1 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,440 What is crack blac and developed there one here a efforts. I am Dan 2 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:25,079 Valley canay et a very brief intro grant and I have I'm decided whether I'm 3 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,399 gonna put it out Monday or Tuesday, but to wrap up for every team 4 00:00:28,399 --> 00:00:32,359 mail bag the Ladder Half the West. I actually thought it was of among 5 00:00:32,399 --> 00:00:34,719 the pods that just him and I have recorded this year. I thought it 6 00:00:34,759 --> 00:00:38,920 was probably one of my favorite pods that we did this this year, like 7 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,079 it's been one of my favorite pods, not just twenty twenty four, but 8 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,880 just this season cycle in general. I thought it was really good. So 9 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,719 I'm throwing you the It's about two hours long, so I figured i'd throw 10 00:00:46,759 --> 00:00:49,359 a sneak preview, which is almost, you know, for some pods, 11 00:00:49,399 --> 00:00:53,119 a close to full pod length. Over twenty minutes of talk with the Pelicans. 12 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,359 I thought, we you know, I really enjoyed the discussion at the 13 00:00:55,439 --> 00:00:59,200 end about whether they're three point defense. That question was whether it's lucky or 14 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,359 not. I thought it was a really fair good discussion. People on YouTube 15 00:01:02,399 --> 00:01:03,959 dissy read, I don't think they watched the whole video because we did nothing 16 00:01:03,959 --> 00:01:07,079 but praise the Pelicans defense or at least I did for half of THEO. 17 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:11,200 But again, I'm I'm actually really excited to put this one out. It's 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:12,959 just a basic now bag, but we had a lot of fun recording it. 19 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:15,879 So I hope you enjoy the stippet of the Pelicans, which I think 20 00:01:15,879 --> 00:01:21,799 we did twenty plus minutes on and yes, until next time if you have 21 00:01:21,799 --> 00:01:26,239 to shout out to the one, the only the indelible Herb Jones is the 22 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:30,560 Pelicans thing. But also Frank Nila, we got the Pelicans next. How 23 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:36,000 do you say it? The Pelicans remain my kink. That's what it's become 24 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,840 on this the Pelicans. Oh man, how do you want to approach this? 25 00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:42,560 We have several questions, but I know there was a particular topic you 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,359 wanted to get into with them. So do you want to just like just 27 00:01:47,439 --> 00:01:49,920 go to the shooting and the defense or do you want me to run down 28 00:01:49,959 --> 00:01:52,879 a list of questions for you? They have, so I think we should 29 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,760 go to do we have two that kind of stepped on the toes of each 30 00:01:56,799 --> 00:02:00,640 other or no? It was a let's I think some of these can be 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,599 a little bit quicker, So Peto, let's go. Let's start with Peto's 32 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,000 one, all right, So Peter asks, take your best shot at trying 33 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,840 to understand who this team should be. A point Zion central team, ABI 34 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:15,319 central team. Can Zion and Brandon Ingram actually coexist? Should they be a 35 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,840 defense or offense oriented team? So I think that's a great question. I 36 00:02:19,879 --> 00:02:23,159 do think they can coexist. But I think if you're not going to have 37 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:29,199 them running pick and rolls with each other, then you need to get just 38 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,639 a ton of stretch around them in the form of just raw three point shooting 39 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:37,400 and maybe another twitchy off the dribble three point threat, or there needs to 40 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:42,800 be that vertical spacer guy who's also a really good rim protector, because, 41 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,520 like I think that's the way to compliment them or to maximize the talent around 42 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,879 them. I do think the best version of this team is with either point 43 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,319 Zion, just because but he's just he's functionally more limiting when he doesn't have 44 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,520 the ball than Brandon Ingram is, especially if you're not going to use him 45 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,879 as the primary screener. That's just where I'm at with that. However, 46 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,879 I would also say, and maybe this is the I don't even know if 47 00:03:06,879 --> 00:03:08,759 this is controversial, it's either the best version of this team is either with 48 00:03:08,879 --> 00:03:14,240 point Zion or point this player isn't on the team yet, And I'm not 49 00:03:14,879 --> 00:03:16,400 go ahead, No, I was gonna say That's what I was gonna ask 50 00:03:16,439 --> 00:03:22,360 you, was because I I'm I'm at least tempted to go along with like 51 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,960 it should be point Zion that needs to be like the foundation of your team 52 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,680 is CJ. McCollum on that team? Like is he? Is that what 53 00:03:29,719 --> 00:03:32,560 you want at that position? Or do you need like a Herb Jones that 54 00:03:32,599 --> 00:03:36,759 can also drive and handle them? You know what I mean? Like because 55 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,280 McCall because if you're gonna do the Zion at the point thing and maybe like 56 00:03:40,879 --> 00:03:45,680 what's that gonna do for your defensive matchups? It puts McCollum in tough positions. 57 00:03:45,719 --> 00:03:47,319 It's kind of like we talked about with Dallas and how Luca is at 58 00:03:47,319 --> 00:03:51,360 a position where you want him to guard like a three to four, that's 59 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:57,080 a tough matchup. Usually you got to like move things around. H If 60 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,400 it's not McCollum, who is it? Can it be McCollum, Like because 61 00:04:00,439 --> 00:04:02,680 that obviously the stretchy big and the rim protecting big Like yeah, yeah, 62 00:04:02,719 --> 00:04:08,439 we said that forever, Miles Turner on and on. Uh, is McCollum 63 00:04:08,479 --> 00:04:11,879 the right point guard for that or whatever whatever? If he's not the point 64 00:04:11,919 --> 00:04:15,159 guard, is McCollum the right guy at like what would otherwise be the one 65 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,199 going forward? And that's just the look you're talking about. And he's so 66 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:20,839 good that it's been so good this year and you have to credit him for 67 00:04:20,879 --> 00:04:26,040 really juicing up his three point more. Yeah, Trey Murphy coming on ends 68 00:04:26,079 --> 00:04:28,959 up being a big deal for them, So maybe you have just but look, 69 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:30,639 if you told me this team came out of the West, it wouldn't 70 00:04:30,639 --> 00:04:34,879 surprise me. I do think ultimately and this will get it. So the 71 00:04:34,879 --> 00:04:39,279 offense or defense? Should they be an offensive defense team? I actually think 72 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,800 because of how imperfect they can be on offense, it makes sense that it 73 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:46,920 doesn't make sense when you're looking at their personnel, Like this current team I 74 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,319 think needs to actually hang its hat on defense. But like, if you're 75 00:04:50,319 --> 00:04:55,160 building out future iterations just because of who your best player is gonna be, 76 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,319 whether it's Zion or whether it's Ingram in that like and even though like having 77 00:04:59,439 --> 00:05:01,360 like, I think I think it's probably leaning offense first, Like that's what 78 00:05:01,439 --> 00:05:05,040 if you're making new additions, I'm catering to the offense. But we'll get 79 00:05:05,079 --> 00:05:10,439 into that because we have another defensive question. So yeah, I think the 80 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,120 other thing with what you mentioned looming over all this is it might be point 81 00:05:14,199 --> 00:05:16,199 Zion, but you have to ask yourself, is he healthy enough? Will 82 00:05:16,199 --> 00:05:19,519 his prime last long enough to lean all the way into that? Yeah? 83 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:26,600 I mean I guess that that hangs over everything. So because like if you 84 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,040 build a point Zion team that is a specific ass team with like guys that 85 00:05:30,079 --> 00:05:34,079 are gonna, you know, have really certain jobs that'll be different than they'd 86 00:05:34,079 --> 00:05:38,920 be on like a quote unquote normally constructed team. Yeah, and then if 87 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,959 if the guy that's at the center of all that is like maybe not going 88 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,120 to hold up or is gonna miss time or have conditioning issues or whatever, 89 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,240 which, for the time being like pretty good stretch on that front for Zion, 90 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:59,160 But like it's so precarious to build like an unusual roster around an unusual 91 00:05:59,199 --> 00:06:01,160 player. If he's not there, like, then what the hell is this 92 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,680 team? Like things don't make sense anymore. You kind of almost have to 93 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:10,439 build like a totally different like second you I don't know, there's risk there, 94 00:06:10,439 --> 00:06:13,959 But it's like I think I still think that like putting the ball on 95 00:06:14,079 --> 00:06:17,120 Zion's hands unlesson until he becomes like a great off ball cutter or a shooter, 96 00:06:17,319 --> 00:06:19,279 Like that's just the way it's got to go, right, Like, 97 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,560 I don't know what else you really do to maximize the talent, And I 98 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,279 do think that the two can coexist, and they might look they're doing it 99 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,079 right now. I mean, like the numbers they're they're starting lineup numbers have 100 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,319 started to turn, and I think it's probably about futzing and fiddling one on 101 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,279 the margins. But there is a case to be made that if you are 102 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,360 trying to really improve your offensive ceiling or maybe even playoff, we have to 103 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,120 see what their playoff offense looks like. If you want to playoff proof of 104 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,680 your offense or create more chemistry, the glue tying all that together probably isn't 105 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,839 on the team yet if that's the route you want to go, Yeah, 106 00:06:53,879 --> 00:06:58,680 okay, So next question here from Yankees Man seventy seven. Pelican's going to 107 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,759 make a move this summer to bring in an center either by trade or free 108 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,680 agent or are they gonna sign Yonis Valentuna soon new deal if not, so 109 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:10,199 they move on from him. Who do you see as not the new starting 110 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,839 five next de zion bi for next season? Like what's what's it look like? 111 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,600 I guess focusing on the center position, Like what do you think they 112 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,399 should do? What can they do? What would you like them to do? 113 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:24,560 I think so they're like twelve and a half thirteen million dollars under the 114 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:30,800 tax without accounting for Jonas Valenciunas next contract, and so you could say, 115 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:32,199 right, well, if you just plug in, maybe that's the number he 116 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:34,920 gets he's earning. What's he at this year? I mean that would be 117 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:39,000 a pay cut, so you would think that he would have more. And 118 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:44,160 you're also in that point that doesn't include a new contract for Jose Alvarado if 119 00:07:44,199 --> 00:07:46,680 they want to go that route with him. Naji Marshall gonna have a first 120 00:07:46,759 --> 00:07:50,959 round draft pick too, right, Well, no, so the estimate for 121 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:55,439 this is like it has the Lakers draft pick in there. I think they 122 00:07:55,439 --> 00:07:58,160 have the right to defer it. So I mean you could save some money 123 00:07:58,199 --> 00:08:00,959 there, yeah, which they probably will for it, just because that could 124 00:08:00,959 --> 00:08:03,519 save him like four million bucks. But my point being, you don't have 125 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,319 money to spend on a big wig Center. So I would just keep Yonas 126 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,759 Valentunis or try and work out a unless you have another trade lined up. 127 00:08:11,759 --> 00:08:16,360 But you don't have all this expendable matching salary necessarily unless you if U s 128 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:20,600 J. McCollum as expendable, sure you have Larry Nance, maybe you're willing 129 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:22,560 to go you can get to numbers where it's like, oh, if you're 130 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,800 step ladder with Nance and Dice and Daniels, I think the safest course would 131 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,839 be to figure out a way to keep Jonas Valentiunis and then that'll, you 132 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:31,600 know, will this team pay the tax? You have to ask yourself that 133 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,159 if you're gonna make another splash at Center, if you let Jonas Valentiunis walk, 134 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,039 I don't know who the free agent, like, you don't have the 135 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,639 money to go after Isaiah Hert Andstein, who would be an interesting fit here, 136 00:08:43,279 --> 00:08:45,200 you know? And then there's just like there's not a ton of talented 137 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,320 Yeah, Nick Claxton would be kind of interesting. There'd be spacing limitations there 138 00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:52,720 though. You can't afford him either. So you're looking at You're looking at 139 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:54,919 like, oh, Daniel Tice, like could we get him? And so 140 00:08:56,039 --> 00:09:00,519 if you're gonna upgrade the center position or make him materially different, it has 141 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,840 to happen on the trade market when I go through, Like you can come 142 00:09:03,919 --> 00:09:07,080 up with names, and I know a lot of Wolves fans love the Jared 143 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,600 Allen idea, and maybe the Cavs get to a point where they want to 144 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,399 move off one of their bigs. I will say I kind of consider vertical 145 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:16,799 spacing overrated in this context. I don't know how you feel about that to 146 00:09:16,799 --> 00:09:20,039 where I prefer, Yes, I want a big who protects the rimman stretches 147 00:09:20,039 --> 00:09:24,039 the floor. But just like if I'm going to really give up a lot 148 00:09:24,039 --> 00:09:26,639 of assets for this team, it has to be for that big. And 149 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:31,559 yes they're rare, borderline non existent. I like Jared Allen works, and 150 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,879 especially at his numbers, so maybe it's like, well, we're giving up 151 00:09:33,879 --> 00:09:37,120 this equity and he's so cheap for the next couple of years relative to what 152 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,320 players of his caliber would make. But like I just there's not a name 153 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:46,039 out there, like it's the idea. It's like Miles Turner as concept and 154 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,000 like been there, done that type deal. So and they might just I 155 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,759 think a lot of what happens in the playoffs will probably inform what they try, 156 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,240 because you could convince me that they enter the offseason with the priority of 157 00:09:58,279 --> 00:10:01,120 we need like a real floor general any year rather than like focusing on the 158 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,399 five spot depending on how the postseason unfold. And so I don't have a 159 00:10:05,399 --> 00:10:07,720 great I feel bet not having a great answer to who should they go after 160 00:10:07,759 --> 00:10:11,840 at the center position. But if they do anything, I'm assuming it's just 161 00:10:11,879 --> 00:10:16,480 gonna happen on the trade market, and I just don't there's no name. 162 00:10:16,519 --> 00:10:18,519 I don't know if you can think of a name that brings to mind, 163 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:20,720 like maybe Dallas, would we want to trade one of their bigs? Like 164 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,519 are they gonna trade you maxally Kliba. And he's also just not the thirty 165 00:10:24,519 --> 00:10:28,480 five minute per game answer either thirty minute per game answer. I think it's 166 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,080 telling that you got to Daniel Tyss's name real quick in the list of options. 167 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,960 So whether they can afford in free agency as well, it's a bare 168 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:39,039 okay, So this is where we really got to get to. This has 169 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,279 been the topic I don't know, not du jour, but like of the 170 00:10:41,399 --> 00:10:48,879 last couple of weeks around NBA NERD circles and Pelicans circles, particularly from this 171 00:10:48,919 --> 00:10:52,639 is from Trey Real Stroker Murphy. How does the Pelicans three point defense work? 172 00:10:52,039 --> 00:10:56,399 It can't be just luck that their opponents have consistently the worst three point 173 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,320 percentage for two straight seasons while they also give up the most three point attempts. 174 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,039 What's going on? I wrote about this today for something else. I've 175 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:07,879 been listening to a lot of discussions about it. We got to talk about 176 00:11:07,919 --> 00:11:11,039 this. Oh, you wrote about it. Did you want to take it? 177 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,279 Then? No? It's all your notes are very similar. I mean, 178 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:18,879 I'm the cynic and I am my kink is not the Pelicans. So 179 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,519 I feel like I'm just a little a little bit more down on them than 180 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,759 you, And I trust in a lot of smarter people than me who have 181 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:30,840 essentially said, you know, there are some things you can do as a 182 00:11:30,879 --> 00:11:35,559 defense to limit three point accuracy of your opponents, one of the main ones 183 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,360 being make sure really good shooters do not take those threes, and one of 184 00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:45,360 the other ones being try not to allow really wide open threes the Pelicans. 185 00:11:45,919 --> 00:11:50,159 The deep dives in the data just suggest that like some of that might be 186 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,919 happening, and the two year window where it's this is happening two years in 187 00:11:52,919 --> 00:11:56,279 a row now is persuasive just because it grows the size of the sample, 188 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:01,399 so you can't dismiss it as small sample. Look as I still think it's 189 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,840 mostly luck. I still think if opponents are missing wide open threes more often 190 00:12:05,879 --> 00:12:09,919 against you than against any other team, odds are you're lucky. And it's 191 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,840 not like you haven't figured out how to play like you don't. Willie Green's 192 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:18,000 a good coach. I don't know if he has schooled the team on defensive 193 00:12:18,039 --> 00:12:22,720 telepathy, Like I don't think that's a thing. So part of it I 194 00:12:22,279 --> 00:12:26,240 said I wasn't gonna take over this thing. But like, I think part 195 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,320 of it is that maybe some of the numbers we have are not accounting for, 196 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,600 like the length of the Pelicans roster, Like maybe wide open shots are 197 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,679 not as wide open if it's Trey Murphy or brandon Ingram or Herb Jones closing 198 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:41,840 out against you with like nine foot wingspans. But I skew more towards the 199 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,639 Pelicans have been lucky defensively, and I think their defense will be will regress 200 00:12:46,399 --> 00:12:50,759 as opponents make threes that expected rates. So take that where you want. 201 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,559 If you're looking at three point devents specifically and say they've been lucky, but 202 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,200 I think the way that they are able to get set is like a big 203 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,639 part of why their defense is maybe overachieved relative to personnel. There's luck involved 204 00:13:01,639 --> 00:13:05,879 with the three point I mean you mentioned it, like their opponents aretooting thirty 205 00:13:05,879 --> 00:13:07,320 six percent on wide open threes. That's by far and away the lowest mark 206 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,399 in the league. You can say they're selective about who gives them up, 207 00:13:11,399 --> 00:13:13,720 but when you go back and watch what I do think you already mentioned the 208 00:13:13,799 --> 00:13:18,759 length thing and the contest stuff is right, but there are two things that 209 00:13:18,799 --> 00:13:22,159 stand out to me. Is the level of pressure they're able to put on 210 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:26,919 because they navigate screens and so they're within proximity of these shot takers that they're 211 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:31,120 going to have these where maybe it's classified as open, but because of the 212 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,279 wingspans of some of these guys that it's actually not six plus feet. The 213 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:41,799 other thing for me, only the heat and the bulls are better at forcing 214 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,919 opponents to take threes later in the shot clock, so seven seconds or less 215 00:13:45,919 --> 00:13:50,279 remaining on the shot clock. Statistically speaking, those shot percentages on average are 216 00:13:50,279 --> 00:13:52,519 going to be lower than if they're coming up, because the reason you're taking 217 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:58,200 shots early under the shot clock is you're open to the Pulgus might give up 218 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,759 a lot of wide open threes, but if you're also forcing opponents to defend 219 00:14:01,799 --> 00:14:05,639 deep into the shot clock, how many of those threes are grenades? Two 220 00:14:05,639 --> 00:14:09,879 shooters. You mentioned this at the top, they're not very good, and 221 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:11,519 so I think that's been a big deal about their defense, which comes back 222 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:16,000 to one getting set the fact that they're able to fight. And you have 223 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,759 guys like Herb Jones, you have guys like Craig Murphy, you even have 224 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,440 just like and I think this has been the other thing that I noticed is 225 00:14:22,679 --> 00:14:26,200 brand Ingram has gotten better defensively. I think he's been smarter with his closeouts, 226 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,679 He's been able to shoot better gaps, smarter with his help and I 227 00:14:28,679 --> 00:14:33,000 think that's where the Pelicans have And I did not dig into the data on 228 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,000 this, so I didn't look at like what's happening from the corners. But 229 00:14:35,039 --> 00:14:39,799 when you look at like with CJ. McCullum and Brandon Ingram have done as 230 00:14:39,799 --> 00:14:41,799 helpers when they are in the corners, and maybe even Zion Williamson at points 231 00:14:43,399 --> 00:14:46,480 they've been able to like pick and choose where they're gonna put the ball pressure, 232 00:14:46,759 --> 00:14:48,200 and if you trust those guys to close out, or if you're helping 233 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:52,039 off of the right shooters, I think that adds the element of Okay, 234 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:56,399 we're actually helping deflate this three point percentage by design. I say all this 235 00:14:56,639 --> 00:15:00,759 knowing we saw it with the Knicks a couple of years ago. That stuff 236 00:15:00,799 --> 00:15:05,519 will normalize. There's luck here, there's absolutely luck here. But I don't 237 00:15:05,559 --> 00:15:07,799 think like if you look at the Pelicans defense as a whole, and a 238 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,200 lot of what I said applies to I think their overall defense, because take 239 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,519 three point pointers out of the equation, only the Bulls have opponents taking a 240 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,720 larger share of their overall shots inside seven seconds of the shot clock. That's 241 00:15:20,759 --> 00:15:22,639 a big deal, I would say. And so it's their ability to get 242 00:15:22,679 --> 00:15:26,399 set, which that comes back to their offense, but also just a commitment 243 00:15:26,639 --> 00:15:30,360 to getting back in transition, which they've for the most part consistently had under 244 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,000 Willie Green. All that stuff makes a big difference. And so if you 245 00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:35,679 want to say the Pelicans three point defense has been more luck than not, 246 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,879 I will concede that. But I do think they've done things that go into 247 00:15:39,919 --> 00:15:43,200 it. As a larger point, I don't think their overall defensive standing is 248 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,559 completely founded around luck. I know it looks wonky because of the personnel, 249 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,399 but I think that they have done things to earn what are they like sixth 250 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:54,799 right now in points lab the possession or wherever it is. So that's where 251 00:15:54,799 --> 00:15:56,519 I'm at with the Pelicans defense, and it's why, I mean, it's 252 00:15:56,559 --> 00:16:00,320 one of the many reasons why they are my kink, because even their offensive 253 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,879 imperfections or the Knights where it's look, they're going through a kind of a 254 00:16:03,919 --> 00:16:07,000 mini tear right now. They've beat up on some inferior opponents, like we've 255 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,960 seen stretches where those don't kind of just deviate from what's working and it doesn't 256 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:15,919 make sense. But you can still almost trust them to refine their peak or 257 00:16:15,919 --> 00:16:18,799 to tread water because their defense has been so good. And I think too, 258 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:25,720 like it's kind of exciting to think about because like their process, at 259 00:16:25,799 --> 00:16:29,440 least in terms of just the shots they allow, goes against conventional wisdom because 260 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,759 like in terms of what are the pillars of a good defense. Typically right 261 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:37,879 now in the NBA, it's like, don't let opponents shoot threes, like, 262 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,279 just don't do that, Like that's the bucks under Buttonholzer, like that 263 00:16:41,399 --> 00:16:42,879 was their whole thing. We funnel everything to the middle. We let the 264 00:16:42,879 --> 00:16:47,480 big guys deal with it. Typically, I correct me if I'm wrong. 265 00:16:47,519 --> 00:16:52,080 I think, just as a broad generalization, the best defense is limit opponent 266 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,159 three point attempt frequency. The Pelicans don't do that. Well, it's interesting 267 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,000 to think that, like conventional wisdom is only right until it isn't, And 268 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,839 at some point we could be in an era where like it's actually okay to 269 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,319 let opponents shoot a bunch of threes as long as you get really good at 270 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:14,319 you know, contesting and letting the wrong guys making sure the wrong slash right 271 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:18,039 guys are shooting those threes. It's fun to think about the Pelicans maybe being 272 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:21,680 on like the vanguard of something because it's two years now, so like that 273 00:17:21,759 --> 00:17:23,440 has to at least get your attention a little bit. I'm just playing Devil's 274 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:26,680 advocate. But well, that's the interesting side of this to me, is 275 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,400 that it goes against like normal good defensive process. Well, I think you're 276 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:33,960 touching on a trend too. I mean, this isn't I'm talking about just 277 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,720 this season So if you go through the teams that are the best at limiting 278 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,359 opponent three point attempts, I'll read them off to you. I'll read you 279 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,680 the top five and you guess how many top ten defenses are in there. 280 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:53,279 Indiana, Denver, Detroit, Washington, Portland followed by San Antonio. Interest 281 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:57,799 out right, bad defense is like pretty much across the board. Denver Tennis. 282 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,880 Yeah, and is not even in They're not in the top ten of 283 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:06,319 defense this year, right. You wonder though, is that the defense limiting 284 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,400 threes or is that the defense being so bad that teams get all the way 285 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,119 to the basket, which is what they want to do anyway, Like I 286 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,079 don't you know what I mean, Like it can't it could be that too. 287 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:21,759 Look to be fair, So like Minnesota is seventh, Cleveland is eighth, 288 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:26,559 or Milwaukee's ninth, Orlando is tenth, and so it's like, okay, 289 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,440 there is some pretty good defenses there. But it's just funny that of 290 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,039 the top five teams, even top six, just because Portland was so close 291 00:18:33,039 --> 00:18:36,640 to being in the top like they were basically dead. Even of the top 292 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:41,400 six teams that are great at limiting opponent three point attempts, there's one top 293 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:45,359 ten defense and it's Denvers. Yeah. You know what The unfortunate part about 294 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,559 this is what it reveals is that you can't just look at the number and 295 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,480 conclude that the Pelicans are a good or bad defense or are lucky because all 296 00:18:52,519 --> 00:18:57,079 those teams you just mentioned, like you can't. I guess I'm just you 297 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:00,160 have to watch what they do, like what kinds of threes are. It's 298 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,680 like that just makes it harder to study defense. This happened earlier in the 299 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,519 season where it's of the games I caught. It was like someone had said 300 00:19:07,519 --> 00:19:08,720 in our discord, I apologize, I can't remember that CG. McCom was 301 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,279 having a fantastic defensive season and you look at some of the counting numbers of 302 00:19:12,319 --> 00:19:15,359 what he's doing seals, it's like okay, And then I was just like, 303 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,559 eh, like I haven't seen it. But then you go back to 304 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,200 kind of watching the possessions that he's not involved in yah directly, and it's 305 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,680 oh, okay, it's like they are the That's that was a great way 306 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,319 to frame It's like this is the team that you have to watch them to 307 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:33,319 defend to understand why this is happening. Beyond luck, but I do have 308 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,039 to concede just because we've seen it play out. I'm going to default the 309 00:19:36,079 --> 00:19:38,839 history with you. I think the three point stuff is probably more lucky than 310 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,079 not. But I will say relative to like what the Knicks did, like 311 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:47,880 during the early TIBs days, it does feel like more than the typical Jedi 312 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:52,400 defense, the Pelicans are doing things to actually affect what's going on here. 313 00:19:52,799 --> 00:19:56,920 Yes, I think I think that's Yeah. I don't think it's all luck. 314 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,519 I think it's mostly luck, and I think the part that is luck 315 00:20:00,599 --> 00:20:03,119 is really worth paying attention to, like how aggressively they rotate and how much 316 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,039 they just always have a body at the nail, so you can't drive. 317 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,200 You have to swing, swing, swing, and hope they fuck up a 318 00:20:10,279 --> 00:20:12,480 rotation and then you get your wide open three. But to your point, 319 00:20:12,759 --> 00:20:17,000 maybe that's like eight passes into the possession and the shot clocks at five, 320 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,240 and that's a harder shot. The amount of work it takes to get them 321 00:20:19,279 --> 00:20:22,279 in rotation because of the way they're able to navigate screens,