1 00:00:14,679 --> 00:00:18,480 What is track lacking Hardwodox listeners, I am damp belly coming out. You 2 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,600 would out my fantabulous co host, Adam Bommel. I am, however, 3 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:27,160 super pleased to be joined by a longtime friend and colleague and frequent best Grant 4 00:00:27,239 --> 00:00:31,000 Hughes from Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter at GT Underscore Hughes. We 5 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:33,600 actually have him coming on for two pods this week, the first of which 6 00:00:33,679 --> 00:00:37,600 is going to be our Conference finals previews. We get into Maps Warriors and 7 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,679 Heat Celtics. Of course, usual housekeeping knows before we get started. Please 8 00:00:41,719 --> 00:00:46,079 please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing to us wherever you get your podcasts, 9 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,439 especially if this is your first time listening. 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And if 19 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,439 you've done all those things, please consider recommending us to friends, family members, 20 00:01:25,439 --> 00:01:27,079 acquaintance, as co workers, any randos on the internet who you know 21 00:01:27,159 --> 00:01:32,760 may like basketball. We super duper incredibly appreciate it, and we appreciate every 22 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,200 single one of you for listening. Without further delay, let's get into our 23 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:42,079 Conference Finals preview with Bleacher Reports Grant Hughes, Grant, welcome back to the 24 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,319 Hardward Outs Podcast. It's been a minute, by the standards to which you 25 00:01:45,359 --> 00:01:49,040 normally come on, the frequency to which you normally come on. We're gonna 26 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:51,560 dive into lots of talk, but first and foremost, how the heck are 27 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:57,239 you? I'm doing great. I'm sure that the extended hiatus is my fault. 28 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,719 I probably had to tell you I couldn't do it a couple of times. 29 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,599 But it's a it's a it's a good stretch right now for Grants because 30 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,239 and it doesn't happen often. Because Grant Williams went off, We're going to 31 00:02:07,319 --> 00:02:09,319 talk about that eventually, but uh, you know, it's always nice when 32 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,719 one of the few really does the name proud. So shout out to Grant 33 00:02:13,719 --> 00:02:15,199 Williams. First thing on this one. I thought you were gonna say, 34 00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:19,159 it's a good day for Grant two because the Warriors are in the conference finals 35 00:02:19,159 --> 00:02:22,680 and favorites to make it out of the conference finals. Well that's all. 36 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,360 That's Uh, that's a giving, that's but we're not talking about me. 37 00:02:25,439 --> 00:02:29,520 We're going to talk about the other Grants and the other players that are actually 38 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,840 playing in these series and instead of me, that's just watching them happily in 39 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,800 the case of the Warriors. Yeah, so let's dig into We'll start with 40 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,240 Warriors MAVs. That is. I wouldn't call it the more compelling one. 41 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,240 They're both. These series are compelling, and they just are a reminder how 42 00:02:44,319 --> 00:02:46,719 much I was wrong about this season. I missed on the MAVs, like 43 00:02:46,759 --> 00:02:50,400 on multiple occasions because I just didn't buy into anything. And here they are 44 00:02:50,439 --> 00:02:53,479 sitting in the Conference finals, where I spent all this time like thinking about 45 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:57,719 their roster construction, how they can get better, and there's a real chance 46 00:02:57,759 --> 00:03:00,879 that they're just going to be in the NBA Finals. So starting just off 47 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,840 with this series, like, what are your like, what is the like 48 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,280 the biggest overarching thing you're thinking about heading into the Western Conference Finals. I 49 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,680 mean, I think, just taking it from the Warriors perspective, it's what 50 00:03:13,719 --> 00:03:19,639 do you do with Luca? And and I think I guess it's a it's 51 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,520 a it's definitely a benefit even though this is a different Warriors team than years 52 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:28,960 past. But like they've seen you know, peak James Harden in series and 53 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,840 beating them. They've seen peak Lebron, Like, they're not this this idea 54 00:03:31,879 --> 00:03:36,599 of there's a transcendent offensive player that kind of just carries this whole team and 55 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,759 seems unstoppable. That's not a new experience for a lot of the principles on 56 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:46,120 the Warriors. But the scary thing I think for them is that Luca just 57 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:51,120 a sort of an evolved version of Harden, because he's just I mean, 58 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,159 Harden wasn't, you know, threatening triple doubles all the time. He was 59 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,840 sort of a guy that you you know, you learn the basics of, 60 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,759 you know, keep your hands up, don't foul him, make him try 61 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,039 to score. Luca, I think just it's crazy to say, but Luca 62 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:09,280 seems like a more complete offensive player than Harden was, and maybe that's doing, 63 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,439 you know, Key Harden a disservice, Yeah, an elimination, give 64 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,000 it just the guy just doesn't have bad games. It seems like when it 65 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,639 matters that, if you're trying to draw distinctions between Luca and Harden, that's 66 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:25,319 the big one. But how they defend him, you know they can't. 67 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,199 You can't trap him, you can't double him. He's gonna hunt switches and 68 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,240 try to just cook Curry or pool or almost you know, or get a 69 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,800 big out, try to get come on Looney when he's in the game, 70 00:04:34,959 --> 00:04:39,439 which probably won't be that much, But that's the big What do you do? 71 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,720 What do you do with him? And how do you slow him down? 72 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,160 Or do you just let him get fifty and stay home on everybody else? 73 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:47,480 I don't know. I think that's going to be the real kind of 74 00:04:47,519 --> 00:04:51,959 the pivot point of the series. That would be among my biggest questions for 75 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:56,560 the Warriors entering this. And I think it hurts that I don't think Gary 76 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,399 Payton the Second is expected to play because I imagine that he would end up 77 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:02,199 being a pretty b part of even if not going after Luca primarily because of 78 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,920 the size difference, just having someone else there if you were going to run 79 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,079 traps or just to make sure that like you're you're stamping out the other actions 80 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,680 other players on the MAVs offense. And then even just I guess Otto Porter 81 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,959 Junior is supposed to be fine, Like I have to imagine, he looms 82 00:05:18,959 --> 00:05:23,639 pretty large in this series. And I think my actual biggest question for them 83 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,759 was based off what the Mavericks are doing. And I think what we know 84 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,800 the Mavericks are going to do and the way that they play. Is this 85 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,600 a series where it's like Golden State needs to play big where we're gonna see 86 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,959 a lot of Looney and dre or is it when where they need to play 87 00:05:34,959 --> 00:05:40,360 small? Because Dallas's most successful lineups have just ostensibly been the five out ones 88 00:05:40,399 --> 00:05:43,000 where they're not you know, MAXI Cleeveland is not really a small but he's 89 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,040 he's a seventh point, He's not really a small ball five. But have 90 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,439 that five outiness and to go up against that, I guess, like Cavan, 91 00:05:49,639 --> 00:05:53,279 like Looney and Draymond, that's fine to do, but if you did 92 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,279 want to downsize, that would probably increase the importance of Otto Porter Junior even 93 00:05:57,319 --> 00:06:00,319 more. And my final thing there would be, is this even a you 94 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:04,240 know what do they called the liquid death lineup? Is that a series for 95 00:06:04,319 --> 00:06:08,879 this one? Because they you know, they those five you know, pomp 96 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:11,360 and circumstance in the first round, and then we go in the second round, 97 00:06:11,439 --> 00:06:13,959 they play thirty two minutes. They win those minutes by a total of 98 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,120 three points, shoot like twenty one percent from three during that stretch, And 99 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,079 so I'm just has the novelty of it worn off? And then also how 100 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:24,759 does it sort of match up against a Mavericks team where if Lucas on the 101 00:06:24,759 --> 00:06:29,639 floor, like he'll hunt, like he'll go hon ding against that lineup? 102 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,319 Yeah, for sure, I think I think one one benefit. So I 103 00:06:33,319 --> 00:06:36,439 think Looney will play, but he's only gonna play if Dwight Powell's in the 104 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,199 game. Probably, I think that's how it's going to start. I think 105 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:46,199 if you have him, look like Looney is a better perimeter defender than most 106 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,560 like quote unquote conventional bigs, even though he's even really kind of undersized in 107 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,800 that role. So him getting switched out onto don Chich I think is like 108 00:06:54,399 --> 00:06:57,560 actually less of a five alarm fire. It's like a two alarm fire, 109 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,240 whereas Pool is a full like send all the engines. That's a huge problem. 110 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,199 He has no chance. So Luny might play a little bit. But 111 00:07:04,199 --> 00:07:09,800 I think you know, you're talking about how the Pool party lineup thing like, 112 00:07:11,079 --> 00:07:14,439 you know, fluctuates an effectiveness over these couple of series. I do 113 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:17,079 think it's a benefit that the Warriors can play a little bigger which they had 114 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,680 to down in those last couple of games against Memphis. You know, they 115 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,319 can play Luney and Green together. That's an option they can sort of. 116 00:07:25,519 --> 00:07:28,279 It would be great. We didn't mention andre Iguodala. I think it's it's 117 00:07:28,319 --> 00:07:30,680 kind of like you've got a smirk when you say it, because he just 118 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:32,600 just doesn't play anymore. But if you could get ten minutes of him in 119 00:07:32,639 --> 00:07:36,199 the game, I don't think Don Chitch is gonna just run over him. 120 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,000 So that' that'd be another guy along with Porter or Peyton. Peyton, I 121 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,399 don't think it's gonna play Porter will so they can get real switchy and long. 122 00:07:44,759 --> 00:07:48,160 With Curry out there still, Wiggins will take the bulk of the minutes 123 00:07:48,199 --> 00:07:51,519 on Don Chitch. I think Clay can hold up a little bit. But 124 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,279 yeah, they're gonna have to mix and match, and this might be a 125 00:07:55,319 --> 00:07:58,240 series. As I start to kind of talk it out in my head where 126 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,120 which seems to happen with the Warriors, they don't quite figure out what the 127 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,439 best way to do things are until like Game four or five. And fortunately 128 00:08:05,519 --> 00:08:09,600 they have kind of the pieces too, you know, once they figure out 129 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,480 what that best thing to do is, they can do it that they have 130 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:16,600 enough line of versatility. I think Cominga might even get some individual time on 131 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,040 don Chich. They keep giving them chances and he keeps not doing much with 132 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,279 him, but just his athleticism is another thing. They might even play his 133 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:28,120 own. I don't know, but yeah, like I think we did see 134 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:33,679 with Yokich for example against the Nuggets, the Warriors kind of let Yoki score 135 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,159 and I think they're comfortable with that. And that is how they've tended to 136 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,320 deal with superstar offensive engines is just try to limit the other guys and don't 137 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,960 make him, you know, don't give him the easy passes for wide open 138 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,759 shots for the rest of the guys to get them gone. So it's gonna 139 00:08:48,759 --> 00:08:50,120 take a committee approach. It's going to take all hands on deck. It's 140 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:56,639 going to take every possible defensive permutation because the other thing is if you show 141 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,120 don Chi one coverage for an extended period of time, I'll just figure it 142 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:03,600 out. So it's gonna take. It's gonna take everything I think to slow 143 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:07,440 him down. What have you thought of just the MAVs defense overall? They 144 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:13,519 were again missed on the MAVs completely this season. Their defense has been fantastic. 145 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,440 It's been suffocating. They did great picking the sposh, but I needed 146 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,919 to blitz Phoenix. And I know a lot of people were talking about Devin 147 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,919 Booker's lack of effectiveness there, but they also just like playing these possessions straight 148 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,320 up at points, Like they did a fantastic job there against Phoenix as well. 149 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,279 And it's just Reggie Bullock has been huge. We know what Dorian Finnie 150 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,519 Smith does, Maxi Kleiba, I don't want to say he found the fountain 151 00:09:33,519 --> 00:09:35,360 of youth, but like he went from being like one of the most underrated 152 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,759 like mobile defenders. Then there was a year and a half where felt like, 153 00:09:37,759 --> 00:09:41,440 oh is he cooked or is he slower? And now he's just juiced 154 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,919 up yet again they are I did not. I could not have seen this 155 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,120 coming. And so how do you think like day match up defensively looking at 156 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:52,679 the Warriors offense, Yeah, it's pretty wild. I didn't see this coming 157 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,840 defensively at all for them. And part of that was because I mean all 158 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,559 all you know, stand up and say, like I thought that Jason Kidd 159 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:05,840 hire a huge mistake for every possible reason character wise and just what he did 160 00:10:05,879 --> 00:10:07,320 with the Bucks. But what he did do, what he does tend to 161 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:13,360 do is bring a defensive mentality like he that is like the thing you point 162 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,919 to when you're hiring him, I think, or one of the main things. 163 00:10:16,919 --> 00:10:18,639 And it just like, yeah, we knew Finny Smith was a great 164 00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:22,879 defender. He's a one through four guy, and now, as small as 165 00:10:22,879 --> 00:10:24,360 the series might get, he may just be a one through five defender. 166 00:10:26,399 --> 00:10:30,399 Bullock is great, but I just it seems like there should be places to 167 00:10:30,519 --> 00:10:35,240 attack because Brunson's small, Like there's you know, if I think Andrew Wiggins 168 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,919 potentially could get some some of his you know, bailout low percentage step back 169 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,320 twos against Brunson if it comes to that, and Daunchett should be someone you 170 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,360 should be able to tire out, but all those guys have held up defensively, 171 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,759 So I just I don't know what you do. I think if Powell 172 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,200 is in the game, that's probably someone you can coax out into a switch. 173 00:10:54,279 --> 00:10:58,360 But yeah, Dallas has just really impressed defensively, and like you know, 174 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,840 there were there were stretches during the year. I forget what they finished 175 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,639 on defense. I want to say seventh or fourth or something, or maybe 176 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,240 the seventh overall and fourth over those second half, but they were the best 177 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,559 defensive team in the league for like, you know, three or four weeks 178 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:16,360 at a time during the year, so it's not like they're running hot and 179 00:11:16,399 --> 00:11:22,519 they just I do think the challenge will be different because Phoenix was a historically 180 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,320 accurate mid range shooting offense until it wasn't, and so the challenge of defending 181 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,240 an offense like that, that's just a weird set up to play against. 182 00:11:30,519 --> 00:11:33,559 The Warriors, oddly are going to be a little more conventional. They want 183 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,600 threes and layups, So I don't know which way that cuts, but I 184 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,039 do think at least if you're looking for ways for Dallas to kind of come 185 00:11:41,039 --> 00:11:43,720 back to Earth, if that's even the right way to phrase it, on 186 00:11:43,759 --> 00:11:48,039 defense. Maybe it's just because Phoenix kind of beats itself if it's not making 187 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,919 two point jump shots. I don't know. I think that Dallas's defense is 188 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,799 for real. Warriors are gonna run into a challenge right right on par with 189 00:11:56,799 --> 00:12:01,080 what Memphis did. If not, maybe it is like disruptive and turnover forcing, 190 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,399 but Dallas is not gonna just roll over and get scored on. Yeah, 191 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,080 And I go back and forth on it too, because the numbers will 192 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,799 say that the Sun's got to the rim at a higher clip during the playoffs 193 00:12:09,799 --> 00:12:13,639 so far than the Warriors. The Warriors seem like they are built to put 194 00:12:13,639 --> 00:12:16,840 more pressure on the rim, just where it's like if you're throwing CP three 195 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,639 was donezo at this point in the series, if you're throwing a kitchen sink 196 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,399 at Devin Booker asking mcal Bridges or Cam Johnson or Jay Crowder, be like, 197 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,360 it's a lot different if that's Jordan Pool, or even if it's Klay 198 00:12:26,399 --> 00:12:31,320 Thompson who not putting pressure on the rim but someone who could still pull up. 199 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,159 And then even Draymond's decision making going downhill. But then I'm juxtaposing that 200 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,279 against the fact that Draymond has not really been good on offense, and like 201 00:12:37,279 --> 00:12:41,200 the I looked earlier before we recorded this, I was looking at the numbers 202 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:45,120 when Drey and Looney were playing together, Like the Warriors have a one seventeen 203 00:12:45,159 --> 00:12:46,600 offensive rating per cleaning the last of those two on the courts, like they've 204 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:54,039 been generating offense anyway. I feel like their armory is deeper of players who 205 00:12:54,039 --> 00:12:58,480 are going to be able to create when things bogged down for Stephen Curry than 206 00:12:58,519 --> 00:13:01,559 it was for in Phoenix when you look what happened to Chris Paul with the 207 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,480 MAVs were able to do to Devin Booker, particularly over those final two games. 208 00:13:05,759 --> 00:13:09,080 But then I'm also just like the Warriors have gotten off to slow starts. 209 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:11,639 I was gonna ask you what you make of just you know, like 210 00:13:11,759 --> 00:13:15,919 Steph, Like if you I was talking to message, like you break down 211 00:13:15,919 --> 00:13:18,759 his usage rate by quarter, and it's almost like they ease him into the 212 00:13:18,799 --> 00:13:22,679 game, or he eased himself into the game before like really taking over in 213 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,399 the fourth. That doesn't feel like it's gonna fly against Dallas. Yeah, 214 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:31,600 I think you brought up a great point about about how Dallas might attack. 215 00:13:31,759 --> 00:13:35,600 So there was a game this year I forget which of the four meetings it 216 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:41,279 was where the Mavericks trapped Curry put two on the ball every time he touched 217 00:13:41,279 --> 00:13:43,000 it for the whole fourth quarter, and Curry didn't attempt a field goal in 218 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,639 the fourth quarter. It was a game the Warriors won by a ton because 219 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,360 Curry got off the ball and a lot of it was green on the short 220 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:54,960 roll and then it's four on three. The Warriors have loved to play that 221 00:13:54,080 --> 00:14:01,039 style over the years. I would be really interested to see Dallas goes to 222 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:05,120 that because that might be a way that Pool gets going. And I think 223 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:09,600 Dallas Dallas will be very happy if the Grizzly series Pool, by and large 224 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,799 is the one they get versus the Denver one. And I don't think you 225 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:16,120 want to give him space to operate. Same with Draymond, same with Clay. 226 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:20,639 So they but but they did it for a whole quarter. It might 227 00:14:20,679 --> 00:14:22,679 have been like adjacent kidd. I'm I know I'm going to meet these guys 228 00:14:22,679 --> 00:14:26,000 in the conference finals. I want to, you know, not tip my 229 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,120 hand on what I'm gonna do. I doubt it, but that was a 230 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:35,360 really interesting approach. And I think too like Warriors do play a style offensively 231 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:43,600 when they get played conventionally, where there's just relentless running around and if if 232 00:14:43,639 --> 00:14:46,559 you want to wear out, don chitch or if you want to start maybe 233 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,679 trying to chip away at guys like Bullock and Finney Smith that played a ton 234 00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:54,440 of minutes have played so many minutes in these playoffs. I think that's a 235 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,279 pretty taxing style to defend, even if you're switching, because there's just mentally 236 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:01,039 there's you know, screw ups just wait to happen at every turn trying to 237 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,320 chase the Warrior shooters around. So it's going to be a challenge. Obviously 238 00:15:05,559 --> 00:15:07,799 you should go out saying it's going to be a challenge for Dallas. But 239 00:15:09,919 --> 00:15:13,200 how they hold up sort of stamina wise, and how much they throw a 240 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,879 curry I think are a couple of things I'll be keeping an eye on. 241 00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:20,480 Do you think there's and part of me feels like this is an oversimplification when 242 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:26,360 people talk about the Warrior's offense needing more like STEPH centralism, because if you 243 00:15:26,399 --> 00:15:28,480 actually look at the data, I was surprised at actually how many pick and 244 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:33,000 rules they ran with Steph last series. At the same time, they're not 245 00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:35,480 like you're mentioning like trying to wear other guys out if there are mismatches to 246 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,960 exploit. The Warriors aren't necessarily a team that feels like they go after them, 247 00:15:39,039 --> 00:15:41,519 and so there is that level of me and it like, can't we 248 00:15:41,919 --> 00:15:46,320 like if you need to for stretches like STEPH should be more heliocentric. And 249 00:15:46,399 --> 00:15:50,240 it comes back to the fact where the Warrior's peak might actually be the scariest 250 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:54,039 still in the NBA. It's just how sustainable is it? Because when they're 251 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:58,559 running rough shot and everything's working, it feels like it's happening in minutes long 252 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,360 spurts, and featuring more of STEPH feels like a way to kind of get 253 00:16:02,399 --> 00:16:04,240 you through the I don't even want to call it the valleys, but like 254 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:10,360 more of the median minutes that you're playing, and especially just against this team, 255 00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:12,799 if you're looking to maybe wear out one particular matchup, is it important 256 00:16:12,799 --> 00:16:18,039 to try and get after to get into more of that. And then the 257 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:19,080 final thing I was saying is I think about this, I'm like, it 258 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,600 really just doesn't matter because I don't think the Warriors are going to change how 259 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,759 they've always played, Like that's just been a criticism for how long. Yeah, 260 00:16:26,799 --> 00:16:30,519 that's exactly going to say that that that has been when things have run 261 00:16:30,559 --> 00:16:33,720 bad for the Warriors. The number one criticism is just, well, just 262 00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:37,519 play high pick and roll with Steph and Draymond and like that'll fix everything. 263 00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:41,879 And it does work. But I think Steve Kurr just doesn't. It's very 264 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:45,080 clear, assuming Steve Kurr will be the head coach and not Mike Brown, 265 00:16:47,279 --> 00:16:51,840 kur hates that. He just doesn't like the type of setup where all the 266 00:16:51,879 --> 00:16:56,879 action originates one way and it's basically Curry is going to get off the ball 267 00:16:56,879 --> 00:16:59,159 to Draymond, he's gonna drive, he's gonna pull up, or he's gonna 268 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:00,879 kick to a corner, like that's our offense. He doesn't want to play 269 00:17:00,919 --> 00:17:04,160 that way. He never has. I do think there are situations and the 270 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,480 Warriors know this, where like if Powell is in the game, for example, 271 00:17:07,799 --> 00:17:11,400 that's someone you probably just play high pick and roll against a little more 272 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,680 if it's Cleve. But I don't know if there's a huge advantage into generating 273 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,480 a switch or or you know, trying to play that way. I do 274 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:22,119 think this is talk about oversimplification. I do think you just have to involve 275 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:27,640 Don Chi in as many actions as you possibly can, because now it seems 276 00:17:27,759 --> 00:17:30,319 very clear that the only way that he can be stopped is if he just 277 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:36,880 gets tired. And even even that narrative was a little sort of, I 278 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:41,119 don't know, not reflective of what really happened in his prior playoff series in 279 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,559 years past, because his numbers would always be awesome still, but I do 280 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,160 think just you know, if you're if you're going to get a superstar, 281 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,599 it's just it's like rule one of the book. You just have to try 282 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,599 to wear him down defensively and make him work. Everyone tries to do that 283 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,559 to Curry. I just think that that that's when the high pick and roll 284 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:02,279 and the just the basic he centric stuff I think has to come into play 285 00:18:02,279 --> 00:18:03,880 a little bit. But they don't want to do it. That's really clear, 286 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,559 just like they probably don't even want to double him either, And if 287 00:18:07,559 --> 00:18:08,880 you want to tell out, you would think that they need to do one 288 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,880 of preferably both, but one of those two things, although two don is 289 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,200 credit on the playoffs. The MAVs are scoring when he's double team does a 290 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,319 team one point three seven points per possession When he is double team. That 291 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,079 is absurdly good for anyone wondering what that means. I know it it's so 292 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:27,359 tempting to just right because just stepping back, you would you would think, 293 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:32,119 like, well, don't is this great? I mean, how bad could 294 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:33,880 it really be to just make it so he's not the guy with the ball 295 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,119 in his hands, just put two on him, and like, you know, 296 00:18:37,279 --> 00:18:41,079 that's just logically shouldn't that work? But as you say, the numbers 297 00:18:41,319 --> 00:18:45,920 do not suggest that that works. I I'm really interested to see if the 298 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,119 Warriors try it. But don't it is so big and so adept at just 299 00:18:49,279 --> 00:18:55,240 like you know, manipulating the defense and finding the easiest past there is for 300 00:18:55,279 --> 00:18:57,519 the cleanest look they're going to get that. You know, that might be 301 00:18:57,559 --> 00:19:00,880 the type of thing the Warriors try to or three times and they give up, 302 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,759 you know, two threes and a dunk and they scrap it, because 303 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,319 like you know, you would think you'd try that against yok Yokichen Donchis are 304 00:19:07,319 --> 00:19:11,839 weirdly kind of similar. You know, they require you to think kind of 305 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,799 similarly in terms of how you're going to scheme against them defensively, because just 306 00:19:15,839 --> 00:19:19,000 getting the ball out of their hands doesn't seem to work because they want to 307 00:19:19,039 --> 00:19:26,119 pass anyway. So I don't know. I'm also curious to see how Golden 308 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:30,279 State approaches this year is because Dallas isn't the and part of that might be 309 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,240 the way that they're playing right now and the personnel. They're also like, 310 00:19:33,279 --> 00:19:36,960 they're not the best rebounding team on the defensive boards right now. So if 311 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,640 you're the Warriors, that might be sort of the if you're trying to maybe 312 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,400 dictate the style of play, like maybe leaning on Looney and Draymond that way. 313 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:45,599 But then I'm like, I'm just trying to go through the stream of 314 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,839 conscious like the punch for punch, where Dallas has been really good at forcing 315 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,200 turnovers. There's been no team that's been worse than protecting the ball on the 316 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,200 playoffs then Golden State right now, And how is that if you're giving you 317 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,920 know, the Man's are not a team that's looking to run, like it's 318 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,440 just not. But if you're getting into a point where Golden Think doesn't even 319 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:06,519 have a chance like fully set its defense, that's like that's sort of difficult 320 00:20:06,519 --> 00:20:10,279 to imagine what happens there. So I'm I'm in This feels like it's gonna 321 00:20:10,279 --> 00:20:12,480 be more of a chess match series than I really think that people have talked 322 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,440 about. I know everyone's you know, and we'll get into this in a 323 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,200 second, but like the Heat and the Celtics, how that's going to play 324 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,799 out, I just feel like they're gonna be so many like granular calls that 325 00:20:21,839 --> 00:20:25,079 are made throughout this series because I want to see the first like one, 326 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:26,920 two or three games to see like what's actually happening, because there's like a 327 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,640 lack of field there for me right now for how these two are gonna go 328 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,559 out one another. It's gonna be. It takes me. It makes me 329 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:40,240 think back to like years ago some of the Warriors, the Warrior series against 330 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,680 the Grizzlies, the famous like the Tony Allen series where you know, the 331 00:20:42,759 --> 00:20:47,759 Warriors didn't quite know what to do with him and well, we can just 332 00:20:47,799 --> 00:20:51,079 take him out of the game by leaving him open and putting Andrew Bogan on 333 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:52,960 him in the corner, like that didn't happen until later in the series. 334 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:57,000 I think this is going to be one of those where whoever sort of figures 335 00:20:57,039 --> 00:21:00,119 it out in game three or four or maybe even later, you know, 336 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:06,599 you never know is gonna have the advantage it just obviously, But I just 337 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,160 think it's gonna say this series will take twist and turns, and like the 338 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,000 way that it looks in the first quarter of Game one, it will look 339 00:21:12,079 --> 00:21:15,319 nothing like that in you know, the fourth quarter of Game five. It'll 340 00:21:15,319 --> 00:21:19,000 be a completely different sort of set up. By then. Who's your let's 341 00:21:19,039 --> 00:21:22,759 wrap up with these who's your biggest X factor for the start of the Warriors. 342 00:21:23,279 --> 00:21:27,720 Yes, I think it's that's tough. I mean, if it's got 343 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:33,440 to be like not a superstar, it's probably Wiggins, which is like terrifying 344 00:21:33,519 --> 00:21:37,440 if you're a Warrior all of a sudden. Well, it's nice, it's 345 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,519 something one every once in a while. He really just gets after it. 346 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:44,559 But he's gonna have the primary assignment on don Chich. He's gonna have to 347 00:21:44,599 --> 00:21:47,880 make some threes, he's gonna have to rebound, especially if the Warriors end 348 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,359 up going small and taking Looney off the floor. But I think I think 349 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,359 he's a real swing guy. And and like saying that, there will be 350 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,200 two games in this series where he is a zero, Like it's just you 351 00:21:59,279 --> 00:22:03,200 just price that and you hope you get four or five where he's, you 352 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,640 know, the best defensive player on the floor and he scores you know, 353 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,519 eighteen points on ten shots or something. I have Pool for them just because 354 00:22:11,559 --> 00:22:15,279 I think that. I assume we're gonna get to a point where Dallas really 355 00:22:15,319 --> 00:22:18,079 tries to go after Steph and he's going to be just based off how Draymond 356 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,680 has played, and I play has been a little bit better, but you're 357 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,759 gonna need someone to make plays like putting the ball on the floor and make 358 00:22:23,799 --> 00:22:26,160 scoring plays that way. I think Pool is going to be the most important 359 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:32,200 player off that, but that could completely flip depending on how Dallas wants to 360 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,359 approach this series defensively as well. Yeah, I think I think one thing 361 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:38,279 to watch real quick, just with the Pool stuff, he could have a 362 00:22:38,319 --> 00:22:42,920 monster series if this does become a five out kind of thing on both ends, 363 00:22:44,079 --> 00:22:47,759 because he couldn't get much going against the Grizzlies because Steven Adams and Jaren 364 00:22:47,799 --> 00:22:51,559 Jackson were in there and it's just like, congratulations, you beat Anthony Melton. 365 00:22:51,599 --> 00:22:53,880 There's two seven footers waiting, and Pool, as skilled as he is 366 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,079 as a finisher, he's just doesn't have the size or the vert to like 367 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:02,000 finish over two huge content. So if the Mavericks space it out, which 368 00:23:02,039 --> 00:23:06,039 is their best offensive configuration, maybe that does get cool going. Who's your 369 00:23:06,039 --> 00:23:11,960 actual actor for the Mavericks. Oh, that's a good question. It might 370 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,400 be it might just be Kleiba. I think I'm gonna say Kleiba because if 371 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:21,359 he's able to really keep the Warriors from staying big and just takes that option 372 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:26,039 off the table and makes you know, four or five threes a game and 373 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:30,319 still doesn't give away a ton defensively, that limits some of the Warriors options. 374 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,759 It tilts the rebounding battle towards Dallas if you take Looney off the floor. 375 00:23:33,799 --> 00:23:37,559 I mean, so, I think he has the He's got a chance 376 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,160 to really kind of like we were talking about a minute ago, change sort 377 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,720 of the format of this series, and I think that would swing it in 378 00:23:45,799 --> 00:23:49,079 Dallas's favor. If he's just making shots, that's a good one. I 379 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,000 have Bullock just I think he's going to be the one that sees the most 380 00:23:52,039 --> 00:23:56,960 time against Staff. The whole regular season just blurs together the teams like teams 381 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,279 not being healthy against one another. We had that two months stretch where they 382 00:23:59,319 --> 00:24:03,000 were all these nonames games playing for teams I assume he's gonna be I'm sure 383 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,799 we'll see Dorian Finney Smith. I'm sure we'll see others, but he's gonna 384 00:24:04,839 --> 00:24:08,440 be like the primary first guy I feel like on Steph and just based off 385 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,079 the minute they've had, he average more minutes per game last series than any 386 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,559 other player on the Mavericks, that includes Don Chitch. I know the blowouts 387 00:24:14,799 --> 00:24:18,160 ascue that a little bit, but they've reloted him a ton defensively. So 388 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:22,519 if he's able to just maybe you're not going after Steph hardcore every single possession 389 00:24:22,519 --> 00:24:25,359 because Bullock's really making him work. That frees you up to do a lot 390 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,039 of other stuff on the defensive end. And if he's making his threes, 391 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:33,279 it feel like there's a lot of variants caked into Dallas's non Luca players last 392 00:24:33,279 --> 00:24:37,519 series, and so he's just I think you could say this about anybody like 393 00:24:37,559 --> 00:24:40,359 Kliba, or if it's Dorrian Finny Smith hitting his threes, are we getting 394 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,079 a good Spencer denuity game? John Brunson has been up and down since the 395 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,799 Jazz series as well. Yeah, it really does come down to how many 396 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,640 threes Dallas as role players make. I mean that might be the simple like, 397 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,599 if you had to pick a statistic to determine the series, that might 398 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,880 be it just because it's gonna be Luca passing to those guys, and if 399 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,559 they make him, Dallas is hard to beat. If they don't, then 400 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,799 else doesn't have enough. With all that said, what's your pick, I'm 401 00:25:03,839 --> 00:25:07,279 gonna say Warriors in seven. I think home court matters, and I do. 402 00:25:07,319 --> 00:25:11,599 I just have faith that the Warriors have seen enough of like this type 403 00:25:11,599 --> 00:25:15,720 of superstar at this stage of the playoffs that they're kind of uniquely, at 404 00:25:15,759 --> 00:25:22,559 least experience wise equipped to handle Danchich. But I think I just Lucas. 405 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:26,200 Lucas so unden highly great that it's it's really scared. I couldn't. I 406 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,240 couldn't pick less than seven, just in deference to how good Luca has been. 407 00:25:30,839 --> 00:25:33,039 I'm the same with Warriors and seven and part of the reason why I've 408 00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:36,920 been burned by the Mavericks too many times to doubt them now. And also 409 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:41,640 the Warriors haven't exactly incited confidence after that Game five victory over Memphis where everyone 410 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,640 was like, oh, it feels like they find the Warrior bards. The 411 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,039 game four whatever the victory was where Memphis didn't have like job wasn't a full 412 00:25:48,039 --> 00:25:49,880 strike the Warriors that have come from behind to win. I was like, 413 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,480 I guess it's fine that they can do that. This feels like it will 414 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,759 eventually kept catch up with them against a healthier team, a better team that 415 00:25:56,839 --> 00:25:59,599 could be Dallas. I feel like the series will just wind him going long 416 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,279 or based off that. The Warriors just slow starts. So yeah, and 417 00:26:03,319 --> 00:26:06,880 then Luca just the greatness of Luca. And then the support. Look, 418 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,119 the supporting cast has been fantastic defensively, and it feels like they have enough 419 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,039 I don't want to call them stabs in the dark, but options where it's 420 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,880 Spencer, Danwhody, brunts In or Bullock, Finney Smith and Kleiba like all 421 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,759 raining threes, Like there's just enough. There's enough options to where like maybe 422 00:26:19,799 --> 00:26:22,920 one or two of those guys at least will go off every single game that 423 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,160 would bring us to heat. Celtics, what are your what's your just biggest 424 00:26:27,279 --> 00:26:33,079 overarching thought leading into this series? I think the well, I mean, 425 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,440 it feels like we just saw these two teams, but it was a couple 426 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:40,839 of years ago in the Conference finals. I think the main thing is stylistically 427 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,960 This is gonna just become an isolation one on one series because both of these 428 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,039 teams can put lineups on the floor that want to switch everything. So you're 429 00:26:48,079 --> 00:26:52,440 gonna see a ton of you know, bam out of Bio gets switched out 430 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,160 onto Tatum. See, let's watch them try to beat him. Like that's 431 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,920 that's what's gonna happen. And then you know, Jimmy Butler gets Jalen Brown 432 00:27:00,079 --> 00:27:02,640 picked off of him and he's got to try to beat out Horford Like that's 433 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:08,880 just I can see both teams switching a bunch and like there will be other 434 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:12,240 ways to go. Miami will play some zone, you know, and and 435 00:27:12,559 --> 00:27:18,079 Boston might go double big and that could change some things. But I think 436 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:22,759 at the core, it's just gonna be con Tatum score in isolation consistently against 437 00:27:22,799 --> 00:27:26,960 a bunch of different defenders, some of whom are just phenomenal Autobio Butler, 438 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:33,440 PJ Tucker. And on the other side, can the Heat do the same 439 00:27:33,039 --> 00:27:37,240 because I think like Barring, you know, taking guys out like say Peyton 440 00:27:37,279 --> 00:27:41,960 Pritchard on the Celtic side, or Tyler Hero or even if Kyle Lowry plays, 441 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,839 I think he might be someone you'd try to go at just to test 442 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,359 the hamstring, but otherwise there's not gonna be a lot of guys to pick 443 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,160 on, really, so I think it's gonna look kind of similar on both 444 00:27:52,279 --> 00:27:56,079 ends until again, like the other series we talked about, one or the 445 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:00,039 other of these two teams kind of figures out will where where's the weak point, 446 00:28:00,079 --> 00:28:03,279 because there's gonna be a lot of probing, I think early on to 447 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,880 just kind of see if there's anything they can get to offensively beyond let's have 448 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,680 our best guy go at whoever gets switched onto him. And they were to 449 00:28:11,799 --> 00:28:15,000 your point, these teams were the two heaviest switching teams in the league from 450 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,720 the regular season, and so there's definitely gonna be a ton of that. 451 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,640 I am wondering how much it feels like it's going to be a very deferent 452 00:28:22,839 --> 00:28:26,400 defense first series, but it then it's sort of could it be determined by 453 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:32,119 who's going to carve out the higher offensive ceiling? And I immediately gravitate towards 454 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,559 Boston there because it feels like, look, the Lowry injury hovering over all 455 00:28:34,599 --> 00:28:37,559 this with the hamstring, I know Marcus Marks dealing with the midfoot Sprain as 456 00:28:37,599 --> 00:28:42,480 well, But Boston just has a lot of like like a lot of ball 457 00:28:42,599 --> 00:28:45,880 movers when their offense is really at it at its peak. And Jason Datan 458 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:49,599 has come a long way. I mean after the Game five collapse in the 459 00:28:49,599 --> 00:28:52,759 fourth quarter, like he turned into masterpieces where it was even where didn't necessarily 460 00:28:52,799 --> 00:28:56,440 have a going at points in Game seven, like he was able to move 461 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,640 the ball, and he's improved by leaps and bounds a sort of that orchestrator. 462 00:29:00,039 --> 00:29:02,920 I do feel like, and I don't know if this is being correct 463 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,200 stands, I feel like I trust Boston's half court offense more than Miami. 464 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,559 If Miami's gonna be able to get out though, like enforced turnovers and run 465 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,400 and go after Boston before they set, I feel like they might have the 466 00:29:15,519 --> 00:29:19,200 more dangerous shooting peak, whereas I think you could look at Boston's Hey, 467 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,880 we'll look at Grant Williams and Horford and what they've done and Jason Taton. 468 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,039 They have the better shooters, and Miami isn't playing Duncan Robinson right now, 469 00:29:26,119 --> 00:29:29,319 but like part of the charm of like Max Strews can hit some of those 470 00:29:29,359 --> 00:29:30,960 difficult threes and has a little bit more of the floor game than Duncan. 471 00:29:32,039 --> 00:29:34,680 Robinson isn't gonna get maybe picked on as much defensively. I think we also 472 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:38,960 saw Jimmy Butler kind of you know, in the series against the Sixers, 473 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,839 Like, no, Butler isn't a great jump shooter now, like if you're 474 00:29:41,839 --> 00:29:45,039 gonna leave him open and he can just dribble into like a MIDI like he's 475 00:29:45,079 --> 00:29:49,000 improved his percentage on jumpers in the past whatever postseasons, and this season is 476 00:29:49,039 --> 00:29:55,519 no different. And so I'm just I'm I think I still mean though, 477 00:29:55,599 --> 00:30:00,319 like like getting if your defense is set, I don't think Miami's off is 478 00:30:00,359 --> 00:30:03,920 going to like just have the necessary counters there, I guess, or won't 479 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,920 have enough of them, especially if Lowry is injured. I feel like his 480 00:30:07,039 --> 00:30:08,799 absence, I know he hasn't necessarily had his best year, It's like his 481 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:14,000 absence might actually hurt the Heat more than Smarts or even you know you. 482 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:15,640 I think they expect Robert Williams are third to be ready, but I think 483 00:30:15,799 --> 00:30:22,079 his absence, Lowry's absence hurts Miami more than either of those two for Boston, 484 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:23,599 and so it feels like the Heat are really going to have to get 485 00:30:23,599 --> 00:30:29,240 to a point where they're forcing a lot of turnovers or slowing down Boston's offense 486 00:30:29,279 --> 00:30:30,960 to the point that there are going to be more miss shots and then you're 487 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:34,160 able to get out and run, in which case Lowry is even more important 488 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,119 to that as the guy who sort of gets those going. Yeah, I 489 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:44,720 think I think that brings that elevates Heroes importance in this series because he is 490 00:30:44,839 --> 00:30:48,880 someone that in a half court set for Miami can make stuff happen. I 491 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,319 mean, that's that's his entire role on the team is create, you know, 492 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:55,759 whether it's pick and roll, whether it's whether it's just trying to score 493 00:30:55,759 --> 00:31:00,200 in isolation, scoring off movements, trying to trying to find gaps here was 494 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,319 I mean, I don't. I mean, Butler is a great offensive player. 495 00:31:03,759 --> 00:31:07,720 I think hero is in a weird way, like the Heat's kind of 496 00:31:07,799 --> 00:31:11,519 offensive barometer. But that might play right into Boston's hands because we just talked 497 00:31:11,559 --> 00:31:14,759 about like, well, these teams are going to be looking for weak points, 498 00:31:14,799 --> 00:31:18,720 and relatively speaking on defense, Hero is one of those. So like 499 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:23,359 the question made come down to how much defensive integrity or the Heat willing to 500 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:27,720 sacrifice in order to have someone out there or another person out there, assuming 501 00:31:27,759 --> 00:31:33,680 Lowry is not healthy or can or maybe with Lowry to keep your offense running. 502 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,799 Because this Boston defense is just like it's just so good. It's so 503 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:42,519 good. They they're able, and this was I mean, they looked incredible 504 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:48,680 against the Bucks without Robert Williams for like, you know, I don't know 505 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:49,880 how many games he missed in this series. It's just like he was an 506 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,160 afterthought, which is insane because like he was a defensive Player of the Year, 507 00:31:53,279 --> 00:31:57,880 like legit, you know, in the conversation guy, and even without 508 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,960 him, it's just they're impenetrable. They're just they're so good. So hero 509 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,759 is really important because like I just don't know what else you're gonna do. 510 00:32:07,799 --> 00:32:13,319 I mean, Auto Bio is a great passer, is cool, like the 511 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,400 heater. I mean, the Celtics are just gonna be there on the guys 512 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:21,160 that used to be open against other worst defenses. So I think the more 513 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:25,920 I think about it, how the Heat find enough offense without giving up their 514 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:31,119 defense is kind of the thing I'm looking at now. I just I just 515 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:35,599 don't know where where the points come from against that defense. And it may 516 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,839 not matter that defense. Maybe so good. It just it doesn't matter who's 517 00:32:37,839 --> 00:32:43,599 on the flour from Miami. And it's almost like they just had to do 518 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,119 in. Jannis had a good series, but you just had to go up 519 00:32:46,119 --> 00:32:51,480 against Yannis, and Butler's been spectacular, but he's not Yannis. And so 520 00:32:51,759 --> 00:32:54,920 like Jannis had problems against al Horford for like the first part of series, 521 00:32:54,960 --> 00:33:00,519 even there's like issues in game seven. The Celtics are like built a ruffle, 522 00:33:00,119 --> 00:33:04,519 like this exact type of offense that might need to funnel all of its 523 00:33:04,559 --> 00:33:07,240 downhill pressure to one guy. And so I would agree with you that Tyler 524 00:33:07,319 --> 00:33:10,960 hero then becomes all that more important because you need like that additional tough shot 525 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,599 maker. It's just I don't know, Boston's defense is special, and it's 526 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:19,640 it doesn't even matter what type of lineup they're gonna throw out. If Robert 527 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,200 Williams is coming off the bench, are you playing two bigs? Is this 528 00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:24,599 a Derek White type of series? They feel like they have an answer for 529 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:30,599 However, Miami's gonna want to stylistically lean. I guess just what you could 530 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:35,000 say though, is Miami's defense is so good, do you trust Boston's offense 531 00:33:35,039 --> 00:33:38,359 to actually get through that in the half court, and I do the Celtics 532 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:42,599 have had a more interesting offensive peak to me where their ball is sort of 533 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:46,039 the balls pinging around. You have Jaylon Brown making super quick decisions. You've 534 00:33:46,119 --> 00:33:51,319 Tatum like really just skewering teams with his decision making out of double teams, 535 00:33:51,519 --> 00:33:54,200 you're Grant Williams shooting a trillion percent from three or before that was Al Horford 536 00:33:54,480 --> 00:34:00,119 really just cooking. I guess they should have enough ancillary weapons. But at 537 00:34:00,119 --> 00:34:02,720 the same time, it also is like Miami is the deeper overall team because 538 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:07,000 of the contributions they've gotten from a Max Dru's, a Gay Vincent, a 539 00:34:07,079 --> 00:34:09,960 Victor Oladipo. And maybe that comes down to is the lineup composition you're going 540 00:34:10,039 --> 00:34:13,840 to determine more of this series than anything? Is you sort of just outlined 541 00:34:14,159 --> 00:34:19,480 because what are the heat like if if Lowry's like can play, is he 542 00:34:19,559 --> 00:34:22,800 even helping you on defense at this point more than a Victor Oladipo. What 543 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:25,519 that's a serious that's a serious question at this Yeah, no, I agree, 544 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:30,159 I think too. You just made me think of something else that in 545 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:34,159 both In the case of both of these teams, there's kind of some important 546 00:34:34,199 --> 00:34:38,280 stuff we don't know on the heat side, and I feel like I'm we're 547 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,519 both kind of talking the heat down a little too much. They have a 548 00:34:40,599 --> 00:34:44,000 real chance in this series that they're the number one seed in the East, 549 00:34:44,079 --> 00:34:47,719 like of course, but on the heat side, you know, their route 550 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:55,039 to this point feature like any serious tests, because you know, the Sixers 551 00:34:55,119 --> 00:35:01,000 team was kind of just coming undone, and you know, if it beats 552 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:05,079 healthy and Harden is twenty seventeen hard and that's a different conversation. They're a 553 00:35:05,119 --> 00:35:07,079 lot harder to guard neither neither. That wasn't the case for either of them. 554 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,760 So we're not super sure if Miami's as good as its look. On 555 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:15,400 the other side, it's more of a granular sort of uncertainty, I guess 556 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:22,559 because speaking to Boston's offense, as you just mentioned, the Bucks will happily 557 00:35:22,679 --> 00:35:27,320 give you all the threes you want, and Boston obliged. And you know, 558 00:35:27,599 --> 00:35:30,719 brook Lopez is a very different interior defender than Autobio is and Grant Williams. 559 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:36,239 Monster three game in Game seven was a product of Brook Lopez and just 560 00:35:36,599 --> 00:35:38,840 the Bucks in general, just they're not going to come out, They're just 561 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:43,559 going to guard the rim and give you fifty three point attempts in the game, 562 00:35:43,679 --> 00:35:46,199 and good luck to you. And the Celtics, at least on the 563 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:51,119 right nights, are very much equipped to exploit that. Now the Heat are 564 00:35:51,159 --> 00:35:53,559 going to test them differently. I don't think Boston's going to get away with 565 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:58,079 getting off that many threes, and certainly not that many clean threes. So 566 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:02,119 while I do agree that Boss offense, I think I like a little better 567 00:36:02,599 --> 00:36:07,440 just because Tatum can just get you what you need a lot of the time. 568 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,599 I think there are some questions still because I do think that the Heat 569 00:36:12,679 --> 00:36:17,039 are not gonna just kind of give just sort of let the variance gods decide 570 00:36:17,079 --> 00:36:21,840 if they win or lose by allowing a bunch of threes. And the Celtics 571 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:25,360 made a lot of hey against Milwaukee that way, and even if I think 572 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:30,480 Milwaukee was a better team than the Heat are and that went seven. So 573 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:35,280 even with the Celtics kind of getting some things handed to them as far as 574 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,679 their shots, I think, you know, there are some questions still for 575 00:36:39,079 --> 00:36:44,280 how they how the Heat are gonna pose different challenges for Boston's offense. I've 576 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,760 also wondered, though, if they might not the same level of volume, 577 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:51,639 but they still like do sort of invite threes with the amount of time we've 578 00:36:51,679 --> 00:36:54,719 seen them go into zone or just the looks that they're giving up. Opponents 579 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:58,480 are shooting thirty two point seven percent and wide open threes against them in the 580 00:36:58,519 --> 00:37:00,519 playoffs. I know some people from believe that the heat sort of pick and 581 00:37:00,599 --> 00:37:05,840 shoes who are taking those shots. They've done a good job of guarding into 582 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:08,519 the shot clock at points too, and I feel like if you go after 583 00:37:08,679 --> 00:37:12,840 Tatum at the beginning, that might be a way to put Boston into sort 584 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:15,719 of it's late shot clock offense, and that could be a problem if they 585 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:16,960 were able to get the ball out of his hands. I think even Brian 586 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:22,800 Scalabrini mentioned on the low post that they might just force him like left or 587 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:24,239 force the poor out of his hands entirely. And so that's something that might 588 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:28,719 be an anecdote to really slowing Boston's offense. This is just a tough series 589 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:30,480 for me to fathom. It does feel like it's going to be a glorious 590 00:37:30,599 --> 00:37:35,559 rock fight and that every game might flirt with the under who do you have 591 00:37:35,639 --> 00:37:39,320 as your X factor? For Let's start with let's start Boston. Oh, 592 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,679 that's a great let's see. I want to I don't want to pick an 593 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:50,480 obvious one. I think I'm gonna okay, I think I'm gonna go Grant 594 00:37:50,519 --> 00:37:53,559 Williams, and not just because he's another Grant, because he was clearly the 595 00:37:53,679 --> 00:37:58,920 X factor against Milwaukee, like he decided the series more or less, I 596 00:37:59,039 --> 00:38:06,079 think, but just zooming out. I think if he's able to be the 597 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:09,079 four point five, assuming Horford's in there too, and you can get away 598 00:38:09,119 --> 00:38:14,880 with that and you can space and so the Celtics can space five out, 599 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,519 I think that's going to be huge for allowing them to score enough in what 600 00:38:17,639 --> 00:38:21,199 I agree will be a rock fight. But if it's got to be Robert 601 00:38:21,199 --> 00:38:22,639 Williams and it's got to be Horford at the same time, things get a 602 00:38:22,679 --> 00:38:27,360 little cramped and maybe a little tougher. So I think if Williams can stay 603 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,599 on the floor, the sort of schematic stuff shake out in such a way 604 00:38:30,679 --> 00:38:35,039 that he's a benefit on both ends, and he can make you know, 605 00:38:35,679 --> 00:38:39,360 a few threes a game and switch across its heavy switch series, switch across 606 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:43,519 a bunch of positions, I think he can make a big difference. I 607 00:38:43,599 --> 00:38:46,119 think I'm with you too. And also if you're able to go with play, 608 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:51,199 maintain your five out integrity on offense, and then also have a lineup 609 00:38:51,199 --> 00:38:53,599 out there that is going to be more of a deterrent for like Jimmy Butler's 610 00:38:53,639 --> 00:39:00,440 physicality when he's going downhill, that would be the bigger question. Mark Horford 611 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:04,239 Williams better suited to go after that or can you get away with the Grant 612 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:07,519 Williams at Horford stuff there? I think as we saw against Milwaukee, a 613 00:39:07,599 --> 00:39:10,719 lot of those minutes with Williams and Horford were fined. But yeah, I 614 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:14,000 actually was gonna pick Grant Williams for the Celtics as well. Who do you 615 00:39:14,079 --> 00:39:17,760 have as your heat X factor? I think it's hero. It's kind of 616 00:39:19,079 --> 00:39:22,039 cliche and just pick you know, the high scoring six man because usually it's 617 00:39:22,039 --> 00:39:23,599 well, if he gets hot, great, if you know they can he 618 00:39:23,679 --> 00:39:27,760 can make a difference. But like like I already talked about, I think 619 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,920 he kind of can determine, you know, what Miami looks like on both 620 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:36,519 ends to a greater extent than any non star or non superstar player in this 621 00:39:36,679 --> 00:39:38,800 game. Because if he scores and he doesn't get eaten up on defense. 622 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:44,960 Then maybe the Heat's offense is fine and that really tilts things towards Miami. 623 00:39:45,119 --> 00:39:47,239 But if he gets picked on, if he can't hold up, or if 624 00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:50,400 he just has a couple of cold games, I don't think the Heat can 625 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:53,159 score enough. We have the same next factor here too. This is terrible 626 00:39:53,199 --> 00:39:58,039 podcasting, but like I'm really thinking, as Tyler Hero going to see a 627 00:39:58,119 --> 00:40:00,039 bunch of double teams in this series because that's how important he's going to be 628 00:40:00,159 --> 00:40:05,880 to Miami's offense, especially if Jimmy Butler isn't playing, like they're gonna be 629 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:07,639 minish to meet bowlers and on the court. So that's what I've honestly go 630 00:40:07,679 --> 00:40:10,320 about. I also, I think you could make a case it's probably two 631 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:15,159 star esque, but like bam Adebayo ends up being huge in this series, 632 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:17,280 especially if you're dealing with a hobbled Kyle Lowry or no Kyle Awry at all. 633 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,840 Yeah, he's the lynchpin of the defense like if he if he, 634 00:40:22,679 --> 00:40:24,920 I mean, and you could argue he's as equipped to hang with Jason Tatum 635 00:40:25,199 --> 00:40:28,760 in a one on one situation as like almost anyone in the league because he 636 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:30,440 can show length. He's not gonna get blown by and if he does, 637 00:40:30,559 --> 00:40:35,960 he can contest from you rear view contests chase down, Like, I think 638 00:40:36,079 --> 00:40:38,400 there will be a ton of time where Autobio is guarding Katum in the series, 639 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:42,079 and how that matchup plays out, it's going to be huge. What's 640 00:40:42,079 --> 00:40:45,800 your pick for this series? I gotta go Boston in six. I just 641 00:40:46,079 --> 00:40:51,199 I can't. I can't pick Boston winning Game seven on the road, so 642 00:40:51,519 --> 00:40:53,159 sort of by definition, you have to have to do it that way. 643 00:40:54,559 --> 00:40:59,519 It honestly, I think it's more likely to be fewer than six games in 644 00:40:59,599 --> 00:41:04,239 Boston wins than this going seven. I have Boston in six as well. 645 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,599 I can't git over my concerns for Miami's half court offense enough. I think 646 00:41:07,599 --> 00:41:10,239 the defense is you can make a case there They're feel like they're more weak 647 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:15,880 points in what Miami's fielding, but they might be just on par with one 648 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:17,519 another. I would say Boston's is better, but like they can match up 649 00:41:17,599 --> 00:41:21,920 pretty well. I think Boston's offense is just gonna wind up having more layers 650 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:24,320 to it and that's going to make the difference. And if it's seven, 651 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:28,079 it is going to be in Miami go and that's where that would get super 652 00:41:28,159 --> 00:41:31,320 interesting. Yeah right, Grant, this was great. Going deep onto the 653 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:35,000 series GABA Teo listeners where they can find you with all the great work that 654 00:41:35,079 --> 00:41:38,320 you do. You can find me a GT Underscore Hughes on Twitter and just 655 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:43,400 check me out on Bleacher Report, putting up plenty of stuff every week, 656 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:43,960 all the time.