1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,120 What's up, y'all is Drewski and I've teamed up with Mountain Dew to produce 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:08,679 a hilarious new basketball podcast called The Due Zone with Drewski. Learn the backstories 3 00:00:08,679 --> 00:00:11,839 of your favorite balls and celebrities like Jamal Murray. Did you have like a 4 00:00:11,919 --> 00:00:14,720 favorite team? Wasn't the Raptors at the time? Or no, was the 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,160 Raptors even started on the top? Come on, bro, I had that 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,559 tell you like I'm fifty, Taylor Rogues, Asian Wilson, and many more. 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,359 You won't want to miss this. Listen to The Due Zone with Drewski 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:32,359 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Hi. 9 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,200 Blue Wire listeners, I'm Greg Olsen. I'm excited to partner with Blue Wire 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,000 to bring you te one, a podcast where I interview the tight ends who 11 00:00:40,039 --> 00:00:45,920 have revolutionized the position. Listen in as I have raw, in depth conversations 12 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:50,280 with the all time greats like Shannon Sharp, Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelsey, 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,240 and George Kittle. We'll explore how the tight end position has changed over the 14 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,280 last sixty years and what it takes to be the very best. Subscribe to 15 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,320 te one from Blue Wire Student dos today so you're ready for the August premiere. 16 00:01:15,799 --> 00:01:19,719 Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Hardwood Knocks. This is 17 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,680 Adam from Will here with my co host Dan Favali, and today we're going 18 00:01:23,719 --> 00:01:27,959 to be going over the complicated and weird and somehow still Phoenix Suns, including 19 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:34,920 playoff scenarios in the Western Conference. First, a shout out to NFL Sunday 20 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,239 Ticket, to Deal Dash, and to bet Online dot Ag, without whom 21 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,560 this podcast would not be possible. The bubble in the Western Conference has been 22 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:49,120 so weird, it's it's I don't think any of us expected the Suns to 23 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,959 still be in contention with the New Orleans Pelicans eliminated from the playoff conversation, 24 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:57,359 but that's where we are. And I assume you've had as much fun as 25 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,599 I have watching this unfold. N Yeah, it's been absolute chaos, more 26 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,040 chaos than I would have expected. You always would have banked on the Kings 27 00:02:07,079 --> 00:02:09,000 being one of the first teams gone. That just makes total sense, and 28 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:14,479 you know their team, that's an interesting team to look at for the future 29 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,879 because did Aaron Fox had something very disturbing but maybe we could get to that 30 00:02:17,479 --> 00:02:21,000 or what I found very disturbing afterwards, but maybe we can get to that 31 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,080 in a little bit. The Pelicans being eliminated definitely disappointing because I probably picked 32 00:02:24,159 --> 00:02:29,400 them to get into the plane leading into all this, but they played some 33 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:34,439 pretty apathetic looking basketball throughout just these really bad openings, and then you saw 34 00:02:34,479 --> 00:02:38,599 all these struggles from Lonzo Balls. Ian Williamson didn't play his best basketball, 35 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:43,599 had a pretty good game in that loss to the Spurs. Brandon Ingram kind 36 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,080 of disappeared after, you know, one great half against the Jazz. There 37 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,439 was a lot of weird stuff, even Drew Holiday, and when their season 38 00:02:50,479 --> 00:02:52,919 was on the line, just some of their best players didn't seem like they 39 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,360 were at their very best, and that team has some questions to ask moving 40 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,560 forward. I the relitigations of their future on the timeline I found a little 41 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,159 bit confounding because they still seem to be in a great situation. But those 42 00:03:05,199 --> 00:03:07,639 are two teams we could talk about after we get to the teams that are 43 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,000 still in the playoffs, because it's exciting. There are just so many different 44 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,080 scenarios, so many different balls in the air right now. Memphis has just 45 00:03:14,159 --> 00:03:17,000 beaten up and I don't want to dump all over them, but they're the 46 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,159 team I want to see least now in the eight spot. You know, 47 00:03:22,199 --> 00:03:24,560 whether they have to go through a plan or lose it completely, because just 48 00:03:24,599 --> 00:03:28,759 without Jaren Jackson Junior, that injury just comes as a major bummer. I 49 00:03:28,759 --> 00:03:30,560 want to see a team that might put up like some zemblance of a fight 50 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:34,680 against the Lakers. I don't think that's the Spurs or the Suns, but 51 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,960 the Spurs just getting in there would be kind of objectively hysterical after you know, 52 00:03:38,039 --> 00:03:40,639 they lost the Marcus Alders. They were just written off. They were 53 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,960 in full developmental mode when they entered the bubble. And then just have the 54 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,280 Suns in there like that would be a whoa really out of nowhere, Like 55 00:03:47,319 --> 00:03:52,280 this team is supposed to be incredibly incompetent, then people will finally understand actually 56 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,560 how good Devin Booker is. Portland seems like it'll be the best matchup, 57 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:59,039 but there are just so many different scenarios in the air right now. When 58 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,479 we're recording this base basically as Phoenix plays against as everyone's calling them the zombie 59 00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:08,400 Thunder, since they're sitting everybody, I don't necessarily early everyone. Yeah, 60 00:04:08,719 --> 00:04:11,159 they might as well, just forfeit is what it seems. I don't think 61 00:04:11,199 --> 00:04:13,639 they're fielding a full team right, Like, they're just gonna play five on 62 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,000 four the whole game. That's basically what they're gonna do. And maybe they're 63 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,639 they're really trying to help Phoenix, you know, get into the playoffs, 64 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,959 or at least ensure that there's maximum chaos down down the stretch. So I 65 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,120 think the place to start would be which team do you think is going to 66 00:04:28,319 --> 00:04:30,639 how do you think this ends? Is Memphis still gonna have the eight seed? 67 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,160 Are we're gonna have a play in with Memphis? I kind of don't 68 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:39,680 think so, which seems so weird to say, because they entered the bubble 69 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:44,759 like just scorching hot. It seemed like all the pieces were coalescing around John 70 00:04:44,759 --> 00:04:47,519 Morant, Jaren Jackson Junior was playing better basketball, they were getting a lot 71 00:04:47,519 --> 00:04:51,480 of bench contributions. Everything seemed to be working. But they've just been in 72 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:56,560 this absolute free fall. And even though they hold the eighth spot, they 73 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,240 only have two games left. They have the Boston Celtics on Tuesday and then 74 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,360 Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Granted, neither of those teams really has much to 75 00:05:03,399 --> 00:05:06,720 play for since we're sort of in this weird, like almost like NFL Week 76 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:14,160 seventeen territory where you have these varying degrees of motivation in play. But those 77 00:05:14,199 --> 00:05:18,040 are both really good teams with depth, and even if they're resting Jannis, 78 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:23,279 even if they're resting Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, I'm not sure that Memphis 79 00:05:23,319 --> 00:05:27,160 is gonna win either of those games. And if they drop both of them 80 00:05:27,319 --> 00:05:30,199 all of a sudden, we're looking at a scenario where Portland, San Antonio, 81 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,759 and Phoenix are kind of all in play. I want to eliminate san 82 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:39,480 Antonio off the bat, which is probably going to come back to bite me 83 00:05:39,519 --> 00:05:43,279 because it's the San Antonio Spurs and they're like legally required to be in the 84 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,439 playoffs each year. It's been twenty two straight seasons. As you said, 85 00:05:46,439 --> 00:05:50,000 we all wrote them off after LaMarcus Aldrich underwent that shoulder surgery and was ruled 86 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,959 out for the rest of the season. But here they are because Derek White 87 00:05:54,199 --> 00:05:58,959 has been absolutely fantastic, Because DeMar Derozen is still scoring in binges, because 88 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,680 Keldon Johnson is suddenly making contributions. Everything's kind of working as you might expect. 89 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,319 From a Greg Popovic coach team. But they do still have the Houston 90 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:11,759 Rockets on Tuesday and the Utah Jazz on Thursday, and I kind of think 91 00:06:11,759 --> 00:06:16,199 that the Jazz are just desperate to right the ship and to figure something out 92 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,399 that's going to work for them as we move into the playoffs, which they're 93 00:06:19,399 --> 00:06:23,680 already guaranteed to be a part of. I don't think San Antonio is going 94 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,199 to win both of those games. They're one game back of Memphis, they're 95 00:06:26,199 --> 00:06:30,439 half a game back of Portland, and without two wins as hot as Phoenix 96 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,279 and Portland both are, I don't think that's going to be good enough. 97 00:06:32,959 --> 00:06:35,879 I think what's tough for the Spurs too, is we don't know what's going 98 00:06:35,959 --> 00:06:40,439 to happen with Derek White's left knee. He left that game against the Pelicans 99 00:06:40,519 --> 00:06:45,399 with a left knee contusion. I'm I'm not entirely ready to write them off, 100 00:06:45,399 --> 00:06:47,399 just because they've been getting contributions from all over, like you Banks just 101 00:06:47,439 --> 00:06:50,920 coming in and giving them really big minutes, playing great the events in that 102 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:56,480 Pelicans game. I like that they've been more willing to go super small where 103 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,680 they're just gonna you know, they've had Rudy Gays center for pretty long stretches, 104 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:02,680 and they've just spread the floor basically around DeMar de Rosen, having four 105 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:08,920 shooters around him. That does displace Jehaney Murray, but the fact that they've 106 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,600 been so open minded to go that route has been encouraging. This is the 107 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:15,759 scenario, though, one of the scenarios for the Spurs to get in, 108 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:17,720 which is why I think I'd probably agree with you, particularly because you're looking 109 00:07:17,759 --> 00:07:21,560 at their upcoming opponents as well. San Antonio needs Phoenix and Portland to lose 110 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,519 at least once while they win their final two games, which as you mentioned, 111 00:07:25,519 --> 00:07:30,240 are against Houston and Utah, and failing that, the Spurs can also 112 00:07:30,279 --> 00:07:32,680 make the plan if they win twice, Memphis loses twice and then one of 113 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:39,680 Phoenix or Portland loses once and this is per the athletic So there's a lot 114 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,279 of things that need to happen for them to get in there, but it 115 00:07:42,399 --> 00:07:45,279 just it contributes to the cast because there's also still a path for them to 116 00:07:45,319 --> 00:07:47,560 get the eight seed, which is how close everyone is. The thing I'll 117 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:53,720 push back though against is with Memphis, I actually think they're gonna end up. 118 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,959 I don't know if they make the playoffs, you know, maybe they 119 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,279 lose during a plan. But I don't think they're gonna lose both of those 120 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:03,720 games because you won. I think you might be overcrediting Boston's depth, Like 121 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,160 if they just decided to sit three guys in that game, they really drop 122 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:11,040 off after the top five or six, the top six players on there. 123 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:16,319 What do you have against Robert Williams exactly? That's it's Robert Williams has shown 124 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,480 flashes, but like, who are you using too? They've they've struggled when 125 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:22,279 Keba walkers off the floor to generate offense at all this year. They have 126 00:08:22,319 --> 00:08:24,279 about a league average offense during those stretches. If you if you sit him 127 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:28,040 because you're just worried about his knee, and you said Tatum in the same 128 00:08:28,079 --> 00:08:30,759 game, I just don't know who's going to generate your offense. Maybe they 129 00:08:30,759 --> 00:08:33,360 don't do that. The Bucks, as you said, are super deep. 130 00:08:33,399 --> 00:08:35,240 That would be a game that I would write in as a loss for Memphis, 131 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:39,279 But it seems like there's a possibility that they would be Boston. Should 132 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,919 the Celtics just sit everyone. It does seem like we're going to get a 133 00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:46,279 lot of clarity on Tuesday, when all these games take place. But just 134 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,879 as a quick reminder, the way that the format works for these playoffs, 135 00:08:48,879 --> 00:08:52,519 because I think we should explicitly lay that out, is that if the eighth 136 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,240 and the ninth seed in the Western Conference are within four games of each other, 137 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,840 which at this point is a guarantee, that's going to trigger a play 138 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:03,000 in sort of like pseudo series for the eighth and final seed. If the 139 00:09:03,039 --> 00:09:07,279 eighth seed wins either of the games they're in, the ninth seed would have 140 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,639 to win both of them to eliminate the eighth seed and make the playoffs. 141 00:09:09,919 --> 00:09:13,799 So that's kind of what we're talking about here, just figuring out who's going 142 00:09:13,879 --> 00:09:16,320 to be an eighth and who's going to be a ninth, which is all 143 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,360 still up in the air. It does feel like at least one of those 144 00:09:18,399 --> 00:09:22,759 spots is going to belong to the Portland Trailblazers. They feel like phatik really 145 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,440 they're going to be in the play in tournament at some point and look Gary 146 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:31,159 Trent Juniors shooting one trillion percent from three but absolutely amazing for them. Mellow 147 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,200 has played well offensively. As people pointed out, they've gone a great length 148 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:41,200 to hide him defensively. He spent time on Al Horford during the Sixers game 149 00:09:41,039 --> 00:09:45,600 that they just won, and what really comes back to bite them is that 150 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,720 loss to the Clippers. I don't even think the Clippers had everyone available for 151 00:09:48,759 --> 00:09:50,200 that game. They did not, well, they never have him anyone available, 152 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,440 so that just covered my ass there. I don't think they had Because 153 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,679 Patrick Beverley was was jawing at Damian Lillard from the sideline in his street clothes. 154 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,840 It was a very like I think I said this on Twitter, it 155 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:03,120 was very much like you know, when you see a defensive back. I'm 156 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:07,360 gonna keep making NFL analogies in this episode. Apparently it's like when a defensive 157 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,879 back in the NFL gets burned, the receiver drops the pass and the defensive 158 00:10:09,879 --> 00:10:13,639 back celebrates, Like That's kind of what it felt like when Damian Lillard missed 159 00:10:13,639 --> 00:10:16,440 those two freeze throws at the end of the game, which never happens, 160 00:10:16,759 --> 00:10:20,440 and then missed the game winner, and Beverly's pointing to his wrist like, 161 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,039 oh, it's dame time, Like yeah, Like good job shutting him down, 162 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:26,639 Bev. Yeah, but they just the way that they're playing, and 163 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,759 Damian Lillard just Oh my god, talk about limitless range on his off the 164 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,720 dribble. Three. We knew he was going to respond like this, right, 165 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:37,120 that lets down at the end. The whole thing, too, is 166 00:10:37,159 --> 00:10:39,960 that people were just dragging him, saying his legacy is built on two shots. 167 00:10:41,039 --> 00:10:46,000 I saw afterwards that is just like so factually incorrect. Damy and Lillard 168 00:10:46,399 --> 00:10:52,440 has been so good just on an individual scale, relative to any other superstar 169 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,799 in the league ever since that sweep at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans. 170 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:01,240 Was that eighteen? Was that twenty seven team whatever? I think it 171 00:11:01,279 --> 00:11:03,360 was twenty seven lost all track of time during twenty twenty. You could say 172 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,600 any year and I would believe you at this point. Wait, it's still 173 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,120 twenty twenty. That's unfortunate. It was nineteen seventy six. Yeah, he's 174 00:11:09,159 --> 00:11:13,039 been ever since then then for the past you know, decade and a half, 175 00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:16,639 whatever it's been. They mean LOWD has just been this entrenched top ten 176 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,759 player. To me, he is just so so good and the way he's 177 00:11:20,799 --> 00:11:24,080 just able to uplift the Blazers. We even saw it this season. They 178 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,519 were a playoff caliber team when he was on the court this year, and 179 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,440 that means more than it would have most seasons because they were missing Nurkics, 180 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,360 they didn't have Collins, they didn't have Rodney Hood. They brought Mellow in 181 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,559 out of empty gyms, and even though Melo was pretty good for them offensively, 182 00:11:35,639 --> 00:11:37,679 that's you know, they plucked the Melo out of an empty gym. 183 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,120 That's how desperate they were. They don't have Trevor Ariza right now, so 184 00:11:41,159 --> 00:11:46,200 the fact that they're here is super impressive a testament to how he's playing. 185 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,399 But they're getting great contributions around him. They don't have to have as on 186 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,360 whiteside right now. But I think we're even starting to see use of Nurkics 187 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,279 move better on defense. He made some really just nice plays in space and 188 00:11:56,759 --> 00:12:01,879 stuck with ball handlers in that in their last wins. So they see like 189 00:12:01,919 --> 00:12:03,879 a team that's really coming together. And I'd probably vote them as the squad 190 00:12:03,919 --> 00:12:07,440 that's most likely to give the Lakers a headache, because I wouldn't pick either 191 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:15,000 any of these teams to beat the Lakers. The Blazers final two games Tuesday 192 00:12:15,039 --> 00:12:18,120 they played Dallas and then Thursday they play Brooklyn, and so the Nets are 193 00:12:18,159 --> 00:12:22,639 already locked into playing the Raptors. Right now. But it doesn't matter if 194 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:24,919 the Nets sit everybody, because they like they're already playing their bedge. They 195 00:12:24,919 --> 00:12:28,440 sat everyone, they wouldn't have any players left. Although Joe Harrison carous Lavert 196 00:12:28,519 --> 00:12:33,679 have been bawling, Bert has been fantastic. Moved up into the top fifteen 197 00:12:33,759 --> 00:12:39,960 of the NBA map Player Power rankings as of today. Actually that's how hot 198 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,799 he's been lately. Joe Harris, his free agency is going to be fascinating. 199 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,480 He's just absolutely incandescent when he's off the ball and then as a chance 200 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:48,840 to you know, just fire immediately. That's a game that you would give 201 00:12:48,879 --> 00:12:52,840 them a win, even if the Net I would imagine that's that's the way 202 00:12:52,879 --> 00:12:56,600 you give them. Dallas still has stuff to play for depending on how their 203 00:12:56,639 --> 00:13:00,960 game against the Jazz shakes out. So they were again there are all these 204 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,799 moving parts up in the air, but the Blazers feel a faded complete. 205 00:13:03,799 --> 00:13:05,080 I'm not saying they're going to get the EIGHTC but they will be one of 206 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,679 the two teams in the play in tournament. Sunday Sunday Sundays are coming back 207 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,879 in the NFL. 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I have such mixed feelings about this Blazers team because I 216 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,360 ultimately agree with everything that you said. I do not want to bet against 217 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,080 Damian Lillard in a big game scenario. I'm really impressed with the way the 218 00:13:56,120 --> 00:14:00,519 Carmelo Anthony is playing on the offensive end. I'm even more impressed with the 219 00:14:00,639 --> 00:14:05,360 level that Yusef Nurkics has regained and then elevated too since returning from that devastating 220 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:11,240 leg injury. Gary Trent Junior has been absolutely on fire throughout the bubble experience 221 00:14:11,519 --> 00:14:16,480 and really even a little bit in in January and February, and I'm buying 222 00:14:16,519 --> 00:14:20,039 into that breakout. I think that the shooting stroke in the overall game are 223 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,279 all legitimate there. But at the same time, like, I think we're 224 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,159 also slightly over hyping Portland based on the bubble results. Like, yeah, 225 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,159 they've they've been hot, they've won four, they've won three of their five 226 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,960 games since or four of their six games since returning, but they needed overtime 227 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,240 to beat Memphis. They barely beat the Rockets and the Nuggets and the seventy 228 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,600 six ers while those squads weren't operating at full strength, Like, they've definitely 229 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:48,480 been a beneficiary of some good fortune just in terms of who they've gotten to 230 00:14:48,519 --> 00:14:54,440 play against and some of these results. I agree that they're going to be 231 00:14:54,039 --> 00:14:56,879 one of the teams in the play and I probably think that they're going to 232 00:14:56,879 --> 00:15:01,360 win both games and enter as the eighth seed. But I'm just I'm not 233 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:07,679 entirely sold on how much the hype train has taken off here. I think 234 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:13,159 I think that we I think we just need to curtail some of that all 235 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:18,519 around love that they're receiving and acknowledge that this isn't like some scorching team that 236 00:15:18,559 --> 00:15:20,759 no one wants to play in the first round of the playoffs. Like, 237 00:15:20,799 --> 00:15:24,440 it's still like a pretty average team that is probably going to benefit from everything 238 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,960 and get into the playoffs. Wouldn't You wouldn't put them though and say they're 239 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,919 a leg up over the competition for the eight spot right now? I think 240 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,519 that's more so. How is the Yeah, I think they have a leg 241 00:15:35,639 --> 00:15:39,519 up on the eighth spot. But like we're hearing like, oh, the 242 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,639 Nuggets might have tanked. I believe it was against the Clippers to get the 243 00:15:43,919 --> 00:15:46,600 or against the Blazers, sorry to get Portland into that eighth seed, thinking 244 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,480 that they're going to give a tougher match up to the Lakers. That's the 245 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:56,080 part I'm not quite convinced about. I well, why, because I don't 246 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,559 know how you look at any of the other teams that could face the Lakers 247 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,360 and think that any of them would take a game off of LA or more 248 00:16:03,399 --> 00:16:07,759 than a game. I don't. I think Portland has that higher variance or 249 00:16:07,159 --> 00:16:11,360 a better range of outcomes because you have Damian Lillard, you have CJ. 250 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,879 McCollum. So if you get into these tight matchups, you know that you 251 00:16:14,919 --> 00:16:17,960 have go to players in crunch time where see and that's that's what I'm going 252 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,279 to push back, though, I think Phoenix is better suited And I can't 253 00:16:22,279 --> 00:16:25,639 believe I'm saying that as I have a month ago. That's like, that's 254 00:16:25,639 --> 00:16:29,600 a terrible take. You're Devin literally to accept that. But like if we're 255 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,360 talking about the flammability of Damian Lillard, like Devin Booker has that, I'm 256 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,759 so impressed with how DeAndre Aden is playing. I believe in the defensive growth 257 00:16:37,759 --> 00:16:40,720 that we're seeing from him, both on the perimeter and on the interior, 258 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,600 like it seems to have really clicked for him. Mickel Bridges has been phenomenal. 259 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,919 Ricky Rubio continues to impress. Cam Johnson is making everything like this is 260 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,799 this is a surprisingly dangerous team. And even if I don't think any of 261 00:16:52,799 --> 00:16:57,039 these contenders would take even a game from the Lakers when the Lakers are motivated, 262 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,080 I kind of think that that Phoenix has the highest upside of any of 263 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:06,319 them. That's difficult for me to wrap my head around when you're talking about 264 00:17:06,519 --> 00:17:10,279 most of these guys never being to the playoffs, like Devin Booker being in 265 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:14,480 the postseason for the first time, expecting him to play at at this level 266 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,759 when he gets there would be difficult for me to leave there. If you 267 00:17:17,799 --> 00:17:21,240 would argue the defensively reason, I might buy that. In a normal season, 268 00:17:21,279 --> 00:17:23,680 I might buy that. But because we're already operating in this weird bubble 269 00:17:23,759 --> 00:17:29,839 environment and Phoenix keeps winning all of these must win games, there isn't going 270 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,920 to be like that hostile crowd that's breaking havoc in players' minds that the refs 271 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:40,440 are already whistling everything like, I'm not sure what's going to change too much 272 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,160 between what Phoenix is doing now in must win games and what they're going to 273 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,799 face in a postseason environment. That's a fair point. I still think you're 274 00:17:48,839 --> 00:17:52,680 probably underrating just the lack of experience there for many of their their best players. 275 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,839 And you know, if you wanted to argue defensively, are they the 276 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,440 team that's best suited to go up against the Lakers? I probably wouldn't provide 277 00:18:00,519 --> 00:18:03,960 much pushed back there. Portland's been terrible on defense, particularly in the bubble. 278 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:08,480 They're twentieth of twenty two teams in points allowed per possession. I will 279 00:18:08,519 --> 00:18:11,759 say that their opponents are shooting forty six percent on wide open threes, which 280 00:18:11,799 --> 00:18:15,319 is definitely not going to continue to happen, so there's probably been some bad 281 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,519 luck there for them. I just I'd rather go with the you know, 282 00:18:19,839 --> 00:18:25,079 more season team and the one that's going to be led by the best player 283 00:18:25,319 --> 00:18:27,599 of any of this group, which would be Damian Lillard. I would think 284 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,839 that they you know, no one's, no one's gonna beat the Lakers in 285 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,039 the first round. The Lakers offensive been a mess, but it just feels 286 00:18:34,039 --> 00:18:37,279 like, if you want to give them a headache, I'd rather pit them 287 00:18:37,319 --> 00:18:41,519 against a Damian Lillard led team than than a Devin Booker led team at this 288 00:18:41,559 --> 00:18:45,480 point. And that's just not a shot at Devin Booker, who's been you 289 00:18:45,519 --> 00:18:48,480 know, not just phenomenal in the bubble, but people are like just catching 290 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,559 onto his passing and that's been a thing for like a really long time, 291 00:18:51,599 --> 00:18:56,559 I think even eight years now, yeah eight, and has been better defensively 292 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,279 this year for quite some time. So I think this is more people are 293 00:19:00,319 --> 00:19:03,359 being exposed more to the Suns and why this is like some sort of an 294 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,440 awakening. I just still don't I wouldn't fully trust them to put up as 295 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,319 much of a fight against the Lakers. Maybe if Kelly Ubery Junior comes back, 296 00:19:10,319 --> 00:19:12,519 perhaps that stands changes for me a little bit. Although I don't know 297 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:18,319 necessarily what he does for them. I think he's probably his defensive reputation exceeds 298 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,319 reality by a great deal. Even if he has a defensive reputation at this 299 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,079 point, I feel like he's always just getting burned off the ball, and 300 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:26,920 that's not just because there are memes to go to go with that. So 301 00:19:27,079 --> 00:19:30,039 I would rather see if we're just looking for the longest series of the most 302 00:19:30,039 --> 00:19:34,759 competitive series, I'd pretty firmly want the Blazers in. I totally get that, 303 00:19:37,319 --> 00:19:41,519 understand it. I came into this episode not really knowing what my prediction 304 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,279 was going to be for how these four teams were going to play out. 305 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:48,119 But I think I've I think I've talked myself into Phoenix making the ninth seed 306 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:52,680 with Portland at eight, even though that does require Phoenix beating Oklahoma City today, 307 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,200 Philadelphia tomorrow, and Dallas on Thursday, with some other things happening like 308 00:19:57,279 --> 00:20:00,680 Memphis losing out. But that said, though, I think that Phoenix might 309 00:20:00,759 --> 00:20:04,119 be a marginally tougher matchup for the Lakers, albeit not one that's going to 310 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,200 extend the series beyond a gentleman's sweep at best. I don't think that they're 311 00:20:08,319 --> 00:20:12,559 going to end up beating Portland in the play in tournament, just because that's 312 00:20:12,599 --> 00:20:15,480 going to require like what a ten game winning streak, because they would have 313 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,359 to beat Portland twice, and I just I don't see that part happening. 314 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,119 I think they're going to expend so much energy just making it to the ninth 315 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:26,519 seed that beating Portland twice in that play and seeding game is going to be 316 00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:30,279 impossible. The Phoenix is so tough for me imagine to get there. I 317 00:20:30,279 --> 00:20:34,279 guess because I'm looking at their schedule and having to beat Okay, see, 318 00:20:34,319 --> 00:20:37,400 Okay, they're probably doing that as we speak right now. I'm not looking 319 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:42,480 at the television with the scores. Philly doesn't have and Beat or Simmons for 320 00:20:42,519 --> 00:20:45,119 that game. I would imagine it is a back to back, though probably 321 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,319 not, so that could still be tough even if they don't have a Simmons 322 00:20:48,319 --> 00:20:52,640 and embat And then will Dallas still have something to play for on the Thursday. 323 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,319 I doubt it. I doubt it by the final game. There's just 324 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:02,160 so the scenarios are just so wild right now, and so I don't even 325 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,559 I don't want to write off Memphis completely either, just because I do think 326 00:21:04,559 --> 00:21:07,880 they're going to go one in one, which then puts them in the driver's 327 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,000 seat. To be in that plan, they still have to be if they 328 00:21:12,079 --> 00:21:15,480 if they retain the eight spot, they still have to be beaten twice, 329 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,240 which I think a lot of people are discounting. And I don't know, 330 00:21:18,599 --> 00:21:21,920 would you trust let's say Memphis keeps the eight seed. Are you trusting any 331 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:26,279 of these teams to actually beat Memphis twice where you could just look at them 332 00:21:26,279 --> 00:21:29,200 and say, you know what, They're going to beat the Grizzlies twice. 333 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,160 It's it's tricky just because we still don't really know what this Memphis team looks 334 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:44,480 like without Jaren Jackson Jr. And without without that knowledge, it's tough there. 335 00:21:44,519 --> 00:21:48,920 We're also just now hearing that DeAndre Ayden missed his coronavirus test on Sunday, 336 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,279 was retested Monday morning, and can rejoin the team when the results return, 337 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:59,039 per Sham's Trania of the Athletic and Stadium, So he is not going 338 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:03,200 to be playing against Oklahoma City as we're recording this, Hopefully he's back and 339 00:22:03,279 --> 00:22:08,319 able to play against an ambideless Sixers on Tuesday, but that would obviously alter 340 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,599 things dramatically if he has to miss both those games. Yeah, I was 341 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:17,519 reading that too. That's going that's a major let down the game against the 342 00:22:17,519 --> 00:22:22,119 Thunder Given how many people they're sitting, you think they should still be okay 343 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,319 by Chris Paul's playing, though, so you never know, he might just 344 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,240 decide like, you know what, I don't want Phoenix in there just yet, 345 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:33,480 sorry, and put them very possible For Memphis though, Jaren Jackson Junior 346 00:22:33,559 --> 00:22:37,599 was just so important to providing floor balance to many of their lineups when you 347 00:22:37,599 --> 00:22:41,960 know they traded Drake Growder obviously, and then you never got Justice Winslow to 348 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:47,039 play because he was injured again. And they've been a blast. They've been 349 00:22:47,079 --> 00:22:49,960 so desperate for shooting that Grayson Allen has played a ton of minutes and played 350 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,720 well, that's you know, you have to close games with Grayson Allen now 351 00:22:52,759 --> 00:22:56,480 though, and so you remove Jaren Jackson Junior from that equation, the lineup 352 00:22:56,559 --> 00:23:02,640 combinations just become so difficult to build, Like what is their actually best fitting 353 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,279 lineup right now? John Morant isn't it, and you know Grayson Allen, 354 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,839 isn't it. Do you play Clark and Valentini together for a ton of minutes? 355 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,119 That can be a little tough. They both shoot threes, but not 356 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,519 in high volume. They're not shooting them well in the bubble. Dylan Brooks 357 00:23:14,559 --> 00:23:17,720 seems like a must included, but he might be the worst clutch player in 358 00:23:17,759 --> 00:23:19,920 basketball this year. And that's actually an extension that I think is going to 359 00:23:21,039 --> 00:23:23,000 end up aging a little bit poorly. I was. I was so surprised 360 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,920 people were high on it when it was signed. I wasn't. I wasn't 361 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,519 totally low on it because he was having himself a few moments at that point. 362 00:23:30,519 --> 00:23:37,240 But he's always just felt so streaky that to invest another four years in 363 00:23:37,319 --> 00:23:37,960 him. I think it was a four year extension. It might have been 364 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,680 three years. I have to look that up. Just seemed a little bit 365 00:23:41,839 --> 00:23:44,960 generally not a good thing. When you need three cold games to get the 366 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,359 one hot game. That's like the Dylan Brooks experience when he goes off. 367 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:52,880 He's going off, But you gotta live with a lot between the dead nations 368 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,720 and it was it was three, three and thirty five, which just felt 369 00:23:55,759 --> 00:23:57,519 like a like, I don't know what number would have made me feel okay, 370 00:23:57,559 --> 00:24:02,519 like three and twenty four or something. I don't to pay him above 371 00:24:02,599 --> 00:24:04,519 league average salary. I thought that was a little bit of a stretch. 372 00:24:04,559 --> 00:24:07,039 Maybe I just didn't watch enough of him at the beginning of the regular season. 373 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:10,519 But he has killed them in spots and crunch time, and what you 374 00:24:10,519 --> 00:24:15,160 really need him for now in Fury would be his floor spacing. And he 375 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,079 shot thirty five point eight percent from deep, you know, for the year 376 00:24:18,519 --> 00:24:22,799 overall, I think he's at like negative eight percent. In the bubble or 377 00:24:22,039 --> 00:24:25,799 around there. He's actually at twenty six point two percent. So that was 378 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:29,079 a little mean, And so I just don't know Kyle Anderson. He's taking 379 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,720 more threes, but the idea that he was going to make them at like 380 00:24:32,759 --> 00:24:37,160 this ridiculous clip, because he's sort of hinted at towards the beginning of play 381 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,319 in the what do you call it, the pre bubble season, whatever, 382 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,279 whatever you want to say, it's just not there. He's twenty five percent 383 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,160 since the games have started to matter. And so the Anthony Melton has never 384 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:48,440 been a shooter. He doesn't take a ton of threes. He's under twelve 385 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,200 percent. It's so hard for them to build these really good lineups and it's 386 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,960 not like there. It doesn't seem like they're inclined to lean on Josh Jackson. 387 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,799 At this point. You can throw Anthony Tolliver in the front court to 388 00:24:59,799 --> 00:25:04,039 give yourself some functional shooting, but he's just not going to give you much 389 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,279 on defense now, and pairing him with another big could really just end up 390 00:25:07,319 --> 00:25:11,559 being a disaster. So I look at this roster and think, how are 391 00:25:11,599 --> 00:25:15,319 they supposed to play? And they don't really make sense on paper when you 392 00:25:15,319 --> 00:25:18,799 look at the best lineup that they could field, or even the lineups that 393 00:25:18,799 --> 00:25:21,680 they actually feeld. And yet I'm also just still not ready to write them 394 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,400 off. There's like a final thing I'll say for them. There's like this 395 00:25:23,519 --> 00:25:27,720 Pacers West vibe. To me, they're clearly not as good, but they're 396 00:25:27,759 --> 00:25:33,200 never at ful strength. It feels like they're lineups don't make sense in part 397 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,079 because they're unable to make sense. At this point. You always wish that 398 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,400 they had India has more guys who can shoot. This is a team that 399 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,480 you wish had more guys who could shoot. So there's that element there, 400 00:25:41,519 --> 00:25:48,319 But they're always just in these games for a better than anticipated amount of time. 401 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,480 Even their loss to who do they play on Sunday? Was that Toronto 402 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,559 that they lost too. They were just in that game for way longer than 403 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,319 they should have been and before Toronto began pulling away. So I respect what 404 00:26:00,319 --> 00:26:03,119 the Grizzlies have done too much this season to really write them off. And 405 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:07,799 what I would also say is if they keep the eight spot, I'm not 406 00:26:07,079 --> 00:26:11,880 entirely sure which team I would guarantee beats them twice in the play And if 407 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,920 it was Portland, I think I would pick Portland, but I would just 408 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:21,000 be like unconfident about it because of how bad Portland's defense has been in the 409 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,680 bubble and you know, on the season overall in general, it's it's just 410 00:26:25,839 --> 00:26:30,640 really difficult to beat the same team multiple times in a row. I mean, 411 00:26:32,599 --> 00:26:34,880 unless you're talking about a playoff series where you're gearing up and you're making 412 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:40,480 all these strategic adjustments and you know, just going over everything. And I'm 413 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:45,400 super laughing because we both just got the newest shams Tania push notification right the 414 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,720 breaking news update. For the previous breaking news update, he Sharania Eton has 415 00:26:49,759 --> 00:26:55,000 been cleared and is in route now to join the Suns for the thunder game. 416 00:26:55,279 --> 00:26:59,079 I'm not like, I understand things need to be reported, but this 417 00:26:59,279 --> 00:27:03,200 was literally just like course was reversed in the span of how many minutes are 418 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:10,279 we talking about, like sub ten five minutes it was eight and went from 419 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:11,640 you is he gonna play? And then five minutes later, Oh, he's 420 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,079 he's going to play. So like in the cur in the game that is 421 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:23,039 currently happening, this is just only in twenty and twenty apparently very much so. 422 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:27,160 So what were you saying? I think we covered I don't know at 423 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,519 this point, just that it's it's tough to beat the same team twice in 424 00:27:30,519 --> 00:27:34,880 a row, especially like on the neutral court, with so many adjustments expected 425 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,079 to be made, Like it's I feel like whoever ends up in the eighth 426 00:27:38,079 --> 00:27:44,640 seed just has this massive advantage regardless of which combination of two teams, it 427 00:27:44,799 --> 00:27:48,160 is hardwin Knox listeners. Have you ever heard of deal dash dot com. 428 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,359 It's the best, most honest bidding site where you can win things you'd never 429 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,240 expect at a price you'd never believe. 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That's deal dash dot fm slash 439 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:40,079 knos d e a l dash dot fm slash knocks. But I was going 440 00:28:40,119 --> 00:28:45,200 to ask you one, who do you want to get eight and nine? 441 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:49,319 And two who do you think is going to get eight and nine? I 442 00:28:49,319 --> 00:28:53,279 feel like we've covered all four teams at this point and it's it's prediction time. 443 00:28:55,359 --> 00:28:57,319 See I want I would love to see a play in tournament between the 444 00:28:57,319 --> 00:29:00,720 Spurs and the Blazers. I don't really care how it's set up at that 445 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,839 point. I'd rather have the Blazers in eight in that scenario, just because 446 00:29:03,359 --> 00:29:07,200 I still think they're going to be the better matchup for the Lakers, but 447 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,480 I think it's gonna end up being Memphis in Portland. And I'm not entirely 448 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,720 sure on the order because I know you look at their games, right, 449 00:29:12,759 --> 00:29:15,359 but both office losses. I'm just I'm not inclined to go that way. 450 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:19,079 If they do lose on Tuesday, though, That's where then this gets interesting 451 00:29:19,119 --> 00:29:22,759 if Phoenix has won by that point, because then, yeah, I think 452 00:29:22,799 --> 00:29:26,880 you could probably assume they'll lose against Milwaukee unless Milwaukee forfeits or something because the 453 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:33,680 Bucks are so deep. So I'm going with Memphis in Portland. And if 454 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,799 you're asking me who I think is gonna win in that scenario, I think 455 00:29:36,839 --> 00:29:38,039 Portland ends up being the team in the playoffs. I don't know how they 456 00:29:38,119 --> 00:29:41,000 get there. Maybe they have to win the play in to wrmant or maybe 457 00:29:41,039 --> 00:29:42,799 they actually get to eight and they only have to win the one game, 458 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:47,559 so regardless, they'll be in the play in Torment bad phrasing there. It's 459 00:29:47,599 --> 00:29:49,799 just it's so tough because there's so many different scenarios in the air, and 460 00:29:49,839 --> 00:29:55,519 we have there seems to be more variants and how opponents are going to approach 461 00:29:55,559 --> 00:29:57,720 the games against these teams than there would be towards the end of a typical 462 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,440 regular season, and part because you don't have the normal bad teams and so 463 00:30:02,519 --> 00:30:03,279 you know, we're not looking at it. Oh, it's the Nicks. 464 00:30:03,279 --> 00:30:06,599 It doesn't matter if they're resting anyone. That would be a win anyway. 465 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:11,480 It's Oh, the Grizzlies are playing the Celtics. Are the Celtics actually gonnaar 466 00:30:11,519 --> 00:30:15,880 rest anybody? And so those questions get difficult to answer. But right now, 467 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:21,079 if I was forced to choose, I would pick the Blazers. I 468 00:30:21,119 --> 00:30:25,200 would love to see Memphis in Portland play in that play in series, just 469 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,799 because I just absolutely adore a John Moran's game. I want to see it 470 00:30:27,839 --> 00:30:33,240 as much as possible, and I would just absolutely love getting to see him 471 00:30:33,359 --> 00:30:37,720 on that stage, going head to head with Damian Lillard and just seeing what 472 00:30:37,799 --> 00:30:41,559 he can do in that moment what I think is going to happen. I'm 473 00:30:41,559 --> 00:30:47,640 gonna stick with my Portland at eight and Phoenix at nine prediction and Portland winning 474 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,839 the second of those two games. I think the other thing I didn't say 475 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,839 about Phoenix earlier that I do think is a salient point is that of these 476 00:30:55,880 --> 00:31:00,920 four teams, they're the only one that's benefiting from pre hiatus continuity. You 477 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,359 know, Memphis is trying to figure out how it's going to operate without Jaren 478 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:08,720 Jackson Jr. Portland is trying to figure out how it's going to operate with 479 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:14,880 Yusef Nurkicsch with this more effective version of Carmelo Anthony trying to give Gary Trent 480 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,839 Junior more touches. San Antonio is trying to figure out how they're going to 481 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:22,920 work without LaMarcus Aldrich in the picture and potentially now without Derek White in the 482 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,400 picture. And Phoenix does have generally the same rotation, and I think that's 483 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:33,000 a big advantage here. Yeah, I feel like the Portland's stuff isn't really 484 00:31:33,039 --> 00:31:37,680 too big of a deal, just because they've had Nurkis for so long before 485 00:31:37,039 --> 00:31:40,759 and the role they have Melo playing, It doesn't really feel like it's hard 486 00:31:40,759 --> 00:31:44,599 to integrate. The Spurs one is definitely tough because depending on what's happening with 487 00:31:44,599 --> 00:31:47,559 Derek Ryant, especially like their rotations are just wild right now. And then 488 00:31:47,599 --> 00:31:51,240 Jaca Pearl hasn't helped things because he's been in foul trouble in three of the 489 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:53,079 I think they've played five games now if they played six, but he's been 490 00:31:53,079 --> 00:31:56,079 in trouble for like more than half the games that they've played, which has 491 00:31:56,079 --> 00:32:00,759 caused them to go to probably lineups that they wouldn't have gone to in general. 492 00:32:00,799 --> 00:32:01,920 So they've played six and I'm pretty sure he's been in foul trouble for 493 00:32:02,079 --> 00:32:06,480 seven of those six games. That's my estimation. I mean fair. It 494 00:32:06,519 --> 00:32:08,920 does feel like almost every player has been in foul trouble because the reps are 495 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:15,480 calling everything that's fair too. I'm actually curious. It's why you actually want 496 00:32:15,519 --> 00:32:19,880 to see the Grizzlies play the Blazers, because the experience loses something. I 497 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,119 love John Morant. The Grizzlies are good, and I think if you look 498 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,519 on paper and you say the three best players on their team are Brandon Clark, 499 00:32:24,559 --> 00:32:28,559 the ownist, Falan Tunis, and John Morant, that's like, that's 500 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:32,400 not egregiously bad. That's actually that's solid. That's fine. But the way 501 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,839 that roster kind of coalaces together right now, I just don't know that that 502 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,359 would make for the most entertaining matchup, and so I'd rather see I'd probably 503 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:45,319 rather see Memphis this and I feel like I'm shitting on Memphis right now. 504 00:32:45,359 --> 00:32:47,720 I don't want to. It's just because they're so losing. Jarret Jackson Junior 505 00:32:47,759 --> 00:32:52,559 is such a blow to the the way that they play that I'm so much 506 00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:57,160 lower on them, and so I'd rather see any other combination of teams in 507 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,079 the play in tournament than them right now. This is coming from someone on 508 00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:02,400 who John Morands play one of my five to ten favorite players to watch in 509 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:07,839 the league. Right now, I think I'm just valuing the Morant experience a 510 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:09,880 little bit more than you are. It might not be the most entertaining series, 511 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,839 but that wasn't really the question, just because it's who I want to 512 00:33:13,839 --> 00:33:16,759 see, and that's Morant, it's Brendan Clark. And I've long felt that 513 00:33:16,839 --> 00:33:21,599 the Jannis Valentinus is one of the more underrated players in the league, and 514 00:33:21,599 --> 00:33:23,599 I would love to see him get some some shine on the truly national stage. 515 00:33:23,599 --> 00:33:28,920 If that's where the focus of the entire basketball world is is on the 516 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:31,559 eight verse nine seed in the West, He's going to be a central figure. 517 00:33:31,799 --> 00:33:35,640 He's going to get some credit, and he deserves that credit. So 518 00:33:36,079 --> 00:33:40,240 it's it's more of those more personal reasons than what might be the purely most 519 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:45,079 entertaining series of these possibilities. Do you want to spend a couple of minutes 520 00:33:45,079 --> 00:33:47,759 on the two teams that are definitely not going to be in the playoffs? 521 00:33:50,599 --> 00:33:52,920 The Hawks and the Knicks. No, I'm done talking about the Knicks, 522 00:33:53,000 --> 00:34:00,200 or forever and ever, the Kings and the Pelicans. The Kings the Aaron 523 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:04,240 Fox said this after the game. Someone asked him if he felt the team 524 00:34:04,279 --> 00:34:07,239 had a clearly defined identity this season, and he said that when playing a 525 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,719 team like the Rockets, you have to know what you're going to do. 526 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:14,239 He doesn't think the team knew that in their loss to the Rockets. He 527 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:19,039 said that happened a lot throughout the season. And this is from Richard Ivanowski. 528 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:23,280 He writes for the Sacramento b And so that's what Daron Fox said. 529 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:30,639 That is just that's troubling. That's my meltingly troubling. And you look at 530 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:34,000 how long it took the Kings to kind of lean into their you know, 531 00:34:34,079 --> 00:34:37,880 speedball this season too, where they were just slowing things down the half court 532 00:34:37,039 --> 00:34:39,480 entirely too often. And I feel like it happened in a couple of games 533 00:34:39,519 --> 00:34:45,320 during the bubble as well. They've got some like real issues, and that's 534 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:47,239 something you could always say about the Kings. But one of the things that's 535 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:52,199 going to be super complicated about this roster is you have Daron Fox, who's 536 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:55,440 extension eligible now and he's going to get the MAX. Whether they give it 537 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:59,480 to him as an extension or in restricted free agency, it doesn't matter. 538 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,079 Twenty twenty two, he's gonna be on a MAX deal. You have Bogdan 539 00:35:02,159 --> 00:35:07,079 Bogdanovich is a fifty free agent this year. You've already paid Harrison Barnes, 540 00:35:07,199 --> 00:35:12,239 You've already paid Buddy Healed, and so all of a sudden fast forward next 541 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:14,840 season, they'll be fine. You pay Bogie whatever, like what, you'll 542 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,280 be fine the season after that. Like you're looking at a team that could 543 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:22,639 be in tax territory for a core of Harrison Barnes, Bogdan Bogdanovitch, Buddy 544 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:27,599 Healed, and Deanon Fox, and then Rischaon Holmes is also going to be 545 00:35:27,639 --> 00:35:30,519 a free agent at that point. Let's not forget that Marvin Bagley will be 546 00:35:30,599 --> 00:35:32,960 on the roster for eleven point three million team option. That's not nothing. 547 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,679 The ELITEA will be a free agent that summer as well. They're in like 548 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:44,000 this really awkward, fragile territory and it feels like they need it. Feels 549 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:45,960 like they always need this, But it feels like there needs to be a 550 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:51,480 significant overhaul in Sacramento. Yeah, it feels like that I need to restart, 551 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:55,239 which is not ideal for a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 552 00:35:55,320 --> 00:36:00,400 two thousand and six, nor has it posted a win season since two thousand 553 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,159 and six. It came close last year with a thirty nine and forty three 554 00:36:04,199 --> 00:36:07,519 record, which actually has a better winning percentage than they have this year because 555 00:36:07,519 --> 00:36:10,320 they just totally floundered at the end of the year. I agree with you, 556 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:15,920 I don't know what the path forward is to have a legitimately high ceiling 557 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:20,880 with this team. Darren Fox is incredible. He's gonna elevate everyone. He 558 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:23,960 is moving towards superstar territory. He's going to be in the All Star and 559 00:36:24,039 --> 00:36:29,199 All NBA conversation moving forward. But what other pieces do you really have a 560 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:31,719 lot of confidence in here, Like it would be great if Marvin Bagley could 561 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:37,000 stay healthy and show more than just like flashes of what made him the top 562 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:38,599 pick in one of the top picks in the draft when he was coming out 563 00:36:38,639 --> 00:36:43,599 of Duke, But I have no confidence in that happening. We haven't seen 564 00:36:43,639 --> 00:36:47,760 anyone really step up and take control of that number two on the roster status. 565 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:52,119 Buddy Healed had to be moved to the bench, Bogdon Bogdanovich's is definitely 566 00:36:52,119 --> 00:36:55,840 inconsistent. You know, he had the thirty five point explosion on the heels 567 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:00,639 of a game where he shot like three for seventy two. I just I 568 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:05,199 don't know that I see a path forward to even making the playoffs with this 569 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,440 current roster, especially given how deep the West is every single year and how 570 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:12,800 many up and coming teams we have that are going to keep challenging for these 571 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:16,000 postseason spots. And if you aren't able to either move back and add another 572 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:22,519 potential superstar through the draft, what is the path forward? Right and that's 573 00:37:22,519 --> 00:37:25,039 it. How do you get to become a surefire playoff team? And that's 574 00:37:25,039 --> 00:37:29,760 a really difficult question to answer if you alluded to in the West, and 575 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,760 you know, I don't look the Buddy Healed stuff. He played well off 576 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:35,000 the bench for them this year for the most part, not so much in 577 00:37:35,039 --> 00:37:38,920 the right that's just something you have to worry about. And also he becomes 578 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:43,840 a different type of asset when he's when his extension kicks in four years, 579 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:45,880 ninety four million. I believe it's what he signed for, and so that's 580 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:51,119 something you have to grapple with. They do have the hardest part in place 581 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:53,519 where you have dearon Fox. I think he can be the best player on 582 00:37:53,599 --> 00:37:58,840 a contender, and so that's the hardest player of a rebuild to find. 583 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,760 But how do you build around him? I think they read too much into 584 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:07,800 last year is what we're ultimately seeing by reinvesting in Harrison Barnes, by paying 585 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:12,880 Corey Joseph, we forget that Trevor Ariza was on this team to start the 586 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:15,679 season. I said this many times. We're shout out to Trevor Ariza for 587 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:17,960 just going to get the bag and then deciding that I'll figure out how to 588 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,840 get to a better team at mid season, because that's just how he operates 589 00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:25,440 now and I'm so in favor of it. Their path would be, though, 590 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:30,159 is that maybe they could talk themselves in the standing relatively pat resigned by 591 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:34,239 Danovitch just just move, you know, maybe you're able to keep Harry Giles. 592 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:37,280 I don't know what he would command on the market. They already declined 593 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,360 his team options. That's gonna limit what they can offer him. But if 594 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,960 you have a healthier Rachaon Holmes, if you're a healthier Marvin Badley, maybe 595 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,159 you can implant yourself into that playoff discussion. But even then, let's assume 596 00:38:46,199 --> 00:38:50,199 this roster is fully healthy going in the next year. They still feel like 597 00:38:50,199 --> 00:38:52,960 they're one significant piece short, and I don't know, you know, would 598 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:55,599 to change your view of them if they went out and they were able to 599 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:59,920 get a trade for for Aaron Gordon over the off season, so that they 600 00:39:00,079 --> 00:39:05,920 just have more defensive optionality and than just this another higher swing piece. But 601 00:39:06,039 --> 00:39:08,079 in that scenario, I don't know that you want to necessarily give up Buddy 602 00:39:08,119 --> 00:39:12,920 Healed for Aaron Gordon. I think Buddy Healed and a Vacuum is probably the 603 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:15,559 better player. I don't know Aaron Gordon's really come along as as a passer, 604 00:39:15,559 --> 00:39:20,199 and what he can do on defense certainly matters. Also, Magic the 605 00:39:20,199 --> 00:39:22,239 Magic's asking price on him they have just went up because they might not have 606 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,599 Jonathan Isaac at all for for next season. So there's so many questions for 607 00:39:25,599 --> 00:39:29,320 the Kings. But I'm with you, I don't think you know if I 608 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:31,320 don't think you can look at them and say they're even one of the ten 609 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:35,159 or eleven best teams in the West next year, because my question you would 610 00:39:35,159 --> 00:39:37,920 be, if you look at the West right now, which team, as 611 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:42,079 currently constructed, is going to say, you know what, we're not making 612 00:39:42,079 --> 00:39:46,079 the postseason this year. I don't know that there is one. You need 613 00:39:46,119 --> 00:39:50,639 something to happen over the off season for a team to identify itself as one. 614 00:39:51,079 --> 00:39:52,280 I think a lot of people. Let's go, let's go through those 615 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:55,559 real fast. Right Like, we have the two LA teams that obviously aren't 616 00:39:55,559 --> 00:40:00,840 going anywhere because they have the superstar pairing, so unless Anthony Davis shocks the 617 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:04,360 world by going somewhere else. We have Denver, which is always going to 618 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,840 be competitive with Yokich there and they're still building something special there. Houston still 619 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:13,400 has James Harden and Russell Westbrook. The Thunders still have Shaygil just Alexander and 620 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,039 Chris Paul is probably going to stay there because they are now convinced that they 621 00:40:16,039 --> 00:40:22,519 can be competitive. The Jazz could maybe break something up if they just absolutely 622 00:40:22,559 --> 00:40:24,119 flame out in the first round. But then you still have the up and 623 00:40:24,199 --> 00:40:28,920 coming Mavericks and the Grizzlies and the Damian Lillard C J. McCollum, use 624 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:32,559 of Nurkis Blazers, and the Suns and the Pelicans and the Timberwolves with Karl 625 00:40:32,599 --> 00:40:37,400 Anthony Towns and D'angela Russell. Let's not forget about the Golden State Warriors, 626 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:42,239 who are going to have Stephen clayback next year. You need to the Kings 627 00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:45,719 could be the worst team in the Western Conference next year, right, This 628 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:47,639 would need to be a scenario. I think there's a chance that Grizzlies could 629 00:40:47,719 --> 00:40:52,599 drop off significantly. A lot hinges on how the just East winslow fit ends 630 00:40:52,639 --> 00:40:54,960 up panning out for them, But you're banking on if you want to say 631 00:40:54,960 --> 00:41:00,599 they're going to be guaranteed teams below the Kings next year, you're basically saying, 632 00:41:00,599 --> 00:41:02,400 well, the thunder are going to trade everybody or the Spurs are going 633 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:06,199 to go that rout as well. And that might be a tougher route for 634 00:41:06,199 --> 00:41:08,320 the Spurs to go now that they've played so well in Disney, where it's 635 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:12,480 like, oh, some of these youngsters just might be ready to compete right 636 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:15,280 now. Kelvin Johnson is good and apparently doesn't miss and and can really move 637 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:19,719 on defense and hold up against some fours. And Lonnie Walker looks pretty good 638 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,360 on offense as well. That's that's Popovich could start you and I and they 639 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:28,559 would be in playoff contention. Apparently, that's apparently the takeaway there. So 640 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,800 the Kings, as ever, are on delicate ground. The Pelicans are different. 641 00:41:34,159 --> 00:41:37,960 They're so well built for the future. I'm willing, you know, 642 00:41:37,039 --> 00:41:40,320 can we plead that Zion Williamson didn't even play in thirty games this year and 643 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:43,920 that you know, if you look at his season, it was like a 644 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:49,320 tale of four or five seasons because he has the preseason, gets injured, 645 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:53,639 comes back, then there's the long hiatus, then goes into the Disney training 646 00:41:53,679 --> 00:41:57,760 camp, has to leave I believe it was for family reasons, then coming 647 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:00,000 back trying to ramp into shape, and then he's like a little bit better 648 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:04,719 on offense, you know, closing or I guess I'm talking specifically about their 649 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:07,400 game against the Spurs in which they lost on Sunday. That's tough. I 650 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,360 mean, the rookie learning curve is steep. To begin with, and he 651 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:14,519 does seem like a player who's really going to work. Just he strikes me 652 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:19,199 just based off how he talks and carries himself as a very mature young adult. 653 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:22,599 And yes, you're gonna have to pay it brandon ingram Max money. 654 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:28,679 You definitely still keep him. The real questions to me would be, no, 655 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:30,719 you don't. They shouldn't be talking about trading Drew Holiday because I think 656 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:34,360 that this is a team that can actually compete immediately. I also don't think 657 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:37,119 jj Reddick looks out of place, and some people were kind of pointing out 658 00:42:37,559 --> 00:42:40,480 on Twitter after they lost to the Spurs. I think the questions are what 659 00:42:40,599 --> 00:42:44,360 can you do with the center position? Because Jackson Hayes isn't ready. I 660 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,559 don't know if he's ever going to be a good fit Alongsigon. Dereck Favors 661 00:42:46,679 --> 00:42:51,679 was okay this year. He was really injured and so definitely did not provide 662 00:42:51,679 --> 00:42:54,599 the value that they were expecting. Can you acquire a center who's a better 663 00:42:54,639 --> 00:42:59,159 fit, particularly on offense? Next Tosignon, do you bring back Dereck Favors 664 00:42:59,199 --> 00:43:01,320 because he wasn't into the way you were defending at your peak. And then 665 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:04,559 the other question you have to answer is what are you going to do with 666 00:43:04,599 --> 00:43:07,079 Lonzo Ball, who you know that I enjoy more than most. I had 667 00:43:07,159 --> 00:43:12,480 him ranked as a top sixty ish player at the end of the first regular 668 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:16,360 season before Disney started. But there seem to be too many players who need 669 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:21,239 the ball in their hands on this team. And if you want, I 670 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:22,679 think you keep Drew, you keep Ingram, and so that leaves him a 671 00:43:22,679 --> 00:43:24,599 little bit out of place. You don't want to have him on the ball 672 00:43:25,039 --> 00:43:28,880 too much because you want them to get their touches. But having him off 673 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:31,199 the ball, even when he's not hesitant to shoot threes, he's shown that 674 00:43:31,239 --> 00:43:36,719 he can kind of disappear or he'll go through those really freezing cold streaks, 675 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:38,920 and so you should probably test the trade market on him would be my next 676 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:43,840 step. If we're talking about the most nuclear move the Pelicans should explore, 677 00:43:44,199 --> 00:43:46,559 I think it's seeing what they could get for Lonzo Ball, particularly because he's 678 00:43:46,559 --> 00:43:51,199 also extension eligible and going to be a restricted free agent in twenty twenty one 679 00:43:51,239 --> 00:43:55,079 himself. Look, I don't know what you're talking about. Have you watched 680 00:43:55,159 --> 00:44:00,000 the Pelicans in the bubble. They can't play defense, they can't close games, 681 00:44:00,159 --> 00:44:01,880 Zion is out of shape and doesn't play defense. They need to break 682 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:07,039 it up and start over. Just let let Brandon Ingram walk. Trade everyone, 683 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:08,960 maybe even trade Zion because he can't stay on the court for more than 684 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:13,760 twenty minutes per game. But there, I know you're being This is yeah, 685 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:15,440 this is all a joke, Like I would run it back entirely. 686 00:44:16,039 --> 00:44:21,880 This team, when all the pieces work, has been fantastic. Zion Williamson 687 00:44:21,920 --> 00:44:25,639 when he's played, has been incredible and makes everything work. Ingram clearly works 688 00:44:25,679 --> 00:44:30,440 next to him. Lonzo Ball there's a market difference and how he plays when 689 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:32,599 he can throw lobs to Zion versus when he's on the court without him. 690 00:44:32,639 --> 00:44:37,639 When they have all of their main pieces on the floor. They've had one 691 00:44:37,679 --> 00:44:42,119 of the best five man units in the NBA this season, admittedly in a 692 00:44:42,159 --> 00:44:45,400 relatively small sample size, but we also have reason to believe that these pieces 693 00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:49,400 are so young that they're just going to continue getting better. What happens when 694 00:44:49,519 --> 00:44:52,719 Zion can play thirty minutes a game for a full season next year, I 695 00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:55,280 don't I don't see any reason to believe that that can't happen, given his 696 00:44:55,320 --> 00:45:00,239 work ethic and how effective he's been when he has had longer stints. I 697 00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:04,880 just I don't know that they need to make any changes. I don't think 698 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:08,599 they need to make any changes. But if you were looking because you feel 699 00:45:08,599 --> 00:45:12,519 like you're on an expedited timeline and you need to do something, I don't 700 00:45:12,559 --> 00:45:15,679 think there's The reactions to me were just it was doom and gloom for a 701 00:45:15,679 --> 00:45:19,760 team that I think is set up if you go five to seven years into 702 00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:22,400 the future. I don't know which team you're necessarily putting in front of them. 703 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:23,840 If you wanted to be Boston, if you're gonna tell me that you 704 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:28,360 honest resigns Milwaukee, Fine, they're in the top five of that long term 705 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:31,440 future discussion, like just end of story. And I feel like this conversation 706 00:45:31,559 --> 00:45:37,119 also has to mention where their priorities were. They made it very clear they 707 00:45:37,159 --> 00:45:39,559 did not attempt to hide it at all that they were more concerned about their 708 00:45:39,599 --> 00:45:44,440 future than pushing for a playoff spot this season, Because what would that have 709 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:46,519 done. Okay, you get some playoff experience for the youngsters, but you 710 00:45:46,519 --> 00:45:51,719 get swept by the Lakers in the first round. Is that really worth risking 711 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:55,079 Zion's health? Is it worth risking any other pieces like it wasn't to them, 712 00:45:55,119 --> 00:46:00,519 and they acted accordingly, and they've been getting trashed for doing so because 713 00:46:00,559 --> 00:46:04,480 they did give up some winnable games by keeping Zion on the bench towards the 714 00:46:04,559 --> 00:46:08,159 end of towards the end of the contest and maybe not necessarily playing their most 715 00:46:08,239 --> 00:46:15,280 potent lineup combinations at every twist and turn. But they never offered any any 716 00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:20,119 reason to believe that their goal was to make the playoffs. And we assume 717 00:46:20,239 --> 00:46:23,159 that every team should be trying to be as competitive as possible and once you 718 00:46:23,199 --> 00:46:25,960 get to the postseason, anything could happen. But they were just being realistic, 719 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:30,239 and I think it's it's colored this conversation in a strange way, right. 720 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:36,239 And that's the other thing too, is I don't look the lethargy on 721 00:46:36,280 --> 00:46:39,159 getting back in defense for such long structures like that's that's definitely annoying because these 722 00:46:39,199 --> 00:46:43,679 games had stakes, and so regardless of what the teams right intent was, 723 00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,000 the players should want to win. I'm not going to question anyone's desire to 724 00:46:46,039 --> 00:46:50,000 win, but they just there were times of the Pelicans just didn't appear interested 725 00:46:50,039 --> 00:46:52,000 and they were commas on defense. Honestly, I think it's I think it's 726 00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:57,639 fair to question that when it's made explicit by the front office. It is 727 00:46:57,639 --> 00:47:00,039 harder to compete in these scenarios, and it's a young team, like it 728 00:47:00,599 --> 00:47:05,599 was tough for them to find the necessary motivation here and they should be held 729 00:47:05,639 --> 00:47:09,360 accountable for that, But it isn't and it isn't necessarily a condemnation of the 730 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:14,599 future of the incumbents. And the other issue, as you touched upon, 731 00:47:14,800 --> 00:47:16,719 was the lineups were just weird, Like there are too many minutes in the 732 00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:21,239 Bubble specifically, where like why do you have like Drew Holiday and Brandon Ingram 733 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:23,800 on the bench at the same time. You know, brend Ingram the shots 734 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:27,880 he can create first teammates when he gets going downhill. If you're worried about 735 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:30,599 the fit between he and Zion, like give him a lot of Ingram plus 736 00:47:30,639 --> 00:47:32,679 bench minutes if those are the units you're gonna run out. Like the fact 737 00:47:32,719 --> 00:47:37,599 they were so reliant on Frank Jackson was just so bizarre to me. They 738 00:47:37,639 --> 00:47:40,400 seem to go to Nicole o'melly like way too early for my taste as well, 739 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:45,159 and my guests would be I'm not going to pin the bubble or this 740 00:47:45,199 --> 00:47:49,320 season on Alvin Gentry because my gut feeling is if Zion is healthy the entire 741 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:52,280 year, the Pelicans are a playoff team. That's my gut feeling. But 742 00:47:52,599 --> 00:47:54,280 I almost find it hard to believe that Alvin Gentry is going to be there 743 00:47:54,519 --> 00:47:58,679 next season. It just feels like a poorly kept secret at this point that 744 00:47:59,039 --> 00:48:00,159 he's not going to be the coach to this team. There is a new 745 00:48:00,199 --> 00:48:04,239 front office regime in place dating back to last summer. They typically do like 746 00:48:04,280 --> 00:48:07,880 to install their own guy. Just felt like a unique situation because Gentry did 747 00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:12,559 so well with the Davis departure, like handling that, and it did seem 748 00:48:12,599 --> 00:48:15,639 like he and David Griffin were on the same page and in the same but 749 00:48:16,239 --> 00:48:21,239 just on more on the same page than an incumbent coach and a new executive 750 00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:23,000 would be. But now I'm at the point right almost be shocked if that 751 00:48:23,039 --> 00:48:28,079 he'd still be in New Orleans next year. And the rumor is that the 752 00:48:28,119 --> 00:48:31,679 two favorites for the job are Tyron Lou and Jason Kidd. One of those 753 00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:36,519 is a good option and it is not Jason Kidd. I would love to 754 00:48:36,519 --> 00:48:43,880 see what Lou could do with a team that had a more traditional coaching role 755 00:48:43,960 --> 00:48:47,159 than the Cleveland Cavaliers had when Lebron James was on that team, because as 756 00:48:47,239 --> 00:48:52,239 great as Lebron is, he's definitely a forceful personality who gets to make a 757 00:48:52,239 --> 00:48:55,599 lot of decisions that not a lot of players get to make. And I 758 00:48:55,639 --> 00:48:59,840 would, I would genuinely like to see what lou can do with a coh 759 00:49:00,280 --> 00:49:04,719 of team filled with up and coming players. I have no interest in seeing 760 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,719 Jason Kidd rex Ion Williamson's career. Rex seems like a strong word. But 761 00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:13,400 keep Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson all the way away from this team. I 762 00:49:14,079 --> 00:49:15,920 don't know that they look at this because maybe he feels too developmental. But 763 00:49:16,000 --> 00:49:21,360 Kenny Atkinson feels like he might be an interesting fit for this roster. But 764 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:23,760 let's not talk about avoguately, let's not talk about replacing Alvin Gentry before he's 765 00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:29,199 actually fired. Excuse me by one quick note before I ask you about the 766 00:49:29,199 --> 00:49:32,400 Sixers. We just another breaking news nugget Terrence Ross has had to leave the 767 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:37,159 Disney Bubble due to a personal non COVID medical matter. According to WOJ, 768 00:49:37,599 --> 00:49:43,239 he'll he'll undergo offsite tests as advised by league physicians. He is not going 769 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:47,000 to play in their game against Brooklyn on Tuesday, and his availability moving forward 770 00:49:47,039 --> 00:49:52,960 will depend on the test results in NBA quarantine protocols. Now, I want 771 00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:57,039 to ask you about the Sixers who are They're entirely too fascinating at this point, 772 00:49:57,079 --> 00:50:02,360 like they're uncomfortably fascinating because of why they're Fascinat Ben Simmons. They haven't 773 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:06,559 ruled him out for the season, but I would be shocked if he played 774 00:50:06,599 --> 00:50:10,679 again this year. He's dealing with a what amounts to a dislocated left knee 775 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:15,400 and he's having surgery on it. So I wouldn't expect to see him for 776 00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:17,360 the rest of the year. Maybe if they're in the finals or something, 777 00:50:17,400 --> 00:50:23,119 but I don't expect to see them in the finals. Inbid left their game 778 00:50:23,199 --> 00:50:28,000 on Sunday with I think it was a left ankle injury. I'm not even 779 00:50:28,039 --> 00:50:30,400 sure which ankle was. We left with an ankle injury and we're still waiting 780 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:31,480 on an update. We actually didn't lead with this at the top of the 781 00:50:31,480 --> 00:50:36,519 podcast in hopes that there might be a breaking news nugget about what his availability 782 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:38,559 would be. This is just something that's like, you know, he missed 783 00:50:38,559 --> 00:50:43,760 time in the playoffs last year he was his minutes were stringently managed, particularly 784 00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:47,960 in that first round series against the Nets, because he was laboring through injuries. 785 00:50:49,800 --> 00:50:53,440 What do you make of this team right now, Adams, I have 786 00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:59,800 no idea. I would love to see what this team could do with a 787 00:51:00,039 --> 00:51:04,119 healthy Embid leading the charge. He was so good early in the bubble before 788 00:51:04,159 --> 00:51:07,039 this injury. I'd love to see how far he could take them, if 789 00:51:07,039 --> 00:51:09,960 he could potentially keep them alive long enough that Simmons could return. But I 790 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:15,559 highly doubt that that's going to be the case. And just a shame on 791 00:51:15,639 --> 00:51:22,800 you to the Philadelphia front office for continuing to run with this experiment. And 792 00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:27,079 I'm not talking about putting Ben Simmons and Joel Embid together. I'm talking about 793 00:51:27,519 --> 00:51:32,320 not putting the right players around them. This duo has been phenomenal when they've 794 00:51:32,360 --> 00:51:37,840 both been on the court. It can absolutely work despite both having shooting limitations, 795 00:51:37,840 --> 00:51:43,360 despite Simmons not thriving off the ball. But you have to actually put 796 00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:49,480 shooters around them, and the Sixers, for whatever reason, have staunchly refused 797 00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:53,000 to do that. And I feel like we've just had another year squandered of 798 00:51:53,320 --> 00:52:00,320 this duo that could potentially be such a devastating combination against any opponent because the 799 00:52:00,360 --> 00:52:02,480 front office can't find the right pieces to put around them, like we always 800 00:52:02,519 --> 00:52:05,679 hear like, oh we need to break them up? Which one of them 801 00:52:05,719 --> 00:52:07,920 are they going to trade? Like, maybe we should do the easier fix, 802 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:12,719 which is to put the actual, proper, complimentary pieces around them, 803 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:15,960 right, And the closest they came to doing that was twenty seventeen, twenty 804 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:21,079 eighteen when you had Reddick, Roco and Dario Sarich. I wouldn't say that 805 00:52:21,079 --> 00:52:23,480 those were the perfect compliments, but the idea you need, Look, you 806 00:52:23,480 --> 00:52:27,079 need more than someone who can stand still threes. You need functional shooting. 807 00:52:27,079 --> 00:52:29,320 To me, someone who can move. It doesn't necessarily have to be Jj 808 00:52:29,440 --> 00:52:32,559 Reddick, but you need functional shooting and ball handling. And they have gone 809 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:37,559 in the complete opposite direction. And this idea that it can't work is bizarre. 810 00:52:37,559 --> 00:52:39,840 To mean, maybe they're not the cleanest fit. But in twenty seventeen 811 00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:44,679 twenty eighteen, Philly was a plus sixteen point two points per one hundred possessions 812 00:52:44,679 --> 00:52:46,920 with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons on the court. Last year plus nine point 813 00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:51,719 five points per one hundred possessions when they shared the floor this year plus one 814 00:52:51,760 --> 00:52:54,199 point eight, and a lot of that has to do with the roster construction 815 00:52:54,599 --> 00:52:59,679 and the money that they've committed to Al Horford is equity burned that they couldn't 816 00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:05,639 use on others, and even just making smaller moves on the margins. It's 817 00:53:05,679 --> 00:53:07,880 clear that if you've given the choice, would you'd rather have had JJ Reddick 818 00:53:07,880 --> 00:53:12,119 than Jimmy Butler or Tobias Harris and Al Horford It shouldn't even be a question. 819 00:53:12,159 --> 00:53:15,159 There were obviously extenuating circumstances with Jimmy Butler's departure. It seems like he 820 00:53:15,199 --> 00:53:19,719 really did want to be in Miami. And I don't even think Tobias Harris 821 00:53:19,719 --> 00:53:22,239 is necessarily part of the problem. He is a good fit for this roster, 822 00:53:22,360 --> 00:53:24,920 but because he's not someone who's going to put a ton of pressure on 823 00:53:24,960 --> 00:53:29,119 the rim, That's why Jimmy Butler was the betterfit, even though he's probably 824 00:53:29,159 --> 00:53:35,320 a floor spacing downgrade there, and this team without Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, 825 00:53:35,360 --> 00:53:37,840 it would be it would be absolutely cooked. I don't know if you 826 00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:42,039 would the luxury of having a Tobias Harris and Al Horford and then Josh Richardson 827 00:53:42,079 --> 00:53:45,920 who went apt off, absolutely off over the weekend. Is oh, hey, 828 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:47,360 maybe you can, you know, kind of steal some games. Do 829 00:53:47,400 --> 00:53:51,440 you get out a first round series have like that pacers feel to the way 830 00:53:51,480 --> 00:53:55,320 that you're playing, It's certainly possible, but they I don't like. I 831 00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:59,119 don't know what I would expect from them. Honestly, if Embade and Simmons 832 00:53:59,119 --> 00:54:01,440 both aren't available leading in to the playoffs. The good news is is that 833 00:54:01,480 --> 00:54:07,480 if a Bid is available, when Horford and Ebid have played without Simmons, 834 00:54:07,480 --> 00:54:10,599 the offense has absolutely hummed the I think they have an offensive rating of near 835 00:54:12,159 --> 00:54:15,440 one and twenty. The defense has not been great, but the sample size 836 00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:17,360 is so small that I think you can argue you don't have to read too 837 00:54:17,440 --> 00:54:22,320 much into the good or the bad. There They're ower rating with Horford and 838 00:54:22,320 --> 00:54:25,039 e Bid now since they've played some minutes and Simmons went down is one fifteen 839 00:54:25,079 --> 00:54:29,199 when they're playing without Ben, but their defensive rating is also one fifteen. 840 00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:34,679 So there's just there's so many questions. I was always never going to be 841 00:54:34,679 --> 00:54:37,960 surprised if this team lost in the first round, but now I'm almost wondering 842 00:54:37,199 --> 00:54:42,119 do we need to expect them to lose in the first round because it feels 843 00:54:42,119 --> 00:54:45,360 like we're going to end up seeing Philly Boston in Round one, which is 844 00:54:45,400 --> 00:54:49,320 not good news for them. No, I think people wanted to see the 845 00:54:49,320 --> 00:54:52,320 Sixers face the Celtics, but that was if you had both Ben Simmons and 846 00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:58,000 Joel Embiid exactly. I do want to just expand on one thing that you 847 00:54:58,119 --> 00:55:00,000 said, even though I don't have that much to ad. It's just a 848 00:55:00,039 --> 00:55:06,480 point of clarification on those two man net ratings because I've seen those cited as 849 00:55:06,599 --> 00:55:12,480 evidence for why it isn't working anymore, because those numbers have gone down each 850 00:55:12,519 --> 00:55:15,639 of the last two seasons, and it was barely a positive when they were 851 00:55:15,679 --> 00:55:19,239 both on the court this season. But it's so important and so overlooked that 852 00:55:19,599 --> 00:55:23,280 a two man net rating still involves three other players, and as much as 853 00:55:23,280 --> 00:55:28,119 we would like to believe that it is solely about those two, like if 854 00:55:28,119 --> 00:55:30,639 you do have core fitting pieces around them and you can't make those lineups work, 855 00:55:31,039 --> 00:55:36,800 those numbers are going to get dragged down. So if you're citing that 856 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:40,679 as evidence that this partnership doesn't work, and needs to be broken up, 857 00:55:40,719 --> 00:55:45,199 like there are other confounding factors that are very important here, and I just 858 00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:50,760 I think it that should go without saying, but it needs to be said. 859 00:55:50,920 --> 00:55:54,639 Well, the process of them searching over the past two years is what's 860 00:55:54,719 --> 00:55:59,800 kind of hurt then and Joel more than anything, because let's go to that 861 00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:02,199 twenty seventeen twenty eighteen when they had the plus sixteen point two net rating. 862 00:56:02,440 --> 00:56:07,199 The most shows line up with those two played almost thirteen hundred possessions. Last 863 00:56:07,199 --> 00:56:09,800 season, when they were a plus nine point five together, the most shoes 864 00:56:09,800 --> 00:56:13,599 line up with those two, it was cut to six twenty eight. This 865 00:56:13,679 --> 00:56:17,280 year, the most shoes lineup featuring these two is five hundred and eighteen possessions, 866 00:56:17,360 --> 00:56:21,440 And so that continuity has been downgraded, which is why I think you 867 00:56:21,519 --> 00:56:24,400 expect the numbers to go down, because it's also in tandem with the personnel 868 00:56:24,639 --> 00:56:30,000 around them making substantially less sense, is how I would put it. Yeah, 869 00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:34,599 I mean, I just can't help but imagine this partnership with someone like 870 00:56:34,639 --> 00:56:39,400 Buddy Healed around them. It would just be such a tremendous fit to have 871 00:56:39,480 --> 00:56:45,000 that that actual off ball weapon who is so comfortable moving around the court like 872 00:56:45,559 --> 00:56:49,960 a prime JJ Reddick, right. And look that's why people, I don't 873 00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:52,639 know what if you could get in play for a you know, maybe you 874 00:56:52,639 --> 00:56:54,400 should try and trade from JJ Reddeck if New Orleans does decide to blow it 875 00:56:54,480 --> 00:56:57,719 up. But I don't know if you could get him play for Buddy Healed, 876 00:56:57,719 --> 00:57:00,719 because who wants Al Horford's contract? Even to Bias Harris. I know 877 00:57:00,760 --> 00:57:02,880 he's on the younger side, but that's such a steep commitment. This team 878 00:57:02,920 --> 00:57:07,400 isn't broken. Like, think about if they could just add even one like 879 00:57:08,039 --> 00:57:12,480 plus ball handler, shooter, you know, someone who's a little bit better 880 00:57:12,480 --> 00:57:16,199 than Alec Burks, the team just there. The ceiling on them just goes 881 00:57:16,199 --> 00:57:20,119 exponentially higher to me. And so that's why I think it's foolish to believe 882 00:57:20,440 --> 00:57:22,440 they need to choose between Simmons and Embiide. I'm not saying it won't happen 883 00:57:22,519 --> 00:57:24,840 one day, but it needs to be a last resort. And right now, 884 00:57:24,840 --> 00:57:28,360 I don't think we've seen them next to the optimal amount of talent yet. 885 00:57:28,360 --> 00:57:30,119 And I also don't think the Sixers are out of cards to play. 886 00:57:30,159 --> 00:57:36,280 Even if they can't swing another blockbuster. You know, you have let's Mike 887 00:57:36,360 --> 00:57:38,599 Scott as small salary salary filler. You have z that year Smith still there. 888 00:57:38,639 --> 00:57:40,599 If you really want it to go all in, you a future first 889 00:57:40,599 --> 00:57:45,159 you have, But these thible there are moves that you can make on the 890 00:57:45,239 --> 00:57:50,800 margins that I think can make you substantially better, just because it'll help your 891 00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:53,280 roster make more sense. And that's what the Sixers are lacking in, not 892 00:57:53,440 --> 00:57:59,239 talent, but functional sense. Absolutely. And I also just want to give 893 00:57:59,480 --> 00:58:02,360 a quick out out to Tubias Harris. He got so much criticism at the 894 00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:07,800 beginning of the season when his shot wasn't falling right off that massive contract that 895 00:58:07,840 --> 00:58:09,960 he signed. But during the bubble he's averaged twenty two point four points, 896 00:58:10,000 --> 00:58:14,280 eight point four rebounds, two point six assists, shooting forty three point three 897 00:58:14,320 --> 00:58:16,519 percent from the field and forty point seven percent on threes. He's been fantastic. 898 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:20,360 He's been everything that they wanted him to be, just a little too 899 00:58:20,440 --> 00:58:22,519 late. I mean, he's also he's been good ever since that, you 900 00:58:22,559 --> 00:58:24,800 know, was the first twenty games of the season. He's actually had a 901 00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:29,320 pretty good year after that. So again he hasn't been the obvious it's because 902 00:58:29,320 --> 00:58:35,280 he's not Jimmy Butler is basically like what the problem is. But I think 903 00:58:35,320 --> 00:58:37,119 that does it for us here. This episode is going to end up being 904 00:58:37,159 --> 00:58:42,280 over an hour. Thank you all for listening. We appreciate you so much. 905 00:58:42,599 --> 00:58:45,440 Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us wherever you're getting 906 00:58:45,440 --> 00:58:50,320 your podcast. Please subscriptions and downloads help us the most. We appreciate shout 907 00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:52,599 outs on Twitter, retweet our promos, tell friends, family members, acquaintance 908 00:58:52,639 --> 00:58:55,719 his random people on social media about us. That helps us too. If 909 00:58:55,719 --> 00:58:59,599 you are using Apple Podcast, or even if you're not, please please, 910 00:58:59,639 --> 00:59:02,400 please, pretty please just rate and review us, leave a comment, give 911 00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:05,880 us a five star rating. If you have a constructive criticism, throw it 912 00:59:05,920 --> 00:59:09,400 our way. We will take it into account under advisement implement it as needed. 913 00:59:10,119 --> 00:59:13,679 Once again, thank you all for listening. 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