WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:03.960 All right, Rob Parker is in for Fred today. But let's keep chopping 2 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:07.679 it up because that's what we got to bring in our my favorite NBA insider, 3 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:12.640 my man double a Adam Austin. What's going on? What's up? 4 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.800 Rob? How do you know? It's always a pleasure of my man. 5 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:19.480 The pleasure's all mine. Uh, All right now, because we've been talking 6 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:23.440 about it all morning, and before we get into the entire NBA about Lebron 7 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:27.239 in the minutes, and I said this last night watching him, he really 8 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:31.320 looked fatigued. You really looked tired last night. What what do they need 9 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:36.159 to do because I I you can't minutes restrict him because he's gonna walk fast 10 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:39.200 Frank Bogol and go to the scores table and check himself in the game. 11 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:43.240 You gotta fit him totally, don't you. There's a decision that has to 12 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.119 be made because sometimes in Rod and you can relate to this, but you 13 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:50.320 gotta protect players from themselves. You got to save guys from themselves. So 14 00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:53.520 of course Pedro Martinez wants to stay out there on the mount. Right, 15 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:55.840 You're the one who has to manage him. You're the one who has to 16 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:00.280 make that decision for him because guys are always going to to play, especially 17 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:04.519 guys like Lebron James who are chasing the all time scoring record with Kareem Abdul 18 00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:10.480 Jabar. But I do think if there's a way to put a minute restriction 19 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.040 on him, even if you have to be firm about it, even if 20 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.400 you have to lay down the law, because it's not just that game last 21 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:19.760 night, the game against Miami. I thought he was petering out at the 22 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:25.120 end of that game Saturday before he had the tip. But he wasn't taking 23 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:29.719 over offensively as much in that game down the stretch as he was last night. 24 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:33.200 And he thinks he's invincible, but we've already seen him, seen him 25 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:37.400 in a Lakers uniform get hurt for an extended period of time with that groin 26 00:01:37.480 --> 00:01:42.200 injury, So he's not. We've seen it already. They have to find 27 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:46.400 a way to load manage him in a way that satisfies Lebron James. And 28 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:51.480 that's tricky because you're dealing with the ultimate superstar who's a franchise unto himself in 29 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:55.920 some ways. But you got to protect guys from from themselves. And I 30 00:01:56.040 --> 00:02:00.680 was saying, I'm sorry, I would say on that point that I guess 31 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:06.200 and Rob believes it's different. Prior to the last three games stretch that Lebron 32 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:10.199 was certainly at the top of the list in terms of MVP, and one 33 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:15.240 of the reasons people would throw out that he's the MVP is because he was 34 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.919 playing forty minutes a night and he was and he was, you know, 35 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:23.400 putting up numbers, but he was playing every single night, and maybe in 36 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:27.599 the back of his mind is like, that's my way to solidify an MVP 37 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.319 is if they look up and see I played eighty games and I played all 38 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:35.560 these minutes. How can I be denied? Oh? I think there's three 39 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.719 things going on with Lebron right now. He's chasing titles. He's chasing the 40 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:44.080 regular season MVP because he feels like he was snubbed last year and he wants 41 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:47.159 to prove he was the guy. And then he's also chasing the scoring record 42 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:53.120 and getting that could be like having another ring in his mind. Maybe maybe 43 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:57.360 he only gets to five rings. He can't surpass Jordan in that way, 44 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:00.840 but if he's the all time leading scorer, that elevates him higher. So 45 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:07.319 he has a lot on his plate in year eighteen at the age of thirty 46 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:09.560 six. And I do believe at the beginning of the season the reason he 47 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:14.199 was pushing things so hard is he was looking at Anthony Davis coasting a little 48 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:15.560 bit, or maybe it was because he was hurt the whole time, we 49 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:19.479 don't know, and he thought, Okay, I'm gonna pick him up for 50 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.080 the first half of this season. I'm gonna get way out in front in 51 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:25.439 the MVP voting, and then by the end of the year he'll pick me 52 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:30.400 up. We'll both be healthy and peeking towards the playoffs. But now there's 53 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:35.000 uncertainty with Anthony Davis. He might not be back till April. We don't 54 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:37.919 know how long it could be. What if he only plays a month and 55 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:40.360 a half of the rest of the season. Well, Lebron's had to carry 56 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:45.199 more of the load than I think most people expected. And then with Dennis 57 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.520 Shrewd being out, it's not just and they talk about this with pictures all 58 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:53.240 the time on the mount and those high intensity innings and how much more taxing 59 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:57.639 those are. It's not just that he's out there on the floor, but 60 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:00.120 he's running the show because they don't even have Dennis shrewder right now, So 61 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:04.360 he's the number one ball handler and everything runs through him like he's twenty five 62 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:09.199 again, right, and Adam, that eventually catches up with you. I 63 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:13.080 don't care who you are, it does. And then if you're the Lakers, 64 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:15.480 I get what he's trying to do as far as you know, because 65 00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:18.319 if you're right, if he doesn't get to six champions and even if he 66 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:23.600 gets to six, he's still lost six. So he needs the other thing 67 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:28.800 to be able to win an MVP in year eighteen. Right with Anthony Davis 68 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:31.720 on your squad, that would say something. To be the all time leading 69 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:36.439 scorer in pass Kareem that would say something. So he needs those other things 70 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:42.959 as well, just in case he can't get to six championships or just because 71 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:46.079 or just maybe you know, people won't totally recognize him because of the six 72 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:51.959 losses. So it's like, if your management and you're the front office, 73 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:57.319 you gotta kind of take that out of Lebron's hands because ultimately it's about for 74 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:01.360 the Lakers winning a championship in the Yeah, there seems like there's two different 75 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:05.480 agendas going on. The Lakers are just trying to win now, Anthony Davis 76 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:10.480 is their future, and he's supposed to get them past this Lebron James phase 77 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:15.040 and into that next era of Lakers basketball while they're still winning right now, 78 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:17.639 and that's supposed to be a smooth transition. Well, you can't do that 79 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:23.839 if Anthony Davis does his Achilles and now he's LaMarcus Aldrich instead of Anthony Davis. 80 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:28.680 So Lebron is out there trying to enhance his legacy while at the same 81 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:32.160 time the Lakers franchise is just trying to win this season. There's a lot 82 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:36.439 of different things going on and that are in play with the Lakers right now. 83 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:40.199 Then I think there probably should be, but a lot of it is 84 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:44.079 just due to injury. If Anthony Davis is healthy, if Dennis Shrewder is 85 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:46.519 healthy, they might be the number one or have the best record in the 86 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:50.600 NBA right now. And we're not worried about Lebron James taxing himself. I'm 87 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:55.879 not so sure about that. I'm gonna say that, you Rob, can 88 00:05:55.959 --> 00:06:00.439 you believe that how many times you're gonna bring up you lost six times in 89 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:01.839 the finals. You want to get that in one more time, one more 90 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:06.920 time? All right? You know what I'm saying, how about when you 91 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:12.560 said, you know, he thinks he got snubbed with the last last year, 92 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:17.399 he didn't know. But but I'm just saying this, Adam, from 93 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:23.360 the standpoint of I gotta admit, I'm impressed by the Clippers, from the 94 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:27.519 standpoint of the way they crashed and burned last year. You know, Doc 95 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:31.079 gets run out of town. You know, uh Tylo takes over, and 96 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:34.160 they had the second best record, or they have the second best record in 97 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:39.240 the West. And they've played remarkably well. They were coming off a high 98 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:44.279 of beating Utah, right and then Brooklyn came and and they just lost back 99 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:46.639 call at the end, but they lost to Brooklyn. But they're still playing 100 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.959 really well. And then you gotta look at Brooklyn. So I'm saying, 101 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:54.439 yes, while the Lakers, you know, could be there, I'm still 102 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.920 not sure they're the best team in the league. I still think that they're 103 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:01.720 the No. Rim protectors. Gasol is at the ten man. There's some 104 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.279 issues there. I don't think they're the best team in the league, even 105 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:09.399 if Shrewder and ad will help you. Right now, well, when everybody 106 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:12.800 talks about how you have to beat the best to be the best or they're 107 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:15.800 the champs until somebody beats them in a seven game series. But this isn't 108 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:20.600 the same Lakers team that was constructed from last season. They are different. 109 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:25.560 It's a completely different year. And if they lost in the playoffs this season, 110 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:29.040 everybody would say, well, that wasn't the team that won the championship. 111 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.000 Inside the bubble and not having that inside rent protection really came back to 112 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:35.600 haunt them, and it may I've been talking about this since day one. 113 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:43.079 Marc Gasol has cankles, He's got weights on his legs right now, he's 114 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:46.639 stuck in Wow. I mean they're not as apparent as James Harden's, but 115 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:50.600 he can still move with them. James hard and is balling. They have 116 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:58.120 more flaws this season that will be accentuated in the playoffs I think in a 117 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.680 seven game series. But they still have time to make a move. They 118 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:07.560 still have time. They could bring in. He's not defensively, That's what 119 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.519 I'm saying, because they need somebody defensively, right and if he can't do 120 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:15.160 it, what is the point and just bringing him in. I don't see 121 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.399 how that worked. It could be just a short stint while not having Anthony 122 00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:22.439 Davis would be the reason you bring him in for now, for the next 123 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:26.240 month or so, But long term they need another Javail McGee type. They 124 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.399 need another another Dwight Howard type. I look at someone like Newland's Noel who 125 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:33.759 I think is out right now with the New York Knicks, a young guy. 126 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:37.879 He didn't get paid his money, and he could be trade bait. 127 00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:39.879 Uh and the New York Knicks, you know, when they fall out of 128 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:43.799 the playoffs at some point, when they are well out of being a top 129 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:48.879 eight seed in the Eastern Conference, somebody, and he'd be a huge boon 130 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:52.200 for them. He'd be a huge pickup for them. But they can't get 131 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.399 Javail McGee back. That's that's not happening. That ship has sailed because they 132 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.639 couldn't even trade for him, or even if he got waived, they couldn't 133 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:01.480 be the first team to pick him up. He'd have to go through somebody 134 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.840 else's team and then be rerouted to the Lakers, and whoever picks him up 135 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.399 after he's gone anyways, is unlikely to let him go again. So they 136 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.440 do have issues, and there are more injury concerns and maybe even locker room 137 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:18.879 stuff that we don't even know about yet, because that was like the thirteenth 138 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:24.039 man for them last season. They were so well put together in that locker 139 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:26.960 room. Guys liked each other so much, and you bring in combustible personalities 140 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:31.000 like Montrese Harold and Dennis Shrewder, guys who want the ball in their hands 141 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:35.000 at all times. I don't know if the same level of sacrifice self sacrifice 142 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:39.480 as VTB would say, is there with this Lakers team. But look, 143 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.120 we're nitpicking right now. As long as Anthony Davis is healthy, as long 144 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.399 as they have Lebron James in a seven game series, they're still gonna be 145 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:52.120 favored. Yeah, And it will be interesting to see how much Anthony Davis 146 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:56.360 when he comes back plays before playoffs starts. One thing, Adam, that 147 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:03.320 bothered me when we're talking ab about minutes restriction as I'm watching the game the 148 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:07.279 other night with the Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets, is the minutes restriction on 149 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:11.960 Paul George And this has been so and I get I get the minutes restriction, 150 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.559 but why is he out of the game at the end of the game, 151 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:22.240 and why can't it be managed better in terms of play In the last 152 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:28.159 time at the time and post game toeront Lu said, we had to put 153 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.080 him back in as early as we did, just to get back into the 154 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:37.480 game because at some point they were down fifteen. At the nine minute mark 155 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:39.960 in the fourth quarter, it was amazing they even tied the game, but 156 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:43.720 they did so without PG on the floor. They kept scoring. When he 157 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:46.919 went out at the three minute mark, they were still a plus two without 158 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.440 him on the floor. That's not the reason they lost the game. I 159 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:52.559 can see though, why it would be frustrating because he was having a great 160 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.399 game. Hit I think six three pointers, had thirty four points, twenty 161 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:01.159 one of them in the second half, and go on off. But if 162 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.840 you go back to Friday night against the Utah Jazz, his first game back 163 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.879 after missing six post game, and he only played twenty seven minutes, he 164 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.600 said, I'm not ready for thirty minutes yet, something to that effect. 165 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:16.639 So in the same vein of you have to protect athletes from themselves, even 166 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:20.120 though post game, after what happened with the nets, he said, I 167 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.799 was ready to ready to go. I wanted to come back into the game. 168 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:26.480 Well, two days ago you were talking about how you might hurt the 169 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.039 team because you don't have your win back yet, and I don't know if 170 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:31.440 it's back two days later. So I think there was a lot of logic 171 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:35.279 and rationale to why they took him out, and they're just listening to the 172 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:39.639 training staff and the medical staff anyways, the press conferences. Yet No, 173 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:48.679 I do want to get to take he signed for four more years on the 174 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:52.440 Brooklyn Nets. I mean when they were put together and the hard and trade 175 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:56.080 went down, people said, oh, they're gonna be bickerin there's only one 176 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:00.320 ball. All these guys want the ball. Who's going to shoot the last 177 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.559 shot? Then it was their defense was atrocious when they first started, they 178 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:07.360 were last in the league. Now they're already up to fifteenth and playing much 179 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.919 better. What is your take on that team and how it's put together? 180 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:16.360 And I do believe they'll get a big man or some defender. They got 181 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:20.279 one DeAndre Jordan is actually playing well now he is playing well, But they'll 182 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:22.720 get I think they could get it Andre Drummond or somebody else. But I'm 183 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.679 just curious, Adam, as to how they're constructed the three headed monster, 184 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.159 and uh, you know, can they win the East? Can they get 185 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.399 to the finals? I had my reservations about bringing in James Harden because of 186 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.000 how much you had to give up. But once Spencer dinw he got hurt 187 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.480 anyways, and when Kyrie went a wall, you really had to bring him 188 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:48.440 in for insurance because you don't know what's gonna happen with Kyrie Irving. He's 189 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:52.440 gonna be there for now. Kyrie's just fine, but back then we didn't 190 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:56.320 know. No. But the way James Harden has fit in with the type 191 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:01.120 of role he's assumed by being the playmaker and facilitator, guys are now filling 192 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:05.799 roles and it makes sense because at first I thought you have so many different 193 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:11.440 individual superstars, and it's not like the Golden State Warriors because they already had 194 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:15.440 a foundation. They had a system with Steve Kerr and guys playing within that, 195 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:18.200 and Kevin Durant will sacrifice and he did with that team at times. 196 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.960 But Kyrie and James Harden aren't built like that. But if you have James 197 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:28.840 Harden as the main playmaker out there and Kyrie Irving basically playing the two guard, 198 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:31.519 a small two guard, and then Kevin Durant doing a little bit of 199 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:35.639 everything else, it works, and those guys seem to like each other so 200 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:39.799 far, and defensively, look, they just have to be a middle of 201 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:43.440 the pack team, that's right, because they're gonna put up one thirty and 202 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:48.720 easy efficient one thirty. They're gonna end up setting the old time efficiency record, 203 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:52.840 which was just set last season by the Dallas Mavericks. They're gonna break 204 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.320 that this season. But Rob, there were my pick coming out of the 205 00:13:56.320 --> 00:14:01.039 East after Game one of the preseason when I saw Kevin Duran go baseline for 206 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.519 a dunk and show off that explosion again. So even before they got James 207 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:07.720 Harden, I thought they'd be coming out of the East. So it only 208 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:11.120 emboldens that now they have James there, I think they are going to be 209 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:16.759 the Eastern Conference favorite. I don't think they're fools gold. But in a 210 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:22.039 seven game series, do they have enough scoring? With Ben Simmons out there 211 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.480 and Tobias Harris is having a really good season, but I don't know if 212 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:28.039 you can rely on him in that way to get you twenty five to thirty 213 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:35.399 points consistently in playoff games. And Ben, look what he does great is 214 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.519 getting transition and get to the basket that way. That stuff gets bottled up 215 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.080 in a seven game series when you're seeing a team over and over again, 216 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:46.480 what he does best doesn't necessarily translate as well in the playoffs. He's a 217 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.320 great defender. Joe lmbid is gonna get you thirty and twelve every night, 218 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:54.279 and that's going to be an interesting thing to see because it's either DeAndre Jordan 219 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:58.320 or whoever whoever else the Brooklyn Nets pick up, and that could be a 220 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:03.399 mismatch for him. But they could also run Joel and beat off the floor 221 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:05.639 if they want to go small, and they have been going small. Dj 222 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.399 has been coming off the bench recently, right, So there are they just 223 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.399 I mean, somebody don't be open on that team. You're poison and it's 224 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:18.399 like they're not going to be as might be open. Right, Yeah, 225 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:24.600 Harris, who's shooting fifty two percent from three, He's gonna set the all 226 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:28.679 time record from three, which I believe was held by Steve Kerr with a 227 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:33.279 shortened three point line back in ninety six and ninety seven. And he was 228 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:37.240 just taking two three pointers a game. You got Joe Harris now taking eight 229 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:39.559 and hitting over fifty percent of them. It's unbelievable. Yeah, it's it's 230 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.600 crazy. What they're they're capable of doing, and they're doing it without Durant, 231 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:48.360 as you mentioned. But I do think that they have settled into that 232 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:52.080 role as James. When both Kyrie and James Harden on the floor, it's 233 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:56.480 James Harden is a facilitator in Kyrie is two and then when they get Kevin 234 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:58.919 Durant, he's just get the ball to Kevin. I forgot how good James 235 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:06.000 was. I'm serious, playing in Houston, what you know, he was 236 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:08.320 a ball hog and did all that, and now to see him make beautiful 237 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:14.039 passes and what he's done, I'm marveled at him. I mean, he's 238 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:18.440 must see right now, he's such a problem because he has that dribble drive 239 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:22.039 where you don't know if he's going to the basket or if he's putting up 240 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.080 the lob for DJ or whoever else is there with him, and you have 241 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:30.559 to make a decision because also if he's and they call him the dribbler Charles 242 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.559 Barkley, but he's doing less of that now. But on the perimeter, 243 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:37.159 you have to play him tight because think about this, it's not just Joe 244 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:42.200 Harris. He's having a career year from three James Harden, Kyrie Irving is 245 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:47.039 having a career year from three, and Kevin Durant is. All those guys 246 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:52.159 are elevating each other out there and getting easier shots because there's so much star 247 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.960 power and there's just no way to contain them for more than six minutes. 248 00:16:56.360 --> 00:17:00.720 You know they are going to have an explosion at one point in the game. 249 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.720 Yeah, you better hope, Yeah, you better hope that you made 250 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:07.599 your run early and you have a little bit of a cushion before before we 251 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.960 let you go. Adam, I just want to go back to the West. 252 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:15.279 Now, what do you see outside of the Lakers and Clippers. We 253 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:21.480 see Utah having a great season. Can that last? You know, there's 254 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.240 Phoenix. I think I think I was gonna get to that because I think 255 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.079 when you look at the West, you see that you know, the top 256 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:30.039 four or whatever, and you go okay, But Phoenix could be a problem. 257 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:33.720 You know, Portland at some point can be a problem. Golden State 258 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:37.759 is is a thorn. I don't think we're gonna be there, but there's 259 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:42.000 not an easy walk through the West, especially because Dallas isn't even a playoff 260 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:48.160 team. Right. Everybody talked about Luca don chits right, rob being the 261 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:52.079 MVP, being the favorite coming into this season, and there's still a couple 262 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:56.200 of games under five hundred, but Phoenix is nine and one in their last 263 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:00.559 ten games. Now, they've gotten that chemistry. They've come together. And 264 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:03.720 when you have CP three and Devin Booker in a playoff series, and we've 265 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:07.559 never seen Booker in the playoffs before, but we did see him in a 266 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:11.720 must win situation last year in the Bubble and they won eighth straight and they 267 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:15.400 still didn't get in the tournament somehow. But Devin Booker to me, has 268 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:19.759 it that intangible, the clutch gene, whatever you want to call it. 269 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.640 He's hit a lot of big shots. They're dangerous. But I still think 270 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.119 the Utah Jazz to me, even though they are the number one team right 271 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:30.799 now, they're the third team behind the Lakers, behind the Clippers in the 272 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.640 West, but they are flawed because Rudy Gobert can get run off the floor 273 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:38.519 in the playoffs, teams play small against him, so you have maybe your 274 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:44.160 most impactful player when you account for his defense, not being able to spend 275 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:48.000 enough time out there on the court in big moments. And the Clippers did 276 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:52.079 it to him Friday Night because they just run small and you can't as good 277 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:56.960 as he is on the parimeter with his defense. Now, when you have 278 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.680 all those interchangeable pieces and there's so much more versatile players and versatility in the 279 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:06.680 league now, Rudy Gobert can be a liability at times and you can't have 280 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.759 that from your second best player, as good as Donovan Mitchell is. No. 281 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:11.400 Absolutely, all right, Well we got tonight, we got the pre 282 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:17.599 game at six pregame at six, Clippers and Wizards. I think the Clippers 283 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:21.240 can win it. I might have to put a couple of shackles down on 284 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:27.920 this one. Yeah, a couple of shackles on this one. LA Sports