1 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,920 What is kracklac and bellow thermonal c or A efforts. I am Dan Valley 2 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,120 coming at you with what will hopefully be a very brief introduction. I'm sharing 3 00:00:24,399 --> 00:00:29,719 a huge snippet of the conversation I had with d n v R Nuggets Serbian 4 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:34,759 Corners Miroslav Shook. Follow d n VR Nuggets at d n v R Underscore 5 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:39,359 Nuggets on Twitter. Follow Serbian Corner at Serbian Corner. Both of those are 6 00:00:39,399 --> 00:00:42,719 spelled exactly as it sounds. And then the homie Mural slav Shuk, who 7 00:00:42,799 --> 00:00:45,240 is a you know, he's an og Hardware NOx listener. He's been one 8 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,799 of our biggest supporters. Always loved going on Serbian Corner with him. Follow 9 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,799 him on Twitter at mural slav Shuk. That's at m as A mom I 10 00:00:53,079 --> 00:00:58,439 r O s l A v c u K. We had a discussion about 11 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,719 other than the Denver Nuggets. I won't clude the link to the full episode. 12 00:01:00,799 --> 00:01:06,760 In the podcast and YouTube descriptions, you're getting about thirty minutes of our 13 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,599 conversation here. Him and I went through a playoff bracket at the time before 14 00:01:10,599 --> 00:01:12,439 it was settled. We talked a lot of clippers in MAZ but on this 15 00:01:12,879 --> 00:01:18,280 episode or this part that you're listening to, specifically, we got into Nicole 16 00:01:18,359 --> 00:01:23,599 Jokic MVP, the MVP discourse, and then also just my personal confidence level, 17 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:27,879 the nuggets to repeat, his Champions questions, concerns, surprise players, 18 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:30,560 a really fun discussion with him. So I'd encourage you to go follow him, 19 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:36,000 go check out the entire episode. As far as Hardwood Knocks further programming, 20 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,319 I want to drop this just because I think most of the stuff we 21 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,120 said was still evergreen. It'll start off with their loss to the Spurs that 22 00:01:42,159 --> 00:01:46,159 they blew and to see if that could impact the MVP results. And also 23 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,640 again it's completely evergreen. You can slog through if you don't like hearing something 24 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:55,359 that's dated. It's like fifteen seconds of preamble right there. As original program 25 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,079 As far as original programming goes Grant now, I'll be coming up with our 26 00:01:57,079 --> 00:02:01,159 playoff previews. The first part will drop on I think Friday, when we'll 27 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:06,480 have six of the matchup set, and then we'll try and get the others 28 00:02:06,519 --> 00:02:09,759 out for Saturday. I believe we also have I'm hoping to drop that early 29 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,840 next week. We'll be doing one thing we got wrong about every NBA team 30 00:02:13,879 --> 00:02:15,439 this season, to kind of just own it and look back, and to 31 00:02:15,479 --> 00:02:20,919 still cover the teams that aren't being covered outside of the trade stuff that Grant 32 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,080 and I are currently working on, some of which together, which will probably 33 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,039 not appear on this podcast. It's just not the time of year for it. 34 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,680 That about does it, though. So the conversation was great. And 35 00:02:30,719 --> 00:02:35,080 look, if you've gotten this far and you haven't subscribed to us, and 36 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,599 you're listening to this preamble, I mean shout out to you for listening to 37 00:02:37,599 --> 00:02:40,680 some random a hole on YouTube around your podcast just to go through this intro, 38 00:02:40,759 --> 00:02:44,159 but hit the sub button. Tell people about us, help us continue 39 00:02:44,159 --> 00:02:47,120 to grow the community. Join our discord where we have fun competitions with a 40 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,800 bunch of fun discussions in there. Help Grant and I not have to be 41 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,879 as active this time of year when we are pretty fucking frazzled at the moment. 42 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:00,199 But again, discord links to the podcast, YouTube descriptionsribe comment on all 43 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,319 the things, comment on everything, health, the algorithm of us back. 44 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,960 Shout out to every single one of you. We appreciate you as always. 45 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,400 Well, let's get to some really good Denver nuggets. And MVP at Large. 46 00:03:09,439 --> 00:03:13,520 We get into Luca even Shake Gilibs, Alexander Giannis, a lot, 47 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:15,840 Jalen Brunson I think as well. Really fun discussion. Again, it's running 48 00:03:15,879 --> 00:03:19,680 about thirty minutes and you'll have another two episodes this week, so a nice 49 00:03:19,719 --> 00:03:23,280 little four episode hard Hardware Knocks week and yeah, let's get to it. 50 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:29,120 It is time to bring in my guests for today. It is the end 51 00:03:29,159 --> 00:03:31,479 of the regular season, so it is a great time to get some outside 52 00:03:31,599 --> 00:03:37,800 takes about the Nuggets and the league at large before the play in and playoffs. 53 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:42,120 You know him from his great pieces from the for the Bleacher Report, 54 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,520 and also for his relentless work on the Hardwood Knocks podcasts, where he gives 55 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:53,879 extremely measured and informed takes on all the teams in the association except for your 56 00:03:53,919 --> 00:03:55,960 team because he hates your team. Calling from New York, New York, 57 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,400 It's Daniel Dan Favali, Welcome back to the show. Then, thank you 58 00:04:00,439 --> 00:04:04,680 so much for having me, Miroslova, and as always for the spectacular introduction. 59 00:04:06,719 --> 00:04:14,039 Listen. I know I'm a jack of many trades, but I'm trying 60 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,319 to hone that one perfectly, because you know, if I get the introduction. 61 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:23,480 Well, then people tend to come back. So everyone likes their ego 62 00:04:23,519 --> 00:04:27,720 strokes, especially me, so I appreciate the introductions. Yeah, you mentioned 63 00:04:27,759 --> 00:04:32,920 your MVP pick, Nikola Joki is being one. It's an interesting question that 64 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:39,639 was in my head last night after the Nuggets wet their bad against the Spurs, 65 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:44,199 because all of a sudden they can drop all the way to the third 66 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:48,560 seed, while you know, look don't itch and Dallas MAVs are a fift 67 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:53,920 seed. Now, I do realize there's like a seven or eight game gap 68 00:04:53,959 --> 00:04:59,199 between those two seeds, but still it's not as big of a gap as 69 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:06,959 it was before. Did you have any doubt that this kind of outcome could 70 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:14,000 swing some voters when when the push comes to shove, I know, just 71 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,680 be I mean, so the ESPN straw poll that Tim Bontemps does is just 72 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,879 always so telltale. It feels like for the MVP war, and he was 73 00:05:19,959 --> 00:05:24,519 so far out in front that I have a tough time believing that that drop 74 00:05:25,319 --> 00:05:28,079 would really impact him. I guess with Luca and the MAVs coming on, 75 00:05:28,199 --> 00:05:30,759 if you look at the seating and the MAVs are four and the Nuggets are 76 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,279 three, and okase he is one. I would say, I think you 77 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:36,439 can make a case of those three. And I was in this camp with 78 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,639 Giannis for a little bit pre injury. Hopefully he's going to be fine with 79 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,959 that cash strain, but I think any of those three could realistically win. 80 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,519 My whole thing is I don't like the arguments, and we've seen a lot 81 00:05:49,519 --> 00:05:53,000 of it in our YouTube comments. I seen in the BR section all the 82 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,439 time that just says, well, what does Luca have to do? He 83 00:05:56,759 --> 00:05:59,560 doesn't have another All Star on the team. Or it's the same thing with 84 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,000 SG and it's like, well Jokic doesn't have another All Star on the team, 85 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,040 And then they'll come back and say, well, Jamal Murray's all star 86 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:10,079 caliber and then it's well, what is Kyrie Irving? What is Jalen Williams? 87 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,279 And chet Holgren. So I don't like that type of argument. And 88 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,680 what I hate about the MVP discourse, and I'm sure I am guilty of 89 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:24,560 this, is everything turns into a referendum on what the other guys don't do, 90 00:06:25,199 --> 00:06:28,480 rather than let's appreciate what they're all doing. But who stands out the 91 00:06:28,519 --> 00:06:31,920 most? And when it's this close, and I do think it's close because 92 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:38,199 Shake Gildges Alexander honestly might be the best two way player in the NBA. 93 00:06:38,319 --> 00:06:42,680 Luka Dancic is probably rivaling Jokic right now for the most valuable offensive player in 94 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,800 the NBA, even though I wouldn't say that. I look at Nikola Jokic, 95 00:06:45,879 --> 00:06:47,600 and the things that swing it for me is that, yes, we 96 00:06:47,639 --> 00:06:50,519 all know about the on off splitz. I think those matter more now because 97 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,680 we've established that the Nuggets are not just a contender but a champion. So 98 00:06:55,759 --> 00:07:00,480 he's not just what makes them from bad to really good. He's their lifeline 99 00:07:00,639 --> 00:07:08,160 to title contention. And neither Shy nor Luca can actually say the same thing 100 00:07:08,319 --> 00:07:11,759 just yet because those teams, I guess the MAVs recently made a Western Conference 101 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,560 finals, Like we now have that evidence that this is what Yokic is doing, 102 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,240 because this is what the Nuggets are. On top of that, though, 103 00:07:17,279 --> 00:07:19,959 the actual things that swing it for me, Yo Kicch is better on 104 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,439 defense than Luca, And so if you think their offense is close and it's 105 00:07:24,439 --> 00:07:27,600 close, I still think Yo Kicic is more valuable. Yo Kicch is the 106 00:07:27,639 --> 00:07:30,879 better. He does more work on defense. He just he does and then 107 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,959 with Shay specifically, jo Kich is more important to or has a larger impact 108 00:07:34,959 --> 00:07:41,439 to me on his offense on what the Nuggets do, Like Shae is the 109 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,399 more aggressive score but Jokic has a very versatile scoring package and is by far 110 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,319 the better passer. But that's my preference. So you want to make a 111 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:53,240 case because Yo kicchs won it twice and like the thunder head a schedule and 112 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,639 look at the impact that Shay is having, or just look what Luka is 113 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,839 doing where Okay, Kyrie is an All Star, but he's not really playing 114 00:07:59,839 --> 00:08:03,040 in a ton of games are enough to be an All Star. It's that 115 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:07,920 is I think the hardest part. It's there. It feels like there are 116 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,720 very thin margins here, but if you pick someone, it's always interpreted as 117 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,759 you know, I won't get this on this show because it's a nugget show. 118 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:16,879 But well, why would you disrespect Luca like that? And it's having 119 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:22,040 Luca second or third of my MVP out is not a sign of disrespect and 120 00:08:22,079 --> 00:08:24,639 if anything, we should just appreciate that. It is this much of the 121 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,360 of a debate when all of these guys are so darn good to where it's 122 00:08:28,519 --> 00:08:31,360 you know, and if Joelle Be never got hurt, would we mean like 123 00:08:31,399 --> 00:08:35,519 an even wilder debate. So I try and appreciate it from that perspective, 124 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:39,440 but I think invariably I even end up doing the thing where it's well, 125 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,919 these guys don't do this, and Yokic does, and this is why I'm 126 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:46,919 picking Yoki. Yeah, as you said it, well, even if a 127 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:52,159 guy gets like eighty five place quotes, that doesn't mean that there's a huge 128 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,799 gap between him and the other kind of dat. So it's I agree, 129 00:08:56,799 --> 00:09:01,840 we have really three, really great kind of dates. Deseason, I would 130 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:11,279 say actually four because I think Jannis he's having an underrated season because the season 131 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:18,399 of the Bucks is pretty night marriash, and he has his own piece of 132 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,879 debt, to be completely honest, but his numbers are actually pretty great and 133 00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:28,480 they're historical, and I think the thing with him is that we are seeing 134 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,840 the limitations to what can happen when he's neither your primary rim protector or wing 135 00:09:33,879 --> 00:09:39,159 defender on how that can float an entire defense, because he's just best suited 136 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:41,639 in a role where and they have tried him in more different capacities this year. 137 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:48,279 But because he's not a primary something. His impact can be I don't 138 00:09:48,279 --> 00:09:50,360 honest say somewhat muted, but it's not going to lift up and it had 139 00:09:50,399 --> 00:09:52,960 by the way it lifted up the Bucks defense in a certain lineups. I'm 140 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,759 not arguing that, but it's the way that Rudy Gobert can lift up the 141 00:09:56,799 --> 00:10:00,320 Timberwolves defense. And he has a ton of good defenders around. But look 142 00:10:00,399 --> 00:10:03,000 dating back to his time with Utah, or look at what Anthony Davis is 143 00:10:03,039 --> 00:10:07,559 doing with the Lakers, who are finally better defensively statistically with him on the 144 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:09,240 floor. Hashtag that's what happens when maybe you play a little bit less with 145 00:10:09,279 --> 00:10:15,080 cam Reddishenttorian Prince. But we're seeing because and it might be the way Giannis 146 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,159 has used and less about what he can't do. But I do think that's 147 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,120 kind of what ended up separate. Like the offense is just I think you 148 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,080 can make the case even though there's been awkwardness between him and Dame and that 149 00:10:24,159 --> 00:10:28,720 dynamic, Giannis has never been better or more deferential as a passer. So 150 00:10:28,759 --> 00:10:31,279 like he's even continued to grow in his offensive game. He's cut out a 151 00:10:31,279 --> 00:10:35,799 lot of the you know, he has some counters from the perimeter, but 152 00:10:35,919 --> 00:10:37,440 he's kind of cut out those shots where you're not seeing as many pull up 153 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,519 threes or those those junkie pull up twos. So I think he had a 154 00:10:41,639 --> 00:10:46,000 very strong case, like it was a four player race to me. But 155 00:10:46,039 --> 00:10:50,600 I think the way that Luca ascended what the Jokic and the Nuggets did after 156 00:10:50,639 --> 00:10:54,159 he sent that text message over the All Star break, that really kind of 157 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,000 sealed the deal. But again, I would listen if someone to make a 158 00:10:56,039 --> 00:10:58,279 case for Giannis. That's the other thing is I try to keep an open 159 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,960 mind. I might not agree with it. If you want to make a 160 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,039 case for Rihanna's over all these guys, I'll absolutely listen. And because we're 161 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:09,200 talking about these four specifically and maybe even Jalen Brunson, I might not have 162 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:11,639 like a concrete argument against you, I can explain where I'm coming from. 163 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,559 And that's what should be fun about the MVP debate is the is the fact 164 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,480 that it is open for interpretation is good, but it also fuels the toxicity. 165 00:11:20,519 --> 00:11:24,759 Where is it best player on the best team. What does value actually 166 00:11:24,759 --> 00:11:28,600 mean to certain people? Is it will imagine pulling this guy off the roster, 167 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,759 how bad would they be, and so it has to go to that 168 00:11:30,799 --> 00:11:33,480 guy. I mean, that's why that's been lucas another one of Luca's primary 169 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,440 arguments. It's like, have you seen like the Nuggets is on afsplits with 170 00:11:37,519 --> 00:11:41,679 Jokic for like the past eighty years. So it's it's a mess, but 171 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,000 it's also really fun when you're having it with people. You know, when 172 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,960 Grant and I get to do it, I enjoy that discussion. And then 173 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,159 it's just we don't look at the comments or like the reaction as much to 174 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,039 it unless it's positive, because someone's always going to be upset. Now. 175 00:11:54,919 --> 00:12:01,080 Funny, funny counter to that interpretation of who should be the envy is the 176 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,960 way we select the MVP in the ABA League did the original league where Nicolaiakeet 177 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:11,039 used to play back in the day. We just take the numbers production numbers 178 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:16,080 of the players. We don't even take taking the number of wins into the 179 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,919 account, and we say this guy had the most you know, like the 180 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,240 highest PR of all the guys in the league. So this is why he 181 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,600 is the m v P. You know what, We're never wrong and nobody 182 00:12:28,639 --> 00:12:33,480 is talking about it. And the thing the NBA wants for everybody to talk 183 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:41,279 about it because you know it makes the machine machine machines wheel spin. Okay, 184 00:12:41,279 --> 00:12:46,000 then, so before we get to the meet on the bone of today's 185 00:12:46,039 --> 00:12:50,720 show, I wanted to pick your reign about the Nuggets for a couple of 186 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,440 minutes. First of all, for those who don't remember, you predicted a 187 00:12:54,519 --> 00:13:01,399 Nuggets championship last year and you were one hundred percent about that. It's it's 188 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,639 kind of it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. I remember, 189 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,559 because I didn't really I took like a mini victory lap on Twitter, 190 00:13:09,879 --> 00:13:13,080 just recalling. But people don't remember when you're not the first one, right. 191 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,159 But let's say when you're earlier. You were one of the few people 192 00:13:15,159 --> 00:13:16,960 that picked the Nuggets, because I don't know who else nationally picked the Nuggets. 193 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,000 No, remember when you're wrong. If the Nuggets don't win the title 194 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,639 this year, I'm sure I'll get a bunch of pushback to that one. 195 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:31,200 So this year, you predict predicted their repeat, right? Uh? Yeah? 196 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,120 They were my title pick at the beginning of the season. I think 197 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,559 I had them over Milwaukee in the finals, and I do not trust Milwaukee 198 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,360 to get to the Finals, But if that ends up being the matchup, 199 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:46,919 I'll feel exceedingly confident in my Nuggets pick overall. Yes, so this time 200 00:13:46,919 --> 00:13:50,720 around, I don't think you were the sole guy to predict the Nuggets championship. 201 00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:54,720 I mean, you know, when they get one, suddenly people realize 202 00:13:54,919 --> 00:14:01,080 it is possible. And even those people who think that the Celtics are overwhelming 203 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:05,960 favorites will tell you that it will be extremely difficult to win against the team 204 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:11,759 with a lot of continuity, even though they've lost Bruis Brownan for some reason, 205 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:16,919 they also mentioned Jeff Green every time. How would you compare your confidence 206 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:24,279 in the Nuggets at the beginning of the season to now, I probably feel 207 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,399 even more confident, to be honest with you, And I know that maybe 208 00:14:26,399 --> 00:14:30,440 that feels weird coming off of that Spurs game, but that's one of eighty 209 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,080 two they didn't go through. And that was part of my concern last year, 210 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,919 and I promised myself if they went through another slump this year so late 211 00:14:37,919 --> 00:14:41,519 in the season, I wouldn't be concerned. But they didn't really like They've 212 00:14:41,559 --> 00:14:45,360 had their nights where it just feels like they're off, but their top three 213 00:14:45,399 --> 00:14:48,440 in offense, top five in defense since the All Star Break, and so 214 00:14:48,519 --> 00:14:52,480 I'm more confident in that. And the weird thing is, well, this 215 00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:54,960 could be painted as a weakness. I feel a lot more confident in their 216 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,840 bench than I thought I would. You know, I was low on the 217 00:14:58,879 --> 00:15:03,399 Reggie Jackson stuff the beginning of the year. I'm slightly higher on those right. 218 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,320 And you know, even like where Christian Brown, where it feels like, 219 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:09,279 yes, he's been better lately and for a while, but his offensive 220 00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:13,120 start was very uneven. Peyton Watson shooting like seventeen percent from three since the 221 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,600 All Star Break or whatever it is, so you have questions and even just 222 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,960 like the Peyton Watson, like from game to game, it feels like his 223 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:26,159 impact can swing towards any end of the spectrum almost unpredictably, and so like 224 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:31,360 you do have your there's like a level of uncomfortability there. But they I 225 00:15:31,399 --> 00:15:37,120 feel like they've really discovered themselves in those Aaron Gordon as the backup big units, 226 00:15:37,159 --> 00:15:39,879 and I even think that some of their lineups where it's well, we're 227 00:15:39,919 --> 00:15:43,200 gonna surround those units with as many starters as possible, and like we're just 228 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,600 gonna lean on Jokic to prop up some of the bench heavier mobs, maybe 229 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,519 even bench heavier than they have been in the past. This just feels like 230 00:15:48,559 --> 00:15:54,480 a team that understands itself better than it ever has. And to just know 231 00:15:54,559 --> 00:15:58,440 that, like on the court, Michael Porter Junior, you understand what he 232 00:15:58,519 --> 00:16:00,879 is now at both ends of the floor, and that this is someone who, 233 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,480 yeah, even if he kind of goes through his upward and downward swings 234 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:08,559 when you look at his his shot making, the fact that he has conceded 235 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,639 so much of what could be a more prominent role has really worked out well 236 00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:15,559 for this team. And it is so dangerous because it's, as Grant said 237 00:16:15,559 --> 00:16:18,799 on one of our recent podcasts, where it's just like the Nuggets are dangerous 238 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,279 in a vacuum. But then you realize that there's this level to Michael Porter 239 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:26,480 Junior where it's not just him hitting threes, it's by virtue of him being 240 00:16:26,559 --> 00:16:30,000 on the floor. They can become this entirely different animal during the games that 241 00:16:30,039 --> 00:16:34,080 he's on. And so I think in net in some a more confident probably 242 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:38,000 measurably so in the Nuggets than I was at the beginning of the season, 243 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,399 and I was pretty confident. And the final thing to do with that too, 244 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,679 is someone else kind of needs to prove it to me in the West, 245 00:16:44,759 --> 00:16:48,600 and I do. I think Minnesota and OKC are certainly legit. I 246 00:16:48,639 --> 00:16:52,240 do worry about OKAC size, and there's some people I don't care too much 247 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,759 about it, but there is the experience factor. And also just Mark Daignelt 248 00:16:56,759 --> 00:17:00,000 has never had to shrink his rotation like that's just been a dude that plays 249 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:04,359 sixteen out of fifteen guys, fourteen out of thirteen guys every single night basically, 250 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,759 So I'm curious to see how they deal with that adjustment. And then 251 00:17:07,759 --> 00:17:11,160 with Minnesota, there's just still questions about their offense. It's great for them 252 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,640 that they're gonna have Karl Anthony Towns back, what is he gonna look like 253 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,599 long term coming back for that meniscus injury, and can their offense sustain a 254 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,640 high enough, consistent enough peak in the playoffs. And then just like I 255 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,359 thought, the Clippers might have been not sneaky, but they were on a 256 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:30,440 tear for basically half the year. But their transition defense has been poor all 257 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,319 season and it seems to have infected the rest of their defense at this point 258 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,559 too. And then of course there I'm sure they're doing. I'm pretty sure 259 00:17:36,599 --> 00:17:38,720 based off what I know they're doing. This is precaution. But sitting KWHI 260 00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:41,279 because of the knee stuff, that's something that we're gonna have to monitor. 261 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,839 People want to make the Lakers or the Warriors happen, and maybe they have 262 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:49,720 some interesting peaks, but we have this evidence, and including with Phoenix of 263 00:17:49,839 --> 00:17:53,759 eighty games eighty one games. Now, these teams are telling you what they 264 00:17:53,799 --> 00:17:56,680 are. And I think it's been pretty clear. In the West, as 265 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:02,000 brutal as it is, the Nuggets are still just and shoulders above everybody else, 266 00:18:02,039 --> 00:18:04,559 even if you think there's a couple problematic matchups potentially on the docket. 267 00:18:06,279 --> 00:18:11,039 So I think we agree that that Western conferdence is a lot better than its 268 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:18,200 Eastern counterpart this season, and not only this season, and that probably, 269 00:18:18,279 --> 00:18:22,440 you know, part because Boston's huge tally of wins compared to everybody else. 270 00:18:23,079 --> 00:18:29,599 Would you say that West is actually stronger this season compared to the last one, 271 00:18:30,079 --> 00:18:34,759 or is it just some teams rising while some other completely disappearing from contention? 272 00:18:36,039 --> 00:18:40,359 The Nuggets were sixteen and four in the playoffs last year, or twelve 273 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:45,319 and three in the West how realistic is it for them to get out of 274 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,960 the West with only three losses this season? Oh, I would say it's 275 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,960 I'd be shocked if they did it and very impressed, just because you can 276 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,000 boil it down to this, the Clippers are healthier, the Pelicans are healthier, 277 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,839 the timber Wolves are healthier. Oklahoma City has just reached another gear. 278 00:19:00,839 --> 00:19:03,680 And so even if you think okay, the Lakers and the Warriors have kind 279 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:08,319 of faded and the Thunder underachieving one of those three teams can probably still make 280 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,400 some noise, assuming the Warriors and Lakers even get or the Suns for that 281 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:15,720 matter, who are still in play in contention, actually get to the postseason. 282 00:19:15,079 --> 00:19:18,119 But I think, just by virtue of looking at what this version of 283 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,839 the Clippers could be and what this version of the Timberwolves, the Pelicans, 284 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:26,680 and the Thunder already are, that this playoff bracket should, in theory be 285 00:19:27,319 --> 00:19:34,240 much more difficult for Denver to navigate than last year's. One small question about 286 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:41,759 the Nuggets roster this season? Who was your biggest positive and biggest negative surprise 287 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:45,319 on Nuggets roster this season? I know the positive one because I listened to 288 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,200 all of your shows but you can repeat it anyway. You know my positive 289 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,759 surprises because I was thinking about this question when you said it to me, 290 00:19:52,799 --> 00:19:56,400 and it's like, I don't know that anyone's like super duper shocked or disappointed 291 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,279 me on this roster. I know that they've been trying to make Zeke Nagy 292 00:19:59,279 --> 00:20:00,960 happen for what feel like a decade, but I never expected that to be 293 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:06,079 this huge thing. If I'll start the disappointment, I really thought if you 294 00:20:06,079 --> 00:20:07,920 would have asked me at the beginning of the year, I thought we might 295 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:12,720 have seen more from Julian Strather this season, just because of the movement shooting 296 00:20:12,759 --> 00:20:15,279 that that he can provide. I thought he might have played a more integriate 297 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,920 role and certainly would have thought that he hit his three pointers at a higher 298 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:23,799 clip. I'm still pretty high on him moving forward, but that surprised me 299 00:20:23,839 --> 00:20:27,119 a little bit. And then with the Nuggets, in terms of who's been 300 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:33,079 like the most pleasantly surprising player, I think it's I mean, I guess 301 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,359 most people would say Peyton Watson, but I still kind of think it's Michael 302 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:41,799 Porter Junior. Just there's more, there's still more of the level of consistency. 303 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,400 Even if it can be somewhat erratic sometimes to his defense, to his 304 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,960 rebounding, and I think that he is more comfortable in the skin that the 305 00:20:49,039 --> 00:20:53,119 Nuggets have him wearing on offense, where's there's not as much freelancing or attempting 306 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,160 to deviate from the script, And him and Michael Malone definitely seem like they're 307 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,119 on the same page after we felt like a couple of years of just awkward 308 00:21:00,319 --> 00:21:03,240 and I don't know how much injuries to bout him and the rest of the 309 00:21:03,319 --> 00:21:07,920 roster had to do with that. So I think those would be my picks. 310 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,799 But this is again a team and that's not even like patting myself on 311 00:21:10,799 --> 00:21:14,240 the back. It's really just like we kind of understood what they were, 312 00:21:14,319 --> 00:21:15,680 what they could be, and there were times during the stretch of the season 313 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,480 where I thought Christian Brown was going to be maybe my biggest disappointment on the 314 00:21:19,559 --> 00:21:26,200 roster, but they've kind of just progressed to this dominant normal and so I 315 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,599 had a tough time not just identifying a disappointment but even a surprise because of 316 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,839 how good we already knew that they were. Yeah, I agree with your 317 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:38,519 pick of Julian Strutter. I will try to defend his case because you know, 318 00:21:38,599 --> 00:21:42,119 he missed the big chunk of the season with the injury. And also 319 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,960 I think Michael Malone would get an ulcer if he was the third of the 320 00:21:47,039 --> 00:21:49,519 rookie playing this season, you know, next to I mean, I know 321 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:55,960 Christian Brown is a second year player and pet Watson is formally a second year 322 00:21:56,039 --> 00:21:59,640 player as well, but he is really a rookie this season, so if 323 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,759 he to deal with chaos of three super young guys on the team, I 324 00:22:03,799 --> 00:22:10,319 don't think. I don't think we would have Michael Malone alive for the for 325 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,440 the for the playoffs, So it's probably for the best, and I think 326 00:22:15,039 --> 00:22:19,200 Julian still has a really good chance of getting into a better role next season. 327 00:22:19,759 --> 00:22:23,720 Of course I agree also on Michael Porter, I know he is your 328 00:22:23,799 --> 00:22:30,680 most improved player on the Nuggets in your big podcast about most improved players from 329 00:22:30,759 --> 00:22:36,559 each team, So yeah, I'm really happy about Michael. For the end 330 00:22:36,599 --> 00:22:41,599 of this segment, we have one listener submitted question, and if you want 331 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,720 your question answered on the show, you have to become a Patreon supporter on 332 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:52,400 patreon dot com slash miroslav c Uk. This question is from Peter Martin Plumber. 333 00:22:52,559 --> 00:22:56,559 He asked, then, how the heck are you doing? Oh? 334 00:22:56,759 --> 00:23:00,519 Sorry, that's for a different show, Peter. Question is what is your 335 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:07,880 one biggest concern about the Nuggets in the upcoming playoffs? So I think it 336 00:23:07,079 --> 00:23:14,079 might be the rebounding in the non Jokic minutes, because we've seen you could 337 00:23:14,079 --> 00:23:15,640 say the non Yokic minutes in general, but that just feels like low hanging 338 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,920 fruit. And those minutes will the non Jokic minutes will presumably shrink to like 339 00:23:21,759 --> 00:23:25,400 what like eight a game, ten a game at most in the playoffs. 340 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,119 But it's just they're so small in that, like when you have Aaron Gordner's 341 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:33,000 your five, and the defensive rebounding rate during those minutes is really low, 342 00:23:33,039 --> 00:23:37,400 and just overall without Jokic, I think their defensive rebounding rate drops by almost 343 00:23:37,759 --> 00:23:41,680 eight points. And so if you're gonna go up against teams like Minnesota or 344 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:47,119 even New Orleans, if that's a matchup they see against just you know, 345 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,359 in those six, eight, ten minutes that Yokich isn't on the court, 346 00:23:49,799 --> 00:23:53,000 I would be curious to see, Okay, like what kind of happens there 347 00:23:53,039 --> 00:23:59,200 when you already know that probably your offense isn't already gonna be as good, 348 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,079 and so one of the things you can control, aside from playing good defense, 349 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,640 is ensuring that you're ending the possessions of your opponents when you're on the 350 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:10,039 defensive end, and so that would just be something to monitor, I think 351 00:24:10,559 --> 00:24:14,839 again, especially depending on how the matchups pan out. And I will say 352 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,960 this is obviously a later round thing. I know a lot of people don't 353 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,559 think that Okay See has the size or strength to hang with the Nuggets. 354 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,640 They've done a much better job of rebounding out of the All Star break, 355 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,799 and I think a lot of it has to do with you know, I 356 00:24:29,799 --> 00:24:32,079 think it was uh I can't. I think it was grace of What's in 357 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:33,960 the NBA Game podcast, which they just launched. I listened to their first 358 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:38,799 episode was really good, so people should check it out. But she had 359 00:24:38,799 --> 00:24:41,440 mentioned that she thinks has a lot to do with Okay like they're playing Ken 360 00:24:41,559 --> 00:24:45,039 Rich or they're playing big Jalen Williams with the chet holmgrin. I also think 361 00:24:45,079 --> 00:24:48,440 the Wings and the Guards have done a better job boxing out, and so 362 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,920 if that's happening during minutes when Yo kich is off the floor, that's maybe 363 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,480 another team that could give them problems. But I just we're splitting hairs here 364 00:24:57,519 --> 00:25:00,000 when it's what's the biggest con. I mean, you point to everything's a 365 00:25:00,039 --> 00:25:03,440 cliche. It's well, do you trust Reggie Jackson to kind of be the 366 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,440 backup point guard? And the the answer is yes, because he's gonna play 367 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,440 lavish Min's with Jokicht Anyway, I think the other thing you could point to 368 00:25:11,599 --> 00:25:18,720 is will there be any sort of wild, incoherent swings from the youngsters that 369 00:25:18,759 --> 00:25:22,319 you are depending on looking at Christian Brown's offense, Peyton Watson shooting, or 370 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:27,119 just his continuity on the defensive end. So you could point to that, 371 00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:33,000 But I think just the the rebounding during the non Jokic minutes would be something 372 00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:36,720 that I'd be because like you could play Zeke, that's he's not gonna help 373 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,640 you rebounding either. So and I mean DeAndre Jordan, how many playoff minutes 374 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:44,519 do you want to see from DeAndre Jordan? Yeah? Well not many, 375 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,720 not many, And I always keep around with with Jeff Green's minutes from last 376 00:25:48,759 --> 00:25:55,160 season's playoffs. But the reality is he is a big body and you need 377 00:25:55,160 --> 00:26:00,680 a beefy guy here. And there in your rotation. And Ruth is if 378 00:26:02,079 --> 00:26:07,240 they can pull off playing all of Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter, and Peyton 379 00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:11,240 Watson as your front court when Nikola Yoki is not on the court, then 380 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:18,039 that might work rebounding wise. But if you try to play Peyton Watson exclusively 381 00:26:18,039 --> 00:26:23,880 at the four, that might be too thin in certain matchups. So I 382 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:29,480 agree with you that rebounding might might be might be an issue in Nonia FI 383 00:26:29,519 --> 00:26:33,880 two minutes for sure. Okay, let's take I hope Peter is happy with 384 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:33,599 your answer.