. And I'll frame it as this. As of right now, 925 01:01:52,760 --> 01:01:55,719 their offensive rating after they're loss to the Blazers fell to one hundred and 926 01:01:55,760 --> 01:02:02,079 thirty nine point seven on the season. I'm more so talking about of what 927 01:02:02,199 --> 01:02:06,519 I mean by this is that this could end up being one of the most 928 01:02:06,559 --> 01:02:12,119 effective units of the year, and even to go beyond that when Dylan Brooks 929 01:02:12,199 --> 01:02:15,800 comes back. This is a lineup that's so good that you're not putting Dylan 930 01:02:15,840 --> 01:02:19,880 Brooks in there and then pulling Baine or Milton. I think it's truth. 931 01:02:20,239 --> 01:02:24,320 It makes the lineup makes sense right, Like, it has the pieces that 932 01:02:24,679 --> 01:02:29,840 you want. I mean, if if there's a drawback, it's that Adams 933 01:02:29,960 --> 01:02:34,519 is big and not mobile and whatever. But you've got the Jaws, the 934 01:02:34,599 --> 01:02:37,400 star that runs the show. You have two wings that you know can be 935 01:02:37,760 --> 01:02:43,519 great supplementary pieces and certainly have been so far. Jackson gives you these dimensions 936 01:02:43,639 --> 01:02:47,920 offensively that are really exciting, Like, and I'm trying to decide which of 937 01:02:47,960 --> 01:02:52,400 the two, whether their offensive rating or defensive rating, is going to regress 938 01:02:52,440 --> 01:02:55,440 more. Probably offense because nobody scores like one hundred and forty frigging points per 939 01:02:55,559 --> 01:02:59,880 hundred possessions. But yeah, it's it's for real. I think it's truth. 940 01:02:59,920 --> 01:03:02,840 I think I think they're staying power. It's young, so maybe maybe 941 01:03:02,920 --> 01:03:07,440 that's risky, but but but I like it a lot. That unit, 942 01:03:07,559 --> 01:03:10,280 by the way, is shooting forty five point eight percent from three and then 943 01:03:12,559 --> 01:03:15,440 they're not really shooting that well at the rim sixty one percent that's average, 944 01:03:15,760 --> 01:03:20,639 and they're not really shooting especially well from mid range either. So I could 945 01:03:21,239 --> 01:03:24,039 there's like a point where it's like, I guess there's regression there because you 946 01:03:24,119 --> 01:03:27,559 can't just assume that they're going to get better in the other areas and you're 947 01:03:27,599 --> 01:03:31,079 not going to shoot that I've equipped from deep. Their defense has been just 948 01:03:31,719 --> 01:03:36,079 it's been fantastic. Opponents are only shooting fifty five point two percent at the 949 01:03:36,159 --> 01:03:39,719 rim against those lineups. They're actually shooting thirty nine point five percent on above 950 01:03:39,719 --> 01:03:44,800 the brake threes against that lineup. Though, So I think when there's that 951 01:03:44,880 --> 01:03:47,719 many mixed results across the board, I tend to just default to, Wow, 952 01:03:47,760 --> 01:03:50,920 this might be more real than not. So I think we look back 953 01:03:51,000 --> 01:03:53,199 and say, you know, Dylan Brooks is not a starter for the A 954 01:03:53,280 --> 01:03:57,000 team this season, and that this ends up being just one of the most 955 01:03:57,480 --> 01:04:00,199 used assuming everyone's healthy, and then just ave units in basketball. So we 956 01:04:00,280 --> 01:04:05,360 all we went three straight truths on the Grizzlies, who I am just apparently 957 01:04:06,039 --> 01:04:12,280 trained to underestimate every single season. I'm conditioned to underestimate them every single year. 958 01:04:12,960 --> 01:04:15,599 You know what a good test would be is so we've all just we've, 959 01:04:15,760 --> 01:04:17,320 like you said, we're over the moon about the Grizzlies and now it's 960 01:04:17,360 --> 01:04:20,960 like, are the Grizzlies going to finish above the play in level? And 961 01:04:21,079 --> 01:04:26,199 I think we'd both be like, I don't know. So it's funny when 962 01:04:26,239 --> 01:04:28,599 you get really put to it, like how good do we really think they 963 01:04:28,639 --> 01:04:30,599 are? There? They're a lot of fun and I hope they're really great 964 01:04:30,760 --> 01:04:33,920 and I think there's a chance that they are. But I don't know what 965 01:04:34,000 --> 01:04:36,840 I would say if you told if that was your truth or trash. I 966 01:04:36,920 --> 01:04:44,000 didn't make it that for a very specific reason. Can I ask you James 967 01:04:44,039 --> 01:04:47,079 Harden question? You may truth? They're trash? James Harden is not a 968 01:04:47,159 --> 01:04:56,719 superstar anymore? To find superstar? Uh wow, well it's as an amorphous 969 01:04:56,760 --> 01:05:00,440 description anyway. Here you saying he's not a top ten player anymore? Oh 970 01:05:00,639 --> 01:05:02,880 for sure, if you want to go there, Yeah, I mean James 971 01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:08,760 Harden is not a guy that in his current state, And I guess to 972 01:05:08,840 --> 01:05:12,039 make it interesting you have to say, like, will not this year be 973 01:05:12,840 --> 01:05:17,760 a guy that dominates the game or is it top ten or even whatever, 974 01:05:17,840 --> 01:05:24,440 top fifteen. Let's put it where you want. Maybe we should do we 975 01:05:24,519 --> 01:05:27,360 frame it as to give you I guess you more Lee would be like James 976 01:05:27,400 --> 01:05:30,480 Harden will not make an All NBA team, or is that that actually works 977 01:05:30,480 --> 01:05:33,079 if we go with James hard will not finish the year as a top ten 978 01:05:33,159 --> 01:05:36,639 player, or I guess either, or I'm still gonna say trash. There's 979 01:05:36,760 --> 01:05:42,440 very clearly an impact on his game with the way that the offenses are now 980 01:05:42,519 --> 01:05:45,599 being officiated. But he's also talked about this. The conditioning clearly isn't there. 981 01:05:45,880 --> 01:05:48,079 He couldn't play pick up over the offseason. He said he was just 982 01:05:48,159 --> 01:05:55,400 basically doing rehab. I think I'm more maybe I'm just he is. He 983 01:05:55,519 --> 01:05:58,199 had the hamstring and shue last year. He's on the wrong side of thirty. 984 01:05:58,320 --> 01:06:00,159 Like part of me wants to say truth, I'm going trash here because 985 01:06:00,559 --> 01:06:05,760 this has been he was one of the most convincing MVP candidates of the league 986 01:06:05,840 --> 01:06:08,880 after the trade to Brooklyn. When you really looked at it, no one 987 01:06:09,000 --> 01:06:12,159 was being the kitch and per minute, you know, he definitely wasn't gonna 988 01:06:12,159 --> 01:06:15,079 be embeed. But he was one of the most valuable players in the league 989 01:06:15,119 --> 01:06:18,760 before he went down with that hamstring injury. I think he settles in and 990 01:06:18,840 --> 01:06:23,280 look. One of the things that bowes well for him is he's still shooting 991 01:06:23,320 --> 01:06:25,519 like thirty eight percent on his pull up threes, and so like if that 992 01:06:25,639 --> 01:06:27,559 just has to become his bread and butter, where he can't get into the 993 01:06:27,639 --> 01:06:30,199 lane anymore, Like you're still looking at a very effective offensive player. I 994 01:06:30,320 --> 01:06:34,599 think that also part of the stuff that might be impacting him is, like 995 01:06:35,199 --> 01:06:40,159 you know, the Nets themselves have room to get better with or without Kyrie. 996 01:06:40,239 --> 01:06:44,400 They're they're twenty third in offense and they're twentieth and effective field goal percentage, 997 01:06:44,880 --> 01:06:48,840 those rates aren't gonna hold all year with or with or without Kyrie, 998 01:06:48,960 --> 01:06:53,079 And so you're gonna see, I would argue, you're gonna see James Harden's 999 01:06:53,119 --> 01:06:56,119 efficiency climb for sure. There's really I mean, when you look at his 1000 01:06:56,239 --> 01:06:58,679 true shooting percentage, which I think is the last time I check, is 1001 01:06:58,679 --> 01:07:01,480 at like forty one point two, it's now at forty nine point one. 1002 01:07:01,480 --> 01:07:04,400 So we brought it up. Congrats to him. But you might even see 1003 01:07:04,440 --> 01:07:10,400 that his assist numbers go up, and he's already averaging eleven point three assist 1004 01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:13,559 per a hundred possession. So I think he will still be a top ten 1005 01:07:13,639 --> 01:07:18,519 player when this season is said and done. So this is a total prisoner 1006 01:07:18,559 --> 01:07:23,039 at the moment question. Obviously, I wrote about him last night. I 1007 01:07:23,119 --> 01:07:26,440 watched that game against the Heat last night. This would be Wednesday night now 1008 01:07:26,519 --> 01:07:31,280 for recording this Thursday. I can't say truth yet, but here is the 1009 01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:36,559 case for it being truth. So I'll put it that in your trash. 1010 01:07:36,840 --> 01:07:41,599 Yeah trash, yes, trash, but I want it so A couple one 1011 01:07:41,760 --> 01:07:46,559 is just the bigger picture thing of like he we know as extracurriculars. We 1012 01:07:46,679 --> 01:07:51,440 know like that catches up with guys eventually and becomes harder to overcome injuries, 1013 01:07:51,480 --> 01:07:55,440 It becomes harder to get your burst back. You think you're settling in and 1014 01:07:55,440 --> 01:07:58,880 then you realize, like I just don't have that level anymore. It comes 1015 01:07:58,960 --> 01:08:02,400 quick sometimes, and for guys that operate like him, you know, maybe 1016 01:08:02,480 --> 01:08:09,480 it's coming quicker than we think that's but if he said like you like you 1017 01:08:09,599 --> 01:08:13,440 did, he hasn't really played that much. He's not in shape. Fine. 1018 01:08:14,079 --> 01:08:16,760 The thing that really is compelling to me is I think a lot of 1019 01:08:16,840 --> 01:08:20,960 his struggles are undeniably the result of the rule changes. And unless this is 1020 01:08:21,000 --> 01:08:26,239 one of those things where the NBA enforces it really strictly at first and then 1021 01:08:26,640 --> 01:08:29,199 loosens it, like the delay of game stuff they did, you know, 1022 01:08:29,239 --> 01:08:31,079 a couple of years ago, some of the carrying violations. Every year there's 1023 01:08:31,079 --> 01:08:34,159 a point of emphasis. The revs go hard early, and then it kind 1024 01:08:34,199 --> 01:08:39,640 of becomes how it dissipates a little bit. Maybe he'll start getting some of 1025 01:08:39,680 --> 01:08:44,319 the calls against the heat. There was a half dozen instances that would have 1026 01:08:44,520 --> 01:08:48,159 been fouls shooting fouls last year that just weren't, and I think almost all 1027 01:08:48,159 --> 01:08:51,520 of them were the correct call, the correct no call. So that's a 1028 01:08:51,600 --> 01:08:57,479 factor because if you just look back historically, like the difference between good and 1029 01:08:57,600 --> 01:09:00,680 great for Harden has been based on two things. One is volume. He's 1030 01:09:00,720 --> 01:09:03,680 just been so high volume. And the other is the free throws because from 1031 01:09:03,720 --> 01:09:10,600 deep you know, since he came in the league thirty six point three percent 1032 01:09:10,680 --> 01:09:14,680 from deep league average thirty five point seven. It's volume he gets the volume. 1033 01:09:15,920 --> 01:09:18,079 He just he led the league in free throw makes an attempt six years 1034 01:09:18,119 --> 01:09:21,479 in a row, won the MVP, and one of those that's just his 1035 01:09:21,720 --> 01:09:26,920 value comes from getting to the line all the time, not because he's actually 1036 01:09:27,000 --> 01:09:29,920 that efficient of a score from the floor, Like that's just those are the 1037 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:32,720 facts. So if you're taking away one of the things that made him a 1038 01:09:32,800 --> 01:09:38,800 league's which is the free throw volume. It's a huge lift for him to 1039 01:09:38,880 --> 01:09:43,039 make anything close to the same impact as a guy that scores baskets, Like 1040 01:09:43,279 --> 01:09:45,720 that's just that, you know, and he's he's one of the smartest players 1041 01:09:45,760 --> 01:09:48,000 in the league. He's a great pastor. There's all these other things. 1042 01:09:49,079 --> 01:09:54,640 But I think if you're talking top ten, it's a tough sell if he 1043 01:09:54,720 --> 01:09:57,319 doesn't have the free throws, and he kills you on defense, and there's 1044 01:09:57,359 --> 01:10:01,119 all this other stuff. So I'm still to say it's trash, but there's 1045 01:10:01,159 --> 01:10:06,319 a really increasingly strong case that it's truth. And I'm going to kick myself 1046 01:10:06,399 --> 01:10:11,399 for not just sticking to my guns and going for it. But I'm concerned, 1047 01:10:11,479 --> 01:10:15,279 and it's not I think. I think, you know, look like 1048 01:10:15,479 --> 01:10:19,439 the falloff comes for everybody, and the rule change might have just accelerated it 1049 01:10:19,520 --> 01:10:23,119 for him. He's thirty two, you know, and he's played a ton 1050 01:10:23,199 --> 01:10:27,279 of minutes, and he's been almost unparalleled in terms of the load that he's 1051 01:10:27,319 --> 01:10:30,840 carried offensively for like almost ten years. So there's a lot of factors. 1052 01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:35,479 And like the move to Brooklyn is not I guess it has impacted your usage 1053 01:10:35,560 --> 01:10:39,720 rate like you would expect, but like it really when you're looking at true 1054 01:10:39,800 --> 01:10:42,359 usage and how much they have to rely on him as a passer, you 1055 01:10:42,399 --> 01:10:45,720 probably wouldn't think that he would have had an easier role. This is interesting. 1056 01:10:45,800 --> 01:10:47,920 I didn't realize how much his free throw attempt rate dropped off last year. 1057 01:10:48,319 --> 01:10:55,159 But so in two twenty fourteen point nine free throw attempts per one hundred 1058 01:10:55,159 --> 01:11:00,039 possessions last year nine point six free throw attempts per one hundred possess How much 1059 01:11:00,039 --> 01:11:02,479 of that is just impacted by like him being off the ball a little bit 1060 01:11:02,560 --> 01:11:05,239 more in Brooklyn. I would think that that's and that's where most of his 1061 01:11:05,319 --> 01:11:10,640 time was spent. I think that's probably account so that this year, have 1062 01:11:10,800 --> 01:11:14,359 you looked at it is true shooting percentage, No, No, his free 1063 01:11:14,399 --> 01:11:16,640 throw attempts per one hundre possessions. I know he's averaging three a game, 1064 01:11:16,920 --> 01:11:20,039 which is like half less than half of what he's ever or point two per 1065 01:11:20,079 --> 01:11:25,399 one hundre possessions. So the progression is fourteen point nine down to nine point 1066 01:11:25,439 --> 01:11:28,640 six last season, down to four point two per one hundred possessions this season. 1067 01:11:29,199 --> 01:11:31,880 That's a huge you're only talking about a few points per game, but 1068 01:11:32,000 --> 01:11:39,000 it does change, like the just the entire premise of how he's playing. 1069 01:11:39,399 --> 01:11:43,039 If he can't get to the line at a reasonable clipper count on those files, 1070 01:11:43,039 --> 01:11:45,640 like it impacts him getting to the basket, his efficiency inside the arc 1071 01:11:45,720 --> 01:11:50,760 on his twos. So this could be like a wholesale shift. It is 1072 01:11:50,800 --> 01:11:55,000 a wholesale shift for him, is I guess I'm just more confident in his 1073 01:11:55,079 --> 01:11:58,520 ability to navigate it, But you bring up the points that are most more 1074 01:11:58,600 --> 01:12:01,159 saling it to me. On top of I think the free throw and the 1075 01:12:01,199 --> 01:12:05,439 freedom of movement stuff matters. But then I'm thinking about like, yeah, 1076 01:12:05,439 --> 01:12:10,680 he's aged thirty two, has all this these miles on him, and yes 1077 01:12:10,760 --> 01:12:13,800 he's been an iron man, but that almost works against him. To where 1078 01:12:13,800 --> 01:12:16,359 you had this high usage, you've been available for so long. What does 1079 01:12:16,399 --> 01:12:21,960 this hamstring injury assign of you breaking down? And you have Kevin Durant coming 1080 01:12:21,960 --> 01:12:25,840 out after Game four saying, you guys want me to say, I'm gonna 1081 01:12:25,840 --> 01:12:29,039 say we miss Kyrie Irving. That's just not You have what should be like 1082 01:12:29,079 --> 01:12:30,720 two of the five or ten best players in basketball. You wouldn't necessarily expect 1083 01:12:30,880 --> 01:12:34,199 him to get there. I respect him saying it, and it's obvious because 1084 01:12:34,199 --> 01:12:36,880 the Nets have not been good on offense. I think that'll eventually change. 1085 01:12:38,279 --> 01:12:42,800 But I have after hearing you talk and laying out your case, I have 1086 01:12:43,000 --> 01:12:45,079 less confidence in Trash than I did when I said it. But I'm still 1087 01:12:45,279 --> 01:12:48,960 pretty confident that he will be a top ten player at the end. Maybe 1088 01:12:49,000 --> 01:12:51,039 you know, maybe there won't be enough time for him to make an All 1089 01:12:51,159 --> 01:12:54,640 NBA team, like because now you're saying, is he one of the six 1090 01:12:54,720 --> 01:12:57,279 best guards? How many guards are in the top ten? However you want 1091 01:12:57,319 --> 01:13:00,199 to frame it, I think at worst he's gonna be looser to that territory. 1092 01:13:00,760 --> 01:13:05,800 Then he won't be I just can't imagine this big, even if you 1093 01:13:05,880 --> 01:13:10,119 think he could still get better, and there will still just be a demonstrative 1094 01:13:10,199 --> 01:13:12,720 drop off from the player he was for him not to be one of the 1095 01:13:12,760 --> 01:13:16,720 ten best players in basketball. It's just one of those things where I don't 1096 01:13:16,760 --> 01:13:20,840 know. It always strikes me we have something. I think Lebron has ruined 1097 01:13:20,960 --> 01:13:25,920 us, ruined our ability to evaluate this because we've spent five years being like 1098 01:13:26,079 --> 01:13:28,720 this is this is the one, you know, like it's got to end 1099 01:13:28,800 --> 01:13:35,520 sometime, and it just never has thirty two. I'm just I'm just regurgitating. 1100 01:13:35,600 --> 01:13:42,640 But like the end comes eventually for everybody, and just based on based 1101 01:13:42,640 --> 01:13:45,920 on what I saw last night again, Prisoner of the Moment, it's not 1102 01:13:46,239 --> 01:13:51,279 great, it's not it's it feels closer. It feels shockingly close. For 1103 01:13:51,399 --> 01:13:55,680 how totally dominant he was, you know, two years ago, and even 1104 01:13:55,840 --> 01:14:00,800 like you said, his initial Brooklyn stuff, he was great. I got 1105 01:14:00,960 --> 01:14:04,000 I got got some concerns. You got another one for me? Yeah, 1106 01:14:04,159 --> 01:14:06,920 I have two more. I'm gonna pick one that's the pressed for time. 1107 01:14:06,920 --> 01:14:10,079 I'm gonna go with. Let's talk about the Hornets. There's one between the 1108 01:14:10,119 --> 01:14:14,359 Hornets and the Mavericks. I'm more intrigued by by Charlotte would value Oh yeah, 1109 01:14:14,640 --> 01:14:16,199 I would love to talk about Charlotte. I'll frame it this way. 1110 01:14:16,439 --> 01:14:19,239 The Hornets are a top six team in the East, or if you have 1111 01:14:19,399 --> 01:14:25,560 them there already, they were wildly underestimated truth or trash. And I'm saying 1112 01:14:25,600 --> 01:14:29,560 this is someone who thought that there was just this rush to coordinate them as 1113 01:14:29,600 --> 01:14:31,720 even a fringe playoff team. I thought they were at least a year out 1114 01:14:32,199 --> 01:14:34,760 from being something really special. And you just look at what they've done at 1115 01:14:34,760 --> 01:14:39,159 the beginning of the season. Their offense is first in the league, averaging 1116 01:14:39,199 --> 01:14:43,079 one hundred and twenty four point six points or no obscary, I'm looking at 1117 01:14:43,079 --> 01:14:45,079 the wrong data there, but they have that. They do have the best 1118 01:14:45,159 --> 01:14:48,600 offense in the league. I think you know them moving PJ. Washington to 1119 01:14:48,720 --> 01:14:51,680 the bench, it was interesting at first, but Miles Bridges is so good 1120 01:14:51,760 --> 01:14:55,800 and I know people are talking about always off the people efficiency can't sustain. 1121 01:14:56,279 --> 01:14:59,159 He did a lot of this last year, maybe in a smaller volume. 1122 01:14:59,199 --> 01:15:01,840 He was hitting step back threes last year. And now the PJ. Washington 1123 01:15:01,840 --> 01:15:05,279 at the five minutes, they still might wind up tenuous defensively, but they 1124 01:15:05,359 --> 01:15:10,840 hung tough last year when he was starting, or and it wasn't even starting 1125 01:15:10,840 --> 01:15:13,680 at the five like when he was playing heavier minutes, and now they're just 1126 01:15:13,840 --> 01:15:16,640 mashing against second units. This year those minutes have been fantastic. So I 1127 01:15:16,680 --> 01:15:19,439 think there might be a real discussion here, like maybe we were just slow 1128 01:15:20,199 --> 01:15:24,279 to recognize how good Charlotte was. And so I'm just curious where you land 1129 01:15:24,359 --> 01:15:28,079 on Charlotte's being a top six team or in the East, or at least 1130 01:15:28,319 --> 01:15:33,279 wildly underestimated, for sure, wildly underestimated. Top six is so tough because 1131 01:15:33,359 --> 01:15:36,520 you just run down the list and it's, you know, the Bucks, 1132 01:15:36,680 --> 01:15:40,359 the Nets, the Heat, the Hawks, which we haven't even talked about 1133 01:15:40,439 --> 01:15:43,399 yet, the Bulls, the next, the Sixers, the Celtics. That's 1134 01:15:43,520 --> 01:15:46,159 one, two, three, four or five that's eight. Is Charlotte definitely 1135 01:15:46,279 --> 01:15:51,840 better than two of them or three of them? Like, I don't know. 1136 01:15:53,039 --> 01:15:58,000 I will say if you're looking for and I'll get the truth. They're 1137 01:15:58,000 --> 01:16:00,560 trash, I think probably. I don't know what I think yet, so 1138 01:16:00,600 --> 01:16:03,199 I'm going to talk myself into it one way or the other. LaMelo was 1139 01:16:03,239 --> 01:16:06,520 shooting fifty percent from three until last night, and I think he shot three 1140 01:16:06,600 --> 01:16:10,039 or fourteen from the field last night. And I don't know what he shot 1141 01:16:10,119 --> 01:16:13,640 from three. I'm sure it wasn't good. But and as a team, 1142 01:16:14,079 --> 01:16:16,680 I think they have They have the highest non corner three percentage in the league 1143 01:16:16,760 --> 01:16:20,119 on clean and glass, so that's coming down. They have the highest long 1144 01:16:20,199 --> 01:16:29,039 mid range accuracy in the league. That's coming down. That said, they 1145 01:16:29,079 --> 01:16:32,279 cannot finish at the room. I want one hundred percent agree on bridges if 1146 01:16:32,399 --> 01:16:36,039 only like so, this did start a little bit last year for sure, 1147 01:16:36,119 --> 01:16:40,199 No, just nobody. If you weren't talking about Lamello, you weren't talking 1148 01:16:40,199 --> 01:16:44,079 about the Hornets at all last year, which is fair. But Bridges like 1149 01:16:44,199 --> 01:16:48,079 Bridges looks like a real player with like a lot more dimensions than you know. 1150 01:16:48,159 --> 01:16:51,520 He was just a dunker right like and couldn't go right and he I 1151 01:16:51,560 --> 01:16:54,800 don't know how many I haven't watched a ton of the Hornets this year. 1152 01:16:54,800 --> 01:16:59,239 I've seen so many right handed finishes from him. He's clearly improved in just 1153 01:16:59,520 --> 01:17:03,880 his over all skill level. He's developed a ton and I'm it's not a 1154 01:17:03,920 --> 01:17:06,840 surprise as anyone who's listening to me talk on here, since I saw him 1155 01:17:06,840 --> 01:17:10,239 play last year. I'm in the bag for LaMelo. I think he's a 1156 01:17:10,319 --> 01:17:14,399 transformative guy. I think he's the type of player that spurs a team like 1157 01:17:14,600 --> 01:17:17,359 the Hornets to a height that you did not It's kind of like Morant that 1158 01:17:17,439 --> 01:17:20,720 you did not think they were going to hit. Yet these just fast tracks 1159 01:17:20,800 --> 01:17:30,800 everything I want to say. Because I think LaMelo is that impactful, and 1160 01:17:31,199 --> 01:17:34,560 because I think he makes them play just the best possible way, which is 1161 01:17:34,600 --> 01:17:38,359 super fast, and the ball moves, and he makes other guys move it's 1162 01:17:38,399 --> 01:17:42,680 kind of a yogic thing. He enlivens everybody he plays with, and they 1163 01:17:42,760 --> 01:17:45,680 just have like more talent than I think maybe we thought. I think that 1164 01:17:45,800 --> 01:17:48,920 they can't. Look the only game they lost was an overtime to the Celtics 1165 01:17:49,000 --> 01:17:55,119 too, that like they're they're getting Oh that was nuts everybody, I mean 1166 01:17:55,199 --> 01:17:58,279 everybody was exhausted that game. It was like an eleven point margin at the 1167 01:17:58,359 --> 01:18:00,640 end, but it could have gone either way just because they were all just 1168 01:18:00,720 --> 01:18:05,319 falling down dead. I am gonna go truth. I think they can be 1169 01:18:05,439 --> 01:18:11,000 a top six team in the East. They are for sure wildly underestimated because 1170 01:18:12,119 --> 01:18:14,880 I just think they're young guys got better in a hurry, and they're kind 1171 01:18:14,920 --> 01:18:17,319 of sneaky deep and has Rosier even played yet? I think one another. 1172 01:18:17,399 --> 01:18:21,479 The other thing is they're red flags, but it's okay. The other like 1173 01:18:21,600 --> 01:18:26,319 Kelly Bridgin, he's gonna shoot worse from three, that's cold happen. You're 1174 01:18:26,399 --> 01:18:30,520 right, but you haven't had Terry Rosier and and like what if this isn't 1175 01:18:30,560 --> 01:18:33,319 your Hayward just doesn't miss thirty games? Like what if you have him all 1176 01:18:33,399 --> 01:18:38,800 year? That's another that's another factor. Yeah, I don't know, I'm 1177 01:18:38,840 --> 01:18:41,520 curious what you think. Are they at top six team? I'm saying trash 1178 01:18:41,600 --> 01:18:44,520 just because I'm playing the odds when you look at the other teams where Atlanta, 1179 01:18:44,560 --> 01:18:47,119 Milwaukee, Brooklyn are right there. For me, I think that at 1180 01:18:47,239 --> 01:18:51,840 least one of like the Knicks, Celtics or Heat is going to fall into 1181 01:18:51,920 --> 01:18:56,479 that tier. So then all of a sudden you're at slash. Excuse me, 1182 01:18:56,520 --> 01:18:59,600 I say two of the sixers, Heat, Nick's Celtics fall into that 1183 01:18:59,640 --> 01:19:01,159 tier, and all of a sudden you're at five. So I'm just betting, 1184 01:19:01,239 --> 01:19:04,680 like, is this team gonna end up being better than two of those 1185 01:19:04,760 --> 01:19:10,840 teams plus an Indiana plus you know, Chicago has been better than we expected. 1186 01:19:11,239 --> 01:19:15,760 I still believe in Toronto once comes back. Their defense has been fun 1187 01:19:15,800 --> 01:19:17,079 to watch. Their offense has been touch and go, especially in the half 1188 01:19:17,119 --> 01:19:20,760 court. So I'm gonna say trash. This one's a better one. And 1189 01:19:20,800 --> 01:19:24,239 since you mentioned Miles Bridges, I think we get through it quickly, truth 1190 01:19:24,399 --> 01:19:30,159 or trash. Miles Bridges gets more than mcaal Bridges did in his extension when 1191 01:19:30,199 --> 01:19:33,039 he enters restricted free agency four years and ninety million. I'll spoil mine first. 1192 01:19:33,479 --> 01:19:38,199 I'm saying truth. I think this is gonna come back to bite Charlotte 1193 01:19:38,199 --> 01:19:41,000 for not signing him do an extension. Maybe he doesn't end up being that 1194 01:19:41,079 --> 01:19:45,000 player. I think Mcal Bridges, had he made it to the open market 1195 01:19:45,119 --> 01:19:46,840 this season, would have gotten a no brainer, hands down. Max. 1196 01:19:47,359 --> 01:19:50,279 I know there's not a ton of cap space. I was shocked that they 1197 01:19:50,319 --> 01:19:54,039 got him for I say, so little, but I think he could have 1198 01:19:54,079 --> 01:19:56,920 gotten twenty five million a year pretty easily. And when you look at Miles 1199 01:19:56,960 --> 01:20:00,159 Bridges with how much he's done off the dribble, which has probably been I 1200 01:20:00,199 --> 01:20:02,439 haven't looked into the data for this, but just aesthetically, I think he's 1201 01:20:02,479 --> 01:20:05,640 done more off the dribble than Michael Bridge, just because there's more room for 1202 01:20:05,720 --> 01:20:09,640 him to do stuff off the dribble. He's not the defender that Michael is, 1203 01:20:10,239 --> 01:20:13,119 and I like Michael Bridges better to a winning team than I would Miles 1204 01:20:13,159 --> 01:20:17,000 Bridges. Probably I'm gonna say truth Miles Bridges. Maybe it's only maybe it's 1205 01:20:17,039 --> 01:20:20,640 four years and ninety one million from someone I don't care. I'm taking truth 1206 01:20:20,880 --> 01:20:24,399 on this one though, But I think that's a fun one because they're not 1207 01:20:24,520 --> 01:20:30,640 related, but they're also both named Bridges. Great observation, fan, that's 1208 01:20:30,640 --> 01:20:34,439 what the fans come here for. I love this question. You made me 1209 01:20:34,520 --> 01:20:36,680 look up. I was like, how what are his numbers? Because I 1210 01:20:36,720 --> 01:20:42,000 know he's been great. He's averaging twenty six points a game. Miles Bridges 1211 01:20:42,720 --> 01:20:45,439 like, he's shooting almost eight threes a game, and he's making almost forty 1212 01:20:45,520 --> 01:20:48,560 percent, and he made forty percent last year, and he jumps out of 1213 01:20:48,600 --> 01:20:53,079 the like, so here just to your point about like there's just more going 1214 01:20:53,159 --> 01:20:58,000 on, Forty eight point five percent of his two pointers have been assisted. 1215 01:20:59,079 --> 01:21:01,359 That means he's created more than half of his two by himself, which is 1216 01:21:01,439 --> 01:21:04,600 like those are like power drives to the basket, which they can be. 1217 01:21:04,760 --> 01:21:08,800 I don't care, doesn't matter, It doesn't matter, so I'm gonna go 1218 01:21:08,920 --> 01:21:12,720 truth too. I think I think I agree with you that McHale Bridges, 1219 01:21:12,760 --> 01:21:15,359 had he hit the open market, would have been a really interesting case to 1220 01:21:15,439 --> 01:21:18,000 how much are you going to pay a three and D guy? I think 1221 01:21:18,039 --> 01:21:23,079 Bridges might. I don't know. I mean, Bridges is not the defender 1222 01:21:23,880 --> 01:21:27,920 that we have to use first names. Miles is not the defender McHale is, 1223 01:21:29,199 --> 01:21:33,000 but he might be better at like everything else, so, and and 1224 01:21:33,199 --> 01:21:40,079 his his growth trajectory is like making a vertical line with my hand. So 1225 01:21:41,119 --> 01:21:44,439 I think that's compelling too. Yeah, let's go, let's let's let's you 1226 01:21:44,520 --> 01:21:46,279 know what. I just wish you had the faith in him to say the 1227 01:21:46,319 --> 01:21:49,279 Hornets are a top six team, like I don't. I if you so, 1228 01:21:49,399 --> 01:21:54,760 I'd be more inclined to say truth that Myles Bridges gets a max interestated 1229 01:21:54,760 --> 01:21:57,399 fregency, that I would that the Hornets are a top six team, and 1230 01:21:57,479 --> 01:22:02,039 if he and I would, Bridges is a better passer than him. In 1231 01:22:02,119 --> 01:22:05,359 addition to I think he probably has the higher ceiling as an off the dribble 1232 01:22:06,119 --> 01:22:11,039 shooter. I just the context of their roles changes so much. There. 1233 01:22:11,560 --> 01:22:14,680 He is going to get paid, though, and I don't he might feasibly 1234 01:22:14,720 --> 01:22:16,920 price himself out of Charlotte at this point, I think, I don't know. 1235 01:22:17,000 --> 01:22:19,800 I don't think he's gonna average, you know, nearly thirty points a 1236 01:22:19,880 --> 01:22:24,399 game all season, But at this point, based off what he did last 1237 01:22:24,479 --> 01:22:28,800 year plus what he's doing this season, I'd probably be shocked if he doesn't 1238 01:22:28,840 --> 01:22:31,920 get more than Michael does did already. Yeah, I love it. I 1239 01:22:32,039 --> 01:22:35,439 love it. I love being in on the Grizzlies and Hornets. What a 1240 01:22:35,520 --> 01:22:39,479 fun year this is? You have another one for me, Slash? Do 1241 01:22:39,479 --> 01:22:42,039 you even have time for one more? Or did you want to do the 1242 01:22:42,079 --> 01:22:45,319 one quickly? I had the Hawks one that I skipped over that I hate 1243 01:22:45,359 --> 01:22:47,359 the Hawks one because it's such a good question and it makes me uncomfortable. 1244 01:22:47,560 --> 01:22:50,600 It's so difficult. I don't have another one for you because my other one 1245 01:22:50,680 --> 01:22:54,319 is going to be about the Bulls, and we've talked about the Bulls already, 1246 01:22:55,039 --> 01:22:58,119 So I'm gonna shoot their trash. Atlanta's will be the second best team 1247 01:22:58,119 --> 01:23:00,279 in the Eastern Conference this season, and I'm I'm taking truth right off the 1248 01:23:00,359 --> 01:23:02,279 bat, like That's why it's so quick for me. I didn't even have 1249 01:23:02,319 --> 01:23:08,359 to hesitate whether it's because Milwaukee remains banged up and they're gonna miss a ton 1250 01:23:08,439 --> 01:23:12,359 of threes or because Brooklyn never gets Kyrie back and James Harden is now you 1251 01:23:12,439 --> 01:23:20,319 know, Ben Gordon or whatever like post prime Ben Gordon. Excuse me, 1252 01:23:20,600 --> 01:23:26,600 so I don't you know? I I'm looking at the Hawks's depth. I'm 1253 01:23:26,640 --> 01:23:30,159 looking at what Reddish has done, looking at what Hunter's done, how they 1254 01:23:30,239 --> 01:23:33,760 can navigate the non tree young minutes. Trey Young has not even peaked this 1255 01:23:33,880 --> 01:23:38,239 season. And the thing, I'm not surprised by this. It's time to 1256 01:23:38,279 --> 01:23:41,600 talk about John Collins is just an elite basketball player. The dude just finds 1257 01:23:41,640 --> 01:23:45,399 ways to contribute. He there's so much time on offense when he cannot be 1258 01:23:45,520 --> 01:23:48,079 a primary roller, he still finds ways to make an impact, whether he's 1259 01:23:48,119 --> 01:23:53,359 coming in for rebounds or whether he's just spotting up, or whether he's just 1260 01:23:53,680 --> 01:23:56,479 you know, being in the right spot out of Capella's way, like not 1261 01:23:56,560 --> 01:24:00,159 even touching the but like not being in Capella and Trey Young's way when hell 1262 01:24:00,279 --> 01:24:02,479 is on the court. And then his defense has gotten so much better away 1263 01:24:02,520 --> 01:24:05,000 from the basket, just so much better. I'm not even talking just help. 1264 01:24:05,359 --> 01:24:09,520 I'm talking like just one on one situations. It feels like, No, 1265 01:24:09,720 --> 01:24:12,800 I don't think he's like when Maxi Kleeba used to be able to move 1266 01:24:13,399 --> 01:24:16,239 it. I just think that he's still gotten a lot better. And it 1267 01:24:16,319 --> 01:24:21,000 was evident in the playoffs last year and it remains evident now. If Kyrie 1268 01:24:21,119 --> 01:24:25,880 comes back to Brooklyn, like because he gets vascinated or because the you know, 1269 01:24:25,960 --> 01:24:29,720 the distipulations change and the Bucks get healthy there's a chance that this ends 1270 01:24:29,760 --> 01:24:35,039 up looking like unnecessarily incendiary, but I'm taking I had the Hawks third in 1271 01:24:35,119 --> 01:24:40,039 the East this year. I'm gonna say that they finished they finished first or 1272 01:24:40,079 --> 01:24:43,439 second in the East. I'm taking truth, and like I'm almost not even 1273 01:24:43,560 --> 01:24:47,199 sorry about taking the truth. Don't be sorry. I think so I picked 1274 01:24:47,239 --> 01:24:50,319 the Bucks to win the title this year, and it was almost entirely because 1275 01:24:50,319 --> 01:24:54,800 I just didn't have any questions about them. And I think by that same 1276 01:24:54,880 --> 01:24:58,319 logic, I just don't have any questions about the Hawks. There's no there's 1277 01:24:58,359 --> 01:25:00,399 no more. Well, how are they going to score? There was never 1278 01:25:00,479 --> 01:25:01,960 that question is now there's no more. How are they going to defend? 1279 01:25:02,039 --> 01:25:05,720 There's no more? Or do they have any lineup versatility? Do they have 1280 01:25:05,960 --> 01:25:10,079 enough wings? Like, there's just no I don't know what the questions are. 1281 01:25:10,159 --> 01:25:13,439 And like Cam Reddish is kind of up to something. You know, 1282 01:25:13,640 --> 01:25:15,199 this could flame out. He could quit making threes or whatever. But like 1283 01:25:15,960 --> 01:25:18,960 you know, DeAndre Hunter was a breakout guy last year. Maybe if he's 1284 01:25:19,000 --> 01:25:23,199 healthy. He hasn't been great this year, but I think he can really 1285 01:25:23,239 --> 01:25:27,800 play. They paid hurder like they just there's depth, there's versatility, there's 1286 01:25:28,159 --> 01:25:31,119 they were in the frigging conference finals. Whatever you want to say about last 1287 01:25:31,159 --> 01:25:33,960 year's playoffs, they were there. So yeah, I'm into it. I 1288 01:25:35,399 --> 01:25:39,079 I watched the Heat last night, and man, those guys are gonna win 1289 01:25:39,119 --> 01:25:42,680 a lot of ugly games. So that's a team I got kind of an 1290 01:25:42,720 --> 01:25:46,399 eye on as a potential contender in the nets you mentioned. But the Hawks, 1291 01:25:46,439 --> 01:25:49,640 I just don't. I don't there's not a there's not a red flag, 1292 01:25:49,720 --> 01:25:55,399 there's not a there's not a well, clearly this is unsustainable, or 1293 01:25:55,520 --> 01:25:59,239 clearly this is gonna go wrong, or here's their big weakness. Just that 1294 01:25:59,399 --> 01:26:01,760 they're they're isn't one to me. So I kind of like that stability, 1295 01:26:01,840 --> 01:26:04,399 and I think that gives them a great and I don't know what the playoffs 1296 01:26:04,399 --> 01:26:09,600 are gonna bring, but as a regular season team like these guys are right 1297 01:26:09,640 --> 01:26:12,840 there with the Bucks, is just like, just bank on them. Two 1298 01:26:12,920 --> 01:26:15,359 great things on that they It didn't end well, and I think it was 1299 01:26:15,399 --> 01:26:17,159 only for a few possessions, but it was funny. This is the sign 1300 01:26:17,199 --> 01:26:20,560 of how far the Hawks came. They had Hurder, Reddish, Hunter, 1301 01:26:21,279 --> 01:26:24,520 Collins and Young on the floor at the same time, and I was like, 1302 01:26:24,600 --> 01:26:27,479 I remember calling this the all kids lineup. And now the Hawks are 1303 01:26:27,520 --> 01:26:30,520 coming off in Eastern Conference Finals appearance, and I'm talking about them as a 1304 01:26:30,520 --> 01:26:33,800 contender the number one of the numbers to watch, And I agree with everything 1305 01:26:33,840 --> 01:26:35,960 you said there, and I think I still think Hunter has been great for 1306 01:26:36,039 --> 01:26:41,439 them defensively. Last season, when Trey Young was off the court, they 1307 01:26:41,479 --> 01:26:44,880 were outscored by four point three points per one hundred possessions, with an offensive 1308 01:26:44,960 --> 01:26:48,319 rating in the twenty first percent tile. This season so far, the offense 1309 01:26:48,439 --> 01:26:51,439 is in the eleventh percentile when Young is off the court. Their defense has 1310 01:26:51,439 --> 01:26:55,840 been so good that they have a plus twenty nine point three net rating. 1311 01:26:56,000 --> 01:26:59,880 I think that's what you get when you're able to play reddish the lawn right, 1312 01:27:00,239 --> 01:27:02,159 and then Jang as your backup five, and then Solomon Hill is getting 1313 01:27:02,159 --> 01:27:05,279 some of those minutes. It's look, I don't think they're ever gonna be 1314 01:27:05,279 --> 01:27:08,760 pretty offensively, and I would I would hope that we see more of like 1315 01:27:08,880 --> 01:27:12,479 Bogdanovitch playing without Young. Yeah, if you want to lean to the offense, 1316 01:27:12,560 --> 01:27:15,279 but it does seem Mike, they're saying we're going to steer into that 1317 01:27:15,319 --> 01:27:18,880 defensive identity. They are better built in whatever form you want them to take. 1318 01:27:18,920 --> 01:27:21,199 If they want to try and cater to the offense, fine, or 1319 01:27:21,239 --> 01:27:24,960 if they just want to veer all the way into defense, great. They 1320 01:27:25,000 --> 01:27:28,439 are better built to navigate the non tree young minutes than they have ever been. 1321 01:27:28,760 --> 01:27:31,479 They are so deep. I'm taking truth on number two. I don't 1322 01:27:31,520 --> 01:27:36,159 did you pick one? I'm gonna say I'll say truth. I can't say 1323 01:27:36,239 --> 01:27:40,840 so many good things about them and not say truth. This was great, 1324 01:27:40,960 --> 01:27:44,239 Grant, Thank you as always for coming on. We have receipts now, 1325 01:27:44,560 --> 01:27:46,359 so if I ever have time, I'll go back through last year's podcast and 1326 01:27:47,520 --> 01:27:50,079 go through the receipts on those. But we do have receipts from when we 1327 01:27:50,159 --> 01:27:54,359 do the third annual one. We got through twelve topics here, three of 1328 01:27:54,399 --> 01:27:58,079 which were dedicated to the Memphis Grizzlies, obviously, but we did combine the 1329 01:27:58,159 --> 01:28:00,399 Calves, Bulls and Timberwolves, so I think that evens out a little bit. 1330 01:28:00,560 --> 01:28:05,199 Yeah. Follow Grant on Twitter at GT underscore Hugh's great follow when he 1331 01:28:05,239 --> 01:28:11,000 decides to tweet. Does a fantastic job covering the MBA Appleacher Report. As 1332 01:28:11,039 --> 01:28:13,159 you know by now, I will be pressuring you again to come on in 1333 01:28:13,239 --> 01:28:15,319 the future. I don't know if that will be an annual pod or a 1334 01:28:15,399 --> 01:28:18,039 random pod, but I'm excited to see how these takes age, and as 1335 01:28:18,119 --> 01:28:21,800 always, thank you so much for jumping on with me. Go Grizzlies,