1 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:21,120 What is krack a lacing fellow Thermo nuclear a Effers. I am Dan fa 2 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:26,039 Valley coming at you with my certified fantabulous co host, mister Grant Hughes. 3 00:00:26,399 --> 00:00:30,719 We are on to our fourth and final installment of one goal or thing to 4 00:00:30,839 --> 00:00:34,399 watch for that we want to see or that we are monitoring for every NBA 5 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:38,039 team to close out the regular season. If you have missed the first three 6 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:41,960 podcasts, go check them out right now. You want redownload them, like 7 00:00:42,039 --> 00:00:44,719 them, comment on YouTube, even if you've already done that, share them. 8 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,399 They are up, they are live. This is the second part of 9 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:50,799 the Western Conference. Definitely listen to the first part of the Western Conference. 10 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,640 At least we did the Dallas Mavericks through the Memphis Grizzlies because we go alphabetically 11 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:58,320 since Grant and I are fucking geniuses around this part from know the alphabet. 12 00:00:58,359 --> 00:01:02,840 Now, we are going to begin today with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But first 13 00:01:03,479 --> 00:01:07,040 the question that you should all want to know the answer to, Grant, 14 00:01:07,079 --> 00:01:10,680 how the f are you? This is a family podcast. I actually think 15 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:17,000 I already said fucking yeah, you definitely did last Let's see. I'm excited 16 00:01:17,359 --> 00:01:25,079 and also kind of concerned because last time we agreed a lot and we did 17 00:01:25,079 --> 00:01:27,480 not discuss what our goals for each team were going to be beforehand. And 18 00:01:27,519 --> 00:01:36,000 I'm a little concerned that maybe our brains have become one and that makes me 19 00:01:36,079 --> 00:01:40,120 uncomfortable. But like, hey, maybe maybe we'll be completely different this time. 20 00:01:40,159 --> 00:01:42,359 We'll see. It's look, we're about to disagree for the first time. 21 00:01:42,439 --> 00:01:48,319 The idea of just our brains melding together gives me such joy, does 22 00:01:48,359 --> 00:01:51,400 it? I don't know if you want what's going on up here? That's 23 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,120 your concerned about the way you can handle trolls in the comments and just let 24 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,599 it flip right off. You'll take it, okay? And look, if 25 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:00,280 I could grow a beard, you could. Is that? Is that part 26 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:04,959 of the mind? You know? The brain's a complicated thing. Maybe if 27 00:02:04,959 --> 00:02:07,520 we had two brains worth of brain power, we could answer questions like that, 28 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:12,479 but so far we don't. But we'll see people. Rando's on YouTube 29 00:02:12,479 --> 00:02:15,039 comedy of this intro saying, what is Frankie Mundez and Lionel Messi talking about 30 00:02:15,319 --> 00:02:21,240 right now? Uh? Well, I don't know. Both those guys have 31 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,439 done pretty well, by the way, I think. A podcast hosted by 32 00:02:23,439 --> 00:02:27,280 Frankie Munez and Lionel mess would probably do pretty well. Did you know that 33 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,159 Frankie Munaz is really into like car racing he like professionally. No, but 34 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,000 I did see him driving a tricked out car in that movie Agent Cody Banks 35 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,520 that he was in with Hillary Duff, So he does that count? How 36 00:02:38,599 --> 00:02:42,639 do you think he got into it like this? That clearly was the genesis 37 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:47,280 of it. Uh, we are starting with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Do you 38 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,039 want to go first? Because we're gonna in addition, like last time, 39 00:02:51,039 --> 00:02:54,080 to the alphabet, we're gonna juggle who gives their goal for the team first? 40 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,840 Will alternate it? Yes, you went? I believe you went first 41 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,360 last time, so I should go first now. So for the Minnesota Timberwolves, 42 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:06,560 I actually have two, but they're one of them is so basic that 43 00:03:06,599 --> 00:03:09,560 it's just kind of like what it's all all start there. Continue to get 44 00:03:09,599 --> 00:03:15,120 Jane McDaniels to take more three pointers. He has been up not he's shooting 45 00:03:15,159 --> 00:03:17,479 them a little bit better over the past couple games, but he's been able 46 00:03:17,479 --> 00:03:21,240 to get them up at over five attempts per game over the past like seven 47 00:03:21,319 --> 00:03:23,800 or whatever it is. He's only at three point five for the season, 48 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:25,319 So that's a big difference. You need him to open up the floor, 49 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,319 help out with the turnover issues on your offense, the driving lanes. That 50 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,560 Anthony Edwards, who's freaking spectacular, but like so he doesn't need to work 51 00:03:32,599 --> 00:03:37,599 as hard. He's been uneven all year on the offensive end. I talked 52 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:40,360 a couple weeks ago with Kyle Tigee from the Day More NBA Show and Flagrant 53 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,960 how about this, and it's he's not all the way back yet, But 54 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,560 I liked that the three point volume is there almost by force. You need 55 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:51,159 that because they'll maybe they'll start to go in at a higher clip or just 56 00:03:51,319 --> 00:03:53,719 help. Like defenses will treat you differently if you're taking them. You know, 57 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,080 teams will be less inclined to throw their big on Jane McDaniels. You 58 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:00,360 know what, even if he's shooting thirty one percent, that's a victory. 59 00:04:00,639 --> 00:04:04,039 The other thing, and this is kind of a continuation thing as well, 60 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:08,560 but not so much. We don't know when kat is coming back from the 61 00:04:08,599 --> 00:04:12,400 meniscus. His basic his reevaluation period is basically the last day of the regular 62 00:04:12,439 --> 00:04:15,000 season. I believe. I know fans were like oh, we're gonna have 63 00:04:15,039 --> 00:04:17,279 a week off before the playoffs. This means he could return okay, maybe, 64 00:04:17,439 --> 00:04:21,240 but also maybe not because he had this prepared normally, there's a everyone's 65 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:25,480 different. I'm not a doctor, I'll make that clear, but the reparations 66 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,800 of the meniscus long usually take longer to return from than if you had just 67 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:34,399 got it completely removed. He had it repaired. So I'm just saying Channel, 68 00:04:34,399 --> 00:04:38,560 you're inner small ball for certain stretches, and by what I mean with 69 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,600 that is no Kyle Anderson at the four with a big moving forward. That's 70 00:04:42,639 --> 00:04:44,879 it. I don't want to see it. I am done. You want 71 00:04:44,879 --> 00:04:47,720 to go into a lineup, and I think that my lineup of choice for 72 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:54,040 this would be more of Conley Edwards your favorite guy to kill, Alexander Walker, 73 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,319 Jane McDaniels at the four or if you want to call gnaw that whatever, 74 00:04:57,959 --> 00:05:00,560 and then go Baar or nas Reed. And I think this lineup the 75 00:05:00,639 --> 00:05:02,160 nas Reid is the lone. Big minutes have not been great this year. 76 00:05:02,439 --> 00:05:05,879 I think if you're gonna play those players with him for most of that, 77 00:05:06,319 --> 00:05:11,480 it could improve. I'm just thinking you need to kind of be better prepared 78 00:05:11,519 --> 00:05:14,639 for life. Without Cat and look, they've navigated it fine for the most 79 00:05:14,639 --> 00:05:16,519 part, but find out more of that information. And I also think, 80 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,920 as someone who is for any Timberwolves fans listening, and I hope there are 81 00:05:19,959 --> 00:05:24,279 many of you out there, their defense is going to hold up. I'm 82 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:28,160 actually not worried about the dual big setup, but just in case you get 83 00:05:28,199 --> 00:05:31,639 into matchups where even if Towns was healthy, it makes more sense to go 84 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:36,360 with one big plus four wings slash guards. Get more information on that, 85 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,519 and so the lineup that I was just outlining, like when you're playing those 86 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:46,399 four Anthey Edwards, Mike Conley, Nikhil, Alexander Walker and Jade McDaniels with 87 00:05:46,439 --> 00:05:48,920 one big, there's not a ton of sample size with that, and so 88 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:54,079 let's continue because yo, but not that you kind of have to like extrapolate 89 00:05:54,079 --> 00:05:57,600 the sample size while it's a borderline necessity without Cats, you have a better 90 00:05:57,639 --> 00:06:01,519 idea of how to deploy it in the postseason with or without Karl Anthony Towns 91 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,120 involved. Yeah, I'm into it. So I went a little bit of 92 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:11,040 a different direction. And you already Dan, if you had to guess on 93 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,920 the Timberwls roster, which player I would like make it a point to try 94 00:06:14,959 --> 00:06:17,959 to talk about in my goal. You did say you did say his name. 95 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:21,720 I already know who it is. And I said on this on the 96 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:26,160 podcast recorded solo, I hope Grant never hears this because I hate the idea 97 00:06:26,199 --> 00:06:30,160 of him listening to me talk. But I talked about Nikile Alexander Walker, 98 00:06:30,399 --> 00:06:33,040 and I picked him as Minnesota's most improved player. One because it was correct, 99 00:06:33,079 --> 00:06:35,680 but two I said it was because I knew that it would make you 100 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,040 happy, because he's just my guy. So what I think the Minnesota Timberwolves 101 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:46,160 should make a goal so broad strokes great off the Edwards rebuild around Nikkeiel is 102 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:46,959 this, Yeah, no, you see what you can get for him, 103 00:06:46,959 --> 00:06:51,920 because I'm just not comfortable building around the face of the league offenses. The 104 00:06:51,959 --> 00:06:56,399 problem obviously, like if you pulled I don't know, you know, anybody 105 00:06:56,399 --> 00:06:59,720 that's been paying attention at all this year, you might get some different niche 106 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:02,639 version of like, oh the turnovers are an issue, or oh it's the 107 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,759 offense. The defense, I totally agree, is going to hold up like 108 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:10,199 I don't I had I don't know that I'd even heard any skepticism about it. 109 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,759 But if there is any of it out there. It's calling nas read 110 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,399 a defensive liability, and it's just like, like in what context where if 111 00:07:17,399 --> 00:07:20,199 he's the only big you're playing for forty eight minutes a game, then maybe 112 00:07:20,279 --> 00:07:24,480 otherwise no. Yeah, And also, somebody's got to be your fifth best 113 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,040 defender. And it's just because the Wolves are almost always going to have like 114 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,800 four other good ones, so they have they have three all defense candidates. 115 00:07:30,839 --> 00:07:33,639 I like the Nikhil Alexander Walker minute stuff, like they basically use him to 116 00:07:33,639 --> 00:07:40,240 guard four positions. So what I would like to in an effort to juice 117 00:07:40,279 --> 00:07:44,600 the offense, Now, this isn't something I think that they necessarily want to, 118 00:07:44,639 --> 00:07:47,120 Like, it's too it's too brazen to be like we're going to go 119 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,680 to this in the playoffs like as our default. Like that's not going to 120 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,439 happen. But let me just say, Mike Conley on the floor, the 121 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,120 Wolves offense is better than with him off. It's one. They have like 122 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,680 a one to fourteen offensive rating when Conley plays one twelve with them off. 123 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,839 But capital B capitally U, capital T exclamation point. The when Conley is 124 00:08:05,879 --> 00:08:13,120 off the floor and the backcourt is Anthony Edwards and Alexander Walker the offensive ratings 125 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,759 one twenty point one, small samples, but if you have those two guys 126 00:08:16,759 --> 00:08:20,800 as your backcourt, just you know, not all the time, but if 127 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:26,199 you're really looking for huge athleticism, size, just dynamic players, way more 128 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:31,519 switchability. Like if you have you're switching one through four, no problem if 129 00:08:31,519 --> 00:08:35,120 you if you have Alexander Walker, Edwards McDaniels, like, I don't know, 130 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,080 kat whatever, like he can get you. I was gonna ask, 131 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,559 off Rip, do you happen to know what the most ed lineup is with 132 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,320 those two? Is the back court? I don't. I don't. I'm 133 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,440 gonna look at it. I'm just kidding, I'm genuinely curious. No, 134 00:08:46,639 --> 00:08:52,639 So it's it to me, like I understand that Mike Conley as steward angle 135 00:08:52,759 --> 00:08:56,080 and like pick and roll operator, if you're gonna have Gobert, you know, 136 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,559 present some offensive value. I think Conley is definitely someone that helps facilitate 137 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,240 that. But ultimately, like the clearest way this team is going to fail 138 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,200 in the in the postseason, if it fails, will be just its inability 139 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,559 to score consistently. And so like, yeah, Conley's got to play, 140 00:09:11,759 --> 00:09:16,159 He's a he's a net positive for them offensively. But you got to explore 141 00:09:18,879 --> 00:09:24,120 Alexander Walker and Edwards together just to see, like, can we just overwhelm 142 00:09:24,159 --> 00:09:28,200 teams physically? Can we be so disruptive with them defensively that we create a 143 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,080 bunch of transition opportunities too, and we just get out and run, Like 144 00:09:31,279 --> 00:09:35,879 there's so many different ways to manufacture points, and just putting a second athletic, 145 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,759 rangey two way guy who also, by the way, is shooting like 146 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,559 forty five percent from three in march in Alexander Walker, Like, there's there's 147 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,559 worse options if you're trying to, like, you know, find some kind 148 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,919 of magic formula for I don't know, fifteen minutes a night, you know, 149 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,559 just maybe maybe fifteen crazy chaotic minutes where they get up and down and 150 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:58,799 Walker, you know, hits Alexander Walker hits some threes, Like I don't 151 00:09:58,799 --> 00:10:01,639 know, maybe that gets your offensive raiding up to like league average, and 152 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,600 that's gonna hold up if your defense is by far the best in the league. 153 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,879 So I want to see some experimentation with no Conley and this new like 154 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,639 monster backcourt. Yeah, what they've done a lot of is not have Jade 155 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,519 McDaniels in some of those lineups, I assume because you want to stagger, 156 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,639 like have two of your best defenders on the court at all times. But 157 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:26,360 the most used lineup is with Reed Towns and Kyle Anderson. That's only a 158 00:10:26,399 --> 00:10:30,000 plus one point one per one hundred posessions. The defense has been shaky during 159 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,840 those minutes. The second most used is basically just subbing in. It's the 160 00:10:33,879 --> 00:10:37,759 starting five, but with Nikil Alexander Walker in for Conley, that's only a 161 00:10:37,759 --> 00:10:39,639 plus three point three the money maker and I never would have guessed this, 162 00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:46,039 Gobaar Nasriy Kyle Anderson with those two in the backcourt ones. What are the 163 00:10:46,039 --> 00:10:50,840 offensive ratings though? One thirty one point one for that lineup? All right, 164 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,679 do that. Let's let's try that. That or one fifty six point 165 00:10:54,759 --> 00:11:00,960 eight for Reid Towns and then Nikkeile Alexander Walker andthey Edwards Jane McDaniels. That 166 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,279 is so, I think. So if we go read McDaniels, Alexander Walker 167 00:11:05,279 --> 00:11:09,399 and Edwards, that's just flat out your four best perimeter defenders on the court. 168 00:11:09,799 --> 00:11:13,360 With Karl Anthony Towns, I could understand why that would be an incredible 169 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,279 like it has some appeal to me, and like, you know, we're 170 00:11:16,279 --> 00:11:20,360 trying to fix the offense, but like maybe that's just that's just so much 171 00:11:20,399 --> 00:11:24,519 better defensively. You replace calmly who you know is going to be picked on 172 00:11:24,639 --> 00:11:28,080 size wise more often than not. Like with Alexander Walker, who's just going 173 00:11:28,159 --> 00:11:30,519 to guard like you said one through four if you need him to. I 174 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,320 don't know, maybe that works. Let's if you're ready to move on, 175 00:11:33,399 --> 00:11:39,000 let's go to the New Orleans Pelicans. And I have them first here, 176 00:11:39,039 --> 00:11:43,600 so I feel like this is it's kind of obvious, and they've kind of 177 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:48,679 done it to some extent, but the brandon Ingram injury is just something that 178 00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:52,039 I think only reinforces the idea that the goal for the Pelicans needs to be 179 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:58,840 just lean all the way into Point Zion and just start tailoring everything to like 180 00:11:58,919 --> 00:12:01,759 that's how we're going to play. And and like if you want to get 181 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,799 really you know, over the line about it, like maybe that means you 182 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,039 start looking at no centers and you've got to have Trey Murphy out there with 183 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,600 Herb and McCollum and like I don't know, Naji Marshall or whatever else, 184 00:12:13,639 --> 00:12:18,320 like to fully space the floor to fully unleash him and you kind of figure 185 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,480 out the rest. Not saying that that particular look is something that the Pelicans 186 00:12:22,519 --> 00:12:26,559 need to do, but like it seems clear to me that point Zion is 187 00:12:26,639 --> 00:12:30,159 just what needs to happen. He needs to be even higher usage than he's 188 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:35,879 been. So just this is a ridiculous number to me, So in terms 189 00:12:35,879 --> 00:12:41,360 of points created by players driving, isolating or posting up and when they touch 190 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,320 the paint. Now this is talking their own buckets and assisted baskets resulting from 191 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,759 those situations. Shake Gil, just Alexander and Luca are one and two. 192 00:12:50,879 --> 00:12:54,840 Zion's number three, and that's not in total points created in those situations. 193 00:12:54,879 --> 00:13:00,360 So like and that's and he had. I mean, those two other guys, 194 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,120 their primacy to their offenses are so far and away, like greater than 195 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,080 Zion's has been all year that like if you I don't I didn't, I 196 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,840 don't have it broken down in like per minute or per possession. But like, 197 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,679 Zion is just clearly someone that you've got to just give him the ball 198 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,039 and like figure out how to build the rest of the lineup in rotation around 199 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,799 him. That's always kind of been true, but it seems more obvious to 200 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,320 me, especially like this is over the last month where he's been kind of 201 00:13:26,399 --> 00:13:30,240 ramping up. This sixty seven point five percent true shooting in March, that's 202 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,480 the best of any month. He's actually rebounding, which is cool too. 203 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,039 Seven point two boards this past month, which is still like seems low for 204 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,600 someone with his athletic ability, but what it has been time next to Jonas 205 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,919 Allentunis though that's true, that's like the rebound vacuum is on the floor with 206 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,320 him a lot. But I just I feel like Zion has kind of gotten 207 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,639 back to and look card carrying. Zion can stay healthy for a full season 208 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,879 and really matter skeptic, I'll, I'll admit to it, but he's starting 209 00:13:58,919 --> 00:14:03,200 to look more to me like someone who in a playoff series might just be 210 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,879 like you might put a team in a position where it's like we don't have 211 00:14:05,879 --> 00:14:11,759 an answer, and specifically like the Suns don't have anything for him, the 212 00:14:11,919 --> 00:14:15,919 Kings don't have anything for him, the Thunder don't have anything for him, 213 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,080 as a like the Thunder, you know, beat him, But Zion had 214 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,879 ten assists and ten free throw attempts in that game, And like I just 215 00:14:22,919 --> 00:14:26,039 think there's a scenario where he just wins you a playoff series against the right 216 00:14:26,039 --> 00:14:31,360 matchup, because there's no solution and you got to lean into like building yourself 217 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,200 around that. Now, the Pelicans are super deep, that's their true strength, 218 00:14:33,679 --> 00:14:37,559 but if you're really trying to win, I think you got to just 219 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,039 start embracing what this is and like this could create fit issues long term, 220 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:46,120 like does Ingram really like what's he do here? If this is how you're 221 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,519 gonna build your team, because like someone like Trey Murphy would make more sense 222 00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:52,919 in the same role because he's going to space the floor way deeper, is 223 00:14:52,919 --> 00:14:56,799 gonna slash harder, is not going to slow things down? Do we go 224 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:01,440 with no center? Like I said a lot of like follow up questions, 225 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,279 but the goal I think should just be to fully embrace that, Like we're 226 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:07,799 built around Zion. He has the ball all the time. Mine kind of 227 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,840 steps on the toes of this, although one is completely different because I have 228 00:15:11,879 --> 00:15:16,240 two, but the it's they need to sustain this identity and what you're talking 229 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:22,440 about, the Zion stuff. They seem to get away from what works offensively 230 00:15:22,519 --> 00:15:24,960 too often. A lot of that is because of injuries, but let's look 231 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,080 at that thunder game that they lose. Why is Zion barely touching the ball 232 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,159 in the fourth quarter when he's on the floor, and it's like when your 233 00:15:33,159 --> 00:15:35,840 points, like you just give him the ball, like that should just be 234 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,080 the default, and they get away and again sometimes it's when you've gotten away 235 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,919 from point Zion. A lot of the time it's he got injured. We 236 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,559 had to get away from it. He comes back, we can't just go 237 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:50,559 right back to it. However, they've done a good job now optimizing the 238 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,159 personnel that's there. Maybe it's not ideal to point Zion because you get into 239 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,879 some functional awkwardness with brandon Ingram z Ion. They did such a good job 240 00:15:56,919 --> 00:16:00,919 those two a balancing it out. I want to see when brandon Ingram comes 241 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,600 back, assuming he comes back. Let's hope he comes back. That version 242 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,080 of brandon Ingram made so much sense next to Zion Williamson. It's it's like, 243 00:16:08,159 --> 00:16:12,919 it's not even funny. There was so before January thirty first, forty 244 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:18,879 four point three percent of brandon Ingram's buckets were coming off assists. After January 245 00:16:18,879 --> 00:16:22,240 thirty first, up until his injury, as at like fifty six percent that's 246 00:16:22,279 --> 00:16:26,120 a massive uptick he was. That's the right direction for him, I think 247 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:29,879 for the best version of this team. I think that is the right direction 248 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,879 for his like is shot to his bucket distribution to be moving. Sorry, 249 00:16:32,919 --> 00:16:36,240 go ahead, no, I just think he's been so much more plug and 250 00:16:36,279 --> 00:16:38,840 play, and it's been on both ends. And I don't think I would 251 00:16:38,879 --> 00:16:42,120 have to dig into the data or even just go back and watch specific possessions. 252 00:16:42,279 --> 00:16:45,600 There's not like a two man game or I would say a super prevalent 253 00:16:45,679 --> 00:16:49,159 one between Zion and Ingram. I at least don't get that sense when when 254 00:16:49,159 --> 00:16:53,080 I watched them when they were healthy. But like Brandon Ingram is instead. 255 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,039 You know, he's finding Zion just with the ball, and then he'll go 256 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:00,879 in space to the corner or just attack faster his catches from Zion Wiamson, 257 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,359 and then it's spilling over to the defensive end where you mentioned do they go 258 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,920 with no center? You know what, he's for the most part like kind 259 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:12,680 of striking this invaluable balance when it comes to his closeouts or is he gonna 260 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:17,200 go and defend a lot of big man like you know, he's handling big 261 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,480 man responsibilities. I would call it, so they need to keep that. 262 00:17:21,519 --> 00:17:23,440 I'm using Brandon Ingram sort as just like a barometer for it, because that's 263 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,920 where the thorniness really comes in when you're looking at the surrounding personnel. Now, 264 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,799 because Ingram's injured, I also have this one. Their defense relative to 265 00:17:32,839 --> 00:17:36,440 their personnel is overachieved. We both agree, even though we got destroyed in 266 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,359 the comment section. We both agree their defense is surreal. But they seem 267 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,720 to do like the really hard stuff right where it's, yeah, good luck 268 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:47,440 screening them, or they'll close out from like eighty feet away, but it's 269 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,039 you can force the ball out of a star's or a primary ball handler's hands, 270 00:17:52,559 --> 00:17:55,440 and then it's too easy for them to get it back where you almost 271 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:00,720 feel like your your your primal job is done right there. And you've seen 272 00:18:00,759 --> 00:18:03,400 it against the Thunder. I feel like we've seen it at points against the 273 00:18:03,599 --> 00:18:06,400 what was the other team I was gonna use. I feel like we've seen 274 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:07,680 it against the Clippers, but they can. It's not like the Clippers don't 275 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:12,400 worry about as much, but it feels like they can. They can relax, 276 00:18:12,759 --> 00:18:15,960 or it's just like once you force the ball out of Star's hands, 277 00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:18,240 or if you're not fighting over screens. You're just not as engaged with it. 278 00:18:18,279 --> 00:18:21,440 You're playing a little bit too soft, You're a little bit too far 279 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:22,839 off some of these guys. It was really, I want to make it 280 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,000 clear, it was like that was preposterous what they did against Shake Gilders Alexander. 281 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:30,640 Where they were just antonio'daniel said on the Pelicans broadcast, they were in 282 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:34,519 a constant state of retreat. And that's what it feels like after they do 283 00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:38,799 the hard stuff, right when it comes to sometimes getting these primary scores the 284 00:18:38,839 --> 00:18:41,480 ball back, that's something I'd like to see them work on. But it's 285 00:18:41,519 --> 00:18:45,519 really just the it was a different way of rephrasing what you were talking about, 286 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:52,480 but there's a real thing to where it's they've grappled with identity consistency on 287 00:18:52,519 --> 00:18:55,640 the offensive end, and I know part of it is injuries, but as 288 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:57,279 you can see, when it comes to point Zion, if Zion is healthy 289 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:03,000 injuries like like, he supersedes all of that. If he's the one who 290 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,240 is healthy, it doesn't matter who's on the court, point Bryan as possible, 291 00:19:06,279 --> 00:19:08,680 and to deviate from that in any way, shape or form just doesn't 292 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,880 make any sense to me, I agree. Yeah, all right, we 293 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,559 kind of disagreed, we kind of didn't say the same thing, So that's 294 00:19:15,599 --> 00:19:22,640 progress. We are on to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Who so I initially 295 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,880 had I want to ask you this question before I get into mind, who 296 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:30,079 is among the three teams contending for first place in the West, who is 297 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,319 first place most valuable or should be viewed as most important too? Hmmm, 298 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,440 well, I mean, you could make the home court advantage case for Denver, 299 00:19:40,519 --> 00:19:44,440 but there I feel like they're gonna beat anybody anywhere. So I guess 300 00:19:44,599 --> 00:19:48,559 maybe because they're so young, I think the Thunder might benefit most from just 301 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,720 playing more games at home, So I guess i'd say Thunder. That was 302 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:53,839 basically my argument was get the one seed. Kind of how I started off 303 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,519 to approach this because I'm I don't want to say that I think experience is 304 00:19:57,559 --> 00:20:03,640 overrated, but there's so many variables here, because like Mark Degnolt just plays 305 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,119 like twelve plus guys whenever he wants. Does that almost do you a disadvantage 306 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,640 in the playoffs where you don't know what a super narrow down rotation looks like 307 00:20:12,039 --> 00:20:15,880 and some of your players aren't used to logging a ton of minutes in the 308 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,960 first place, How does that impact you? So remove one of the variables 309 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,400 from the equation by getting first place. I didn't want to be the thing 310 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,960 by saying my goal is for them to get the number one seed, just 311 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,079 because that's so basic. The other thing is, let's make sure shake de 312 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,680 Douxander is healthy. He had to sit that game against the against the Rockets 313 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,960 that they lost on Wednesday night. The other thing is can we get like, 314 00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:38,960 is the Gordon Hayward thing happening? He's been kind of valuable as a 315 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,279 ball mover, but can you get him to actually be more aggressive as a 316 00:20:42,279 --> 00:20:45,119 scorer, as a shooter, as a driver. Does he have anything left 317 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:52,799 there? And then the other thing it's and this is a sustain version grant 318 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,240 since the All Star. By the way, the other thing is give Isaiah 319 00:20:56,279 --> 00:20:59,759 Joe a longer leash to find himself. I'm tired of seeing these I don't 320 00:20:59,759 --> 00:21:00,960 care that he's on the smaller nd. I don't want to see these these 321 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,880 games where he's only getting like fourteen minutes or whatever it is. Run more 322 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:08,400 stuff for him when he's on the court, get him going. But really 323 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:12,440 they are sixth in defensive rebounding percentage since the All Star Break, which is 324 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:17,279 a big deal for them because people's biggest qualm has been they're too small and 325 00:21:17,319 --> 00:21:19,200 they're too slight, even when you're looking at their size. So I went 326 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,799 back when I was watching a lot of defensive rebounding possessions because that's just so 327 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:27,720 much fun to do. You can look at like a lot of the bigs 328 00:21:27,799 --> 00:21:33,079 have seen their defensive rebounding rate skyrocket since the All Star Break, Jalen Williams, 329 00:21:33,319 --> 00:21:36,359 chet Holmgrin, even, And you've seen some stuff from the wings and 330 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,400 the guards go up a little bit, but the wings in the guards shake 331 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,720 Gill, Alexander, Josh Giddy, even Jadab. They've done such a good 332 00:21:42,799 --> 00:21:47,240 job of boxing out where it always feels like there's two of them within the 333 00:21:47,319 --> 00:21:51,240 vicinity of a chet Holme, Grin or Jalen Williams. To make sure that 334 00:21:51,839 --> 00:21:55,559 no, these rebounds aren't uncontested, but they're easier to get to against bigger, 335 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,079 burlier front courts. That needs to continue to be a focus because make 336 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,359 sure you're going to end to possessions that way, and it might allow you 337 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,960 to stick with either one, not shortening your rotation or two, just kind 338 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,119 of obliviating this whole argument that the Thunder are too small and slight to contend 339 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:15,599 for a title right now. And this is they're among the teams where I 340 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,920 just have so few notes for because I do believe in them just so genuinely 341 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:26,640 and authentically, but you can kind of poke and prod and quibble with smaller 342 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,160 areas of what they're doing. And so I look to that where it's can 343 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,279 you get to a point where you're comfortable shortening your rotation and not playing matchups 344 00:22:33,279 --> 00:22:37,559 as much, or just you know, not emptying the bench but going to 345 00:22:37,559 --> 00:22:40,480 to ten plus guys, or can you get to a point where you know 346 00:22:40,799 --> 00:22:45,039 Chet Holmgren can play thirty eight minutes per game? Like? Those are real 347 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,880 questions to have, and I've been very impressed on what we've seen on the 348 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,839 defensive glass, just the collective effort they've shown. Can you maintain that? 349 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,240 So I am gonna hit on a little bit. Well, I'll leave the 350 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,519 rebounding stuff a little bit alone, because my goal for them is really it's 351 00:23:00,559 --> 00:23:04,400 still to me, is to figure out how to contend with size, and 352 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:08,599 it's particularly like dynamic size, because I don't know if you saw much of 353 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,880 the Milwaukee game. They got nothing for your honest, like they don't. 354 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,319 I mean, and who does really right, But it's like he he better 355 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,720 than some stuff up his sleeve. I think, yeah, right, you 356 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:26,799 need a saboteur to but like he's a nightmare for them. They won't see 357 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,200 him unless they make the finals. But it's just as illustrative of and Zion, 358 00:23:30,279 --> 00:23:33,319 I think is another guy that it's just like they don't you know, 359 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:38,519 you're asking Lou Dort or Jalen Williams to guard fours a lot, and it's 360 00:23:38,559 --> 00:23:42,400 just like they're competing. And Dort is as like is as hard to move 361 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:47,400 as any guy his size is in the league. It's just the rebounding is 362 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:48,880 still initiate, you know, I think you touched on it, like their 363 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,880 twenty eighth in offensive rebound rate, twenty ninth and and defensive rebound rate, 364 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:57,680 they're twenty ninth and second chance points opponents rebounding since the All Star breaking, 365 00:23:57,759 --> 00:24:00,720 right right, So it's been in proved. But it's like, so I 366 00:24:00,759 --> 00:24:04,400 wasn't gonna harp, but just on the rebounding as but it is indicative of 367 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,640 like they got to figure they've had to figure out what to do to compensate 368 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,119 for just a lack of side and really bulk like the trade off it, 369 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,400 I understand it, like they just have never you know, they didn't go 370 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,000 get the big that everybody didn't go get Andre Drummond or whatever. Oh mac 371 00:24:19,039 --> 00:24:23,759 Bombo is there? This Mac Biyombo was was there? Uh? But so 372 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:29,319 like what was the other stat that was really telling? Uh? Oh, 373 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,319 they allow the third most second chance points in the league. So that's just 374 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,319 that's more rebounding stuff. But like, I don't know if it means you 375 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,960 sort of steer further into this kid. You you highlighted some interesting stuff I 376 00:24:41,039 --> 00:24:45,640 wasn't aware of about how like they're doing better boxing out gang rebounding like that 377 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,160 kind of thing. Are you about to suggest ludored at the five? Because 378 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,599 I'm all for it. I know you are. There's no such thing as 379 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,640 a lineup too small. Uh, But I think, well, I think 380 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,119 you could obviously like chet is, Chet's a center, but also not because 381 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,680 I still just think he thinks and moves like a guard, especially on offense, 382 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,400 with a center's shop blocking prowess but much better mobility. I wonder if 383 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:14,359 you just like their transition numbers are good, but particularly off live rebounds, 384 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,119 they don't really push it. I wonder if like the workaround for we're always 385 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,799 gonna be smaller and slighter then well not always, but there are gonna be 386 00:25:21,799 --> 00:25:25,839 teams where we just like cannot compete size wise. Maybe you just like really 387 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,880 lean into let's run every time. Let's Indiana pacers this so like more hit 388 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:36,640 ahead passes, higher transition frequency in general, particularly off live boards. Just 389 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,319 see like if if there are points to be had there that will offset the 390 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,400 second chance points you give up or the times that like you just have no 391 00:25:44,519 --> 00:25:49,240 way to keep a Yiannis or whoever from getting two and three, you know, 392 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:55,960 cracks at it inside because like you know, they're probably gonna have to 393 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,960 play you know, a Timberwolves front line that's gonna be really big, and 394 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,559 Anthony Edwards is a really forceful driver among guards, and maybe you're gonna see 395 00:26:03,599 --> 00:26:07,319 some guy named Yokic who is more than happy to just like set up shop 396 00:26:07,319 --> 00:26:11,680 and put you in the basket if that's what the defense is designed to like 397 00:26:11,079 --> 00:26:15,759 make him realize is the correct play. So I think you know, the 398 00:26:15,839 --> 00:26:19,240 if the goal is to like figure out how to contend with size, Like 399 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,839 the real solution would be like, I don't know, have bigger players. 400 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,559 You can't do that. Now it's too late. You had that chance, 401 00:26:25,599 --> 00:26:27,799 you didn't take it. Maybe that was the right decision, but that's that 402 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,960 to me still is the clear issue. Unless you're gonna, say an experience 403 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:36,240 or whatever they got to here out how to contend with teams that are gonna 404 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,160 be bigger than them, because that's gonna be like pretty much everybody. The 405 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:44,000 running stuff is fascinating because I think that's probably counterintuitive to having shake Gilgess Alexander 406 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,720 as the driver of your offense. Now that being said, I think even 407 00:26:47,759 --> 00:26:51,400 when you look at a lot of the lineups they use without him, they 408 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,920 could still stand to run more. And so it's how do you build the 409 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,880 perfect Let's say SGA's off the court, You're still going up against some size. 410 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,920 We've seen a lot of chet with SGA off the court, and so 411 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,279 I'm like, if you were to build the lineup that I think would run 412 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:11,240 and not be overly small, I'd probably go with Cason Wallace J Dubb of 413 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,119 course, because of course Aaron Wiggins shot of adrenaline, and then I would 414 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,319 go with can you play Kenrich Williams and Chet Holmgren together and does that allow 415 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,000 you to get out and run without giving up too much size Where it's always 416 00:27:22,039 --> 00:27:26,599 Josh Gittty at the four in that scenario and then you're you're playing five out. 417 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,519 All those guys can shoot and Josh Gitty's been hitting threes for the moment. 418 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,559 That would be That's a really interesting thing that you bring up, because 419 00:27:32,559 --> 00:27:33,839 I don't you probably could do it a little bit more with Shay on the 420 00:27:33,839 --> 00:27:37,319 court, but I would look to what you're saying, that's probably something you 421 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:41,559 need to focus on during the SGA on the bench minute. Yeah, I 422 00:27:41,559 --> 00:27:45,000 would say too, Like we haven't really talked about this, but I think 423 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,039 SGA. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I know 424 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,960 more than once in stuff I've written recently, I have reference, Like, 425 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,640 you know, the way that officiating has changed since the points of emphasis were 426 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:00,559 handed down from on high. His free throw attempts per hundre posessions are significantly 427 00:28:00,599 --> 00:28:06,359 down from their peak. Like he is definitely someone that benefited a lot from 428 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:11,759 the way offense was officiated early and like, you know, if the reason 429 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,200 he's so effective is like he can just from a standstill put you in a 430 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:21,200 compromise position and draw fouls or score. And if that's a little bit harder 431 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:25,079 to do now, and you combine like the new officiating with the playoffs, 432 00:28:25,079 --> 00:28:26,640 the whistles kind of just tend to go away a little bit more too. 433 00:28:27,319 --> 00:28:33,440 Maybe maybe running solved like helps address that too, because like you know, 434 00:28:33,559 --> 00:28:38,680 if if SGA creating something from nothing was okay, okay, see's superpower because 435 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,160 he's just like he's even now, he's just there's still nobody harder to stay 436 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:47,200 in front of. But if that's going to be a little less effective and 437 00:28:47,319 --> 00:28:49,960 you're trying to solve the lack of size issue, maybe running is like now 438 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:56,640 doubly important because the half court like fallback you had of SGA will get fouled, 439 00:28:56,799 --> 00:28:59,519 like the worst case scenario. If that's not going to happen. If 440 00:28:59,519 --> 00:29:02,920 that's happening ten times, if he's getting ten free throw attempts of game instead 441 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:06,559 of like twelve or fourteen in a play like I don't know that, that's 442 00:29:06,599 --> 00:29:08,599 another reason to think about picking it up. Also, like who doesn't want 443 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:11,640 to play faster? That's like every team that comes into the season, like 444 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:17,480 We're gonna play faster, so let's just do it. We are onto your 445 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,720 Phoenix Suns, all right. I would be surprised if you don't at least 446 00:29:21,759 --> 00:29:26,920 touch on this somehow. You gotta figure out the fourth quarter, Fellas, 447 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,839 Like the numbers have been out there forever. I will just list some of 448 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,440 them. We can talk about the why I would love I would love it 449 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,720 if you had some some whys I was trying to find out, you know, 450 00:29:37,759 --> 00:29:41,799 looking deeper into the like play type data, and you know, just 451 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:47,200 how is this happening? I have little wise, so oh good, I'll 452 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:49,960 better better than anything, because those are better points of discussion than numbers, 453 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,720 which I'm about to give you some of. In the fourth quarter, the 454 00:29:53,759 --> 00:29:59,200 Suns are thirtieth in net rating minus fourteen point one points per hundred possessions in 455 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,480 the fourth quarter. That's hard. That's hard to do. They're thirtieth in 456 00:30:03,559 --> 00:30:07,559 turnover rate. They are thirtieth in defensive rebound rate. They're twenty seventh hallelujah, 457 00:30:07,559 --> 00:30:11,160 in offensive rebound rate, twenty sixth than true shooting percentage. Only the 458 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:18,079 Portland Trailblazers have a worse assist to turnover ratio in the fourth quarter. I 459 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,799 wonder, I guess I do have a sort of like solution instead of just 460 00:30:21,839 --> 00:30:25,359 pointing out problems. This is the information I couldn't find. I wonder what 461 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:30,640 would happen if you just spammed Devin Booker Kevin Durant ballscreen actions like I don't 462 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,920 care which direction they go, Maybe those just get switched, but just and 463 00:30:34,079 --> 00:30:37,960 space the floor with Brad Buhl and Grayson Allen and guys can't come off of 464 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,720 them. So like, I don't know, it doesn't obviously like Frank Vogel 465 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:47,200 has probably thought of this, I hope, but he definitely has been criticized 466 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:52,799 for running some like you know, twenty fourteen ass offenses. So I just 467 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,480 like, if you're of the mind that which I kind of am, that 468 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:00,319 you know, fourth quarters of the regular season are at out in close games 469 00:31:00,359 --> 00:31:04,000 are about as close as you get to approximating what the playoffs look and feel 470 00:31:04,079 --> 00:31:07,000 like and the kind of adjustments you have to make and the intensity and blah 471 00:31:07,039 --> 00:31:11,559 blah blah. Like if you suck at fourth quarters to this extent for this 472 00:31:11,759 --> 00:31:15,759 long, it's just like, I don't know, man, that's a huge 473 00:31:15,759 --> 00:31:18,039 issue. So I don't know, figure it out. Just use your two 474 00:31:18,039 --> 00:31:22,160 best players in two man action and don't do anything else for the rest of 475 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:23,960 the year and see if that works. It can't be worse, so you 476 00:31:25,039 --> 00:31:29,480 might as well try that. Yeah, mine was streamline the fourth quarter offense. 477 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:30,839 And what I meant by that is so I'm a outside a few things. 478 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:36,920 So it's basically what you said. I wrote extensively. One Bradley Beal 479 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,480 said this, they overpass in the fourth quarters, and like we've seen some 480 00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:42,880 games where they won't. But sometimes it might be just as simple as this 481 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:47,559 team is shot so poorly. They shoot so well in wide open jumpers for 482 00:31:47,599 --> 00:31:51,839 the first three quarters and then they just shoot terribly on wide open jumpers during 483 00:31:51,839 --> 00:31:56,079 the fourth quarters. Now, so he talked about overpassing. You mentioned the 484 00:31:56,119 --> 00:32:00,279 turnover stuff, and I had written about this, and then Gerald Borgay of 485 00:32:00,559 --> 00:32:04,480 Phoenix I think it's Phoenix dot com or Phoenix Sports wrote a better one, 486 00:32:04,559 --> 00:32:07,359 which one I want to make clear I never would be able to replicate that. 487 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:08,960 But two, boy do I miss being able to spend that much time 488 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:13,079 writing or talking about one team. He went, he looked at every single 489 00:32:13,079 --> 00:32:15,519 turnover the Sun's had, So go go check that out. I retweeted on 490 00:32:15,559 --> 00:32:19,319 my Twitter profile. But they are. This is one of the numbers that 491 00:32:19,359 --> 00:32:22,400 I had beforehand, and it's still held true. I think maybe they're dead 492 00:32:22,519 --> 00:32:25,039 last, and oh, you already mentioned this one, but they have the 493 00:32:25,079 --> 00:32:30,079 third most bad pass turnovers overall. And I think a big portion of that. 494 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:34,160 Gerald dug deeper into what Kevin Durant was doing, and you mentioned kind 495 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,079 of spamming two man actions with Kevin Durant and Devin Book or even maybe even 496 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:39,519 Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Zach Lowe is kind of harped on that as 497 00:32:39,559 --> 00:32:45,720 well. The other thing is just like create any sort of advantage situation for 498 00:32:45,839 --> 00:32:49,759 KD. Where it's what zach Lowe was bemoaned, which was different from yours. 499 00:32:49,799 --> 00:32:52,079 You did, like you kind of want a different direction. Was if 500 00:32:52,079 --> 00:32:55,359 he's not on the ball, he's not doing anything enough. And then if 501 00:32:55,359 --> 00:32:58,960 he's on the ball, you're asking him to just create too much from scratch, 502 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,440 where it's like send him a ball screen to break up these traps or 503 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:06,400 don't have him do something away from the ball so he's not suffering from these 504 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,519 blitzer or these double teams. They're not doing that enough. And I think 505 00:33:08,559 --> 00:33:14,960 as we've seen Kevin Durant get older even kind of like definitely post Achilles not 506 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:16,599 gonna get to the rim as much. And it's just like when he's in 507 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:21,200 ISOs, when he's in even if he's running picking rolls like he's gonna turn 508 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,240 the ball over more off of pressure and you need to figure out a way 509 00:33:24,279 --> 00:33:27,759 to get him out of that. And do you know what the answer is, 510 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,440 I'm not saying take the ball out of his hands, don't have him 511 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,720 start with it as much then, and so like, can you is there 512 00:33:32,759 --> 00:33:36,799 a way to do something like that where it's Kevin Durant needs to be used 513 00:33:36,839 --> 00:33:39,160 as more of the screener, or can you get let's have Devin Booker Bradley 514 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:43,880 Beal's screen for the other and then can you we actually get into more kickouts 515 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,480 for Kevin Durant maybe he's not standing in the corner, maybe he's lifting out 516 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:52,720 from the corner more often. So anc totally just of the crunch time games 517 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:55,359 and possessions I've seen from the Suns, that is what I would like to 518 00:33:55,359 --> 00:34:00,839 see more, and it's not there's the element of there's probably still lack familiarity 519 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,720 because I believe the Big Three is still played in fewer than thirty fourth quarters 520 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:08,280 together this season. That's problematic, Like, I'm not and you're not asking 521 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:12,320 them to reinvent the wheel. This is just stuff that I feel like could 522 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:15,280 be pretty basically or easily implemented, because we're not. First of all, 523 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:20,679 we're not smart enough to suggest stuff that would take time to implement like this 524 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,480 is feels like on a lot of on the fly. And the other thing 525 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:28,639 that bugs me is we've seen it for very just small flickers and flashes that 526 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,679 it can work when you do that. And my final number here that supports 527 00:34:32,679 --> 00:34:37,880 the anecdote Kevin Durant in the clutch this season, Grant thirty eight percent on 528 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:43,719 two's thirty two percent on threes. So that's insane. Can we just talk 529 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:46,480 about how because like some of the numbers, it's not just the shooting, 530 00:34:46,639 --> 00:34:50,719 it's not just the defense, it's not just the rebounding, it's not just 531 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,760 the bad path, it's it's all of it. Is there? Probably, 532 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:57,360 like are we just overlooking the fact that, like I don't know, if 533 00:34:57,559 --> 00:35:02,159 you having to rely on for a lo the year two of or even one 534 00:35:02,679 --> 00:35:07,320 of the three stars to do so much early in games. It's just a 535 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,119 fatigue thing, Like what if that what if you know you all this, 536 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:14,360 remember the splits how we would trot him out every year about how luka Doncic 537 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:16,119 is like quarter by quarter it would just get worse and worse and worse because 538 00:35:16,119 --> 00:35:21,960 he's getting tired, like because he's been asked to do everything. I think 539 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,039 maybe it's like I'm sure there's more to it, but I think we're kind 540 00:35:24,079 --> 00:35:29,199 of overlooking the simplest explanation of like the way this team is built demands so 541 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,599 much of and if you had all three of those guys for the whole year, 542 00:35:31,639 --> 00:35:36,239 maybe this is different. But I think like Durant for a minute was 543 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:38,960 like leading the league in minutes, and and like Booker was playing a ton, 544 00:35:39,079 --> 00:35:44,000 and like Beal just kept missing time. But like I wonder if that's 545 00:35:44,039 --> 00:35:47,039 as simple as it is, Like they just like can't sustain the workload and 546 00:35:47,079 --> 00:35:51,639 the responsibility they have, and like all these other guys, these minimum guys 547 00:35:51,679 --> 00:35:53,840 that everyone was over the moon about, Like guess what, they're not gonna 548 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:59,719 be reliable to like carry you in a fourth quarter of a colost this yeah, 549 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:04,760 right, that might be with durance specifically because of the injuries that were 550 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,239 dealt with Bradley Beal on that also Devin Booker, particularly earlier in the season. 551 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:12,519 That would be I feel like a legitimate factor in that is just if 552 00:36:12,559 --> 00:36:15,719 you're digging into it. But I do think despite everyone, yeah, probably 553 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:21,119 not having a more conventional for general has hurt them. I just refuse to 554 00:36:21,119 --> 00:36:22,719 believe when you have Devin Booker and even Bradley Beal on your team, who's 555 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:29,280 done a better job I'll call it point guarding lately, I just refuse to 556 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:32,159 believe that that is the I'm not gonna say that the way that roster's built 557 00:36:32,199 --> 00:36:37,079 is a feature and that this isn't a bug, but like, it's not 558 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,519 if you had I've seen people like man, I'm that just dumping camp like 559 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:45,039 no campaign wasn't gonna make a difference here. Had you gotten TJ McConnell, 560 00:36:45,079 --> 00:36:49,440 eventho, who's apparently the best isolation score in the history of basketball. But 561 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,800 like he would, I don't know that he would have materially changed this team's 562 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,079 issues. Maybe he would, don't get me wrong. But then so you're 563 00:36:57,119 --> 00:37:00,679 removing Grayson Allen shooting from the court, that's it because you're not because now 564 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:06,400 you have McConnell, Booker, Beale, Durant and then Nurkicch or I guess 565 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:07,320 of like one of the U banks, or if you want to go bull 566 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,440 ball in that, or you can play grace now with Durant at the five. 567 00:37:09,679 --> 00:37:12,840 I don't know if Durant at the five is really going to be something 568 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,800 that's a certain matchup, sure, but that's not something you want to talk 569 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:17,239 about. Putting too much on his shoulders, he said, too much on 570 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:21,960 his shoulders defensively for a lot of this season too. Have I given you 571 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,599 my theory on why TJ McConnell's so effective as an isolation scorer, Let me 572 00:37:25,639 --> 00:37:31,280 hear it. Every shot he takes, his defender is split second thinking it's 573 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,880 twenty twenty four. He's not taking that fucking shot. That's a terrible shot. 574 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:37,239 And then and then he takes it because it'll be like a dead sprint 575 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:42,559 into like a pull up, like like on the way up eight foot jumper, 576 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,760 Like no one should be sious about the structural stability of his ankles when 577 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:51,360 he does stuff like that. It just didn't speed get your hurt. He 578 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:54,320 he wants the shots that every defense has been told. Now like, oh 579 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:59,199 yeah, we can see that, like put force him into the eight foot 580 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:04,760 leaning like barely getting it over your fingertips jumper. So he just he's mastered 581 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:07,719 the element of surprise. So that's what very quick aside before we get to 582 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:14,440 my Portland Trailblazers. So I was while you were talking, before my phone 583 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,519 notification started going off. Someone's spamming our YouTube comments with just negative stuff. 584 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:22,119 What is it about us that elicits? Because I've seen bigger podcasts and accounts, 585 00:38:22,119 --> 00:38:24,960 and maybe it's I'm not journeying deep enough into the comments. It's all 586 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:30,199 this positivity or jokes or being like dude, what is it about us that 587 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:35,000 makes people feel like harp on the negative of what we say more than it 588 00:38:35,159 --> 00:38:37,239 like a lot of these other bigger podcasts. I'm just I'm at like a 589 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:45,159 loss. I don't really it's probably we're not giving enough TJ McConnell shot analysis. 590 00:38:45,559 --> 00:38:51,519 I think that's our niche moving forward to that and with that though, 591 00:38:51,559 --> 00:38:54,480 we will move on to my Portland Trailblazers. So this is kind of like 592 00:38:54,559 --> 00:38:58,679 in the vein of the Memphis Grizzlies, where they're not as banged up, 593 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,199 but you're kind of just in shit mode. So I have a handful of 594 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:07,199 things I would like for them to try. Are you ready? I've got 595 00:39:07,199 --> 00:39:09,679 a few myself. So that's seis. I'm gonna start with the most throwaway 596 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:13,639 and probably not productive, and then work my way up to what I think 597 00:39:13,639 --> 00:39:16,800 could be productive. Okay, just take more threes. There's no reason for 598 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:21,239 this team to be in the bottom ten of three point frequency the entire year. 599 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:22,679 You want to split it up before the All Star break. Post All 600 00:39:22,679 --> 00:39:27,679 Star break, it's very similar. You need to open up Deandrayton has had 601 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:30,480 like a better closing kick because I guess he has a mattress now. That 602 00:39:30,599 --> 00:39:35,800 was just my god. Anyway, the snow stuff actually wasn't funny. I 603 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:37,920 totally understand how that. Like, I didn't understand people making jokes about that. 604 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:44,559 The mattress thing. Dude, you're under the contract. The mattress thing 605 00:39:44,679 --> 00:39:49,559 makes the snow thing like it validated. Everybody was like really with the snow 606 00:39:49,599 --> 00:39:52,639 thing because then the mattress thing follows and it's like, well, it's kind 607 00:39:52,679 --> 00:39:54,719 of you, isn't it. It's not going to talk about the snow thing. 608 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,199 It was, but I just that mattress thing was I thought absolutely absurd. 609 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:01,880 But it open the floor more for him. And then Scoot Henderson, 610 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:06,079 who has shown flashes a flashes. Excuse me, you know what, I've 611 00:40:06,079 --> 00:40:08,840 seen the most flashes from him when there's an open floor for him to navigate 612 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:13,639 through. Let's just chuck more threes. I recognize you don't have the personnel 613 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:15,599 to do that and be efficient. I'm gonna tell you one thing. I 614 00:40:15,599 --> 00:40:19,920 don't fucking care. Just take more threes. Well, I have two more. 615 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,679 They're a little bit more nitty gritty here. I know they're playing Ryan 616 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:27,719 Rupeer more. It's not enough. Let's see if the three point shooting is 617 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:31,519 real, if the defensive length can be this disruptive that we've seen, and 618 00:40:31,559 --> 00:40:36,239 then test the limits the boundaries of what he can do defensively. Is this, 619 00:40:36,639 --> 00:40:38,840 oh he kind of needs to defend slider players wings at the point of 620 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:42,800 attack, or oh no, he can scale up because there's been some nice 621 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,079 possessions with him there. The other thing I would like to see them try, 622 00:40:45,559 --> 00:40:50,639 and they're still not trying it, and it kind of I unders well, 623 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,840 no, I don't understand why. But like Tamani Kamaro at the five 624 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,719 just seems like, why aren't we trying that? Is it? Because we 625 00:40:55,719 --> 00:41:00,800 don't want to infringe upon the reps for like Dwop Wreath and DeAndre eight And 626 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:02,440 you're at the point in the season where it's like infringe away, my dudes, 627 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:07,920 And they've played fifty seven possessions with Kamara at the five, and it's 628 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:14,159 I understand that changes schematically what he can do defensively, but like, if 629 00:41:14,159 --> 00:41:19,280 you're gonna play him, like just neutralize his non shooting factor. He is 630 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:22,679 such a non factor when it comes to being on the perimeter where what happens 631 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:24,280 if you can if you don't want to play him at the five, can 632 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:29,239 we get the lineups then where you feel comfortable using him to set some screens, 633 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,679 because like he can really finish and maybe do some stuff inside the arc, 634 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:36,119 and just he's such a monster defensively, it wouldn't shock me if you 635 00:41:36,119 --> 00:41:37,000 put him at the five and it's like, oh no, look at Like 636 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:39,840 we've seen him cover some bigs to begin with, in the sense, although 637 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:44,840 they have him covering a lot of just kind of the star what you would 638 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:50,360 call them wings or you know, even guards. So I understand the reticence 639 00:41:50,519 --> 00:41:53,559 there, but like we are at the kind of just try shit portion of 640 00:41:53,639 --> 00:41:57,679 the season, and so I would like to see I think of all the 641 00:41:57,719 --> 00:42:00,679 things that I've listed, I really well, I'm obsessed with repair, so 642 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:04,199 I want to see him play more. But like, let's try and get 643 00:42:04,519 --> 00:42:07,960 Kamara at the five and you have enough perimeter flyers or players where it's like, 644 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:10,320 oh, Jabari Walker's on the bench, like we don't we don't really 645 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:14,639 care at this point, so you can you know what, you put Kamara 646 00:42:14,679 --> 00:42:17,159 at the five that opens more minutes up for repair on the perimeter. Yeah, 647 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:22,280 Portland is like a lot of teams, but really for the Blazers are 648 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:27,000 in the like no bad ideas in a brainstorm portion of their season. It's 649 00:42:27,039 --> 00:42:29,559 it's what you're saying, just like, I don't know see if this is 650 00:42:29,599 --> 00:42:31,519 going to work. There is speaking of that by the way, very quick, 651 00:42:31,599 --> 00:42:35,920 I have zero idea. I shouldn't. No, I'll say zero, 652 00:42:36,079 --> 00:42:42,199 I zero grasp on Chauncey Bill up the head coach still and year three yeah 653 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:45,440 right, no, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no. I 654 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:49,159 agree. Well, it's like, how could you really like because every year 655 00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:52,119 ends kind of the same. Well, either you're shutting guys down or you're 656 00:42:52,159 --> 00:42:57,599 in this situation anyway, I kind of similar thing. But I just to 657 00:42:57,679 --> 00:43:00,960 me, I don't know, it's oversimplified a little bit. I think you 658 00:43:00,039 --> 00:43:05,719 just need to get as much information on what it is that Scoot Henderson needs 659 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:08,480 to like be the best version of the player you need him to be, 660 00:43:09,199 --> 00:43:13,079 and so that that goes to lineups, that goes to like trying different play 661 00:43:13,079 --> 00:43:16,360 styles, like different player combinations all that stuff, you know. So the 662 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:21,400 problem is like you kind of get some conflicting information. So it's like the 663 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:25,320 lineups with him and Malcolm Brogden are like mostly positive, So okay, maybe 664 00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:31,360 maybe what he needs for at least now is like a real secondary facilitator next 665 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,880 to him, right, like someone like Simon's. Isn't really that Brogden is 666 00:43:37,079 --> 00:43:40,159 just like the quintessential like combo guy like has some point guard instincts, but 667 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:44,559 like isn't really a true just someone like that. Those lineups are okay, 668 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,719 okay, but then what about like, well maybe Wreath's spacing at the five, 669 00:43:50,119 --> 00:43:52,920 like maybe that works, and maybe that unlocks your ability to play like 670 00:43:53,039 --> 00:43:58,800 really like nasty wing defenders and so to with with Scoots. So like you 671 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:01,480 shield him defensively, you get him spacing to go to work on offense. 672 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:07,639 Wreath can help him. But then if you play Wreath Scoot and Tyble and 673 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:09,840 Kamara together, the offense just like falls off a cliff. And so those 674 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:15,400 numbers are all terrible. We aren't going to find out very much anything about 675 00:44:15,599 --> 00:44:19,239 Roggin what is he dealing with the elbow thing? And yeah, we don't 676 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:22,800 know when he's coming back, right, and and also Shade and Sharp probably 677 00:44:22,840 --> 00:44:24,320 not coming back. He hasn't played since January, so you're not gonna get 678 00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:29,639 he coming back. I don't know. I just looked why, Like I 679 00:44:29,639 --> 00:44:34,639 mean, I guess for this purpose it would be great to know what a 680 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:38,800 larger sample of him, Simons and Scoot together would look like. But what 681 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:44,239 I do think is most interesting and kind of blew me away. Lineups with 682 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:50,679 eight and Scoot and Simons together are actually only minus point three per hundred possessions, 683 00:44:50,719 --> 00:44:52,960 So like for a which is great for a team as bad as the 684 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:57,760 Blazers have been. So it kind of circles all the way back to like, 685 00:44:58,519 --> 00:45:02,519 well, you had no shit a a pick and roll center that Scoot 686 00:45:02,599 --> 00:45:07,920 can like use to you know, get his own looks or feed somebody near 687 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:13,639 the basket with an incredible movement, high volume three point shooter and Simon's next 688 00:45:13,639 --> 00:45:15,840 to him, Like that works pretty well for a point guard. Like okay, 689 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:20,000 I just like like that's where I came all the way back around to. 690 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:23,599 I don't know. We need just we need to figure out as the 691 00:45:23,599 --> 00:45:29,639 Blazers because Scoot Henderson has a wild has had a wildly disappointing rookie season. 692 00:45:29,679 --> 00:45:31,039 Some of that's been injuries, some of that's the situation, some of that's 693 00:45:31,079 --> 00:45:36,599 just him underperforming expectations. He's the most important figure in the franchise by a 694 00:45:36,639 --> 00:45:39,360 factor of like a million. You need to figure out what's gonna help him 695 00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:44,159 be most successful, what types of players he needs around him. So if 696 00:45:44,159 --> 00:45:46,519 you only learn one thing the rest of the year, like, that's kind 697 00:45:46,559 --> 00:45:51,239 of got to be it. I think so. But unfortunately it seems like 698 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:58,360 the obvious answer is is right there, we're onto your Sacramento Kings Anger, 699 00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:01,320 your best friends. No. Well, I mean you could just make the 700 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:06,039 defense the issue, but I like, I don't know what the goal is, 701 00:46:06,119 --> 00:46:09,440 because the goal should have been to solve it by getting better defensive players. 702 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:13,800 At some point over the last couple of years. So I focused on 703 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:15,800 and this was my issue. I don't know, a couple of weeks ago 704 00:46:16,360 --> 00:46:20,639 when we were doing the East with them, and this is before Kevin Herder 705 00:46:20,679 --> 00:46:25,239 went down. How are you juggling the like Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, 706 00:46:25,639 --> 00:46:32,719 Davion Mitchell shooting guard slash, third guard slash whatever minutes to like maximize what 707 00:46:32,719 --> 00:46:37,639 all those guys can do. Because Mitchell still has real value. He's been 708 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:43,880 overtaken by Ellis because Ellis actually is bigger, longer, really dynamic defensively, 709 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:46,559 and I think it's shooting like thirty nine percent from three. It's low volume. 710 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:51,519 He's getting up about forty four percent for March alone. Yeah, he's 711 00:46:51,519 --> 00:46:54,039 getting up like six per thirty six, which is which is good. But 712 00:46:54,239 --> 00:46:58,480 if he could get up more then it's like there's I don't know why you 713 00:46:58,519 --> 00:47:01,679 need Davion Mitchell other than the fact that like your guard depth is just is 714 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:07,360 he finished yet? And Damien is definitely stronger than for sure, but he's 715 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:13,440 so small, like he's truly a one position defender, and like I just 716 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:15,320 think, again, we've seen it already. I feel like I've talked, 717 00:47:15,519 --> 00:47:19,639 brought this up a million times, but like, if Mitchell is in the 718 00:47:19,679 --> 00:47:23,039 corner, no one guards him, and so like his his contributions as a 719 00:47:23,079 --> 00:47:29,719 disruptive on ball defender against point guards have to be so massive to offset just 720 00:47:30,000 --> 00:47:34,079 the Kings having to either hope he makes a couple threes or just play four 721 00:47:34,159 --> 00:47:36,840 on five on the other end. So Mitchell, I feel like, is 722 00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:39,000 kind of lowest in the pecking order there. And do you want to mess 723 00:47:39,039 --> 00:47:44,159 around with monks minutes because he's been so good all year in the like closing 724 00:47:44,239 --> 00:47:47,920 role and you can use him to be the primary facilitator when Daron Fox is 725 00:47:47,960 --> 00:47:51,760 off the floor, Like, I don't know how you want to tweak that. 726 00:47:51,920 --> 00:47:54,199 Maybe you just leave it alone and say ellis like, guess what you're 727 00:47:54,239 --> 00:47:58,920 playing like thirty minutes a night now, which he's been pretty close to lately. 728 00:47:59,719 --> 00:48:01,519 So I think that's just kind of a dynamic they need to get sorted 729 00:48:01,519 --> 00:48:07,119 out, because even if like Herder is kind of like out of favor, 730 00:48:07,199 --> 00:48:09,239 I think for sure, like you can the game I went to the other 731 00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:14,000 day was like every time he missed, there were audible groans and there was 732 00:48:14,039 --> 00:48:17,079 a lot of like heckling from Kings fans toward Kevin Herder. So there's some 733 00:48:17,119 --> 00:48:22,480 frustration there his like two man game with the bonus and all the give backs 734 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:24,719 and handoffs and stuff that still matters, Like that's still a real part of 735 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:29,199 what makes the King's offense good when it's at its best. But if he's 736 00:48:29,239 --> 00:48:32,079 gonna be hurt or diminished or can you eue to play this poorly, then 737 00:48:32,119 --> 00:48:35,039 like I don't know, you just got to figure out what you're gonna do 738 00:48:35,079 --> 00:48:38,159 with that rotation at the guard spots. Yeah, that's a good one. 739 00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:42,440 I also the stuff, I don't really have anything to add to that other 740 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:45,559 than I think that's my touch, Like step on a little bit of the 741 00:48:45,559 --> 00:48:47,760 toes what you were saying. I really think they need to now more than 742 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:52,239 ever with Kevin Herder out streamline life for Keegan Murray at both ends of the 743 00:48:52,280 --> 00:48:57,360 floor. And so let's start on the and I think he's been great this 744 00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:00,559 year, and I'm gonna repeat his stat I had on the other podcast defense, 745 00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:04,840 but offensively, he's shooting thirty two point four percent from three since the 746 00:49:04,840 --> 00:49:08,079 start of February. He cannot hit from the corners, and that's been like 747 00:49:08,199 --> 00:49:12,039 kind of the tale of his story. All year, he's at like thirty 748 00:49:12,079 --> 00:49:15,519 nine percent above the break or over thirty eight percent, and then he's like 749 00:49:15,559 --> 00:49:19,159 in the low thirties from both corners. I mean even like it's from the 750 00:49:19,199 --> 00:49:21,719 right of the left corner. I can't remember, like sub twenty nine percent. 751 00:49:22,920 --> 00:49:25,519 A lot of his stuff he's still doing mostly zero dribble threes. A 752 00:49:25,519 --> 00:49:30,320 lot of his looks are classified as open or wide open, but they're also 753 00:49:30,519 --> 00:49:34,480 in the same vein as Kevin Herder. They all feel like they're off balance 754 00:49:35,079 --> 00:49:37,960 or it's like after coming after a lot of work, and then when I 755 00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:40,400 look at what Kegan Murray is doing defensively. So now let's go to the 756 00:49:40,440 --> 00:49:45,719 defensive end of the floor. Last year, Grant, there were like twenty 757 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:52,079 eight percent of his possessions came guarding one of the two highest uses players on 758 00:49:52,119 --> 00:49:59,480 the other team. That number is shot above fifty percent this year. Yeah, 759 00:49:59,519 --> 00:50:00,840 it had to. And he's by the way, he's held up really 760 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:05,519 well, and so it's does he have the lift to get off what are 761 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:07,639 they might be wide open threes, I would still say they're not the eat. 762 00:50:07,679 --> 00:50:09,639 Now the stuff he's missing from the corners, yeah, a lot of 763 00:50:09,639 --> 00:50:14,119 the times they're not off balance, they're these standstills. But can you simplify 764 00:50:14,159 --> 00:50:16,239 any of that? And so the way to do that on offense for me 765 00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:22,000 would be, can you get to even more minutes where it's Monk No Sabonis 766 00:50:22,199 --> 00:50:24,280 and Keegan Murray's on the court. I understand what Murray does with the bonus, 767 00:50:24,280 --> 00:50:28,400 that's important, but like Malik Munk is more of a driving kick player 768 00:50:28,719 --> 00:50:30,280 rather than we need the off ball guy to work a lot to get to 769 00:50:30,280 --> 00:50:34,320 the handoffs for sa bonus. The other thing, though, when you mentioned 770 00:50:34,360 --> 00:50:38,800 with Keon Ellis is well, how can you best fit the Keon Ellis Keegan 771 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:43,119 Murray lineup so that, Okay, ke On Ellis is gonna handle a lot 772 00:50:43,159 --> 00:50:46,760 of these defensive assignments that will make life easier for Keegan Murray to where he 773 00:50:46,840 --> 00:50:50,360 might be dealing. Yeah, he'll still have a hard cover, but he'll 774 00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:52,960 be dealing with more lowman stuff, which, by the way, another Statle 775 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:58,039 regurgitates is because I found it fascinating he ranks in the top thirtieth, Kegan 776 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:00,760 in the top thirty of shots contested at the RIM this year. Not wild 777 00:51:01,599 --> 00:51:06,840 again, it's it's he has to like somebody. Somebody has to do it, 778 00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:09,760 So can you figure out a way to streamline life for him? And 779 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:14,400 it's that gets harder now without Kevin hurd her out, and so my focus 780 00:51:14,480 --> 00:51:16,559 is it's and I think the way to do I don't know how they're going 781 00:51:16,599 --> 00:51:20,639 to simplify life for him offensively is like the stuff I mentioned with Monk. 782 00:51:20,679 --> 00:51:22,800 Okay, that's fine, but you don't want to detach him from Sibonis too 783 00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:25,920 much. And so I come back to the defensive end, and it's okay, 784 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:30,119 Well, then how did you best build your key on Ellis Keegan Murray 785 00:51:30,159 --> 00:51:35,000 lineups? And then it gets even harder because the most used one with them 786 00:51:35,079 --> 00:51:40,039 is Fox Ellis Murray, Barnes and Sobonis naturally, and that's been outscored by 787 00:51:40,039 --> 00:51:44,519 four point two points per one hundred posessions with a one oh six offensive rating. 788 00:51:44,639 --> 00:51:47,320 And so to have two of your three most valuable offensive players on the 789 00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:52,800 court in Sibonis and Fox monks not in this lineup naturally to be that poor 790 00:51:52,920 --> 00:51:54,960 on offense. And when you start to dig into kind of the the shooting 791 00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:59,480 numbers for that group, it's all right, they're shooting thirty percent from three 792 00:51:59,480 --> 00:52:01,639 that feels a little anomalous, But when you look at the struggles that Keegan 793 00:52:01,760 --> 00:52:05,599 Murray's had in some of those situations, you kind of get it. Yeah, 794 00:52:05,639 --> 00:52:07,239 I don't know what the answer is, is my point here, but 795 00:52:07,280 --> 00:52:10,960 you probably need to get especially now without hurt Er, more creative with your 796 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:15,760 lineups, and even the Trey Lyles injury probably looms pretty large here, and 797 00:52:15,800 --> 00:52:20,559 so like maybe it's you know, like do we try more of Sabonus, 798 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:24,480 Murray, Kean Ellis and Monk And then it's, uh, do you have 799 00:52:24,599 --> 00:52:30,320 fox out in that regard or do you go with Davion Mitchell there to try 800 00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:32,280 and cater to the defense a little bit more. I just you need to 801 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:36,440 find a way, to me to do a better job of making life simpler 802 00:52:36,639 --> 00:52:39,519 on at least one end of the floor for Keegan Murray moving forward to ensure 803 00:52:39,559 --> 00:52:44,239 that he doesn't get I don't want to say worse come playoff time, but 804 00:52:44,239 --> 00:52:46,360 doesn't deal with a lot of the same struggles we saw from him last year 805 00:52:46,599 --> 00:52:52,599 in the playoffs. Do you think it? You know, I, if 806 00:52:52,639 --> 00:52:58,000 everybody's available, what is the kings? What is your preferred what five do 807 00:52:58,039 --> 00:53:00,079 you want to see out there? It's obviously Fox, it's obviously Sabonis, 808 00:53:00,079 --> 00:53:02,840 it's obviously Murray. Is it Barnes and Ellis? Are there your fourth and 809 00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:08,000 fifth guys? Are? I guess you have small? You gotta have Monk, 810 00:53:08,079 --> 00:53:10,400 right, I'm just looking at It's like, how do you not have 811 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:15,000 Monk with the year that he's having and just how valuable he is as like 812 00:53:15,039 --> 00:53:19,559 that passer out of his drives and so so, then is it Ellis or 813 00:53:19,559 --> 00:53:23,960 Barnes? I feel, in fury for defense, I'd probably rather have Ellis, 814 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:29,599 But that lineup you're so basically the starters plus Monk instead, because Ellis 815 00:53:29,679 --> 00:53:31,920 is a start now instead of Barnes. They've only played this is such a 816 00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:36,639 small sample, sixty seven possessions, but they're minus nineteen point four with an 817 00:53:36,639 --> 00:53:42,199 eighty four offensive rating. I mean that's that's a better offensive team than eighty 818 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:45,159 five. I mean that that's I think that's the lineup I want to see 819 00:53:45,559 --> 00:53:50,159 more from. But I understand why. It's what we just want Monk with 820 00:53:50,280 --> 00:53:52,960 Barnes and Murray and Sibonas and Fox, and that's the one that we just 821 00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:54,800 need to But I'm trying to figure out a way because I think that Ellis 822 00:53:54,840 --> 00:54:00,440 is important to simplifying Murray's life defensively, that's where that's my start point. 823 00:54:00,480 --> 00:54:04,000 It's okay, it's Ellis and Murray. Build your way out from there. 824 00:54:04,440 --> 00:54:07,239 You're restricted, dope because you know it needs to be some bonus and fox 825 00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:12,239 and so it's the best fifth. It's simultaneously awesome that Ellis is is this 826 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:16,400 good and terrifying that he's now this important to me? Right right? That's 827 00:54:16,840 --> 00:54:22,559 that was not one you could see coming earlier this year. Uh oh man, 828 00:54:22,599 --> 00:54:24,639 the Spurs. We got the Spurs next. I don't know what to 829 00:54:24,679 --> 00:54:28,559 do with this. There's there's two ways to go. Am I leading off 830 00:54:28,639 --> 00:54:30,039 or you leading off? I can't remember now? Oh wait, I think 831 00:54:30,079 --> 00:54:32,440 I'm supposed to be leading off. I poliz Okay, I'm gonna have very 832 00:54:32,480 --> 00:54:36,320 little to add, but you'll probably just say what I was gonna say too, 833 00:54:36,360 --> 00:54:42,360 So go ahead. So can we see Can we just see Dominic Barlow 834 00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:45,840 play with Victor Wibanyama to see what happens? Is that what you had? 835 00:54:45,599 --> 00:54:50,039 No, well, one of the ways was gonna be the two things I 836 00:54:50,039 --> 00:54:54,159 had. We could just kick this back and forth because everything everything goes back 837 00:54:54,199 --> 00:54:57,719 to Wemby and like what does what does he need? It's kind of like 838 00:54:57,760 --> 00:55:01,159 the scoot thing, but like more p So the two ways to go are 839 00:55:01,199 --> 00:55:04,800 like who should play next to him in the front court because it ain't Zach 840 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:07,760 Collins. That's pretty clear now, although that seemed like a good idea at 841 00:55:07,760 --> 00:55:09,559 the time, and Barlow is one of the guys it's like, well, 842 00:55:09,559 --> 00:55:13,880 he's energetic and he's gonna run, and he's physical and all this other stuff. 843 00:55:14,239 --> 00:55:16,639 So the front court combo or partner or whatever is one. And then 844 00:55:16,719 --> 00:55:23,199 like the answer is not there probably, but it's like what facilitator slash point 845 00:55:23,199 --> 00:55:29,159 guard makes the most sense, if any sense on the current roster, like 846 00:55:29,440 --> 00:55:32,280 the Blake Wesley's and the Branhams and then Champagnees and like, I don't know, 847 00:55:32,360 --> 00:55:36,280 let's go back to point sohan, I guess like those are those are 848 00:55:36,280 --> 00:55:39,880 the two bookends of like what guards should be with him and what big guy 849 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:43,480 should be with him? And I don't have the answer and the spurs zone 850 00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:45,840 either, but you should mess around as much as possible late here to try 851 00:55:45,880 --> 00:55:49,599 to figure it out. Yeah, And That's where I'm kind of at now. 852 00:55:49,679 --> 00:55:52,719 I think the issue with Dominic Barlow is he's averaging point eight three pointers 853 00:55:53,320 --> 00:55:57,760 per thirty six minutes three point times. That's not, you know, great, 854 00:55:58,079 --> 00:56:00,519 but he has ranged. She was poor. Explore that. Excuse me. 855 00:56:00,719 --> 00:56:05,239 But then also because of the way Victor Wembenyam has been shooting the three, 856 00:56:05,519 --> 00:56:07,760 it's probably you can get away from the stack. Well, he needs 857 00:56:07,760 --> 00:56:12,920 to play with a stretch big and it's like he's and and also Domino brol 858 00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:15,320 is not really a big. He's kind of like maybe he's a peer four. 859 00:56:15,400 --> 00:56:17,199 But he moves it, slides his feet really well. On the defensive 860 00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:20,960 end, you already mentioned to run the floor, has some good feel as 861 00:56:20,960 --> 00:56:23,079 a passer or knowing when to attack in space. I just want to see 862 00:56:23,119 --> 00:56:28,599 more of him. Do you know how many possessions though the Spurs have played 863 00:56:28,920 --> 00:56:34,599 with Trey Jones, Dominic Barlow, victorm Webenyama and no other like no other 864 00:56:34,679 --> 00:56:37,679 big Oh god, I mean, Barlow is in the G League for a 865 00:56:37,679 --> 00:56:38,760 lot of the years, so it can't be that high. Also, by 866 00:56:38,760 --> 00:56:42,519 the way, before I answer, he did shoot more threes in the G 867 00:56:42,639 --> 00:56:45,360 League. I think he last I looked he was in like the low thirties, 868 00:56:45,159 --> 00:56:50,159 which is like four percent in the G League and then eighty eight point 869 00:56:50,239 --> 00:56:52,360 nine percent from the charity stripe. So those are good. Barbie's way better 870 00:56:52,360 --> 00:56:58,039 than I remembered. I'm gonna say those three have played together without another big 871 00:56:58,920 --> 00:57:02,440 for like less than fewer than ten possessions. Eighteen possessions. Okay, I 872 00:57:02,480 --> 00:57:06,400 was close. That's not enough. And you know what the problem is is 873 00:57:06,440 --> 00:57:09,280 like it's been at that number for like now, that Dominic ever since Dominic 874 00:57:09,280 --> 00:57:13,679 Barlo has been converted. So like I initially looked at that number once he 875 00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:21,199 got converted, and it was fourteen. I think, right, that lends 876 00:57:21,239 --> 00:57:23,039 itself to the what you were I mean, we've mentioned a couple of times 877 00:57:23,039 --> 00:57:27,840 with other teams on the podcast, is just just try this stuff. I 878 00:57:27,880 --> 00:57:31,519 mean. The other thing that I think they could stand to try is like, 879 00:57:31,599 --> 00:57:37,800 well, let's dispatch with this notion that long term anyway, that one 880 00:57:38,400 --> 00:57:45,440 of Kelden Johnson or Jeremy Sohan needs to start. And so, like we've 881 00:57:45,480 --> 00:57:49,840 seen, Jeremy Sohan has been Kellen Johnson been moved to the bench, Jeremy 882 00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:52,679 Sohan has stayed in the starting five. What kind of happens if you just 883 00:57:52,719 --> 00:57:55,960 have Kelden Johnson and jeremysonan coming off the bench. I mean, if well 884 00:57:57,119 --> 00:58:00,559 one, it would mean you had starter quality players ahead of them, which 885 00:58:00,599 --> 00:58:04,599 is like Kelton Johnson. I thought, don't is the point, but tried 886 00:58:04,679 --> 00:58:07,559 anyway to see what does that do for bench units? Sure? Yeah, 887 00:58:07,599 --> 00:58:10,480 that's fine. I think. Oh I was gonna ask you, uh, 888 00:58:12,639 --> 00:58:16,079 you know, I think of you as the preeminent Deva vessell supporter. You've 889 00:58:16,119 --> 00:58:20,000 pulled me over to your side more than once, and I think I mostly 890 00:58:20,039 --> 00:58:22,960 agree. How do you feel about Devin Vessel's progress this season or or lack 891 00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:27,000 of it? What do you mean why? All right? We're not not 892 00:58:27,039 --> 00:58:30,320 worried about it. I feel like he was a breakup and what is it? 893 00:58:30,519 --> 00:58:34,079 What is it that's actually concerning the fact that he's developed into more of 894 00:58:34,079 --> 00:58:37,480 a three level score. Don't you feel like the sentiment is that Devin Vesselle 895 00:58:37,480 --> 00:58:40,679 has been a little disappointing this year. Maybe I'm just mischieving looking for his 896 00:58:40,800 --> 00:58:45,519 leap as sort of a playmaker. Can he be the Devin Booker Chris Middleton 897 00:58:45,119 --> 00:58:51,360 level reader? Sure? But I would also point to the lineups they've put 898 00:58:51,440 --> 00:58:53,559 him in have not been conducive for the most part to exploring that, at 899 00:58:53,639 --> 00:58:55,920 least from the games that I have seen. I'm not trying to make that 900 00:58:55,960 --> 00:59:00,159 the end all be because all the Spurs players are bad. It's not that 901 00:59:00,159 --> 00:59:04,840 they're all, but it's also just like the ecosystem needs to be set up 902 00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:07,800 in some way to where you're gonna get to those lineups, or there needs 903 00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:12,400 to be enough spacing around to maximize what he's gonna do as an on ball 904 00:59:12,400 --> 00:59:15,239 playmaker. So yeah, I still think that's probably where he needs to improve 905 00:59:15,280 --> 00:59:19,920 the most. I might even argue I get more frustrated. I don't feel 906 00:59:19,960 --> 00:59:22,639 him on defense as much as I think that you should when you look at 907 00:59:22,679 --> 00:59:27,639 what he is capable of. But he is more of a plug and play 908 00:59:27,719 --> 00:59:30,719 every level score. I firmly believe this, and there's gonna be some numbers 909 00:59:30,760 --> 00:59:34,400 that don't support this. I firmly believe he is more of a plug and 910 00:59:34,400 --> 00:59:37,079 play every level score than he has ever been in his career. That's fucking 911 00:59:37,119 --> 00:59:40,320 fantastic for the Spurs because even if you say, well, we still need 912 00:59:40,360 --> 00:59:44,639 Wenby to get a second best player, you know what, your third best 913 00:59:44,639 --> 00:59:46,599 player on a really good team is already in place, and there's a huge 914 00:59:46,679 --> 00:59:52,039 value in that. Okay, I think that's fair. I I feel like 915 00:59:52,079 --> 00:59:55,280 there's a lot of like when Devin Mizel signed that contract, I think we 916 00:59:55,280 --> 00:59:58,840 were like, that's the going rate for what he's gonna be, like, 917 00:59:58,880 --> 01:00:01,119 no problem with it. And then I feel like more recently people have kind 918 01:00:01,159 --> 01:00:04,920 of been you know, it's such a straw man thing, but I felt 919 01:00:04,920 --> 01:00:06,920 like the sentiment was kind of like, oh, I don't know if that 920 01:00:07,000 --> 01:00:09,079 was a good idea. Keldon Johnson's even too. It's kind of wild to 921 01:00:09,079 --> 01:00:14,039 think about that. The best criticism you can make of Devin Fasel this year, 922 01:00:14,039 --> 01:00:15,199 and the only valid one to me, is that he didn't have like 923 01:00:15,239 --> 01:00:19,800 a massive breakthrough, because he's gotten better. But I was just curious where 924 01:00:19,840 --> 01:00:22,039 you were on because I know yourself. If you just tried to get me 925 01:00:22,079 --> 01:00:25,599 to be pessimistic about that, I I just know that's he's one of your 926 01:00:25,639 --> 01:00:30,519 guys, and and he didn't turn into like a an all NBA level player, 927 01:00:30,840 --> 01:00:32,840 Not that you thought that, but that's probably enough. On the Spurs, 928 01:00:32,920 --> 01:00:35,960 do I leave the jazz? I think I did? You were on 929 01:00:36,199 --> 01:00:38,719 you take us through the jazz, all right? So, uh, this 930 01:00:38,800 --> 01:00:43,559 is going to go against some of the logic we've used for other teams that 931 01:00:43,599 --> 01:00:47,519 are kind of have packed it in this year where it's like just try weird 932 01:00:47,559 --> 01:00:52,119 stuff and like, you know, let the chips fall. So we both 933 01:00:52,159 --> 01:00:57,199 love Keyanta George kind of been in I feel like we deserve credit. Maybe 934 01:00:57,199 --> 01:01:00,880 you got me there. I can't remember, but I'm nervous is to where 935 01:01:00,920 --> 01:01:02,840 this discussion is. No, we were in on him. I'm still in 936 01:01:02,880 --> 01:01:07,239 on him, and that's that's the reason I'm gonna say this. I think 937 01:01:07,280 --> 01:01:12,840 the Jazz need to kind of walk walk the line a little carefully here because 938 01:01:12,880 --> 01:01:16,360 he's really struggled lately. Uh and he's under forty percent from the field in 939 01:01:16,400 --> 01:01:20,320 his last four games. He's had some ugly like oh for six's and oh 940 01:01:20,360 --> 01:01:24,760 for sevens from three turnovers are going up. It's it's like, I don't 941 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:29,079 really worry about this too much with players who's potential I believe in as much 942 01:01:29,119 --> 01:01:34,199 as his, But like you're in an environment where losing is kind of the 943 01:01:34,199 --> 01:01:37,199 point right now, bad habits could form. You could get kind of I 944 01:01:37,199 --> 01:01:42,519 don't know, disillusioned, like down the stretch here, I think he's gonna 945 01:01:42,519 --> 01:01:45,599 be so good that I'm concerned with just like throw him out there and like 946 01:01:45,719 --> 01:01:49,760 experiment around him. Like I think you still need to do like a little 947 01:01:49,760 --> 01:01:53,119 more nurturing, Like maybe that means a little bit, you know, fewer 948 01:01:53,199 --> 01:01:58,800 minutes. Maybe that means having him reel it in. Maybe that means supporting 949 01:01:58,880 --> 01:02:02,320 him more with other point guards. Like I just I don't want this like 950 01:02:02,800 --> 01:02:08,000 crazy statistical like downturn at the end of the year to kind of like be 951 01:02:08,159 --> 01:02:14,320 the lasting image of his rookie season. So what you can do is just 952 01:02:14,360 --> 01:02:16,599 put him on the floor as much as possible with Lori Markin and Walker Kessler 953 01:02:16,639 --> 01:02:21,960 because those never those team those units actually win the minutes they play, which 954 01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:24,239 is not easy to do with the way Utah has been operating in general. 955 01:02:24,440 --> 01:02:28,199 And they've been especially good on d and maybe this is one of those like 956 01:02:28,320 --> 01:02:32,480 let's not give up on Walker Kesler, transformative defensive center potentially. Uh, 957 01:02:32,599 --> 01:02:37,320 that's beside the point. I just I know, I feel like we need 958 01:02:37,360 --> 01:02:40,519 to zag a little bit because with all these other young cornerstone pieces, we've 959 01:02:40,519 --> 01:02:45,199 been like try weird stuff, sink or swim, like there are no stakes, 960 01:02:45,239 --> 01:02:47,840 these games don't matter. But with George it's like some of the numbers 961 01:02:47,880 --> 01:02:52,920 have been so ugly of late that I want the Jazz to like take better 962 01:02:52,960 --> 01:02:59,159 care of him down the stretch. Here, I think I I get what 963 01:02:59,199 --> 01:03:01,400 you're saying. I can for myself to be concerned about him, though, 964 01:03:01,400 --> 01:03:04,880 because I'm trying to figure out the best way to frame it. Let's do 965 01:03:04,880 --> 01:03:08,360 it this way. Who is the fourth most played player on the Jazz during 966 01:03:08,400 --> 01:03:15,400 the month of March. I have no earthly idea. It's Bryce Sensiba And 967 01:03:15,840 --> 01:03:17,960 that's why actually liked coming out of the draft. My point is they have 968 01:03:19,480 --> 01:03:22,639 you know, Larry Markin was back in the lineup. What was the last 969 01:03:22,679 --> 01:03:24,519 game I saw from them? I think it was as we're recording this last 970 01:03:24,519 --> 01:03:28,079 one they're lost to the Mavericks. So he had played in that one. 971 01:03:28,119 --> 01:03:32,760 But like you're getting to the point of a lot of Taylor Hendrix, you're 972 01:03:32,800 --> 01:03:36,360 not seeing it, like Jordan Clarkson is not in the lineup right now. 973 01:03:36,679 --> 01:03:38,760 So if you're saying take better care of him, by saying, well, 974 01:03:38,920 --> 01:03:43,360 let's stop, let's dispense with trying to keep this pick or worrying about the 975 01:03:43,599 --> 01:03:46,280 win lost standings, and we want to make sure Larry Markin is playing a 976 01:03:46,280 --> 01:03:51,039 bunch more sure or Jordan Clarkson is going to be healthy enough to play a 977 01:03:51,039 --> 01:03:53,719 bunch more. I totally get that. I just I don't view it as 978 01:03:53,760 --> 01:03:58,199 a lasting impression, in large part because it's like we all know the deal 979 01:03:58,280 --> 01:04:00,840 of what they're doing. We saw it last year, we know what's happening 980 01:04:00,880 --> 01:04:03,920 here. But I think that's fair. I will say though, even when 981 01:04:03,960 --> 01:04:08,239 he looks bad, I think what he's done a lot better job of is 982 01:04:08,280 --> 01:04:12,119 just getting to his spots at the top two levels, like the mid ranger 983 01:04:12,159 --> 01:04:16,559 from three point range. So that gives me hope. I will say that. 984 01:04:16,760 --> 01:04:20,480 And I don't know how realistic this goal is, but like we're seeing 985 01:04:20,559 --> 01:04:24,000 more of Taylor Hendrix, which is what I want to see. And by 986 01:04:24,000 --> 01:04:27,440 the way, Taylor Hendrix, I know you know this. He's really good, 987 01:04:28,280 --> 01:04:30,960 super malleable on the defensive end. It's like astounding. He will guard 988 01:04:31,400 --> 01:04:36,159 Victor Wembinyama. He will also guard Anthony Edwards. That is like some of 989 01:04:36,159 --> 01:04:41,039 the highest praise that I could give him. The rim protection instincts are real. 990 01:04:41,320 --> 01:04:44,719 He's an alert defender away from the ball, does get caught up a 991 01:04:44,719 --> 01:04:46,559 little bit navigating screams. From what I've seen, but he's quick to course 992 01:04:46,599 --> 01:04:51,239 correct. Can you guess Grant, knowing what I told you he can do 993 01:04:51,280 --> 01:04:55,639 on defense? Can you guess we're gonna play this possession game again? How 994 01:04:55,639 --> 01:05:01,199 many possessions has Taylor Hendrix played with both Walker and Larry Marketen? Oh, 995 01:05:01,599 --> 01:05:04,400 he'd like going to give you an over under? Yeah? I was gonna 996 01:05:04,440 --> 01:05:08,239 say, like, almost never, but give me the over under. I'll 997 01:05:08,239 --> 01:05:13,039 give you an over under of seventy eight under. Yeah, seventy two. 998 01:05:13,280 --> 01:05:15,320 I don't really know where I was going with that. That's that's more than 999 01:05:15,360 --> 01:05:17,599 I would have thought. Though the results have not been good. I want 1000 01:05:17,599 --> 01:05:21,840 to see more of it because I think what it does is it definitely puts 1001 01:05:21,840 --> 01:05:26,239 the burden on Hendricks offensively to see what can you stretch the floor? What 1002 01:05:26,280 --> 01:05:29,159 can you do is maybe with the ball in your hands in space? But 1003 01:05:29,360 --> 01:05:31,679 you really are going to find out more about him defensively by saying, well, 1004 01:05:31,719 --> 01:05:36,239 you are just our wing defender in this instance, and if it pans 1005 01:05:36,239 --> 01:05:43,239 out you much easier, that makes Larry Marketin's life defensively. So I just 1006 01:05:43,280 --> 01:05:45,760 want to see more of that. We're already seeing more of Taylor Hendrix. 1007 01:05:45,840 --> 01:05:47,760 I just don't know how realistic it is to expect, like how many more 1008 01:05:47,760 --> 01:05:51,480 games is lotry market and actually going to play in for this team? Stretch 1009 01:05:53,480 --> 01:05:56,840 Hendricks, Like you know, the numbers in general have not been great, 1010 01:05:56,840 --> 01:06:00,480 but he is kind of an eye test passer in certainly in flashes. From 1011 01:06:00,480 --> 01:06:06,000 what I've seen, he is more likely. I won't say, I won't 1012 01:06:06,039 --> 01:06:11,079 say it's a little too spicy. I won't say he's more likely to develop 1013 01:06:11,079 --> 01:06:15,000 into a perennial All Star than Keyonte George. I'm you're still that high, 1014 01:06:15,000 --> 01:06:17,239 Okay, all right? I to that, by the way, and I 1015 01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:21,239 know Jared Walker is coming on in Indiana. I still think the Pacers are 1016 01:06:21,239 --> 01:06:29,119 going to live to loathe that draft day decision. Hendrix is averaging over a 1017 01:06:29,159 --> 01:06:32,760 steal on a block and getting up six threes per thirty six minutes. You'll 1018 01:06:32,760 --> 01:06:36,039 take that all day from a guy that is going to move around like he 1019 01:06:36,159 --> 01:06:41,039 does and defense, Like you know, the percentages are not good, but 1020 01:06:41,239 --> 01:06:45,360 just like to your point, like the the you can see the outlines of 1021 01:06:45,519 --> 01:06:50,519 like, oh, this guy could really mark to the great benefit of marketing, 1022 01:06:50,599 --> 01:06:56,519 specifically being awesome, like just an objectively really impactful player on both ends, 1023 01:06:56,800 --> 01:07:00,360 but also like for this team, Like, if you're concerned with the 1024 01:07:00,440 --> 01:07:01,880 Jazz, we're getting like way into the weeds. But this is the last 1025 01:07:01,880 --> 01:07:04,559 team, so whatever. If you're concerned with the Jazz is like I don't 1026 01:07:04,559 --> 01:07:08,320 know, Laura, market is your first option? Like is that really enough? 1027 01:07:08,360 --> 01:07:12,920 Because it might be if Hendrix becomes the type of player that some of 1028 01:07:12,920 --> 01:07:15,519 the numbers suggest and some of the eye test stuff says, and your evaluation 1029 01:07:15,599 --> 01:07:21,559 of him undoubtedly sets in stone that he might be. Yeah, I mean. 1030 01:07:21,599 --> 01:07:24,559 And also, by the way, if we're gonna talk about the lineups, 1031 01:07:24,559 --> 01:07:28,239 if you really want to try and get a real glimpse into the future, 1032 01:07:28,280 --> 01:07:32,039 you're gonna want to see I mentioned Marketing, Kessler and Hendrix, You're 1033 01:07:32,079 --> 01:07:35,559 gonna want to see Keante George as part of those units. And like, 1034 01:07:35,760 --> 01:07:39,280 now it's okay, is there enough shooting there? Then is that pushing the 1035 01:07:39,280 --> 01:07:43,679 boundaries? But we've only seen forty six possessions of those four together, so 1036 01:07:43,719 --> 01:07:45,079 it's just like I want to see more of what When I look at this 1037 01:07:45,199 --> 01:07:48,880 team, you could talk me into Collin sext and needing to stay long term 1038 01:07:48,880 --> 01:07:53,840 because he's been that good. But I view unless I'm missing somebody like those 1039 01:07:53,880 --> 01:07:58,280 are the four like just core players, then maybe whoever they draft, assuming 1040 01:07:58,320 --> 01:08:02,800 they keep their pick in this year. But what can we see like the 1041 01:08:02,880 --> 01:08:05,960 future for like if so, I just want to see more of that. 1042 01:08:06,000 --> 01:08:09,760 I don't know how realistic it is, but that's what I want to see. 1043 01:08:09,960 --> 01:08:13,760 Yeah, I'm into it. That's all we've got. We've wrapped it 1044 01:08:13,840 --> 01:08:16,119 up the four parts. Every team goals things to monitor, stuff we want 1045 01:08:16,119 --> 01:08:19,039 to see or might be concerned about. Grant you want to take us out 1046 01:08:19,039 --> 01:08:23,760 of here, I would love to Dan. Thanks everybody for listening again, 1047 01:08:23,800 --> 01:08:26,640 thank you for bearing with us, or actually you don't have to bear with 1048 01:08:26,720 --> 01:08:29,279 us through anything. This is a very short set of podcasts for us, 1049 01:08:29,800 --> 01:08:32,039 so thanks for your support. You can continue to do that by rating, 1050 01:08:32,079 --> 01:08:35,720 reviewing, subscribing, word spread, spread the word word of mouth, tell 1051 01:08:35,760 --> 01:08:41,119 your friends, tell your enemies, join our discord, buy our merch. 1052 01:08:41,640 --> 01:08:44,960 Links to do All of those things are in the YouTube podcast description, and 1053 01:08:45,039 --> 01:08:47,920 as we do, please do the same. Give shouts out to Frank Melachina 1054 01:08:48,199 --> 01:08:50,079 and always apologize to Jared Allen