WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:03.319 Adam Auslin is on the board today and he's also the host of the Clipper 2 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:06.360 Countdown. He'll jump in, Adam. Why do you think the Lakers have 3 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:11.240 had this success away from Staples? I think part of it is because of 4 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:16.440 the strange circumstances surrounding this season, where winning on the road isn't as difficult. 5 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:19.120 You don't have to deal with the fans, even if I think there 6 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:24.359 are seven arenas now or eight now after Atlanta opened up to eight thousand people 7 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:29.120 last night that have fans, you know, sparsely spread out throughout the arenas. 8 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:33.159 But the Lakers overall just looked really focused. And I think it's because 9 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:36.920 Lebron James and the way he's playing, and if you're talking about what happened 10 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.520 last season between him and Janniston then a COOPO and you mentioned this after they 11 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:45.679 beat the Milwaukee Bucks, Fred, But I do think there's some added motivation 12 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.439 from Lebron James to come out of the gates when everybody thought he was going 13 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:52.799 to rest. When everybody thought because they only had seventy one days off between 14 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:56.399 the NBA Finals and the start of this season, he would take more time 15 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.960 off and it would be well earned load management, and he's not doing it, 16 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.319 and he's playing some of his best basketball right now. The forty six 17 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:07.640 points or whatever it was he had the other night was just insane against Cleveland. 18 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:11.000 Some of those shots who was hitting and really all season long. You 19 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:15.959 know, you complained when he missed that shot, the three pointer against the 20 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.359 Golden State Warriors at the end of that game, saying that's not a great 21 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:23.359 shot for him. So far this season, he's shooting over forty percent from 22 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.159 three, He's been really efficient from the outside, and he hits seven of 23 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:30.519 them against the Cleveland Cavaliers. So I think part of it is Lebron is 24 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:34.200 on a mission and everybody else is following the leader with the Lakers right now. 25 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:38.239 Yeah, No, I agree with that. He's shooting the ball well, 26 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:42.239 and I was one of those guys of setting up a three pointer for 27 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:44.319 Lebron at the end of the game. But the way he shot the ball, 28 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:48.480 you can't argue with that. Are you surprised at they're coming out this 29 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:53.120 way though, Adam? And do you think that that this will come back 30 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:56.439 to bite them at the end of the season. Well, I believe they 31 00:01:56.439 --> 00:02:00.840 are thirteen and four right now. Number one in the Western Conference. The 32 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.400 one thing we haven't seen from them though, as well as Lebron is played, 33 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:07.920 and I think this also plays into him being the front runner right now 34 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:12.719 for MVP, is the fact that Anthony Davis looks like the one who's taking 35 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:15.960 the regular season off, who's been taking it easy. Outside of that game 36 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:20.280 in Chicago where he had thirty seven over the weekend, he hasn't looked like 37 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:23.520 the same player, and he's admitted he just isn't in rhythm yet with his 38 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:28.680 shooting and his shot. So they're winning in spite of Anthony Davis not playing 39 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:31.479 that well yet. The only thing that I'm really surprised with is they are 40 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:36.120 the number one defensive team so far, and it's not that close. And 41 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:38.240 we're twenty four percent of the way or twenty five percent of the way through 42 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:42.560 the regular season, and the Lakers have been the best defensive team. They 43 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:46.080 were third last year. I openly admitted it. I think they're gonna be 44 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.280 worse on that end now. Some of that's going to come in the playoffs 45 00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:53.360 when marcusol is out there, when Montrese Harold could be exposed defensively. But 46 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:57.240 they've been really good and focused on that end, and they're obviously better offensively. 47 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:00.680 Last season they were outside of the top ten on offense. Right now 48 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:05.400 they're seven. So the only surprise for me is defensively they're even better. 49 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:08.840 And the focus level they've had to start off this season is somewhat surprising. 50 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:13.199 But if Lebron James, if you told me he was going to be going 51 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:15.800 for the MVP, and he seems to be, there are no surprises. 52 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:22.080 Yeah, And a thing I've mentioned and I've been surprised about these guys don't 53 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:24.400 take any nights off. I really thought at this point, you know, 54 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:29.680 they'd set a game or two because of the delay or the short turnaround, 55 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:35.759 And starting this season, it's like Lebron really thinks it. Seemingly now, 56 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:38.360 I've got so many games to play in my career, so I've not decided 57 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:42.680 to play in all of them. I don't need any rest, I don't 58 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.759 need to take a break, I don't need any load management. I'm good 59 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.159 to go. And I really find that fascinating because he looks like he's twenty 60 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:53.960 five twenty six years old. Look at the block he had on Colin Sexton. 61 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.919 The best they ended up reviewing his head is right at the rim like 62 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:01.120 he is twenty six years of age, like he's back with the Miami Heat 63 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:04.520 in his athletic prime. I don't know how he does it at the age 64 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:11.120 of thirty six. We've never seen anyone have this long sustained athleticism prime as 65 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:15.360 we're seeing right now with Lebron James. Maybe in any sport. Jerry Rice, 66 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:17.279 I know, was putting up big numbers even at forty Rodney with the 67 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:21.519 Oakland Raiders. You could say maybe he's in the conversation. But in terms 68 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:27.079 of the NBA, I mean at this point he looks I know MJ was 69 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.160 thirty nine and forty when he came back with the Washington Wizards, but there's 70 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.759 a night and day difference between Lebron at thirty six and everybody else at this 71 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:38.000 age. Look at Marcus All he's the same age. At him on the 72 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.160 Los Angeles Lakers, and at times he looks like a shell of his former 73 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:44.199 self. Now, he was never the athlete Lebron is. Nobody is, 74 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.519 but it's still impressive, and I think part of that is just because he's 75 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:51.519 never suffered any catastrophic major injury. But you gotta give him credit with the 76 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:55.639 way he takes care of his body all the time. And I remember, 77 00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:59.600 I'm old enough to remember back in twenty fourteen when he first came back to 78 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:02.839 the Clear than Cavaliers, there were times where it looked like he was taking 79 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:09.079 nights off and people thought his steady decline of his prime was ending. Then, 80 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:13.399 since then, he's won a couple more championships and he looks to be 81 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:15.879 better than ever this season. And I do really think that motivation is there 82 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:20.240 to win the MVP and to prove last season that he was snubbed and it 83 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:24.079 should have been him, or at least he should have had more votes in 84 00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:27.079 this favor, which is what he complained about. He openly said he was 85 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:31.360 pissed about it. So when you have someone of his stature with a chip 86 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:35.680 on his shoulder to start off a season where they just won the championship anyways, 87 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:41.480 it's unique, but it's very Lebron. Yeah, It's almost like what 88 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.839 we watched with the Last Dance, right with Michael Jordan. He had to 89 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:48.360 continuously find ways to motivate himself. You know, somebody not saying the load 90 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:51.600 of him at dinner. I didn't like that very much. I'm going making 91 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:56.319 pay and I took that personally. I took that personally. So it does 92 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:59.680 feel that way with Lebron. Then it feels like they didn't think I was 93 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:01.959 in. They thought I was watched up, and I took that personally well. 94 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.399 And the other reason I think they're playing so well is the roster is 95 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:12.439 better constructed for long regular season this time around, because you have more energy 96 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:16.519 guys with Dennis Shrewder in with Montrese Harold, who on nights when you can 97 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:20.399 We've talked about the dog days of the NBA season, Rodney on those nights, 98 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:26.000 those guys have basically one of the best or two of the best motors 99 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:30.040 on the Los Angeles Lakers, with the energy that Montrese Harold especially gives you 100 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.160 and how infectious that can be throughout the team. But they already had that 101 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:38.560 culture built last season when they played hard during the regular season. Now you 102 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:42.759 bring in somebody who also does the same thing in Montrese Harold. That was 103 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.279 a perfect pairing for them during the regular season. I still think they're going 104 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.720 to be flaws exposed with him in the playoffs, but right now that's a 105 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:54.120 huge reason they're playing this well this early in the year. I found this 106 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:58.480 interesting. Avery Bradley made some comments recently in a podcast, said he was 107 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:02.240 surprised that the Lakers didn't resign him. Of course, Avery Bradley opted out 108 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:06.240 in the bubble. Funny, now, hindsight twenty twenty, you were probably 109 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:11.000 safer in the bubble than you were anywhere as it played out. But nobody 110 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.959 knew that going in, and he did what he thought was best for him 111 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:15.319 and his family. So we opted out. He had a player option, 112 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.199 so we could go out look around. Miami offered him two years at eleven 113 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:23.439 point six million. He made five million last year for the Lakers. He 114 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:27.000 said he was disappointed the Lakers didn't resign him. But if you go out 115 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:31.759 and look for another job and somebody gives you more, why would you be 116 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:35.800 disappointed it. Why wouldn't you have just said, okay, I'll resign for 117 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:41.240 one year whatever and stay with the Lakers. How could he be disappointed when 118 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:44.439 he himself went out and looked for another job. He may be speaking out 119 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:46.920 of both sides of his mouth. Now, I do think you have to 120 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:51.639 respect his decision and what happened last season, and he played really well, 121 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:56.439 and it's still impressive that the Lakers were able to win it all even without 122 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:00.680 him in the bubble, but he was looking for a team I think that 123 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.560 had a similar culture in the Miami Heat, So that was a good pairing 124 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.639 for him to go there, and he got a second year on that deal. 125 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:11.879 That was the biggest difference for him. But if he also has to 126 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:15.839 feel slighted and have some of that Lebron James and Michael Jordan in him to 127 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:18.360 have that extra motivation this season, that's maybe where he's getting it from. 128 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:22.720 Yeah, no, I agree with that, Adam. What do you know 129 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:26.360 about the latest? La Paul George and Kawhi joined the team at some point 130 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:30.600 on this road trip. Are they you know, what's the latest on those 131 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:35.559 two? My friend farbought Essenshari from si now reported that they have been testing 132 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.600 negative. So it sounds like, and I'm not saying take this to the 133 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:43.399 bank, it's concrete. There are differing reports out there, but it sounds 134 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:48.919 like it was due to contract contact tracing. They were somehow in contact with 135 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.480 somebody else who had it and therefore they had to get tested. But it 136 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:54.679 also sounds like they haven't tested positive yet. So if that's the case, 137 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:58.960 I believe there's a chance. And Noah Eagle and I were talking about this 138 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:03.120 last night and going through the NBA protocol and trying to figure it all out. 139 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:05.480 But there's a chance if they continue to test negative, they could be 140 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:09.919 with the team on Friday in Orlando. But that sounds like the best case 141 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:13.799 scenario, and there's still a chance they could test positive. You know, 142 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:18.200 there's that incubation period and they could miss the entire road trip. Last night 143 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:22.879 they lost to Atlanta. I just say in aberration, Kawaii and Paul George 144 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:24.879 aren't there. Sure, you want to win every game, but when those 145 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:30.519 two guys aren't there, it's basically, yeah, it's hard to take anything 146 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.000 out of that. Where you don't have Paul George. When you don't have 147 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:37.039 Kawhi Leonard, but also Patrick Beverley, you're missing three starters in that game. 148 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:39.879 And I thought there was a great effort. It actually felt like a 149 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.000 throwback game to where the Clippers were a couple of seasons ago, during the 150 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:46.159 twenty seventeen twenty eighteen year, the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen year, where they 151 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:50.639 had to play where the hole is greater than the sum of its parts to 152 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:54.159 overcome a lack of talent and just outwork you. And they were up by 153 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:56.679 five in the first half, and they were holding down Trey Young, but 154 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:00.559 he had twenty four points in the second half, and eventually that blood of 155 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:05.000 talent and offense came from the Atlanta Hawks. But the Clippers spirit was good, 156 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.759 the energy was right. They just didn't have the horses to win that 157 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:11.480 ball game. Yeah, but overall they have and I've said it, I'll 158 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:16.600 say it again very quietly under the radar, a very good start to the 159 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.240 season. Well, they had just won seventh straight until what happened last night, 160 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:24.639 which was the second longest winning streak so far this season the Utah Jazz. 161 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:26.039 So I've been telling you guys about for a while. They're at ninth 162 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:30.840 straight right now. They've flown under the radar, and maybe that fits them 163 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:35.399 better. But there have been places that are starting to pick up on what 164 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:39.240 the Clippers have been doing. The bleacher Report recently said, or maybe it 165 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:41.000 was Yeah, I think it was bleacher Report who said they are the number 166 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:46.159 one team right now in their power rankings because that winning streak and the style 167 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.919 of ball they're playing, because they just look different. If you watch the 168 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:54.320 games Fred, you'll see a very entertaining basketball product where they're passing the ball 169 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:58.440 much more than they were last season, where Kawai and Paul George, their 170 00:10:58.440 --> 00:11:03.720 two superstars, are leading them in assists. That's very different, and there's 171 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.440 that trickle down effect and everybody's kind of bought in more and guys are just 172 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.440 more comfortable next to one another. Nicholas Batoum was the perfect pickup. He 173 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:15.480 fits the culture, as does Sergebaka and Luke Kennard. So the way this 174 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:20.200 team is built I think will be more playoff ready. But also they just 175 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.360 have better chemistry all those issues from last season. So far, this team 176 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.519 looks to be meshing. They look to have rectified a lot of what went 177 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:31.799 wrong last year. Indeed, I know you mentioned Utah, but is there 178 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:35.720 really anybody that can challenge or beat the Lakers or Clippers in a seven game 179 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:39.600 series in your mind? I mean, I think it's very unlikely. They're 180 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.639 still the two best teams in the Western Conference. But Utah is that one 181 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:48.039 team I told you about last season that was starting to peak, but then 182 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:52.360 Boyon Bogdanovitch got hurt. He wasn't with them in the bubble and they played 183 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:56.000 the most entertaining seven game series in the Bubble against the Denver Nuggets in that 184 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:00.840 first round where Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray were going back and fourth with fifty 185 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.840 point games. And Donovan Mitchell has shown some growth this season. He's been 186 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:09.200 even better. He is a under the radar dark horse MVP candidate if they 187 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:13.639 continue to play at this level. I mean last night they were down one 188 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.279 to the Knicks at home going into the fourth quarter and then they just flipped 189 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:20.600 the switch and they win by fifteen. Mike Conley Junior is shooting the ball 190 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:24.000 much better than he was last season. The Utah Jazz are the biggest threat 191 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:28.000 right now to the Lakers and Clippers, but I still think there's a distance 192 00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:31.120 between them, all right, Adam, Thank you appreciate that very much.